The Circular - 1995 No 21

Magazine Overview

Title: THE CIRCULAR
Issue: 21
Date: Summer 1995
Publisher: THE CENTRE FOR CROP CIRCLE STUDIES
Country: UK
Price: £2.50
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of The Circular, the quarterly journal of the Centre for Crop Circle Studies, presents a comprehensive look at crop circle research and related phenomena during the summer of 1995. The cover features a striking photograph of a crop circle formation on Telegraph Hill, Hampshire, alongside an intriguing close-up of an unidentified object. The issue highlights a growing sense of co-operation within the crop circle community and delves into various aspects of research, from fieldwork and analysis to the psychology of hoaxers.

Editorial

The editorial, written by the new editor John Sayer, expresses his initial trepidation and subsequent commitment to the role. He emphasizes the importance of The Circular in disseminating information gathered by the CCCS and encourages members to contribute their findings and expectations for the magazine. Sayer notes the successful information-gathering and dissemination system of the CCCS and highlights the "Year of Co-operation" in 1995, where various groups like CPR, CCCS, and BLT have been actively sharing data. He also acknowledges the extensive fieldwork undertaken by teams in Hampshire, particularly mentioning Lucy Pringle, Ron Jones, Richard Andrews, Paul Vigay, Steve Alexander, and Shelley Keel, as well as Jilaen Sherwood. The editorial also thanks Jane and Emma Harcombe for their work in distributing the journal.

Articles and Features

Front Cover Photo

The photograph on the cover was taken by Jilaen Sherwood on Telegraph Hill, Hampshire, on June 27, 1995. While no UFO was seen at the time, a deer was observed leaping from the formation shortly after. An enlargement of an object in the photo is presented as tantalizing. Jilaen Sherwood is described as a professional artist, illustrator, and UFO investigator.

First American 1995 Formation - Carol Pedersen

This report details the first American crop circle formation of 1995, located at Krenzel Farm in Lebanon, Oregon. Discovered on April 30, 1995, the formation was an elliptical circle approximately 11' by 11'8" with a swirled center. The crop was wheat and peas, not intended for harvest. The farmer reported unusual "deficient localised growth" and broken stalks. Samples were sent to Dr. Levengood for analysis, who found evidence of expulsion cavities and expanded nodes, suggesting the formation was genuine and not man-made.

A Plea for Caution and Objectivity in Crop Circle Research - Ronald Hill

Ronald Hill argues for a more rigorous and objective approach to crop circle research. He questions what "anomalous energy fields" are being measured and suggests focusing on tangible, measurable changes rather than abstract concepts. Hill outlines several fruitful areas for research, including botanical, biological, and chemical analysis, as well as topological studies and dowsing. He cautions against using sensitive equipment that can be easily triggered by ambient electrical interference and emphasizes the need for careful methodology and data analysis.

Looking Ahead to the Way Back - In Conversation with Richard Andrews

This interview with Richard Andrews, a founder member of CCCS and a British Society of Dowsers member, focuses on the practice of dowsing crop circles. Andrews stresses that dowsing is a high discipline requiring years of practice and understanding. He explains the process of dowsing for rings and lines within formations, emphasizing the importance of identifying a crossing line in the center and an odd number of emanating rings. He also discusses how to approach pictograms and the significance of dowsing lines versus tramlines. Andrews advocates for bringing together all aspects of research to support findings.

The Cornstalker

This column provides a collection of intriguing anecdotes and observations. It mentions a possible UFO sighting at the Telegraph Hill formation and an interesting package found there. Another strange object was found in the West Stowell ringed quintuplet formation. The column also touches on the social dynamics of the crop circle community, including the "buy-swap-and-sell" of photographs and the challenges faced by those who love collecting crop samples, such as angry farmers and dogs.

The Naughty Boys! - Michael Glickman

Michael Glickman discusses the phenomenon of hoaxing in crop circles, contrasting it with the general trust and honesty within the "Croppie Tribe." He argues that hoaxers are fundamentally dishonest and aim to deceive. Glickman criticizes Chris Kenworthy's claims about invisible human circle makers, suggesting that such assertions are rooted in psychological needs for attention and validation rather than genuine spiritual or scientific inquiry. He posits that hoaxers, like addicts, may derive a perverse satisfaction from provoking negative reactions and crave approval.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the importance of rigorous and objective research methodologies, the challenges posed by hoaxes and misinformation, and the growing spirit of co-operation within the crop circle community. The editorial stance, as expressed by John Sayer and Ronald Hill, advocates for evidence-based research and a cautious approach to interpreting findings. The interview with Richard Andrews highlights the value of specialized skills like dowsing when approached with discipline and understanding. The issue generally promotes a serious yet open-minded investigation into crop circle phenomena, while also acknowledging the human elements and potential for deception involved.

