SUNlite Shedding some light on UFOlogy and UFOs

Volume 3 Number 4 July-August 2011 Cover: While driving in New Jersey on return from vacation, I saw this blimp passing over the turnpike. One wonders how many blimps populate the skies over NY City on a given day. Left: An image of my toy UFO that I used to see if amateur astronomers could detect an object dur- ing their observations. In my one test, they did. I will have to see if I can test it another time. immediately, I heard, “What the heck is that?” That was immediately followed by, “What are you doing?!!!” It is one small sample but I confirmed my suspicions that people at a dark sky site are not go- ing to be oblivious to everything around them. I may attempt this little experiment a few more times in the future to see if I get a similar response. I just hope I don’t get banned from the observing site for these antics.

This issue has quite a collection of articles from various people. I hope my readers will find them interesting and informa- tive. I know that I did. Additionally, I am thankful to Manual Borraz, who pointed out to me a potential explanation for an interesting UFO event from 1957. I appre- Better late than never ciate the effort made by all these people.

am sorry for the delay in releasing this object may simply be an artifact of how TABLE OF CONTENTS Iissue of SUNlite. I was on vacation and the object was recorded. One can not de- really could not tear myself away from finitively say. However, I would not say family to devote the time to finish the is- it actually showed a craft of some kind, Who’s blogging UFOs...... 2-3 sue properly. Anytime I have to choose which is what I meant in the article when The Roswell Corner ...... 4 between UFOs (or for that matter - As- I was discussing “true UFOs”. So high up, the earth looked like a what? tronomy) and family, it is family first. by Martin S. Kottmeyer...... 5-8 I noticed in writing to some of my read- I took some criticism about my article ers that they have the links disabled in In defense of the psychosociologi- concerning UFO photographs/videos their pdf readers. I just want to point out cal hypothesis – Another reply to Au- in the last issue. I mentioned that no that if you desire to go to the applicable guste Meessen by Jean-Michel Abra “true UFOs” had been recorded by all of web site (most often in the “Who’s blog- ssart...... 9-12 these systems in place that do record ging” segment), I do provide links so if An example of mathematical intimidation events like bright fireballs. Reality -Un you want to follow up, enable the links. in Ufology by Nicolas Gauvrit...... 12 covered member “Buckwild” pointed me towards a video that was shot in Japan Finally, about a year ago, I mentioned Project Bluebook Special report no. 14...... by an amateur astronomer some time that I would test some amateur astrono- ...... 13-14 ago that showed a pair of lights that rap- mers to see if they would notice a UFO at UFO over the Bronx and 1.3 million idly moved across the field of view and at an observing session. Using a child’s toy people miss it!...... 15-17 some sharp angles. There appears to be (see picture at left) that pushes a spin- Did the police almost shoot the something dark between the lights but ning wheel with LEDs into the air, I ran a moon?: An article inspired by an e- it is fairly indistinct. One can view the test at a dark sky observing session. The mail from Manuel Borraz....18-20 video at the link http://sonotaco.jp/fo- LEDs are not that bright so I was not too rum/viewtopic.php?t=1723. The owner concerned about interfering with every- Lost opportunities and stolen valor - a of the video feels it may be birds or in- one’s night vision. I also made sure that book review by Peter Merlin....21-22 sects. Those at the Bad Astronomy forum nobody was taking photographs (I was UFOs on the tube...... 23 (where Buckwild originally discussed this the only astrophotographer present). Buy it, borrow it, bin it...... 23 two years ago) felt the lights may have There were about a half-dozen people been a reflection off the window the observing when I went behind my ve- camera was shooting through. The dark hicle and produced my surprise. Almost 1 Some people never learn. Paul Hill is ings. Wake me up when he presents the promoting his lights over lake Erie videos Who’s blogging data instead of claims. as proof of aliens visiting earth. The last time somebody did this, UFO investiga- UFOs? James Oberg correctly predicted in an tors determined that they were just air- e-mail that there were going to be UFO plane lights (See SUNlite 2-3). The videos videos appearing on May 4-5 from in this clip appear to be the same lights Hot topics and varied opinions Russia. Sure enough, there were plenty presented last time. They look just like of UFO videos/claims made. One individ- planes on approach to Cleveland’s air- ual on the Above Top Secret forum sug- port. gested the videos showed the formation of a wormhole SETI lost its funding. This is for a UFO to travel through! too bad and UFOlogists seem to In reality, the videos were be rejoicing. How much money of a Russian Meridian Satel- has UFOlogy squandered in the lite launch from the Plesetsk past decade chasing useless cosmodrome. This was no cases that have proven noth- surprise since it seems like ing. At least SETI tried to con- all these rocket launches (in duct a search and people can Russia and the US) still create learn from their efforts. UFOl- UFO reports. ogy does not learn from the past. They just keep repeating My article about the Battle the same mistakes. of LA photograph was fol- lowed up by two blog en- Robert Sheaffer wrote a won- tries by Kentaro Mori and derful article outlining the Lance Moody. Moody’s ar- work of those at the Above Top Secret ticle is interesting as he describes his in- forum debunking the UFOs over Lon- also claims to have detailed knowledge teractions with Frank Warren, who stone- don videos. Once again, I apply the rule about the shutdown. Once again, his walled him when he tried to locate the of it looks too good to be true, it probably sources are the same mysterious person- source of the image he was using. As it isn’t. This looks like somebody has been nel. As pointed in last SUNlite, according turns out, Warren’s source used the re- playing with CGI again. to official sources, the actual shutdown touched image and not, what appears to event occurred at 1:35 AM on the morn- be, the original negative. Warren would Hastings is now promoting the FE War- ing of the 23rd. Therefore, none of these post Moody’s article with the following ren AFB missile shutdown on October “blimp sightings” (which appear to have comment: Editor’s Note–We thank Lance 23, 2010 as a genuine “UFO and nukes” been made during the day) could have Moody for allowing us to publish his OP- event. He lists quite a few of the sightings caused the shutdown. Hastings has yet ED, and of course will follow with a thor- but many of these have absolutely noth- to provide any documentation to sup- ough, elucidating rebuttal ASAP. Warren ing to do with the FE Warren shutdown. port his claims, which is his usual meth- posted this on the 10th of May but the The information for all of these sightings odology. All he has are rumors, which are only thing he would post is a news clip- he describes is extremely limited but many not facts. ping from 1942 with no comment on the appear to have potential explanations. As 11th. If this was his “elucidating rebuttal”, pointed out in the last issue, there were Irish astronomer Eamonn Ansbro Warren needs to look at a dictionary for very few unsolicited UFO reports at NU- made the news with his claims of what those words mean. The lack of com- FORC and MUFON, which brought into recording alien spaceships in orbit ment gives far greater weight on what question, the claims made by Hastings around the earth. He also claims that Moody wrote. Of course, SUNlite’s read- about increased UFO activity in the area. he can predict when they appear. Well, ers now know that this image indicated However, Hastings needs these previously if they are in fixed orbits, it should be that there was no apparent object in the unreported events to indicate increased no problem to predict them. However, center of the spotlight beams. They also UFO activity inthe area and prop up his when he attempted to present his “evi- know that the newspaper accounts of the rumor about a “blimp-like” UFO that was dence” at a recent SETI conference, some time were not very accurate about what hovering over the missile silos on October of the scientists present left the room! was in the sky as witnesses and gunners 23-24th. His sources for this UFO are, not Ansbro has been promoting this for at became confused over the AA bursts, surprisingly, anonymous AF personnel. least seven years (He appeared at the smoke, and a few weather balloons that It sounds like scuttlebutt to me and one Irish International UFO conference in were launched during the event. wonders if somebody might be playing a 2004) and it sounds like a broken record. joke on Hastings. Why didn’t any of these If he has the data, why doesn’t he pub- No more stupid lights shut down their airmen or civilians (the silos are not on a lish? Perhaps the scientists at this SETI blog. Very little had been added to their base) nearby photograph the UFO since it conference saw it for what it was and blog over the past year. was visible for two whole days? Hastings there really was nothing to his record- 2 to state that one should not trust Figel Who’s blogging UFOs? (Cont’d) unless he is describing UFOs over missile silos. Any other information from Figel Magonia gave SUNlite a plug, which of his blog entry here is that the pressure is to be considered lies or faulty memory. was appreciated. That plug got passed of investigating UFOs creates unneces- Hastings even made the claim that Dick on to the Anomalist, who usually does not sary mental stress on individuals. How- Evans, who says no missile shutdown oc- post skeptical links because its readers ap- ever, one can say the same for all walks of curred at Oscar and was at the alternate parently dislike them. Huzzah!! life. There are far more stressful occupa- command post for the squadron, would tions than those involving a UFO hobby. not be told that the Oscar flight’s mis- Spaceweather.com reported some very My guess is that UFOlogists probably suf- siles were shut down by UFOs because interesting solar haloes being visible on fer from mental health problems at about he would not have a need to know. If this May 6th from Belgium. One has to look the same rate as the general population. is true, why was Robert Salas openly told at these and wonder what our ancestors Maybe somebody should do a statistical about the Echo flight shutdown even might have thought and described such study on this. though he had no need to know? This events. Some of the arcs/haloes in these kind of logic is amazing. When I asked images look like the arcs one sees in the Paul Kimball seemed to imply that if if he even talked to Evans at the Reality 1561 Nuremberg woodcut. Peter Gerstein wants to commit sui- Uncovered forum, Hastings did not or re- cide, it was okay with him since Ger- fused to answer. The UFO Iconoclasts posted some in- stein should be able to do as he pleas- teresting ideas about the Socorro UFO es. I can see his point but at what point This was followed by a post about his story. It is their apparent belief that does one draw the line? I think the big- interview with Fredrick Meiwald. I am Zamora saw a prototype lunar lander of gest problem with Gerstein’s idea is that waiting for Hastings to produce an actual some kind. They posted some images of a he made it publicly, which might encour- document that indicates the missiles at NEW lunar lander prototype called “Mor- age others to “participate”. The last thing Oscar did shut down in March of 1967. So pheus”. Unfortunately, for this explana- UFOlogy needs is another “heaven’s gate” far, all we have are “ghost stories” told by tion, this lander is of recent design and episode. two people, who still can’t seem to agree manufacture. I guess the theory is that the on how many missiles were shut down. Morpheus lander is based on some sort of Robert Sheaffer made it easy for me re- There is nothing in the unit history that previous design from the 60s. This theory garding the recent night vision video states Oscar ever had a shutdown of mis- really isn’t new. Major Quintanilla thought supposedly showing a “UFO squadron”. siles, which brings into question these it might have been a prototype lander but To me they look like birds. Sheaffer cor- faded memories of a shutdown. could find no record of such a test vehicle. rectly points out how the videographer is Prof. Charles Moore suggested it might mistaken when he assumes it is infrared Somebody has produced a list of UFO have been a helicopter/lunar surveyor imagery. As I pointed out in SUNlite 2-2, blogs. I noticed that there were no skep- test bed over ten years ago when he dis- these individuals operating this equip- tical UFO blogs. I was also forwarded a covered that this vehicle was scheduled to ment should learn how their equipment link to what the person called “The ulti- use the White Sands test range on the date works and what they are recording. I am mate guide to alien and UFO resources”. in question. None of these solutions have trying to decide if they and the blogs/ There were some good UFO document ever been verified. One can only keep dig- web sites that promote their videos lack resources listed but, once again, none of ging for an answer to this one. When dis- knowledge or common sense. It probably the skeptical blogs/web sites were pres- cussing this case, I always remember the is a combination of both. ent. Sigh..... words of Major Qunitanilla, where he felt the solution lay in Lonnie Zamora’s head. Robert Hastings finally revealed his Stephen Greer/CSETI seems to have le- audio tape conversation with Walt Fi- gal problems. Greer was holding one of It amazes me that UFOlogists seem to gel back in 2010. However, Hastings his ET greeting sessions at a wildlife ref- buy into this “fake airplane” business. never posted the e-mail that Figel sent uge in North Carolina. Apparently, they Now MUFON seems to be endorsing it by to Hastings and Carlson shortly after this were not allowed to be there at night publishing a report on their blog where a recording was made. In order to plug the waving light sticks and begging for ET to witness saw a UFO that changed from an leak in that dike, he decided to reveal the show up without obtaining a permit. As “amber ball” to a shape that “mimicked” audiotape he claimed refuted what Carl- best I can tell, they probably would not a passing airplane. We are told there is a son had stated that Figel told him. What have gotten a permit anyway. Does ET video of the event but the witness could was presented on the tape seems to be ever show up at these things? I am still not upload it. Maybe the answer to this waffling by Figel. He has stated that he amazed that people are