-Caveat Lector- from alt.conspiracy ----- As always, Caveat Lector. Om K ----- <A HREF="aol://5863:126/alt.conspiracy:484806">World Of The Strange 2/1/99 Part 1 of 2</A> ----- Subject: World Of The Strange 2/1/99 Part 1 of 2 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (SHnSASSY1) Date: Mon, Feb 1, 1999 10:16 AM Message-id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ************************* ***** World Of The Strange ***** Weekly Newsletter of the Paranormal By: Louise A. Lowry This posting is sponsored by: The Paranormal Research Primer http://www.tje.net/para Providing a comprehensive view of many paranormal subjects ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: (permission is granted to reproduce or redistribute this edition provided that attribution is made to the Author or Authors noted) Visit our WEB Site: http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange To Subscribe or Unsubscribe please follow directions at the end of this newsletter Distributed & Edited by; Louise A. Lowry [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you are missing any parts of (WOTS) please let me know which part by contacting me at [EMAIL PROTECTED], and I will make sure you get the part that is missing. ************************* The newsletter... EDITORS NOTE: February 8th is the dead line for your articles to enter into the writing contest, if you need any information on this contest please contact me and I will send it out ASAPor visit the WOTS web site and read the 1/4/99 issue..Also a special note, I have push the date to February 22nd as the contest winners edition. This was due to the fact of some large articles and giving me a bit more time to contact the winners and shipping out their prize... Part 1 of 2 ##################### CONTENTS #1. Men In Black A Preliminary Report by Robert Bull Part 1 of a Series of 3 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) British UFO Research Association - http://www.bufora.org.uk INSERTS> Introducing Men In Black / The Albert K. Bender Case / The New Haven Firebal l/ The Closedown / Bender Interviewed / The Last Issue of Space Review / Maury Island / An Australian Connection? / Bender Tells All? / Early Signs / The Nightmare Begins / Revelations / Fantasy and Paranoia? / The Last Days of the IFSB / Women in White / Bender is Freed #2. The Deadly Magic of Believing #3. February's Award Of Excellence From World Of The Strange! ##################### #1. Men In Black A Preliminary Report by Robert Bull Part 1 of a Series of 3 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) British UFO Research Association - http://www. bufora.org.uk Published by British UFO Research Association (BUFORA) Ltd BM BUFORA London WC1N 3XX All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the written permission of BUFORA Ltd. WOTS Editor; My thanks goes out to Robert Bull and BUFORA for most indepth article! >Introducing Men In Black Men In Black Also known as MIBs, are mysterious characters who sometimes question, threaten and harass UFO witnesses and researchers.They dress in black suits (hence their appellation) and are usually described as having 'oriental' features. They tend to pose as military or secret service personnel, often producing (albeit briefly) identity cards. They appear and behave in a way which leaves the witness thinking that they are not human, although this impression usually only forms after the MIBs have left. MIBs are popularly described as: appearing in threes travelling in large, black, old-model cars (usually Cadillacs in the USA), which appear to be brand new and have untraceable registrations having 'dark' complexions appearing only rarely outside the USA possessing knowledge known only to the witness. We shall see later that whilst some MIB cases certainly do possess some or all of these characteristics, it is certainly not true that the majority of such cases do. The most celebrated MIB case was that reported by UFO investigator and author Albert K. Bender. In 1953 he was allegedly 'silenced' by three MIBs. This report is part of an ongoing project started in 1995 by the BUFORA Research Committee. >The Albert K. Bender Case In April 1952 Albert K. Bender, a factory supervisor, aged 31, formed the International Flying Saucer Bureau (IFSB), based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The IFSB grew rapidly, soon having branches in 48 American states as well as in other countries. The IFSB suddenly closed down in September 1953. Bender claimed that he had the 'secret' of flying saucers, which he wrote down as a thesis which he then posted to a friend he felt he could trust. The following day, Bender claims, he was visited by three men dressed in black suits, one of whom had with him the thesis. Two of the men told Bender that his theory was essentially correct, and they filled him in on the missing details. What the MIBs had to say so appalled Bender that he readily agreed to disband the IFSB and do no more work on flying saucers; he also agreed to tell no-one of his findings. 'They were pretty rough with me', Bender said. 'Two men did all the talking, while another one kept watching all the time. He didn't take his eyes off me. I might add that I was terribly sick for three days after I saw those three men and also frightened beyond reason.' Bender's wall of silence following the visit convinced his friends that he was telling the truth. Later, Bender claimed, he telephoned a friend and mentioned his theory and the visit of the three men. Immediately after hanging up, the telephone rang. A male voice said that he knew of Bender's conversation and that he had made a 'bad slip' and warned him to be more careful in future. One of Bender's fellow researchers, a man who grew to be one of his closest friends, was Gray Barker. Barker joined the IFSB as its West Virginia representative soon after its formation in April 1952, becoming its Chief Investigator in January 1953. >The New Haven Fireball Two other IFSB representatives, who were to play key roles in the saga that was about to unfold, were Dominick ('Dom') Lucchesi and August ('Augie') Roberts. Roberts it was who investigated a peculiar incident which took place on August 19th, 1953, the day when, according