ACUFOS Journal vol 4 no 4

Magazine Overview

This issue of "The Journal of the Australian Centre for UFO Studies" (ACUFOS), Volume 4, Number 4, dated July/August 1983, is published by ACUFOS from P.O. Box 229, Prospect, S.A. 5082, Australia. The subscription price is $10 (Australian Currency) annually. The publication states that no part may be reproduced without prior written consent, except by UFO organizations, and that articles do not necessarily reflect the views of ACUFOS.

Table of Contents

The issue features an index with the following items:

• Editorial: "MOMENTUM – WHY SHOULD IT BE CONSERVED?" by Frank Gillespie (Page 1)
• Some Additional Information to 'Vehicle Interference Catalogue' by Keith Basterfield (Pages 2-3)
• Are There "Cases of Mistaken Identity"? by John Prytz (Pages 4-5)
• Patterns in UFO Identification Statistics by Frank Gillespie (Pages 6-7)
• Admitted Hoaxes by George Hume (Page 8)
• The Rumour, the Leak, and the UFO by John Prytz (Pages 9-12)
• UFO/IFO: A Process of Elimination reviewed by Mark Moravec (Page 13)
• ACUFOS Bibliography Service by John Prytz (Pages 14-16)

Editorials

MOMENTUM – WHY SHOULD IT BE CONSERVED?

Frank Gillespie, in his editorial, questions the fundamental assumption that real objects behave like particles and obey the conservation of momentum. He posits that while energy conservation is logical, momentum is an artificial concept. Gillespie suggests that if momentum is not conserved, the prohibitive reaction mass required for near-light-speed interstellar travel would be eliminated, opening up possibilities for travel between star systems. He argues that denying the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors solely on the basis of the Law of Conservation of Momentum would be a bold, or foolish, stance.

Articles

Some Additional Information to a "Preliminary Catalogue of Australian Vehicle Interference UFO Events"

Keith Basterfield updates a previous ACUFOS catalogue of vehicle interference reports. He presents several new cases from Australia:

• January 3, 1955, Melbourne, VIC: A car's engine stalled when a flying object came within 70 meters.
• June 1961, Barabon Siding, QLD: A car broke down, and the owner saw four white 'inverted saucer-like objects' moving around a larger one for 20 minutes.
• March 13, 1967, Mandurah, WA: Two teenagers witnessed a bluish globe of light causing their car's engine to die; the headlights remained on.
• March 19, 1969, Gladstone, QLD: A saucer-shaped object approached two cars, hovered, and pulsed, causing the car headlights to spread wider.
• December 3, 1980, Murray Upper, QLD: While observing a light, two men experienced their car's engine dying, radio stopping, and lights flickering. The object hovered over the car for 20-30 minutes.
• July 6, 1982, Hampshire, TAS: A car lost power near a fence that was sparking; a stationary, blue/black 'oval' object was seen hovering, after which the car started.

Basterfield also provides further information on the January 13, 1958, Casino, NSW case, where a dome-shaped object chased a car with a beam of light, causing radio interference. He corrects two cases reported by Mark Rodeghier concerning vehicle interference, suggesting Rodeghier's versions are inaccurate or confused with other events.

Are There "Cases of Mistaken Identity"?

John Prytz responds to Frank Gillespie's editorial argument about 'Cases of Mistaken Identity'. Prytz acknowledges the observation that the proportion of unidentified UFO reports remains relatively constant, but questions Gillespie's conclusion that most 'identified' cases are erroneous. Prytz suggests that the fluctuations in identified and unidentified reports are natural and can be influenced by various factors, including social ones and the potential influence of an external intelligence. He proposes that rather than most identifications being erroneous, many 'unidentifieds' should simply have been identified, implying a need for better investigative capabilities. Prytz outlines areas for future research, including rigorous statistical analysis of UFO data, examination of sub-parts of the identified category, and parallels with non-UFO 'pseudo-scientific' topics.

Patterns in UFO Identification Statistics

Frank Gillespie elaborates on his editorial's premise, arguing that UFO identification statistics show a pattern inconsistent with reality. He contends that 'unidentifieds' often consist of 'good look/close-up' cases, while 'poor look/distant' cases are frequently given unwarranted identifications. Gillespie believes that common identifications like planes or balloons are often incorrect because they lead to statistical patterns that do not make sense. He suggests that fluctuations in identified and unidentified UFO reports should be independent and averaged out globally, and that significant correlations might indicate an unknown causative factor, rather than the existence of UFOs themselves. He invites organizations to examine their UFO statistics on this basis.

Admitted Hoaxes

George Hume discusses the problem of admitted hoaxes in ufology. He quotes an article from 1961 suggesting that investigators should examine incidents on their own merits, with an 'admitted hoax' being one confessed by the perpetrator. Hume questions the value of a confession if the original story was not genuine. He analyzes the Maddington hoax of 1969, where a photographer confessed to creating a hoax with a model after claiming an original photo was genuine. Hume also mentions cases where photos were confessed as hoaxes years later. He touches upon the 'Space Kidnappers' article in 'Discover' concerning UFO abductions via hypnosis, highlighting a case where a woman retracted her 'extraterrestrial experience' claim, posing the question of which story to believe and the difficulty for researchers in separating genuine from false accounts.

