MUFON Minnesota Journal - No 136

Magazine Overview

Title: MUFON Minnesota Journal
Issue: #136
Date: March/April 2009
Publisher: MUFON (Mutual UFO Network)

This issue of the MUFON Minnesota Journal focuses on various aspects of the UFO phenomenon, including detailed descriptions of entities, historical attempts at extraterrestrial contact, and recent government declassifications of UFO files. It also features reports on specific sightings and discussions on government transparency.

Entities - Proof of the UFO Phenomenon?

This article by Dick Moss, MUFON MN State Dir., explores the phenomenon of entities associated with UFO sightings. Initially dismissed, the increasing number of reports of creatures seen near landed craft made them impossible to ignore. The article notes that entities do not always appear to be 'flesh and blood' creatures. Several accounts are presented: one from October 1973 where a woman saw a ghostly figure and a small white object that faded away, and another where a bluish-green energy-form with short arms was seen. Witness descriptions vary widely, including cadavers, animated tin cans, alligator-skinned creatures, and giant birds, suggesting they may not all be 'beings from another world.' A textbook used at the Air Force Academy is cited for its descriptions of entities wearing helmets and space suits, with elongated heads, gray skin, and wrap-around eyes. The article also mentions intriguing stories of attractive female entities. The author concludes that while some UFO phenomenon might not involve space-faring creatures, an open-minded tolerance of different opinions among researchers is crucial.

Attempts To Contact Aliens Date Back 150 Years

This article by Michael Schirber, from Astrobiology Magazine, discusses the historical desire to contact intelligent life on other planets, predating the UFO craze and SETI. It highlights that 19th-century scientists contemplated communication with possible Martians and Venusians, with early proposals based on visual signals due to the absence of radio technology. Ideas for interplanetary communication have evolved with technology, from lamps and radios to lasers. Steven Dick, NASA Chief Historian, is quoted on the question of whether humanity is alone. The article traces the historical debate, mentioning ancient Greek arguments and the Copernican revolution's impact. It details early proponents like Galileo and Kepler, and the 17th-century 'plurality of worlds' debate, influenced by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle's 'Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds.'

Florence Raulin-Cerceau's research on early attempts at communication with extraterrestrial intelligence (CETI) is featured. She documents inventors like Carl Friedrich Gauss, who proposed reflecting sunlight and creating giant geometric figures in Siberia. Joseph von Littrow suggested pouring kerosene into a canal to create a signal, and Charles Cros imagined using parabolic mirrors to focus electric lamp light. Francis Galton considered a light-based 'Morse code' adapted for potential alien counting systems. A. Mercier proposed using reflectors on the Eiffel Tower and the moon as a screen. The article notes the shift towards radio as a more suitable communication means due to its lesser susceptibility to cosmic dust and background noise. Pioneers like Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi reported receiving strange signals from space. Despite initial skepticism and the growing conviction that Mars was not habitable, radio-based SETI gained traction in 1959 when Giuseppe Cocconi and Philip Morrison demonstrated the power of radar transmitters. Frank Drake's Project Ozma and the first actual SETI message transmitted by the Arecibo radio telescope in 1974 are mentioned, with scientists still awaiting a response.

The CE4 Corner

This section by Craig R. Lang discusses close encounter experiences and hypnotic regressions. The author notes a recent increase in regressions and a sense that the phenomenon itself is becoming more active. A composite character named 'Tanya' is presented to illustrate typical experiences. Tanya, who had a history of unexplained encounters, underwent hypnotic regression. During the regression, she reported being watched by disembodied black eyes, which identified themselves as scientists studying her. The regression revealed Tanya felt divided between an 'Extraordinary' side with profound insight and a 'Normal' side desiring a conventional life. The 'parts-work' technique was used to help resolve this inner conflict, leading to Tanya's feeling of freedom and self-empowerment.

Canada releases UFO X-Files to the World

This article by Michael Salla reports on the Canadian Government's decision to grant open public access to thousands of federal documents concerning UFOs. The Library and Archives Canada website now hosts 9500 digitized documents from 1947 to the early 1980s, titled 'Canada's UFOs: The Search for the Unknown.' These files include correspondence, reports, and memos from various government departments. The release follows similar actions by Denmark and Britain. A key difference noted is the inclusion of departmental analyses, not just sighting reports, with Canadian officials attempting to make sense of UFO sightings. A September 1967 memo suggested UFOs might possess unique scientific information. Another memo details a 1967 Shag Harbor sighting of a 60-foot object that descended into the water. The most significant documents are from a 1950-1952 investigation by Wilbert Smith, who concluded that UFO vehicles were likely extraterrestrial due to their advanced flight performance.