to certain pyramidologists who had been poking around inside the Great Pyramid of Egypt, the world was due to end. The residents of New Haven, Connecticut, probably thought that the prediction had come true when a loud 'swoosh' was heard at about 9 pm. Buildings trembled, lights dimmed and one woman had a miscarriage as a result the disturbance. There was only one witness to the cause of the disturbance, which was a red ball of fire, six to eight inches in diameter, which crashed through a signboard before continuing on its way, leaving a hole more than a foot wide in the 20-gauge steel of the sign. Roberts, on arriving at the scene, pried loose from the edge of the hole a sample of metal, obviously not part of the sign itself, which he sent to Bender for analysis. Bender never announced the results of the analysis, perhaps, Barker speculated, because of subsequent events at the IFSB headquarters in Bridgeport. >The Closedown September 16, 1953. Bender wrote a routine letter to Barker, praising Barker's article for the next (October) issue of Space Review. The whole tone of the letter seemed strange to Barker, seeming somewhat stilted and formal, not like his friend's usual style at all. The third paragraph was the strangest part of all: 'I do not know if I advised you or not, but do not accept any more memberships until after the October issue of Space Review is in your hands.' The next day Barker received a tape from Lucchesi, a verbal account of a recent telephone conversation that had taken place between Roberts and Bender. He told Roberts what Barker already new, that the next issue of Space Review would somehow be significant. Bender seemed reticent during the telephone conversation, but Roberts kept pushing him until he finally blurted out: 'I know the secret of the disks!' He added that 'three men' had visited him and had pledged him to silence. Curiously, Bender claimed, the three men had confiscated all back issues of Space Review, even though hundreds of copies of the magazine had already been distributed to IFSB members world-wide. Bender said that the three men had largely dictated the contents of the next issue of Space Review. He finished the call by telling Roberts that 'The truth is fantastic!' >Bender Interviewed On 4 October 1953, Bender agreed to meet Roberts and Lucchesi. He insisted that the conversation not be recorded in any way but, unbeknown to him, Roberts, making the excuse of an upset stomach necessitating frequent visits to the toilet, made notes. The account is long and monotonous, and is not reproduced in full here. Some of Lucchesi's questions, and Bender's answers, are: Q: When did the three men visit you? A: I can't answer that. Q: Who were the men? A: I can't answer that. Q: Were they from the government? A: I can't answer that. Q: Do saucers come from space? A: I can't answer that. Q: Are the saucers real? Are they made of something solid? A: I can't answer that. Q: Can you tell me your source of information? A: I was turning a theory over and over in my mind. When I got some actual names and places to back it up I submitted it to someone. [Italics mine, Auth.] Then the men came. Q: Who was that 'someone' you mention? A: I can't answer that. Q: Does the government know about saucers? A: They have known what they are for two years. Q: Will they tell the people what they are? A: It has got to a point where they will have to, if not within five months from now, not for about four years. Q: Why can't you talk freely about this thing? A: Just before the men left one of them said, 'I suppose you know you're on your honor as an American. If I hear another word out of your office you're in trouble.' Q: Did you notice what the men wore? A: They wore the same type of clothes and hats. Dark clothes and black hats. Q: Do they know about Gray, Dom and me? A: They had all of your addresses and details about you with them with the papers they had in their hands. Q: Why do you delay answering each of my questions for a few seconds? A: I'm afraid of slipping; if I do I can get into a lot of trouble. An obviously nervous Bender was giving nothing away. >The Last Issue of Space Review Barker eagerly opened the October 1953 issue of Space Review when it arrived in the mail. It contained two cryptic items: 'LATE BULLETIN. A source, which the IFSB considers very reliable, had informed us that the investigation of the flying saucer mystery and the solution is approaching its final stages.' 'This same source to whom we had preferred data which had come into our possession, suggested that it was not the proper method and time to publish this data in Space Review.' The other item: 'STATEMENT OF IMPORTANCE. The mystery of flying saucers is no longer a mystery. The source is already known, but any information about this is being withheld by orders from a higher source. We would like to print the full story in Space Review, but because of the nature of the information we are very sorry that we have been advised in the negative.' 'We advise those engaged in saucer work to please be very cautious.' Barker was confused by the last sentence. Did it mean that he himself might receive a 'visit' if he continued his own research into the saucer mystery? Barker decided to ignore Bender's warning. He must solve the flying saucer mystery, and he must find out what had happened to Bender. >Maury Island Barker had a nagging feeling that he had heard of 'men in dark clothes' before. Suddenly it came to him – Maury Island! He found his Maury Island file, which told of an incident which took place at sea near Maury Island, Tacoma, Washington State. The principal witness, Coast Guard Commander Harold Dahl, claimed he saw a formation of six flying saucers, one of which appeared to be in trouble. This saucer spewed out molten metal fragments into the water and onto the shore, samples of which Dahl was later able to gather. What struck Barker was that the morning after the incident Dahl said he had received a visit at his home from a man who wore a black suit, and who invited him out to breakfast at a restaurant. As they sat down to breakfast, the man told Dahl everything that had happened to him at Maury Island the day before, down to the most minute detail. The visitor