AFU Newsletter - No 26 - 1983

Magazine Overview

This issue of the AFU Newsletter (Number 26, May-December 1983) from Archives for UFO Research (AFU) in Sweden focuses heavily on the development and implementation of a new library classification system called UFOCODE. The newsletter also includes reviews of recent books on UFO topics, updates on the AFU library's collection, and information regarding membership and services for the upcoming year.

Editorial: UFOCODE - A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR UFO RESEARCH

Anders Liljegren introduces UFOCODE, a comprehensive classification system designed to aid in the information retrieval (IR) of UFO literature. He explains that the system is a result of a six-month project to catalog the AFU's extensive library of 1,163 titles. Liljegren felt a strong need for a bibliographical tool to navigate the increasingly complex field of ufology, which existing library systems fail to address. UFOCODE is a tree-structured, mnemonic system with 15 main classes, each with a brief overview. The system uses codes to categorize various aspects of UFO phenomena, including crashes (GC), humanoid cases (GH), medical effects (GM), photographs (GP), radar cases (GR), trace cases (GT), and vehicle interference (GV). Historical UFO waves and cases are coded under main class H (e.g., HA for the 1896/97 airship mystery, HT for the Tungus phenomenon). Official investigations are under main class O, with sub-classes for continents and countries (e.g., OA for North America, OE for Europe). Contacts and communications with UFOs/aliens are in main class C (e.g., CA for abductions, CC for physical contacts). Analytical and technical studies of ufology are in main class U (e.g., UA for data analysis systems, UM for methodology problems). Theories on the origin and intent of UFOs are in main class T (e.g., TE for the ET theory, TP for paranormal theories). Technical aspects like design and propulsion are in main class D. Scientific perspectives are covered in classes B (behavioral sciences), N (natural sciences), and S (science in general). The outer edges of ufology, including ancient visits, religious phenomena, Portean phenomena, and parapsychology, are covered in classes A, R, F, and P, respectively. A final class, I, covers literature and library aspects (LR, LD, LP, LI).

Liljegren acknowledges that UFOCODE is an imperfect system but emphasizes its utility in helping researchers locate data. He welcomes comments for a potential future version 2.

Reviews

"...A GRAVEYARD OF SECRETS" by Lou Zinsstag & Timothy Good

Håkan Blomqvist reviews "George Adamski - the untold story" by Lou Zinsstag and Timothy Good. Zinsstag, Adamski's former Swiss representative, and Good, a British UFO researcher, collaborated on this book. The review highlights Adamski's claims of contact with "space people" from Ganymede and his new philosophy. It also touches upon the "brothers" and the "men in black," noting the potential physical similarities. The book examines evidence, corroborations, and contradictions in Adamski's statements, including the Silver Spring color movie film and the controversy surrounding the science fiction book "Pioneers of space," which Lucy McGinnis claims was ghost-written by Adamski. The review also mentions Adamski's founding of "The Royal Order of Tibet" and speculates on secret brotherhoods and a possible base for Adamski's "space people" on Mount Shasta. Blomqvist notes that the "good guys" are silent but that Adamski-type contacts still exist, and questions whether UFO investigation requires scientific or intelligence procedures, referencing Jacques Vallée's "Messengers of deception."

SHIRLEY MacLAINE; UPOS & A STARTLING COINCIDENCE

Håkan Blomqvist also reviews Shirley MacLaine's book "Out on a limb." He draws a parallel between MacLaine's account of meeting an extraterrestrial lover and teacher named "Mayan" in the Andes mountains of Peru and Charles A. Silva's book "Date with the Gods." In Silva's book, he recounts meeting "Rama," an extraterrestrial girl from Ganymede. Both accounts involve similar descriptions of the extraterrestrial beings and their origins, though Silva claims Rama is from Ganymede, while Mayan is from the Pleiades. Blomqvist notes that MacLaine herself is unsure what to make of her friend's story but observes that many locals in the district claim to have seen flying discs, prompting him to ask for help from other researchers to unravel these cases.

YOU COULD DEMAND BETTER PROOF OF UFOs...

