Northern UFO News - No 154

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 154
Date: April 1992
Price: £6 for six issues
Cover Headline: All the news, views and up to date cases

This issue of Northern UFO News, dated April 1992, presents a variety of articles and reports concerning UFO phenomena, research, and related topics. The cover features an illustration of a UFO and lists several content highlights, including discussions on abductions, crop circles, and a piece titled 'Area 51 Unmasked?'. The publication is edited by Jenny Randles and features cover and logo artwork by Bill Callaghan.

J.R. Comments: The Rendlesham Forest Case

This section features a lengthy commentary by Jenny Randles addressing a review of her book 'From out of the Blue' by Nigel Watson in 'Fortean Times'. Randles defends the extensive coverage given to the Rendlesham Forest incident, highlighting its significance due to official documentation, the 'Halt memo', and a 'live tape' recording of the UFOs' return. She explains her motivation for writing the book was to consolidate information on the case, which had previously been covered by a problematical book, 'Sky Crash', written with colleagues Brenda Butler and Dot Street.

Randles acknowledges that the case has been subject to skepticism, with some dismissing it as a lighthouse sighting. She notes the difficulty in getting a new book on the subject published in Britain, despite the success of 'Sky Crash' internationally. Randles argues that the Rendlesham case is significant not just for the witnesses but as a mirror to UFOlogy itself, illustrating the difficulties in resolving cases and making judgments about extraordinary theories. She criticizes the tendency to 'solve' mysteries prematurely and emphasizes the importance of research providing facts for interpretation.

She also addresses Watson's claim that she 'believes' dubious documents, stating she regarded them as bogus and that this stance led to repercussions that nearly shut down 'Northern UFO News'. Randles defends her approach to investigating the case, including considering radar experiments and unusual atmospheric phenomena, arguing that a comprehensive approach is necessary for UFOlogy.

News Round Up

This section provides brief updates:

• Ken Higgins of SRUFO has retired due to work pressure, and Vincent Johnston has taken over.
• Victor Kean in Germany reports on a TV program ('The Return of the Killer Mink') that depicted mutilated sheep, explaining the cause as mink and crows, which Kean suggests might vindicate Miles Johnston's claims about animal mutilations, despite Dr. Peter Talbot's earlier dispute.
• Three new book catalogues are mentioned: Arcturus (USA) offering David Jacobs' 'Secret Life' and Fred Williams' 'UFOs are Supernatural'; NBS Mail Order (UK) run by Alice Ashton, offering a catalogue of UFOlogy titles; and Midnight Books (UK) run by ex SCUFORI member Steve Shipp, with a catalogue including magazines and rare UFO books.

Area 51 Unmasked?

This article discusses recent excitement surrounding Area 51 and reports of 'alien craft' flown by US pilots. It also mentions sightings of large triangular craft in the UK and Belgium. The article suggests these sightings may be explained by a new high-tech super plane called 'Aurora', described as wider than it is long, with a sleek, plate-like design. It is said to be unmanned, capable of slow, silent flight, and rapid acceleration to six times the speed of sound. The plane is housed in Nevada but has reportedly flown in Europe. The article notes that sources correctly previewed 'Stealth' aircraft prior to their admission.

Abductions: A Rush to Judgement?

This article explores the case of 'Mr A', a 21-year-old NUFON reader from Hertfordshire, who described his experiences of recalling UFO dreams from early childhood. Mr A's experiences, particularly a dream involving 'greys' and a similar situation to a documented abduction, led him to research UFOs. He trained himself to 'replay' his UFO dreams and experienced visions of an object and a burst of white light.

The author questions whether these are genuine memories or forced imagination based on his reading. Mr A himself concludes that most of his dreams have nothing to do with real contacts, suggesting they possess hidden psychological meanings. He notes that his memory of a 'greys' dream had been colored by later reading, and his novelization of experiences seemed to reflect his personal views.

However, Mr A remains troubled by a 'paralysis' dream and a recent flash vision of lights in the sky. The author emphasizes the importance of this self-analysis, cautioning against the tendency for CE4 witnesses to be railroaded into easy explanations, and highlights the potential for hypnosis to induce memory or delusion.

Circular Logic

This section discusses the state of cereology (the study of crop circles).

