SUBJECT: TENN. MUFON NEWSLETTER FILE: UFO2176
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* TENNESSEE NEWSLETTER *
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* July, 1989 STATE DIRECTOR *
* MUTUAL UFO NETWORK John W. Komar *
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Well, here we are again! This month, there are articles concerning Gulf
Breeze, the "UFO COVER-UP? LIVE" show, and other topics concerning space and
the UFO phenomenon.
As we all know, Gulf Breeze, a town in Florida, has been having numerous
sightings, both in the air and on the ground. The number of people who have
experienced these sightings is staggering! AND IT'S STILL GOING ON!!
Also included are recent cases handled by MUFON investigators.
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GULF BREEZE, FLORIDA (from the Gulf Breeze Sentinel Newspaper)
Strange sightings are still happening around the town of Gulf Breeze. Art-
icles from the "Gulf Breeze Sentinel" attest to this. Lynn Soley, an Artist
who lives in Gulf Breeze and her husband saw a object in the sky about 10:00
p.m. monday, April 20. "It was flashing red, yellow, green, and blue lights,
with a white light. And then, on the upper right hand side and from time to
time, it would move down the lower right side and then over to the lower left
hand corner of the thing."
"At one point, it turned on it's side or something and the white light was in
the center with red flashing lights going around it in a circle. Then, when
we lost sight of it, we rode over to Shoreline Park where we saw three more
like it. Then we saw, in one part of the sky, what looked like a big, bright
star. The funny thing was, though, when the four UFO's vanished, so did the
big white star. It disappeared too."
"While at Shoreline Park, we ran into a fisherman and a man walking his dog.
They were looking at it. We were all sharing the binoculars. And then very
shortly, came Gulf Breeze Police and two police officers saw it. They had
our binoculars. We shared binoculars."
"And then my brother-in-law, who we walked with to the car, has been in radar
with the NAVY ten years active duty and twenty with the Reserves. He said he
didn't recognize it as anything he had ever seen in the Navy, and that the
lighting on it was not like any aircraft lighting that he had seen before."
"No, no noise at all. It just hovered there and from time to time they'd go
up, down, or left to right, but they were moving kind of slow. You
figure we watched them for about three hours until they got so tiny you could
barely see them anymore, and that's when the big, bright 'star' was gone.
_____
(The following article is from a writer on the staff of the Gulf Breeze
Sentinel, Kimberly Stevenson)
Since the first report of UFO sightings over Gulf Breeze, I have
diligently watched the sky for a glimpse of these extraterrestrial visitors.
A few times I thought I had seen something unusual, but still a bit of skep-
ticism prevailed.
However, On April 27th, a Thursday night about 9:30, I routinely looked
out my back door towards the City of Gulf Breeze, hoping again these UFO's
would make an appearance so that I could see them.
I was amazed to see something different in the sky. I walked out on my
back deck, turning off the kitchen light as I stepped out and watched as a
bright object shot at a tremendous speed down and diagonally across the sky.
It then made a circular pattern, then shot straight up. The whole time it
radiated colors from it that grew in intensity from white, to blue, to green,
to red. No blinking lights, just radiating colors of a nature I have never
seen.
I have lived in this area for seven years and have watched the sky on
numerous occasions and am quite familiar with the air traffic in the sky. I
am very familiar with aircraft of all sorts and know what a airplane, jet,
helicopter and yes, the Goodyear Blimp look like in the sky. I can assure
you that what I saw was not any of these.
As I watched this object, which appeared to be right over the area of
Shoreline Park, I reached inside the house and called an associate from work
who came immediately to my house with a friend. I also called my neighbors
next door, who came out on their balcony and watched the object and said that
they could see two of them. We watched the object for at least 30 minutes.
It sat in one spot for a very long time, then began to slowly descend and
move westerly towards Perdido. I called a friend, Kenneth Payne in Perdido
who was at work. He went outside with two other co-workers and they all saw
the bright object and confirmed it was moving slowly. This was a little
after 10 p.m.
