Cor blimey they don't come any better than this for
the 500 plus crowd that were there, the Falkirk UFO Conference
organised by UFO MAGAZINE was superb.
This was UFOlogy at the sharp end, no fuzzy lights here, just pure Area
51, Abductions, Animal Mutilations, Government Cover Ups, you name it and
it was being discussed here. Superb Stuff. Sad to say though, that this
event did not draw the 700 plus crowds of the last two UFO conferences
held at the Falkirk Town Hall, [June 1994 and October 1995].
I would say that just over 500 people turned up for this one. Of course this could have been due to the fact that It was being held just after the New Year, and we Scots who are well known for our drinking ability, may have spent all our cash on a festive carry out leaving us with little money to carry on for Falkirk on January 6th. Alternatively, Falkirk football club were at home to Glasgow Rangers which is always a big game in Falkirk. And finally maybe the public after attending the "Cosmic Agenda Lecture" held at the Falkirk Town Hall last October where we were fed a diet of "Hugging Trees", decided enough was enough.
I'll tell you what though, for all those people who were not at this Event, you missed a 'stormer' of a conference. For UFOlogical content this was surely the best held UFO event in Scotland.
The Falkirk 94 UFO event was good, mainly due to the fact that also to be seen that day were Glasgow UFO rock group CE IV. But for pure E.T. flavoured content, this was it, It was all here, you name it and if it wasn't spoken about, well I'll eat my underwear!!
Local Councillor Billy Buchanan opened the proceedings, this time not dressed in his usual tuxedo, but in a smart blue jacket. Graham Birdsall, Editor of Quest International's UFO MAGAZINE, then took the stage and spoke about Government Cover Ups and some major UFO sightings. He also spoke about released Government documents most of which were heavily blacked out. Sadly he had trouble with getting his video player to work, but he did manage to show other video sequences which displayed amazing UFO footage.
Graham went on to discuss further UFO cases some of which even I had not heard before. After Graham's talk there followed break in which the audience ventured out into the large foyer where the whole range of UFO items were on sale. Books, video's, tapes, magazines, models, UFO jewellery, everything bar a pickled alien! After the break it was time for yours truly to take the stage of which I began to wonder if I would ever do so! For Graham Birdsall gave me a marvellous introduction which seemed to go on forever. (Thanks Graham, comments like yours make UFOlogy for me all the more worthwhile). I proceeded to inform the Audience that because I was being given an extra half hour to speak, I would use this time to Introduce some new and rather Interesting Scottish UFO cases. I began by presenting that old, and some may say, tiresome UFO chestnut, The Livingston UFO Incident. Now I know that this case, more than any other Scottish UFO case has been poured over the UFO community for many years now. The only reason I presented it at Falkirk, was owing to the fact that many youngsters are coming into UFOlogy for the first time, and I am sure that if they have not heard this old chestnut case before that they would find it of interest. But I do agree with others, perhaps it's time to put that case to bed now. Should I continue to present this case at my lectures readers? Please write in and let me know. I then presented other UFO cases from Scotland and was really getting 'into them' when suddenly Graham Birdsall appeared from the wings and approached my podium and placed a letter down beside my notes. The letter read, "Malcolm, 3:55pm, Sorry mate but you have to finish by 4:00pm, Graham".
OOPS, Oh dear. Readers, one of my main failings is that, once I get started talking on UFO's I really find it hard to stop, It's like walking over a cliff, there is no stopping you. I was speaking so much and at great length about certain Scottish cases, that I over-ran my time which sadly did not leave me enough time to discuss those other new and exciting Scottish UFO cases. One things for sure, I'll really need to get my act together and just give the bare bones of a case instead of discussing it at great length. A lesson learned there.
After my talk there was another break, afterwhich Tony Dodd a retired police officer of 25 years standing, took the stage and absolutely blew us away with his presentation. To say his talk was mind blowing is an understatement of gigantic proportions. You just had to have been there to have heard this. Amongst other things, he spoke about being harassed by the C.I.A. when he was over in the States doing research work. He was threatened with his life by them. Even his wife was threatened.
Tony went on to speak about animal mutilations, sheep, cattle, deer, pidgeons and even would you believe, mice, "Yes Mice! each found with holes in their heads in which bodily organs were removed, clinically and precisely. In some cases these holes appeared to be cauterised by some incredible heat! Slides depicting these horrible cases were shown, including an incredible case of human mutilation, not a pretty sight, it even had me squirming in my seat. Tony stated that these slides "HAD" to be shown, and who would disagree. The public have to be educated on this matter.
Tony also spoke about a missing Naval Warship and the cover-up which ensued around it. Owing to space I can only feature some of what Tony spoke about (more's the pity). I have heard a lot of good UFO speakers in my time, but Tony Dodd's presentation takes a lot of beating. After Tony's talk there was another break and an opportunity for visitors to the Town Hall (who incidentally came from all over. We had people from Wales, England, Scandinavia, and even America there) to talk shop. The usual contingent from the press were there but surprisingly no T.V. cameras. German Television Station A.R.D. were meant to be there but were held up, they are still coming to Scotland to film a piece about Scottish UFOlogy and a full report on their visit will be featured in the next issue of Enigmas. After the break there followed a question and answer session, in which Graham Birdsall, Tont Dodd and myself, took once more to the stage to answer the publics questions, (which could have went on all night).
So all in all then, Falkirk 96 was a huge success purely because the public got what they wanted, ie. "Wall to Wall UFO's" and not "Hugging Trees" like the last Town Hall UFO event. If you were not at Falkirk 96, then you missed yourself, and I don't say that lightly. This was the sharp end of UFOlogy, and boy was I glad to be a part of it.