Northern UFO News - No 158

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 158
Date: December 1992
Price: £7 for six issues
Editor: Jenny Randles

This issue of Northern UFO News provides a comprehensive update on UFO-related news, views, and cases, with a particular focus on media coverage and the state of crop circle research.

Media Matters and TV UFO Programs

The editorial section, penned by Jenny Randles, addresses reader expectations for increased page count and discusses recent media features on UFOs. Randles critiques a Sky TV UFO program for being one-dimensional and lacking balance, contrasting it with a more balanced ITV feature titled 'The time and the place,' which she was involved in. This ITV program is praised for allowing various sides of the debate to be heard, including the Birchwood Mall video and a skeptical viewpoint from Wendy Grossman of Skeptic magazine. Randles emphasizes the strength of such programs in allowing witnesses to share their stories.

Central TV's appeal following their UFO program is noted, leading to numerous calls from witnesses. The magazine highlights intriguing cases that emerged, including an RAF encounter and a missing time case, which are being investigated.

Randles stresses that the essence of UFOlogy lies in ordinary people encountering the extraordinary, rather than focusing solely on conspiracies or disinformation. She argues that the goal should be to identify what people have perceived, acknowledging that some cases defy easy explanation and point to unknown phenomena.

Cereology in Crisis

The magazine dedicates significant space to the state of cereology (crop circle research), describing it as being in "utter crisis." 'The Crop Watcher' magazine is recommended as a publication that is free from organizational attachment and offers a common-sense approach. The issue highlights Australian crop circle cases, inside information on hoaxers, and negative assessments of meteorologists' theories. It also discusses Pat Delgado's book and the theories of cereologists using nicknames.

Paul Devereux's books, 'Symbolic Landscapes' and 'Shamanism and the Mystery Lines,' are reviewed. These works explore earth mysteries, consciousness, and the potential paranormal significance of ancient civilizations and landscape features, with crop circles and UFOs mentioned in passing.

Despite the perceived decline in crop circle activity, the magazine notes that new publications are emerging. Dr. Meaden's work is mentioned, and the Journal of Meteorology is recommended for its content on ball lightning and other topics.

News Round Up and Book Reviews

The "NEWS ROUND UP" section provides a curated list of relevant books and publications. Enigma Design in Burnley is highlighted for offering UFO literature at excellent prices, including works by David Jacobs and Jacques Vallee, as well as Randles' own book, 'From out of the blue.' FATE magazine is also featured.

Second-hand bargains are available through Midnight Books. Musical offerings include Steve Andrews' album 'Dive in deep.'

• Several specific publications are reviewed:
• OVNI Nov: Features triangles over the East Midlands and David Icke.
• Anomaly 11: Discusses coincidences and UFO cases.
• Fortean Times 66: Covers various weird events, including a look at the mirage of Bristol.
• Earthquest Winter: Andy Collins' magazine with articles on Meonia swords, earthlights, and crop circles.
• Folklore Frontiers 17: Features urban folklore stories.
• IUR Oct: Discusses crop circles in Manitoba and Australian abductions.
• MUFON Journal: Includes reports on witnessed abductions and animal mutilations.
• Oribiter Sep: Reprints the complete Air Miss report on a UK case.
• A E: Explores abductions and repressed abortion memories.
• Strange 10: A 'Humanoids' special with contributions from John Keel, Jerry Clark, and Nigel Watson.
• UFORA Digest Sep: Features sightings from the UFO Research Australia network.

BOOKS OF THE MOMENT

Jerome Clark's 'The UFO Encyclopedia Volume 2' is highly recommended, with the announcement of more affordable paperback editions. The review emphasizes its value as an ultimate UFO encyclopedia.

• Other books mentioned include:
• 'Fire in the sky': A new UFO movie from Paramount pictures.
• 'The Plains of San Agustin Controversy': A publication debating the Roswell UFO crash.
• 'Symbolic Landscapes' and 'Shamanism and the Mystery Lines': Books by Paul Devereux on earth mysteries and consciousness.
• 'UFO Encounters': A general UFO book from Publications International, USA.

Media Matters: UFOs in the Public Eye

This section examines how UFOs are portrayed in the media. It mentions sensationalist stories, such as a baby screaming 'Not Again!' and claims of Noah's ark being a flying saucer. The article notes a feature in 'The Sport' about 'sex beasts from space' and quotes Jenny Randles on the possibility of UFOs being true.

The News of the World reported on a New York doctor investigated for claims of alien abduction linked to the South Pole and Nazi plots. Uri Geller's column in the Daily Star is mentioned, where he discusses aliens waging war on Earth.

A Scotland on Sunday article asked which British politician might be an alien, with responses from Sir David Steel, Ken Livingston, Archie Roy, and JG Ballard. Jenny Randles' own comment on the commonality of 'grey' aliens is also included.

Key Incidents and Cases

• Dechmont Law, Scotland (1979): A plaque commemorating a landing case was stolen.
• Wirral: Strange photographs taken on the Wirral are mentioned.
• 'The fog from nowhere': A new abduction case is referenced.
• New York: A doctor claims abduction by aliens based at the South Pole.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the critical examination of media portrayals of UFOs, the challenges and debates within crop circle research, and the ongoing investigation of UFO cases and abduction accounts. The editorial stance, as expressed by Jenny Randles, is one of cautious inquiry, emphasizing the importance of identifying perceptions, acknowledging the unknown, and presenting information responsibly, particularly when engaging with the broader public and media. There is a clear distinction made between sensationalism and serious UFOlogy, with a call for reasoned argument and credible evidence.

