1979 Vol 1 No 3

Magazine Overview

Title: JOURNAL UFO
Issue: VOL. 1 NO. 3
Date: 1979
Publisher: U.P. INVESTIGATIONS RESEARCH INC.
Country: Canada
Price: $2.75

This issue of Journal UFO, Vol. 1 No. 3, marks a significant step with its incorporation into Canadian UFO Report. The cover prominently features the headline "UFO RESEARCHERS FORM OWN 'UNITED NATIONS'," highlighting a key theme of international cooperation in the field. The issue includes a diverse range of content, from detailed UFO sighting reports and analyses to reviews of relevant literature and discussions on the scientific approach to ufology.

Editorial Comment

Editor David A. Haisell begins by apologizing for the slight delay in publication, attributing it to the recent incorporation with Canadian UFO Report. He welcomes former CUFOR readers and expresses the aim of JUFO to continue the tradition of quality ufology coverage, expanding its scope globally and featuring new researchers. Haisell notes the growing scientific interest in ufology and the promising formation of an international committee for UFO research (PICUFOR) at the First London International UFO Congress. He introduces a new regular feature, "JUFOBITS," which will compile smaller UFO-related items, and highlights a report on Newfoundland sightings and a strange fire.

Letters

The letters section features a reader, H. Kaufman, expressing satisfaction with the journal and confidence in its success, particularly noting Ralph DeGraw's recommendation. Another reader, Richard W. Heiden, impressed by the first two issues, agrees with remarks about George Adamski and questions Ron Anstee's claims about Adamski's evidence, requesting Anstee's address for further discussion. Marek S. Iwaniec, the former UFO Examiner foreign correspondent for Poland, writes about the difficulties of obtaining books from abroad due to currency restrictions, requesting to borrow a copy of "THE MISSING SEVEN HOURS." The editor responds by sending a complimentary copy and inviting continued communication.

Key Incidents and Reports

Yellowknife, 1950

One report details an experience in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where five people canoeing on Great Slave Lake witnessed a strange phenomenon. Initially a small light, it grew to the size and shape of a full harvest moon, glowing orange with a clear outline. It then stopped, and after a few moments, took off at a sharp right angle at a speed far beyond Earth's capabilities at the time.

Halifax, 1975

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, a woman and her companions witnessed an object described as 20 to 30 feet in diameter, disk-shaped with a slight rise in the center. It had pulsating red and white lights and hovered for 7-10 minutes. It then moved parallel to the harbour and rapidly disappeared over a nuclear power plant. The witnesses were excited but did not approach or report it immediately.

Washago, 1976, 1979

A woman in Washago, Ontario, reported seeing a large, black object with bright lights, appearing as two inverted disks, flying slowly above her house in 1976. In April 1979, she was awakened by a sound and saw bright lights, followed by a sliding door sound, after which the humming disappeared rapidly. The incident left her unsettled, and the grass in the area where the object was seen died.

Cornish Display

An account from St. Ewe, Cornwall, England, describes a large object, about 100 feet across, resembling a red mushroom with a 'stem' of light, surrounded by blue disks and flames. The object was bathed in bright light and emitted a faint ringing sound before speeding off towards St. Austell Bay.

Western Lake Ontario

Reports from the Niagara River area describe an overturned, metallic boat-like object that submerged, resurfaced with people clinging to it, and then sank. Witnesses also reported peculiar, strangely behaving lights in the sky over Lake Ontario, which exhibited random movements, merging, and right-angle turns.

Police Car Damaged

In Minnesota, USA, a deputy sheriff's car was struck by a brilliantly lighted object, causing the officer to lose consciousness for 39 minutes and damaging his car. The incident also caused his wristwatch and the car's electric clock to lose fourteen minutes.

UFO Effects

Graham Conway discusses the paradoxical reactions of people encountering UFOs, noting that some experience overwhelming irrational fear, while others approach landed craft or entities with curiosity and calmness, even attempting communication. He contrasts this with a report of residents waking to the sight of weird entities in their bedroom without fear, and another report of Russian residents waking to a sense of terror. Conway questions the logic behind these varied reactions.

1979 MUFON Conference

William Spaulding of Ground Saucer Watch is mentioned for his efforts to obtain UFO case details from the CIA, leading to a legal battle under the Freedom of Information Act. The release of numerous UFO reports is noted, with Spaulding believing the CIA was delaying full compliance by transferring files to the NSA. A case involving fighter planes being rendered inoperative by a UFO over Iran is also mentioned, as is an anecdote from Ward Kimball of Disney studios being denied access to UFO footage by the government.

The First London International UFO Congress

This section details the First London International UFO Congress held in London, England, on August 26-27, 1979. The congress aimed to present papers on UFO events and research and to convene a Working Party to establish international standards for UFO terminology, definitions, and classifications. The formation of PICUFOR is highlighted, reflecting a spirit of cooperation among nations. The congress program is listed, including speakers like Dr. Leo Sprinkle and Dr. J. Allen Hynek.

Terminology & Definitions

This section discusses the efforts of the Working Party to standardize UFO terminology. It highlights the inadequacy of the term 'UFO' and the preference for 'unidentified phenomena'. Definitions for 'UFO report' and 'UFO' are proposed, emphasizing the characteristics of the phenomenon rather than the conditions of observation. The challenge of defining 'UFO reporter' is noted, with various levels of reporting considered. The need for an effective classification system for UFO data is stressed, with a discussion on the limitations of existing systems like Dr. Hynek's Close Encounters classification.