gullible enough one is that it was an airplane that looked really does not want to get involved and to give Greer their money. Greer and like an amber ball due to perspective or seems to tell people what they want to CSETI now has to go to federal court to because it was reflecting the sun. hear. When pressed by Carlson to make a explain themselves. That might be inter- definitive statement (See the e-mail pub- esting. Anthony Bragalia found time to com- lished in SUNlite 2-3) it becomes clear ment about how some UFOlogists suffer where he stands on all of this. Hastings’ from mental problems. The implication comments at Reality Uncovered seemed 3 found a crashed disc. This was followed Jacobsen wrote a book about Area 51, The Roswell by a weather balloon explanation at Fort where she described a story told to her Worth, which was finally “altered” to Proj- by an unidentified source that stated the ect MOGUL. However, the first statement source of the Roswell incident was Rus- Corner of a “crashed disc” was not an official AF sian. According to the source, the Rus- (or at the time AAF) statement. It was a sians built a Horton jet and then flew it to press release issued by the Roswell Army the US with a bunch of young pilots that Repeating Roswell myths Air Field and done without authorization looked like aliens. Jacobsen apparently from the upper chain of command. The found this source highly reliable but re- illy Cox recently made a blog entry explanation at Fort Worth was based on ally provided no information to back up Bwhere he recounted Congressman what was presented to General Ramey the story told by the witness. She obvi- Schiff’s “investigation” into the Roswell and seen in the photographs. What ously has not learned from Roswell re- story. In that entry, he repeated two of, one sees in the images are remnants of search in the past. what I refer to as, “Roswell myths”. The weather balloon(s) and radar reflector(s). I recall people saying Frank Kaufmann first statement Cox repeated as a fact The USAF report, in 1994, still states that (among a host of others) was highly re- was: the debris in the photographs was from liable as well. One should verify such weather balloon(s) and radar reflector(s). stories before proclaiming them to be re- ...all 1947 records in question from Ro- All they did was change the source of liable. There is no evidence the Russians swell Army Air Field had been illegally those balloon(s) and reflector(s). In 1947, ever built a Horton Jet and that such a purged. And there was nobody left in the it was thought they came from a single craft had the range to fly from the Soviet command chain to grill about it. “The balloon and reflector. In 1994, it was de- Union to New Mexico (a distance of over GAO believes the outgoing messages termined these materials probably came 3,000 miles). If they did build such a craft were probably destroyed more than 40 from a balloon flight launched by the in 1947 with such an extensive range, years ago,” Schiff told Ecker. NYU team at Alamogordo in early June why were they busy reverse engineer- as part of Project MOGUL. This involved ing the B-29? The story just begged to The problem with this statement by many weather balloons and multiple re- be debunked and both skeptics/crashed Schiff and repeated by Cox is there was flectors of the same type seen in the Fort spaceship proponents peppered the web absolutely nothing illegal about the Worth photographs. They produced such with arguments why this was just com- destruction of the messages. The only a large quantity of materials at the Foster pletely out of touch problem with the destruction of the Ranch that it can explain why some felt When ABC interviewed the source, they messages was there no documentation that the debris could not have been pro- found somebody who seemed to be con- of the destruction. Robert Todd pointed duced by a weather balloon. fused and contradicted the story Jacob- this out in his CowPflop quarterly of Roswell proponents repeat these “myths” sen described. They confronted her with March 8, 1996. There he stated that the over and over again to the masses hop- this information and Jacobsen basically Chief Archivist at the National Personnel ing their words will be repeated in turn. stated that is not what the witness told Records Center, W. G. Siebert, produced It is desired that such a repetition will her. Like many of the Roswell stories and regulations that clearly stated that the make it appear that this is a fact when it authors, the story was not verified and, records were authorized to be destroyed really is not. when checked, was found to be flawed. because they were only required to be For all the Roswell proponents who went retained for two years! about debunking this story, maybe they The other myth Cox repeated was the need to look at their own little house of same old story about the USAF shifting cards and see what real evidence they its story about Roswell: have that supports their cherished wit- ness testimonies. What Schiff did accomplish was to force There were a myriad of book reviews on the USAF to adjust its cover story for the various UFO skeptic and proponent blogs third time, from the original “flying disc” complaining about the book. You know press release, to a case of mistaken iden- you crossed the line, when you have tity with a weather balloon, to its current both sides criticizing your research. Pe- disposition as a classified high-altitude ter Merlin provides a good review in this atom-bomb ballon-train sniffer known issue and if you are interested, Dwayne now as Project Mogul. Day proposed a possible explanation as to how the story might have originated. This is not an accurate portrayal of It seems that this tall tale is just another known facts. There is no evidence that one of those “rumors” that somebody anything was a “cover story” and the heard from somebody else, who knew a USAF has not changed its position on A crashed Horton jet?? person, who was a very credible friend the matter. His “changing cover story” that knew somebody who should have of three times apparently starts with ile this one under the wild and unveri- known. the 509th bomb group reporting they Ffiable Roswell stories category. Annie 4 s the UFO phe- claiming that UFOs, Inomenon a abductions by beings modern new beyond our Earth, and phenomenon, beliefs about other s o m e t h i n g worlds can be found spawned by Hi- in the earliest writings roshima, or is it, that have survived like prostitution, decay. They span ev- among the old- ery culture. Typical of est obsessions? these is the example There is no true of a legend of a king consensus about named Etana who this and that can ruled the city of Kish be a frustrating thousands of years matter. Theoret- ago. Aubeck and ical implications Vallee write of it the follow upon following: which answer you choose. (He) makes an ascent Some notions to the sky in order to like gathering in- bring down a plant tel for The Land- that cures childlessness ing or creating – that reference to the hybrids for a post- that has a core of robust constant charac- theme of reproduction apocalyptic environment don’t seem very teristics that are identical to the modern again. “Along with Etana we move from likely if UFOs have been at work for cen- UFO phenomenon. When things look heaven to heaven and we see the land un- turies. On the other hand, the odds are inconstant they blame the bedeviling derneath becoming smaller and smaller, remote that multiple races of aliens have details on the cultural environments and and the wide sea like a tub,” a classic ab- just happened to arrive when humanity a possible strategic camouflage to blend ductee statement. itself has began to get serious about ex- in. But what precisely is the nature of the ploring other worlds. anomaly? Do they think it is something I’ve read a lot of abduction literature in that is inherently and permanently be- my time and I think my reaction to this The case for UFOs being ancient rather yond human understanding? can be termed fully informed and prop- than modern has been riddled with prob- erly measured. I thought: A tub? lems. Erich von Daniken’s ancient astro- It is good advice to be careful about first naut writings were so heavily debunked impressions in life. Wonders in the Sky I shouldn’t even have to say it, but no they are regarded as landmarks in the has the misfortune of introducing its proj- modern abductee has used the word tub excesses of pseudoscience. Ezekiel and ect with a claim some friend should have to describe the sea when looking down biblical UFOs have some popular accep- advised the authors to think twice about from a saucer leaving Earth. It would be tance, but there is a double edge here before making. The book quotes some- weird if any had for everyone has known for critical minds – isn’t this just believers body fronting for a discipline – doubt- for centuries that the world is spherical. looking for excuses to believe in miracles less esoteric – called ethnosemiotics. He The description of the sea as a tub is an and treat the Bible as history rather than precedes them in their project by pro- image you should expect in ancient times myth and legend? when the earth was thought to be flat. It was fairly common in the ancient world Chris Aubeck and Jacques Vallee’s Won- to think of the Earth as bowl-shaped. The ders in the Sky: Unexplained Aerial Ob- Mesopotamian region, in particular, held jects from Antiquity to Modern Times and such beliefs inspired by large valleys and their Impact on Human Culture, History, high mountains. In a nearby flatter des- and Beliefs (Jeremy P. Tarcher / Penguin, ert landscape, one finds Earth described 2010) is a new effort to raise the status of as God’s footstool. For UFOlogists wed- ancient UFOs and settle the issue firmly. ded to defending the reality of abduc- Whether it will be as successful in gain- tion experiences, Etana’s story should be ing respect for the subject as they hope, I avoided like a rabid pelican. It lays ab- have some doubts about. For one thing, ductees open to the charge of welcom- they have a somewhat circumscribed ing flat-earthers to their ranks and insists and circumspect approach. They prefer abduction imagery tracks with cultural not to argue whether the UFO phenom- mindscapes. enon is extraterrestrial, but rather that there is some broad-ranging anomaly After my amusement turned to puzzle- 5 ment, it occurred to me that the authors the globe... the Earth? He answers, I’d never felt before.” Harrison Schmidt, of had perhaps written carelessly and what “Yes, uh huh.” Further along in the Apollo 17, wrote expansively of the glori- they intended to praise as classic was the investigation he elaborates that he ous beauty he perceived Earth held, and part of the line describing the land be- saw the earth through the transpar- how it forced one to make spiritual deci- coming smaller and smaller. Yet even in ent floor and it looked “the size of a sions. Alfred Worden, of Apollo 15, ac- this distinction, the description is false. basketball.” One of Sprinkle’s col- tually wrote a book of poetry to express Abductions commonly are about humans leagues expressed a concern Higdon how spaceflight changed his entire view being subjected to medical procedures was merely projecting: “Most people of reality on earth and made him feel re- and sexual indignities and aliens have have seen photos of the earth taken juvenated. Edgar Mitchell, of Apollo 14, no inherent logical reason to take people from space and this would not be un- in particular emphasized how seeing the off-planet to do such things. Scenes of usual.” (Richard Haines, UFOs and the Earth was so breathtaking and power- abductees experiencing space travel Behavioral Scientist) ful that it caused him to re-examine his are in the minority and seeing the earth entire philosophy. He asserts, “No man shrink into the distance seems quite hard • Antônio Carlos Ferreira (1979) enters that I know of has gone into space... and to find even with the help of Bullard’s de- a compartment and finds “a small not been affected in some way very- simi finitive study of all abduction cases up to round window with a red pane and, lar.” There may some slight exaggeration 1985. The most relevant scenes I could looking out through it, he was aston- in this, and Charles Conrad, of Apollo 12, find are these: ished to perceive what was evidently insists each astronaut reacted in a dis- the Earth, looking quite small so far tinctive manner. While some react spiri- • Janet X (February 1955) sees the away”. tually; others had feelings more like pride Earth on a screen, a television device and being part of an epic technological showing a picture of the earth. Pos- • Virginia Horton sees Earth only from achievement. (Rosen 1979) sibly real-time imagery, but does the enough height to see North America representational character disqualify and the Great Lakes. Her account Science fiction writers and filmmakers it? of the scene is longer than the oth- had some inkling that such emotions ers, yet it seems curiously lacking in would be a natural expectation. George • In the 1957 Guimares’ abduction the emotional depth. Strangely, you can Griffith’s Stories of Other Worlds (1900) experiencer only sees earth’s atmo- quote her as denying it looked like a has early in it a scene where a traveler spheric layers as the ship rises and globe, but blaming that on the pres- perceives the Earth as “infinitely more says nothing of seeing the earth or ence of clouds. (Budd Hopkins, Miss- magnificent” than their destination, the its shape. ing Time) ‘wonderful’ Moon. Griffith has the- per son “gazing for nearly an hour at this mar- • Vincent L. (1975) had flashbacks of Given this was taken from a population velous vision of the home-world which she lying on an exam table, looking out of 270 cases this is rather slim pickings. If had left so far behind before she could tear a round window and “seeing what one were in a generous mood, one might herself away.” The Buck Rogers comic strip appears to be earth below.” No indica- judge Sunderland, Higdon, and Ferreira’s has Wilma in awe at seeing Earth from in tion is present of motion. accounts as acceptable as distant paral- space in a strip dated 1930. Early in Olaf lels to Etana’s seeing a receding Earth – Stapledon’s Star-Maker (1937) a narrator • Toni M. (1975) said she saw a round call it 1%. realizes he is starting an interstellar jour- window that first looked black, then ney and the description of the orb of the as if a shade were being drawn up Beyond the rarity, such scenes disap- Earth at first has the ponderous detail of she first saw clouds, then “a view of point in their brevity and lack of emo- a geography lesson. But then he turns Earth.” The shape of the earth is not tional reaction. Anyone who followed lyrical: given and no emotional reaction is the space program know that astronauts reported. have sometimes expressed almost mysti- The spectacle before me was strangely cal transcendent sentiments on seeing moving. Personal anxiety was blotted out • Darren Sunderland (Jan 