• The Sunday Mirror's £10,000 competition for solving the crop circle mystery concluded without an award, as no entry met the judges' criteria. The judges included Professor Archie Roy, Dr. Terence Meaden, Colin Andrews, and the author.
• The author expresses disappointment that the prize money was not awarded to entrants who contributed original research or data, although he approves of the £1000 donated to charity.
• A new group, YCCR (Yorkshire Crop Circle Research), has contacted the magazine regarding a video of orange balls of light taken near Avebury.
• Contact UK's stance on crop circles is described as worrying, with the media reportedly focusing on 'biased meteorological explanations' and parading witnesses who claim to have seen phenomena matching Meaden's plasma vortex theory.
• The author refutes Contact UK's assertion that 'most other groups' claim nobody has seen circle creation except hoaxers, stating that many witnesses have seen circles appear and their reports align with the plasma vortex hypothesis.
• The debate surrounding crop circles includes findings from 'The Crop Watcher' reports by Michael Chorost and others, which suggested radiological changes in crop circle samples. Paul Fuller, a statistician, has criticized the methodology and sampling of these studies.
• Chorost intends to refute these arguments and conduct further experiments in Britain. The Fund for UFO Research (USA) is offering Chorost's report for sale.
• News is reported about Reg Presley, singer of 'The Trogs', being interviewed by police after attempting to break into a crop circle enthusiast meeting with a satellite dish, stating he believes contact with extraterrestrials is imminent.

For Your Perusal

This section lists and briefly reviews various publications:

• UFO Brigantia 51: A new magazine with a new design format, featuring an article by Hilary Evans on CE4s, and reports on the Roswell and Spitzbergen crashes.
• Folklore Frontiers: Described as quirky, with items like a look at the idea that Freddie Mercury died before his AIDS announcement.
• J. Meteorology: Features an interesting report on a possible ball lightning photo event in Austria.
• Wild Places 4: A varied issue with pieces on the ETH and parapsychological matters.
• Rattlers Tales 14: A collection of short stories and items with a supernatural bent.
• The Ley Hunter 116: Covers earth mysteries and earthlights news.
• IUR Feb 92: Discusses Gulf Breeze events and the state of US UFOlogy.
• MUFON Journal: Features articles on alien abductions as a cover-up and an abduction special.
• Orbiter Feb 92: Explores the Fort Itaipu encounter and other topics.
• Just Cause Mar 92: Includes intriguing hypnotic recollections of the Roswell case.
• Focus Sep 91: Bill Moore's newsletter on the US cover-up, including debate over the Randle and Schmitt Roswell book.
• UFO Universe Spring 92: A revamped US magazine with sensationalist content.
• Strange 8: A UK-subscribed magazine with Fortean content, including a report on Ian Watson's 'Miracle Visitors'.
• Ufologia: A Spanish magazine with a large format and illustrated material.
• Phenomena: A French magazine with an English summary, covering OVNI (UFO) news in France.
• Eurofon 5: A graphic artwork-designed magazine focusing on UFOlogy in Belgium and Holland.
• UFO Research Australia: Mentions a 'superb' Computer Book available for purchase.

Books of the Moment

This section reviews several books:

• AN EXPERIMENT WITH ALIEN INTELLIGENCE by Larry Kingston: Described as a neat, professionally produced pocket-sized book of cases and speculation, offering a good, enjoyable read, though dated in content.
• THE UFO SILENCERS by Timothy Green Beckley: This book focuses on Men in Black (MIB), presenting a collection of anecdotes from various sources. It is noted as a reflection of the sub-culture of this hidden aspect of the UFO subject, with MIB sightings linked to crop circles.
• CAPTAIN KIRK RESCUED BY ALIENS?... THE BROOKSIDE SPECTRE... PERCY SUGDEN PSYCHIC SUPERSTAR... EMMERDALE FARMER SLEEPS WITH GHOST...: This appears to be a reference to a book by Jenny Randles titled "Phantoms of the soap operas", offering tales from TV celebrities based on first-hand interviews. Copies are available at a discounted price.

Brief Cases

This section presents short accounts of current investigations:

Notes:

Margaret Fry points out that in a South Wales CE4 report, the witness's eldest son, who invited her to a UFO meeting, has an interest in UFOs, but the witness has not told him or the family about what happened.

A RATHER UNUSUAL TIME LAPSE

This case from summer 1990 involves Mrs S from Lancashire who experienced what felt like a two-hour time slip. She woke up, saw the digital alarm read 11:22, performed some actions, lay down for half an hour, and then was woken by her husband with the letter she was expecting, only to find the time was 9:10. The author suggests this could be a vivid false awakening or an altered state of consciousness, and asks for similar accounts.