Danish UFO Files Now Open To Public

Luna Finnsson reports that Denmark's Air Force has declassified and opened its top-secret UFO files, comprising some 15,000 reported sightings. The government decided to release them, stating 'there was nothing secret in the files.' While many sightings remain unidentified, some were attributed to aircraft or weather phenomena. A notable sighting over Greenland on January 5, 1981, involved a square flaming object appearing and disappearing near Thule Air Base, which was also recorded by a nearby American military base.

Day One: New FOIA Rules

Clint Hendler reports on President Barack Obama's executive order aimed at increasing government transparency and access to information. This order is designed to reverse previous guidelines that made it easier to deny FOIA requests. The article contrasts this with the Bush administration's policies and highlights the impact of previous memos from Attorneys General Janet Reno and John Ashcroft. The author suggests that Obama's executive order is a stronger legal instrument than a memo and will be harder to rescind, representing a significant victory for government openness.

Italy: Air Force Head Concedes UFOs Possibly ET Craft

Michael Cohen reports that Italy has seen an increase in UFO sightings, prompting media attention and even a warming of the Vatican's stance on extraterrestrial life. An Italian Air Force chief has conceded that aliens might be behind UFO incidents. The Air Force has recorded 38 sightings since 2001, with three notable sightings in 2008. These include a spherical object with a red halo over Teresina and an irregular object that changed shape and disappeared over Riccione. Roberto Di Giorgio, head of general security for the Italian Air Force, stated that while they cannot rule out extraterrestrial intelligence, they cannot prove it.

Minnesota Sighting Reports

This section contains two reports from Minnesota. The first, posted December 22, 2008, describes a sighting in Edina by a couple who observed a large silvery, pyramid-shaped object with a red glow and bluish glow, moving slowly before vanishing. The object was later compared in size and altitude to a passenger jet. The second report, also posted December 22, 2008, details a sighting in St. Bonifacious by a woman who saw an elongated pyramid with a tip down, a reddish glow, and metallic reflection, which blinked out of existence. The witness, a scientist, was initially non-believing. The reporter also noted three loud helicopter passes near his home.

Is the CIA (Grudgingly) Warming Up To Openness?

Larry W. Bryant discusses his six-year FOIA request for CIA case files related to 'Wendy Lee's' memoirs. The CIA invoked exemptions to deny access to most of the file. The article references a previous FOIA lawsuit by Larry W. Bryant against the CIA. The author notes that the CIA's resistance to transparency, despite the FOIA-strengthening U.S. OPEN Records Act of 2007, is a persistent issue.

China: Dazzling UFO Seen And Filmed By Eight Firefighters

Audrey Chan reports on a remarkable UFO sighting and filming in Liu Pan Shui City, China, by eight firefighters. Using a camera with a 700X zoom, they observed two rotating, spinning top-shaped crafts or halves of a whole craft, flashing multiple colors. The slow-moving craft was filmed for almost an hour before vanishing. The footage was shown to reporters and the meteorological bureau, which declared it a UFO. The object is described as a 'diamond UFO,' usually seen at great heights and rarely on Earth, leading to speculation about advanced technology and origins beyond Earth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the nature and descriptions of UFO entities, the historical pursuit of extraterrestrial intelligence, and the increasing trend of government transparency regarding UFO information. The magazine also highlights specific UFO sightings from various locations, emphasizing the need for continued investigation and open-mindedness. The editorial stance appears to be one of advocating for greater transparency from governments and encouraging the study of UFO phenomena with a critical yet open perspective.

This issue of UFO Magazine, dated February 2009, focuses on the anticipation surrounding potential UFO disclosure under the new Obama administration. The cover headline, "I-Team: UFO Watchers Wonder What Obama Admin Will Reveal," highlights the central theme of government transparency regarding UFOs. The magazine features articles that explore the hope for open government, the ongoing efforts to archive UFO research, and scientific perspectives on extraterrestrial life.

Obama Administration and UFO Disclosure

George Knapp, Chief Investigative Reporter for KLAS-TV, writes about the burning question at the International UFO Congress: whether President Obama will finally open the government's secret files on UFOs. UFO researchers believe there is a vast volume of suppressed evidence that should be made public. Nuclear Physicist Stan Friedman, with over 40 years of experience, points to the Bollender Memo, an order from the Air Force that all UFO cases involving national security must be sent elsewhere, as confirmation that some UFO files are kept hidden. Despite the emergence of 'exopolitics,' a movement advocating for the release of UFO files, Friedman is not optimistic about immediate disclosure, citing the president's more pressing global concerns.

Vendors at UFO conferences, like Tim Crawford of UFO TV, note an enduring public hunger for information, with average people asking bigger questions than scientists. The article suggests that speakers at the UFO Congress will continue to encourage the new administration to reveal UFO files, following the example of other Western governments.

