From: BOB SHELL <76750.2717@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 10 Mar 97 10:31:29 EST
Fwd Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 12:50:13 -0500
Subject: UFO UDate: Re: Townes/NASA query

>Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 13:10:27 -0600 (CST)
>From: Brian Cuthbertson <brianc@fc.net>
>To: updates@globalserve.net
>Subject: Townes/NASA query

>Some questions about the appended post (below) for anyone
>in a position to know or find out:

>1. Is there really a British mag named "Alien Encounters"?
>   If so, how reputable is it?

>2. Is anyone familiar with the TV talk show mentioned in the post?

>3. Has anyone heard of Dr. Aldrich F. Townes in any other context?

>4. In short, are this post and its topic possibly valid,
>   or just another example of creative internet fiction?



I cant speak to the truth or fiction of this report, but yes there
is a magazine from the UK called Alien Encounters.  I would not call
it very reputable, since there was an article in it last year by
Eris Andies in which she claimed that I took my orders direct from
Bill Clinton!!!

As to the Hubble Telescope, a good friend of mine is part of the JPL
team which designed the telescope.  It is designed for deep space
gazing, not for looking at something close by like the moon.  I've
got a thick manuscript here about the design and construction of
the telescope which was submitted by my friend by possible use
in my magazine, but we couldn't use it because it was just too long
and too technical for the average reader. I'll have to go back and
re-read, but my impression is that the Hubble could not easily be used
to look at the moon.

As for military use of the Hubble, I'd be very surprised if it was
not used by the military for their projects, both open and black.
Such a resource would not be ignored by them, and they may have
goosed the funding in the first place.

Bob Shell