Northern UFO News - No 139

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 139
Date: October 1989
Cover Headline: The Americans are coming!

This issue of Northern UFO News, edited by Jenny Randles and featuring cover art by Bill Callaghan, delves into various aspects of UFOlogy, with a particular focus on the media's role in reporting and shaping public perception of UFO phenomena. The magazine also includes a significant amount of content related to specific UFO cases and research.

Editorial: J.R. Comments

Jenny Randles begins with reflections on her recent trip to the USA, coinciding with the US paperback release of her book 'ABDUCTION'. She describes her experiences meeting UFOlogists, many of whom she characterizes as being on the 'fringe' of the field. Randles notes the strong presence of the New Age movement in the US and the challenges of acclimatizing to the conversational style of American UFOlogists. She touches upon the belief in pacts between authorities and 'Grays' regarding abductions. Randles contrasts the approach of British UFO research, which she feels is sometimes viewed as quaint by American counterparts, with the more complex and potentially groundbreaking areas being explored in the US.

She addresses a minor controversy sparked by her comparison of the International UFO Reporter (IUR) and MUFON Journal, where she termed IUR 'the best regular UFO magazine in the world' and noted MUFON's 'ET bias' while still calling it 'essential'. Randles quotes Dennis Stacy, editor of MUFON Journal, who suggests that CUFOS Journal educates while MUFON informs, and that both are necessary for staying au fait with the UFO scene. Randles also apologizes for any delays in NUN's publication, explaining the difficulties of balancing writing, travel, and domestic chores with producing the magazine. She also addresses unanswered correspondence, citing the overwhelming volume of letters received.

News Round Up

This section reports on a reader's potential solution to the Wessenden Head close encounter from August 1975, involving a teacher who claimed to have experimented with creating a large polythene balloon that may have been mistaken for a UFO. Hilary Evans is launching a new project called SLIDE (Street Lamp Interference Data Exchange) for collecting anecdotes about humans interfering with streetlamps mentally.

Glasnost UFO Style

This article examines the media frenzy surrounding reports of UFOs in the Soviet Union, particularly the Voronezh incident. It notes how the liberalization policies of Glasnost led to increased media openness, with State TV featuring clairvoyants and faith healers, which in turn seemed to encourage more UFO sightings. The article highlights reports of 'fireballs, lights' and a sighting of a 'giant' alien in Vologda. It also mentions concerns raised in Soviet Military Review about UFOs potentially interfering with missile systems. The Voronezh incident, reported in the West two weeks later, garnered significant media attention, with many newspapers running sensationalist headlines. The article critiques the reporting, noting how the story was often embellished and sensationalized, with some outlets even fabricating details or using 'bogus pictures'. It also points out the skepticism from some official sources, such as the British Air Staff, who dismissed the Russian claims.

The article contrasts the media's treatment of the Voronezh incident with the more sober analysis from some publications like The Irish Times, which placed the sighting in a sociological context. It also touches upon the involvement of UFO groups like the Aetherius Society and their attempts to leverage the event. The piece concludes by noting that while the Soviet media presented the event as a major sensation, some of the scientific explanations offered by Soviet officials were more grounded, suggesting that the 'extraterrestrial' rock might be iron ore and the landing site depressions could have geological origins. The article also hints at a potential reciprocal interest from the KGB in US stealth aircraft being tested under the guise of UFOs.

Media Matters

This section critically examines the public portrayal of UFOs in the media, particularly in tabloid newspapers. It laments the death of UFO pundit Rex Dutta, who was a frequent contributor to sensationalist stories. The article highlights examples of extreme reporting, such as the Sunday Sport's story about 'Housewives' Kinky alien love Jelly' and claims of aliens causing weather phenomena. It criticizes the lack of rigor and the tendency to sensationalize and fabricate stories, often involving dubious sources and unsubstantiated claims. The piece expresses concern that such reporting damages the credibility of UFOlogy.

Case Histories

An Encounter on Beachy Head

This detailed report recounts an experience of Mr. O'D, who, while walking on Beachy Head in October 1972, witnessed a 'huge star' with a violet/blue glow and moving lights. The object appeared to swoop around him, and he experienced a sudden transition, finding himself on a road about three-quarters of a mile away, with over three hours unaccounted for. Mr. O'D's account is presented as a significant case, with the witness described as intelligent and rational. The report notes his initial confusion and subsequent attempts to report the incident to the police and a 'plain clothes officer'. The article also touches upon Mr. O'D's earlier experiences, including a sighting of a strange aircraft with his mother in Tipperary and an encounter with a vanishing woman.

Brief Cases

This section presents several short UFO sighting reports:

• CASE 6103 (MUFORA): A witness, Mrs. G, reported seeing a dome-shaped, silvery object with brilliant red lights hovering silently over a wood in Winton, Worsley, Lancashire, in June 1963.
• CASE 6513 (MUFORA): A family reported seeing four orange lights in a line formation moving across the sky and out to sea near Roker Park, Sunderland, in August 1965.
• CASE 78-286 (NUFORC): A follow-up report on a sighting in Benefield, Northants, involving a bright greenish-blue light seen by a couple and later reported by a police officer.
• CASE 6916 (BUFORA): A teenager reported hearing a buzzing sound and seeing a round ball of orange light hovering in the northern sky in Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, in May 1969.
• CASE 79-181 (LUFOIC): A mother and her children saw an oval patch of white light that seemed to follow them in Burbage, Leics, in November 1979. Two of the children later developed marks resembling old operation scars.
• CASE 8431 (MUFORA): An entire family reported seeing white oval UFOs emerge from behind Bass Rock in Scotland in November 1984.
• CASE 8833 (MUFORA): An object with bright headlamps and colored lights was spotted hovering near Leasowe, Merseyside, in June 1988.

For Your Perusal

This section provides a list of other UFO publications and their subscription details, including UFO Times, MAGONIA, ENIGMAS, IUR, MUFON Journal, JUST CAUSE, STRANGE 4, and CAVEAT EMPTOR.

Books of the Moment

This section reviews Whitley Strieber's book 'Majestic', which is described as a speculative fiction novel based on the Roswell UFO crash. It also mentions 'Communion: The Movie' and a book by David Langford.

Updates

• Mundrabilla: The case continues to be investigated, with analysis of black ash recovered from the car showing high chlorine concentration. Witnesses have been medically monitored, and the case is being pursued by VUFORS, who claim to be a large UFO group.
• Silent Vulcan: A detailed case file has been submitted on a 'Silent Vulcan' sighting in Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, from September 1987. The report suggests the UFO might be a secret military device, possibly an airship.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the critical examination of media coverage of UFO phenomena, the distinction between sensationalist reporting and serious research, and the presentation of various UFO sighting cases from the UK. The editorial stance, as expressed by Jenny Randles, emphasizes the importance of rational analysis, objectivity, and a critical approach to UFOlogy, while also acknowledging the complexity and potential significance of the subject. There is a clear effort to differentiate between credible reports and those that are speculative or sensationalized, particularly in the context of tabloid journalism. The magazine also highlights the ongoing efforts of various UFO research groups in the UK.