FUFOR - 2001 Q1 - Quarterly Report Jan-Mar

Magazine Overview

This document is a quarterly report from the FUND FOR UFO RESEARCH, covering the period of January-March 2001. It details the organization's activities, ongoing projects, and relevant news within the field of ufology.

Office Activity

Office activity was reported to be at record low levels during this quarter. The only notable activity was the reception and accommodation of one radio interview request.

Press Newsletter

The organization's press newsletter, "The UFO Report," has been in publication and distribution for nearly a year. The first correspondence with a news outlet occurred in February 2001, when the Asahi, Japan, Shimbun requested to be added to the mailing list. The content of the press newsletter has largely consisted of background material, as there have been no significant real news or major sightings reported during the year.

National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP)

NARCAP is considering promoting the perspective that encounters with UFOs could pose a danger to aircraft, passengers, or crew, particularly if instruments are lost or sudden maneuvers are required during an encounter. Their website is provided as www.narcap.org.

Fund Raising

Forms for purchasing books will be distributed with the next quarterly report. Due to a lack of interest from Joe Firmage in underwriting ufological initiatives, the organization plans to raise funds through traditional methods, such as individual contributions and document sales.

News Item

Canadian Government Declassification

The Canadian government has declassified and released UFO reports from the 1995-1999 period. A report from the Yukon area in 1997 detailed a sighting of a high-speed triangular object that executed an instantaneous turn.

Russian Airport Incident

Press reports concerning an alleged UFO incident that caused a Russian airport to shut down did not generate widespread interest, despite being released by both UPI and AFP.

On-going Projects

Australian Aboriginal Accounts

Wendy Wolfe's final report, which focuses on Australian aboriginal accounts of UFO events and alleged abductions, has been received.

McDonald Tape-CD Conversion

The project to convert McDonald tapes to CD format is continuing. Progress has been made with approximately 20 out of 110 tapes converted. A suggestion was made to implement breaks in the CDs to improve navigation through the material.

New Proposals

Ramey Memo Digitization

Robert Swiatek suggested obtaining a high-resolution copy of the Ramey memo and submitting it to a commercial entity to assess the resources required to make the document readable.

Forest Fire Tower Reports

Richard Hall has been in contact with an individual who has compiled an extensive collection of reports from forest fire tower personnel over several years. These reports are considered a potentially significant contribution to the field, as they are currently untapped by researchers. Inquiries are being made regarding the possibility of publishing this collection.

Publications

The UFO Evidence II

The publication "The UFO Evidence II," a joint effort by CUFOS, MUFON, and FUFOR, is now available in bookstores and has garnered several favorable reviews.

NICAP UFO Investigator Scanning

The project to scan the monthly NICAP publication, "UFO Investigator," onto CD-ROM continues to face delays due to issues with scanning and data cleaning.

Fund Web Site Modernization Program

Paul Nahay has proposed several new pages for the organization's website. These include a shopping cart feature, a page detailing recent grants, and the scanning of past issues of "The UFO Report." Other considerations for the website include guest essays, UFO news, "Hall of Fame" classic cases, and sighting/abduction report forms.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The report reflects a focus on documenting and archiving UFO-related information, including historical reports, ongoing research, and publications. There is an emphasis on the challenges of funding research and the importance of declassified government documents. The organization appears to be actively involved in various projects aimed at preserving and disseminating information within the ufology community, despite low levels of direct activity. The editorial stance is one of diligent record-keeping and pursuit of information within the field.