Wales on Sunday covers UFO's

When I returned from the Probe Conference last Monday, see: http://hpanwo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/probe-autumn-2014.html. I went through all my voicemails; most of them were my work clients wanting to organize jobs, but one was from James McCarthy, a journalist on the Wales on Sunday newspaper. I think it was he who wrote the story that cost me my portering career, although I don't blame him for that. Those I blame are whoever was behind getting me sacked for the "crime" of simply appearing in the media; that's a long story, see: http://hpanwo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/how-i-became-ex-hospital-porter.html. He was calling me to ask for my comment on a news feature he was putting together about UFO's in Wales. As regular readers will know, I am extremely dubious about getting involved with the mainstream media, especially television, see: http://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/an-offer-from-channel-4-again.html. However, with newspapers it's sometimes worth going for it; the article McCarthy wrote about me was reasonably factual and respectful. I called him back, but he was out of the office; I left a voicemail telling him we'd talk and he could quote me. However he then emailed me and told me that it was OK, it was done and dusted, the story was ready for press. Afterwards the article was uploaded to the online version of the newspaper, and here it is: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ufo-sightings-wales-spotters-insist-7918961. It covers an alleged hundred and nineteen sightings across the principality since 2000. The cases Mr McCarthy chose to discuss include an object that appeared above Neath, West Glamorgan that resembled a Malteser chocolate; it lists a number of other encounters from all over Wales. It also features an interview with Heather Dixon of BUFORA and a link to the remarkable story of Hilary Porter.

Having read through the article I'm relieved that I never managed to help Mr McCarthy write it and will definitely decline to do so in future. I don't question the article on a factual level, I just wonder whether the cases discussed were chosen for their scientific merit or for their novelty value. Some of the analysis is very tongue-in-cheek, for example: In January 2001 there was a report over Ogwen Valley, Gwynedd, which is more commonly home to military aircraft. The ship was “like a shooting star, but with a burning tail”. The witness told investigators it was “about the size of a military aircraft”; the innuendo is obvious. I don't know how many people were contacted in order to research the article, but when it comes to Wales specifically then Scott Felton or Margaret Fry would be far better pundits than Heather Dixon. Also I have issues with BUFORA's general approach; they tend to be excessively cautious and they overemphasize solved cases, see: http://hpanwo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/bufora-conference-2012.html. I strongly criticize the article's style; it is very jocular and dismissive in true tabloid fashion. I don't like to see a subject that I consider so important and so serious being portrayed as the music hall farce that Mr McCarthy seems to think it is. I'm frankly suspicious; I've said many times that the true nature of UFO's is being suppressed, not only by cover-ups but by organized ridicule and trivialization of the phenomenon. Any journalistic investigation into the UFO phenomenon in Wales should be conducted in an adult and professional manner. The Berwyn Mountains Incident, the "Welsh Roswell" remains unsolved after forty years. More and more sheep and other animals turn up dead with mysterious injuries and mutilations. Most sobering of all, Homo sapiens is not exempt from the animal species targeted. Human bodies have turned up in Wales with these same mysterious and horrific disfigurements, see: http://www.richplanet.net/starship_main.php?ref=175&part=1. I have written to James McCarthy challenging him to write an honest and newsworthy report of UFO activity in Wales. If he does so then it will be an exclusive on his part and will earn him the respect of everybody in the UFO community. Here's a copy of my open letter to him:

Hi James.

The UFO phenomenon in Wales is a very serious and urgent matter and needs to treated as such. Your article did not do so. I don't criticize its factual nature, just its style.

Have you thought of writing a follow-up article related to the Berwyn Mountains UFO incident which still remains unsolved after forty years? Also the many Welsh farmers who have found their livestock dead with strange injuries and mutilations. Most frightening of all, humans bodies have also turned up in that state. See here for more details: http://www.richplanet.net/starship_main.php?ref=175&part=1

If you do then it will be an exclusive on your part and you will earn the respect of everybody in the UFO research community.

Regards

Ben