MUFON Louisiana - Vol 08 No 04 - 1996

Magazine Overview

This issue of the LA MUFON newsletter, dated July-August 1996, focuses on internal organizational improvements and explores various aspects of UFO phenomena and related scientific investigations.

LA MUFON UPDATE:

The State Director is urging local directors to schedule meetings before the end of the year, offering assistance with materials and information. The 1996 MUFON UFO Symposium is noted for its trend towards a more scientific approach, with proceedings and video tapes available for purchase. The State Director also highlights V. DiPietro's computer analysis of the "Face on Mars," suggesting it is one billion years old, and Dr. R. K. Leir's work on documenting alleged implants from abductees, with lab results still pending.

STATE DIRECTORS GET INVOLVED IN IMPROVING INCIDENT REPORT SYSTEM

This article addresses the growing problem of MUFON's disorganization and the isolation felt by state organizations due to the international headquarters being overwhelmed. This has led to a decline in UFO incident reports and membership. The article discusses the challenges of coordinating activities across diverse state organizations, from large urban areas to rural ones. Key concerns include the failure to submit reports, lack of feedback, membership expectations, and finances. MUFON policy requires documented UFO incidents for publication, which necessitates thorough investigation and can be time-consuming. Many reports lack sufficient data, and some investigations identify the object as an IFO (Identified Flying Object), thus not being published as a UFO incident.

IDENTIFIED HEAVENLY OBJECTS

This section, authored by Michael D. Sandras, provides an astronomical guide for July through September 1996. It details the visibility of planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury, and bright stars such as Vega, Deneb, and Altair, forming the "Summer Triangle." The article also mentions Venus dominating the morning sky and Mars being visible in Taurus and later in Cancer. It references the release of Galileo Space Probe images of Ganymede and advises readers to check NASA or JPL homepages for more information.

A table titled "IDENTIFIED HEAVENLY OBJECTS FINDER" lists planets and stars with their azimuth and elevation for specific dates in August and September 1996, computed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It also provides magnitude (brightness) and constellation information.

IDENTIFIED HEAVENLY OBJECTS FINDER

This table provides precise data for locating celestial objects in the night sky, including Moon, Mars, Saturn, Venus, Achenar, Adara, Aldebaran, Altair, Betelgeuse, Capella, Deneb, Fomalhaut, Procyon, Pollux, Rigel, Sirius, and Vega, for various dates in August and September 1996.

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The article continues the discussion on astronomical observations, mentioning the "Milky Way" and two meteor showers: the South Delta Aquarids and the Perseids. It also lists the Moon phases for July, August, and September 1996.

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This section delves deeper into the challenges of managing UFO incident reports. It highlights the problem of a "mixed bag of unverified data" and the potential for chaos. The article discusses the limitations of one-line incident listings from sources like the Indiana UFO Intelligence Newsletter and the National UFO Reporting Center, noting that all incidents listed are unverified. It mentions discussions about creating a MUFON yearbook of all reports received annually. Two LA MUFON forms (Form 1 and Form 2) are presented, designed to improve the reporting and investigation process. Form 1 is an initial report, and Form 2 is a checklist and routing sheet for completed reports. The article also touches upon the sensitive issue of membership status and the proposed two-tiered membership system, raising questions about standards and qualifications.

WHAT ARE UFOs? AND WHY THE SECRECY?

This monograph, based on a June 1996 UFO Intelligence Newsletter from Francis Ridge, explores five principal hypotheses concerning the nature of UFOs and their implications for human survival:

1. ALL UFOS ARE HOAXES: Argues against this, citing the widespread, long-term nature of sightings by reputable individuals and the increasing number of reports.
2. ALL UFOS ARE HALLUCINATIONS: Dismisses this due to instances where groups, radar, and physical evidence corroborate sightings. It suggests that widespread illusion would question humanity's ability to distinguish reality from fantasy, posing a survival risk.
3. ALL UFOS ARE NATURAL PHENOMENA: Questions the capability of air warning systems if UFOs behave like high-speed aircraft, potentially triggering false alarms. It also notes that a "blind spot" to UFO characteristics could be exploited by adversaries. The article mentions a lens-shaped reentry vehicle tested by the U.S. Air Force in 1960 and the potential for UFOs to defy radar and cause electromagnetic interference, posing a threat to air and space detection systems.
4. SOME UFOS ARE SECRET EARTH PROJECTS: Cites the U.S. Air Force reentry vehicle and a Canadian "saucer" project as evidence, suggesting that nations could be intimidated by new secret "doomsday" weapons.
5. SOME UFOS ARE RELATED TO EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE: States that this hypothesis cannot be disregarded, citing the Washington D.C. sightings in 1952. It warns that a technologically superior civilization could lead to physical conquest for the "inferior" people. It also discusses how some technologically inferior peoples have survived by maintaining their identity through honest acceptance of differences, national solidarity, limited intercourse, friendly attitudes, learning from the adversary, and adopting their advantages while protecting their own culture.

