Magonia Supplement - No 61 - 2006 05 17

Magazine Overview

This issue of MAGONIA Supplement, dated May 17, 2006, No. 61, is primarily focused on the relationship between national events and UFO reporting, specifically examining the impact of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The main article, "DID THE KATRINA DEBACLE INCREASE UFO REPORTING? A Test of the Collective Shame Theory of Flaps" by Martin S. Kottmeyer, investigates whether periods of collective shame can trigger UFO flaps.

The Katrina Debacle and UFO Reporting

Kottmeyer begins by detailing the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in August 2005, highlighting the government's inadequate response and the resulting public perception of shame and disorganization. He notes that protests and media coverage amplified this sense of shame, which was somewhat alleviated by the successful handling of Hurricane Rita shortly after.

The author then tests the hypothesis that collective shame can lead to increased UFO reporting. He accessed the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) database for July to November 2005, filtering out foreign reports. The data revealed a 54% increase in reports per day during the period of national shame following Katrina, from an average of 7.4 reports per day before Katrina to higher figures during September and October. While this increase was not as dramatic as historical 'flaps' (e.g., the ten-fold spikes seen during the 1952 and 1957 flaps), it was a notable surge. The increase in reporting began around September 1st, coinciding with the obvious chaos and government missteps related to the Superdome and Convention Center, rather than on the day of Katrina's landfall itself.

Kottmeyer discusses several specific reports from the period, including a triangular craft seen over Texas, a hovering light in Illinois possibly related to refinery fears, and a 'dancing star' reported in Mississippi. He also notes that many reports are easily explained as misinterpretations of common phenomena like meteors or aircraft lights. He concludes that while the Katrina event did not produce a classic 'Blue Book era' flap, the observed increase in activity, occurring at a relevant time, is acceptable as a confirmation of the shame/paranoia theory, albeit a modest one.

Critiques of 'Serious Ufology'

The issue also features an article by John Harney titled "'SERIOUS UFOLOGISTS' AND THE ETH," which critiques the approach of those who take ufology very seriously, particularly those who adhere to the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH). Harney argues that 'Serious Ufologists' often demand that others 'do their own homework' when asked for details of compelling cases, and that their claims are often based on a cumulative evidence approach rather than solid proof.

Harney contends that ufology is not a nascent science but a pseudoscience that can be studied academically as folklore. He criticizes the tendency to label skeptics negatively and to dismiss mundane explanations. He recounts an exchange with ufologist Don Ledger, who accused Harney of lying and using Nazi-like propaganda tactics. Harney refutes this by explaining that the burden of proof lies with those making extraordinary claims, not with the skeptic.

He analyzes a specific case cited by Ledger involving an airmiss report of a wedge-shaped UFO, explaining that the official investigation found no evidence of such an object and that it was likely a misidentification of a meteor. Harney also discusses the concept of 'Pseudologica Fantastica,' or the compulsive need to lie, as a potential factor in some UFO claims, referencing cases of individuals fabricating military service records.

Harney's aim is to show that after stripping away misperceptions, delusions, lies, and hoaxes, only a small number of puzzling observations remain, mostly related to unusual atmospheric or electrical phenomena. He asserts that governments do not possess evidence of alien spacecraft and that ufology will fade away if people accept these truths.

Literary Criticism: Reviews of Early New Ufology Books

Peter Rogerson reviews two books by Jerome Clark and Loren Coleman, "The Unidentified" and "Creatures of the Outer Edge," which are presented together in a new volume. Rogerson notes that these books were seminal works in the 'new ufology' of the 1970s and were known for their high secondhand market prices. He assesses how well they have stood up to time, finding them generally well-preserved but with some 'toe-curling passages,' such as support for the Cottingley Fairies or claims of telekinetic teleportation.

He contrasts the 1970s view of parapsychology, which was more respectable and involved figures like Margaret Mead, with the present day. Rogerson also discusses the literalistic interpretation of Jungianism in the books and how they depict ufology before the Roswell incident and the widespread alien abduction narratives. He points out that the books foreshadowed themes that would later become prominent, such as the return of the repressed and ecological concerns.

Rogerson notes that both authors later seemed to shift towards more traditional views, with Clark focusing on 'multiwitness physical trace reports' and Coleman on 'paws-and-pelts' cryptozoology. He argues that the expected physical evidence never materialized. He identifies two key motivations rooted in traditional Christianity: eyewitness inerrancy and the idea of 'evidences' of divine intervention. He suggests that the books' themes of the return of the repressed and ecological collapse, written before major events like the Iranian revolution and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, were prescient.

Notes and News

Nigel Watson contributes a section on "Pseudologica Fantastica," discussing how the claim of being a veteran is often used to lend credibility to individuals, citing examples of people fabricating Vietnam War service records. He notes the extensive nature of such false claims and the psychological need for heroes that might lead people to believe them without verification. Watson also touches on similar phenomena in Britain concerning the Falklands War and other conflicts.

Another section discusses "STOLEN VALOR" and "FAKE WARRIORS," books related to false claims of military service. It also reviews Andrew Collins' book "The Seventh Sword: The Search to find the Seven Swords of Meonia," describing it as an exciting psychic adventure story that becomes a mess of historical reinterpretation, with the swords themselves being reproductions. The review criticizes the book's reliance on vague evidence and suggests that materialists might find more value in proper historical research.

Finally, a piece on "Mr Venus, Titter Ye Not" discusses the comic Frankie Howerd's involvement in a 1958 musical about an alien from Venus. The review notes Howerd's personal use of LSD sessions for self-realization and the musical's themes of peace and inter-planetary understanding, ultimately deeming the production a failure.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently critiques the more credulous aspects of ufology, questioning the scientific validity of the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) and advocating for a more skeptical, evidence-based approach. The editorial stance appears to favor studying UFO phenomena as folklore, cultural artifacts, or psychological projections rather than as evidence of extraterrestrial visitation. The article on Katrina suggests that even significant national events may not produce the dramatic UFO 'flaps' predicted by some theories, while the critiques of 'Serious Ufology' aim to demystify the subject and encourage critical thinking. The literary reviews also highlight the evolution of ufological thought and the tendency for claims to lack robust evidence.