finished by saying to Dahl that 'If he loved his family and didn't want anything bad to happen he would not discuss the experience with anyone.' Could the same man, in the company of others, have visited Bender? Unlikely, thought Barker, lots of people wore black suits. Or could he have 'picked up' on the man in black in the Maury Island account, and decided to pretend, for some reason, that he had had a similar 'visit' himself? Barker vowed that the next time he was in New York he would go, with Roberts and Lucchesi, to talk to Bender personally. >An Australian Connection? Bender remained tight-lipped about his 'visitors' and about what he knew . The three friends formed the impression that he wanted to tell them what he knew, but was too afraid. He did, however, tell them about a letter he had received from Edgar Jarrold, head of the Australian Flying Saucer Bureau (the AFSB, formed at about the same time as the IFSB). In the letter, Bender said, Jarrold told of how he had received a visit, although in his case there was only one visitor, who told him information about saucers which amazed him 'beyond description'. The stranger emphasised that Jarrold was to tell no-one of what had been revealed to him – not even his wife. Barker wrote to Jarrold, who replied confirming that he had contacted Bender, and revealing that he had received four visits from the 'stranger'. The strangest part of his visitation came when he was asked what he thought would happen to extraterrestrial visitors if their saucer 'landed close to Sydney or any other large city'. He replied that he thought that the visitors would be 'murdered out of hand' but that he thought that 'great care would be taken to capture their space vehicle undamaged'. Jarrold's visitor announced that this 'dangerous ignorance and hostility' was the 'main reason stopping extraterrestrial beings landing openly at present'. He also gave his opinion that 'horrifying destructive forces' could be used against mankind, but that the visitors 'sought only friendly contact'. Jarrold said that on the stranger's first visit he had produced evidence attesting to his 'position and qualifications', although Jarrold did not give any more detail on this. Jarrold also reported receiving 'mysterious' telephone calls and experiencing poltergeist activity. It seemed to Barker that whilst Jarrold's visitor acted differently to Bender's three men, there was enough similarity to make him think that the two events were similar, perhaps even connected. Barker scanned a copy of the AFSB's Australian Flying Saucer Magazine that he had received several weeks ago, but hadn't read. The editorial in the November issue of the magazine told of 'sensational happenings' at the headquarters of the IFSB in Bridgeport, and referred to a 'joint investigation' being proposed by the IFSB, the AFSB and Civilian Saucer Investigation (CSI (New Zealand)) to look into 'a theory re saucers supplied by Mr Bender'. Could it be that the IFSB and the AFSB were being 'leaned on' to stop this 'joint investigation'? Barker continued his investigations into Bender until mid-1955, but was unable to unearth any fresh clues, although he did discover some interesting data, with possible MIB implications, relating to Edgar Jarrold, Harry Fulton, and James Moseley in the USA. He also began thinking more and more about a 'South Pole' saucer theory which Bender had once mentioned. (When Lucchesi interviewed Bender, he had 'visibly started' when Lucchesi had asked him 'Does this have anything to do with the South Pole?'). Bender finally broke his silence in 1962. >Bender Tells All? Almost 10 years after closing the IFSB, Bender finally appeared to have decided to tell his story. His book, Flying Saucers and the Three Men, was published by Gray Barker's Saucerian Books. In it, the jacket text claimed, Bender tells of 'the identity of the three men in black' and 'where the flying saucers come from. >Early Signs Bender's strange experiences began on the evening of 30 July, 1952, when the telephone rang. There was no one on the line but Bender felt that he was being told, telepathically, not to delve into the flying saucer mystery any further. A strange throbbing sound then gave way to the sound of the normal dialling tone, without any sound of the receiver being replaced. About three months after his strange telephone call, Bender was on his way home from the cinema one evening when he suddenly developed a throbbing headache. He saw a bluish flash in the sky, he felt as if he was being lifted from the ground, and once again a voice, in his head, seemed to be telling him to forget about the IFSB. The local cinema again played a part in Bender's strange experiences. In November 1952, Bender was in the cinema when he became aware of someone in the seat next to him, although he hadn't noticed anyone walk up and sit down. A man was sitting there, a man with eyes 'like flashlight bulbs' which seemed to burn right into him. Bender, beginning to feel the by now familiar throbbing in his head, closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the man was gone, but on looking around he was startled to find the man seated on the opposite side of him now, still with those burning eyes! At no point had Bender noticed the man arrive or move, but one thing he did notice was that the man's clothing was 'too neat'. [Italics mine - Auth.] Thoroughly shaken by now, he moved to a different part of the cinema and sat down – only to find, after a few minutes, that the man was there again, sitting behind him! Bender left the auditorium at this point and complained to the manager who, with the aid of his torch, looked for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen. On his way home, he had yet another encounter with the man while window shopping. He complained to the police, but the policeman who came could find nothing. In February 1953, Bender had another warning of what was to come. He was in his kitchen when he heard the sound of footsteps coming from above, although he knew he was the only person in the house. He went upstairs to his bedroom where he saw a bluish glow in a corner, in which he saw a face with glowing eyes beginning to form. Afraid, he shouted 'Cut the kidding and come out of there!', at which point the glow disappeared, leaving behind a sulphurous odour. On 15 March 1953, Bender was lying dozing on his bed at home when a cold chill hit his body, his head began to ache terribly, and the sulphurous odour returned. He opened his eyes and to his amazement he seemed to be looking at his own body from a point three feet above it! >The Nightmare Begins Suddenly a voice filled his head: 'We have been watching you and your activities. Please be advised to discontinue delving into the mysteries of the universe. We will make an appearance if you disobey.' Bender replied (although his lips did not move), asking why the voice seemed so unfriendly. 