Northern UFO News - No 105

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 105
Date: January/February 1984
Publisher: NUFON- UFO RESEARCH NORTH
Country: United Kingdom
Price: £5 for six issues

This issue of Northern UFO News, dated January/February 1984, is edited by Jenny Randles and features cover design by Ian Mrzyglod. The publication addresses a range of topics within ufology, from theoretical discussions on advanced galactic communities to detailed case histories of UFO sightings.

Editorial and Publisher Information

The magazine is published by NUFON- UFO RESEARCH NORTH, with a 1984 subscription rate of £5 for six issues. Cheques and postal orders should be sent to NUPON. The editorial team acknowledges a successful new year and apologizes for the absence of a Winter Report, attributing it to a combination of factors including a holiday in the USA and an illness. To compensate, the issue size has been increased.

J.R. Comments: The "Hard Sell" Ufology Debate

Jenny Randles addresses a recent "furore" in British ufology concerning "Hard Sell" Ufology, which has led to respected ufologists leaving the field. She references the News of the World's banner headline about the Rendlesham Forest affair, noting the extensive efforts of investigators like Brenda Butler and Dot Street, and the significant financial and personal toll involved. Randles discusses the media's exploitation of UFO information for commercial gain, citing examples like Steven Spielberg's films and advertising. She suggests that ufologists need a more commercial attitude to secure funding for serious work, but cautions that this must be done cautiously to avoid losing media interest. A debate is opened for readers to share their views.

News Round-Up

This section details organizational changes within UFO research groups. UFO RESEARCH MIDLANDS has a new sightings coordinator, Clive Potter, and has absorbed the Leicester group UAPROL, gaining their 'Mobile Investigation Unit'. MUFORA has seen changes, with Peter Warrington resigning as chairman after over a decade, though he remains a member. Peter Foud is the new coordinator of MUFORA. The West Yorkshire UFO Society has expanded, joining forces with the Leeds UFO Group. Arcturus Books in the USA has released an updated UFO catalogue.

Book Reviews and Notes

• Several publications are reviewed or mentioned:
• FSR Vol 29 No 2: Features international cases and an editorial on the Rendlesham Forest case.
• MAGONIA 14: Includes Ian Ridpath's paper on the Rendlesham case, offering explanations involving stars, lighthouses, and rabbits.
• BUFORA BULLETIN 011: Provides summaries of papers from a congress.
• PROBE REPORT Oct 83: Mourned as a loss due to lack of support, it featured articles on 'mystery circles'.
• MPO RESEARCH REVIEW Vol 8 No 1: Contains a response to an article suggesting a 'gliding aircraft' explanation for the Ashbourne UFO event.
• YUFOS JOURNAL Vol 2 No 5: Packed with local case reports, including the Cracae Fell photo.
• West Country UFO News 9: Offers an article on interviewing techniques.
• UFO RESEARCH ABSTRALIA Vol 4 No 1: Features an article by William Spaulding proposing that abduction cases are staged set-ups.
• PHYSICS AS METAPHOR by Dr Roger Jones: A book exploring the structure of matter and new physics.
• "The Pennine UFO Mystery" by George Adamski: A correction is noted regarding the death date of George Adamski.

Feature Article: Attempting to Anticipate the Character of an Advanced Galactic Community

By William Dillon, this article posits that any civilization arriving early in a galaxy's life would be a 'Super Civilisation'. Drawing on NS Kardashev's classification (Type 1, 2, and 3), Dillon suggests a Type 3 civilization could impose its politics across the galaxy. He explores how such an advanced intelligence might introduce itself to a Type 1 civilization like ours, suggesting their actions might appear as science fiction. UFOs are presented as displaying traits consistent with a Type 3 civilization's 'medicine in small doses' approach to gradual introduction.

Feature Article: The Enigma of Ufology

By Andrew J Cummings, this article critiques the current state of ufology, describing it as being in a "dead end" due to a lack of concrete evidence. Cummings argues that ufology relies heavily on "belief" and "mystery," making it attractive but scientifically unsound. He likens the interest in UFOs to a modern religion, with its own 'gods' (like Adamski, Betty Hill, Kenneth Arnold, and Hynek) and 'sects'. Cummings criticizes the academic climate of ufology, suggesting it is too complex for laymen to grasp and has fallen into a rut.

Case Histories

The issue presents numerous UFO sighting reports:

• Light Source UFOs (A) - West Yorkshire:
• Feb 2, 1969: A bright light hovered and dimmed near Bradford.
• June 8, 1970: A pale green light with a circular object was seen near Bradford.
• Aug 6, 1977: Six glowing white globes were seen moving across the sky near Shipley.
• Sept 17, 1977: A strange light crossed the sky over Bradford, appearing very bright.
• Aug 24, 1978: A very white object, twice the size of a star, was seen moving fast over Horton.
• Nov 14, 1979: A large oval light was seen moving away instantly near Bradford.

• Metallic Looking UFOs (B) - Various Locations:
• July 6, 1977: A 60 ft long, glowing object with a whirring sound was seen above Bradley.
• Aug 4, 1977: A white object with metal funnels on top was seen near Keighley.
• Winter 1978: A round, metallic object with twinkling lights hovered over houses in Shipley.
• Mar 2, 1980: A circular, metallic object with a glowing center landed in woods near Bingley.
• Jan 2, 1980: A large metallic object was seen over Keighley.