Estimating Alien Life

An article sourced from BBC News discusses the discovery of over 330 planets outside our solar system, which has helped refine estimates of life forms likely to exist. The current research suggests there are at least 361 intelligent civilizations in our Galaxy, and possibly as many as 38,000. This work, reported in the International Journal of Astrobiology, involves simulations by Duncan Forgan from the University of Edinburgh. Forgan simulated a galaxy and developed solar systems based on known exoplanets, then subjected these simulated worlds to different scenarios. One scenario suggested 361 intelligent civilizations, another estimated 31,513 other forms of life if intelligence development was difficult, and a third, considering life transfer via asteroid collisions, estimated 37,964 intelligent civilizations. However, Forgan acknowledges that many variables, such as the time from planet formation to the first sparks of life or the development of intelligence, remain guesses. He also notes that even if alien life exists, contact may not be possible, and its form is unpredictable.

The Black Vault and Archiving UFO Research

John Greenewald, founder of The Black Vault, writes an open letter to the UFO community about his efforts to preserve UFO historical material. He is reviving his 'Project Preserve History' and combining it with The Black Vault Encyclopedia Project. This initiative aims to bring together valuable UFO historical material, including papers, reports, photographs, videos, and transcripts, and make it freely available online. Greenewald highlights the work of MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) in scanning thousands of pages of research material, which is now archived in The MUFON Archive section of the Encyclopedia. He expresses concern about UFO material disappearing from the internet over time and wants to prevent this loss. The Black Vault Encyclopedia Project is advertisement-free and invites contributions from the community, offering a searchable text database, an online museum, and a research center. It also features a UFO Case File Database, which combines user-submitted reports, the MUFON CMS database, and newspaper articles, and a UFO Newspaper Clippings section archiving articles from around the globe. Greenewald emphasizes the potential for worldwide collaboration and invites help with cleaning up sections and adding material.

Trouble A-Brewin' With UFOs

An article from THE UFO MAFIA by Alexander Gottfridsson discusses changes regarding UFOs and the author's disagreements with mainstream ufologists who adhere to the 'extraterrestrial hypothesis' (ETH). The author suggests that the government, not individuals, initially proposed the ETH, leading to a clampdown and humiliation for those who proposed it. The article touches on the idea of 'evil' forces and the historical context of UFO sightings after World War II, noting that these aircraft defy description and performance. It also addresses the misunderstanding of abduction phenomena, stating that aliens do not only abduct 'country bumpkin types' and that abduction techniques are becoming more sophisticated. The author expresses concern that humanity may be too late to stop certain problems, especially in the context of a global economic crisis and the potential for widespread destruction.

The Man Who Shot an Alien

This section recounts a case from November 1961 where Paul Miller and three friends on a hunting trip near Minot, North Dakota, encountered a "glowing silo" that landed. After the object disappeared and reappeared, two humanoids emerged. Miller, in panic, shot one of the beings, and the group experienced a blackout, losing track of three hours. The men in black suits who later visited Miller at his Air Force office seemed to know about the encounter, asking questions about his clothing and even visiting his home.

X-Conference 2009

The article announces the fifth X-Conference in Gaithersburg, MD, from April 17-19, 2009, described as an 'Exopolitical Summit.' The conference aims to bring together leading figures in the Exopolitics Disclosure Movement. Speakers include George Noory, Dr. Edgar Mitchell, Dr. John Alexander, Stephen Bassett, Graham Hancock, Colin Andrews, Art Campbell, Richard Dolan, Paola Harris, Joseph Montaldo, Jeff Peckman, Nick Pope, Dr. Michael Salla, and Victor Viggiani. Alfred Webre, JD, is noted for his work on a space-based weapons ban.

UFO Expert Holds Key to 1965 'Invasion'

This article reports on an incident in 1965 near Badajoz and Sevilla, Spain, where unknown objects fell from the sky. The United States requested the incident be classified top secret, and General Francisco Franco was informed. Vicente Juan Ballester Olmos, a UFO investigator from Valencia, is revealed as the only person with full access to a three-hundred-page document detailing the incident. An alternative theory suggests the objects were pieces of a Russian spacecraft launched from Baikonur.

Minnesota MUFON

This section provides contact information for Minnesota MUFON, including State Director Richard Moss, Assist. State Director Lorna Hunter, and Assist. State Dir. Bill McNeff. It also lists the Journal Editor, Joel Henry, and provides contact details for the MN MUFON WEB PAGE and MUFONET. A National MUFON Hotline is provided for reporting UFO news and sightings. The Minnesota MUFON Journal (MMJ) is available as a free PDF document via email request or download from their website.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the pursuit of UFO disclosure, the scientific investigation of extraterrestrial life, and the preservation of UFO research. There is a strong undercurrent of skepticism towards government secrecy and a hope for greater transparency, particularly with the incoming Obama administration. The magazine also highlights the efforts of individuals and organizations like The Black Vault and MUFON to collect, archive, and disseminate UFO-related information. The editorial stance appears to be one of advocating for open access to information and encouraging public engagement with the UFO phenomenon, while also acknowledging the scientific and investigative challenges involved.