'We have a special assignment and must not be disturbed by your people', came the reply. 'We are among you and know your every move , so please be advised we are here on your earth.' With this the voice faded away, but Bender felt as though he was being watched. His body felt as though it was dropping, and he found himself back on his bed. His room was full of a yellowish mist, in which he could just make out a man-shaped shadow, which disappeared as he raised himself from his bed. He felt sick in his stomach and horribly confused. Was this real or was he losing his mind? Around this time, Bender confided in two leading members of the IFSB, telling them what had happened and that he proposed to publish an account of his experiences in next July's Space Review. They were unsympathetic, and threatened to resign from the IFSB if he went ahead with his plan. He wrote the account anyway and locked it away in a box. When he went to the box a few days later the account had disappeared – and the box contained the by now familiar sulphuruos odour. Bender's most frightening experience so far happened when he returned from a two-week vacation in July 1953. Unlocking the door of his 'den', he smelled the sulphurous odour again, and he noticed his radio was on, even though he knew he had switched it off before he had left. Later, Bender was about to retire when he started to feel that he was about to have another visit, and sure enough three shadowy figures slowly began to crystallise out of a bluish glow in his room; three men dressed all in black, with black Homburg-style hats that partially obscured their faces. The eyes of all three figures suddenly lit up, the pain above Bender's eyes became almost unbearable, and he began to receive a message. The message said that the men recognised Bender as someone who was dedicated to answering the flying saucer question, adding, sinisterly, that his researches may lead him to some harm and that no one would believe anything that they told him. The men had nothing to fear from him, the message continued, that he would not deflect them from carrying out their plans on Earth, and that they had already killed people who had become too inquisitive. They further revealed that they had 'craft' hidden at a remote spot on Earth. The message finished by saying that the men wished Bender to 'come with them' at a time to be announced soon. They left him a small piece of metal, which they said was to be kept in a secure, secret place. He was to contact the men again in two days time by holding the piece of metal, turning on his radio, closing his eyes and repeating the word 'Kazik'. Then the men were gone, leaving Bender lying on his bed, matted with sweat. He felt something in his hand – the piece of metal! At last he had the physical proof he had been looking for! He locked it in his strongbox, then went to sleep. When he awoke next morning, he went immediately to the strongbox. The piece of metal wasn't there! Had he imagined the whole experience? Two days later, at the appointed time for the next 'visitation', Bender went to his room and checked the box again. The piece of metal was there , exactly where he had left it after his last experience. He took the metal out and began to think about who he could show it to. At this point the metal began to glow, quickly becoming red hot, forcing him to drop it. Obviously the men didn't want him to reveal this evidence! -- Louise A. Lowry "World Of The Strange" Weekly Free Newsletter ***Come & Link With Us*** WOTS-Web Site: http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange Check Out Our Discussion List Called PARA-DISCUSS http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange/primer.htm http://www.tje.net/services/maillists/para-discuss.htm Plus Don't Forget our Message Board!!! WOTS Newsgroup alt.strange.days ****GET TOGETHER CHATS ON MONDAY NIGHTS 8PM ET/Go To Web Site To access The Chat Room you Don't have to be JAVA Capable to Join in the fun! 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To get help about Majordomo: Send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the following command in the BODY of the message: ----- Subject: World Of The Strange 2/1/99 Part 2 of 2 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (SHnSASSY1) Date: Mon, Feb 1, 1999 10:29 AM Message-id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ************************* ***** World Of The Strange ***** Weekly Newsletter of the Paranormal By: Louise A. Lowry This posting is sponsored by: The Paranormal Research Primer http://www.tje.net/para Providing a comprehensive view of many paranormal subjects ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: (permission is granted to reproduce or redistribute this edition provided that attribution is made to the Author or Authors noted) Visit our WEB Site: http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange To Subscribe or Unsubscribe please follow directions at the end of this newsletter Distributed & Edited by; Louise A. Lowry [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you are missing any parts of (WOTS) please let me know which part by contacting me at [EMAIL PROTECTED], and I will make sure you get the part that is missing. ************************* The newsletter... Part 2 of 2 ##################### CONTENTS #1. Men In Black A Preliminary Report by Robert Bull Part 1 of a Series of 3 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) British UFO Research Association - http://www.bufora.org.uk INSERTS> Revelations / Fantasy and Paranoia? / The