Clas Svahn reviews Boris Jungkvist's third book, "Flygande tefat - kosmiska rymdskepp" (Flying saucers - cosmic spaceships), subtitled "Ny forskning kring UFO-mysteriet" (New research on the UFO mystery). Jungkvist maintains his thesis that UFOs are piloted by intelligent beings from other worlds. The book includes numerous Swedish and foreign cases, but Svahn criticizes its inclusion of poorly supported chapters, such as "Was Jesus a spaceman?" and "The Dogon close encounter with ET beings." Svahn finds the book entertaining for newcomers to the UFO mystery but points out its deficits for experienced ufologists, particularly the author's tendency to include too many cases, which dilutes the impact of stronger ones. The review also questions the quality of the photographic plates, referencing a past hoax affair involving Jungkvist's judgment of photos. A significant criticism is the lack of source references, with many newspaper articles being repeated without proper citation. Svahn notes that Jungkvist's belief in the written word is too strong, and that genuine progress in UFO research comes from firsthand investigation. However, Svahn acknowledges the value of Jungkvist's inclusion of excerpts from formerly secret CIA documents and finds the chapters on claimed UFO crashes to be breath-taking and adventurous.

"EXCHANGES" / "NEW BOOKS"

Anders Liljegren states that due to work pressure, he has not had time to review the heap of magazines and journals for these columns, and they will return in the next issue.

Tack - Thanks

Anders Liljegren expresses gratitude for a significant donation from Mr. C.O. Holmquist of Rockneby, Sweden. The collection comprises approximately 100 kilos of unique UFO-related documentary material, including 75 books and booklets, many from the 1950s and earlier. Notable items include Th. Flournoy's "From India to the planet Mars" (1963) and Margit Mustapa's "Spacecraft to the unknown" (1960). The collection was integrated into the new AFU library catalog. The newsletter also lists other previous donors who have significantly contributed to the AFU collection, including Lennart Johansson, Kjell Jonsson, K. Gösta Rehn, Boris Jungkvist, and Sven-Olof Fredrikson, awarding them lifetime access and free publications.

Critique & Spiral Mobius Reviews

The newsletter includes brief reviews of two publications:

• Critique - A Journal of Conspiracy & Metaphysics: This quarterly journal by Bob Ranner is recommended for conspiracy enthusiasts, exploring topics like UFOs, mind control, secret societies, and the occult. A specific article by Eric Wynants on Nazis, UFOs, and Antarctica is highlighted.
• Spiral Mobius...Newsletter of SPIRAL Enterprises: This monthly newsletter provides "tid-bits" claimed to come from behind the curtains of conspiracies, covering various topics from world affairs to science and technology, including UFOs and MIBs. The reviewer finds it too materialistic and rational for their taste but notes its interesting twists on world events.

Nyförvärv (New Acquisitions)

A list of new titles added to the AFU library is provided, with catalog numbers ranging from 0032 to 1162, referencing the "Beståndslista 1983" (Stock List 1983) supplement.

Avgifter 1984 (Fees 1984)

Information is provided regarding AFU fees for 1984. The support fee is a minimum of 50 SEK per year, regardless of whether one intends to borrow material. Access to the newsletter alone is no longer available at a lower fee. A book lending fee of 10 SEK per book will be charged if the loan is sent by post, to cover costs for postage, packaging, and binding. This fee must be paid in advance when ordering a loan. AFU plans to publish only one issue of the newsletter in 1984, dedicating most of their time to other projects related to the archive's activities.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the organization and accessibility of UFO research information, exemplified by the introduction of the UFOCODE classification system and the ongoing efforts to expand and catalog the AFU library. There is a clear emphasis on the importance of rigorous research methodology, as highlighted in the critical reviews of books that rely heavily on anecdotal evidence or lack proper sourcing. The editorial stance promotes the systematic study of UFO phenomena and encourages contributions from researchers worldwide. The newsletter also reflects a commitment to acknowledging and thanking donors who support the AFU's mission. The overall tone is one of dedicated archival work and a desire to professionalize the field of ufology through better organization and information management.