From Ark-Eology to Ufoiogy, from Ararat to Arizona
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PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER From Ark-eology to UFOIogy, from Ararat to Arizona he world of Ark-eology—the like a ship. But when you measure it, it January 18 that Frances Emma determined search among cer- doesn't come out right. ... At no time Barwood, a former Phoenix city coun¬ Ttain creationists for the suppos- did we say we saw an ark." cilwoman and vice-mayor, is running edly still-frozen remains of Noah's Ark Odicr Arkeologists, flushed widi die for Arizona secretary of state on a plat- on the slopes of Mt. Ararat in Turkey— exciting idea that their Fundamentalist form that includes, among other things, is once again abuzz with excitement. teachings about a global flood are about the demand for an explanation of any (Every few years, excitement over the to be confirmed, arc making even bolder UFOs seen over Arizona. To show she presumed imminent discovery of Noah's claims. Robert G. Corbin Jr.'s website means business, when she kicked off her Ark reaches a fever pitch: see this col- (www.noahsarksearch.com/anomaly. campaign she was surrounded by UFO umn. Spring 1993). html) contains many photos of die sup- researchers and lobbyists. But not every- According to a story published last posed "Ararat anomaly," which to die one is impressed. Attorney General November 18 in the Washington Timet, untrained eye looks very much like an Grant Woods, discussing her candidacy "Former intelligence officials say soon- outcropping of rode Porcher Taylor III on the radio, played the theme from to-be-released U.S. spy photographs of goes even further to talk about an "adja- Woody Woodpecker, and a political car- the odd formation high on Turkeys cent anomaly" thai is suggested to be pos- toon suggests that Outer Space might be Mount Ararat could reveal something far sibly the "remains of the keel of a ship." found between her ears. We'll sec how more explosive: die remnants of Noah's He continues, "A naval architect who wdl the issue plays with the voters. Ark. According to the story by Bill Gerz, reviewed diis frame tdls me, off-the- Unfortunately for some UFOIogists, 'High-level U.S. government interest in record, that die 'structure' reminds him even Thomas R. Taylor, state director of the search for Noah's Ark led to a study of the skeletal remains of die keel [bot- MUFON for Arizona, agrees dial die by the CIA's National Photographic tom spine] of a ship." What struck him video we've seen many times of bright Interpretation Center (NPIC) of the was that die design appeared to be "rela- lights in a row was in fact a flare drop Ararat Anomaly back in the 1970s, and tively modern." If proved to be true, "this occurring at 9:57 I'M. on March 13 from die Defense Intelligence Agency con- would shatter the prevailing Biblical eight A-IO aircraft of the 175th ducted a second, more recent analysis.'" archaeological view that Noah's Ark was Maryland Air National Guard on a train- Dino Brugioni is a retired CIA pho- an unsophisticated, rectangular barge." ing mission over die Barry Goldwater tographic specialist who says he was Gcrz's article promises that "over die Gunnery Range (sec http://www.idowcb- directed two decades ago to study certain next few months, the CIA will begin pages.com/mu.anicle.html). The planes high-resolution photographs snapped by releasing more detailed high-resolution were dropping high-intensity flares from a U-2 spy plane at die end of a 3,000- spy pictures of the distinctive formation 15,000 feet, which fall slowly by para- mile reconnaissance flight from what was near die summit." The world waits for chute, illuminating the target area. then the Soviet Union to Turkey. "We die exciting news. (Barwood disagrees, saying that the measured things, but none of them fell explanation is just too convenient.) within the dimensions given in die Bible," he said. "If you didn't have die The much-hyped Arizona UFOs of last Robert Sheaffers World Wide Web page fin biblical dimensions in cubits, you could year have now entered the arena of poli- UFOs and other skeptical subjects is at pick up those pictures and say they look tics. The Associated Press reported on http://debunJeer.com/-sheaffirfufo.htrtd. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June I998 19 MUFON folks wish that people phocnixncwtimes.com/1996/curTcnt/ne James Moseley reports in the Nov. 15 would stop paying so much attention to ws2.html). Very likely, this was a train- issue of his newsletter Saucer Smear that non — UFO, widely seen at approxi- ing mission in night refueling. (http://www.mcs.nctt-kvg/smear) that mately 10 P.M. local time, and pay more But perhaps the most significant no sooner was the ranch purchased by attention to the real UFOs that were fly- recent nondevelopment in UFOIogy dicse investigators eager to confront the ing in V — formation at about involve8:30 P.Ms . the supposedly "haunted paranormal, than all of the unearthly However, several amateur astronomers ranch" in Utah dial was purchased by manifestations—UFO sightings, inter- and pilots did see these, and quite Las Vegas investor Robert Bigelow for dimensional portals, even "dog-killing unambiguously identified them as air- his National Institute for Discovery balls of light"—suddenly ceased. craft in formation (sec http://www. Sciences (sec http://www.nids.com). Somehow we're not surprised. 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