Monday, July 21, 2008

WEIRDNESS IS ONLY A STONE'S THROW AWAY IN ROSWELL, NM

In September 2004, local business owner Robert Ridge discovered a small stone incised with strange markings while hunting in Cedar Hill, a short drive from Roswell, NM, UFO mecca made famous by a supposed saucer crash in 1947. Curious, Ridge tucked the odd object into his pocket before returning home. Over the next year, the rock sat in a safe deposit box until the questions burning within got the better of him and Ridge began a quest to solve the mystery of the stone.

Last July, Ridge met with UFO investigators Chuck Zukowski and Debbie Ziegelmeyer who, in turn, showed the rock to still other experts. Anthropologists spoke up, citing that the bas relief design could not have been made in antiquity and required modern equipment. Others noted the stone, which blushed red from the presence of iron oxides, possessed magnetic properties.

From these simple observations, more outlandish claims arose. One termed the specimen a "lodestone" or magical rock. Another claims the embossed design bears striking similarities to that of crop circles that appeared in Liddleton, England in 1996. A local Tijeras woman, Priscilla Wolf, who visited the spot where the rock was located, spoke of feeling her hands vibrate when she held the stone. She also claimed a light shot down from the heavens at that very site.

However, not long after the story first broke, a handful of locals came forward claiming to own similar rocks. They were, they said, once sold as UFO souvenirs and many had crop circle designs carved on them. Quickly, those closest to the mystery began to distance themselves from Ridge and his claims.

But the businessman remains steadfast in his convictions, challenging those who doubt to provide samples of these souvenir stones. Investigators Zukowski and Ziegelmeyer remain convinced, as well. The two have scoured the Internet, souvenir shops, and new age stores in search of similar objects but, thusfar, have come up empty. They also cite that no tourist stands were ever that far away from Roswell, at the foot of the Capitan Mountains.

But none of that discounts that Ridge didn't fabricate the story - or the stone.

In the trio's favor is their willingness to seek the public's help in tracking down any similar stones that may exist, whether they came from a gift shop or somewhere a lot further away.

Others, however, need no such lengths. One Roswell-area ufologist stated that he believes "the government wants to discredit the rock.... That's why people are questioning the rock and its discovery." Well, you certainly can't argue with logic like that.

4 comments:

RRRGroup said...

Hahahaha..."you can't argue with logic like that."

You know, of course, Cullan, that anything connected to Roswell will get scant notice from science (real science) or main-stream media.

The inscribed rock(s) will only exacerbate the silly factor that Roswell evokes.

RR

Cullan Hudson said...

Oh, I agree. Everything about Roswell is fun, if you take it as fun. It's the could-it-be-true thrill that goes little further.

But I have to wonder about those who have these fearful notions that the government is some sinister cabal, bent on disinformation and the protection of a great alien conspiracy. It makes for a great X-Files story arc but little else.

Of course, by doubting its authenticity, I am now a part of said cabal.

RRRGroup said...

C:

I've always wondered why, if there is a government cabal, hiding info on alien visitations (or anything else), why some bloke wouldn't crack and spill the beans.

After all, the Manhattan Project produced a few sneaks who passed on info to the Soviets.

Why wouldn't (or hasn't) something like that happen(ed) if alien visitations or contact has taken place?

The spill-the-beaner would become an overnight sensation and hero.

We all know how much 15 minutes of fame is worth noawadays.

RR

WHORLBOOKS said...

You have not tread far enough into the murky waters of conspiracy yet...they a) have all been killed off by the Men in Black, b) been replaced by replicates sent by the Reptiles hiding behind the planet hiding behind the sun..., c) they have been moved to another part of the matrix and reassigned new identities.....all of which have been offered as theories in the past 20 years....