Another young man on the beach was also watching the object and we
talked on the phone with him as he looked at it through his binoculars; he
too said he thought he saw more than one. He was not available for an inter-
view at the time this story was written but will tell his story this week,
along with other sightings he had on Saturday and Monday.
I have written several stories about other people's experiences of UFO
sightings and always believed them, but I am sincerely convinced now that
something strange is flying over Gulf Breeze.
Many reports of sightings have been flooding into THE SENTINEL since
last Thursday night. A report of a sighting on Tuesday night, May 02, was
from a woman who wished to remain anonymous, called saying her and her family
were eating at Pizza Hut when they saw a bright object, they left the rest-
aurant and followed it up Highway 98 to Shoreline Park where several people
already there with binoculars watching it. One gentleman she said shared his
binoculars with them. The woman reporting the sighting, whose son-in-law was
a pilot, said he saw a shape. It had shining red, green, and white bright
lights. The man with the binoculars told the group that he had seen the UFO
on other occasions and when he saw it last week, it was so close and bright,
he could not continue to look at it.
Anyone else who has had sightings recently, please contact THE SENTINEL.
If you are still a skeptic, like I was, start watching the sky, you might
just see something that will change your mind.
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"UFO COVER - UP? LIVE!" (1)
UFO Magazine was privileged--or is the word cursed?--to be
let in on the 'latest' inside information and gossip as the
production of "UFO Cover-up? Live!" developed over the course of
many months in the latter part of 1988. When the final product
aired on October 14 of that year, it was both more and less than
expected by the UFO Community--enlightening some, frustrating
many, and throwing most of us back into that endless, spinning
circle of rumor and speculation as to just who sits at the
controls when UFO information breaks into big media. Barry E.
Taff was the original writer hired to prepare the treatment and
screenplay for the show. The following is his firsthand
impression of what transpired over the course of "UFO Cover
Up? Live. Though based on real events, the opinions he expressed
should not be taken as reflecting those of either ParaNet or UFO
Magazine--Vicki Cooper/ASK UFO
"UFO Cover-Up? Live!": The Untold Story
by Barry E. Taff
During the course of development and production of the two-
hour, prime-time LBS syndicated special "UFO Cover-Up? Live!"
wild and unsubstantiated rumors circulated throughout the UFO
community about what was happening, particularly in regards to
what (or who) the sources of information were and who was calling
the shots behind the scenes.
As the original writer for that much discussed show, I can
reveal some rather startling, although perhaps less-than-
sensational truths about what REALLY occurred during the course
of the production, and why the resulting program was an
amateurish attempt at trying to chronicle and document current
events and the history of ufology.
I was hired at a salary well below scale, which was
acceptable at the time, for we all believed that this program
would be the chance of a lifetime, especially considering some of
the creative staff: Tracy Torme, Curt Brubaker, Bob Emenegger,
Marty (J.R.) Pasetta, Jr. During my initial interview for the
job, I found the producer to be extremely friendly and very
concerned that the end product of the show reflect a high caliber
of writing regarding the show's topic or premise.
The situation couldn't have sounded any better, and given
the involvement of associate and segment producers whom I already
knew and had worked with, along with UFO consultants such as
William Moore, Jaime Shandera and Stanton Friedman, it was truly
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
However, after being told that the show's budget was
approximately $1,250,000.00 only later to learn that it was
closer to $825,000.00, I began to worry that things weren't as
they seemed. As the show progressed in development and
production, I discovered that I was hired for my vast knowledge
of Ufology's history, related technology and current events.
Although as it turned out, this zeal was not shared in entirety
by the show's producer.
As we began to choose the sources of information and those
individuals we wished to be associated with the show, based
entirely on the validity, accuracy and what we believed to be
corroborating evidence of their information, incredible rumors
began to flourish that the show was being run and/or manipulated
by insiders who were supposedly government intelligence officers
from such agencies as CIA, NSA or even MJ-12. This matter became
so comical that the creative staff made up a batch of "MJ" cards,
ranging from one through twelve, and pasted one on each of our
desks just to get a laugh when visitors came to the offices.
