MUFON New Jersey Chronicle - Vol 02 No 03 - 1992 01-02

Magazine Overview

Title: THE NEW JERSEY CHRONICLE
Issue: Volume 2, Number 3
Date: January-February 1992
Publisher: The New Jersey Mutual UFO Network
Country: USA

This issue of The New Jersey Chronicle, a publication of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), covers a range of topics within the UFO field, with a strong focus on abduction research, historical cases, and the evolving public perception of UFOs. The magazine features articles, reports from meetings, and an editorial perspective on the growing acceptance of UFO phenomena.

Budd Hopkins Addresses New Jersey MUFON Group

The lead article details a presentation by renowned UFO researcher and author Budd Hopkins to the Northern New Jersey MUFON Group. Hopkins discussed significant upcoming events in the UFO field for 1992, including the publication of David Jacobs' book "Secret Lives," which is described as a major work on abduction patterns, featuring hypnotic regression transcripts. He highlighted the importance of John Mack, a Harvard psychiatrist, who has concluded that UFO abductions are real physical events, not psychological artifacts. Hopkins also revealed preliminary results from a Roper Organization survey of 6,000 people, indicating that nearly 1 in 10 Americans may have experienced abduction symptoms, projecting a potential of 9 million abductees. The survey results are intended to be shared with psychologists and psychiatrists to encourage serious consideration of the phenomenon and training in conducting interviews.

Hopkins also mentioned the upcoming CBS mini-series "Intruders," based on his book, which he believes will jog memories and lead more people to come forward with their experiences. He emphasized the critical importance of these events and the need for the field to be taken seriously.

From the Editor's Desk

Editor Paul M. Makuch reflects on Budd Hopkins's statement about 1992 being a significant year for UFOdom. He notes the recent publication of two books: David M. Jacobs' "Secret Life..Firsthand Accounts of UFO Abductions" and Jacques Vallee's "UFO Chronicles of the Soviet Union..A Cosmic Samizdat." Makuch also anticipates the summer release of "Crash at Corona: The U.S. Military Retrieval and Cover-up of a UFO" by Stanton Friedman and Don Berlitz, and mentions upcoming TV mini-series and films related to UFOs, such as CBS's "Intruders" and Oliver Stone's "Fire in the Sky" (Travis Walton encounter).

The editor congratulates Joe Stefula on becoming the new State Director and thanks Don Johnson for his service. He also mentions John Stewart's videotaping of Budd Hopkins's presentation and highlights articles by Pat Bontempo on the "Spitzbergen" crash, and an article on "Operation Right to Know."

Makuch notes that the public is being introduced to the idea of aliens and UFOs, with the introduction appearing to be well advanced. He also mentions an article on "Gray Barker" by Tom Benson, an update from the National Sighting Research Center on UFO Shape Analysis, and upcoming UFO conferences.

State Director's Message

Joe Stefula, the new State Director for New Jersey MUFON, introduces himself as a retired US Army Chief Warrant Officer. He outlines his proactive approach to leading the organization and discusses upcoming changes in meeting locations for the South Jersey MUFON group. He also mentions plans for quarterly meetings for the Northern MUFON Group and the possibility of training sessions for Field Investigator Trainees. Stefula details several ongoing projects, including a survey of retired US Air Units regarding UFO knowledge, a project to document abductions as they occur, and an investigation into US Government involvement with UFO phenomena, specifically mentioning INSCOM and Major General Albert N. Stubblebine.

A Closer Look At The Spitzbergen Case

Pat Bontempo examines the alleged crash of a flying saucer on Spitzbergen Island, Norway. He clarifies the case's history, noting that early accounts from 1952 described a Russian saucer based on Nazi designs. By 1954, the story split into three versions: one linking it to a West German newspaper article, another connecting it to a crash on Helgoland Island, and a third, discussed by William L. Moore, involving an experimental Nazi model allegedly recovered by Canadian commandos. Bontempo suggests that the Spitzbergen story should be understood within the context of contemporary beliefs about Nazi flying saucers and that the "Le Lorrain" article, while a significant find, does not necessarily prove the existence of Nazi discs.

