Klipprunden - 1989 01 29

Magazine Overview

This issue of VI MENN, dated January 1, 1989, with issue number 50/51 from 1988, is heavily focused on UFO phenomena and related topics, including parapsychology and unexplained events. The cover prominently features the 'UFO-MOBILEN' and a futuristic vehicle, hinting at the magazine's exploration of advanced or unconventional transportation and sightings.

Articles and Features

UFO-MOBILEN: Hevet over bilkøene This article introduces the Merlin 300, a revolutionary vehicle designed by Paul Moller from California. Described as a blend of a car, helicopter, and small aircraft, it boasts vertical take-off and landing capabilities and a top speed of around 600 km/h. The Merlin 300 is presented as a potential solution to traffic congestion. The article details the technological aspects, including eight lightweight engines powering eight propellers, and mentions the 200X prototype, a two-seater disc-shaped craft. The development has received significant funding from the US Department of Defense, and a deposit of $5,000 is required for those interested in purchasing one, with a two-year waiting period.

UFO-related Sightings and Reports

Several articles detail specific UFO sightings reported across Norway:

• UFO over Hovin? Two individuals in Hovin reported seeing a luminous, silent object on December 14, 1988, described as tube-shaped with green, blue, and yellow colors. The local school principal contacted Værnes air base, which reported no unusual air activity.
• UFO over Bærøfjorden? Bilde tatt i desember Kamran Bahramfarsi from Kragerø photographed a luminous object over Bærøfjorden on a night before Christmas. He described it as a fast-moving, silent object that hovered for a few minutes before disappearing. Arne Børcke, a UFO expert, found the description interesting and urged others to report similar sightings.
• UFO over Skåtøy? This article revisits Kamran Bahramfarsi's sighting and photograph. Sigrid Haug also reported seeing a luminous object over Skåtøy around December 18, 1988, which stopped and then moved at high speed. The article also includes an analysis by Egil Mathisen, who suggests Bahramfarsi's photo is a hoax, likely of the full moon, due to similarities with a streetlamp and the moon's shape in the negative.
• UFO over Vestby sentrum? Trond Erik Hanssen photographed what he believes to be a flying saucer over Vestby, describing it as a friendly, luminous object.
• UFO i Nissedal Margit Grimstveit from Grimstveit reported seeing a luminous, driving white object over Skornatten on September 10, 1988. She initially thought it was Jesus returning but later considered it an unexplained phenomenon, noting its unusual mountain-like shapes and bright illumination of the area.
• UFO i Spind? Odd Kjølleberg reported seeing an object with blinking blue and white lights between Farsund and Lyngdal on November 21, 1988. The object moved in a large arc and disappeared towards the ground.
• Observerte truleg UFO Roger Bårdsgjære observed a luminous object behind Høgsætra on November 12, 1988, which moved and disappeared behind Snaufjellet. This sighting occurred in an area with no reported air traffic.
• UFO i grensetraktene? A reader from Signaldalen reported seeing a luminous sphere with a high-speed condensation trail on November 29, 1988, speculating it could be a rocket launch or a UFO. However, the base at Esrange in Kiruna confirmed a Sky Lark rocket launch at that time.

Parapsychology and Unexplained Phenomena

• Visst finnes det spøkelser This article explores various parapsychological phenomena, including ghosts, telepathy, vardøger, clairvoyance, precognition, near-death experiences, and reincarnation. Jon Mannsåker, chairman of the Norwegian Parapsychological Society, emphasizes that parapsychology is a systematic investigation of phenomena that cannot be explained by conventional science. He notes that while many experiences have natural explanations, some remain unexplained. He distinguishes parapsychology from religion, focusing on scientific inquiry rather than belief.
• Stjernehimmelen i november This piece briefly mentions astronomical observations, noting the visibility of Mars and Jupiter in the November sky. It also touches upon reports of luminous phenomena in Hessdalen, suggesting they could be artificial satellites or weather balloons, and expresses skepticism towards UFOs being observed by astronomers.

NIVFO and Skepticism

• Avsløringen uteble! This section details the cancellation of an event organized by NIVFO (Norsk Institutt for Vitenskapelig Forskning og Opplysning) featuring magician James Randi, who was to expose 'miracle workers and false sciences.' The cancellation was attributed to Randi's illness and a lack of candidates for NIVFO's paranormal abilities challenge. The article includes critical commentary from reader Karl Bruun, who accuses NIVFO of using 'deliberate ridicule' and questions their stance on paranormal phenomena, especially given their purported inclusion of priests. The piece also touches upon the difficulty of measuring psychic or spiritual phenomena with physical methods.

