Info-ParaNet Newsletters Volume I Number 327 Thursday, November 8th 1990 Today's Topics: Re: Conclusion - Gulf Breeze Walters case GB Sentinel Re: Ufo Capital Davis Sea Happenings Re: Horse-patooties And Sonic Booms Re: Conclusion - Gulf Breeze Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (Continued) Echo Policies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John.Hicks@f29.n363.z1.FIDONET.ORG (John Hicks) Subject: Re: Conclusion - Gulf Breeze Date: 5 Nov 90 19:44:01 GMT Waltersgate it looks like. ;-) I don't think Bruce is really in trouble yet; it depends on how he reacts. Most of the info Rex used came from Bruce's figures and observations, but the important aspects have been right in front of our noses for a long time. It just never occured to any of us what those readily visible aspects meant. For instance, Bruce noted that the light source was circular while the reflection was diamond-shaped, but didn't make anything of it. None of us who read that in his reports managed to make anything of it either. So I feel like a dummy for not making the connection, but I have lots of company. ;-) The latest poop is that some are saying Rex's report is an attempt to derail Walters' political aspirations, but there's nothing that supports that speculation that makes any sense. Rex said in a newspaper interview that when someone brings bad news MUFON tends to shoot the messenger. BTW, Bruce is responding to Rex's report, which he got from Walt. Y'know, the report Walt said Rex never filed........ jbh -- John Hicks - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: John.Hicks@f29.n363.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John.Hicks@f29.n363.z1.FIDONET.ORG (John Hicks) Subject: Walters case Date: 6 Nov 90 03:59:01 GMT ************************************************************** UFO REPORT POLITICAL, OFFICIAL SAYS By Craig Myers NEWS JOURNAL (TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1990) ************************************************************** A report that Gulf Breeze resident Ed Walters may have faked photographs of UFOs is designed to hurt Walters' campaign for city council, a Mutual UFO Network official said Monday. Dan Wright, who heads UFO investigations for MUFON, said Monday the organization is " concerned that one of our investigators may have taken sides in a political dispute." Walters co-wrote " The Gulf Breeze Sightings," which recounts encounters he claims to have had with UFOs between November 1987 and March 1988. He is a candidate for City Council in Gulf Breeze on the Nov. 6 ballot. Walters would not comment Monday, but said earlier this month that his alleged UFO encounters were not an issue in the campaign. The issue resurfaced Friday after Rex and Carol Salisberry, investigators for the UFO network, released a summary of a preliminary report that said Walters likely faked at least two photographs reproduced in his book. The Salisberrys, MUFON investigators of the year in 1989-1990, were asked in July to reopen the case. The new probe was prompted by the discovery of a model in the attic of Walters' former home in Gulf Breeze. The plastic foam and drafting paper model strongly resembled a drawing of an alleged UFO in Walters' book. In another incident, a former Gulf Breeze man said he helped Walters fake UFO photos at least once in 1987. On Monday, Wright said that Gulf Breeze Mayor Ed Gray, a longtime critic of Walters, may have "pressed" the Salisberrys to release their report before election. " It is possible that Gray may have found a sympathetic ear," Wright said in a telephone interview from Lansing, Mich., where he lives. But Salisberry said that Gray had absolutely no influence on the report's release. " I could care less about the City Council race," Salisberry said. " I don't live in Gulf Breeze." Gray would not comment on Wright's allegations. In his report, Salisberry questioned the legitimacy of the so-called " road shot " which shows a UFO hovering over a road. The reflection of the spacecraft, which should be flat, actually is at an angle that does not match the road's surface. The triangular shape of the reflection also does not match the round light source, Salisberry said. Salisberry said that he told MUFON International Director Walt Andrus in September that he believed Walters faked some, if not all, of his photos. It was then, he said, that he learned some MUFON members were trying to discredit him. Before the personal attacks began, he said he decided to make public his findings. " I told them we would not tolerate being discredited," he said. " We were already being categorized as debunkers They have a history of shooting the messenger." Wright on Monday said evidence still indicates Walters' photos are legitimate and that MUFON has no interest in the City Council race. " If we find Rex didn't take into consideration all factors and didn't make all the necessary contacts, we may have to determine it is an incomplete report," Wright said. -- John Hicks - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: John.Hicks@f29.n363.