Operation Right To Know

This section announces a demonstration scheduled for March 21-31, 1992, at the White House, organized by private citizens to promote public inquiry into the UFO mystery and urge government disclosure of UFO secrets. The initiative aims to inform the public about UFO events and investigations without adopting a specific viewpoint on the nature of the cover-up or alien presence.

Network TV Specials Treat UFOs, Aliens As Valid Theory

This article, originally from the Louisiana LA MUFON newsletter, discusses the increasing trend of mainstream media, particularly TV specials, presenting UFOs and aliens as valid subjects of scientific inquiry. It notes that a 1990 Gallup Poll found over half of the American public believes in UFOs. The Fox Network program "The UFO Report: Sightings" is highlighted for its serious approach to the topic, avoiding ridicule and presenting the extraterrestrial alien hypothesis as a scientific theory. The article suggests that the government may be gradually leaking UFO information to prepare the public for the reality of alien visits, citing evidence from World War II and the 1947 New Mexico recovery. It details the history of government cover-ups, including debunking efforts and the impact on public perception and scientific engagement. The article also mentions the role of media in transforming the portrayal of aliens and highlights documentaries and TV programs that have brought UFO incidents to public attention.

An Inside View: UFO Forum and The Gray Barker Collection

Tom Benson reports on a UFO Forum held in Clarksburg, West Virginia, focused on the Gray Barker UFO literature and correspondence collection at the library. The event featured discussions with UFO researchers like Jim "Buzzard" Moseley and Pat Bontempo. Benson recounts the history of Gray Barker's involvement in UFO studies, sparked by the "Flatswood/Braxton County Monster" case. Barker's collection includes books, magazines, journals, and extensive correspondence with pioneers in the field, such as Elliot Rockmore (Flying Saucer Review) and Coral Lorenzen (APRO). Notable items are missing due to a flood at Barker's sister's home.

What To Do If You See A UFO

This section provides practical advice for individuals who witness a UFO. It recommends gathering additional witnesses, taking photographs, not approaching the object, immediately documenting all details (appearance, color, motion, size, personal feelings), drawing a sketch, and protecting any potential ground trace evidence. It stresses the importance of reporting the sighting promptly and advises against sharing stories with other witnesses until after speaking with an investigator.

The Information Network

This section lists various newsletters and publications from UFO organizations across the country, serving as a resource for sharing information and stories.

Assistant State Director's Report: Winter North Jersey MUFON Meeting

Sue Van Slooten reports on a successful meeting featuring a lecture by Budd Hopkins, who presented on abduction research and showed new implant examples. The meeting included a Q&A session and a video of alleged UFOs over Pennsylvania. A business meeting discussed topics such as black helicopters and dealing with divisiveness in the UFO field. The report also thanks individuals who contributed to the meeting's success and mentions upcoming events, including a summer picnic.

UFO Presentation Held in East Brunswick

This brief report covers a presentation by Paul M. Makuch, MUFON State Sectional Director, on UFOs and MUFON procedures. The event included a history of UFO sightings in New Jersey, a slide presentation of verified and faked UFO pictures, and statistical material. A discussion followed, including personal accounts of sightings.

The Lighter Side of UFology

A humorous cartoon depicts a common trope of aliens interacting with farm animals.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the increasing legitimacy and public acceptance of UFO phenomena, particularly abduction experiences. There's a focus on the scientific and investigative aspects of UFO research, with mentions of prominent researchers like Budd Hopkins and David Jacobs, and the role of organizations like MUFON. The magazine also highlights the historical context of UFO cases, such as the Spitzbergen incident, and the alleged government efforts to manage public perception through media. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry and advocacy for disclosure, encouraging public engagement and the professionalization of UFO research. The publication aims to inform its readership about ongoing developments, research findings, and practical advice for witnesses.

This issue of the "UPDATE" from the NATIONAL SIGHTING RESEARCH CENTER, edited by Paul Ferrughell, focuses on a detailed UFO Shape Analysis based on data from 1986 to 1990. The magazine presents statistical breakdowns of reported UFO shapes, their occurrence by month and time of day, and their prevalence in close encounter scenarios.

