Magonia Supplement - No 13 - 1999 03

Magazine Overview

Title: MAGONIA Monthly Supplement
Issue: No. 13
Date: March 1999
Publisher: formerly ETH Bulletin
Editor: John Harney

This issue of the Magonia Monthly Supplement, a publication focused on interpreting contemporary vision and belief, delves into various UFO-related topics, including conference reports, book reviews, and letters to the editor. The publication aims to provide a critical and analytical perspective on ufology.

Editorial

The editor, John Harney, expresses his disappointment with the current state of ufology, particularly in Britain. He notes a division among ufologists between those seeking rational explanations and those who appear to prioritize lucrative book contracts and media appearances over scientific investigation. He contrasts this with his initial hope when publishing as ETH Bulletin that cases would be presented as evidence for the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH), but observes that the ETH itself is weakening.

Southport UFO Conference Report

The editor attended the Lancashire UFO Society's conference in Southport on February 27th. The proceedings were presided over by Tim Matthews. The conference featured several speakers:

Jerry Anderson (UFO Monitors East Kent - UFOMEK)

Anderson presented an interesting close-encounter story from an 84-year-old man who, in 1954, witnessed a silver object hovering above trees with small beings collecting samples. The man approached within 20 feet before the beings re-entered their craft and departed at high speed.

The main part of Anderson's talk focused on the Burmarsh incident of March 8, 1997, which involved a UFO sighting near the residence of the then Home Secretary, Michael Howard. UFOMEK's investigation included writing to the Ministry of Defence and analyzing a suspicious tape recording of a conversation between Anderson and Chris Rolfe. Anderson admitted that BT investigators found no evidence of a telephone tap, and an independent investigator suggested a laser directional microphone was used. However, the editor suggests a simpler explanation: Anderson may have recorded the call himself, and the tape was then used to hoax him.

UFOMEK is also reportedly excited about security video footage showing a triangular UFO over the Thames at Gravesend. While 'independent analysts' and 'video experts' reportedly deemed it a solid object, the editor viewed the footage as poor quality and resembling a fractostratus cloud.

Jenny Randles

Jenny Randles, a frequent speaker at UFO conferences, presented a detailed account of the investigations into the Peter Day film of January 1973. Her conclusion was that the moving light on the film was burning fuel ejected by an F-111 jet that was in trouble and later crashed.

Tim Matthews

During lunch, Tim Matthews discussed material from his book concerning military aircraft mistaken for UFOs.

Dr David Clarke and Andy Roberts

Dr. Clarke discussed the Howden Moor incident of 1997, where police and rescue teams spent approximately £50,000 searching for a non-existent crashed aircraft. This was due to the Ministry of Defence's refusal to admit that one of their aircraft had illegally broken the sound barrier. The case did not initially involve UFOs until dubious characters spread rumours. A low-flying light aircraft was videotaped but not identified.

Andy Roberts presented a demolition of the Berwyn Mountain case of 1974, often called the 'British Roswell'. Roberts explained that the story originated from the misinterpretation of events: a loud explosion and earth tremor on January 23, 1974, centered in the Bala area, and the sighting of three bright meteors. He debunked the story of a nurse being turned away by soldiers, stating she encountered no one on the mountain. The persistent story of people being turned away likely stemmed from confusion with a 1982 RAF plane crash in the area. Roberts attributed strange lights seen by the nurse to police torches and poachers' car lights, not a UFO. He concluded that the Berwyn Mountain incident was not a UFO event.

The conference concluded with an informal session where audience members shared their views, with one speaker advocating for the truth of more fantastic UFO theories.

Book Reviews

Alien Investigator: The Case Files of Britain's Leading UFO Detective by Tony Dodd

Reviewed by the editor, this book details Tony Dodd's transition from a police sergeant to a full-time UFO researcher. Dodd claims to use his police experience for a 'hard-headed, disciplined' approach. The review is critical, suggesting Dodd's UFO research methodology is less rigorous than his police work. It highlights his belief in 'good' and 'bad' aliens, telepathic communication, and his claims of being harassed by secret agents. The reviewer finds Dodd's accounts, particularly those concerning alleged UFO incidents in Iceland, to be overly credulous, suggesting his contacts might be pulling his leg.