Last Days of the IFSB / Women in White / Bender is Freed #2. The Deadly Magic of Believing #3. February's Award Of Excellence From World Of The Strange! ##################### >Revelations Bender held the metal in his hand and started repeating the word 'Kazik' . After a few seconds the familiar feelings came and he was surrounded by darkness. When the darkness cleared he found himself not in his room but in a circular room with a glass dome. The walls were metallic- looking, and seemed to give off a soft light of their own. He was seated on a chair made of the same metal, and directly in front of him was a kind of dais, where a large tubular object about eight feet in diameter was mounted on the wall. He looked for a door, but the walls seemed smooth and unbroken all the way round. He found whilst he could move his arms and head, he could not raise himself to a standing position. Suddenly he was thrown into darkness. A bluish glow appeared on the dais directly above the tubular object, a wall panel slid open out of nowhere , and a figure stepped forward onto the dais. The figure began speaking to him, although his lips did not move. The figure welcomed Bender to 'our domain', and warned him that he was about to see things which he would not be able to believe. The figure made a motion with his hand, and the tubular object came to life, looking in some ways like a television screen. A spectacular view appeared, looking somehow three-dimensional. The figure said this was his people's home, a planet which was part of a system formed from an immense 'central source' at the heart of the universe. He told of how on his planet there was only one race, unlike on Earth where there were many races which often waged war upon each other, which would ultimately lead to the destruction of the Earth. He then began to tell of the purpose of his race's visit to Earth. He said that they had been taking a 'valuable chemical' from the Earth's seas, a chemical vital to the existence of his race. He added that the extraction process left a 'sticky residue' which in the past had been discharged from saucers over land ['Angel Hair'? - Auth.], but that now they were 'more cautious' and only discharged the residue over the sea. He motioned with his hand again, and the display changed to show the Pentagon, Washington DC. He added that his race had people stationed in the Pentagon, 'to keep us informed of all that is taking place'. The view then changed again to show a nuclear weapon stockpile in the USA. Similar stockpiles in other countries, including the Soviet Union, were then shown. He said that 'with the push of a button' they could detonate all the nuclear weapons on Earth. The question of why they would want to do that formed in Bender's mind. The reply came that they would only do it if they 'were discovered and you tried to stop us'. He added that they had nothing to fear from the Earth people though, that their weapons were 'far superior to anything you have'. A hideous monster then appeared on the display, which made Bender shudder with repugnance. He noticed that the figure had disappeared from the dais, but his voice continued, as if from the monster itself. The voice explained that the 'monster' was the true appearance of a member of his race. He added that the appearance of Earth people would change over the coming millions of years, and that man's nuclear experiments could have an effect on the appearance of future generations. He explained that on his planet there were males, females, and others which were neither male nor female. These 'others' were rare, and were 'exalted ones' who became their rulers. His race controlled its population by storing the eggs from its females and only allowing them to hatch when 'the great blackness covers our planet, and takes many lives'. At this point the figure walked back through the opening in the wall, which closed behind him. After more unpleasant sensations, Bender found himself back in his room, lying on his bed. He locked the piece of metal away again in his strongbox. He felt an overwhelming desire to tell someone about his experiences, but was afraid he would be labelled a crackpot. After agonising for several minutes, he telephoned a close friend, asking him to come around to discuss something which he couldn't talk about over the telephone. His friend reacted disdainfully and refused to come round, telling him to 'stop having those pipe dreams so he could get publicity for the IFSB!'. He hung up, leaving Bender with a sinking feeling. If he couldn't confide in his best friend, what was he to do? >Fantasy and Paranoia? Bender was by now beginning to assume a kind of uneasy familiarity with his 'visitors', and started to hope that the next contact would be soon. At this point he decided that he must settle the question of his relationship with the IFSB and its committee members, and he decided to do so by telling them only part of (what he saw as) the truth. He decided to tell the committee that he had been visited by 'certain individuals whom he could not name', who had revealed to him much of the 'truth' behind the flying saucers, and who had warned him to cease his flying saucer research. He would say that the mystery men had shown 'credentials', hoping that this would cause the committee to attach an 'earthly' label to his visitors. He decided to say that publication of his new knowledge was being withheld by a 'higher source', and that he would discontinue publishing Space Review, at least in its present form. Why go on publishing a 'research journal' if he already knew the answer to the mystery? Bender revealed his intentions at the next meeting of the IFSB committee, whose members seemed to accept his decisions. Bender's next 'visitation' came in August, 1953. He was in his room when he thought he heard a floorboard squeak from just the other side of the door. He also detected a whiff of sulphur. When he opened the door, there stood one of the men in black! His two companions were just behind him, and all three of them walked into his room! Bender's heart was pounding. This was new - the men were in his room, risking being seen by someone else, and he had never seen them at such close quarters before. He was able to see