1980) sees the Earth from space. James Irwin, of by wonder and admiration; for the sheer the lights of the city “being replaced Apollo 15, said, “I felt the power of God as beauty of our planet surprised me. It was by a scene of planet Earth; blue and a huge pearl, set in spangled ebony. It beautiful. Then it, too, vanished and was nacrous, it was opal. No, it was far they raced past points of light, some more lovely than any jewel. Its patterned that were stars and others more solid colouring were more subtle, more ethere- looking like planets.” (Jenny Randles, al. It displayed the delicacy and brilliance, Alien Contact, p. 101) the intricacy and harmony of a live thing. Strange that in my remoteness I seemed • Carl Higdon (1974) answers a ques- to feel, as never before, the vital presence tion about whether he saw the Earth of Earth as of a creature alive but tranced down below him with “Yes.” A later and obscurely yearning to wake. question by Leo Sprinkle asks him about if he had a feeling of seeing Apart from the pantheistic excess of the 6 last half line, Stapledon’s vision captures The lights inside darkened. Then either T. Lobsang Ram- sentiments exactly like astronauts ex- the entire craft or the seat turned slightly pa’s Trip to Venus pressed several decades later. more to left and the strange window (1966) has a nota- widened about three more feet. I saw a ble couple of para- In the silent film era space epic Woman huge globe surrounded by a shimmering graphs describing in the Moon (1929), explorers gaze on rainbow. I trembled as I realized I was ac- the journey away the distant Earth with the sun starting tually looking upon a planet from some- from earth, how to emerge behind it and the music turns where out in space. The planet itself was the curvature of spiritual with a religious chorale in ac- of a deep, twilight-blue intensity and the Earth became ap- companiment. In This Island Earth, Faith iridescent rainbow surrounding it made it parent, the colors Domergue, playing a female atomic sci- appear like a dream-vision. I couldn’t see of an aurora they entist, sees the Earth being left behind it all, for a portion at the bottom of the pass through, and and exclaims “Earth!” with a suitable sphere was cut off by the floor line. Earth becoming sense of being awestruck. “the size of a small Now I heard a voice that I remembered so round fruit, gleam- It is tempting to regard the bland ac- well. “Orfeo, you are looking upon Earth ing with a blue-grey counts of space imagery in abductions – your home! From here, over a thou- light.” The point as reflective of the post-Apollo ennui to- sand miles away in space, it appears as I am edging up to is that the line quot- wards space travel. There was something the most beautiful planet in the heavens ed from Etana’s myth is more correctly of a cultural backlash against the spend- and a haven of peace and tranquility. But described as being a classic contactee ing of money on what were essentially you and Earthly brothers know the true statement. And this is a point one can shows of national pride instead of more conditions there... My heart was so full of reinforce by a fuller consideration of the practical matters like feeding the poor. emotion that tears were the only possible original story. Yet, it could be explained well enough expression.” by the logic of the situation. Abduction Etana was a king of the Sumerian city experiences are essentially horror stories The rainbow looks new Age-y today and of Kish, and the fable existed in several and not, generally speaking, an occasion taints it to scientific minds, but the emo- versions, probably all the surviving ones for meditative thoughts. tions are appropriately transcendent. were originally part of the library of the Assyrian monarch Ashurbanipal (668-635 By contrast, the contactees of the 50s Though Cecil Michaels is little remem- B.C.) Joseph Campbell tells one version were friends of, brothers to, the aliens bered these days, he was among the first in writings on myth. The king asks the and taking humans on trips to other contactees in print with Round Trip to gods to give him the means to have a planets were part of their modus operan- Hell in a Flying Saucer (1955) It’s not easy child. They direct him to an eagle impris- di. Scenes of contactees seeing the earth to find these days, but in Signs & Won- oned in a pit who knows where there is a from space would be expected and are, ders (1977), an expanded account, he plant that will enable this desire to be ful- in fact, easy to find. describes a trip to a red planet that has a filled. The bird was in the pit as punish- few lines describing the receding earth ment for breaking an oath once. For his freedom, the bird swore to be servant to The curvature of the earth started to show any mortal sent to him by Shamash, his up now, and the earth became rounder- god. Etana releases the bird from the pit looking. Soon it was the form of huge ball and they fly to acquire the plant. The bird with a big white cap on either side of it. As climbs higher and higher to the heavens. the minutes rolled by, the earth became Periodically the eagle asks the king to smaller and smaller until it appeared no look below to see how far up they have larger than a basketball .. gone. The journey spans hours and the king reports how he sees the landscape Later, I looked back to see what had be- receding with land and sea shrinking and come of that big earth that I had left only shrinking in apparent size. minutes ago. It was shrinking rapidly back there in the haze and gathering blackness They reach the heaven’s gates of Anu, Bel, of space. and Ea, but must continue to a still higher heaven. They climb towards the heaven George Adamski directly and correctly of Ishtar (our Venus) and below them the described earth as “a large ball of light king now perceives, “The land is a mere beneath us” in his trip to the moon. In de- clod and the broad salt sea a wicker bas- scribing his interplanetary flight, Howard ket.” Two hours later, Etana could not Menger offered a perfunctory line testify- even see the land or sea and he cries to Orfeo Angelucci gave what I consider the ing he saw earth “fast diminishing in size” the eagle to climb no farther. With that finest account in Secret of the Saucers I accept these two are merely providing command they start to fall back. It takes (1955): logical geometry, not narrative wonder. hours and when they crash, both shatter. 7 The widow mourns and the king’s ghost is Why? Nobody cares about contactees me wonder. thereafter invoked in times of need. these days for we know their stories were unreal. There is no life on Venus. Only Select Sources: One moral of the tale is supposed to be mythologists care if one unreality resem- the folly of seeking the immortality of bles another unreality. As budding eth- On bowl-shaped earths: gods. It is perhaps worth noticing that no-semioticians, they needed to propose this is somewhat similar to the myth of that Etana and abductees somehow mu- Henri Frankfort, et. al, The Intellectual the Tower of Babylon in the Bible. Man tually bolster each other’s reality robust- Adventure of Ancient Man University of was punished to speak multiple languish- ness. This is in service to “living in a state Chicago Press, 1977 pp. 170-2 es for the arrogance of trying to build a of advanced other-world pluralism.” Your tower that could reach the gods. reality, my reality, all realities are equal. Sir Thomas Heath, Aristarchos of Samos - The Ancient Copernican Dover, 1981 p. The destination of Ishtar/Venus is an in- By corollary, the study of ancient UFOs is 48 teresting detail of the Etana myth for it an exercise of wise tolerance and worthy lines up parallel to contactee mythol- of your time and deference. But what of A.D.White, A History of the Warfare of ogy. Venus was the most common stated the un-realities? Aren’t they less equal? Science with Theology in Christendom home of Space Brothers and contactees I’m pretty sure scientists are going to say Dover, 1960 pp. 89-91. visited it on multiple occasions. While unrealities are pragmatically worthless. they described it in terms more usual to Believing Venus is inhabited and alien ab- On Etana: utopian literature, the occasional detail ductions are a material menace in some echoed the heaven of Christian mythol- alternate reality sense is not tolerance . It Joseph Campbell, The Masks of God: Ori- ogy and, less distinctively, oriental reli- is just foolish and asking for trouble. Sim- ental Mythology Penguin, 1976, p. 132. gion’s heavens. The choice of Venus, for ply iterating parallels between alleged Etana, is guided by the fact that Ishtar was realities, to scientists, looks pointless if Joseph Campbell incidentally refers to the goddess of fertility in his times. That you can also iterate parallels to unreali- the mighty Solar Eagle as “the vehicle of was less true in the case of the contact- ties. What is even more discouraging, our the world’s first astronaut.” (p. 132) ees, but the Space Brothers did possess budding ethnosemioticians don’t explain beauty and seemingly perpetual youth in what causes the parallels. What’s the On real-life astronaut reactions to seeing conformity to Greco-Roman myth. point of gathering and presenting ob- Earth from space: servations if it is not for or against some A perhaps deeper parallel concerns the theory? Stanley Rosen, “Space Consciousness: moral. Etana’s tale was a warning against The Astronauts’ Testimony” Michigan the arrogance of seeking to be as gods. In the matter of contactee/Etana paral- Quarterly Review Spring 1979. The same Contactees were similarly worried about lels, the answer probably lies in literary issue’s “Re_entry: Earth Images in Post- the power of the atom and the doubted theory. Etana and modern contactees Apollo Culture” by Daniel Noel touches spirituality of scientists who brought hu- share scenes of a receding earth for prob- on the cultural emotional spiritual reac- mans the means of mass death. Oppen- ably the same narrative reason. They tion to space images of Earth. heimer’s echo of being as Krishna, “the both aspire to create a sense of wonder shatterer of worlds,” may not have been by estrangement. They take listeners to In the Shadow of the Moon (2007), Ron intended as pride, but the sense this was a distance where one can imagine the Howard’s documentary about the Apollo approaching the deeds of gods seemed a world differently. The Etana story does program, gathers together several first- common judgment. this quite deliberately in the original ver- person accounts of astronauts viewing sion with scenes that build tension by the Earth that illustrates Rosen’s point. I trust skeptics at this point may feel I’m successive changes in the changes in the The DVD has additional accounts in its stretching things a bit to get this parallel. world. The climax is the final scene where extras. True, but when Aubeck & Vallee look at the king realized the earth is no longer Etana’s quest for a cure for childlessness visible and so panics. Cecil Michael and Aubeck/Vallee were inspired to write on as a valid parallel to the Breeding pro- T. Lobsang Rampa take similar strategies Etana by this book: gram because they share a concern with of building tension by successive scenes reproduction, they had equally been en- of earth getting smaller. Orfeo Angelucci Couliano, Out of this World: Otherworldly gaged in something of a taffy pull With though achieves estrangement via de- Journeys from Gilgamesh to Albert Ein- such myth aerobics, the detail that, like scribing transcendence and seeing earth stein Boston: Shambhala, 1991. UFOs, Etana crashed to Earth presumably as encircled by a rainbow. The achieving also means we should predict soon hear- of such wonder is sometimes regarded as ing Viagra came from Roswell. the defining characteristic of modern sci- ence fiction. I conclude the Etana myth matches con- tactee mythology better than abductee Aubeck & Vallee’s book, similarly, qualifies mythology. The authors either blindly in its manifold estrangement. It aspires to didn’t realize this, or chose to ignore it. be more, but this opening blunder makes 8 If evil be spoken of you and it be true, cor- In defense of the psycho- scientific method that if SOBEPS really rect yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it. (Epic- sociological hypothesis – had proven that the Belgian UFO wave tetus) could only be explained by extraterres- Another reply to Auguste trial spacecraft, Auguste Meessen & Co. n his 2011 article, The Belgian Wave and Meessen would have made the cover of Nature a Ithe photos of Ramillies , Auguste Mees- long time ago and would have probably sen tries to answer some of the recent by Jean-Michel Abrassart won a Nobel Prize soon after that. We critics made by several skeptics (namely should also point out that all his publica- Roger Paquay, Tim Printy and myself) tions did not appear in peer-reviewed sci- concerning the work done by the pro- ence journals – as they should be in order extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) group to take part of the scientific process – but SOBEPS (now COBEPS) on the Belgian either in Inforespace (SOBEPS newslet- UFO wave. I have read the previous re- ter) or more recently on his own web site. plies made by my skeptical colleagues in To my knowledge, Auguste Meessen’s the last issue of SUNlite. Several very im- only peer-reviewed publication close portant points have already been made to the subject of the Belgian UFO wave by them. I will try not to repeat them was “Le phénomène OVNI et le Problème here. I’d like to focus instead on some of des Méthodologies” , an article about the the logical fallacies and bad reasoning methodology of UFO research published used by the physicist to try to convince in the Revue Française de Parapsycholo- people that the psychosociological hy- gie, a very confidential parapsychological pothesis (PSH) cannot explain the Bel- French publication (edited by a very con- gian UFO wave. troversial parapsychologist named Yves Lignon), and even there it was only has a During his long UFOlogical carrier, this rebuttal to an earlier publication by Marc physicist has always confused his own Hallet criticizing his work! Of course, speculations with “facts” and his opin- some would probably not hesitate to call ions with “the truth”. His abstract starts upon some kind of conspiracy theory to in a very telling way, when he writes, rationalize that fact instead of consider- “We restore the truth”. Everybody should ing that simply SOBEPS work failed to be wary about a scientist claiming to convince the scientific community. All “restore the truth” instead of simply re- that to say that the condescending tone plying to his contradictors. That kind of of Meessen’s publications is not matched vocabulary is more typical of apologetic always be critical thinkers who won’t be at all by his scientific track record on the religious discourses than scientific ones. convinced by his weak argumentation. subject or, for that matter, by the evidenc- Auguste Meessen seems to be like Pope Yelling