MUFON Arizona - 2001 01 - Vol 10 No 01

Magazine Overview

This document is the January 2001 issue of the MUFON Arizona Chapter newsletter, titled 'MUFON Arizona Chapter January 2001' and identified as Volume 10, Issue #1. The publisher is MUFON, and it is from the USA. The newsletter focuses on UFOs and related phenomena, alongside articles on astronomy, science, and technology.

Organizational Updates and Announcements

The newsletter begins with a 'Directors Message' detailing changes within the MUFON Arizona Chapter. Bill Morris has stepped down as Assistant State Director due to his flourishing business, and his contributions are acknowledged. George Parks, the Pima County Section Director, has been appointed the new Assistant State Director. Jason Ingraham has been appointed the new Maricopa County Section Director. Jim Kelly, who served as Maricopa County Section Director for nearly four years, will continue his work on investigations, newsletter facilitation, treasury, and promotion.

A 'Reminder' section notes that there will be no meeting in January due to a relocation and hints at an exciting guest speaker announcement in the next issue.

MUFON AZ Meeting Information and Resources

Information is provided for various MUFON Arizona Chapter meetings, including Pima County (Wilmot Library, Tucson), Pinal County (contact Ken Kerber), Yuma County (quarterly meetings, contact Richard King), Maricopa County (meeting flyer enclosed), and an Experiencer's Meeting (contact Dr. Ruth Hover).

MUFON Meeting Video Tapes are now available for purchase from Argo Productions, featuring talks by Dr. Nick Begich, Don Ecker, and Stanton Friedman.

Classified Ads are offered with rates for different ad sizes, and submissions for the newsletter can be made by contacting Teri Acton or emailing [email protected].

MUFON Membership Badges are available for $5.00 each, with details on how to order them through Ruth and Harry Hover.

Upcoming Events

An upcoming event is highlighted: 'Phoenix Rising Presents: The Hidden Life of Historical Jesus' with Dr. Glenn Kimball on Friday, February 9, 2001, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library. The event focuses on the story of Jesus and his family translated from ancient manuscripts.

Letters to the Editor

A letter from Jim (Dimitri) Ossipov, a MUFON-AZ member, expresses satisfaction with the improvements in the Arizona Chapter over the past year, including high-quality speakers, useful newsletter content, and the establishment of e-mail and internet links. He acknowledges the efforts of the 'old guard' while embracing the 'new guard's' modernization.

Art Bell Returns to Radio

Art Bell, the host of 'Coast to Coast AM', is announced to return to radio on February 5, 2001, for a five-hour overnight program. Bell resigned in April due to family and legal issues, which have now been resolved. Kraig T. Kitchin, president/COO of Premiere Radio Networks, expresses enthusiasm for Bell's return.

Astronomy and Space Science Articles

Bizarre New Planets Puzzle Astronomers

An article by Jeff Foust from Spaceflight Now reports on the discovery of two unusual planetary systems that challenge current understanding of solar systems. One system features a planet with a mass 17 times that of Jupiter, and another system exhibits planets orbiting their star in a 2:1 gravitational resonance. These discoveries were announced at the American Astronomical Society meeting in San Diego.

Strong Evidence for Alien Life on Two New Planets

An article from UFOcity.com discusses evidence for alien life in the CM Draconis star system. SETI scientists, working with NASA and the Jodreil Bank observatory, found that the star system has two planets in the 'life belt' where water could exist in liquid form. The system is centered around two small red stars, and the planets orbit both.

Big Bang Theory - Proof at Last

An article from SpaceNews.com details the first actual measurement of the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation at a time when the Universe was about 2.5 billion years old. Astronomers used a detailed spectrum of a quasar to obtain this measurement, providing definitive proof of the Big Bang theory and showing that the early Universe was warmer than it is today.

Look, Up in the Sky: Robofly

An article by Louise Knapp discusses the development of 'roboflies' by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. These tiny, biologically inspired robots are designed for planetary exploration and search-and-rescue missions, aiming to be more compliant and stable than larger robots. The project faces challenges in power source and flight stabilization.

Largest Structure in the Distant Universe Mapped

An article from SpaceNews.com reports on the discovery of what could be the largest structure in the observable universe: an immense concentration of galaxies over 6.5 billion light years away, forming a large quasar group. This discovery challenges current theories of the universe's evolution.

Biological and Genetic Engineering Concerns

Aussie Scientists Stumble Across the Doomsday Bug

An article from Yahoo! News reports that Australian gene engineers accidentally created a mouse virus that kills by wrecking the immune system. The virus, created inadvertently while trying to develop a contraceptive vaccine for mice, attacks the 'cell-mediated response' and is resistant to vaccines. The article highlights the potential dangers of bio-engineering and suggests stricter vetting of research proposals and greater openness among biologists.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter covers a range of topics including UFO phenomena, astronomy, space exploration, and scientific advancements. There is a clear emphasis on reporting on new discoveries and research in these fields. The editorial stance appears to be one of informing the membership about current events and research relevant to the MUFON organization's mission, while also promoting chapter activities and resources. The inclusion of articles on both UFOs and broader scientific topics suggests an interest in exploring the unknown from multiple perspectives.