that they were dressed totally in black, even black shirts [not white like with later MIBs - Auth.] The nearest figure 'spoke' to Bender, saying they were going to take him to their base on Earth. They formed a circle with him, touching him for the first time. He began to feel numb and faint. When he 'came to' he found himself in an immense cavern, which he was later told was in Antarctica. Bender goes on to describe something akin to a secret underground base which fills the final scenes in a James Bond movie. Vast laboratories with rows of unfamiliar looking machinery; monorails leading from one cavern to another, which he and his escorts took a ride on; a vast flying saucer 'hangar', with saucers coming and going, discharging loads of seawater for processing. (Bender later sketched this part of his 'vision', showing 'landing towers' for the saucers. He sent this to Gray Barker, who used it as the cover illustration for the November, 1953 issue of the Saucerian.) Bender was shown the seawater processing area, but only briefly. No information was forthcoming on the process itself, which he sensed was something which was not to be discussed. He and his escorts then moved to an auditorium of sorts, with seats and a kind of viewing screen. They sat down and a figure entered, nine-feet tall and dressed in a gold uniform. He gathered that this figure, who was almost human in appearance, was one of the 'exalted ones', who was in charge of the whole operation.With glowing eyes, the man looked at Bender and began to 'speak' to him. The man welcomed him to his people's base of operations, saying that he was trusted, and had been chosen to visit the base and learn about their operations on Earth. He invited Bender to ask him any questions he wanted, although he said he could not guarantee to answer all of them. In response to Bender's questioning, the man said that they had been on Earth since 1945, and that they planned to stay another 15 years. Many other questions and answers followed, and Bender was slightly unnerved to learn that while the alien race was not overtly hostile to Earth, they told him that they had 'found it necessary' to kill Earth people on some occasions, and that it could be 'necessary' to deal with him in the same way if he became an 'obstacle' to them. He asked many general questions on science, medicine and religion, all of which received answers. When asked about cancer, he was told that the increasing use of motor vehicles was a major factor, but that a cure for cancer would eventually be found. He was shown scenes on the home planet of the aliens, including one scene of 'shooting practice' with large guns being used to shoot 'fireballs' at targets. When Bender asked for some physical proof to be provided to the world of the aliens' presence, he was told that a small saucer would come soon and shoot one of the fireballs 'through something of little value' near Bender's home, something that anyone could see. Suddenly the 'exalted one' left and he knew the interview was over. Soon , after the usual procedures and unpleasantness, he found himself back in his bedroom. The promised 'proof' was not long in coming. On 20 August the local paper carried the following headline: MYSTERY BLAST SHATTERS SIGN IN NEW HAVEN, CONN. ORIGIN BAFFLES POLICE >The Last Days of the IFSB (Much of Bender's account from this point has already been given earlier in this article, as reported by Gray Barker, and is not repeated in detail here.) The hole in the signboard was investigated by 'Augie' Roberts, an IFSB investigator. He noticed a residue around the hole which did not seem to be part of the sign itself. He removed the residue and sent it away to be analysed. Roberts interviewed a lady witness, who lived near the sign , who said she had seen a streak of light followed by a loud bang the night before the hole was discovered. She also remembered smelling a sulphurous odour. The analysis of the residue showed it to be mainly copper and copper oxide, both common Earthly substances, although foreign to the sign itself. Around this time, Roberts and Dom Lucchesi were growing increasingly concerned and suspicious about what was happening to the IFSB, and eventually they persuaded Bender to let them interview him. This they did after a false start due to a car breakdown. They later recalled that Bender started and went as white as a sheet when they asked him a question which included the word 'Antarctica', although at the time they had no idea of the significance of this. What Roberts and Lucchesi didn't know was that the day before they came to see Bender, he had received another visit from the three men, who issued dire warnings about what would happen to Bender and his friends if he gave anything away during the interview. Shortly after Roberts and Lucchesi had left, Bender had his most horrifying encounter so far. He felt that someone was still in the room watching him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up when he noticed that there was a depression in one of the easy chairs, as if someone was sitting there. Then the depression levelled out, as if that someone had just got up! Suddenly he felt an icy hand on his shoulder. Slowly turning round, he had the worst fright of his life when he faced a loathsome, greenish creature, ten feet tall with glowing red eyes. He fainted. When he came to he noticed that the rug where the creature had stood was scorched, and the familiar smell of sulphur was there once more. Other saucer research groups around the World were beginning to react to the IFSB's closure. Bender cites the fledgling British Flying Saucer Bureau (BFSB) as giving him the kindest and most patient reaction. They, like Barker, thought that Bender must have been 'silenced' by genuine secret service agents. The BFSB itself had no visits from MIBs nor any threatening telephone calls, but they did take the precaution of contacting (via one of its members, who had 'contacts') MI6, asking if it was 'safe' for the BFSB to continue its activities. MI6 gave them the 'all clear'. Edgar Jarrold of the Australian Flying Saucer Bureau exchanged a number of letters with Bender, one of which did mention a 'visitor' (see page 4 ). Jarrold's last letter to Bender (20 