Title: The Circular
Issue: 21
Date: Summer 1995
Type: Magazine

This issue of The Circular magazine delves into the world of crop circles, featuring articles on dowsing techniques, a review of 1995 formations, and discussions on broader societal issues related to the phenomenon.

Aura Dowsing Test

Jim Lyons introduces a method for assessing the subtle energy stored within crop formations using dowsing. The protocol involves taking samples from various points within and around a formation and measuring their 'aura size'. The article suggests that formations energized by strong fields will show considerably greater aura distances. A simplified protocol is provided for readers to try, with a request for samples and formation sketches to be sent to the author for independent evaluation. The article also touches upon the idea of crop circles being a 'breathtaking new rationale' for unpopular children, implying a psychological aspect to some claimants.

The United States Crop Circles of 1994

This section provides a detailed account of crop formations reported in the United States during 1994. It highlights formations in Oregon, South Carolina, Minnesota, Indiana, New York, and California. Specific formations mentioned include a Celtic Cross, Pictograms, concentric Rings, a 'Three-in-Line', a heart-shaped formation, and a '4x4' type pattern. The article notes the varied 'energies' experienced from different formations and mentions the proximity of some formations to a nuclear facility in South Carolina. The author also discusses the difficulty of assessing some formations from ground level, emphasizing the need for aerial views.

The Beckhampton Spiral

This article, authored by Peter Stammers, details the discovery and investigation of a spiral formation in young barley near Beckhampton, UK, on May 29th, 1995. The formation was visited by members of the Wiltshire CCCS. The article describes the muddy conditions, the sampling process, and the dowsing experiments conducted. A significant observation was that the outer ring of the formation had grown in height after its initial appearance, suggesting ongoing activity. The formation's location is noted as being in an area analogous to the 'Face on Mars' in the Cydonia region. The article also mentions the unusual experience of disorientation and tiredness reported by some researchers.

Credit Card Control Services... The Controllers

Richard Smith discusses the organizational structure and membership of the Centre for Crop Circle Studies (CCCS). He emphasizes the pivotal role of local Convenors in disseminating information and coordinating research. The article outlines different levels of member involvement, from passive reading to active participation in local branches. It also touches upon the international reach of the CCCS and the importance of communication between members and Convenors.

Mid-Point Review of 1995 Formations

Michael Newark offers a mid-point review of the 1995 crop circle season, suggesting that the year would bring exciting formations. He links the increase in crop circles to a strengthening of Earth energy ley structures and the reconnection of ancient sites to the natural ley grid. Newark describes the West Overton Hill formation as a genuine early-season circle and discusses the potential for 1995 to be a memorable year for crop circles. He also mentions the 'Beckhampton Spiral' as a genuine formation.

A Word To Our Sponsors...

This section contains a letter from John Sayer addressing a review of the CCCS 1995 Calendar. Sayer clarifies the distribution of the calendars, emphasizing that the primary motive was to disseminate information and raise funds, not to make a quick profit. He explains that a bulk despatch to the US was to ensure American members received their orders in time for Christmas and that only 200 calendars were sent, representing a small percentage of the stock.

The Criminal Justice Act

Terry Wilson responds to a previous column by Ray Cox, arguing that the Criminal Justice Act is an attack on the rights of all citizens, not just criminals. Wilson contends that the Act contravenes human rights conventions and gives police excessive powers, citing the example of a curfew imposed on villagers in Brightlingsea. He argues that the Act could criminalize innocent activities like crop watching and expresses concern about the erosion of civil liberties, drawing a parallel to the persecution described by Pastor Niemoeller.

Photo Gallery

Pages 6 and 7 feature a 'Photo Gallery' showcasing various crop formations, labeled A through I, providing visual examples of the phenomena discussed in the magazine.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the investigation and documentation of crop circles, with a focus on scientific and investigative approaches like dowsing. There is a strong emphasis on the Centre for Crop Circle Studies (CCCS) as an organization dedicated to this research. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into crop circle phenomena, while also addressing broader concerns about civil liberties and governmental overreach, as evidenced by the article on the Criminal Justice Act. The magazine promotes active participation and information sharing among its members.

Title: The Circular
Issue: 21
Date: Summer 1995
Publisher: CCCS
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of The Circular features a prominent cover article by John Sayer titled "CROP CIRCLES, CARPETS, CLUES, COINCIDENCES AND COMMON SENSE (or C.C.C.C.C.S.) - Part 2". The magazine explores various aspects of the crop circle phenomenon, personal experiences, and theoretical explanations.

"CROP CIRCLES, CARPETS, CLUES, COINCIDENCES AND COMMON SENSE (or C.C.C.C.C.C.S.) - Part 2" by John Sayer

John Sayer continues his exploration of crop circles, reflecting on his five years of involvement with the phenomenon. He shares personal experiences, including alleged childhood abductions and a "continued relationship with 'something else'," which he attributes to a profound spiritual change. Sayer expresses gratitude for the understanding and support received since Part 1 of his article. He posits that crop circles have irrevocably changed the world and represent a call to understand a deeper reality, emphasizing "selfish, undemanding love" as key.

