War of the Words

Journalists should avoid cliches but they are just too useful. A picture is worth 1000 words and in the case of the 38 Gulf Breeze UFO photos shot by Ed Walters in 1987-1988 millions of them -- weird angry hilarious and profound words. Words by Dave Barry Mike Royko and Fox Mulder. Words on Unsolved Mysteries and Oprah. With the 20th anniversary approaching I think about another cliche with a twist: Truth is funnier than fiction. As a reporter in Pensacola Fla. I found myself in a War of the Words. TV networks flocked to town Believers and Debunkers battled over Ghost-Demon photos and Army deserters arrived in search of the Second Coming. With the mayor and police chief on one side and community leaders and the local paper on the other I went looking for the last word on the subject. I found a spaceship.