Awareness - 1981 - Vol 10 No 2 - Summer

Magazine Overview

AWARENESS, the quarterly journal of Contact (UK), Summer 1981 issue, Volume 10 No: 2. The cover is a plain light blue with the title and subtitle, and the date SUMMER 1981. The price is listed as 60p.

Editorial

The editorial apologizes for the lateness of the issue, attributing it to financial constraints and the free work done by Data Research members. It notes that their fellow organization, Bufora, has had to increase subscriptions due to reduced printing quality. The editor expresses concern about the lack of UFO sightings but notes an investigation in the Leeds area concerning a body found with inexplicable burn marks, potentially linked to UFO activity, which was featured in the Sunday Mirror. The editorial also congratulates George King of the Aetherius Society on his new title. A significant UFO case reported via their telephone 'hot-line' on August 8th is mentioned, involving 15 calls describing a brilliant white light seen from Oxford and surrounding areas. The editorial encourages submissions for a Prize Essay competition and mentions the availability of car-stickers. It highlights that this edition contains more case histories than theories and includes a supplement detailing the President's visit to South Africa, encouraging correspondence with contacts in South Africa, Italy, and Malta. Finally, the editor appeals for articles from readers.

Contents

The contents include an Editorial, Special Investigations (Unusual Phenomena Case and Contactee Case), Spanish UFO Incidents-November 1980, Chemical Transformations due to UFO Activity, Letters To the Editor, Reviews, Selected UFO Reports, Advertisements, and a Supplement. Contact International Newsletter.

Special Investigations

Unusual Phenomena Case

This section details a case that occurred on August 15th, 1969, at White Horse Hill, Uffington, Berks. Two members of Contact International and two Territorial Army members were present. The incident involved an object described as the size of a table-tennis ball, emitting a brilliant white light. The object darted down and controlled the movements of the witnesses for approximately two and a half hours before disappearing. The witnesses reported feeling tremendous heat from the object and were convinced it was completely controlled. The report notes that Data Research members have known about this case since it happened but have kept the witnesses' names confidential due to promises made to the Territorial Army members. The editor speculates the object might have been a form of laser beam, but notes that laser technology was limited in 1969. The presence of the TA on maneuvers raises questions about the paranormal origin, but the editor suggests the TA soldiers would not have been subjected to such 'humiliations' if it were an Army secret weapon.

Contactee Case by Margaret Fry

This investigation by Margaret Fry concerns a witness named Jean, who was born in London and had a difficult upbringing. The incident occurred in the early hours of January 4th, 1979, during a severe winter. Jean and her husband were at their home in Rowley Regis, Worcestershire. Jean saw an orange ball of light in the sky, which she initially mistook for the rising sun. Three slender, glowing beings, about 3'6" to 4' tall, floated into her home. They had protective transparent 'fish bowls' around their heads, brilliant diamond-like jet black eyes, and pointed hands and feet. They wore a green/silver tunic with buttons and had transparent, iridescent wings. The beings communicated in English after manipulating buttons on their chests, stating they came from the sky and that their planet was cold. They examined household items and drank water offered to them. They also mentioned visiting Australia, New Zealand, and America, and stated they had been to Earth before and would return. They conveyed a message that "Everyone will go to Heaven, there are beautiful colours there." The beings left in a craft described as an orange coloured glowing 'thing' about 8/10 ft. by 4ft., with round portholes and an aerial. The craft generated significant power, melting snow and ice in its vicinity. The police were called and observed the melted snow, ice, and lawn markings, which remained visible for almost a year. Photographs were taken of the melted ice and markings. A curious circle was also noted on the kitchen door glass. Jean experienced migraines and had a purple circle radiating from her forehead, with a small raised lump of flesh. Two years later, she had recovered and no longer experienced headaches.