Sayer recounts a curious development in the 1992 Wood Dalling circle episode, where he observed segments of flattened barley shaped like a half-crescent. He developed a hypothesis that an interrupted "fizzing noise" might have prevented the formation of a full circle. He tested this by dowsing, using pieces of wood to mark out a circle that overlapped the bank and road, finding that his dowsing rods crossed similarly to how they do over crop circle centres. He speculates that the noise was part of the circle-forming process and that his interruption led to only a partial formation.

He also details an experience with Trish and John, who provided a photograph of a field in Weybourne from 1990. This photograph showed a circle formation that was identical to an illustration in a children's story manuscript Sayer was writing, based on an idea by Jane Harcombe. The circle in the photograph was centered on a tramline, matching the illustration precisely, and was taken at the same time Sayer was writing the relevant episode and Jane was illustrating it.

In another anecdote, Sayer describes being in a café with Pat in Norwich in the summer of 1993. Pat was heading to a conference and planned to check a formation near Sutton. Sayer, unable to attend the conference due to ill-health, decided to join Pat. He became obsessed with checking Guyhirn, recalling a dream from the previous year. Upon crossing into Cambridgeshire, they found a formation that matched his dream's description, located in a field near a farmhouse. The formation had been discovered the day before, coinciding with Sayer's son's birthday.

Sayer notes his limitations in detailed measuring due to hobbling, but focused on photography and note-taking, observing features like single standing stalks, complex interweaving, and flattened stalks angled from the ground. He arranged for aerial shots to be taken.

"The Universal Pastry Cutter" by Jim Lyons

Jim Lyons explores the theoretical underpinnings of crop circle formation, moving beyond earlier hypotheses like Terence Meaden's plasma vortex theory. Lyons emphasizes the role of "earth energies" and their interaction with human consciousness. He discusses how these subtle energies, known since ancient times as "Life Force," are detected by living things and are evidenced by ancient megaliths like Stonehenge.

Lyons introduces the concept of energy grids on Earth, including the square NS/EW "Hartmann Grid" and the asymmetrical NE-SW/NW-SE "Curry Grid." He proposes that crop circles are formed on this "graph paper" by rising columnar vortices of subtle energy. These vortices, potentially originating from the interaction of energy lines at specific points, create a "collision point" at the Earth's surface, forming a Bloch Wall and resulting vortices that curl into toroidal and spherical quasi-stationary field patterns. This model is compared to Richard Hoagland's ideas about planetary structures.

The theory suggests that the structure of these interacting columnar waves generates a hemisphere of nested toroidal-shaped field lines, forming the basis of crop formation shapes. The geometric patterns observed in crop circles are derived from a columnar spiral wave incorporating the golden ratio and a binary spiral, which relates to musical scales and diatonic ratios.

Lyons hypothesizes that the mechanism involves the excitation of the energy grid via a strong vertical electrostatic field, causing a phase transition to a plasma state. This plasma wave then creates the visible crop formations. The sequencing of the crop lay is controlled by the "chaotic bifurcation process," which has been studied in Chaos theory. Different patterns are formed by simple changes in this bifurcating procedure, giving each formation its "own genetic code."

The model successfully explains simple circles, ringed formations, and quincunxes, and has even been applied to modeling the complex Mandelbrot pictogram. Lyons suggests this "Universal Pastry Cutter" model has potential applications in understanding other physical processes, from planetary orbits to atomic structure and human consciousness.

"SOUND, LIGHTS, CIRCLES!" by Brian Hussey

Brian Hussey, a researcher from the States and a member of CCCS, proposes a link between crop circle formation and physics, particularly cavitation. He draws a parallel to his work in manufacturing, where a copper-vapour laser operating at a 5KHz repetition rate, with short pulses, caused cavitation – the formation and implosion of tiny bubbles – on the surface of materials, leading to clean etching.

Hussey suggests that if water in the xylem cells of living corn stalks could be vibrated to the point of bubble cavitation, it could damage or weaken the cellulose fibres, explaining how stalks are bent and flattened. He speculates that the "energy" bending the stalks is a light beam modulated at the audible frequency of 5KHz. He notes that anomalous lights have been seen during crop circle formations and believes his experimental results, demonstrating that light can cause internal erosion of material when pulsed at an appropriate acoustic frequency, could be relevant.

Letters

Ron Baskerville from Guildford writes an impassioned letter expressing frustration with the Ministry of Defence's dismissive stance on "ALIEN BLIGHT" (crop circles) and "ALIEN INVASION" (crop circle phenomena), contrasting it with the historical need for defence against threats. He sarcastically suggests the Ministry should employ gamekeepers and guard dogs, and humorously notes that geese are better alarm signals than high-tech equipment.