UFO Crash Landing? Friend or Foe? by Jenny Randles

Reviewed by Nigel Watson, this book focuses on the Rendlesham Forest mystery. Watson notes that Randles gives credence to sightings on December 25-26, 1980, and speculates about a project called Cobra Mist using an electrical beam energy weapon to shoot at satellites. Other possibilities mentioned include a recovered Soviet satellite nuclear motor, a secret USAF plane crash, an extraterrestrial visitor, or a natural phenomenon. Watson criticizes Randles for keeping her options open and her conclusions 'slippery as a tin of grease'. He points out the lack of substantial evidence, the contradictory and ludicrous testimony of eyewitnesses, and the potential for misinterpretation, comparing the case unfavorably to Roswell. He also notes that the site of the alleged landing was quickly destroyed, and its location is confused, possibly indicating a deliberately created false landing site.

Letters

Martin Kottmeyer

Kottmeyer discusses the role of Betty Hill's fears of radiation in her 'dream narratives', linking it to the Soviet Union's nuclear testing moratorium ending in September 1961 and subsequent US and Soviet nuclear tests.

Jerry Clark

The editor questions Jerry Clark's naivety or rhetorical approach regarding misperception, stating that Magonia's views are based on scientific studies of perceptual processes rather than 'populist political correctness'. He references Donald Hoffman's 'Visual Intelligence' and Richard Gregory's works, suggesting that misperceptions can offer clues to human perceptual processes, and that 'powerful searchlights' might be accounts of bright stars and planets.

David Hufford

Hufford's point that 'hag stories' are based on real experiences of sleep paralysis episodes is discussed. The editor notes that this does not necessarily mean the hags were external beings, and that the experience might be hallucinatory or constructed from ambiguous sensory stimuli, as suggested by Ronald Siegel's analysis of his own hag experience.

Peter Rogerson, Manchester

Rogerson critiques the interpretation of UFO stories, stating that while many are based on real experiences, folk interpretations can be incorrect. He emphasizes the importance of detailed scientific studies of 'persistent ufological objects' and asks for precise bibliographic references for a Jet Propulsion Laboratory report on a video tape mentioned by Jerry. He questions the JPL's role, expertise, and the nature of the research, suggesting that seeking explanations in non-human intelligences is a sign of 'intellectual laziness and superstition'. Rogerson also criticizes Philip Klass for relying on a phone conversation with an unnamed person as evidence for the light aircraft theory, calling it gossip.

Philip J. Klass, Washington, D.C.

Klass addresses Jerome Clark's letter about the 'Hudson Valley UFOs', suggesting that many reports were triggered by private pilots flying in close formation. He cites an article in International UFO Reporter (IUR) by Philip Imbrogno and others, which admitted that pilots flying in formation explained some cases but not the slow-moving, silent, hovering 'Boomerang' UFOs. Klass notes Imbrogno's later book partnership with Dr. J. Allen Hynek and an IUR editorial by Hynek questioning whether all sightings were due to 'slap-happy pilots'. Klass argues that the alternative—ETs designing a boomerang-shaped craft to visit the Hudson Valley—is less plausible than pilot-hoaxing. He also points out that eyewitness reports of lights-in-the-sky are often inaccurate, citing Allan Hendry's investigation of 1,024 UFO reports for CUFOS, all of which had prosaic explanations. Klass concludes by stating that airliners approaching airports at night can appear to hover for 5-10 seconds, similar to the described hovering UFOs.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Magonia Monthly Supplement consistently adopts a skeptical and analytical stance towards UFO phenomena. The editor and contributors frequently challenge sensationalist claims, emphasize the importance of rigorous scientific investigation, and explore prosaic explanations for alleged sightings. There is a recurring theme of debunking specific cases, such as the Berwyn Mountain incident and the Hudson Valley UFO reports, by highlighting misinterpretations, hoaxes, and the fallibility of eyewitness testimony. The publication appears to favor evidence-based reasoning and critical thinking, often contrasting this with what it perceives as the gullibility or agenda-driven narratives within parts of the ufology community.