#20 Dr. Alexander Imich Prize Contest No 6

Content-length: 14678 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 #20 Dr. Alexander Imich Prize Contest No 6

$ 1,000 Prize: Dr. Alexander Imich Prize Contest No 6

Other News

Jun-Ichi Takanashi has kindly sent us more details about the Japanese crop circle article in CW16 page 33.

(1) Kumamoto Nichinich Shinbun translates to the Kumamoto Daily Newspaper.

(2) The "Education Committee" is not a school but a proper committee. Every town, city and prefecture in Japan has such a committee.

(3) The difference between the crop circle figures quoted by Takanashi and Ohtsuki are because Takanashi believes that every circle appearing in Japan from September 1990 onwards were hoaxes triggered by coverage of crop circle events in Britain on some popular TV shows. Takanashi believes that prior to this date circular ground trace cases were probably somewhat different in character to the hoaxed events of later years and that other explanations may be possible.

(4) The tin-shaped UFO caught on film and the Kisarazu case had no connection with Nippon TV. This film was first shown in Japan on September 30th, 1992, on TV Asahi's Outstanding Paranormal Phenomena Special.

Letters

From Peter Rendall.

Dear George, Thanks very much for the honour of being singled out for the unusual step of having a personal letter from the editor published in The Cerealogist. Let me deal with the ever-controversial hoaxing subject first.

As long ago as that eventful summer of 1991, we at CERES were aware that there was a determined campaign of hoaxing crop circles going on. The formations at Alton Barnes, Alton Priors and Firs Farm that year had traces left behind by hoaxers, which were discovered by Terence Meaden and visiting Japanese Professor, Yoshi-Hiko Ohtsuki (it was later admitted by the UBI that they'd made the circles). Equally fake was Barbury Castle: like it or not, it was, in places, a mess; cleverly done, but there was damage caused by a device we suspect of being a garden roller.

CERES vowed to tread warily and see if we could catch these hoaxers at work. There was no time left that season to stalk the hoaxers, but we sifted through lots of notes and photos taken over the previous few years, and decided that we had a fair idea who was responsible.

It was only when one of our trails led us to "Raymond Smithers" (how come YOU never mention him, George ?) that we crossed paths with Jim "I'm not writing a book" Schnabel. Jim had "helped" us out during the '91 season, and, as he said he was working on his sociology degree, CERES reciprocated. We met with Jim to discuss what was to be done about "Smithers". Jim, along with a friend of his, Robert Irving, dropped the bombshell that he was producing an article about circles and was including what he knew about "Smithers". There was nothing we could do to stop him.

This had the effect of not just warning off "Smithers", but of making other hoaxers aware that in 1972 they could no longer enjoy the seclusion of previous years. Nevertheless, we pressed on, and shared what evidence we had with Schnabel and Irving, who had better access to the people we sought. After all, most of the CERES people were too well known.

By the end of 1992 we were pretty well sure of who was making the circles. But, and here we deal with yet another of your points, we couldn't catch them in the act. To do so required a lot of time and, without the luxury of having enough money to enable all of us to give up our jobs, this we didn't have. After all, Terence Meaden had a business to run, and I worked shifts. Far better for us to assist those who had more time to catch the hoaxers, helping out where we could, than to let the hoaxers get away scot free.

And as for giving evidence to the police, the law requires positive evidence of criminal damage. Without this, there can be no prosecution, hence Doug and Dave have not been summonsed.Anyway, the farmers had to want to catch the hoaxers - or did they ?

Tim Carson was handed the UBI on a plate one night by Irving and co. He threatened to blame the UBI if any circles were found in a field the lads had just left. There WERE circles next morning - but nobody sent the law round to the UBI's homes. Likewise, the Carsons were told of the creators of the "snail" in East Field. Where was the threat of prosecution ? Polly Carson apparently said that she'd " ... given the boys a talking to ...". Fine. But its not enough. Plenty of people have been seen in fields over the years, but virtually no-one has been nicked. Not even Jim Schnabel, who's admitted in his book that he faked circles in 1992.

I'm surprised that you, George, haven't gone rushing off to your local police station and handed over a file containg all the circle-faking evidence You boast of holding. Where's the "evidence" you claim to have lodged with solicitors ? And why hasn't "Bill Bailey" been prosecuted ? Beth Davis "uncovered" him, and you publicly denounced him; so why hasn't he been reported to the police ? Put up or shut up.