insults at them won’t change es he can show to support his views. John Paul II, and wants to show us – the that fact, on the contrary. Sometimes, infidels – the “Splendor of Truth”. like during the recent COBEPS confer- He’s grossly misrepresenting, as usual, ence (14 mai 2011 at Perwez, Belgium), the skeptical position. Let’s take only one Since the very beginning of his interests Auguste Meessen tries to claim that he’s example of this: in the UFO subject, Auguste Meessen not a proponent of the ETH. This is sim- showed a naïve conception of human ply not true. In his paper Où en sommes- The attitude of so-called “skeptics”, claim- psychology. From a scientific stand- nous en ufologie ? he wrote that he ing that UFOs cannot exist, simply ob- point, his influence over the years on believes that there was a flying-saucer structs clarification, but purely speculative the SOBEPS group was mostly negative, crash at Roswell, that UFOlogists should statements are also inadequate. pushing them more and more toward reconsider (of course in a more positive the pseudo-scientific side of the fence. light) Ray Santilli’s autopsy movie and To put it bluntly, I do not know of any In this article, Auguste Meessen claims that there is a US government conspiracy skeptic who claims that UFOs cannot ex- again that: to hide the truth. In the same article, he ist. Those are only the skeptics that exist also speculates about Grey’s telepathic in Auguste Meessen’s imagination. To the The psychosocial hypothesis can thus not abilities or the fact that Men in Black, the contrary, we say that you know you are account for the Belgian wave and all UFO chupacabra and contactees (like George a skeptic when you understand what the observations do not result from errors or Adamski or Billy Meier) are – according U of UFO stands for: UFOs are just “ob- illusions! to him - part of a sociological experiment jects” (actually many stimuli can – and conducted by aliens. Thus when Auguste do – generate a UFO observation, and The Belgian physicist is of course entitled Meessen tries to argue that he’s not an sometimes stimuli are not even neces- to have his own opinion on the matter, ETH-proponent, I must confess that I’m sary) that subjects see and fail to iden- but he seems to think that if he claims really unconvinced. tify. Since UFO testimonies exist, UFOs something loudly enough it will make it obviously do exist. There is an unhealthy true. This is wishful thinking: there will It is obvious to anybody familiar with the slip of language in the physicist’s sen- 9 tence between UFOs and extraterrestrial material that is beyond doubt from extra- ing the wave. Because of their prior belief spacecraft (these words seem to be used terrestrial origin. Auguste Meessen has in the ETH, they didn’t think that it was in a synonymous fashion by him, which presented none of those to the scientific important to document the psychology is also very telling), but I also don’t know community. He mainly has witness testi- of witnesses. Thus, we miss today a lot any skeptic who claims that extraterres- monies, AKA anecdotes. But, as skeptics of very important information to really trial spacecraft cannot exist. What skep- often say, the plural of anecdotes is not understand why and how this wave hap- tics really say is that there is no proof of data. pened. Auguste Meessen doesn’t have extraterrestrial spacecraft visiting the anything (except his own opinion) to back Earth. There are some discussions about Let’s examine now the most insulting up his claim that because the witnesses the a priori plausibility of the ETH, involv- part of the article, when he’s calling into are two policemen, then we should take ing the Fermi paradox and other things question my ethic as a psychologist. Con- them more seriously than the usual wit- like that, but skeptics are skeptics a pos- trary to what Auguste Meessen claims, I ness, so he’s only making an ad hominem teriori, after looking at the UFO literature simply never said that: attack against me, hoping that it will con- and assessing the presence or absence of vince his readers that he has good argu- proof. Jean-Michel Abrassart did that for the ments in this debate. We shouldn’t be beginning of the Belgian wave, since he fooled by such lazy thinking. In his article, Auguste Meessen uses the claimed that the two gendarmes – who rhetorical strategy know as the reversal attentively observed an unconventional Auguste Meessen also likes to use mathe- of the burden of proof. He states: flying object during more than two hours matics and diagrams to impress his read- – are not trustworthy. He stated even that ers. This is a rhetorical strategy that skep- He (Jean-Michel Abrassart) simply postu- they have “fantasy-prone personalities” tics call “math intimidation”. This tactic lates that all UFO observations have to and called them “schizotypical”. A psy- can only work on the layman who doesn’t result from perceptual errors or imagina- chologist who qualifies persons in such know much about the scientific method tion, facilitated by rumor propagation. He a way, without any thorough examina- and/or the UFO phenomena. I asked Ni- cannot and could never prove that this is tion and without even having talked with colas Gauvrit, a mathematician, to look at true. them, violates all professional ethics. his new argument against the psychoso- cial contagion. You’ll find his analysis on An emeritus professor in physics should I actually wrote: page 12. Mathematics based on bad rea- know that it is not to skeptics to prove a soning doesn’t prove anything. negative. It is to claimants to prove their However, there is nothing to suggest that, claims. In the UFOlogical context, it is Au- because a person is a policeman, this During the recent COBEPS conference, guste Meessen who makes extraordinary disqualifies him from having a fantasy- Meessen stated that skeptics believe that claims, not me: he is thus the one who prone personality or even from being the Belgian UFO wave was a rumor effect. has the burden of proof, not skeptics. And schizotypical. Now, the SOBEPS never sub- If you read my paper about the begin- as the late Carl Sagan elegantly put it: mitted them, or any other witness to the ning of the wave, you know that I never “Extraordinary claims need extraordinary Belgian Wave, to any kind of psychologi- spoke of a rumor. On the contrary, I talked proof”. Needless to say, we haven’t seen cal testing. After all, it’s not worth looking about a psychosocial contagion, as de- anything in his writing (or in any other into the psychology of witnesses when the fined by the late Philip J. Klass. This is just SOBEPS team writings) that proves the only thing you’re after is proof in favor of a straw man argument. Meessen tries to ETH. To prove it, you would need either the extraterrestrial hypothesis! refute the SPH by posing how he thinks a (a) a sample of biological material that is sociological contagion should work (as a beyond doubt from extraterrestrial ori- I was thus referring to the current state rumor effect), then he shows mathemati- gin and/or (b) a sample of technological of scientific literature. One of my main cally that the Belgian UFO wave didn’t points in my pre- work that way (even if nobody claimed vious article (that that), before finally concluding (what he August Meessen already believed in the first place any- simply didn’t ad- way) that he has falsified the SPH. Of dress) was that course, everything relies on how he, as a we don’t know physicist and ETH-proponent, thinks that anything about a sociological contagion should work. the psychology If a sociological contagion can happen of Von Montigny in some other fashion than the way he and Nichols (or thinks, then he’s rejecting the SPH on any other wit- baseless ground. An important point you ness of the Bel- should note is that he doesn’t refer to any gian UFO wave research at all in psychology (or any other for that matter), human sciences) about other sociological because SOBEPS contagions or mass hysteria: he seems to did such a bad think that he doesn’t need to read the sci- job investigat- entific literature on the subject to know 10 how it should work. The only paper he ticle is that observations that have been refers to is the one published by another collected after the media started talking SOBEPS team member, Michel Bougard about the wave cannot be considered (a chemist and ETH-proponent), in Vague independent because they have been d’ovnis sur la Belgique I (VOB I): “Media et (and I think heavily) influenced by the phénomène OVNI. Approche statistique media before the time of the reporting. sur un éventuel effet de rumeur” . We can The physicist states that these witnesses thus say confidently that the mathemati- simply could not make sense of what cal model applied by August Meessen in they saw. It shows that he still underes- his article has never been applied suc- timate the power of suggestions on hu- cessfully to any other sociological conta- man testimonies. When those witnesses gion, to show that it describes it properly. saw the news in the media, it didn’t just His whole attitude shows not only his lack help them understand what they saw, it of expertise in psychology, the fact that reshaped their memories of what they he doesn’t shy away to make bold claims saw and their subsequent testimonies. in fields in which he has no qualification The quote above supports my position whatsoever, but also his deep disdain of much more than the one of the physicist, human sciences. Of course, his model is even if he completely fails to see it. fairly simplistic, when social phenomena are known to be messy and complex. It One of the favorite arguments of propo- is obvious that objective phenomena – nents is the alleged consistency of the time before the beginning of the Belgian like for example what kind of mundane testimonies. He writes: UFO wave. Secondly, triangles are easier stimuli can been seen in the sky at what to generate by misperception, because time – will influence the sociological This is confirmed by its later evolution and any tree points in the sky who are not in contagion. A mass hysteria doesn’t hap- by the fact that so many witnesses consis- line look by definition like a triangle. Wit- pen in a vacuum, where one testimony tently reported a new type of UFOs. nesses tend to fill in the gaps and usually simply generate other testimonies in a see a black shape between the dots. The straightforward causal way. The Belgian Auguste Meessen tries here to convince triangular shape is much better suited UFO wave wasn’t a rumor effect. There us that the fact that the Belgian UFO wave than the saucer one for a psychological are mediating variables, like for example displayed triangle-shaped UFOs instead contagion. Thirdly, that shape was re- the quantity and quality of media cover- of the classical flying saucer is an argu- ported a lot by witnesses because it was age, that will fluctuate on top of the ob- ment in favor of the extraterrestrial ori- the shape they could see in the media all jective amount of observations at any gin. It’s a neat rhetorical trick, when you the time. Fourthly, the alleged “consisten- time according to journalists interest in think that in fact it fits a lot better with the cy” of the testimonies Auguste Meessen the subject, the number of observations PSH! First, does he really think that extra- is talking about also comes from the way that were not collected by SOBEPS, the terrestrials have changed design for the SOBEPS investigated cases. I’m quoting mundane activity in the sky at any given wave? Before they liked saucer-shaped here Jacques Scornaux, addressing this time, the weather that will influence if craft, but in 1989 there was a new fashion very point in an interview he gave to me something can be seen or not, and so on. in alien spaceship design? Or is it a new for the podcast “Scepticisme scientifique On the other hand, other aspects of the species, the Grey enjoying the saucer : Le balado de la Science et de la Raison” wave, like the geographical localization shape but the newcomers preferring the (my translation): of it clearly points to a sociological con- triangular one? And let’s not forget that tagion – but the Belgian physicist only Kenneth Arnold saw objects in a boomer- Since they [author’s note: the SOBEPS considers aspects that conform to his ang shape, but the flying saucer took off team] received thousands of phone calls, prior belief. in testimonies only after a mistake made they had to select some of them. They by a journalist (see the article “The Truth couldn’t investigate every single case. Auguste Meessen still doesn’t under- Is, They Never Were ‘Saucers’” by Robert Thus some cases were removed on the stand the importance of the time of the Sheaffer for more on this). Anyone who only basis of what the witness said on reporting to SOBEPS versus the time of looks objectively at the UFO phenomena the phone. When the witness described a the alleged observation. He writes: knows that the consistency argument simple ball of light in the sky, they didn’t doesn’t hold any water. For example, “The do any inquiry because of the lack of time. Moreover, we notice in figure 1 that UFO Field Guide to UFOs” has eight categories On the other hand, if the witness talked observations occurred already before the of shape reported in UFO testimonies: about a triangle on the phone, then official start of the Belgian wave on No- lights, spheres, discs, ellipses, cylinders, someone would investigate. That’s how vember 29, 1989, but these observations rectangles, triangles and shape shifters. triangular cases became – through a very remained unreported until later on. The The change at the beginning of the Bel- simple process – the majority. Again, I be- reason is that these witnesses could not gian UFO wave happened following the lieve they did that innocently. They didn’t make sense of what they saw! pattern we all have seen in science-fiction. realize that the proportion of triangles And of course, there have been triangu- was artificially augmented that way, by One of my main point in my previous ar- lar-shaped UFOs in science-fiction a long the way messages left on the answering 11 machine were selected. (…) And thus the An example of mathematical intimidation in UFOlogy proportions of different kinds of observa- tions (…) were altered unconsciously by By Nicolas Gauvrit the action of the SOBEPS. he UFOlogist and comes to beliefs, which To conclude, I will simply say that, even Tanti-skeptics August tends on the contrary if it’s highly unlikely that he would listen Meessen published re- to increase when there to me, I would strongly advise Auguste cently on the Internet are more believers... Meessen to turn down the condescend- an article about the ing tone and to stop making claims that Belgian UFO wave. His 2. The Verhulst he can’t back up. He should especially goal in it was to refute model is not, in any stop claiming that he has proven beyond arguments from skep- case (including demo- any reasonable doubts that the psycho- tics, according to whom graphics), a