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John.Hicks@f29.n363.z1.FIDONET.ORG (John Hicks) Subject: GB Sentinel Date: 6 Nov 90 06:15:02 GMT The November 1 Gulf Breeze Sentinel was rather interesting, moreso in what wasn't published rather than what was. In a letter to the editor, Charles Flannigan and Donald Ware wrote what amounts to an endorsement of Ed Walters for Gulf Breeze City Commissioner. Nothing wrong with that, but.............. Do you feel it's appropriate that they listed their MUFON credentials, status, offices etc. along with their names? Apparently they felt it appropriate. In Charles Somerby's Charlie's Corner column, on the op/ed page, Somerby takes a poke at Rex and Carol Salisberry on their critical report on the Walters case. Somerby implies that they aren't competent investigators, and speculates a motive to increase enrollment in a class Rex teaches at a local school. Other than that, not a peep about the Salisberry's report. This is a newspaper that has reported everything favorable to Ed Walters. Obviously another prime example of fair, impartial journalism. jbh -- John Hicks - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: John.Hicks@f29.n363.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John.Burke@p0.f740.n115.z1.FIDONET.ORG (John Burke) Subject: Re: Ufo Capital Date: 5 Nov 90 08:14:54 GMT Mike: The "UFO Capital" of Wisconsin is *Elmwood*. If you want to read about it, pick up _Out There_ from your local library. It's written by Howard Blum. He gave Elmwood more attention than it deserved. -- John -- John Burke - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: John.Burke@p0.f740.n115.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Doug.Kraft@f502.n202.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Doug Kraft) Subject: Davis Sea Happenings Date: 7 Nov 90 03:36:00 GMT I'm hoping somebody can shed some additional light on an unusual story that appeared in the San Diego Union about three weeks ago (this was told to me by a reliable friend, and will try to further track down this story). The article presumed itself to deal with advanced stealth technology, but the line between that and UFO's is now so blurred that I wonder if they are putting their eggs in the right basket. It seems a Belgian fishing vessel was stopped of the western coast of Greenland by a haze gray ship with no guns and flying no flag, but with many antennas. The Belgian captain was told to leave the area. He responded that he was in International waters and would not leave, and by whose authority was this order anyhow. At this point, the unknown ship hoisted an American flag and demanded that the vessel leave the area or be towed out. The Belgian captain informed the Unknown that he had a research team from the University of Brussells on board (studying cod habits or so). This enraged the Unknown captain, and his crew members began to make [threatening gestures] towards the Belgian Captain. (It should be mentioned that none of the crew on the Unknown ship were in any type of uniform). The Belgian Captain thought it better to back down and agreed to leave... The Belgian ship then headed towards the Greenland shore, and followed the shoreline north (how far?), then turned back out to sea. He says he then saw [numerous?] gray and green ships (the Royal Canadian Navy paints their ships green) throughout the area, and that none of them were flagged, however they did appear to be Navy ships. He then witnessed some type of flying craft [performing maneuvers?]. The craft was almost egg-shaped from one angle, but dome shaped and flared out to the sides from another angle. I'm not sure if much more was said about the object, but it was assumed that this was man-made technology. A little more information about the craft itself, and its maneuvers or noise characteristics would be nice, and may in fact have been included, but as I said, this is second-hand (albeit from a reliable source). This was supposedly a UPI release; perhaps somebody could clarify this mystery or has seen the release and can verify it (or shoot it down - no pun intended). Doug Kraft -- Doug Kraft - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Doug.Kraft@f502.n202.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Jim Speiser) Subject: Re: Horse-patooties And Sonic Booms Date: 5 Nov 90 15:46:00 GMT > > And is it really becoming this hard to discriminate between deep black > projects and actual UFO's? > Doug: Perhaps Deep Black = Deep Blue! Jim -- Jim Speiser - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Jim Speiser) Subject: Re: Conclusion - Gulf Breeze Date: 8 Nov 90 00:44:00 GMT I have to agree with you, John, except I thought of it the other way around. It has been obvious to me almost from the beginning that Walt was betrothed to this case, and as a non-scientist was not as obligated to objectivity as was Maccabee. Bruce at least has a history of scientific integrity - I refer you to some of his work on the McMinnville photos and the New Zealand case. Now it doesn't look as if either one of them is ready to face the music. Jim PS - WALTERSGATE! I love it! -- Jim Speiser - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Jim Speiser) Subject: Santa Barbara Date: 8 Nov 90 06:05:00 GMT I said in a previous post that if you could make only one UFO conference this year, make it Santa Barbara. Well, I could only make one UFO conference this year, and it was Santa Barbara. As UFO conferences go, it was not the most exciting I've ever been to, nor the most informative, but just the same I