Title: Northern UFO News
Issue: 11-
Date: Autumn
Publisher: NUFON
Country: United Kingdom

Scotland at the Centre of the UFO Galaxy

This section details how Scotland became a focal point for UFO attention in Autumn 1992. It begins by referencing an article in The Scotsman by Albert Morris, which cynically dismissed UFO phenomena and UFOlogists. However, the author's own book, 'UFOs and how to see them,' which highlighted Scottish UFO hotspots, subsequently generated significant media interest, including radio interviews and newspaper coverage in outlets like the Edinburgh Evening News, Glasgow Herald, and Aberdeen Press.

This media blitz appears to have stimulated public awareness, leading to a major wave of UFO activity. Malcolm MacDonald, an environmental health officer in the Falkirk district, reported a shaken businessman's sighting near Bonnybridge. This incident, along with others, led to a 'flap' of sightings that garnered attention from the local Falkirk media and subsequently spread to the national press. By November 8th, the Glasgow Mail reported that 22 cases had been collated by the council. Councillor Billy Buchanan emphasized the seriousness of the sightings, stating that too many people had witnessed UFOs to dismiss them lightly, and confirmed that a local UFOlogist would be assisting the council. The article expresses hope for future detailed reports on these events from investigators like Malcolm Robinson, Ron Halliday, and Fergus Storrier.

UFO Activity and Witness Accounts

The issue details numerous UFO sightings and encounters from various locations in the UK.

November 3rd Event: A well-witnessed event described as a brilliant light and a low hum from a hovering object with cluster lights was reported. One witness described a triangular shape studded with lights like a Christmas tree.

Green Lights: Ron Halliday reported on green lights seen in Edinburgh on October 27th. Further north, BUFORA coordinator Fergus Storrier noted reports of red and white lighted cylinder shapes. More green lights were seen in Edinburgh, some of which sounded like meteors but were also akin to 'green fireballs'. The frequency of these sightings led Ron Halliday to establish a 'hot line' for witnesses.

March 1992 Case: An intriguing case from the moors between Hallglen and Bonnybridge involved a woman, her mother, and brother seeing a large blue light land beside the road. A 'big truck thing' emerged from the trees, accompanied by a whirring and rattling noise and a flash of light.

Brief Cases:

• August 1991 (Holywell, Wales): Miss B, a 19-year-old student, saw a 'large white circular object with flames streaking from the rear' shoot overhead. It was silent and lasted only a few seconds.
• September 1991 (Pontypool, Wales): Seven witnesses observed a bright white star that dimmed and moved off slowly, or accelerated like a jet, vanishing as if switched off.
• March 1992 (South Reddish, Cheshire): Ms S observed a yellow/golden eye drifting slowly, causing an asthma attack. A similar drifting white orb was seen later. This was eventually identified as a blimp promoting a tyre manufacturer.
• April 1992 (Bollington, Cheshire): Mr W and his son saw a white light move rapidly across the sky on a downward diagonal, accompanied by a heavy vibration in the air.
• June 1992 (Wigan, Lancashire): A police officer, Mr M, witnessed a large orange ball dropping slowly, then rushing away into the southeast at high speed.
• July 1992 (Coseley, West Midlands): A 17-year-old reported seeing a white egg rise from the ground and shoot skywards at high speed, experiencing a 'beating' sensation and buzzing noise.
• August 1992 (Skutterskelfe, Cleveland): A long-duration sighting involved three people witnessing a spectacular sequence of events over hours, including a 'halo' that made silhouettes of hills and oval lights rotating. Possible explanations include military exercises or optical mirages.

The Wirral Beach Ball (Summer 1978): This case involved an 11-year-old boy who was approached by a stranger and shown a silver ball hovering over the sea. The object climbed very fast, then returned to its original position before vanishing. The boy also noted unusual Jaguar cars and a man with 'make up' around his eyes.

The Fog from Nowhere (August 1992): A family of five in a car experienced a sudden thick mist, after which they found themselves miles further on, experiencing a 'space lapse' where they had no memory of the past 20 minutes. They reported a sense of distorted time, tiredness, and observed strange red marks on their bodies.

Mrs B's Experiences: Mrs B has a history of OOBEs and premonitions, including seeing a white light bouncing along the ground and experiencing strange noises and sensations in 1983.

Final Words and Upcoming Events

The magazine concludes with a section on upcoming events, including an international conference at Wembley Arena on January 9-10, featuring lectures on global deception, secret aircraft, and UFOlogist William Cooper. It also lists BUFORA lectures in London and a regional event in Northampton. Subscription information for NUFON is provided, with prices increasing to £7 for six issues.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the increase in UFO sightings and media interest in Scotland, detailed case investigations from various UK locations, and the ongoing effort to document and understand these phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation and reporting, while acknowledging the need for rational explanations where possible, as indicated by Councillor Buchanan's quote and the mention of IFOs. The magazine aims to provide a platform for researchers and witnesses to share their experiences and findings.