theoreti- social hypothesis can’t explain the Bel- many UFO testimonies cal necessity. This law gian UFO wave, because it is clearly not during that wave can is purely an empirical the case. be explained very well law, as you can read in within the sociopsy- J.S. Cramer (2003) “The Select Sources: chological hypothesis origins and develop- theoretical framework: ment of the logit mod- Meessen, A. (2011). “The Belgian Wave misinterpretations as- el” (available on the in- and the photos of Ramillies”. Available on sociated to sociological and media effects ternet here : http://www.cambridge. Auguste Meessen’s web site (www.mees- can lead to that phenomenon. According org/resources/0521815886/1208_ sen.net/AMeessen/). to skeptics – advocating this approach default.pdf), an article about the his- – misinterpretations (i.e. to take a bal- tory of the function and of the logis- Meessen, A. (2000). “Où en sommes-nous loon for a flying saucer or to think that a tic distribution. en ufologie?” Inforespace, n°101, p. 4-56. secret military aircraft is an alien space- ship), when they generate enough media 3. And lastly, they are mathematical Meessen, A. (1998). “Le phénomène OVNI coverage, lead to more mistakes of the models that could be a priori adapt- et le Problème des Méthodologies”. Re- same type and also to testimonies from ed to the situation, but that Meessen vue Française de Parapsychologie, vol.1 people that thought first that they had doesn’t even discuss. Those are con- n°2, p.79-102. seen something mundane but to whom tagion models. Nevertheless, those it is suggested that the extraterrestrial models, created to modelise the evo- Hallet, M. (1997). “ La prétendue Vague hypothesis is plausible. lution of diseases, but also of beliefs d’OVNI belge…” Revue française de para- or socio-economical behaviors, are psychologie, vol. 1, n°1, p. 5-23. Amongst the different arguments put still heavily debated by specialists. forward by Meessen, we can find, at the There is no emerging agreement, as SOBEPS (1994). Vague d’OVNI sur la bottom of page 4, the unsupported claim you can read in Doddsa & Watts “A Belgique I – Un dossier exceptionnel. that the sociopsychological hypothesis generalized model of social and bio- SOBEPS. need the evolution of the number of tes- logical contagion” (available on the timonies to follow a logistic distribution, internet here: http://research.yahoo. Bougard, M. (1994): “Media et phénomène aka a solution to the differential equation net/files/d_w_JTB.pdf), an article OVNI. Approche statistique sur un éven- dN/dt = aN(1-bN), where N is the number presenting some of those models. tuel effet de rumeur “, Vague OVNI sur la of testimonies, and a and b parameters. Belgique (VOB2), SOBEPS, p. 323-386. In conclusion, it is clear that the claim This claim by Meessen seems weird, or at made by Meessen is completely unsup- Sheaffer, R. (1997). “The Truth Is, They least based on very shaky ground. ported, and is only a case of “mathemati- Never Were ‘Saucers’ “. Skeptical Inquirer, cal intimidation”: the author counts on vol. 21, n°5. 1. What Meessen proposes is to use in the lack of knowledge of the reader to order to represent the number of impress him with mathematical formu- Stacy, D., Huyghe, P. (2000). The Field testimonies a Verhulst model. But lae. We can also ponder why the name of Guide to UFOs: A classification of various this model has not been design to Verhulst or the words “logistic distribu- unidentified aerial phenomena based on model the spread of beliefs but the tion” are not written even once. Is it to eyewitness accounts. New York: Harper- evolution of populations in a given avoid that the reader could easily have Collins. area. The hypothesis that supports more information on the subject? it in part in demographics is that Jacques Scornaux’s interview, in Scepti- when the population increases, it Editor note: I have to humbly admit that a great deal cisme scientifique: Le balado de la Science is blocked when it reaches the limit of the math involved here is beyond my limited edu- et de la Raison, épisode #67: “La vague (carrying capacity) above which the cation. The documents listed here are mathematically belge d’ovnis”, 11 septembre 2010. space becomes insufficient. The situ- “intimidating “ to those who are not familiar with the ation is completely different when it materials. 12 Good and 33.3% for Excellent - see image Project Bluebook Special Report No. 14: to the right). UFOlogists have used these UFOlogical panacea or smokescreen? values as a club over the years to beat up the USAF and skeptics. To them it means there is something worth studying and these statistics prove it. However, did the Battelle study really prove anything at all?

GIGO?

hat is not mentioned by UFOlogists Wis the problems associated with the classification of these reports. Experience has shown that occupation does not nec- essarily guarantee accurate observations and reliability (See Hynek’s UFO report and Hendry’s UFO Handbook). Addition- ally, just because a report is complete and full of details that sound consistent does not necessarily mean it is a “good” report. Writing for the Condon study, Dr. William Hartman noticed this when evaluating the Zond IV reports:

An effect important to the UFO problem is demonstrated by the records: the ex- cited observers who thought they had witnessed a very strange phenomenon produced the most detailed, longest, and most misconceived reports, but those who by virtue of experience most nearly recog- nized the nature of the phenomenon be- ....do UFO statistics represent a valid pursuit good, and excellent. According to the came the least excited and produced the for more knowledge about this elusive phe- report, these values were judgements briefest reports. The “excitedness effect” nomenon, or do they merely reflect frustra- based on several factors: has an important bearing on the UFO tion that none of the individual reports are problem. It is a selection effect by which capable of standing on their own two feet? 1. The experience of the observer de- the least accurate reports are made more Are UFO statistics a bold first step...or a des- duced from his occupation, age, and prominent (since the observer becomes perate last resort? - Allan Hendry1 training.

roject Bluebook’s Special Report 14 is 2. The consistency among the separate Poften presented by some UFOlogists portions of the description of the sight- as the holy grail of UFOlogy because of ing. some “favorable” statistics that seemed to indicate good UFO reports are actual 3. The general quality and completeness physical craft of some unknown origin. of the report. However, when one looks closely at the methodology, one begins to question 4. Consideration of the observer’s fact- these results. reporting ability and attitude, as dis- closed by his manner of describing the More info does not always help sighting. 2

he Battelle Memorial Institute was re- The USAF claimed that if they had more Tsponsible for the study that created information, they felt they could solve this report. They evaluated over two more of these cases. As a result, one would thousand UFO reports in order to deter- expect the Good and Excellent cases to mine what might be learned from them. have the lowest number of uknowns. The study separated its reports into four However, this did not happen in the categories. They were doubtful, poor, study. The opposite occurred (24.8% for 13 highly motivated to make a report), while IFO/UFO judgment without important pa- the best and found to have possible ex- the most accurate reports may not be re- rameters like shape or duration. Instead planations, what does it say about the corded. 3 of dumping these reports into the “insuf- data originally used and the results ob- ficient information” pile where they be- tained? While the Battelle group did not have long (or better yet, seeking out additional such information available to them, they data) they saw fit to make commitments Flawed interpretation did suspect it and tried to point it out (my on them. To judge reports like these as emphasis in bold): “UFOs” and “IFOs” and to include them in he whole idea that Bluebook Special chi-square tests is sloppy investigative and Treport #14 represents some sort of ...the data were subjective, consisting statistical process…5 significance for UFO reports ignores a lot of qualified estimates of physical charac- of what is known about people who re- teristics rather than of precise measure- With all of this in mind, can we really draw port UFOs and the “data“ that is in these ments. Furthermore, most of the reports any valid conclusions about this statisti- reports. The study used a subjective were not reduced to written form imme- cal study? Is it simply a case of Garbage methodology to classify and quantify diately. The time between sighting and in = Garbage out (GIGO)? the reports for analysis. The authors of report varied from one day to several the report recognized this and stated so. years. Both of these factors introduced an Reevaluation of the Unknowns However, the UFO proponents, who like element of doubt concerning the valid- to interpret these results as something ity of the original data, and increased it omething rarely mentioned by UFO truly significant, seem to have ignored s subjectivity. This was intensified by the Sproponents regarding Special report their warnings. recognized inability of the average indi- 14 is the attempt to reevaluate the 434 vidual to estimate speeds, distances, and “unknowns” that were created by the ini- Notes and references sizes of objects in the air with any degree tial evaluation. The effort was to identify of accuracy...The danger lies in the pos- “possible knowns”, “unknowns”, and “good 1. Hendry, Allan. The UFO Investigators sibility of forgetting the subjectivity of unknowns”. When all was said and done Handbook. London: Sphere Books the data at the time that conclusions with this reevaluation, the report states: Ltd. 1980. p. 269 are drawn from the analysis. It must be emphasized, again and again, that the Thus out of the 434 OBJECT SIGHTINGS 2. United States Air Technical Intel- conclusions contained in this report are that were identified as UNKNOWNS by the ligence Center. Project Blue Book based NOT on facts, but on what many data reduction process, there were only 12 Special Report NO. 14: Analysis of observers thought and estimated the that were described with sufficient detail Reports of Unidentified Aerial Ob- true facts to be. (My emphasis in bold)4 that they could be used in an attempt to jects. Project No. 10073. 5 May 1955. derive a model of a “flying saucer”. 6 P. 11 So, when examining the “Good” and “Ex- cellent” results, one has to be careful in It is interesting to note that the reevalua- 3. Condon, Edward U., et al., eds. Sci- assigning too much weight to the results tion reduced the numbers of “unknowns” entific Study of Unidentified Flying obtained. One has to wonder how many significantly. It doesn’t say much for those Objects. New York: Bantam, 1968. P. of these “Good” and “Excellent” unknowns 434 “unknowns” if a significant number 574 were reports written weeks, months, or could be considered to have reasonable even years after the actual event. explanations. 4. United States Air Technical Intel- ligence Center. Project Blue Book To top this off, one has to wonder how Special Report NO. 14: Analysis of reports can be classified as “Good” or “Ex- Reports of Unidentified Aerial Ob- cellent” when some of these reports were jects. Project No. 10073. 5 May 1955. described as “insufficient information” P. 3-4 (3.6% for Good and 4.2% for Excellent)! How can they assign these classifications 5. Hendry, Allan. The UFO Investigators when the reports had “missing” informa- Handbook. London: Sphere Books tion? How many of the “unknowns” in Ltd. 1980. p. 267 these categories had incorrect/missing information that prevented their identifi- 6. United States Air Technical Intel- cation? The world wonders.... ligence Center. Project Blue Book Additionally, the final twelve cases - in Special Report NO. 14: Analysis of Allan Hendry pointed out in his UFO volved such events as the Chiles-Whitted Reports of Unidentified Aerial Ob- Handbook that certain characteristics sighting (above), which was probably a jects. Project No. 10073. 5 May 1955. (shape and duration) were missing from bright fireball. Remember, these are the P. 77-78. about a fourth of all the UFO and IFO re- cases that survived the culling and were ports in the study: considered the best. Many of these cases did not even end up on the final list of ...I would never have DREAMED of making Bluebooks unknowns! If these cases were 14 FOlogist Joe Capp has his own UFO Uhotline in NY city. As a result, he UFO over the Bronx seems to get many of the UFO reports and videos from the big apple. A recent and 1.3 million people blog entry of his included a lengthy vid- eo that peaked my interest as I wondered miss it! what it might be. tics work for the government. Meanwhile I would interview the witnesses with a his- The video panic translations and asked them all the right questions and the debunkers would he video was taken on September 26, ask. 1 T2010 by Cesar Guerrero. The video begins, according to the camera’s clock, When he presented the video he made The object at approximately 8:31:54 PM. The wit- the following statement, which is quoted ness states he saw the UFO while walk- in the part 1 of the video: he video shows the object move ing his dog and noticed its lighting was Tabout in a lazy pattern. What was an different than a helicopter. He estimated I sent this video to a scientist and he con- immediate red flag for me was the anti- its location was between the Bronx and cluded it was “not a blimp, helicopter, collision strobe flashing away. Another Manhattan but we have no idea where plane, or hoax by Cesar.” He also estimat- red flag were the red and green lights he was located or how he made this de- ed the craft to be “larger than a helicop- that were visible. The green was on the termination. One can only assume that ter”. This is a true UFO.2 left and the red was on the right when he was looking in the direction of those the object appeared to be pointed to- two locations and determined it as the In his blog entry he stated this scientist wards or away from the observer. If it object being between the two. He also commented that the lights surprised were pointed towards the observer, then states that his niece should have seen it him. Apparently, the changing shape was this is what one would expect for naviga- in Manhattan and her location indicates something he could not explain. tion lights. The green is on the starboard a SW viewing angle. Mr. Guerrero then side and the red on the port. This indi- concludes with the statement that a light Capp made the following final statement cates to me the object was man-made. came out from underneath the object on his blog: Some of these lights were intermittently and illuminated the clouds as it went to- visible, indicating the shape of the object wards New Jersey. Maybe this time