FUFOR - 1997 Q1 and Q2 - Quarterly Report January-June

Magazine Overview

This document is a newsletter from the Fund for UFO Research Inc., covering the period of January-March and April-June 1997. It provides updates on the organization's activities, awards, research, and publications.

Chairman's Message

Richard Hall, Chairman of the Fund, expresses gratitude for the overwhelming response to their Special Awards fund appeal, noting that over $2,500 had been received. This ensures the continuation of the awards program. He highlights the Keyhoe Journalism Award and the Davis Memorial Award as significant activities, thanking supporters for enabling the awards to be maintained at a significant level.

Special Awards

The 1996 Donald E. Keyhoe Journalism Award, along with a $1,000 check, was presented to Zack Van Eyck, a staff reporter for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah. His reporting throughout the summer and fall of the previous year covered a range of UFO activity in Utah and elsewhere, employing investigative journalism. The Fund board has made nominations for the 1997 Isabel Davis Memorial Award, which recognizes long-term accomplishments in promoting rational inquiry into UFOs. The nominees are Mr. Ted Bloecher, Dr. Michael Swords, and Ms. Jennie Zeidman. Short biographies of the nominees are included, with an awards ballot accompanying the reports.

Fund Establishes Web Page

On April 22, the Fund launched a web page at http://www.fufor.org to describe its activities and goals. They received many greetings, with one exception: a representative from the SETI Institute requested their link be removed, which the Fund found perplexing. They describe their site as conservative and of interest to rational and open-minded people, including skeptics. John Hale is credited as the volunteer who set up the page.

Fiftieth Anniversary

The Fund prepared news releases and background materials for the 50th anniversaries of the Kenneth Arnold sighting (June 24) and the Roswell crash (circa July 8), in cooperation with the UFO Research Coalition. Readers are encouraged to report any coverage of these events in newspapers or on radio-TV stations.

Reader's Digest Video

A Reader's Digest videotape titled "Strange Beings and UFOs," part of the "Mysteries of the Unexplained Series," was scheduled to air in Europe in early 1997. The second half of the tape focuses on UFOs and features Fund Chairman Richard Hall. The tape is expected to be available in the United States later in the year.

Turner TV Special

Turner Broadcasting System aired a two-hour special on UFO abductions, examining four sets of abductees, including Anna and Beth, authors of the book "Connections." The presentation was noted for its detailed and sensitive coverage. Another two-hour TBS special on June 29 covered the history of the UFO subject. The Fund received on-screen credit for both programs.

A&E Specials

Two production companies are creating UFO documentaries for the Arts & Entertainment network. One, a general history, was scheduled for September 1997, and another focusing on abductions was to air later.

PGCC Seminar

The annual Fund for UFO Research UFO seminar at Prince George's Community College, Maryland, was scheduled for August 23. The Fund has produced videotapes of past seminars, with improvements in lighting and sound quality being made. A videotape of the 1997 proceedings was to be available later in the year. Impressive UFO witnesses were scheduled to speak.

The UFO Evidence

A 30+ year update to Richard Hall's 1964 documentary report, "The UFO Evidence," is in preparation with the working title "The UFO Evidence II." This new volume will be published by Barnes & Noble, along with a facsimile reprint of the original.

Isabel Davis Award Nominees

Short profiles are provided for the 1997 Isabel Davis Memorial Award nominees:

• Mr. Ted Bloecher: Author of "Report on the UFO Wave of 1947," active in C.S.I. of New York, instrumental in the publication of U.S. Air Force Project Grudge and Blue Book Reports, and led studies of UFO occupant cases. Co-compiled "The Humanoid Catalog" with David Webb.
• Dr. Michael Swords: Board member of CUFOS, former editor of "The Journal of UFO Studies," with extensive research into the UFO phenomenon, including reports on the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis and the University of Colorado UFO Project. His archival work with UFO document collections is noted.
• Ms. Jennie Zeidman: A pioneer UFO investigator who began as an assistant to Dr. J. Allen Hynek, chief scientific consultant on UFOs to the U.S. Air Force. She is known for her thorough investigation of the Coyne helicopter case.

Abduction Implant Analysis

A report by Susan Swiatek details the case of an abductee who sneezed out a metallic sphere, believed to be an alien implant. The Fund arranged for professional testing. Laboratory Director Harry A. Taylor PhD of MidLantic Medical Laboratory Inc. conducted biological and materials/metallurgical testing. The sphere was described as "a small silvery metallic spheroid" with paper fibers and clay soil. Various solvent baths and cultures yielded no growth, which was considered extraordinary given the handling of the object. Radiation testing was negative. Sacrifice of a small piece of the sphere indicated it matched the composition of a lead BB shot. Dr. Taylor concluded it was a lead BB shot, but noted the lack of viable bacteria or fungi suggested it might have been cleaned with a biocidal agent, and the absence of protein or tissue cells indicated a "very small possibility" it had been in a human body. The Fund was left bewildered, as some lab results were inconsistent with a simple explanation, especially given the object's handling by multiple individuals. The positive outcome was the establishment of a relationship with a capable laboratory.

New Publications

The following items are offered for sale by the Fund:

• "Spacemen, Demons, & Conspiracies" by Jerome Clark (40 pp., $16.00 + $1.00 P&H).
• "Spaceships or Mirages Over Washington National Airport, 1952?" (74 pp., $15.00 + $2.00 P&H), a transcript of a 1952 press conference with a 1969 Air Force report on mirages.
• "Project 1947: A Preliminary Report on the 1947 UFO Sighting Wave" by Jan L. Aldrich (213 pp., illustrated, $20.00 + $2.00 P&H), a detailed overview of the 1947 UFO wave with newspaper accounts and government documents.
• Volume 3 of "Mysteries of the Sky: The UFO Phenomenon" (1:40, VHS, $16.00 + $5.00 P&H), a videotape of talks from a 1996 seminar.

MUFON Journal & Skylook Index

An index for MUFON Journal & Skylook from 1967-1996 by Edward G. Stewart is available for $59.95.

Video of Fund Seminar

A videotape of the August 24, 1996, Fund Seminar (Vol. 3) is available for $15.00.

Financial Information

Balance sheets for the Fund for UFO Research are provided as of June 30, 1997, and December 31, 1996. As of June 30, 1997, total assets were $25,967.86, with total liabilities and equity also at $25,967.86. As of December 31, 1996, total assets were $25,735.15, with total liabilities and equity at $25,735.15. The net income for the period ending December 31, 1996, was a loss of -$12,552.73, while the net income for the period ending June 30, 1997, was a gain of $232.71.

Official Ballot

The official ballot for the 1997 Isabel L. Davis Memorial Award is included, with nominees Mr. Ted Bloecher, Dr. Michael Swords, and Ms. Jennie Zeidman. Ballots are to be returned by December 1, 1997.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently promotes rational inquiry into UFO phenomena. It highlights research, investigative journalism, and the recognition of individuals contributing to the field through awards. The Fund actively engages in public outreach through its website and publications, while also documenting historical UFO events and cases. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation, seeking factual evidence and promoting a balanced understanding of the UFO subject, as evidenced by their response to the SETI Institute's request.