Page 3 - 20090506 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - May / June 2009

3 Billy Meier: Contactee or Prophet? 3 Billy Meier: Contactee or Prophet? Look Out for That then challenged him to duplicate just one of Look Out for That Meier's photos and one of his films. In addition Tree! to CFI-West/IIG, James Randi (magician and Tree! professional skeptic/debunker) and skeptic Continued from Front Page Michael Shermer, both of whom are also Continued from Front Page affiliated with CFI-West/IIG, made similar attacks and claims against Meier and the case. However, after CFI-West/IIG failed to be able to duplicate Meier’s UFO photos, and failed to submit any film or video version as they had promised, James Randi withdrew his claim that the Meier case was a hoax. It is the standard operating procedure for these skeptics to debunk hoaxes, and some of them take particular delight in utilizing their Photo 9 © FIGU skills as magicians in exposing the "tricks" used to create and perpetrate the hoaxes. Therefore, they take pride in knowing and explaining just how these hoaxes were perpetrated. These skeptics have all indicated that, at the very least, Meier used models and/or hubcaps, pie pans, etc., having finally conceded that he had no access to computers, special effects, PhotoShop, etc. when the majority of his photos were taken, i.e. from 1964-1979. Model UFO Photos Here below are the best of the model UFO shots we've seen, by skeptic / model maker / Photo 10 © FIGU photographer Jeff Ritzmann, including a photo of the model he used. His photos can be said to So duplicating (or, in the case of the Photo 2 © FIGU create a similar visual "effect" to some of Ritzmann photos, partially duplicating) an This photo below is the classic "sun Meier's photos, which doesn't mean that they "effect" does not mean that it is a photograph of shot", from 1975, which has the sunlight are the same as photos of real UFOs. The main the same actual object, nor does it prove that glinting off of a UFO next to a large, known distinguishing difference, which invalidates Meier used models in his photographs. And, object, the tree, which helps confirm that the claims of duplication, is that Ritzmann’s photos since this is what the majority of skeptics claim, UFO is indeed a full-sized object. (Note from are of discernibly small objects close to the it's been up to them to both prove that Meier did James Deardorff: When Stevens' prints, one- camera, while Meier’s photos show large indeed use models (which they haven't been copy removed from the originals, were objects a greater distance from the camera. able to) and that they can truly duplicate his carefully examined by Stevens and his crew, Here below you have a photo of a model evidence with photos of models of their own. they could see that a tree branch was in front of of a Boeing 747. It looks very similar to the real But as Deardorff points out, only Ritzmann's the craft's left edge in photo #164 and in #175 . Further copies that made. As good as the model of the 747 is, it's Comparing the Photos the rest of us have had available to examine no obviously not the same object as the real 747 in longer had quite enough contrast to make a the aviation photos. And, if photographed next In comparing Jeff's model photos with definite discernment.) to large, known objects it would be all the more Meier's, there's also another crucial detail that obvious that it was a model. further, and irrefutably, establishes the UFOs in Meier's photos as full-sized objects (some 21' in diameter). This is quite simply and effectively accomplished by the placement of the UFOs in many of Meier's photos next to large, known objects such as trees. It's already perfectly clear and obvious that Jeff didn't - ever - photograph his model directly next to large trees because to do so would simply and conclusively show how tiny the model is, unlike the large, real UFOs that Meier photographed and filmed. (Gee, why is there no film from the skeptics?) On the following page we have another Photo 3 © FIGU example of what the skeptics didn't attempt to duplicate, three UFOs with an object in the The Origin of the Skeptical Challenge And here are the two photos referred to foreground, a photograph made all the more by James Deardorff, Meier's #152 and #153. complex by the slightly different angle of each The skeptics have long claimed that One can see the poorer quality of focus of the of the UFOs! Does anyone really think that a Meier's UFO photos, films and video are all branches consistent with the reported setting of one-armed man trudged into the windy Swiss hoaxes using models and special effects, forced Meier's camera. Photo #153 is a blow-up, which mountains and "hoaxed" this photo by throwing perspective, etc., so let's see if they can prove it. caused the branches there and the beamship to three "models" into the air? Could you do it But first, the whole notion of having the have about equal degrees of slightly fuzzy with the same known equipment under the same skeptics duplicate Meier's photos, films and edges. It's the branches lower down in #153 that circumstances? video came about when Vaughn Rees, then a were quite a lot closer to the camera that were case investigator for CFI-West/IIG, referred to strongly out of focus. Continued on Page 4 the evidence as an "easily duplicated hoax". I