There are two threads on the UFO Updates List associated with the same story, which caught my interest this past week, and at first glance it might appear that it is obvious why I would wish to comment on them. The threads are, 'NASA Hires Writer to Debunk Apollo Theory', and 'NASA Commissions Book to Prove Moon Landing Really Happened'.

Now this story embodies all the things that I like a really hot (albeit totally foolish) conspiracy theory, NASA, and James Oberg.

The Fox network aired a piece (and through the use of repetitive airing seem to be attempting to give this story an aura of truth) titled 'Conspiracy Theory: Did We Really Land on the Moon?' and it seems that NASA is so very worried about people believing what is in that particular piece that they've finally hired James Oberg to write something up to show how ludicrous the piece truly is. Makes perfect sense, don't it? Fox airs story NASA gets worried and hires a writer to rebut the foolish story because people are believing it. There you have it simple case closed. Right?

However there are a few little niggly details about all of this that bothers me a little.

First, the story itself. I have personally done two pieces here on Strange Days Indeed about the Fox special and how totally ridiculous the theory they expound in the special truly is. Not only I, but others have also publicly come forward and announced in articles on the Internet and on various Television shows about the waste of videotape trying to prove an absurd concept. To be blunt, anybody with a functioning brain can clearly see that what is presented as "evidence" of NASA not landing on the moon is contrived and manipulated factual fantasy. For the LAST time Although I don't have any particular love of NASA, they DID land on the moon.

Another niggly part of this that bothers me a little is NASA hiring James Oberg to write up the piece about this. Come on I've been going on for ages about how James Oberg is NASA's favourite spokespuppy and lo and behold who do they hire to write this most simple of theory rebuttals none other than the king of falling rocket boosters are behind the sightings of UFOs AND one of the most vocal Pelicanists out there.

Now from what I understand via the threads on the list is that NASA has commissioned the spokespuppy to write a 30,000-word treatise about the Fox special and thereby giving credence to the erroneous thread that they've asked for a book. Incidentally, although it sounds like a lot, at best a 30,000- word piece would be considered nothing more than a novelette; it requires more than 50,000 words to be considered a book.

But here is the crux of what is bothering me about all of this. I refuse to believe that there are so many people out there who believe the FOX special that NASA feels compelled to hire someone to shoot it down. If anyone is truly interested and give it a just a little thought, the special shoots itself down quite nicely without anybody's help at all.

As reported by Ted Streuli of The Daily News, "The monograph will not merely try to debunk the theories of those who claim NASA faked the six manned lunar landings, it will also examine how such theories take hold, gain popularity and spread." In other words, the monograph will be nothing more than a platform enabling the spokespuppy to expound on some of his and NASA's other theories. (Ones that are not as easy to get people to buy into)

I predict that James Oberg will USE this opportunity to do nothing more than simply use the monograph as a forum for NASA to air some of the other "explanations" about UFOs and aliens. (And James I know you're listening come on I dare ya prove me wrong on this one.)

Picking an easy target to attack and using it as a smokescreen in order to get at a harder target is a typical tactic used by debunkers and that is exactly what NASA and the spokespuppy, James Oberg, are up to with this planned rebuttal to the Fox special

... but that's just my take on it!