April 1955) was a badly scribbled note which included the sentence 'I am labouring under almost impossible obstacles'. Six years later an (unsubstantiated) report reached Bender from one Martin Elsworthy in England, stating that Jarrold later had a serious accident when he was seen, in broad daylight, to be pushed down a flight of stairs in a Sydney department store – but there was nobody there to do the pushing! This 'accident' so unnerved Jarrold that he ceased his saucer investigations. Around this time the Bridgeport Sunday Herald got hold of Bender's story , leaked to them by a former IFSB council member. Bender was stunned by the article, which he saw as making him look ridiculous. The remaining IFSB council members resigned, he was subjected to a day of ridicule and persecution from his workmates, and at home his telephone never stopped ringing. >Women in White Bender had what proved to be his final visit shortly after the newspaper article appeared. The painful sensations and the sulphurous odour came again, and the three men appeared in the centre of his room. Once again they circled him, and after more unpleasant sensations he found himself alone in the room with the glass dome. A wall panel opened and he was amazed to see three beautiful women, dressed in tight white uniforms, emerge and approach him. Like their male counterparts, they stared at him with glowing eyes, and the pain above Bender's own eyes became almost unbearable. He became paralysed; they picked him up and carried him to another room, and laid him down on something which looked like an operating table. They then began to remove his clothing until he was in his birthday suit! To Bender's intense relief his captors did not start to wield the scalpel, but poured a liquid of some kind over him, which they proceeded to massage into every part of his body, turning him onto his stomach and onto his sides in the process. A device of some kind then came down from the ceiling directly over him, and strongly illuminated him for several minutes. The pain above his eyes vanished, and he found himself able to move again.Raising himself, he found himself facing a sinister cowled figure, who pushed him back down. The figure told him not to fear, and revealed that the 'treatment' he had just received was a 'preventative', which would ensure that he would never suffer from the 'dreaded disease' feared by all people on Earth. The figure departed, and through the wall panel walked the 'exalted one'. The exalted one told him that the 'ray' which had bathed his body a few minutes ago had placed a 'marker' on him which would enable him to be kept under constant surveillance, and which could be used to 'destroy his body' if at any time he revealed their secret! The figure told Bender that he would not be visited again, but if he wished to contact them he only had to rub the metal disc. He also said that their mission on Earth was at an 'advanced stage', and that when they left Earth the metal disc would disappear. With a final warning that he would be subjected to 'unbearable headaches' if he even thought about revealing their secret, the figure departed. >Bender is Freed In April 1956 Gray Barker's They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers was published. The greater part of this book was about Bender's experiences, as Barker saw them, and it resulted in more unwelcome publicity for Bender and his new English wife Betty. Although he had had not been 'visited' for some time, the metal disc was still in the strongbox and he often experienced excruciating headaches. In August 1957 he flew to England with Betty, where he met Edgar Plunkett, president of the British Flying Saucer Bureau (BFSB). (Edgar Plunkett died in 1993, but his son Denis, now retired, runs the BFSB, which is Britain's oldest UFO group and still very much a going concern. – Auth.) Barker had for some time been urging Bender to write a book himself, which he finally started during the Christmas holiday of 1958. He typed the first four pages, but then the old familiar smell of sulphur came into his nostrils and throbbing pain over his eyes started again. No visitors appeared, but the telephone rang. It was not a normal call because he could still hear the dial tone, but over it a voice said 'Stop whatever you are writing at once, before we find it necessary to carry out orders.' There was a click and the voice stopped, as did his headache. He went back to where he had left the typed sheets, to find them gone! At this Bender decided to write to Barker and tell him that the time was not yet right for him to tell his story. He was still bothered by headaches and pains over his eyes until one day in late 1960 when he smelt the sulphurous odour again, coming from the box where the metal disc was. He opened the box – and the disc was gone! The box was full of powdery dust, as if everything else in the box had disintegrated. He was ecstatic, and decided to write to Barker straight away to tell him that at last he was ready to tell his story. Although Bender received no more 'visits', he was still plagued by headaches and pains over his eyes, which thorough medical checks and tests failed to diagnose. A final article in the Sunday Herald lost him the last friends he had of those who served in the IFSB, excepting Gray Barker, who published Bender's book Flying Saucers and the Three Men in 1962. Whilst Barker didn't believe in the literal truth of Bender's tales of Men In Black and saucer bases in Antarctica, he believed that Bender was being sincere in his belief that the things he described had actually happened. ###################### #2. The Deadly Magic of Believing From the days of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to modern times in Haiti, Australia, Africa, and elsewhere, healthy people have turned sick and died because a hex, curse, or spell was put upon them. There is a considerable body of literature on the subject. The methods of declaring the curse are many and varied. It can be done by making an effigy of the victim and piercing it with pins or burning it. Wax, wood, clay, cloth, and straw have all been used for the purpose. Hair or fingernail parings from the victim can be ritually hexed. Chants and singing