Journal of the Fortean Research Center - Vol 3 No 1

Magazine Overview

The "JOURNAL of the FORTEAN RESEARCH CENTER" Volume III, No. 1, dated May 1988, is a quarterly publication from the Fortean Research Center based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The cover features a dramatic black and white illustration, possibly depicting a UFO event, with a prominent headline announcing the "MUFON UFO SYMPOSIUM - JUNE 24, 25 & 26, 1988." The issue is priced at $3.50.

Table of Contents

The journal includes a "DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE," "UPCOMING EVENTS," "BIPEDAL HUMANOID UPDATE," "UFD UPDATE," "GULF BREEZE UFO INCIDENT," and "THE LAST PAGE."

Director's Message

Scott Colborn, the new Director, addresses changes at the Fortean Research Center, including the resignations of Ray and Nancy Boeche. He expresses gratitude for their work and announces his acceptance of the directorship. Colborn highlights the Center's commitment to investigating unexplained phenomena and outlines ways members can contribute, such as attending monthly meetings, participating in video nights, and continuing the radio show "Exploring Unexplained Phenomena" on KZUM-FM. He also encourages financial support through memberships and tax-deductible contributions, suggesting memberships for friends, libraries, or educational systems.

Upcoming Events

The MUFON 1988 UFO Symposium is detailed, with the theme "Abduction and the ET Hypothesis." Scheduled for June 24-26 at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, it features speakers like Marge Christensen, Jerome Clark, Walter N. Webb, Raymond W. Boeche, Budd Hopkins, David M. Jacobs, Bruce S. Maccabee, and Walt Andrus, presenting on various UFO-related topics. The event is priced at $35 for the entire event or $10 for individual sessions. Contact information for the Nebraska Center and the radio show is provided.

Exploring Unexplained Phenomena (Radio Show)

The weekly radio call-in talk show, sponsored by the Fortean Research Center and aired on KZUM-FM, invites public participation to discuss unexplained events. Hosted by Scott Colborn and Dale Bacon, the show aims to bring new information about the mysterious and unknown. Listeners are encouraged to call in and share their experiences with UFO contacts, ghost sightings, religious miracles, and psychic events. The show has featured various guests, including meditation teachers, members of secret societies, witches, psychics, and astrologers, as well as interviews with figures like Walt Andrus and Leonard Stringfield.

Membership and Support

Membership in the Fortean Research Center is $15.00 per year, which includes a subscription to the journal, discounts on special publications, and reduced fees to conferences. The Center relies on contributions to continue its investigations and research into the unexplained. Various membership categories for more substantial donations are available. The journal emphasizes that financial contributions are tax-deductible.

Abominable Snowman Update

This section reports on Soviet research into the abominable snowman, also known as the Yeti. A society within the Ministry of Culture in Moscow has begun a search, collecting numerous reports. The creature is described as having a protruding forehead and eyebrows like cap peaks, features associated with Neanderthal man. The society aims to engage in the search for "man's shy next-of-kin." Another report details researchers from Kiev who claim to have come within 35 yards of an abominable snowman in the Pamir Mountains, with plans for closer contact.

Himalayan Sighting of Yeti Debated

This article discusses a sighting of a Yeti by Anthony B. Wooldridge, a physicist from Manchester. He presented evidence consisting of two sets of photographs taken in the Himalayas, showing large tracks and a silhouetted figure in a snowfield. However, anthropologist S. Grover Krantz expressed skepticism, questioning the evidence and stating that the pictures are "definitely not of a yeti." Krantz believes the best way to prove the existence of such creatures is to shoot one, a view strongly disagreed with by Wooldridge, who fears endangering their survival.

UFO Update

Ellen Crystall, a UFO photographer from Pine Bush, NY, discusses the challenges of her work, noting it's a full-time job with no funding, despite having over 500 pictures. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in music at New York University. The article mentions her belief in UFOs since a 1971 encounter with a being with a large head and a rust-color stretch-knit jumpsuit. Crystall estimates seeing 1,000 UFOs. The section also touches on the difficulty of getting UFO pictures developed and mentions a dinner with other UFO enthusiasts, including John White and the Shenefields, who shared abduction experiences.

Alien Encounter

This brief section notes that Ellen Crystall, the UFO photographer, also won a photo contest for a more traditional subject. It then recounts Marianne Shenefield's experience of being abducted by aliens at age 11, mistaking the being for someone from the next town. Crystall dismisses this as "Naive."

Skeptic Convinced

This short piece describes how a National Enquirer reporter, initially a skeptic, was convinced of UFOs after witnessing them, which "blew his mind."

Omaha UFO Livens Up 'Quiet Sunday Evening'

An Omaha man reported seeing two airplanes collide, which authorities later identified as a UFO. Police officers observed a bright object moving southwest. Explanations ranged from a Nebraska National Guard helicopter to the planet Venus, with an amateur astronomer suggesting atmospheric conditions could cause sunlight reflections to create such phenomena.

Close Encounter Ashes Australian Family's Car

In Sydney, Australia, a family reported their car was chased by an "eggcup-shaped object" along a remote outback highway. The object allegedly plucked the car from the ground, covered it in ash, and caused their voices to become distorted. Police are treating the reports seriously. An expert suggested the event might have been a meteorite shower, which could explain the ash and hearing problems.

Woman's UFO May Have Been Meteorite Shower, Expert Says

This article revisits the Australian encounter, with Charles Morgan of the Sydney Observatory suggesting Faye Knowles may have experienced a meteorite shower. He notes that while nothing known can physically pick up a car, a large carbonous meteorite shower could explain the ash and the smell of "dead bodies" inside the car. He also suggests the Knowles' might have driven off the road in fright.

