Black Vault compilation, pp. 91-93

ccu1c oe extrerne:y va~u ao1e lor tne enure
"1LII'flan ra.:e. It coula be hnanc1ally reward·
1ng tor tne owners ot that proof. Ana 11
CQYIQ soeu hnanc1at rUJn for one promment
UFO skepllc-unless. of course. he was
•· ~ dellver1ng the proal.
'Vattonat Enawer. a weekly tablOid
r 1, .,;aper w1tn a CirCulation m the mil·
hons. has a stanomg offer of $1 million tor
·positive proof· The London-based whis•
key tlonler Cuny Sark , Ltd., recently un-
veiled an even bigger pnze ot one million
pounos Sterling. or about S1.800.000 at
the present exchange rate.
Lesser awards also are available in the
absence of pos1UVe proof. The Enquirer
annually grants up to $10.000 to witnesses
of a UFO inc1dent judged ·most scientifi-
cally valuable" by an indepenoent panel of
UFO spec1ahsts (the "Blue-Ribbon Panel,·
see box). Ano Cuny Sark has announced
plans to award£ 1000 to the best-written
essay on the UFO problem.
Moreover, a number ot London betting
houses have accepted various wagers on
the imminent vis1tat1ons of extraterrestrials.
But the world's most famous ·ami-UFO
bet" has been set lonh 1n the book UFOs
E)(p/amed.
Author Philip J. Klass, a senior editor of
Aviation Week magazme and the nation's
leadmg UFO skeptic. claims he has chal-
lengea UFO believers ·to put their money
where th e1r mouths are.· Klass has offered
to "'"Y $10.000 to anyone who agrees to
·. if and when cer.ain criteria are met
shing that a true UFO v1S1tanon has
occurreo Every year until tr..:: :-~a;::lp ens.
the wagerer must pay Klass t:-e sum of
S100 (UP to a max1mum of S 1000. after
wn1ch payments cease but rt'" Det re-
mains 1n force).
Less than a dozen UFO en~usiasts
have signed up to dare. usua~·y on mside
information that ·this year the government
is going to announce UFO contacts ... . •
Such prediCtiOns have appeared in print
nearly every year for a quarter of a century.
but people still seem to believe them.
Klass has become a little richer because
ol them.
Only one UFO buff has m8.1ntained his
bet in force. apparently more for publicity
than persuasion. Stanton Friedman makes
a living off his lecture tours proclaiming the
reality of UFOs. and he respOtlded to
Klass's needling by formally agreeing to
the bet a few years ago.·
Additionally, Klass has offered to buy
back all copies of his book UFOs Ex-
plained if events prove his assertions in-
correct. But pro-UFO scientist Robert Mc-
Campbell has done Klass one bener. He
has offered to buy back copies of his book
UFOiogy from anyone not satisfied w1th it,
proof or no proof.
• • •
Actually, Philip J . Klass already had
been setting off multimegaton detonations
among the ranks of UFO believers. Miffed
when UFO experts in 1968 ridiculed a seri-
ous (and still tenable) suggesiiOtllhat
many UFOs were actually balll:ghtning.
the by nature combative aviation reporter
;nrew n1rnse11 1n10 ser1ous mvest1gat•ons 01
wnat were regaroeo as the ·best" claSSIC
UFO cases. He ellen dug up startling (and
embarrass1ng) new ev1dence but has be·
come a panah 1n UFO circles (Hynek
refuses to appear together with him. and
Hynek·s "UFO bibliography· handout
po1ntedly ignores Klass's two books) .
W1th the death of astronomerDonald
Menzel in 19 76. Klass has emerged as the
nation·s leading UFO skeptic. He spurns
the word "debunker.· with its connotations
of knee-jerk dismissals and unorthodox
points of view. Instead. Klass attempts to
investigate UFO cases more deeply than
. might other researchers who have sub-
conscious desire$ .tO actually find proof ot
extraterrestnal visitors. Concentrating only
on the generally acclaimed "best cases.'
KlaS$ often has exposed the super1iciality
of work done by pre>-UFO experts.