can declare a curse. Stones or weapons can be magically charged, or a container of magically endowed powders or herbs can be used to cast a spell. Although methods differ, the magic works when there is sufficient belief in its power. The sorcerer must have absolute confidence in his powers, the victim must believe that his magic is unassailable, and the community at large must subscribe to the belief. The latter is especially important. One can imagine the effect in the cultures where the community looks upon the victim as dead from the moment the curse becomes known. The victim may cease to eat and drink (as befits the dead ), which serves to hasten the end. One well-documented method of killing by suggestion is "bone pointing ," a form of ritual execution occasionally practiced by the aborigines of Australia. There is no physical contact with the victim, but his fate is usually as firmly sealed as if he were run through the heart with a spear. The pointing weapon can be made of bone, wood, or stone. Belief in its magic is what counts. A graphic description of the effects on bone pointing is given in Dr. Herbert Basedow's book "The Australian Aboriginal," published in 1925: A man who discovers that he is being boned by an enemy is, indeed, a pitiable sight. He stands aghast, with his eyes staring at the treacherous pointer, and with his hands lifted as though to ward off the lethal medium, which he imagines is pouring into his body. His cheeks blanch and his eyes become glassy, and the expression on his face becomes horribly distorted...He attempts to shriek, but usually the sound chokes in his throat, and all one might see is froth at his mouth. His body begins to tremble and the muscles twist involuntarily. He sways backwards and falls to the ground, and for a short time appears to be in a swoon; but soon after he begins to writhe as if in mortal agony, and covering his face with his hands, begin [sic] to moan. After a while he becomes more composed and crawls to his wurley (hut). From this time onwards he sickens and frets, refusing to eat, and keeping aloof from the daily affairs of the tribe. Unless help is forthcoming in the shape of a counter-charm, administered by the hands of the "Nangarri," or medicine-man, his death is only a matter of a comparatively short time. If the coming of the medicine-man is opportune, he might be saved. A possible physiological explanation for the victim's response to bone pointing has been suggested. The consequences of extreme fear are similar to those of great rage; the adrenal glands increase their production of adrenaline, reducing the blood supply to the less essential parts of the body in order to ensure an adequate supply to the muscles, upon whose efficiency, for flight or fight, the life of the subject may depend. Adrenaline produces this result by constricting the small blood vessels in those parts of the body that can temporarily survive a reduced blood supply. The advantage acquired in this way, however, is gained at some cost. When blood supply is reduced, so is the oxygen, which is carried in the blood by the red corpuscles. When the fine capillary blood vessels are deprived of oxygen, they become more permeable to the blood plasma, which seeps into the tissue surrounding the blood vessel. The consequence of this, in a prolonged condition of fear or anger, is an overall reduction in the volume of circulating blood. This, in turn, reduces the blood pressure, and a potentially disastrous cycle can then be established. The reduced blood pressure adversely affects those parts of the body responsible for maintaining the circulation of the blood. and the reduced circulation further reduces the blood pressure. This sequence of events, if unchecked, will be fatal. That a hex, spell, or curse can rate such physiological disorders is mystery enough. Even more puzzling are cases of death in which medical examination reveals no evidence of either reduced blood pressure or an abnormal accumulation of red blood cells. One example is that a Dr. P.S . Clarke, concerning a Kanaka tribesman in North Queensland, Australia, who said that he was going to die soon because a spell had been put on him. The doctor's examinations revealed no medical problems, but a few days later the man was dead. It would seem that in societies where the effect of a curse are accepted as common knowledge, there is NO question that the sear of thought can KILL. #################### #3. February's Award Of Excellence From World Of The Strange! Alex Cavallari UFO/Paranormal Investigator [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.aol.com/xelaufo/index.html As Alex has so put it..(Visitors Have Seen the Truth...) And you will too, when you check out his site, I have chose this site for the easy access to the different articles and for his ever increasing work in the field of these investigations. As you go through his site you will see many articles written about these investigations such as... "UFO and Jet Aircraft" "Black Flying Saucer and UFO Sphere/Orb" "UFO over Brooklyn New York #1" "UFO SPHERE / ORB over Brooklyn New York" "UFO SIGHTING ( JET OBJECTS 3 )" "PLASMA SPHERE PINE BUSH, NEW YORK" "STRANGE LIGHTS / UFO?" "CIGAR UFO?" "UNKNOWNS OVER NEW YORK" "N.Y. Police Helicopter and Plasma Crafts" "UNKNOWN SPACECRAFT" "PLASMA HEEL" "PLASMA PLANE" "PLASMA WING" "PLASMA MISSILE" "SKYCIRCLES / SKYWRITING" Alex has also been a contributor to "WOTS" and written special articles for my readers...Please when you have a moment stop by and check out this most interesting sight... #################### -- Louise A. Lowry "World Of The Strange" Weekly Free Newsletter ***Come & Link With Us*** WOTS-Web Site: http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange Check Out Our Discussion List Called PARA-DISCUSS http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange/primer.htm http://www.tje.net/services/maillists/para-discuss.htm Plus Don't Forget our Message Board!!! WOTS Newsgroup alt.strange.days ****GET TOGETHER CHATS ON MONDAY NIGHTS 8PM ET/Go To Web Site To access The Chat Room you Don't have to be JAVA Capable to Join in the fun! "Tis-Strange but true: For Truth is always Strange! 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