Initially, the producer who will remain nameless throughout
this piece professed to having a strong and sincere belief in
Ufology. For all intents and purposes that appears to have been
true, except for occasional asides where he demonstrated a far
stronger interest in butts; both that of cigars and young women.
About a third of the way into production, the first dark
clouds appeared, signaling something ominous on the horizon. The
producer, after having several meetings during production with
"Condor" and "Falcon"--both alleged clandestine government
intelligence sources for the show-began showing marked symptoms
of paranoia. He became quite irascible, demanding and
dictatorial to all of the production staff. One particular
demonstration of this came when he spoke with me saying, "I want
you to get into the possible government cover-up and conspiracy
based on the data we've collected, but at the same time I want
you to remain neutral in your approach." To say that his request
was a contradiction in terms would be an understatement, not to
mention an impossibility for any writer. My job as the writer
was to be as objective as possible, which accordingly meant that
I was to demonstrate, based on the voluminous data at our
disposal, that a U.S. government conspiracy had in fact occurred
over the last 42 years and was still in effect.
After repeated meetings with "Condor" and "Falcon", the
producer's attitude and orientation toward the show altered even
further. His increasing paranoia and loss of objectivity caused
him to ignore virtually every significant piece of information
and event presented to him in the treatment and original
screenplay. All attempts to persuade him to take seriously the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents and data from books
like Clear Intent, Sky Crash, Intruders and Above Top Secret,
along with facts on the cattle mutilation mystery, were
fruitless.
Under normal circumstances, a producer waits for a finished
first draft of a treatment and/or script before asking for a re-
write if such is desired. With the frenzied state of mind the
producer was now in, he would demand to see every page as it was
written, frequently lose it after it was turned in and if not,
would ask for it to be rewritten because it didn't meet with his
approval. Because of his confused state of mind, he really had
no idea exactly what he wanted. The producer's incredible
indecisiveness drove the creative staff to distraction and
finally to their wits end, as the show was on a very short-term
deadline.
Yes, we did have the cooperation of several government
intelligence sources. Emenegger said he would talk to his
sources about furnishing never-before-seen footage of a supposed
UFO landing at Holloman Air Force Base. Tracking camera footage
of a missile launch depicting a UFO paralleling the missile
flight, was also, at one point, made available from another
associate of Emenegger's. Unfortunately, both of these
potentially incredible pieces of film footage were ultimately
withheld.
When the final treatment and partially completed teleplay
were presented to the producer, his response was shocking. He
rejected them because they were too serious. In the producer'
own words: "What you've given me here is totally useless. I
can't use a single page of it. I want copy, schlock, camp...not
screenwriting." My response was simple and straightforward,
"Don't you want a serious show that will blow people out of their
chairs? Aren't you concerned with the integrity and quality of
the program?" The producer simply stared into my face with a
blank expression.
At this point, it became obvious to all on board that the
show was dramatically changing, and would not reflect the title
it was promoting. For this and many other reasons too numerous
and unrelated to mention here, many of the show's other prominent
individuals began to slowly withdraw, such as Emenegger, Curt
Brubaker and Tracy Torme.
"UFO Cover-Up? Live!" had the potential for being one of the
most powerful and impacting pieces of its type ever aired.
However, the producer did everything in his power to insure that
didn't occur. The show's greatest enemy was perhaps not the
producer, per se, but the fear and paranoia induced within him.
Is it only by chance that his paranoia became more obvious after
the aforementioned meetings with "Condor" and "Falcon"?
From a viewer's standpoint, the show was rather pitiful. It
dragged, was incredibly redundant, never really got to the point
and was painfully studded with such professional gaffes as a set
of horrid glowing pyramids and supposedly live dialogue by in
studio guests all obviously reading off teleprompters--except for
the skeptics. All of this was the result of the producer's re-
orientation.
Just prior to the live studio airing, consultants Bill
Moore, Jaime Shandera and Bob Emenegger were so annoyed with the
producer's altered behavior that they began playing practical
jokes on him right on the set, just to demonstrate how intensely
they disliked how they and the show were being mishandled.