JUFOBITS

This section presents a collection of short reports:

• Free Newsletter: Tim Tokaryk of Edmonton, Alberta, is publishing a free monthly newsletter called CEWFS.
• The Journal of UFO Studies: A new semi-annual journal edited by Dr. Elaine M. Hendry and advised by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, focusing on interdisciplinary UFO research.
• "UFO Phenomena": An annual review of international UFO study published in Italy, featuring papers in English and French, with an editorial board including prominent researchers.
• Journal of Transient Aerial Phenomena: A new twice-yearly journal from the British UFO Research Association, intended to replace every third issue of the BUFORA Journal.
• New Books: Reviews of "Beyond the Light Rays" by T. Henry Moray (revised) and "Astronauts of Ancient Japan" by Vaughn M. Greene are included. Arthur Bray's book, "The UFO Connection," is also advertised.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the increasing professionalization and internationalization of UFO research. The formation of PICUFOR and the discussions on standardized terminology and classification underscore a desire for a more scientific and collaborative approach. The editorial stance appears to be one of encouraging serious investigation, critical analysis of evidence, and open communication among researchers worldwide. There's a clear emphasis on moving beyond anecdotal accounts to establish a more robust understanding of the UFO phenomenon, while acknowledging the challenges and complexities involved.

Title: JOURNAL UFO
Issue: VOL. 1, NO. 3
Date: 1979
Publisher: U.P. Investigations Research Inc.
Country: Canada
Language: English

This issue of JOURNAL UFO focuses on international cooperation in UFO research, recent Canadian sightings, and a review of a significant book on the subject.

International Cooperation: The PICUFOR Committee

The formation of PICUFOR (Provisional International Committee for UFO Research) is presented as a major step towards advancing UFO research globally. The Working Party, consisting of twenty-six members from twelve countries, met to discuss the need for a workable international data base and classification system. While a definitive system could not be established overnight, it was agreed that countries already involved in automating UFO report analysis would proceed accordingly. The goal is to establish minimum requirements for an international data base that national groups can interface with. The Working Party also deferred discussions on electronic data processing and international data exchange. Robert Digby of BUFORA presented an analysis of automating UFO data recording and processing.

Key Presentations and Projects

Bertil Kuhlemann presented the URD (Universal UFO Report) project, which uses computer analysis for UFO reports. The URD system, developed since 1973 and operational since 1978, utilizes an IBM/370 computer for data collection and analysis. Alain Esterle described the techniques used by GEPAN, the French government-sponsored UFO research group, to analyze and classify UFO reports, aiming for statistical analysis and comparison among reports. GEPAN is currently avoiding a specific classification system but seeks to compare its files with other organizations.

Canadian UFO Report Notebook: Notable Cases

John Magor contributes a section highlighting significant cases from the Canadian UFO Report archives. He recounts the 1966 incident involving Albert Kershaw, who witnessed a shiny, pontoon-shaped object that sprayed dust and flipped over to reveal a discoid shape. Another case involves Brian Grattan's sightings in the 1960s, including a disc-shaped object with lights. The notebook also touches upon the growing concern of cattle mutilation in British Columbia, detailing two cases: one involving Rene Bosc's bull and another concerning Nick Chomiak's cow, both exhibiting unusual injuries and circumstances that defy conventional explanations.

Newfoundland and Labrador Sightings

The issue details several UFO incidents from Newfoundland and Labrador. In Black Tickle, Labrador, on November 13, 1978, witnesses reported a bright red-dish-orange phenomenon that later dissolved clouds on contact. This sighting coincided with a bog fire of unknown origin in the area. Other reports from Newfoundland include sightings in Trepassey and St. Anthony, involving objects with flashing lights and unusual shapes. A report from Gander describes a resident seeing a round object with multiple colored lights travelling across the sky.

Clarenville Reports

Two incidents from Clarenville, Newfoundland, are detailed. On October 12th, a couple observed a circular object with flashing lights over Random Island. On October 26th, RCMP Constable James Blackwood reported sighting a similar oval-shaped UFO with a white body and a pyramid-shaped fin, flashing red, blue, and white lights, hovering at a significant altitude before ascending rapidly.

Book Review: 'Messengers of Deception' by Jacques Vallee

Don Cassel reviews Jacques Vallee's book, which proposes that a 'machinery of mass manipulation' is behind the UFO phenomenon. Vallee suggests that UFOs might be terrestrial in origin and are designed to project fabricated images and change belief systems. The review highlights Vallee's arguments against extraterrestrial origins and his focus on the psychological and social aspects of UFO contact. The book is divided into three parts: 'The Contacts,' 'The Manipulations,' and 'The Stratagems.' The reviewer notes that Vallee's work is considered credible due to his scientific approach and willingness to explore various alternatives.

UFO Newsclipping Service

A notice promotes the UFO Newsclipping Service, which provides UFO reports from around the world, including photographs and landing/occupant cases, reproduced from international press clippings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the push for international collaboration in UFO research, the detailed reporting of specific UFO sightings and incidents across Canada, and the exploration of the more unusual aspects of the phenomenon, such as cattle mutilation. The editorial stance, as implied by the publication's title and content, is to present UFO-related information objectively and to encourage further investigation and understanding of these phenomena. The article on PICUFOR suggests a hopeful outlook for the future of UFO research, emphasizing the need for cooperation and higher levels of communication.