• The Star That Shone Above The Stable (August 10, 1983):
• A seventeen-year-old witness reported a bright white light descending towards a stable near Gosforth, Cumbria. A dark, concave mirror-shaped object with green lights was also observed.

• A Family and the UFOs (August 13, 1983 onwards):
• A family in St Helens, Merseyside, reported seeing a 'ping pong ball' object, later identified as a Tristar jet. However, the report details a history of family close encounters, including a 1965 incident where their car stalled on a beach.

• Two Extraterrestrial Vicars and a Motorbike (January 1983):
• A report from Cadishead, Greater Manchester, describes an encounter with two identical figures in dark suits and a bullet-shaped craft near the Manchester Ship Canal.

• A Low Flying Weather Balloon? (October 14, 1983):
• A witness in West Bridgeford, Notts, reported a large, flat, matt black circular object moving with the wind.

• An 'Invisible Landing Besides Dracula's Castle (September 28, 1983):
• Three children in Steeton, West Yorkshire, reported seeing an enormous, glowing, semi-circular object on the ground near a tower.

Media Matters

This section discusses media coverage of UFOs, including a BBC report on the GEPAN investigation in France and a Daily Star headline about 'Boffins crack the UFO riddle'. It also mentions a Sunday Mirror article about Shirley Williams and David Jacobs having a UFO encounter, which the author disputes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the nature of advanced civilizations, the challenges and controversies within ufology, the role of belief versus evidence, and detailed reporting of UFO sightings. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, acknowledging the public's fascination with UFOs while also questioning the scientific rigor and commercialization within the field. There's a call for more objective investigation and a debate on the future direction of ufology.

Title: Northern UFO News
Issue: TWENTY
Volume: B
Date: 1983-1984
Publisher: NUFON
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of Northern UFO News, identified as 'TWENTY' and part of volume 'B', covers events from late 1983 and looks forward to 1984. The publication is from NUFON, a UK-based organization.

Key Articles and Reports

CE3 Cases in Britain

The lead story highlights three independent Close Encounter of the Third Kind (CE3) cases reported in Britain during 1983. One case, previously reported in NUN 104, occurred in Blorwich, West Midlands, where a man reportedly saw a UFO and entities beside a canal. Another case, detailed by Omar Fowler in the current FSR, involves a solitary male witness who encountered a landed UFO and its occupants on a canal bank. The editor notes a potential pattern of coincidence in these 'solitary male witness/canal bank' synchronicities within ufology.

Organizational News and Initiatives

ASSAP (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena) is mentioned as holding its second AGM in Liverpool on January 21, 1984, indicating its continued activity. In the USA, Dr. Marcello Truzzi, editor of the 'Zetetic Scholar' magazine, has launched the CSAR (Center for Scientific Anomalies Research). The publication encourages serious students of the paranormal to subscribe to 'Zetetic Scholar' for its in-depth, debate-focused issues, providing contact details for CSAR at Eastern Michigan University.

Calendar of Events

• Several upcoming events are listed:
• February 4, 1984: John Mason is scheduled to present on 'The British Fireball Survey'.
• BUFORA Lectures: These are set to begin at 6:30 pm at the London Business School, Sussex Place, London.

Subscription Drive

The issue marks the transition from 1983 to 1984 with a strong call for subscriptions. The publishers express hope that readers have enjoyed the new-style Northern UFO News and aim to produce six full-sized issues in the coming year. To achieve this, reader resubscriptions are essential, with no further issues to be sent without them. A special offer is made for new subscribers: if an existing reader and a new subscriber sign up together, they can each subscribe for £8, representing a saving of £2 for the existing subscriber or £1 for the new one. The standard subscription price for 1984 is stated as £5 for all six issues.

Regional UFO Groups

• A comprehensive list of NUFON regional groups is provided, along with contact names and addresses across the United Kingdom:
• Scotland: SCUFON (Alloa)
• North Lancashire/Cumbria: NLUFOIG (Morecambe)
• South Lancashire: DIGAP (Unsworth, Bury)
• Mersey: MIGAP (St Helens)
• Greater Manchester/Cheshire: MUFORA (Lowton)
• North & West Yorkshire: WYUFOS (Addingham, Ilkley)
• Pennine: TUFOS (Todmorden)
• South Yorkshire: SSPR (Sheffield)
• Humber: SUFORS (Crowle Bank Rd, Althorpe)
• Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire: NUFOIS (Notts & Derbys, Nottingham)

Additionally, UFO RESEARCH MIDLANDS is listed with an address in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation into UFO phenomena, encouraging critical thinking and scientific inquiry, as evidenced by the promotion of CSAR and Zetetic Scholar. The publication also emphasizes community engagement through its regional groups and event listings. The focus on CE3 cases and the mention of 'synchronicity' suggest an interest in the more detailed and potentially interactive aspects of UFO encounters. The strong push for subscriptions indicates a desire to maintain and grow the readership for continued publication.