Other Mentions

• Spanish UFO Incidents-November 1980: Briefly listed in the contents.
• Chemical Transformations due to UFO Activity: Listed in the contents, with Kiril Terziev credited.
• Selected UFO Reports: Compiled by D.N. Mansell.
• Contact International Supplement: Enclosed, detailing the President's visit to South Africa.

The Contact (UK) Directory

The directory lists the National Chairman (J.Sear), Hon. Secretary (J.Loveridge), Hon. Treasurer (D.N.Mansell), Hon. Membership Secretary (Mrs. S.Robb), Investigations Co-Ordinator (Mrs. P.Fenton), Research Enqs., & Editor (G.E. Ambler), Senior Research Officer (D.N. Mansell), and Librarian (J.B. Delair), along with their addresses.

Opinions and Copyright

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or staff. Contributors are responsible for factual accuracy. Material is copyright CONTACT (UK) 1981. Reproduction requires prior permission.

Advertising Rates

Rates are provided for full page, half page, quarter page, and lineage.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine's stance appears to be one of serious investigation into UFO phenomena, prioritizing case histories and witness testimony. The editorial emphasizes the importance of supporting organizations like Bufora and maintaining the integrity of UFO research despite financial challenges. There is a clear focus on documenting and analyzing reported sightings and encounters, as evidenced by the detailed 'Special Investigations' section. The magazine also aims to foster a sense of community among researchers and enthusiasts, encouraging correspondence and submissions.

This issue of UFO DATA, from Autumn 1980, Volume 9, No. 3, focuses on UFO incidents and related phenomena. It includes detailed accounts of sightings, potential scientific explanations, and book reviews.

Jean's Experience

The issue begins with an account of a woman named Jean who experienced contact with beings from another world. She suffered physical after-effects such as a severe body rash, pins and needles, tingling hands, sore eyes, and migraines. The author emphasizes the importance of collecting tangible evidence, such as materials from the sofa where the contact occurred, tape recordings, radios, and other objects that may have been touched or despoiled by the beings. The author criticizes the tendency to focus on psychological tangents rather than physical evidence and notes that many sane and sensible people have reported similar experiences, but their accounts are often rejected due to human conceit.

Spanish UFO Incidents - November 1980

A significant portion of the magazine details UFO sightings over North-East Spain between November 21st and 25th, 1980, translated from Spanish papers. On November 11th, five aircraft, including commercial airliners and a British jet, were intercepted by UFOs in the skies above Catalunia, the Balearic Islands, and Valencia. The UFOs were described as greenish and moved at enormous speed. Pilots reported that the objects moved horizontally, sometimes behind their planes and sometimes in front, and one object appeared to 'burst' into five smaller objects.

One Iberia flight on the Asturias/Barcelona route had to perform a sharp maneuver to avoid a UFO. Witnesses at Barcelona airport also saw a UFO making a violent descent before shooting upwards and disappearing. These encounters were registered by other aircraft simultaneously across North-East Spain. The pilots were forced to take sudden evasive action, sometimes without time to alert air traffic control.

Initially, radar screens showed no trace of the UFOs, leading to confusion for controllers who only observed the aircraft's evasive maneuvers. The pilots eventually reported the situation via radio.

Official Explanations and Parliamentary Discussion

There was no immediate response from the Spanish Minister of Defence or Transport regarding a previous UFO incident. The Spanish Parliament was noted as being the third in the world to discuss the matter of UFOs, after Britain and Italy. UFO experts mentioned that Enrique Mugica had a substantial file on the 1979 Manises UFO incident. Reports also surfaced of UFOs seen above Valencia during a military celebration, with two Mirage jets reportedly sent to intercept them without success.

Later articles in 'La Vanguardia' suggested that the UFOs seen on November 11th could have been military aircraft conducting strategic exercises, which are not always communicated to civil aviation authorities. This lack of communication, combined with maneuvers and limited visibility, could explain why they were mistaken for UFOs. However, witnesses with technical knowledge dismissed this explanation, describing the craft as non-airplanes, with various green lights appearing simultaneously and moving at high speed.