we can rise above the obscured these lights (especially the anti- worst in us and deal with the facts of not collision strobe) as it moved about. There One thing about the video bothered me. only what the video shows but even how it also was a dimmer light that seemed to In parts 1-3, we see the date/time stamp came to light freely and with no other mo- be at the middle/front of the object. It is as September 26, 2010 until 9:22 PM. tives than the question, “could you tell me curious behavior for an object that seems There is then some static/data loss and what this is?”3 to be hovering over a fixed location and the video then starts up with the date/ moving about in back and forth motion. time stamp as November 20, 2010 10:11 Missing data in his blog entry If this were a man-made object, what PM. Either the date was changed or this could maneuver like that and what was was an entirely different event. app stated he would ask the pertinent its purpose? Cdetails but he refused to give them on Capp’s “investigation” his blog. Missing were some basics. Per- A hint haps a more precise location than “The he first we hear about Joe Capp’s in- Bronx”, would be appropriate. Additional- robably the most important thing to Tvestigation is a blog posting he made ly, what direction were they looking? He Plook at is the date and time. What was in April, where he proclaimed: states his niece in Manhattan should have happening in the Bronx/Manhattan area seen it and she was located in the vicinity on September 26, 2010 between 8 and The person videoed a hovering Triangle of 104th street and Columbus. Guerrero 10 PM? (all 42 minutes of it) from his 26th floor also felt the object was located between balcony in the Bronx and his daughter of Manhattan and the Bronx. Based on this, Any fan will tell you that the Yankees vs. about 7 years was with him...I could give one can only assume he was looking to- Red Sox is one of the biggest rivalries in it to MUFON like the last video and never wards the south or southwest depend- baseball. They will also tell you that, like get it back or any returned email. But then ing on where he was located. As a result, clockwork, they always seem to play on I realized I have read so many debunkers I created the general sighting lines for the weekend and on Sunday night at 8 statements and books that I knew what various locations in the Bronx looking PM with ESPN broadcasting the game. they would use to smear these people be- towards the location of Guerrero’s niece. If the game is played in New York, it is at forehand. I decided on the ways I would It does not precisely point towards the Yankee stadium in the Bronx, which is approach the situation to validate this UFO’s location but it does give us an area near three of the four general site lines video. I decided to send it off to a scientist to start working with (image created us- I previously drew (See image on next I know who has done a great deal of op- ing Google earth). page)! Of course, September 26th was a 15 games last year! the June 19, 2010 Yankees-Cubs game, no anti-collision strobe was visible on the Even more interesting is that the No- bottom of the blimp. However, the other vember 20, 2010 section appears to have lighting was visible. been recorded on another night, which means the date was not in error and was Once one sees the lighting, one can look on November 20th. When one looks at at the UFO and see what is transpiring. As sporting events at Yankee stadium on the blimp turns directly towards the cam- November 20th, we have a nationally era, one is going to see the bright strobe televised (NBC) football game between on top, two navigation lights and a nose Notre Dame and Army! There probably light (see the time stamp 8:46:17 in part Sunday night and there WAS a Yankees- was a blimp at that game as well for the 1 of the Cesar video on Capp’s web site). Red Sox battle that night in New York (the aerial shots. When the blimp moves nose upward, the image above comes from that game via top strobe is obscured by the blimp and the ESPN web site). All of these coincidences have to be con- one only sees the nose light with the nav- sidered when investigating this video. igation lights (see 8:46:57). If it turns to Could this “triangular UFO” have been port (see 8:46:21) or starboard (8:46:04), nothing more than a blimp? only one navigation light appears and the strobe is also visible on top. The nose light The “triangle” lights explained can also be seen. It is also possible that the blimp can be seen at an angle where here are several videos one can find both navigation lights and nose light can Ton line showing the Goodyear blimp be seen without a strobe(8:46:57). at night, which is probably very similar to other blimp lighting configurations. (One Weather underground states the winds can be found at http://www.youtube. were blowing from the NE at 10-14 mph. com/watch?v=uhtKjNHqsEQ) There are This means the blimp probably could just two anti-collision strobes. One is under- point towards the Northeast and station neath and is weaker than the one on top. keep over the stadium moving back and So, what does a Yankees-Red Sox game The front and rear of the blimp also have forth from left to right. This explains why have to do with this UFO? Well, ESPN a solid light. There are standard naviga- we always see the green light on the left loves aerial shots of the area/stadium tion lights on the gondola and the tail and the red on the right. The blimp had and they tend to use blimps. It was hard fins. no reason to turn around until it left. to determine if a blimp was present until Reality Uncovered member “Luck” found Lastly, we are told that the witness no- this December 7, 2010 news item describ- ticed that, as the UFO left, it had a bright ing a Goodyear blimp’s latest adventure: light come out of its bottom and illumi- nate the clouds. Hmmm.....could a blimp After floating over Red Sox and Yankees do that? games in late September, Tropical Storm Nicole forced the big balloon into a three- day bypass down the Appalachians.4

However, when I e-mailed Goodyear, they responded they had no blimps over Yan- kee stadium on the 26th. The representa- There is also the Direct TV blimp, which is tive of Goodyear stated that the blimp also used in Sunday night baseball games. was present at a Yankees-Rays game ear- Their lighting is a bit different than what I lier in the week. As a result, one has to saw on the Goodyear blimp. They appar- consider that it is possible the Goodyear ently do not have an anti-collision strobe blimp was not present. on the bottom or turn it off when over Frame grab of the Goodyear blimp at night. See: sporting events. In this image I took from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhtKjNHqsEQ I checked on several other blimps. Metlife and Direct TV never responded to my queries. Direct TV is used often with Yan- kees games according to one New York These images show the various lighting configurations of the UFO between 8:46-8:47 PM. The Yellow light is the strobe light, the red and green writer. It seems identifying the offend- lights are the actual color of the lights in that location. The blue light is a weaker light that is present. Looking at the Blimp lighting at upper right and one can easily visualize the following (going from left to right). Blimp starts with a view of the port side and nose pointed upward. As the ing blimp may not be possible without a nose drops and the blimp turns towards the camera, the strobe becomes visible. When viewed head on, the starboard Nav light (green becomes visible. The Blimp then turns to port and raises its nose again leaving us with the green and blue light. With the nose still up, it turns again to- video of that ESPN game. I knew I should wards the camera and reveals the port navigation light (red) again. The nose remains pointed upwards until it turns to starboard. At this point have recorded all those Red Sox-Yankees the nose drops and the strobe on top appears again. Compare this to the images I created at the top of the next page. 16 solved. The only thing missing is the cul- prit blimp/aircraft. However, if one can demonstrate that the witness was not shooting in the general direction of Yan- kee stadium (i.e to the north or east of the Bronx), I will reconsider this conclusion. I am sure Joe Capp will disagree but the video (which he states should be consid- I created this series of images using photographs I took of a small cylinder to simulate the shape and light- ered) and the facts surrounding it seem ing of a blimp. Compare these lighting configurations to those at the bottom of the previous page and the to indicate it was a blimp or otherman- ones found in the video. made aircraft. Contrary to the claims of the scientist, no sense. As one can see from the map who seemed fascinated by the lights, on the previous page, the direction he The will to believe they can be explained once the iden- described seems to point towards Yan- tity of the object is determined. Stating kee stadium. Either the witness does he problem with UFO proponents like it could not be a blimp was premature not have a good sense of direction or he TJoe Capp is there appears to be no and ignored the obvious clues of the should be able to see in the direction of middle ground. Once he has established navigation lights and the anti-collision Yankee stadium. Perhaps they are stating in his mind that the UFO is something strobe. Was the UFO trying to pretend to they can’t physically see Yankee stadium truly exotic, any potential explanation is be a blimp? Maybe in addition to “fake from their window, which is very prob- an attack on the integrity of the witness. airplanes”, UFOs want to appear as “fake able if they are over a mile away. When This is followed by using the epithet of blimps”. requests for location and direction of the “debunker” to convince his readers the video were requested, Capp chose not to explanation if invalid. I guess Mr. Capp It is not a blimp! respond and left the forum. is practicing what Stanton Friedman ac- cuses “debunkers” of doing. That being, oe Capp seems to feel any explanation Capp promised that he would have his “Don’t bother me with the facts, my mind Jother than an exotic craft is stating the witness record a blimp and show it as a is made up”. witness is lying. Nothing could be further reference. He thinks such an endeavor from the truth. I am only stating that the will eliminate the blimp explanation. In Notes and References witness was simply mistaken and was not my opinion, that may not be adequate being dishonest. He obviously was not a because there are variables involved. Un- 1. Capp, Joseph. “NY UFO Hotline”. UFO baseball or football fan since the games less, he records the same kind of blimp Media matters blog. April 27, 2011. were not on the television while he was at night under similar conditions (wind Available WWW: http://ufomedia. recording the UFO. He may not even from NE, hovering over Yankee stadium, blogspot.com/2011/04/ny-ufo- have known that Yankee stadium was in etc.), it will not look the same and may hotline.html the direction he was recording. One can give a misleading result. not find fault for an honest mistake by 2. ibid. the witness. Or is it? 3. Capp, Joseph. “NY UFO Hotline vid- That being said, I have less sympathy for ast issue, I made it a point to mention eos: Ceasar’s video”. UFO Media mat- those who chose to promote the video Lthat UFOs as “exotic craft” are never ters blog. May 23, 2011. Available for something it wasn’t. The “scientist” seen at major sporting events. Both of WWW: http://ufomedia.blogspot. (we have no name or credentials pre- these events were nationally televised com/2011/05/ny-ufo-hotline-vid- sented so we have to question about his with dozens of high definition cameras eos-cesars-video.html qualifications) deserves scorn simply be- positioned to record action inside and cause he did not really look at all the pos- outside the stadium (including aerial 4. Hiskey, Michelle. “Above Atlanta on sibilities and chose to proclaim it could shots!). Not once did anybody mention the Goodyear blimp.” ESPN Page 2. not be a blimp (assuming Capp did not seeing any “exotic/unknown craft” hover- December 7, 2010. Available WWW: exaggerate what the “scientist” told him). ing in the area of Yankee stadium or any http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/ Capp also deserves criticism because he place else in the Bronx. This means the page2/story?id=5895989 has dismissed any possibility of it being UFO was something that was easily iden- explained as demonstrated by his com- tifiable by the cameras, everybody driv- ments in a single post in the Reality Un- ing on the highway, in the stadium, or out covered forum. that night walking about in one of the world’s most densely populated cities. In his only statement about in the discus- The blimp (or some other conventional sion, Mr. Capp attempted to downplay man-made aerial device) is a reasonable the blimp hypothesis. We were told that solution in this light. the witness could not see Yankee sta- dium from his window but that makes I think this case can be considered mostly 17 y IFO University article throughout the entire episode, Mabout the moon being which lasted some ten to fif- reported as a UFO, inspired teen minutes. There is a stand Manuel Borraz to e-mail me of trees in the cemetery and and mention a case that he alongside Belmont on both believes was caused by the sides. The object periodically moon. He even gave the ti- became lost behind the trees. tle for this article. So, I want After about a mile and a half, to make sure he receives they made a U-turn and came credit for inspiring me to back east on Belmont, having do some writing about this lost sight of the object. As they case. I am sure the reader got back into Elmwood Park, will find it interesting as the object approached them well. from the left from a stand of trees, passed over them and to The Report the rear. They made another U-turn and pursued the object he story is told in J. Allen again westward. Very soon THyenk’s book, The UFO after this, they said the object Report and is an interesting ascended to a great height. tale worth repeating. Hynek describes An article inspired by an e-mail the story in a letter to Major Quintanilla. from Manuel Borraz Officer....said to about five thousand It is only mentioned as a sighting in the (5,000) feet., but this may or may not be Bluebook archive in a list of sightings for the case since I do not particularly rate November 1-4, 1957. Apparently, it came flashlight from the car and went out to ex- his judgement about dimension, or facts from a news clipping and was never in- amine the window and to look under the for that matter, very high. But both the vestigated by Blue Book. Considering hood. At this time, they said they noticed fireman and the officer agreed that the the amount of information in the news- a bright spherical object above and ahead object disappeared as though a person papers I examined, it seems that it was of them. I questioned them very long on pulled