Now to UFOs. Personally, I don't give a fig if George Wingfield believes in Little Green Men or Pink Fairies in the rhubarb patch. If anomalous phenomena are reported in connection with circles, then this should be investigated VERY carefully before rushing to the press or TV cameras.

Take the 1991 Butleigh Woottom circle. That started as a rough and ragged circle. Even Delgado said at the time he visited it that "... it looked a bit rough...". A farm worker told me that hippies had been chased out of the field, and this was verified by a visit to the police. There was no UFO connection whatsoever until you chased a story by a traveller and, without further investigation, claimed that a UFO had been seen forming the circle.

And who claimed that the Army (and therefore by implication, the Government) were responsible for the 1990 "Blackbird" hoaxes ? Not anyone from CERES that's for sure. Who claimed that Terence Meaden was in the pay of the Government ? Not me!

You were the one who put these stories about, George. Where's the evidence ? If you can produce it, let's see it.

Now, let's deal with that hoary old chestnut, the "disinformation campaign". For all the time I spent in the company of Irving and Schnabel throughout the 1992 season (though I didn't see much of Schnabel after he and I were ejected from a Beckhampton Group meeting early in the year when the CCCS hierarchy wished to discuss crop circles behind closed doors) I can honestly claim that I was never at any time aware that they were trying to set you up.

Unfortunately, you were really your own worst enemy, George. As you became more and more convinced that "someone was out to get you" and as your friend Mr Azadadel got into the habit of phoning people up and putting words into their mouths, so Irving and Schnabel reacted to this and "kept the joke going". If you had been more careful about the rubbish contained in those tapes, and taken no notice, "Swangate" would never have happened.

By the way, DO get your facts right; I have never been first into a circle formation, least of all with Rob Irving. If, in your letter, you're referring to Wroughton '92, I first knew of it when I bumped into Irving in the "Waggon" that lunchtime. And when we both arrived at the formation, YOU were already there ! Oh, and please stop spreading false accusations and hinting that I was part of a circle-faking team. You are wrong, wrong, wrong. If you like, I'll give it to you straight from the shoulder:

No one connected with CERES has ever made, caused to be made, assisted in making, or observed the deliberate making of a hoax crop circle formation in any shape or form. Got it ?

One last thing George. If you're still keen to catch the "circlefakers", then I'll make you this offer. Let's get together and pool ideas. Forget what we each think is the prime cause of "genuine" circles. You accept that there are fakes; CERES accepts there are fakes. Together we can beat 'em. Get in touch George and we'll arrange to meet and have a chat about it. I can't be fairer than that, now, can I ?

Peter Rendall. Bristol.

Advertisments

Crop Circles, A Mystery Solved has been completely updated and republished in a second edition. Available from Robert Hale Ltd, Clerkenwell House, Clerkenwell Green, London, EC1R 0HT, price Ł 7.99. Contains previously unpublished photographs of the Wokurna (1973), Bordertown (1973) and Rossburn (1977) circles, along with numerous historical cases, new eye witness testimony and a detailed account of the crop circle crash of 1991-1993.

Crop Circle Lectures

Throughout 1994 a series of UFO/Crop Circle weekends are being arranged at Residential Colleges around England. All the Colleges are situated in their own grounds, secluded, intimate and all the services that would be expected of any first class hotel. Please write for full details to Ray Moore, 30, Oak Crescent, Putson, Hereford, HR2 6AJ.

Late News

Circlevision is to release "the ultimate book" about crop circles - Cropcircle Apocalypse, price at Ł 15 (UK) or Ł 20 (US), including p&p. John Macnish's first venture into writing will contain 248 pages with 48 photographs and illustrations, including "photographs of circles during formation, experts revealing the truth, first hand accounts from the circlemakers", and "what really happened on the surveillances". Touted as "A credible answer" and "case closed" this looks like being the book to end all crop circle research. Crop Circle Communique II will also be released later this Spring. Write to PO Box 36, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 3ZZ for more details.

Late, late news: Sorry for the delay in getting this issue out folks. I have decided to produce CW on a quarterly basis beginning with my next issue, due out in March. Details to follow.