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From: daev <daev@fringeware.com> [Dave Walsh]
Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 12:43:34 +0000
Fwd Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 09:52:23 -0500
Subject: 'Blather' - Occam the Barber

An excerpt, including a review of Devereux & Brookesmith's
'UFOs and Ufology'.

daev


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NUA BLATHER  NUA BLATHER NUA BLATHER
Weekly free email of Dogma Destruction,
Forteana and High Weirdness

By Daev Walsh   Email: blather@nua.ie
Web: http://www.nua.ie/blather/
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January 30th 1998  Published By:  Nua Limited  Vol 1. No. 38
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OCCAM THE BARBER

Veteran Blatherphants may recall an issue of Blather from October 1997, titled 'Passports for Aliens' [at]:

http://www.nua.ie/blather/archives/issue1no22.html

where I told of claims by various people concerning an alleged
crash of an extraterrestrial craft in Co. Roscommon, Ireland. The
supposed crash was said to have taken place in May 1996.

I won't go as far as to revisit the entire tale here, but for
those readers who may be unfamiliar with it, check out the
original article

http://www.nua.ie/blather/archives/issue1no22.html

See also 'Watching the Skywatchers'

http://www.nua.ie/blather/archives/issue1no27.html

where I mention the sudden interest that the ICUFOS

http://freespace.virgin.net/ic.ufos/

were showing in the Curlew mountains area of Roscommon.

In short, there were rumours of a crash, the subsequent cordoning
off of a large area of countryside by the army followed a great
flocking to the scene by unnamed politicians, diplomats and U.S
military personnel. I was not alone in putting forward the theory
that that the downed bird was no less than a warplane on an
unofficial military flyover. 'UFO Reality' magazine criticised
Blather for this theory

http://www.nua.ie/blather/archives/issue1no30.html

pointing out that if the alleged incident was a NATO cock-up,
then surely the public would have been told. UFO Reality don't
seem to realise that Ireland is not a member of NATO.

So why am I blathering on about all this yet again? On Tuesday
27th January 1998, I received a phonecall from an acquaintance of
mine, who informed me that he has possession of some 35 documents
of correspondence with various Irish governmental bodies. These
documents contain information regarding the 'Roscommon Crash'. I
shall refrain from from mentioning my source just yet, not
because I doubt their veracity -- it is a reliable source -- but
because Blather has not yet laid eyes on these documents. The
Blather Joint Chiefs of Staff shall be discussing them next week,
hopefully giving me cause to explore them in more detail.

So what do the documents say?

Apparently they mention the crash of a Swedish Airforce Saab
Gripen MkII, killing both *test pilots* on board. The fighter was
flying from Knock Airport in Co. Mayo, on an easterly course. The
area was cordoned off, the Gardai (police) were asked to keep
away, and the wreckage was retrieved. In previous reports,
mentions of U.S. military personnel wandering about rural Ireland
were mentioned, and the *new* version tells us that these chaps
were in for the kill -- they were eager to get their hands on
*something* that the Gripen was carrying.

Even if this is an accurate account of the alleged events, it
still raises a multitude of questions, necessitating a possible
to trip to Occam's Barbershop. What was a Saab Gripen doing over
Ireland? Why was it flown by test pilots? Why were the U.S.
military so interested, and why were they allowed to get
involved?

Some background, and some answers. . .

Ireland, in case anyone is under any alternative illusions, is a
neutral republic. Sweden too, is a neutral, if rather well armed
nation. Neither are members of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization). As the Swedish airforce are no strangers to Irish
airspace, through airshows and the like, why should there be such
secrecy about a crash?

A joint venture between Saab and British Aerospace, the Gripen

http://www.gripen.saab.se/

is billed by its manufacturers as being the 'first fourth
multi-role generation fighter in service'. Although developmental
work began 1982, it only ended in December 1996. Many are now in
service, and it is becoming a constituent part of Sweden's
defence forces. The two seater version 'has been developed for
combat use as well as for both conversion and tactical training',
and is not expected to be used in service until some time this
year.

The Gripen carries state of the art avionics, including the
'air-to-air Tactical Information Data Link System (TIDLS), which
permits real-time exchange of data both within and between
cooperating tactical units.' Is the U.S Air Force desperate to
get their hands on this? Surely, with amicable relations that
Sweden would have with the U.S., and the relationship between
Saab and British Aerospace promoting industrial resource sharing
with the U.K., a close ally of the U.S., would there *need* to be
American military personnel hanging about in Co. Roscommon?

More next week (hopefully).


UFOS AND UFOLOGY
It was with some hesitation that I chose to purchase Paul
Devereux and Peter Brookesmith's 'UFOs & Ufology'. I had read Bob
Rickard's review in Fortean Times 106, where he gave it an
'Excellent' rating, and I have deep respect for both authors -
I've cited Devereux's endeavours in Blather before. But when I
went to pay IEP20 for their new publication, I was a little taken
aback. I held in my hand a 'coffee table' sized tome, with an
almost abstract rendition of 'extra-terrestrial' in front of a
saucer. 'Potboiler', I muttered, and left it down. Eventually,
after a few minutes thumbing through the pages, pacing and beard
stroking, I was away with a copy under my arm.

Apparently you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I didn't - I
bought 'UFOs & Ufology' on the strength of the authors' previous
work. However, I hope that people do buy this book because of its
cover - because if they buy it hoping for yet another reassurance
of the reality of flying saucers and alien visitation, perhaps
they might actually learn something.

The authors trace UFOs from their earliest historical mentions,
discussing their meanings in different cultures, right up to
describing how and why 'flying saucers' suddenly made news in
1947, put forward their own theories, and still have room to
explore the various hypothesis outside their own ideas. Any
Roswell believer who doesn't have questions raised for them by
the chapter on *that* alleged incident needs a boot in the ear.
The tenuous links between crop circles and UFOs is explained, and
the abductionists, such as John Mack and Budd Hopkins are heavily
criticised, but not without well expressed reasons. Devereux's
own field -- earthlight research -- is clearly explained, as is
its relationship to the overall UFO phenomenon. While the authors
pull no punches, they are not dismissive either. They never
debunk the idea of extraterrestrial life, yet do a damn fine job
of explaining why there is yet little evidence to support it.

Probably the best overview of the UFO phenomenon that money can
buy.


UFOs and Ufology
Paul Devereux and Peter Brookesmith
Blandford 1997
ISBN 0-7137-2657-1


Dave (daev) Walsh
30th January 1998




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