a black shade up from the bottom, really not worth the effort and was over- the size and appearance and the best I or as though one were filling the spherical shadowed by the “wave” of sightings that could get was that it was like an iridescent object with a black ink...... The object was had occurred during this time period orange beach ball except much larger... described as bright but not hard on the as people began looking up at the new As the object moved down the alley, but eyes, and very beautiful.... Sputnik satellite: above the alley, the car lights came back on. The engine, however, never stalled but .....According to the men, the moon was The men said they spotted the object, kept going the whole time. They trailed out that night, but to the east, whereas which changed shape and seemed to dim the object and whenever they turned their the object at that same time was toward the lights on a squad car, but apparently lights off, the object seemed to hover, and the west. The sky was basically clear, al- they were the only witnesses. Elmwood so to speak, watch them. As soon as they though there was a fog in the cemetery. Park police officials said they received no turned their lights on, the object moved calls about the object, nor was it spotted off. One primary incident occurred when the by any of the military, or federal agencies squad car had stopped at the end of the which keep watch over the skies.1 The men trailed down the alley for fully a first long alley just before they jogged on half-mile to the end of the alley where it into Belmont street. The lights were out Hynek apparently learned about the case met a cemetery. They paused at the end and the object was descending. At this when he became involved in the filming and turned their lights off. The object time, it lost its circular shape and took on of a 1965 NBC program in Chicago. slowly descended and hovered just a few a cigar shape surrounded by a fogginess feet off the ground. Officer ___ kicked on which seemed to emanate from the object At about 3:00AM, a squad car was pa- the “brights” and the object ascended itself. There was disagreement as to how trolling the alleyway behind a row of very rapidly “fifty or sixty miles an hour”. much fog, if any, there was in the ceme- stores on Belmont st. they had proceeded It also took off westward. The officers now tery that night. The crucial time of the inci- about two blocks down the alley (the to- jogged right for a quarter of a block to join dent seems to have been when the officer tal length of which was nearly a mile), Belmont street and pursued the object kicked on the lights as the object was de- when they perceived an open window in down Belmont Street. Here officer___said scending and had assumed a cigar shape. the back of one of the stores. The stopped that it cavorted from curb to curb back As soon as the lights came on, the object to examine it with their spotlight, but just and forth as though “playing games with rose rapidly, resumed its circular shape, then the spotlight and their headlights them”. The fireman maintained that he and sucked up the fogginess around it. dimmed very much, so much so that the object was higher up. officer said that a match would have been One other high spot occurred apparently brighter. This being the case, they took a The color or brightness never changed just before the second U-turn when the 18 squad car was going east on Belmont. The have appeared to be part of the cem- object came at them from the woods to etery. Therefore, it seems likely that the the left, and according to Officer.....came actual alley is the one about a half to a so close to the car, that he could have quarter block south of Belmont. The alley reached out and touched it. The fireman happens to be about a mile long just like did not agree, feeling that the object had Hynek said. always maintained a respectable dis- tance... The exact location of the police officers Elmwood park as it appears on Google earth. The green road is Belmont. The red line is West Wellington Ave and the blue line is is harder to determine but it seems like No sound or noise was ever associated an alley that parallels Belmont by a quarter block. they were about a half-mile from the end with the object. It seemed to glow and its allels Belmont street/avenue, it is two full of the alley, which happens to be at the color was compared by both men to the blocks south of Belmont. Hynek’s letter intersection of the alley with N. Oriole color of a setting sun but not as bright.... states that they went to the end of the al- Ave/N 76th Ave. This is a ball park loca- ley and then only went a quarter block to tion but seems reasonable. One other item:....said that his “hair stood get onto Belmont. He also mentions that one end” when he saw the object, and the the alley was about a mile long. Perhaps The moon connection other officer said that....wanted to shoot it was the statement that the alley ended at it, but was cautioned by Officer... not to into a cemetery that got Sparks onto W. ow comes for the potential solution shoot unit he knew more about it. Wellington Ave. because the alley that is Nmentioned by Manuel Borraz in his only a quarter block from Belmont ends e-mail to me and on UFO Updates on Meteorological conditions for this night at a Catholic high school (Guerin prep October 28, 2000. That answer was they should be checked to be compared with high school) and not a cemetery (see im- might have been pursuing the setting similar data from Levelland...... 2 age above). moon.

Who, when, where. Intrigued by this, I decided to see when At 3:00 AM, the moon was at an azimuth the school came into being. It was ini- of 271.5 degrees and an angle of eleva- hat you find on the vast web is most- tially two schools that existed there. One tion of about 4.5 degrees. By 3:30 AM, it Wly people copying various sources was a boys (Holy Cross) and the other set at an azimuth of 275 degrees. It was on this case. The problem is, are these a girls high school (Mother Theodore a waxing gibbous moon that was almost original sources reliable? The names of Guerin High School). They combined in circular in shape. Most curious are the the individuals involved vary depending 2004, when the boy’s school enrollment comments by the witnesses who stated on the source. The UP wire story in 1957 numbers became too low to support it. the moon was in the eastern sky at the identified the individuals as four people. These schools opened in 1961 and 1962. time of the event. At least that is where Three policemen (Joseph Lukasek, Clif- Where they there in 1957? That is hard to they thought it was located. ford Shaw, and Daniel Digiovanni) and say but aerial photographs of the area one fireman (Robert Volz).3 Hynek did not in 1951 and 1962 reveals that there was The alley and Belmont Street/Avenue it- include names but implied there were just a field, which was attached to the self was at an azimuth of about 268 de- only three witnesses. Brad Sparks identi- cemetery. For the police officer’s it may grees, which means the moon was only fies the witnesses as policemen Joseph Lusasek and Clifford Scahu. The fireman was identified as Daniel De Giovanni. Ei- ther the UP story was inaccurate or the names became garbled in the retellings by other authors. The time of the sighting seems to jump about. Nothing is listed in the Bluebook or News accounts of the day. Hynek puts it at around 3:00 AM. Others list it around 3:15 AM. It is safe to say the events probably transpired between 3 and 3:30 AM. So, we are left with conflicting information on the who and exactly when.

However, location does not seem to be that much a problem. We are told they were in an alley that paralleled Belmont street/avenue in Elmwood Park, Illinois. One would think that would not be hard to identify. Brad Sparks states they were Elmwood park as it appeared in 1951 (top) and 1962 (bottom). The alley and roads are marked with the appropriate colors as before. on W. Wellington Avenue. While this par- 19 means that one can not definitively state that the buildings would have blocked the policemen’s view.

Additionally, how much interference could the buildings have if the sighting initially occurred at 3:00 AM as Hynek

implied. A building of 20 foot height 300 The alley as it appears today using google maps. Note that the build- feet away would have an angular height ings are not that high and can be distant at times depending on what of less than 4 degrees. With an azimuth position along the alley the observer is located. of 271-272 degrees, the angle would fects might have perfectly logical expla- have not gone directly over the build- nations. ings that lined Belmont St./Ave but the rear areas, which could include parking Was it the moon? lots where nothing existed to block the view of the moon. Therefore, it seems e can’t say for certain they actually The amount of building construction along the alley way can be seen probable that the witness could have chased the moon that morning but between 1951 (top) and 1962 (bottom). There are hardly any build- W ings between Belmont and the alley in 1951. The amount of build- seen the moon above the rooftops. Even one has to examine the possibilities. The ings in 1962 is less than those that are presently lining the road. more important is when they got to the fact the policemen never saw the moon slightly off to the right of their westward end of the alley, there was nothing but (and even gave the wrong location for direction of travel at 3AM. an open field/cemetery. The moon would it) is an indicator that it could have been have been much more obvious to them the moon they were chasing. I doubt this Brad Sparks is the only person I know that but they missed it and stated it was in the will change the minds of those who want has argued against the moon hypothesis eastern sky! to declare this an “unknown” but, in my (others don’t bother to mention it). He opinion, this is a reasonable explanation remarks in his 1600 Bluebook unknowns: There are better arguments against the for the case. moon hypothesis than the buildings po- W, at about 274°-275° setting at 276° at tentially blocking the moon but it means Notes and references about 3:30 a.m., 90% full, and street ori- the witnesses would have been very ac- ented to 268° so moon not visible through curate in their observations. Hynek stat- 1. “Radar tracks object over Gulf of ½ mile of buildings lining alleyway of W. ed he had problems accepting the judge- Mexico” Racine Journal Times No- Wellington Ave.4 ments made by one of the officers so one vember 5, 1957. Page 2 has to question the reliability of the wit- We know that Sparks location of W. Wel- ness reports to some extent. 2. Hynek, J. Allen. The Hynek UFO Re- lington Ave. is incorrect so how is his ar- port. New York: Barnes & Nobles, gument that the 1/2 mile of buildings lin- Nobody is stating the moon influenced 1997. P. 162-6 ing the alleyway? The first problem is his the headlights, was rising up, or zig-zag- claim of 1/2 mile of buildings. Were there ging across the road/over the car. How- 3. “Chicago area police chase air ob- buildings the entire length of the alley- ever, the car’s motion, U-turns, detour ject” Pacific stars and stripes Nov 5, way? In the 1962 aerial photographs we onto Belmont from the Alley, and how far 1957 page 3 see most of Belmont St./Ave. lined with down Belmont they went (The road splits buildings (those that would have inter- and changes direction to an azimuth of 4. Sparks, Brad. Comprehensive cata- fered with the view of the moon) of vari- about 292 degrees 2 miles west of the logue of 1,600 Project Blue Book ous sizes. However, this is five years af- cemetery/field) might explain some of UFO unknowns: Work in progress ter the fact and the aerial photograph of these observations. We do not know (version 1.16 October 2, 2009). Avail- 1951 shows very few building lining the what the condition of the car’s engine able WWW: http://www.cufos.org/ street. One can only assume that the ac- and battery were for the other effects BB_Unknowns.pdf tual number of buildings was something since it was never properly investigated. in between the two photographs. These It seems that many of the reported ef- All aerial images came from the web site: http://historicaerials.com/

The arrangement of buildings between the alley and Belmont where the police officers probably (based on Hynek’s description) first reported the UFO in 1951 (left) and 1962 (right) 20 nnie Jacobsen’s Area 51: Chapter Three is straightforward AAn Uncensored History of history, making it one of the America’s Top Secret Military stronger sections of the book. Base (Little, Brown and Com- Unfortunately it also contains pany, May 2011) has gener- factual errors that could have ated a fire storm of contro- been easily checked and cor- versy concerning the author’s rected prior to publication. journalistic credibility, since it became apparent that she The fourth chapter again drags had obscured the Cold War the reader into UFO territory heroics of Area 51 veterans in not relevant to Area 51 other a noxious stew of Nazi atroci- than to suggest that high-alti- ties, Soviet plots, and hoaxed tude aircraft from Nevada were flying saucers. responsible for many UFO sight- ings. This chapter again raises After gaining the trust of the specter of Nazis, Soviets, the Roadrunners, members of an Area complex web of conspiracy included Nazi and the Horten brothers who designed 51 alumni organization, Jacobsen spent scientists, genetic experiments on chil- advanced aircraft for Hitler during World about two years writing what she claimed dren, German airplane designers, secret War Two, along with the specious prem- would be the first true history of Area 51, military bases, and accusations that the ise that the Roswell debris was shipped as told to her by the men who worked U.S. government hid the truth to cover its to a secret base in Nevada in 1951. Jacob- there during the Cold War era. It was a own hideous experiments. sen also builds up the forthcoming Stalin golden opportunity to do something no UFO hoax nonsense and drags the reader one had ever done before, and she squan- It is no surprise that the Roadrunners feel through a primer on Project Bluebook/ dered it for the sake of sensationalism in betrayed. According to Barnes, “Jacobsen Sign/Grudge, etc., that would be better the guise of “investigative journalism.” and her publisher completely changed suited to a different book altogether. the focus of her book from one of hero- On Memorial Day several weeks after the ics to one of horror and fantasy.” He noted The fifth and sixth chapters are on firmer book’s release, Roadrunners president that the Roadrunners felt that, “Our valor ground with a historical narrative but are, T.D. Barnes wrote on his blog, “We took has been stolen by an author who refuses yet again, rife with factual errors. There Mrs. Jacobsen into our homes and told to repent her literary crimes and errors.” are misleading statements like a descrip- her our life history that led to our being tion of Project 57, an April 1957 