From: Lee Dines <l_dines.nul>
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:07:00 +0000 (GMT)
Archived: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:22:56 -0400
Subject: Re: Klass & Police Car Damage


>From: John Harney <magonia.nul>
>To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <post.nul>
>Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:18:35 +0100
>Subject: Klass & Police Car Damage [was: Sceptics Stage UFO Workshop]

>From: Bruce Maccabee <brumac.nul>
>To: post.nul
>Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:06:20 -0400
>Subject: Re: Sceptics Stage UFO Workshop

>If I were to speak at the skeptics workshop I would tell them
>about Phil Klass' 1983 book, UFOS: The Public Deceived and I
>would point out how, with that book, Phil 'deceived' the public.

>In that book Phil presented and discussed the Val Johnson police
>car damage case in Warren, Minnesota in Aug 1980. He gave a good >
>recitation of the case and 'proved' that it was either a result
>of mean, nasty ETs that damaged the car as they flew past - hit
>the car with a hammer and bent the antennas - or else Johnson
>did it himself as a practical joke.

>I don't agree with Klass that there were only two possible
>explanations.

>It is posssible that Johnson was attacked by some person or
>persons who damaged his car. As he was apprently rendered
>unconscious for a time, it is possible that his memories of the
>incident were not entirely accurate. Police officers do
>sometimes inevitably make enemies in the course of their work.

>I am only guessing of course, but I suspect that we have never
>been told the full details of this incident.

>Also, I find it hard to imagine why the occupants or controllers
>of UFOs would want to vandalise police cars.


>John Harney


John, there is no evidence to support your interperation of the
Val Johson incident (that he was attacked by unknown
individuals). Val Johson's description of the light, the damage
to the car,and the physiological injuries sustined by Val
Johnson all negate your interperation.

Val Johson's description of the light was detailed and certainly
not vague:

=E2=80=9CI noticed a very bright, brilliant light, 8 to 12 inches in
diameter, 3 to 4 feet off the ground. The edges were very
defined... (interview with G Wescott 1979)

The light also approached Val Johnson at an extreme rate (high
velocity), indeed the light was approximately 2.5km away from
Val Johnson, when it =E2=80=9Cinstantaneously=E2=80=9D approached the car.

What conventional stimulus could perform such a feat?

The damage to the car was extensive and has many peculiar
features.. In particular the conclusion derived by Meridian
French, a windshield expert from Ford, who examined the damage
is most illuminating:

=E2=80=9CEven after several days of reflection on the crack patterns
and apparent sequence of fractures, I still have no explanation
for what seem to be inward and outward forces acting almost
simultaneously. I can only [conclude].... that all cracks were
from mechanical forces of unknown origin=E2=80=9D

Thus if John=E2=80=99s interpretation is correct, at least two
individuals must have been involved in the =E2=80=9Cattack=E2=80=9D. One
would have been required to enter the car and damage the
windshield, whilst the other individual damaged the windshield
from the outside (at the same time).

This seems highly unlikely and does not deserve further comment.

The damage to the antennas, the failure of the engine to charge
and other aspects of the damage are also puzzling and are
difficult to reconcile, with John's interpretation.

The physical injuries sustained by Val Johnson, particularly the
=E2=80=9Cburning of the eyes=E2=80=9D are also inconsistent with an attack.=

Dr W.A Pinsonneault, who examined Val Johnson compared the eye
damage to=E2=80=9Cmild welder burns=E2=80=9D.

If one suggests that a =E2=80=9Chigh powered beam=E2=80=9D was
focused/concentrated upon Val Johnson by individuals unknown,
then this scenario fails to explain the extensive damage to the
car.

Finally (and one could go on) there is the issue of Val
Johnson's watch and the car clock, both of which were 14 minutes
slow ( I suppose the individuals who =E2=80=9Cattacked=E2=80=9D Val Johnson=

could have re-wound his watch and re-set the clock!). It is
important to note that Val Johnson checked the time with
dispatch at 7pm (as he always did).

I have absolutely no idea of what Val Johnson encountered. The
evidence, however does not support John's intereperation.


Best

Lee Dines



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