The Rumour, the Leak, and the UFO

John Prytz examines the role of rumors in ufology, noting that they are common in all fields of interest. He states that ufology has its share of persistent rumors that become part of the mythos. Prytz suggests that belief in rumors is often reinforced by their recurrence, rather than by inherent logic. He identifies the crashed flying saucer narrative as a prominent ufological rumor, citing the Roswell Incident book and the film 'Hangar 18'. Prytz proposes that the 'leak' is the balancing reaction to a rumor, confirming or denying it. He argues that people who know secrets often talk, making it nearly impossible to stop the transmission of information, citing examples of government budget leaks. He implies that the persistence of a rumor might indicate its lack of substance.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue strongly engages with the critical analysis of UFO phenomena, particularly concerning the reliability of identification and the nature of evidence. The recurring themes include the statistical patterns of UFO sightings and identifications, the challenges of distinguishing genuine sightings from misidentifications or hoaxes, and the philosophical implications of scientific laws like the conservation of momentum in the context of UFOs. The editorial stance appears to be one of rigorous skepticism and a call for more scientific and statistical rigor in UFO research, questioning established assumptions and encouraging deeper investigation into the data and its interpretation. There is a clear emphasis on logical deduction and evidence-based reasoning, challenging both the uncritical acceptance of UFO claims and the dismissal of the subject.

This issue of ACUFOS (Australian Centre for UFO Research) presents a collection of articles and bibliographies related to mysteries, with a particular focus on leaks and UFO phenomena. The publication date is indicated as March/April 1983, with the content likely originating from Australia.

The Pervasiveness of Leaks

The issue opens with a stark illustration of the frequency and significance of leaks, presenting a series of examples from various sources, primarily "The Age" newspaper, spanning from March 1981 to February 1982. These examples detail leaks concerning British security services (MI5), Australian foreign affairs and defense documents, US State Department policy papers, transcripts of Premiers' Conferences, ASIO reports, government criticism of policy, Cabinet documents, and internal departmental memos. The article highlights that leaks are not confined to unimportant matters but often involve highly sensitive areas, suggesting that the incentive to leak can be as strong as the incentive to conceal.

The UFO Rumor Mill: Crashed Flying Saucers

Following the discussion on leaks, the magazine turns to the persistent rumor of crashed flying saucers. The author posits that if such an event were true, it would inherently involve several elements: it would be a "BIG story," highly sensitive, and would have occurred some time ago, meaning many individuals across various levels of government and military would possess knowledge of it. The author argues that the combination of a big, sensitive secret known by many people over long periods, and of interest to outsiders, makes the likelihood of actual crashed flying saucers very low. The reasoning is that if such a secret existed, it would have been leaked by now, drawing a parallel to the numerous other leaks discussed earlier. The author suggests that such rumors are more fodder for science fiction writers than for ufologists, especially if they lack substantiation through leaks.

Review: UFO/IFO: A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

A significant portion of the issue is dedicated to a review of "UFO/IFO: A Process of Elimination," a joint publication by two English UFO groups, the Swindon Centre for UFO Research and Probe. This 41-page illustrated booklet is presented as a manifestation of a growing trend towards scientifically investigating UFO phenomena. The report examines the process of investigating UFO cases and the lessons learned from identified cases. It covers elementary ground familiar to most UFO researchers, such as sorting UFOs from IFOs (Identified Flying Objects), but also offers useful resource material. Articles within the booklet discuss astronomical IFOs, psychological processes of perception, ball lightning, lens flare photographs, aircraft lights, and balloons. Several case studies are included, one of which details how a report of an Adamski-style disc was identified as an aircraft. The review recommends the booklet to active field investigators and those interested in investigative methodology.

Bibliographic Updates

The latter part of the magazine comprises extensive bibliographic updates, categorized by subject matter. These include:

• Mysteries of the Air & Sea: Regional Happenings in Australia (Sydney 1980) and Great Lakes (1968-1971), Case Studies like Donald Crowhurst, the "Cyclops" mystery, and Flight 19, and the "Joyita" mystery.
• Case Studies - Mary Celeste: A list of publications related to the famous maritime mystery.
• Case Studies - Philadelphia Experiment: References to Moore & Berlitz's work and a fictional account.
• Case Studies - Star Tiger/Star Ariel: Reports from the British Ministry of Civil Aviation concerning the loss of these aircraft in 1948 and 1949.
• Sagan, Carl: A reference to his inclusion in a UFO Guidebook.
• Cosmic Chemistry: An article on "Stardust in the lab."
• Panspermia: Monographs and journal articles, including F. Hoyle's work and discussions on "space sneeze" and radio observations of comets.
• Exobiology: Book reviews on topics like "Quest for Extraterrestrial Life," "Strategies for the Search for Life in the Universe," and "Life Beyond the Earth."
• Astro-Archaeology: An article on ancient solar observatories.
• UFOs - Journal Articles: References to "Curran events," UFO updates concerning a CE3K near an English NATO base, and "Calling all UFOs."
• UFOs - Electronic Media: An interview about "Computers and UFOs."
• UFOs - Sound Recordings: A recording titled "UFO Encounters."
• Monsters: Articles on "mythic beasts" and "Explaining Nessie."
• Artificial Intelligence: Monographs and journal articles on super-intelligent machines and robots.
• Mysteries of the Air & Sea - General: A book titled "Into the Blue: Great Mysteries of Aviation."

A compiler's note invites ACUFOS ufologists to submit their publication credits for future bibliographic columns, aiming to create master compilations of authored/edited works.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the prevalence and significance of leaks in revealing hidden information, and the critical examination of UFO phenomena, particularly the persistent rumor of crashed flying saucers. The editorial stance appears to be one of skepticism towards unsubstantiated UFO claims, advocating for rigorous, scientific investigation and a critical approach to anecdotal evidence. The review of "UFO/IFO: A Process of Elimination" reinforces this stance by highlighting the importance of methodology and critical analysis in ufology. The extensive bibliographies suggest a commitment to documenting and cataloging information across a wide range of mysterious phenomena, while the emphasis on leaks underscores a belief in the transparency of information, even if unintended.