An article published on November 26th stated that the Council of the Chiefs of the Armed Forces declared the matter of the UFOs seen on November 11th a 'Reserved Subject,' indicating it could affect national defense and security.

Chemical Transformations Due to UFO Activity

Extracted from papers by Kiril Terziev in Yugoslavia, this section speculates on how UFO propulsion systems might chemically alter atmospheric elements. The author suggests that molecules in the air could be accelerated, leading to collisions and ionization, thus becoming more prone to chemical reactions. The primary elements involved are oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2). The article details potential reactions:

• Ozone (O3): Formed when an electric arc passes through oxygen or air, producing a characteristic odor. It is a more reactive form of oxygen.
• Nitrogen Monoxide (NO): Formed under very high temperatures, such as from an electric arc, combining nitrogen and oxygen. This reaction absorbs heat.
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2): Formed when nitrogen monoxide combines with oxygen. It is a dark brown, poisonous gas with a characteristic odor, acting as a strong oxidator.
• Formaldehyde (HCHO): Can be formed under the action of ultra-violet light.

The article suggests that these compounds might be evident from visible phenomena like glowing effects, smoke, and crystal masses near an active UFO.

Extracts of UFO Incidents

The magazine provides a list of UFO incidents from various locations and dates, often noting associated smells or physical traces:

• Wellford, South Carolina (July 1964): Glowing object like an inverted top; witness smelled formaldehyde-like odor.
• Blenheim, New Zealand (July 1959): Saucer-shaped glowing object; smell resembling pepper.
• Beaumont, France (October 1954): Flying machine lost luminosity; witness smelled nitrobenzene-like odor.
• Tallulah Falls, Georgia (July 1964): Cup-shaped object left an odor like brake liquid or embalming fluid.
• Connersville, Indiana (August 1966): Luminous object like two dishes fastened at the rim; witness smelled sulfur or tannic acid odor.
• Cherry Creek, New York (August 1956): Large elliptical object with a red glow; purplish substance found on the ground.
• Diamantina, Brazil (August 1962): Two large glowing ball-shaped objects emitted yellow smoke with an acrid smell.
• Tranca, Argentina (October 1963): Five glowing domed disc-shaped structures; strong sulfur smell in the vicinity.
• Hobbs, New Mexico (June 1964): Object like a top giving off smoke, soot, and fire; child exposed to it suffered second-degree burns.
• Fort Belvoir, U.S. Army Facility (September 1957): Dark, ring-shaped object that later became engulfed in smoke.
• Bordesley Green, Birmingham, England (June 1969): Thick ring of black, oily smoke resembling a rubber band.
• Santa Ana, California (August 1965): Saucer-shaped UFO photographed; left a blue-black vapor ring.
• Ponta Poran, Brazil (December 1957): Two large glowing Saturn-shaped UFOs; an odd luminous haze was found where a landing had occurred.

Letters to the Editor

N. Watson from Althorpe, S. Humberside, writes regarding an article titled 'The Andreasson Affair' and 'The Time Machine' by B.J. Burden. Watson expresses skepticism about Burden's assertions, particularly the idea that H.G. Wells might have been influenced by extraterrestrial signals when writing 'The War of the Worlds.' Watson suggests that both 'The Andreasson Affair' and 'The Time Machine' should be viewed as works of imagination, as there is no empirical evidence to verify the subjective experiences of contactees like Andreasson.

Watson also comments on Jenny Randles' assertion that the Fatima incident was a classic CE4 event, warning against the tendency of ufologists to lump together disparate UFO phenomena without proper analysis, comparing it to 'mad theorizing.'

Reviews

Book Review: UFO STUDY: A Handbook for Enthusiasts by Jenny Randles

This review praises Jenny Randles' second book as a valuable resource for UFO enthusiasts, covering investigation techniques, physical trace cases, and alleged UFO photographs. It notes that the history of UFO phenomena is covered briefly but effectively, and the book outlines a basis for future research using a modern approach. The reviewer finds the book merits attention, despite a slightly high price.

