NORTHERN UFO NEWS

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 93
Date: March 1982
Publisher: Northern UFO Network (NUFON)
Country: UK
Price: £2.80 (with CASE HISTORIES £4.20)

Editorial: "Drifting on an Alien C"

Jenny Randles, the editor, discusses her third book, "Alien Contact" (or "Alien C"), published on February 4th. She reflects on the challenges of presenting the UFO phenomenon to the public, noting that UFOs are a controversial subject. She contrasts her approach with sensationalist books, aiming for sobriety and critical appraisal, citing her previous publications "BRITISH VIEWPOINT" and "UFO STUDY" as attempts in this direction. Randles explains that "Alien C" tries to blend the public appeal of a "Janos style" approach with critical analysis, hoping to make more non-specialists think about the world. She acknowledges that the book may be seen as "schizophrenic," with early reviews finding the first half (the story) excellent but the analysis naive.

She recounts the difficulty in persuading publishers that analysis detracting from the story was desired. Members of her family found the analysis hard going, while one serious ufologist preferred the analysis. The book was sold to a bookclub, which Randles views as a mixed blessing, impacting author royalties. She expresses a desire to learn from the experience and mentions finishing "UFO REALITY" for Hales, a different kind of book.

News Round Up

This section covers upcoming events and news in the ufology community:

• ASSAP Conference: A one-day conference is scheduled for Saturday, April 17th, in Leicester at the Grand Hotel. It features five papers by published authors, including Paul Begg on the Bermuda Triangle, Dr. Sue Blackmore on out-of-the-body experiences, Bob Cracknall on psychic abilities, Hilary Evans on UFO abduction cases, and Jenny Randles on regression techniques in UFO abduction and "past-life" studies. The cost is £2, and interested individuals should contact Kevin McClure.
• MUFORA Seminar: MUFORA is planning a one-day seminar on the Alan Godfrey abduction case in Manchester. This event will be by invitation only and will include presentations of video recordings of hypnosis sessions. Interested parties should write to Flat 2, 597 Mauldeth Rd West, Chorlton, Manchester M21 1SJ.
• UPIAR Seminar: UPIAR is organizing a four-day seminar on the psychological and sociological aspects of ufology in Salzburg, Austria, from July 26th to 29th. The cost is $30. Participants are asked to send a description of their qualifications to Dr. Alexander Keul, Meidlinger Haupstrasse 82/19, A-1120 Wien, Austria.
• Wanted: Richard Heiden is looking to buy issues 1-55 and 72-85 of NUN (Northern UFO News). He can be contacted at 7320 W Capitol Drive, No 211, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 53216.
• Condolences: Miles Johnston is acknowledged as having survived an IRA bomb incident, with his video also reported to be safe.

Case Histories

This section presents several UFO case reports:

• CASE HISTORIES (Issue 1 Review): Hilary Evans reviews the first issue of this new venture, urging clarity on its purpose and suggesting a more objective approach than the "jolly" style. He notes that Case Histories 2 will cover the Todmorden/Halifax/Bradford area, an EM case, and the Alan Godfrey abduction.
• PROBE Issue 8: This issue is noted for a photographic IFO case and an upcoming 44p booklet titled "UFO/IFO-A Process of Elimination" (£1, including postage). It also contains articles from experienced investigators and a NIGHT OBSERVATION EXERCISE MANUAL from FUFORS (merged with MAPIT).
• FORTEAN TIMES 36: This publication is mentioned for featuring photographs claimed to show Jesus or Gods.

In Search of Hidden Contacts

This section explores the possibility of subconscious UFO contact and presents related cases:

• Malaysian Researcher's Input: Communications with Ahmad Jamaludin suggest that contact may occur subconsciously, with repressed memories emerging under hypnosis. He advises checking for symptoms and using hypnotic regression, pointing to physical marks, nightmares, psychological symptoms, and time discrepancies as potential indicators.
• Shropshire Case (July 1981): Investigated by Stephen Banks, three women in a car observed a low-level UFO, experiencing time distortion. Medical regression revealed an alleged contact experience, with two women recalling similar but distinct stories involving floating, robots, and scanning.
• Rosemary's Account: One of the women in the Shropshire case, Rosemary, described floating out of the car into a room with robots and a central table.
• Vivien's Account: Another woman, Vivien, described being sucked into a mist inside the object, encountering a male voice and entities, and being scanned.
• ASSAP Case (July 1965): Reported by James Feltham in Caernarvon, Gwynedd, a group observed a "classic" "Three spheres in a triangle" UFO over the sea. The witness claims the object was tracked by RAF Valley radar.
• SUFON Case (October 30, 1981): Reported by Tam O'Neill at Fenwick Moor, Scotland, six men witnessed a UFO described as a red light that approached and then displayed red lights around it, with two beams illuminating the countryside before accelerating away rapidly.
• HAPI Case (December 21, 1981): Reported by Mark Brown in Coalville, Leicstrshire, a milkman and a colleague observed a bright yellowish-white "star" that moved off and disappeared.

Aircraft or UFO?

• Thringstone Case (August 24, 1931): Reported by Mark Brown, a couple and their sons witnessed a UFO described as a circle of light on the ground, a saucer with red and white lights, and a red dome. The object hovered low and then moved off rapidly. The father also saw a light through the window. The boys independently sketched the object. The report considers the possibility of it being an aircraft, noting inbound planes at East Midlands Airport around that time.

Car-Stop by the Moon?

• Nailstone Case (October 11, 1981): Reported by Mark Brown, two brothers experienced their car stopping inexplicably. While one went for petrol, the other noticed a large white light, described as a "cluster of small lights," hovering above a colliery. The car started after the light disappeared. The report notes the connection to car-stop UFO cases and suggests a possible natural explanation, but also references a similar incident from 1971 where a car's engine sputtered and cut out under a light described as "moonlight colour" when the moon was new.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around detailed UFO sightings and alleged contact experiences, with a strong emphasis on investigation and analysis. The editorial stance, as articulated by Jenny Randles, is to present UFO phenomena with a degree of sobriety and critical appraisal, moving away from pure sensationalism. There's a clear effort to document cases thoroughly, often involving witness accounts, investigator reports, and sometimes hypnotic regression. The magazine also serves as a platform for announcing ufology events and sharing news within the community, highlighting the ongoing research and discussion surrounding the UFO topic in the UK during the early 1980s.