UFO Shape Analysis (1986-1990)

The core of this issue is an analysis of UFO shapes as recorded in the NSRC Data Base, which contains 1000 reports from 1986-1990. These reports describe various lights, illuminations, and defined shapes. To organize this data, the descriptions are classified into general shapes (Figure 1), including Shape A (Lights and illuminations), Shape B (Discoid, circular, round, sphere), Shape C (Oval, elliptical, elongated), Shape D (Triangular, deltoid, diamond, cone), Shape E (Cylindrical, Cigar, Bullet), Shape F (Rectangular, box, square), and Shape G (Other defined objects).

Figure 2 illustrates the UFO shape breakdown for the 1986-1990 period. It shows that defined shapes or objects constituted almost two-thirds of the reports. The study aims to analyze UFO sightings by general shape in relation to the months of the year and the time of day they were reported, as well as examining Close Encounter reports.

Shapes by Month

The analysis of UFO reports by month (Figure 3) indicates that the peak months for sightings were March and October of 1988, 1989, and 1990. An "October trend" is noted over the past years. When reports of "lights and illuminations" (Shape A) are excluded, March 1988 emerges as the peak month for "objects and defined shapes." The 61-month UFO sighting cycle was established from the UFOCAT database.

Figure 4, a 2-range graph, displays the quantity of sightings for each month over four years. It highlights a strong coincidence of symmetry between Shape A and Shape B from October 1989 through February 1990, showing them rising and falling during the same periods.

Shapes by Time of Day

Figure 5 presents the breakdown of UFO shapes by the time of day they are reported. The peak time for shapes A, D, and G is 9:00 PM, accounting for 61% of total sightings. Shape B is the second-ranked shape by quantity, with its peak sighting time at 11:00 PM. Specific peak times for other shapes are also listed: Shape C at 10:00 PM, Shape E at 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, and Shape F at 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

A correlation analysis was performed on shape/month data, revealing only two shape combinations with significant linear trends. However, the time of day analysis showed a significant linear trend with 17 out of 21 shape combinations exhibiting strong correlations (0.500 and greater). The strongest correlation (0.9551) was found between Shape D (Deltoid, Triangular) and Shape A (Lights and Illuminations), as shown in Figure 6.

Daytime UFO Shapes

Daytime UFO reports constitute only 9.5% of total sightings. Figure 7 shows the shape distribution for daytime sightings based on 92 reports. Shape B was the peak shape, representing 28% of all daytime sightings, while Deltoid-shaped objects (Shape D) accounted for only 3.2%.

Close Encounter Reports

Close encounter reports offer valuable observational data. Figure 8 indicates that Shape B (Discoid, Round, Sphere) was the most observed shape during Close Encounters, making up 29% of these cases. These objects are also the most popular for CE sightings. The article notes a discrepancy with older data from Project Bluebook Special Report No. 14 (1966), which stated 47% of sightings were elliptical, a trend not observed in current data where only 6.6% were elliptical or elongated.

Unusual shapes like E (Cylindrical, Cigar, Bullet) and F (Rectangular, Box, Square) appear to have different profiles regarding months and time of day, but due to the low number of sightings, more data is needed for conclusive analysis.

Upcoming UFO Conferences

The issue also lists several upcoming UFO conferences in 1992:

• The 3rd Great UFO/ET Alien & Abduction Congress: March 20-22, 1992, in Bordentown, New Jersey. Confirmed speakers include William Cooper, Madelline Rodiffer, Antonio Huneeus, and others. Workshops with William Cooper are scheduled.
• Exploring Unexplained Phenomena IV: May 1-3, 1992, at The Nebraska Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, presented by The Fortean Research Center. Confirmed speakers and papers include Jenny Randles, Linda Moulton Howe, James Goodall, Loyd Auerbach, John Keel, and Martin Caidin. Advanced registration is available.
• MUFON 1992 UFO Symposium: "UFOS: The Ultimate Mystery of the Millennia": July 10-11, 1992, at the Doubletree Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Keynote speaker is Linda Moulton Howe, with other speakers including Stanton T. Friedman, Budd Hopkins, and Jacques Vallee. Registration details and costs are provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the systematic analysis of UFO sighting data. The NSRC's approach emphasizes statistical breakdowns and correlations to understand patterns in UFO phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of objective data collection and analysis, acknowledging the limitations of current data while seeking to identify trends and characteristics of UFO sightings. The inclusion of upcoming conferences suggests a commitment to fostering community and sharing research within the UFO field.