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From: "Ted Viens" <drtedv@freewwweb.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 00:41:52 -0500
Fwd Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 06:41:00 -0400
Subject: Re: C-E: The Wit and Wisdom of J. Bond Johnson


>Date: Sun, 09 Aug 1998 14:51:50 -0500
>From: Dave Vetterick <veterick@ix.netcom.com>
>To: UFO Updates List <updates@globalserve.net>
>Subject: J. Bond Johnson-Roswell Photographer

>>Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 21:33:17 -0500
>>From: Francis Ridge <slk@EVANSVILLE.NET>
>>Subject: J. Bond Johnson
>>To: CURRENT-ENCOUNTERS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

>Back on June 15th there was an Updates post which had been sent
>by Francis Ridge to Current-Encounters at AOL.

>The subject was the Wit and Wisdom of J. Bond Johnson written by
>R. J. Durant.

>Regardless of what anyone thinks the debris photos taken by JBJ
>do and do not show, JBJ is serious about taking another look at
>them. This is _no_joke_ to him!

<snip>

>I hope this finds it's way to Mr. Durant and he takes the
>opportunity to substantiate all the false claims made in his
>article as I've outlined them above.

>When he doesn't respond, which he won't because all of this is
>untruthful, I hope anyone who wants the truth will contact J.
>Bond Johnson or myself.

>  Thanks Dave Vetterick


Howdy Folks...

Over the 4th of July weekend, I took advantage of a trip to the
Dallas area to drive over to the Library at the University of
Texas at Arlington, go up to the Special Collections Division
and take a close look at the JBJ photos in their possession.
They have four (4) of them. As this tempest began to blow over
them, they reprinted them in the larger 16 x 20 format so that
they would be easier to inspect.

So, you ask, what the hell did I really see? I saw a portion of
a generals office with daylight outside a window. I saw a group
of officers displaying debris on the floor. I saw the work of a
photographer bothered by the usual demons of camera shake and
shallow depth of field. And, of course, I saw a small pile of
crumpled paper backed metal foil, broken rectangular sticks, and
sun burned coated bladders.

More important is what I still see. I see the missed
opportunities of investigators obsessing over highly manipulated
obscure details when there is so much practical detail to be
exracted from the photos. For instance, in one photo, General
Ramey is holding a telegram with a couple of lines blurred but
visible. If a researchers photo processing cannot resolve this
printed english what possible chance would they have of
resolving something unknown and unfamiliar? What is on this
telegram?

Not all Radar Reflectors were made of identical materials in
identical forms. A perceptive Weather Officer, in service at the
time, might be able to distinguish one from another and could
tell from looking at the photos whether the reflector
photographed was in use near Roswell, or near Fort Worth, or
exclusively by the Project Mogul teams. Those with this skill
grow fewer with the passing time and their memory grows dimmer.
Imagine the implications if a retired Weather Officer was able
to say, "Sure, I recognize those targets. But, they were only in
use in Texas and not at the New Mexico bases." Or even to say
that the Roswell targets looked just like those in the pictures.

One of the photos seems to show a short length of wide tape with
what could be handwriting on it. Anyone with the opportunity to
digitize a new 16 x 20 print direct from the original negative
could, again, first photo-analyze them for the familiar, before
twisting every digital transform macro to some meaningless
extreme pretending to make recognizable the unknown and
unfamiliar.

And its affordable. Each 16 x 20 is only $24.00 plus S&H. From
the UTA Schedule of Fees, General Public: "All photographic
orders must be received on the Special Collections Division's
'Request for Photographic Copies' form." Call them at
817-272-3393, fax them at 817-272-3360.

One more thing: The two courteous and helpful women behind the
desk at the Collections were very concerned about one thing.
Publication Fees, royalties, that fair use fee that you would
pay another for the use of their property. Four of the five or
so photos taken by James Bond Johnson on that fateful July day
in 1947 are owned by UTA and they would like to be paid for
their use. Even here the rates are reasonable. They believe that
the electronic fees will match the Video, Film rates which are
$100.00 for Worldwide Distribution. Probably to be assessed per
Web site. So, flat out retail, one could get 4 original prints
and publish them and any analysis of them for $496.00. Not even
bad at that price. But, fear not, they will entertain pleas of
poverty and strife.

So, there you have my take on the James Bond Johnson
photographs. Clearly a radar reflector target. Clearly still
able to tell us much more.

Bye...  Ted..