So if there's anyone you wish to blame for being deprived of
what was promised, or why the show was more of a sedative than an
eye-opening dramatic look at what's actually been transpiring in
ufology, don't blame the original writer, the director, the
associate or segment producers, who all knew their jobs and did
them superbly. The producer's paranoid state of mind and
resultant change of attitude should catch the flak. The question
is, why did he suddenly change? Just what influences caused it?
In actuality, it would have been really interesting and
exciting had the CIA, NSA or MJ-12 (presupposing the latter
actually exists) infiltrated the production and attempted to
manipulate the show. At least that would have put some
excitement into it. It should be noted that later the producer
was visited by a local FBI agent--a story that has been
confirmed--apparently to discuss the show and it's contents. The
reason for this aftermath visit is not known to this writer or
the show's other production members, but it along with the
repeated visits by "Falcon" and "Condor" may have also
contributed to the wild rumors, which still continue to plague
the field. As Tracy Torme once joked, "If someone's mustache is
crooked, MJ-12 must be sending a secret message!"
Perhaps the next time around, assuming there will be one,
the right production company will hire the right producer. And
perhaps that producer will give the show the proper guidance and
vitalization to convey the truth as opposed to a limited and
perhaps biased perspective, if not a totally unprofessional one.
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TOMATO SEEDS? ORBITING EARTH?
Stillwater, OK (June 9) UPI - Somewhere out there in space, 12.5 million
tomato seeds have been orbiting the earth for five years and catching a few
rays.
Scientists plan to recover the seeds during another space shuttle flight in
late November and return them to Oklahoma State University.
Nelson Ehrlich, director of the university's Aerospace Education Service Pro-
ject, said one thing scientists want most to know about the tomato seeds is
the effect of cosmic radiation - good and bad.
The seeds, a hardy variety called "Rutgers California Supreme", were packed
into aluminum canisters, then placed in a cylinder the size of a BUS and shot
into space in the cargo bay of a space shuttle in April 1984.
Ehrlich's calculations indicate the seeds have traveled more than 777 million
miles since the launch.
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SUNSPOT ACTIVITY
Sunspot activity, which rises and falls in an 11 - year cycle, is continuing
to grow in intensity at least as fast as, and possibly faster than, any of
the 22 cycles recorded over the last 240 years, scientists of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have found.
The unusually high sunspot incidence, first predicted a year ago, is expected
to reach a peak in the next six to nine months.
As sunspot intensity increases, there will be more explosions of charged
particles from the sun that shower the solar system. When they reach earth,
the particles can disrupt radio communication, cause unusually bright
displays of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, and heat the atmosphere
so much it puffs up and brushes satellites. One burst two months ago trig-
gered a major power blackout in eastern Canada.
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MUFON 1989 INTERNATIONAL UFO SYMPOSIUM
The 1989 MUFON International UFO Symposium will be held at the Aladdin
Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 30, July 1 and 2, 1989.
A multitude of topics will be discussed, and many guest speakers will be
on hand to make this one of the best yet. Additional information is contain-
ed in the MUFON UFO Journal.
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We were all saddened to hear of the passing of Walt Andrus' mother-in-
law. All of our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this
trying time.
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UFO REPORTS / CASES
# 890104 : Near Harrisburg, PA. Event date, December 4, 1988, 5:25 a.m.
A state corrections officer (name withheld) was driving his car to his
prison work site when he was blinded by a light, swerving to a halt on the
road. Departing the car, he tried to study the object but could not make out
a shape due to its brilliance. A strong wind emanated from either the object
or general weather conditions. About 75 feet in diameter, the object was
perhaps ovular, polished silver, and approximately 150 feet overhead. A
medium tone humming sound was distinct. After an undetermined number of
minutes, the vehicle departed, laterally at first, then vertically. The
witness then realized an auto a short distance ahead. The motorist, an older
well-dressed man, exhibited tears and appeared terrified. The man remarked
that he had been returning from work, which the officer found odd. He then
felt the car hood, which was cold.
