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- Note: The following was sent to UFONET by Dr. Willy Smith.
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- FROM: Dr. Willy Smith DATE: Aug. 7, 1989
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- TO: UFO publications, electronic media
- Proponents of Gulf Breeze photographs
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- SUBJECT: Statement of Position
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- In mide-June, 1989, the UNICAT Project submitted several photographs
- for computer enhanced image analysis. The photos considered fall into
- two categories: i) portrait of a girl with an anomalous image above
- her right shoulder; and ii) photos of an alleged UFO obtained by Mr.
- Walters/Hanson of Gulf Breeze, FL starting in November, 1987.
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- The results have been spectacular: the girl's photos were undoubtedly
- obtained by using double exposure, thus demonstrating the photographers
- familiarity with the technique, while the UFO photos show a well-defined
- supporting structure under the alleged spacecraft.
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- The reaction of the interested parties has been swift and predictable.
- Instead of addressing the main issue, i.e., why a real UFO needs to
- be supported, the proponents have flooded the mails with anonymous and
- world-shaking communiques which can be described only as malicious
- gossiping, aimed at cushioning the negative impact of the new
- information revealed by computer analysis.
-
- The releases follow the time-honoured pattern that what counts in
- politics is not the truth, but what is believed to be the truth.
- In an attempt to provide a semblance of credibility, names and
- circumstances are provided, but no supporting evidence is offered.
- Authorship of the masterpieces of intrigue -- I am told -- have been
- attributed to various sources, some of them luminaries on the UFO
- scene, such as Budd Hopkins and/or his associates, or Dr. Maccabee,
- or secondary characters in the play, as for instance Col. Roberrt
- (sic) Reid or "Ed-of-Gulf-Breeze" himself. Whatever the case may
- be, until such times a signed copy of the statements reaches me,
- I will not dignify them with a formal response.
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- The computer-enhanced material has not been released yet, as some
- questions have been raised by the photographer regarding the
- copyright protection of the photos, an issue that has been
- complicated by the fact that the lawyer that initially contacted
- me has indicated that she does not represent Mr. Walters any
- longer. In the meantime, information received from the Copyright
- Office in Washington has created some doubts with reference to the
- validity of the copyright for the specific instance, as well as
- disclosing interesting possibilities based on the doctrine of
- "fair use.".
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- FILE NAME: STATEPOS.A07 (as requested by Willy Smith).
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