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INSIDE UFOLOGY
January 1989
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        After a brief (four month?) hiatus, we return to our regular
        column. Due to time limitations, its going to have to be an
        abbreviated version...so much happening, so little time...


        After much speculation and rumor, Budd Hopkins has confirmed the
        story of a medical anomaly that might turn out to be an "alien
        implant." In a speech in Tucson last month, and in answer to a
        series of questions posed by ParaNet users, Hopkins said that an
        MRI scan has detected a solid object "on or near the optical
        nerve" of a female abductee in Georgia. Due to its proximity to
        the crucial nerve, however, extraction of the object is
        extremely dangerous and highly unlikely. One prominent ufologist
        who attended the Tucson meeting speculated that "whatever the
        object is, it isn't made of metal, otherwise the MRI would have
        ripped it right out of her." (The M in MRI stands for Magnetic.)
        SEE: HOPKINS.REP

        Another medical anomaly that had fueled the imaginations of
        abduction fans seems to have been put to rest. You may recall
        the interest in an article that appeared in the British science
        journal Nature in September 1986, wherein several geneticists
        had submitted a photomicrograph of a cell from an unborn fetus.
        Lodged in the cell was a highly symmetrical object that
        resembled a crossword puzzle. The accompanying letter basically
        asked, "What the hell is this?", and called on colleagues
        for an explanation. Abduction proponents, quick to grab onto any
        piece of evidence that might lead to a breakthrough, distributed
        the letter and the photograph through the grapevine, insinuating
        a resemblance to a computer chip, and have continued to do so
        until the present. Unfortunately, they were a little TOO quick.
        Had they picked up the very same journal the very next month,
        they would have seen that the anomaly has been explained as part
        of a Diatom skeleton, something quite ordinary and non-alien.
        That this "mystery" should have been propagated so long after
        the explanation had been rendered is testimony to the
        will-to-believe and suspension of good judgement of many in the
        UFO field. Come on, gang. If we're going to play at Science,
        let's at least play by the rules. (Credit: Jim Melesciuc, "Bits
        and Pieces") SEE: CHIP.UFO

        Also from Bits and Pieces: "A petition calling for congressional
        hearings on ufOs is being circulated by MUFON Deputy Director
        John Schuessler. Betty Cash is assisting Schuessler with this
        task. Betty was injured during a close encounter on Dec. 29,
        1980, along with Vickie and Colby Landrum. It may be that this
        drive for congressional hearings resulted from the disclosure of
        "Falcon's" information aired on UFO Cover-Up Live. In the
        program Falcon (Doty) stated that the Cash/Landrum UFO was a
        government test flight of an extraterrestrial craft which got
        out of hand."

        Not-exactly-UFO-related-but-funny-anyway-dept.:
        Bigfootologist-Dracontologist-Ufologist Jon-Erik Beckjord is
        finally opening his long-awaited "Cryptozoology Museum." After
        several false starts, one in a mobile home, the museum has found
        residence in, of all places, Trancas' Restaurant of Malibu, CA.
        In his press release, Beckjord was quick to point out that
        Trancas is "famous in the LA Area as being a good dance spot as
        well as for being a good family restaurant serving
        American-style cuisine." He also stated its a hangout for such
        Hollywood heavyweights as Jan-Michael Vincent. Beckjord says he
        felt that the coastal area was an "excellent spot" for the
        temporary museum (a larger facility is planned for a future
        date) because of reports of Bigfoot in the nearby Ventura
        mountains, and sea serpent sightings off the coast. When
        pressed, Beckjord admitted that yes, the famous Bigfoot feces
        sample (as seen on David Letterman) would be on display, but
        presumably behind glass so that over-zealous restaurant staffers
        would be unable to confuse the sample with the house special.
        The official opening is February 9th, with a pre-opening party
        scheduled the night before.

        The Fund for UFO Research is looking to raise $16,000 for an
        all-out, no-holds-barred study of the Majestic-12 documents.
        A proposal submitted to the Fund by MJ-12-ologist Stan Friedman
        calls for a four-month study, which would involve "travelling to
        several Presidential libraries, visiting some people who may
        have important information and writing a full report of his
        activities." The Fund has already granted Friedman $500 to cover
        the cost of his Long Distance phone calls over the past
        year.

        Finally, in what may be the most encouraging development of the
        new year, a heavy-hitter journalist named Howard Blum is
        tackling the Cosmic Watergate. Blum is author of "I Pledge
        Allegiance," about the Walker Spy Ring case, and has been
        nominated for two Pulitzer prizes. According to UFO Magazine,
        Blum's book will prove that active government investigation of
        UFOs did not end with Blue Book.

        Till next month...Happy Hunting!

        < * * * >

        This edition of INSIDE UFOLOGY is respectfully dedicated to the
        memory of Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe, the father of the UFO movement,
        who passed away Nov. 29th.