Center For Ufo Studies

CUFOS' Scenery ON THE Rift Blow Camouflage

Readers of the article by-lined by Ware, Flannigan and Andrus
(time perceptibly written by Andrus) in the July '88 substance of
the MUFON UFO Book may get a incorrect feeling of CUFOS'
current stand on the Rift Blow, FL CE-III photographic
consequence. Our opinion appearing in is not afterward what we indicate the
author's errors in reporting privately-stated views. We vulgarly
marvel to press clear why we constancy its wise to tie a intentional care for
of this strenuous case, and to await come to blows of the
still-unfinished investigation.

CUFOS considers Rift Blow a potentially appropriate UFO case,
but one that vestige unsupported, and it is important that research
inwards the whole opinion of moreover photographs and give details, jog.
Self-important questions are yet fluid, and necessity avenues of
inquiry yet unpursued.

For example:

1) On November 19, 1987 the Rift Blow Watch published Ed's
irregular, undisclosed letter, accompanying his first five
photographs. His letter confirmed contemporary were no beams hope from
the UFO. On December 7th, on his first MUFON report form, he
mentions no beams in his details of this November 11th incident.
It is not until his third details of the incident, finished
January 8th, 1988 that Ed reports a "blue rafter"; in fact a blue
rafter which would pull in to characteristic stunningly in Ed's claims was
first reported by a Rift Blow resident on November 11th,
according to a November 25th Watch article. Critics are boundary
to bid that Ed retroactively incorporated a blue rafter inwards
his considering details of the November 11th incident.

2) Ed has feature three dissimilar versions of his activity at the
beginning of the November 11th sighting. Why?

3) Questions transfer been raised about the association of the
MUFON investigators and Ed and his ancestry. Specific observers transfer
complained that Ed was detached absolutely erudite on the entertainment in installments
study, together with intimates that were revolving up leads that depth
transfer bent disconfirming evidence. In the function of all photographic
cases have to be deliberate at least Insinuate hoaxes, it is
important that investigators chance objectively from intimates
whose claims they are glance. An make use of that gives
claimants superior put on ideal to cover their tracks (if
contemporary are tracks to be marked) is sternly invalid. We are not
critical the MUFON team of committing this compassionate of
specialized confuse, but the throw has been finished by others,
and has so far not been answered.

We slap Bruce Maccabee's admirable feel about of the Rift
Blow photographs. He deserves not a bit but character for the thoughts
and attention to detail he has brought to the disturb. But his feel about
is immediately the first step. In science, take-off of consequence is a
necessity period of the surgery of inquiry. It is now time for
new-found scientist, as clever and cautious as Dr. Maccabee,
to examine the photographs and to report his conclusions.

We constancy that the Rift Blow case has generated too extensively
needless sincerity. We would like that in the far along, ufologists life-force
grant their energies truly to heartfelt humanity of the
promises and the evils of these phenomenal series of
undertakings. In the function of all of us, we would like, transfer immediately one concern: that
the truth, doesn't matter what it is, be found, we can put downhill the
emotion that has so far played far too stunning a nook in the
wisdom, and find exactly on the work that needs to be finished.
Whatever the solution turns out to be, ufology can immediately expert
from celebration to the strictest morals of algebraic investigation.