Tim Mayne from London offers a philosophical perspective, suggesting that crop circles might be "credits at the end of the show," symbolizing the end of an era (Age of Pisces) and the potential for interaction with other beings. He contemplates the possibility of these beings tending Earth as a garden or harvesting its energy.

Will Russell from Goodworth Clatford describes how a crop circle formation at Telegraph Hill bore a striking resemblance to a design he had doodled about a week and a half earlier, highlighting a seemingly uncanny coincidence.

Photo Gallery Key and CCCS Information

The issue includes a key to a photo gallery featuring various crop circle locations and formations, with credits to photographers Lucy Pringle and Busty Taylor, and silhouette diagrams by Peter Sorensen. It also advertises CCCS Postcards for 1995 and a 1996 Calendar, seeking research funds and inviting submissions of slides and photographs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the mystery of crop circle origins, exploring both physical and metaphysical explanations. There's a strong emphasis on personal experiences and anecdotal evidence, alongside theoretical frameworks like "earth energies" and the "Universal Pastry Cutter" model. The magazine appears to adopt an open-minded stance, presenting various hypotheses and encouraging further research, while also acknowledging the skepticism that surrounds the topic. The editorial stance seems to be one of investigation and exploration into phenomena that challenge conventional scientific understanding, with a particular focus on the CCCS's efforts to fund and disseminate research in this field.

Title: The Circular
Issue: 21
Volume: 1995
Date: Summer 1995
Publisher: CCCS (Civilian Contact and Study Society)
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

Statement from the Editor: Setting the Record Straight

This issue of The Circular opens with a lengthy statement from the editor, John Sayer, expressing his regret and heavy heart in having to compose this last-minute item. He highlights that virtually no contributions were passed on to him for this issue, forcing him to work "literally flat out, night and day" to get the magazine out, as the previous two issues were three months overdue. Sayer, as a member, states he is not happy with this situation and expects value for his subscription.

Sayer directly addresses allegations made in public and in print that "the bigwigs of the CCCS" deliberately sabotaged the last issue of The Circular to make his first issue as editor look good by comparison. He dismisses this as highly unlikely, stating that his own role as newly-appointed Assistant Editor was limited to compiling the "Notices" page, addresses, and a Conference advert. He asserts that neither he nor any other council member had any input or influence on Issue *20 of The Circular.

He further explains that the accusation of withholding photographs is malicious and unjustifiable. The last issue should have been out in March, but the first batch of aerial shots only reached the editor after the pages had been sent for printing, and these were from only one person. He notes that other photographs existed but were not used for reasons yet to be explained. At a Convenors' meeting, Michael Green and Sayer were questioned about their role in selecting photographs for The Circular from the Hotline/Datalist and Archives. They clarify that their intention was to choose the best versions of each formation for consideration.

Sayer also addresses the expectation that the current issue would contain photographs that arrived too late for Issue *20. He states these photographs have not been passed on to him. He reveals that the entire collection of photographs recently posted to him as Archivist appears to have been lost in the post and are not included in this magazine. He emphasizes that "Accidents, misunderstandings and mistakes, however regrettable, do actually sometimes happen."

This issue has been "put together out of thin air," and Sayer thanks those who provided contributions at short notice. He intends to ensure the next two issues for the year are on time, both before Christmas, but stresses the need for contributions. He urges members to "Contribute! You only get out what you put in" and to stop whining about lack of coverage if information is not provided, as "We can only publish what we know about."

Finally, Sayer addresses individuals he believes have "deliberately or unwittingly contributed to a campaign of sheer spite and nastiness." He states that they know who they are and questions if they have ascertained the truth, calling their actions "extremely unfair and hurtful." He concludes by stating that he forgives them, but his heart weeps for the damage done, and wishes them to "Go in peace."

Council and Convenors List

The issue also includes a comprehensive list of the C.C.C.S. Council for 1995-1996, detailing names, roles, and contact information (addresses, phone numbers, and faxes) for each member. This is followed by a list of Convenors for various regions across the UK, Holland, Canada, and the United States, also including their contact details.

Contact Information

A hotline number (0171 - 622 - 5044) is provided for the organization.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this issue is the internal communication and operational challenges within the CCCS, particularly concerning the production of its magazine, The Circular. The editorial stance, as expressed by John Sayer, is one of frustration with a lack of member engagement and contribution, coupled with a firm defense against accusations of internal sabotage. Sayer advocates for transparency, accountability, and active participation from members to ensure the organization's smooth functioning and the timely delivery of its publications. The issue also touches upon the handling of UFO-related evidence, specifically photographs, and the inherent difficulties and potential for loss or misunderstanding in such processes.