Immediately following the incident, the officer experienced a severe
"sunburn", vision and hearing difficulties, headache and dizziness,
musculature aches and a skin rash. His auto was coated with a thin coating
of material later analyzed by a laboratory as having high concentrations of
particular elements.
(Analysis: A classic CE-2, faulted only by the fact that the officer,
in the excitement of the moment, failed to obtain the second motorist's name
or license number before he drove away. Another prison officer verified
hearing a humming sound from his home within minutes of the roadside
encounter and in the direction which the object departed. Highly
significant).
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# 890203 : Outside Belleville, IL. Event date, January 12, 1989, 10 p.m.
Two young men driving along a state highway noticed a light that
eventually grew in intensity. A diamond-shaped base was determined, with
white lights at the corners, an intense red light centered underneath.
Stopping their car, they observed the vehicle as close as 100 feet during the
5 minute duration. No sound was detected. The object then moved slowly off
and out of sight.
(Analysis: Though collateral contacts were not initiated due to the invest-
igator's inexperience, the interview tape submitted underscores the witness'
seemingly genuine puzzlement, awe and dismay that other occasional motorists
did not stop to observe the scene.)
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# 890205: Near Greens Fork, IN. Event date, January 22, 1989, 9:30 P.M.
A woman noticed a bright light over a neighboring farm (for the third
successive evening) and so called the neighbors to alert them. While engaged
in conversation, the light approached the callers home, revealing a bullet-
shaped vehicle adjudged to be 25 feet in length, with an exterior remindful
of a spider web. The object passed low overhead, no sound being detected.
(Analysis: Contacts with police and others by the witnessing couple,
together with honest puzzlement as assessed by the investigator, lend
credence to the basic account. The neighbors verified the intervening call.
Celestial and weather conditions and conventional aircraft were ruled out by
follow up evidence.)
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# 890210: Near Terre Haute, IN. Event date, September 28, 1989, 12:30 A.M.
A couple and young child were returning home when they noticed a
grouping of bright lights in the sky which, growing in intensity, hurt their
eyes. Three miles farther, they pulled off the road to observe the lights
more closely. At that point, a triangular vehicle approached and hovered 25
feet overhead. Yellowish lights were at the corners, blue lights along the
perimeter and a green light centered underneath that was bordered by two red
lights. A soft humming lowered in pitch as it descended. The husband leaped
into the truck, but it failed to start. As the object reached it's closest
point - 25 feet - a blue glow surrounded it. After what was later
determined to be about three minutes, the vehicle slowly drifted behind them
and out of sight. The following day the witnesses were greatly fatigued.
The husband experienced a persistent headache. Their wrist watches and the
truck's dashboard clock all had lost three minutes.
(Analysis: The couple had called a local airport, police and relatives
immediately afterward. Collateral contacts supported the witnesses'
veracity. The wife's dreams of a UFO encounter beforehand and certain fears
expressed since are of ongoing concern, and the family is being loosely
monitored. A case of potentially high significance).
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# 890301: Event date, December 01, 1986. 5 P.M.
Duration 10 seconds. A man was looking out a window when a shiny
metallic "ball-type" object moved into view, then dipped, slowed, sped
up, circled and left in a controlled fashion. Light rain was falling at the
time (an uncommon occurrence). At an estimated 500 feet, the object seemed
to be about 10 feet above the ground at its lowest point and the size of a
standard car in diameter.
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INTERESTING:
From the book, "CLEAR INTENT" (Prentice Hall), authors Lawrence Fawcett
and Barry J. Greenwood, concerning the governments former "Project Bluebook":
"This excerpt from an October 20, 1969 Air Force document (FOIA
obtained), revealed that Blue Book never received those reports that affected
national security: 'Reports of unidentified flying objects which could affect
national security are made in accordance with JANAP 146 or Air Force Manual
55-11 and are not part of the Blue Book system. As already stated, reports
of UFO's which could affect national security should continue to be handled
through the standard Air Force procedure designed for this purpose.' The
document was signed by Brigadier General C. H. Bolender, the Air Force's
Deputy Director of Development."
Regards,
John W. Komar
State Director - Tennessee
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