Other Content

• Jakob og stjernene hans This feature profiles Jakob Lingås, an amateur astronomer who built his own observatory and discovered a new star, Nova Cygni. It highlights his passion for astronomy, his observations of variable stars, and his perspective on the vastness of the universe and humanity's place within it.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine exhibits a strong interest in UFOs and unexplained phenomena, presenting both eyewitness accounts and scientific or skeptical analyses. There's a clear fascination with the possibility of advanced technology (like the UFO-Mobile) and extraterrestrial or paranormal occurrences. The inclusion of articles on parapsychology suggests an editorial stance that acknowledges the existence of phenomena beyond current scientific understanding, while also presenting skeptical viewpoints and the work of organizations like NIVFO that aim to debunk claims of the paranormal. The magazine seems to cater to a readership interested in mysteries, science fiction, and the fringes of scientific inquiry.

This issue of the magazine, dated November 30, 1988, delves into the 'Skogvoll Mystery Solved?' with a cover headline posing the question. It also includes reports on a UFO sighting in Stange and a mysterious light over Fagernes, identified as a New Year's rocket.

The Skogvoll Mystery Solved?

The main article, authored by Dagfinn Dybwig and Jacob Møller, proposes a scientific explanation for the 1982 'bog phenomenon' at Skogvoll. They suggest that an electrical discharge from lightning, likely on July 17, 1982, was the cause. The bog's ground, containing pyrite, is electrically conductive and acted as a natural lightning rod. This discharge created high temperatures, forming steam that caused a bubble-like expansion and a powerful enough pressure to lift and move a peat bog fragment approximately four to five meters. The fragment, measuring 5.2 meters long and 1.8 meters wide, weighed between 1.5 and 1.7 tons. The crater left behind was about 30 cm deep with clean-cut edges. The article references previous reports in 'Ottar' and mentions three similar findings on Andøya that were also reported by Andøyposten.

Experts contacted by the newspaper at the time were baffled. Peat consultant Per Homburg stated he had never encountered anything so strange and dismissed lightning as a cause. Botanist Knut Faægri found no natural explanation and promised to send people to study the phenomenon. Botanist Karl-Dag Vieren also expressed bewilderment and could not find any similar cases in scientific literature.

Dybwig and Møller's theory, presented in the latest issue of 'Ottar', involves a 'return lightning' or a type of explosion from the ground. They highlight that pyrite in the Skogvoll bog's subsoil makes it electrically conductive. During a thunderstorm, this ground acted as a conductor, leading to an electrical discharge and a concentration of positive charges. The resulting high temperature could have spontaneously formed water vapor, creating an upward pressure that tore out and moved the peat bog fragment. They also note three similar phenomena on Andøya.

UFO in Stange?

A report from Hamar Arbeiderblad dated December 21, 1988, details a sighting by a woman from Ottestad. She observed a light in the sky around 11:30 PM that shifted from bright pink to intense blue-green. She watched the object for an hour as it moved slowly, changing colors at regular intervals. The object was described as triangular in shape, with the brightest light on its sides and weaker light above and below. The witness ruled out helicopters, weather balloons, and satellites.

Lysende kule opp og ned (Glowing Ball Up and Down)

This section, from Arbeiderbladet dated December 30, 1988, features a letter from a reader named Ruth H. She recounts an experience from several years prior, around 11 PM on a clear, cold night. She saw a glowing ball on the rooftop of a neighboring building. After a period on the roof, the ball rose about two meters into the air. It was the size of a handball, slightly smaller than a football, and appeared packed with what she described as luminous insects. She suggests that UFOs might be compact balls of self-luminous insects, noting their up-and-down movement, similar to insects, during the two hours she observed them.

Valdres-året 1988 - sett av -ing

This section from Valdres, dated December 30, 1988, discusses a UFO-like sighting over Fagernes in January. Many observers reported a strange, powerful light over Ranheimsåsen, so bright that one could read a newspaper outdoors. The light source was described as being about the size of a house wall. The military confirmed no activity in the area. Speculation ranged from a home guard flare, a glider, an optical phenomenon, ball lightning, or a secret military craft. The explanation came from a woman in Ranheim who had saved a New Year's rocket with a parachute, which she launched on January 4th. In the cold, misty January air, the rocket's bright light was amplified by the haze. The military was thus cleared of involvement, though the article humorously notes their sponsorship of fireworks.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine appears to focus on unexplained phenomena, particularly UFO sightings and potential scientific explanations. There's a clear interest in demystifying these events through logical reasoning and expert analysis, as seen in the detailed explanation of the Skogvoll mystery. However, it also gives space to witness testimonies, acknowledging the subjective experiences that fuel these discussions. The inclusion of various newspaper clippings suggests a compilation of recent events and ongoing investigations within the paranormal and UFO field in Norway during 1988.