Book Review: "UFO" by Milt Machlin with Tim Beckley

This review describes "UFO" as an excellent introductory book for newcomers to ufology, presenting basic facts and theories clearly and concisely. The reviewer commends the authors for their objectivity. A chapter on celebrities who have seen UFOs is highlighted, mentioning figures like ex-President Carter, Muhammed Ali, Jackie Gleason, and Neil Sedaka. The book covers a wide range of topics, from accepted theories to more speculative ones, including the MIB phenomenon and biblical connections, making it a useful quick reference.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents UFO phenomena as a subject worthy of serious investigation, emphasizing the collection of physical evidence and critical analysis. It highlights witness testimony while also exploring potential scientific explanations, including atmospheric chemical reactions and the possibility of military exercises being mistaken for UFOs. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, encouraging the examination of evidence and challenging conventional skepticism, while also cautioning against unsubstantiated theories and the tendency to over-generalize within the field of ufology.

This issue of the Contact International Newsletter, published in the UK, appears to be a compilation of supplements, likely from 1979, focusing on UFO phenomena, related publications, and organizational activities.

Television Series Review: "COSMOS"

The newsletter includes a review of Carl Sagan's 13-part television series "COSMOS," produced by KCET Network and directed by Adrian Malone. The reviewer, G. E. Ambler, notes that while the series was shown late in the UK, it was a "spectacular of sound and color" that explored age-old themes with modern filming techniques. Dr. Sagan's journey through the cosmos is described as a "personal voyage" from the cockpit of an imaginary space vehicle. The series primarily focuses on astronomical facts and historical reconstructions of early astronomers. Ambler points out that Dr. Sagan, while not a believer in UFOs, speculates about other life forms in the cosmos but is skeptical of them reaching Earth. The review mentions the reconstruction of the Betty and Barney Hill case and Sagan's insistence that star maps produced under hypnosis could refer to constellations by drawing lines. Sagan is described as showing "murky" UFO photographs and considering them hoaxes. The series is noted for being expensively and professionally produced, giving Sagan a "pop-star image," and is considered rewarding for those with a grasp of basic astronomy.

Selected UFO Reports

A significant portion of the newsletter is dedicated to "Selected UFO Reports" compiled by D. N. Mansell, detailing numerous sightings from September and October 1979. These reports include:

• September 15, 1979, 7:00 p.m., Latchford, Cheshire: A housewife, son, and daughter witnessed a round, translucent, silent object, the size of a one pence piece, which disappeared over 3-4 minutes.
• September 16, 1979, 11:10 p.m., Stafford, Staffordshire: A young man observed a round object, the size of a penny, with a red center and bright white lights, hovering silently before moving off and disappearing.
• September 16, 1979, 6:38 p.m., Between Farnham Common & Slough, Buckinghamshire: Two men driving south saw a large, comet-shaped object, visible for about five minutes, the size of a football, orange and yellow in color, moving at a great speed.
• September 20, 1979, 9:30 p.m., Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: A housewife and her friend saw a ball of light that moved towards them, stopped above them, resembling two triangles with rounded points, about the size of a full moon, with a definite outline of a craft and lights, and was completely silent.
• September 22, 1979, 11:50 a.m., Leeds, Yorkshire: Two housewives and their children saw an oval-shaped object, solid, metallic grey, revolving over and over, moving slowly and silently across the sky.
• September 25, 1979, 7:00 p.m., Cirencester, Gloucestershire: A group of children collecting conkers saw a saucer-shaped craft, silver with a white dome on top and a yellow dome on the bottom, the size of a football, humming and travelling at about 10 mph, which also hovered. The investigator felt it might have been an aircraft reflecting sunlight but was unsure.
• September ?, 1979, Warren, Minnesota, USA: A Warren deputy sheriff reported a brilliant light attacked him on a country road, causing him to become unconscious, burning his eyes, stopping his watch, and damaging his car. Two days later, a motorist reported a similar experience 400 miles south near Vermillion, S.D. The interesting factor was that both witnesses had the same surname.
• October 18, 1979, 6:45 p.m., Abingdon, Berkshire: A young man saw a strange group of at least sixteen lights (blue, green, red, white, and orange) moving silently across the sky, visible for fifteen minutes. Similar sightings were reported over Drayton, Oxford, and Warrington in Cheshire.
• September 18, 1979, evening, Ingolstadt, Eichstaett & Weissenburg, West Germany: Several witnesses reported three pentagonally-shaped objects flickering red and yellow. A helicopter sent to the area saw nothing, and it was suggested the objects were light reflections.
• September 20, 1979, 5:30 a.m., Fennimore, Wisconsin, USA: A farmer observed a brilliant white light above him moving North to South, with sparks behind the object and a smell of sulphur. There was no noise, but the light illuminated the area.

