Data Net - No 12 - 1967

Magazine Overview

Title: DATA-NET REPORT
Issue: 12
Date: December 5, 1967

This issue of the DATA-NET REPORT, a newsletter focused on UFO phenomena, is being mailed to past members to encourage continued participation and financial support. The report details various UFO sightings, investigations, and related topics from late 1967.

Financial and Membership Information

The report lists several members who have contributed funds, including Jo Clark (DATA-NET secretary), Tom W6BPV, John WB6VCM, Phal WB6TQG, Bob WB6TXK, Eari W70FE, Jim WA9THB, Dennis KQFI/VE6, and Herbert Ruzicka. The DATA ET reward for an authentic UFO photograph is set at $21.00, with contributions from various members listed. The control station will be on vacation from December 15th to January 2nd, with WB6TXK serving as control. WB6TQG is monitoring on 7.255 PST every Tuesday, and KP4CH is active on 21.442 daily.

The 'Snippy' Horse Case

Information regarding the 'Snippy' case is provided from Robert J. Low, Project Coordinator at the University of Colorado. An examination by veterinary and team members revealed no radioactivity and suggested that ground indentations were hoof marks, alleged exhaust marks were a fungus, and the absence of flesh was due to scavengers like magpies and coyotes. The cause of death was not definitively determined due to the delay in examination but was speculated to be a serious infection. The only unexplained element was an incision around the horse's neck. Gordon Lore of NICAP suggested the 'exhaust-like' markings might be infection drainage. Robert Rinker, a field technician, photographed a UFO on film near Climax, Colorado, and reported hearing motor noises.

International UFO Reports

Soviet Union: Reports indicate the Soviet government has established a special commission, directed by Gen. Anatoli Stolyerov, to investigate UFO reports. Initially, Soviet authorities dismissed UFOs as nonsense in the 1950s. More recently, Izvestia reported a 'huge, luminous' UFO over Sofia, Bulgaria, described as a dark disc with a bright strip, possibly resembling a balloon or parachute.

Brazil: Flavio Pereira, coordinator of the Brazilian Flying Saucer Association, concluded that flying saucers exist and come from other worlds, obeying intelligent control. Dr. Llavo Fontes, a medical practitioner, stated that outer space vehicles are charting water and power plants and have conducted geographic reconnaissance of the United States and South America. Fontes suggested that UFOs defend themselves with paralyzing weapons if attacked. He also linked 'other worldly' activities to major blackouts in the northeastern United States in November 1965 and other recent blackouts in Mexico, Peru, and Colombia.

Public Opinion and Reactions to UFOs

Interviews: A San Francisco Chronicle reporter asked people how they would greet a creature from space. Responses varied from wanting to communicate and be friendly to expressing fear. Many believed in extraterrestrial life and suggested a non-hostile approach.

Project Blue Book: The Air Force's UFO-tracking organization, SPADATS, stated that reported objects over Georgia had no characteristics of decaying satellites. NORAD officials noted that about 95% of UFO sightings are identified as natural phenomena, and the remaining unidentified cases pose no threat. However, both the Air Force and NORAD concede that skepticism does not halt the growing number of reported sightings.

Scientific Establishment: The article discusses the scientific community's approach to UFOs, noting that despite decades of reports, no thorough scientific study had been conducted until the formation of the Condon committee. Dr. Edward U. Condon, head of the committee, has never personally seen a UFO. Richard Hall of NICAP believes some UFOs may come from outer space. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a consultant to the Air Force, advocated for a hard, scientific look at the phenomenon. The article contrasts the belief that UFOs are extraterrestrial and that the scientific establishment is hiding the truth with the Air Force's stance that UFOs are not a threat and most sightings are explainable as hoaxes or misidentifications.

Project Blue Book Statistics: Since 1947, Project Blue Book received 1,107 reports, with 6% (676) remaining unidentified, including 30 from the previous year. Another 242 reports lacked sufficient information. Blue Book's conclusions were negative regarding threats to national security, evidence beyond scientific knowledge, and extraterrestrial vehicles, though the Air Force did not deny the possibility of life on other planets.

Specific Sightings and Incidents

Georgia: Reports of UFO sightings by highway patrolmen and police in 11 Georgia communities described various shapes, sizes, and colors. No aircraft were scrambled to intercept these objects.

Ocean City, New Jersey: Police officers observed a brilliant white object, incandescent and slowly turning red, cruising the coastline. It moved with guidance and disappeared at tremendous speed.

Colorado: A judge in Denver reported sighting orange-red, ring-shaped objects flying faster than jets. An amateur painter in southwest Colorado reported a visit from a man claiming to be 'not of this universe' who wanted to buy a painting of a UFO. Reports of UFO sightings are common in the San Luis Valley, with instances of football-shaped objects and cigar-shaped craft.

Wichita, Kansas: Unidentified flying objects appeared as blips on radar at the Wichita Weather Bureau. The Air Force attributed these to Jupiter or stars, but a local planetarium director disputed this, stating the celestial bodies were not visible from Oklahoma City at that time. Radar picked up cloud formations, but Pike estimated the objects moved at about 45 miles per hour.

UFO Photography and Analysis

An article from Fate magazine provides a 'recipe' from Robert J. Low for taking useful UFO pictures. Recommendations include using a fast film, specific shutter speeds, large f-stops at night, taking numerous pictures, including ground references, and taking overlapping panoramic photos of the surroundings. Low emphasized the importance of original negatives and providing detailed information with the photos, such as camera data, date, time, location, and sketches.

Air Force UFO Cameras

A 1953 report from the San Mateo Times indicates the Air Force had set up 'flying saucer cameras' to analyze moving lights. These 'diffraction grating cameras' separate light into its compound parts to determine the source of unidentified lights. Cameras were placed at Air Force bases across the country, though early difficulties with lenses affected picture quality.

Humorous Fictional Segment

A column by Leigh Weimers offers a humorous, fictionalized alien perspective on Earth. The aliens find Earthlings' communication systems bland but occasionally too 'bloodthirsty.' They are concerned about Earthlings' hygiene, particularly their use of underarm sprays and differing opinions on body hair. The aliens find the idea of landing on Earth unappealing due to these perceived issues.

Scientific Research on Martian Life

A report from Tarrytown, N.Y., discusses research on desert animals' survival in simulated Martian environments. Experiments with tarantulas, turtles, worms, and cacti suggest that life could exist on Mars despite its harsh conditions. The research demonstrated that some life forms can adapt to extreme dryness, coldness, and lack of oxygen, and that animals like the desert rat can manufacture their own body fluid.

Book Recommendations

A list of available books from the DATA-NET library is provided, including titles by Coral Lorenzen, John Fuller, and Brad Steiger.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The DATA-NET REPORT consistently focuses on UFO sightings, investigations, and related phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging members to submit information and participate in research. There is a clear interest in documenting sightings, exploring potential explanations (both conventional and unconventional), and critiquing official explanations. The inclusion of both serious case reports and humorous or speculative pieces suggests an aim to engage a broad audience interested in the UFO topic. The report also highlights the global nature of UFO reports and the ongoing efforts by various organizations and individuals to understand the phenomenon.