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An Employee-Owned Company
The Cognitive Sciences Laboratory
330 Cowper Street, Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Voice: 415.327.2007 —Fax: 415.322.7960
e-mail: may@hildegard.saicmp.com
Memorandum
SGI
I
Date:
21 September 1995
To:
|
From: Ed May
—
Re:
Publicity and things.
Status
of
Project
Program Review
As
part of Professor
Utts’
responsibility with regard
to
conducting
a review
of
the
research, she has been in close contact with me by phone. Although I have not yet seen her
report, she has given me a general overview of it and of Ray’s report as well.
I would like a formal opportunity to provide commentary on their review of our work and
hope that it would be included in your written report to Congress.
It seem natural that since
they have been examining my (and my colleague’s) work during the last 10 years,
that a
written commentary would bring completeness to the review. Perhaps this would be useful
even if the reviews are generally favorable.
Either as part of such a commentary or separately,
I would like to have copies of their
official reports and, if possible, of AIR’s report to you.
Visit
I plan to be in Washington on 23-25 October.
As you know, we are setting up meetings
with members
of the House and
Senate
Intelligence Committees during
that time.
I
anticipate that my clearances should be in your shop by then (if not by now).
Could we
plan to meet for an hour or so in the morning of the 23rd?
I could come to ORD to meet
with you and whomever else you think is appropriate.
The agenda is to discuss the future and to obtain a copy of your report to Congress in
preparation for our Congressional meetings.
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Publicity
One of my responsibilities as the Director of the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory, is to track
and report the publicity with regard to anomalous mental phenomena (e.g., psi, ESP,
etc.).
For your information,
this
section
includes
the
relevant portions of my report
to my
management.
Jim Schnable and British TV Channel 4
I have obtained an NTSC VHS copy of an hour program
that aired a few weeks ago in
England.
In essence
it
is a video
representation
of
Schnable’ s
written
piece
in
the
Independent Sunday paper.
The program features Mel Riley and Ed Dames but includes
interviews with MG
(ret) Ed Thompson
(former ARMY ACSI), Adm.
Turner,
Dr.
Puthoff, Lyn Buchanan, and John Alexander. Please find a copy of the tape enclosed.
In my opinion, the show is sensational and makes no attempt to separate fact from fiction.
By implication
it attempts (and perhaps accomplishes)
to raise the credibility of Dames,
Riley,
and
Alexander
by
association
with
generals,
admirals
and
the
Intelligence
community.
We have developed over a lengthy period of time, protocols
to prevent “transformative
experiences” as was described on this tape.
These protocols have already been successful
in
our laboratory
in
that none
of
our
people
have
such,
what
I view
as,
negative
“transformations.”
While these protocols have been developed within the flexibility of a
contractor situation,
it may be possible to adapt them to a government one.
What is very
clear to me is that the setting in which AC was used for intelligence was not, for die most
part,
a productive contributor of useful
data.
With
the
exception
of some
obvious
“successes,” the apparent failure of the operational unit was primarily a methodological
problem, and some of the unintended consequences of which are clearly displayed in this
tape.
It remains to be seen the degree to which AC can provide useful operational data once
the methodology
is sound.
Properly
configured,
I am
optimistic
for AC’s
positive
contribution.
As, perhaps a very naive scientist,
I thought the papers I signed with regard to classified
material were binding regardless of the content and age of the material and could only be
released by formal protocol.
Many of the individuals
in
this show
appear
to make a
mockery of those agreements they, too, had to sign.
Some of the mentioned individuals
are seeking private council with regard
to
legal
action, given
that the appropriate DIA
authorities are seemingly unwilling to act.
Dr. Vorona has sent a carefully worded letter of
protest to the editor of the Independent.
ABC 20/20
The story behind the ABC 20/20 show
is complex.
It begins with a well-known author,
Jim Marrs, who was
initially writing a book about Psi-Tech and Ed Dames.
During his
research, Marrs encountered Dave Moorehouse, who
claimed
that the
RV-training he
received while a member of the Ft. Meade unit “caused” him
to suffer extreme mental
distress.
(I know that A1 and Angela had to privide testimony with regard to this case.)
Marrs decided to focus his book on Morrehouse, and I understand that Dames obtained a
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court injunction against Marrs claiming a violation of some agreement they had.
In the
meantime, a book/media agent (name withheld here) is thought to be romantically involved
with Moorhouse and was pushing the ABC piece as an ersatz advertisement for Marrs’
stalled book.
It is also rumored that ABC owns Random House, the publisher of Marrs’
book.
I am
told by
the 20/20 people
that they could not put a whole
piece together
about
Moorehouse and had seen the Schnable
tape.
At
this moment
the show,
which was
scheduled for airing on 29 September is on hold; they want to interview MG. Thompson
who they were able to find in the phone directory.
I will be notified in advance of, of if,
it
s actual air date and time.
It seems unlikely at this time that the 20/20 show will have an impact prior to your report to
Congress.
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