In 1977I he joined with other scientists
and educators in forming the 'Comminee
tor the Scientific Investigation of Claims ot
the Paranormal,· a group that has de-
nounced easy acceptance by the public
of alleQedly baseless beliefs in astrology,
the Bermuda Triangle. ESP. ·ancient astro-
nauts.· and other .so-called modern myths.
Klass heads a small but potent band of
skeptical investigators called the UFO
Subcomminee. At the very least, this
group demands the tighlening of stan-
dards in so-called scientific UFOiogy. The
level of carelessness of many pro-UFO ex-
pens has markedly declined. so progress
is being made. 00 •
THESE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND WAITING '-
Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS). 1909 Sherman Suite 207,
Evanston. 1L 60201 . Self· styled pinnacle of UFO activities, this
small grcup generally depenos on other groups tor data. Dr.
Allen Hynek does the public appearances and fund ra1sing.
wh1le researcher Allan Hendry carries out actual coordination
and 1n-oeotn 1nvest1ga110n. Two publications: CUFOS
Ouarterly BuiJerm . S1Slyr.; and International UFO Reporter,
$12/yr.
Aerial Phenomenon Research Organization (APRO), 3910 E.
Kle1ndale. Tucson, AZ 85712. Among the longest sutviving
UFO 9roups (represented 1n 50 countries). APRO is held to-
getr'ler by the dedication of its cofounders Jim and Coral
Lorenzen. who have recently led the group to specialize
~(critics say monopolize) in ·uFO abouct1on cases.· APRO
Bulleun. $1 0/yr. for 12 issues.
National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (Nt-
CAP), Suite 23. 3535 University Blvd .• Kensington MD 20795.
Another old group, unfortunately in a downhill slide follow1ng a
decade of organizational in-fighting. NICAP Bulletin , S1Olyr.
Mutual UFO Netwof1( (MUFON). 103 Oldtowne Road. Seguin,
TX 78155. A v1gorous. expanding group acting in concert with
CUFOS. MUFON UFO Journal. S81yr.
Ground Saucer Watch (GSW), 13238 North 7th Drive, Phoenix,
AZ 85029. Highly professional organ1zation (membership by
'at1on only). wh1ch applies vigorous scientific standards to
1nvestigat1cns. Ouanerly journal free with membership .
Jject Starlight International (PSI). PO Box 5310. Austin TX
78763. Somewhat mystenous organtzation with the best array
ot gadgets yet assembled to measure UFOs--if only they
could find one. Irregular bulletin sent 1n exchange tor cash
donatiOn$.
Commit:.ee Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS), 191 E. 161st St..
Bronx NY 10451 . New ottshoot of GSW. this small group is us-
ing Freedom of tnformat10n suits to extract allegedly secret
hypothetical government "UFO files.· Newsletter $1 0/yr.
20th Century UFO Bureau, 756 Haddon Avenue. Col-
lingswood. NJ 08108. This group. assoc1ated with Dr. Can
Mclntyre·s ·20th Century Reformation Hour; believes that
some UFOs are angels and signs of the imminent Second
Coming. However. other UFOs are sent by Satan to confuse
people lest they recognize the angels.
UFO Suocommittee of the ·committee for the Scientific lnves·
tigation of Claims of the Paranormal,· 923 Kens1ngton Avenue.
Buffalo. NY 14215. The first formal organ1zation of UFO skep-
tics. who tackle the "best UFO cases· on record. often with
spectacular success. much to the dismay of most UFO buffs.
Repons of activities are incluOed in the Committee publication
The Ske{Jtical lnquirer (formerly Zetetic ). S12/yr.
The National EnQuirer's Blue Ribbon Panel of UFO experts
(who review "best cases· for cash rewards). Two regular
members (James Harder and Leo Sprinkle) are joined by a
changing cadre of obscure "UFO experts.· including this
year's v.:nard Armstrong and John L. Warren. More respected
UFOiog:s:s have declined offers of membership . Send contest
entries !O UFO REWARD. National EnQwer. Lantana FL .
33464 . .:.u entries will be evaluated .
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