AMSKAYA

Magazine Overview

Title: AMSKAYA
Issue: No. 16
Date: October 1989
Publisher: STAR Fellowship
Type: Newsletter of the STAR Fellowship

This issue of AMSKAYA, the journal of the STAR Fellowship, details the proceedings of a conference on UFOs held at the Grand Hotel, Port Talbot, organized by the Open University Graduates' Research into Anomalous Phenomena (OUGRAP).

A Conference in Wales

The conference aimed to explore mysterious happenings, with UFOs as its central theme. Gordon Millington, the organizer, provided an outline of the UFO phenomenon, categorizing encounters into CE1 (Light in the sky), CE2 (physical trace), CE3 (sometimes 'cone of silence' or 'oz effect'), and CE4 (UFOnauts seen and abduction). He described the typical abduction scenario, often revealed through hypnosis, involving missing time and medical examinations.

A tape by researcher Tim Good was played, discussing apparent government secrecy surrounding UFOs and various theories. Gordon Millington also presented a case study of Alfred Burtoo, who reported seeing a vivid light, encountering figures in green coveralls, and being taken into a large, standing object. Inside, he found an octagonal room and was asked his age before being released.

Jenny Randles, director of investigations for BUFORA, spoke on abductions, suggesting they offer the closest approach to understanding alien intelligences. She referenced the Betty and Barney Hill case as setting a pattern for abduction narratives, which often involve missing time and medical examinations revealed under hypnosis. Randles dismissed contact claims cursorily.

Other Cases and Theories

The issue recounts several other cases: a frightening incident at Frodsham where figures in suits and helmets measured a cow, leaving physical marks; a case in Machynlleth in 1975 involving jelly-like beings that caused blindness and trauma; and a 1974 incident where a husband and wife lost two hours after driving through a green mist, experiencing radio interference. A similar 'medical examination' case involving policeman Alan Godfrey in Todmorden was also mentioned.

Randles postulated that unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) might involve radiation fields that cause physical effects and, in creatively visual individuals, hallucinations. She suggested that the UAP manifestation is testable.

UFOlogy Past, Present, and Future

Following a panel discussion, Miss Randles presented on the history and future of UFOlogy. She used an image of Uranus's moon and a magnified view of water to illustrate how perception can alter reality. She corrected the popular term 'flying saucer,' attributing it to a misinterpretation of Kenneth Arnold's description of objects moving 'like a saucer skipping over a pond.' Initially, post-WWII, UFOs were thought to be Russian devices, but later theories shifted to extraterrestrial technology. The issue notes that everyone, including future President Jimmy Carter, started seeing UFOs, though Carter's sighting was explained.

Photographs and Hoaxes

The famous Trinidade Island UFO photograph, initially deemed authentic by an analyst, was later disproved by a BUFORA member. Lenticular clouds and lens flare were also presented as potential misidentified UFOs. The Alex Birch photograph, which interested the Ministry of Defence, was later admitted by Birch to be a hoax, though the author questions the motive, suggesting possible external pressure.

Genuine UFOs and Natural Phenomena

Jenny Randles discussed 'genuine UFOs' as natural phenomena, particularly in 'Pennine and Dyfed "window areas."' She believes secrecy surrounding UFOs is due to their potential applications, such as causing cars to stall or leaving marks on skin. A photograph of two 'real UFOs' was shown, reportedly seen in a Scandinavian valley.

Corn Circles and UFOnauts

Paul Fuller, a BUFORA colleague, presented on corn circles, which have appeared for years and possibly since the seventeenth century. He described them as typically egg-shaped with swirled centers, sometimes clockwise or anticlockwise, and often layered. He distinguished genuine circles from hoaxes by the absence of damage paths and the characteristic swirling. Fuller claimed the Daily Mirror once hoaxed a circle to fool the Daily Express.

Dr. Terence Mead presented research suggesting corn circles are caused by previously unrecognised plasma vortices. These vortices appear as spinning columns of vapor, are short-lived, and can glow, producing 'UFO'-like appearances and stalling car engines. Induction currents cause outer circles in larger formations. Mead also noted similarities between some prehistoric sites and corn circles, suggesting ancient worship.

Fuller also discussed the Meier contact case in Switzerland, suggesting the grass circles were genuine but the photographs were models on strings. He implied investigators might have ignored evidence of faking for financial reasons.

UFOnaut Types

A detailed comparison of two types of UFOnauts was presented:

• Type 1: Tall, Blond & Noble: These beings claim to select 'worthy' victims, lure them with 'hunches,' and are described as tall, blond, fine-featured, and 'angelic.' They claim to be from space confederations, offer uplifting messages, and provide trips to known places. They inflict no ill after-effects and may promise follow-up contacts.
• Type 2: Bug-Eyed & Dwarfish: These select subjects randomly, attack at night, and are described as dwarfish, ugly, and terrifying. They are cold and methodical, conducting painful experiments without explanation. They may give cryptic information, offer occasional voyages to bizarre places, erase memories, and leave victims traumatized. Follow-up contacts are sometimes made, regardless of the victim's wishes.

Several other types have appeared but are less common.

Uri Puharich and 'Space People'

The issue includes Part 2 of "Uri Celler and the Space People" by Tony Wedd, detailing Dr. Puharich's work with Uri. Uri underwent hypnotic sessions, which revealed an early childhood incident. His experiences included 'vanishing' a steel ring and a camera cartridge, and a close encounter with a UFO named 'Spectra.' Puharich's cine camera case mysteriously appeared in Israel. Uri also experienced 'apport' phenomena, being transported from New York to Ossining and, earlier, having a machine gun assemble itself during Israeli army training.

Personal Encounters and Observations

The author recounts a hot air balloon trip above the clouds, where a tiny white circle in a photograph resembled a UFO seen after the 1987 hurricane. The author questions if it was a defect, as other pictures in the set did not show similar anomalies.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, alien abductions, the nature of UFOnauts, government secrecy, and the potential for natural phenomena to explain some UFO reports. The STAR Fellowship, through AMSKAYA, appears to present a broad spectrum of UFO-related topics, from conference reports and personal testimonies to detailed analyses of specific cases and phenomena like corn circles and UFOnaut classifications. There is an underlying interest in the 'truth' behind UFOs, with a critical examination of evidence, potential hoaxes, and the implications of these phenomena. The inclusion of the Uri Puharich story suggests an openness to more esoteric and paranormal aspects of the UFO field, such as teleportation and 'space people' contact.