Disc Jockey's UFO Joke Prompts Flood of Calls

In Pittsburgh, a disc jockey's on-air account of a UFO sighting was so convincing that it led to a flood of calls to the Allegheny County Police Station. The broadcast was later revealed to be a joke.

Gulf Breeze, Florida UFO Case

This section provides a synopsis of the Gulf Breeze UFO sighting, originally published in the MUFON UFO JOURNAL. It notes that some investigators suggest the case may be an elaborate hoax, but the Fortean Research Center does not take a definitive stance, choosing to present the information for further research. The account details "Mr. Ed's" experiences, including sightings of a UFO, being lifted by a blue beam, hearing voices, and encountering a creature. Multiple sightings and photographs are mentioned, occurring on November 11, 20, and December 2, 5, and 17, 1987.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The journal consistently focuses on unexplained phenomena, with a particular emphasis on UFOs and cryptozoological subjects like the Yeti. The editorial stance appears to be one of open investigation and reporting, presenting various accounts and debates without necessarily endorsing their veracity. The Fortean Research Center actively encourages reader participation and support, highlighting the importance of shared information and community in the study of these mysteries. The inclusion of a radio show and symposium further indicates a commitment to disseminating information and fostering discussion within the field of fortean studies.

Title: FORTEAN RESEARCH JOURNAL
Issue: 1
Volume: 1988
Date: January 1988
Publisher: FORTEAN RESEARCH CENTER
Country: USA
Language: English

Content Summary

This issue of the Fortean Research Journal, dated January 1988, leads with a detailed account of a series of alleged UFO sightings and encounters experienced by a witness identified as "Mr. Ed." The primary article, spanning from page 15, begins with the observation of a "light green liquid which bubbled" on December 17th, 1987, with a sample reportedly taken by investigator Robert Boyd of Mobile, Alabama. The witness, "Mr. Ed," claims the object returned later that night, prompting him to take more photographs.

Further incidents are described for December 23rd, 1987, when "Mr. Ed" allegedly saw three UFOs low to the ground and took a photograph. On December 28th, 1987, he used a Sony Video 8 Model CCD MB camcorder to capture two minutes of alleged UFO activity. A more dramatic encounter occurred on January 12th, 1988, on Highway 191-B in Florida. "Mr. Ed" reported that an alleged UFO beamed a white light at him, partially immobilizing his arms. He claims to have resisted the beam and took another photograph. Subsequently, he was "hit" by another white beam of light that immobilized his legs. While crawling under his truck, he observed five "aliens" being deposited on the highway via a blue beam. Fearing the "aliens," he struggled to his truck and escaped.

Additional encounters were reported on January 16th, 21st, and 24th, 1988. In total, "Mr. Ed" has reportedly taken 21 photographs and one videotape of these events. The investigative organization MUFON is actively investigating this case. The investigative team includes Donald Ware, Charles Flannigan, Gary Watson, Robert Reid, and Robert Boyd. Walt Andrus, International Director for MUFON, is quoted as stating, "This case is either an elaborate hoax or one of the most fantastic UFO cases I have had the privilege of investigating in the past 30 years."

The Last Page

The "LAST PAGE" section of the journal, dated January 1988, serves as a welcome to new and old subscribers. The editor states the periodical's purpose is to present as much information as possible regarding the "world of the unexplained." Readers are encouraged to contribute by sending in any stories, articles, or items they find that fit the journal's scope, ensuring to include the source, author, and page number. The editor also invites readers to write letters and share personal experiences of "unexplainable" events. The journal states that only real names and places will be published with explicit written permission, otherwise, experiences will be anonymized and placed in the "hot seat" by anything the reader may say. The editor emphasizes the importance of asking questions to learn answers about the unexplained, noting that "No questions will be asked if no one is interested. We at the Center ARE interested."

Correspondence, including articles, stories, and letters, should be addressed to:
THE EDITOR
FORTEAN RESEARCH CENTER
P.O. BOX 94627
LINCOLN, NE 68509

Help Our Friends

The second page of the journal lists numerous other organizations that deal with the unexplained. It encourages readers to support these organizations financially and in spirit, acknowledging their efforts with limited resources. The listed organizations include:

• MUTUAL UFO NETWORK (Seguin, TX)
• FORTEAN TIMES (London, UK)
• ARCTURUS BOOK SERVICE (Scotia, NY)
• THE GATE (Richmond Heights, OH)
• FAIR WITNESS PROJECT (Burbank, CA)
• COMPUTER UFO NEWSLETTER (Cermenate, Italy)
• YORKSHIRE UFO SOCIETY (Batley, England)
• ODYSSEY/BULLETIN (Ljubljana, Yugoslavia)
• INTERNATIONAL UFO REPORTER / CENTER FOR UFO STUDIES (Glenview, IL)
• UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE (Plumerville, AR)
• PROJECT STIGMA/CRUX (Paris, TX)
• NORTHERN UFO NEWS (Warrington, UK)
• CITIZENS AGAINST UFO SECRECY (Coventry, CT)
• LAKE CHAMPLAIN PHENOMENA INVESTIGATION (Wilton, NY)
• UFO CONTACT CENTER INTERNATIONAL (Seattle, WA)
• GHOST RESEARCH SOCIETY (Oak Lawn, IL)
• CALIFORNIA UFO (Los Angeles, CA)

The Fortean Research Center is identified as a non-profit corporation for the study of unexplained phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this issue is the detailed reporting of alleged UFO sightings and encounters, with a focus on witness testimony and physical evidence collection. The editorial stance, as expressed in "The Last Page," is one of open inquiry and a commitment to presenting information about the unexplained. The journal actively solicits reader contributions and emphasizes the importance of asking questions to uncover the truth. There is a clear encouragement for community involvement and support for other organizations in the field. The overall tone is investigative and community-oriented, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of unexplained phenomena.