Advertisements and Publications

The newsletter also includes advertisements for various books and publications related to UFOs and strange phenomena:

• Lost Knowledge: Reproductions of an 1885 lecture by William Wynn Westcott on "Ever-Burning Lamps" and a monograph by David Medina on "God's Weapon" (the Ark of the Covenant).
• Journals: Listings for "LANTERN," a quarterly journal of East Anglian oddities, and "FORTEAN TIMES: THE JOURNAL OF STRANGE PHENOMENA."
• Directories: The "WORLD UFO DIRECTORY" is advertised, offering names and addresses of UFO organizations, publications, and suppliers.
• Book Bargains: A "BARGAIN LIST" offers discounted books and magazines, including titles like "ALIENS ON EARTH!," "UFOS OVER THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE," "UFOS THE STARTLING FACTS," "WARNINGS FROM FLYING FRIENDS," "BEYOND THIS HORIZON," and "SPACEQUEST."
• UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE: This service provides regular news clippings on UFOs, Bigfoot, and related topics.

Contact International Newsletter - South Africa and Malta

Supplement 1 details the author's 3-month visit to South Africa and interactions with the Durban Contact International (C.I.) branch. The chairman of Durban C.I. is Walter Pople, a scientist at the Natal Anti-Shark Board, and the vice-chairman is Mrs. E.K. Smith, an amateur astronomer. The author spoke about the "present doldrums in the UFO scene" and fielded questions about why UFOs are coming to Earth and their intentions. A significant encounter involved a group within the branch who have experienced a "bizarre experience" with an extraterrestrial group called "The Confederation." Fred White is described as having had direct verbal communications with this group via a radio receiver left by a colleague who claimed to be from another planet. Hundreds of these messages were taped by Fred and Carl Van Vlierdan. News of this reached the local press, but later, security police allegedly took the radio away for examination, only to deny having it or sending police. The newsletter questions whether these were imposters. Valdar, a contact from "The Confederation," communicates directly with Fred through trance, and his voice is described as having superb English without accent. The Confederation is reportedly operating in about 17 other countries, and their communications have been documented since 1958, suggesting a long-term hoax if not genuine. Carl is writing a book about this phenomenon.

Supplement 2 announces the welcome of Malta to the Contact International family. The new International Chairman is Ivan Sant, also the International Secretary of the Society for the Research and Investigation of Phenomena in Malta (SRIP). SRIP collects information on UFO sightings on the island. The newsletter promises a future focus on Malta C.I. and encourages readers to make personal contact.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, the review of scientific and popular media related to space and UFOs (specifically Carl Sagan's "Cosmos"), and personal accounts of alleged extraterrestrial contact. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, presenting reports and experiences for the reader's consideration, while also acknowledging skepticism (as with Carl Sagan's views and the possibility of hoaxes). The newsletter actively promotes related publications and services, suggesting a community-oriented approach to ufology. The expansion of Contact International to new regions like Malta indicates a growing global network for enthusiasts.