thought it was an important and, well, refreshing event, due mostly to the astuteness of the scheduled speakers and the air of dignity and authority they brought with them. This field could use a lot more dignity and authority, and in these troubled times, its good to hear from such bastions of stability as Dr. Richard Haines, Dr. T. Edward ("Eddie") Bullard, Dr. Marcello Truzzi, and Donald Schmitt. Truzzi's message, especially, was important, not so much for its content as for the very fact that he was invited to deliver it. Truzzi, you see, is that rarest of creatures, A Responsible Skeptic. A co-founder of CSICOP, he resigned their ranks when it became clear that most of its members were on a witch-hunt, rather than a truth-hunt. Make no mistake, he is still a skeptic, mind you, and is far from convinced that UFOs are anything alien. Its just that he is genuinely more open to reasonable persuasion than most, and seems to agree that we've got a major problem here. It was Truzzi who coined one of my favorite phrases: "The existence of wigs does not preclude the existence of real hair," a statement which works just as well in the obverse - especially when speaking to Gulf Breeze proponents. The important thing about Truzzi's inclusion on the speakers list is the message sent to other skeptics: Yes, we're big enough to stand up to some critical review, as long as the reviewer is responsible and reasonable. In other words, Phil Klass can't carp that no skeptics were invited. Truzzi even took a very strong swipe at Klass in his speech. He also took some well-deserved swipes at the field, chiding us for not being more discerning in our theorizing and more thorough in our methods. I, for one, would like to see this brilliant sociologist at more UFO conferences. Continued -- Jim Speiser - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Jim Speiser) Subject: Santa Barbara (Continued) Date: 8 Nov 90 06:37:00 GMT The other important speech (well, ANother important speech, I didn't get to hear Budd Hopkins) was that of Don Schmitt. Don is perhaps the most impressive field investigator in the business today, and he has been turned loose on our most important case, Roswell. Together with Capt. Kevin Randle, with whom he has co-authored the forthcoming book "Roswell," Schmitt went back to square one on the case, re-interviewing and re-investigating, until we now have a clearer and more comprehensive view of what happened in the days and weeks after the crash. If what Schmitt says is true, we are, according to one of his sources, "very close" to getting to the bottom of the case. Some first-hand witnesses who are still alive, yet still consider themselves to be under oath after all these years, may be granted immunity for their testimony, says Schmitt. If that happens, it will presumably release a flood-tide of information supposedly confirming what we already suspect: that it was a saucer, that it wasn't one of ours, that it contained aliens, the whole shootin' match. Whew! Hurry up, gang, they aren't getting any younger! Schmitt claims to have over 200 living witnesses, NONE of which will support the weather balloon story. He has issued a challenge to Phil Klass: produce just ONE first-hand witness that claims it was a weather balloon. Just one. Klass' response: "Define `first hand witness'". Attaboy, Phil. That direct approach works every time. Unfortunately, publication of "Roswell" has been delayed until next year, due to a silly squabble over the rights to the name initiated by William Moore. Meantime CUFOS is sponsoring another expedition to the crash site next May, and I can't think of a more worthy cause to donate time, money and energy to at this point. Continued, when I have time... -- Jim Speiser - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Jim.Speiser@f37.n114.z1.FIDONET.ORG -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Doug.Rogers@p0.f1.n606.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Doug Rogers) Subject: Echo Policies Date: 8 Nov 90 04:46:18 GMT New readers are always joining Paranet. For their benefit, allow me to review the rules of posting which we ask all our users to adopt: ******* PARANET ECHO POLICIES ******** The following are guidelines for the operation of the Paranet Echos on member boards. Please take a moment to read (and understand) these policies. If we'll adopt these attitudes, we'll have a more polite, effective network. 1. No anonymous messages may be posted on the network. 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Users who believe the Moderator has been unfair in requesting a lockout can request that their Sysop plead their case in the Sysop Echo. In such cases, ALL net Sysops will be asked to vote on the matter. Vote of the net is binding on all concerned. Doug Rogers Echo Moderator -- Doug Rogers - via FidoNet node 1:207/109 UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name INTERNET: Doug.Rogers@p0.f1.n606.z1.FIDONET.ORG ********To have your comments in the next issue, send electronic mail to******** 'infopara' at the following address: UUCP {ncar,isis,boulder}!scicom!infopara DOMAIN infopara@scicom.alphacdc.com ADMIN Address infopara-request@scicom.alphacdc.com {ncar,isis,boulder}!scicom!infopara-request ******************The**End**of**Info-ParaNet**Newsletter************************