weapon proud participants in the ultra secret For a book that is supposedly about Area safety experiment, as a “dirty bomb” and activities at Area 51. We introduced her 51, it is surprising how many pages are describing the event as the first of its kind to our contemporaries, something that devoted to unrelated subjects. Much of (there were four the previous year). most of us had never done before. After this material is, however, used to set up 50 years of silence, we sought to allow the climactic finale. The first chapter is Chapters Seven and Eight are mostly our brothers the opportunity to finally devoted to giving credence to the claims pretty solid, factually, but anyone with tell about the major contributions re- of Robert Lazar, and includes Stanton knowledge of the subject matter will cently declassified that we, as a band of Friedman’s take on Roswell. Although regret the author’s lost opportunities. brothers, made to our nation’s wars. In the author allows Friedman to disparage There are a few glaring errors, such as a domino like effect, each of us opened Lazar’s claims, Jacobsen seems to imply saying that Area 51’s runway is “believed the doors of others who took our lead in that she believes that Lazar worked at or to be the longest in the world.” Reference the telling of their personal sacrifices and near Area 51. Frankly, all the UFO lore is material for some information presented contributions to past wars, including the so peripheral to Groom Lake history that in this chapter appears to include articles Cold War, and to our nation’s future wars it could have been left out entirely with- posted on the Dreamland Resort web to keep us free.” out detracting from the narrative. After site, but there are no footnotes citing all, there are UFO stories connected to sources. But, Jacobsen chose to bury these stories Edwards Air Force Base but you never see within an improbable narrative involving them mentioned in any serious book or Chapter Nine is satisfactory except for claims by a single anonymous source (the documentary about Edwards. drifting away from Area 51 toward the only source not named in the book) that end, and into some nuclear testing his- Area 51 was created in response to the Without even mentioning Area 51, Chap- tory outside of Nevada. This digression “Roswell Incident,” and that the events of ter Two sets the stage for the ludicrous seems mostly to be an excuse to dredge July 1947 that briefly ignited the nation’s Roswell tale that is fleshed out later in the up Nazis again through a Wernher von interest in “flying disks” was actually the book. This section also suggests that, “the Braun connection. result of a plot by Soviet leader Joseph crash remains from Roswell quickly fell Stalin to cause panic in the West, akin to into the blackest regions of government.” The next two chapters are mostly pretty that caused by the 1938 radio broadcast Conspiracy theorists, rejoice! good but still plagued with factual errors of “War of the Worlds.” The details of this that appear to be the result of relying on 21 single sources without any effort to dou- and unmanned vehicles that took place ‘Look, this is not why Area 51 is classified ble-check or corroborate details. Several during the time in question. There are, to the point where no one in the govern- myths, now disproven, are repeated for as usual, factual errors both minor and ment will admit it exists. The reason is be- another generation of readers (President egregious. cause what one man told me.’ And then Lyndon Johnson supposedly reversing using the first person, I tell you what I was the letters of RS-71 to SR-71 in a speech, The author’s conspiracy tree finally bears told.” for example). fruit in Chapter Twenty-One. After a lengthy discussion of drones, satellites, The author told Earl Swift of Popular Me- Toward the end of Chapter Twelve, Ja- and secrecy, Jacobsen hangs her repu- chanics magazine, “I absolutely stand by cobsen drags up the mythical Horten/ tation on the most outlandish Area 51 the veracity of what he told me, which is Roswell connection again to bolster her story ever foisted upon the unsuspecting that something did crash in New Mexico; source’s claim that the brothers designed public. Worse yet, it is based on the testi- it was taken to Wright-Patterson Air Force an advanced aircraft to simulate an ex- mony of a single person whose identity is Base; and then in 1951, it was transported traterrestrial craft for Stalin’s minions to concealed from the reader. This ludicrous to the Nevada desert. Hence, that is why crash under remote control on U.S. soil. It tale, presented as fact despite a paucity Area 51 has the name Area 51.” is ironic that part of the chapter is devot- of evidence and total lack of corrobora- ed to an explanation of “Ockham’s razor” tion, is a twisted conflation of Cold War Like other elements of the story, this (the idea that the simplest explanation paranoia, Communist/Nazi conspira- does not withstand scrutiny. Jacobsen’s is usually correct) when Jacobsen clearly cies, human experimentation, and U.S. logic falls flat upon examination. One has fails to apply this principle to her anony- government cover-up. It posits an im- only to study some of the other “Areas” in mous source’s convoluted Roswell tale. probable plot to try to cause a panic in Nevada that were also designated by the America by crashing a fake flying saucer AEC/DOE. For example, Area 52 (Tonopah Chapters Thirteen through Seventeen are (with fake alien crew of genetically engi- Test Range) was established in 1956. A se- everything this book should have been. neered deformed human children) in the ries of nuclear safety experiments called There are a few minor glitches but no most remote part of the southwestern Project 56 took place at Area 11 in 1956. “show stoppers.” The reader is again sub- U.S. where the wreckage wasn’t found or Area 13, just northwest of Groom Lake, jected to factual errors, and Chapter Thir- reported for days. Wouldn’t New York or was established in 1957 for the sole pur- teen contains another lengthy aside on Washington, D.C., have been more logical pose of conducting the Project 57 safety nuclear testing in the Pacific that seems targets? experiment. Although the boundaries largely unnecessary. of the Groom Lake test site were estab- This framework is used to set up EG&G lished when it was built in 1955, it was The book goes off the rails in Chapter and the Atomic Energy Commission as not designated Area 51 until the 38,400- Eighteen with more misleading state- villains participating in a cover-up in or- acre block of land was formally added to ments, factual errors, and a general lack der to protect the alleged fact that the the atomic proving ground in June 1958. of knowledge on the part of the author U.S. was “doing the same thing.” Finally, Area 58 (Central Nevada Test Area) regarding the subject matter. This chap- was established in 1967. ter includes some great stories but they Despite being confronted with inconve- have nothing to do with Area 51. nient facts and criticism that her narrative In his May 27 blog entry, Anthony Braga- is poorly sourced and unverifiable, Jacob- lia revealed Jacobsen’s source to be Al- In Chapter Nineteen the reader is intro- sen has defended her work. She told Bill fred O’Donnell, a retired EG&G employee duced to some of the wilder allegations Weir of ABC’s Nightline, “I’m not sure if it’s who spent many years working at the about Area 51. Perhaps this chapter my job to prove it, I do know that it was Nevada Test Site. O’Donnell, 89, joined would have been a good place to sum- my job to report it, and that’s what I did.” EG&G in 1947 and is the last living person marize and debunk all of the conspiracy to have witnessed the first atomic test in theories surrounding the secret base and Weir managed to set up an off-camera Nevada in 1951. While his background leave it at that. Unfortunately this is the interview with the Jacobsen’s anony- checks out, his story has more holes than chapter where Jacobsen casts the Atomic mous source. Afterward, he described Yucca Flat. Unfortunately, this is what will Energy Commission/Department of En- this source as seeming confused, telling make the most lasting impression upon ergy as the villain in a diabolical web of conflicting accounts, and saying he was readers of Jacobsen’s book. True stories deception and human experimentation, motivated to tell his story, “in order to of the real Cold War heroes of Area 51 are and sets the stage for the most contro- help Annie’s book.” lost amidst the conspiracy rant versial elements of the book. In an interview with Fresh Air’s Terry But first, the author opens Chapter Gross, explaining why she added the Ro- Twenty with, “What happened at Area swell story to the book, Jacobsen said, “I 51 during the 1980s? Most of the work made a decision to write about this in the remains classified and very little else is very end of the book, after I take the tra- known.” She immediately gives lie to this ditional journalist form of telling you ev- statement by going on to describe test- erything in the third person, I switch and ing of stealth prototypes, foreign aircraft, I kind of lean into the reader and I say, 22 UFOs on the tube Book Reviews Buy it! (No UFO library should do without it) Area 51 Declassified hidden from Soviet Satellites while being tested in the open. I particularly enjoyed The UFO Experience - Dr. J. Allen was a bit disappointed in this show as the trick of hand painting silhouettes on Hynek my expectations were high. However, the runway and then using hot air blow- I Of all of Hynek’s published books, this I think the show did accomplish its pur- ers to simulate engines that have been gives the greatest insight into his experi- pose in educating what happened at run recently. I wonder how often the So- ence and thinking on the subject. I found Area 51 in the 1950s and 60s. viets were fooled by this ruse? his interpretation of Bluebook’s officers somewhat biased. This is not unusual First of all, I have to give praise to all the I found the story about the SR-71 crash for scientists and military men to think people that spoke on the program. Any- site in Utah to be interesting. Readers of differently. One can read the other side body who has been involved in classified SUNlite would be familiar with it after of the coin in Quintanilla’s unpublished programs understand what these men Peter Merlin provided an article in SUN- manuscript. endured. As a submariner, who has gone lite 1-4. Most fascinating in the program on classified missions before, I -under were the photographs that were shown Borrow it. (Worth checking out of stand completely the dedication that was of the recovery efforts. It amazes me how required of them. Not being able to dis- people can still believe that the Roswell library or borrowing from a friend) cuss this with family members all those debris was completely cleaned up after The UFO report - Dr. J. Allen years must have been hard to do. examining what happened here. Despite Hynek a herculean effort conducted by the Listening to all these retired gentlemen CIA to remove evidence of the crashed This book is more a collection of anec- speak about their experiences can send plane, Peter Merlin could still identify dotes than anything else. Some of them chills up your spine. They did not receive the impact crater and recover parts over are interesting but others are really just any hero’s recognition even though they four decades after the event. Why is it sensationalized for effect. I did find his participated in a program that was critical that the Roswell crash site mysteriously “reevaluation” of bluebook cases infor- in prevented the cold war from turning vanished off the face of the earth in aerial mative but it was somewhat brief. I think into a “hot” one. We should all be grateful photographs taken just a few years later the book would have been better if he for their efforts. Though their flights were and small pieces have not been found by just spent the entire book on the reevalu- considered controversial, they helped at least two organized efforts to do so. ation of the cases. preserve the peace at a time when the world was on the edge of nuclear Arma- Peter Merlin deserves a lot of credit for Bin it! (Not worth the paper it is geddon. his tenacity in researching all these crash written upon - send to recycle bin) sites. They even had him doing some The U-2 part of the program was very in- digging at the site, revealing various bits Night Siege - Dr. J. Allen Hynek, teresting but added very little to what was of debris that still could be found (Peter Phillip Imbrogno, Bob Pratt already known about the testing that was assured me this was not staged like the involved. They repeated the story about Discovery channel show). There was no When you have Dr Hynek as one of the U-2 flights being mistaken for UFOs. I am effort to “mystify” any debris he recov- authors, I would expect more. This book sure that the U-2 was reported as a UFO ered. Roswellites could learn a thing or documents the Hudson Valley UFO wave on occasion but it probably was not very two from Mr. Merlin and the background of the early 1980s but does little more often as claimed. They simply accepted surrounding this plane crash. than that. The authors provide us very the CIA’s history about U-2s written by little in the way of analysis of the data. Gregory Pedlow and Donald Welzenbach, Despite my reservations about the pro- Missing are the obvious information from where the claim was first made (Haines gram’s content, it did do well in present- these sightings such as angular sizes, would later site this history in his article ing its case. No effort was made to ex- speeds, elevations, azimuths, etc. I would on the subject). It really is an anecdote aggerate any claims and it demystified expect an astronomer like Hynek to have and it would be interesting to see how some of the Area 51 folklore. Peter Merlin obtained such information. Instead of many UFO reports made were actually stated there was a similar good showing this data, we see in the scientific analysis U-2/Oxcart flights. I wonder how hard it on one of the History Channel’s “state” section the usual UFO descriptions where would be to acquire a catalogue of all the shows about Nevada. Perhaps the UFO- people make vague estimates of size and U-2 flights in the 1950s? Area 51 connection will be severed as speed. Can one really call this science? To these revelations of what really transpired me, it appears more like the UFOlogical The Oxcart/SR-71 part of the program was become public knowledge. It is worth attempt to sensationalize a case in or- interesting in how they showed the first watching. If you missed it, you can watch der to promote the researcher. Luckily, I unit was shipped to Area 51 for testing. it at http://channel.nationalgeographic. bought this at a used book store because Even more interesting were the efforts com/episode/area-51-declassified-4968/ at full price it would have been a rip-off. by the men at Area 51 to keep the craft Overview#tab-Videos/10230_00 23