THE INVASION OF THE ALIEN WASPS

This tale from 1940 Scotland describes a childhood encounter with a giant wasp-like entity that was impervious to attacks. The boy, Mac, and his mother attempted to fight it off with a newspaper, an axe, and a hammer, but the entity seemed unaffected until it eventually fell to the floor. The author notes the extraordinary realism of such visions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the detailed analysis and defense of significant UFO cases like Rendlesham Forest, the exploration of abduction phenomena and its psychological aspects, and the ongoing research and debate surrounding crop circles. There is also a focus on new technological developments that might be mistaken for UFOs. The editorial stance, particularly evident in Jenny Randles' commentary, emphasizes rigorous research, critical analysis, and the importance of presenting factual data to understand the UFO phenomenon, while cautioning against premature conclusions and the influence of media sensationalism or psychological biases.

Title: Northern UFO News
Issue: 11
Date: Not specified, but content references events from 1972, 1973, 1977, 1992, and mentions a mid-air encounter in April (likely 1991 based on context).
Publisher: N/A
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of Northern UFO News presents a collection of witness accounts and investigative notes regarding UFO sightings across the UK and Ireland.

Case Reports and Witness Accounts

The 'Wasp' Craft

The issue begins with an account of an object described as looking like metal and a miniature flying device, camouflaged to resemble a wasp. The witness, referred to as 'Mac', picked it up and threw it into a fire where it was consumed. He is now convinced it was an alien scout craft. The author notes a similarity to a 'metal insect' reported by Margaret Fry in a previous period, suggesting a possible coincidence.

Case 9206: Darley Dale, Derbyshire

Reported to Jodrell Bank, this case involves a 79-year-old woman in Darley Dale, Derbyshire, who observed what she thought was an aircraft from her snowbound home. It appeared as a 'spinning top' shape with lights around the edge and moved silently overhead. MUFORA could not trace any aircraft in the area, and while mountain rescue or muffled sound due to snow are considered possibilities, the event remains unexplained.

Something in the Eire

Investigated by Anne Griffin and Pat Delaney, this report details an event from October 1972. A farm caretaker near Clonsilla, Dublin, Ireland, returning from a football match, spotted an orange ball in the north-west sky. It was observed moving slowly and even through trees. He and friends watched it disappear over the city. Six years later, in 1977, he saw a red light over the Sllabh Na Mon mountains in Southern Tipperary, which changed to white, became diffuse, and rose into the sky.

Kelly-Hopkinsville, UK

This section details an experience from November 1973 near Oxford, UK, involving a witness identified as 'S', who was 12 years old at the time. He saw an orange ball over woodland from his bedroom, which he then watched through binoculars. The object moved in a step-like manner and descended out of view behind trees. His mother was also present for part of the sighting. The next day, S and three friends went to the woodland to search for traces. As night fell, they decided to walk over Shotover Hill. During this time, a white diamond of light streaked down from the sky, growing larger as it approached. They ran to a call box to phone the police. Upon leaving to go home, a black shape blocked their path. The witness describes it as being their height, squatted down with hunched shoulders and arms resting on its knees. He emphasizes that the red eyes were particularly frightening and that it was not a dog, comparing it to the famous Kelly-Hopkinsville monster case from the USA. The report stresses that 'S' is an objective and responsible investigator who has considered possible misidentifications.

Final Words...

This section provides an update on a mid-air encounter over Kent, UK, involving a 'black missile' that has now been officially pronounced a UFO by the Civil Aviation Authority. The author notes the media's interest in this official confirmation. A separate note addresses a competition related to the authors of 'Crop Circles: A Mystery Solved', revealing the answer involved the actor playing Sergeant Burden and the fictional locations of Kings Markham from the TV series.

Apology and Publication Information

An apology is issued for the issue being four pages short, attributed to pressure of work and an upcoming lecture trip to the USA. The missing pages will be added to the June issue.

NUFON Regional Groups

A list of NUFON (Northern UFO Network) regional groups is provided, along with contact details (addresses and phone numbers) for various locations across the UK, including Scotland, Cumbria, North West England, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, the Midlands, and Northants. It is noted that NUFON archive files are held in central Manchester, accessible via MUFORA. Information is also given on how to visit these files using the Metrolink tram system in Manchester.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO sightings and related phenomena, presenting witness testimonies and investigative notes. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging readers to consider various possibilities while highlighting unexplained aspects of reported events. There is an emphasis on objective reporting and considering potential misidentifications, as seen in the 'Kelly-Hopkinsville, UK' case. The publication also engages with the wider UFO community through its regional group listings and archival information.