The author concludes that the final answer to the UFO mystery will likely involve more than one of these hypotheses. The article emphasizes the need for a more immediate and defensive approach to dealing with the UFO problem, akin to reacting to a rattlesnake warning.

COMMENT:

This section reiterates the serious survival implications of the discussed UFO hypotheses. It notes that the monograph was classified "SECRET" in 1968 by the National Security Agency and was titled "UFO HYPOTHESIS AND SURVIVAL QUESTIONS." The author, Francis Ridge, states that this paper makes the "Brookings Institute Report" seem pale in comparison and explains why some believe humanity is not ready for the truth about UFOs.

ROCKEFELLER DONATES FUNDS

This brief news item reports that Lawrence Rockefeller is lobbying political figures and has commissioned a report titled "Unidentified Flying Objects: The Best Available Evidence." Copies of this 150-page analysis are to be distributed to 1,000 world leaders, including Henry Kissinger and Colin Powell, to press the U.S. Government to release secret UFO files.

PUT NASA TO SHAME

This special report by Whit Wise, from National UFO News, discusses the Clementine mission and its data. The mission, initially focused on national security, was revised to gather as much science as possible. However, almost all of the 2 million Clementine images acquired have been withheld from public and scientific scrutiny. An anonymously uploaded Clementine image revealed anomalous features, suggesting artificial structures on the moon. The article explains Near Infra Rai (NIR) imaging and how the leaked image, a "shifted color" composite of 500 frames, revealed regular, complex, geometric patterns on the lunar surface, particularly within impact craters, which are impossible to explain by natural meteorite impacts.

Detailed examination of enlargements reveals sections dominated by large-scale, repeating, red and blue hexagonal patterns, suggesting differing elevations of structures. The article posits that the moon is covered by an intricately designed glass dome and that the observed phenomena are consistent with structures in a state of deterioration, releasing water vapor and causing seismic "ringings" indicative of a hollow moon. This evidence, combined with previous anomalies, leads to the conclusion that the moon may have been influenced by extraterrestrial design. The author urges the public to pressure Congress and Senators to release the data, arguing that national security concerns are a pretext for hiding the truth from the public for over 30 years.

FUFOR ANNOUNCES KEYHOE JOURNALISM AWARDS

This section announces the winners of the 1995 Donald E. Keyhoe Journalism Award. Ms. Gillian Sender of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, won first place for her article "Out of This World" published in Milwaukee Magazine. Mr. Robert A. Galganski of West Seneca, NY, received second place for his article "Scanning the Skies."

PENTHOUSE BUYS 1940 ALIEN PHOTOS

This brief note reports that Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione has allegedly purchased photos of an actual alien taken by U.S. military in the 1940s, comparing the acquisition to an "actual photograph of Jesus Christ hanging on a cross."

CARNIVORES IN SPACE

This short column by Smiley Anders recounts a conversation where a child asks about "fireballs in the sky," leading to an explanation about outer space.

LA MUFON CONTACTS

This section provides contact information for LA MUFON State Director W. L. "Barney" Garner and Assistant State Directors (ASD) and State Section Directors (SSD) across Louisiana.

LA MUFON

Provides the address for the LA MUFON office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Tom THEOFANOUS

Provides contact information for Tom Theofanous, The Canadian Ufologist.

TO REPORT A UFO

Lists toll-free numbers (1-800-UFO-2166, 1-800-836-2166) for reporting UFOs, sponsored by CUFOS, FUFOR, and MUFON.

INCIDENT REPORT COVER SHEET (LA MUFON Form 2.)

This form serves as a routing sheet, checklist, and summary sheet for LA MUFON UFO incident reports. It outlines protocols for investigations and instructions for preparing reports, directing them to various MUFON directors. It includes sections for investigator and witness information, comments, and a detailed checklist of required and optional documents to be included with a report, such as MUFON forms, investigator's written reports, photographs, and newspaper clippings.

UFO INCIDENT INITIAL REPORT (LA MUFON Form 1)

This form is designed to gather initial information about a UFO incident to help MUFON decide how to proceed with an investigation. It provides space for reporting details such as the reporter's contact information, date, time, and location of the incident, a brief description of the incident, key witnesses, photos or other evidence, and helpful contacts. It also includes a section for the investigator's conclusions and the status of the incident (Closed, Investigation continuing, or Request Assistance).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the organization and efficiency of UFO investigation and reporting within MUFON, the scientific study of astronomical phenomena, and the profound implications of UFOs for human survival and societal understanding. The editorial stance appears to be one of promoting rigorous scientific inquiry, transparency in government data, and a proactive approach to understanding potentially significant phenomena. There is a clear emphasis on the need for improved systems and processes within MUFON to effectively handle the growing volume of reports and to ensure the credibility of its investigations. The articles also highlight a skepticism towards official government secrecy regarding UFO data and advocate for public access to information.