Northern UFO News - No 99

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 99
Date: December 1982
Publisher: Northern UFO Network (NUFON)
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of Northern UFO News, number 99, dated December 1982, is published by the Northern UFO Network (NUFON) from Warrington, Cheshire. The cover prominently features the NUFON logo and a stylized graphic of Great Britain with industrial silhouettes and a flying saucer.

Important Announcements

The editorial announces significant changes for 1983, coinciding with issue number 100. The publication will be upgraded to fully litho printing, resulting in a cleaner, more professional product with a new format, photo-reduced size, and enhanced illustrative capabilities. This upgrade aims to make Northern UFO News comparable to publications like Magonia or Common Ground. The subscription rate for 1983 remains £4.20, which will cover four litho issues and two duplicated 'link' issues. To encourage new subscribers, a special offer is available until March 1st: new subscribers and their referred friends will both receive a discount, and finding five new subscribers will result in a free subscription.

What U Missed at UMIST

This section details an investigators seminar held in October at UMIST, Manchester, organized by BUFORA in conjunction with MUFORA. The seminar was aimed at practical field ufologists. The event included a role-play exercise where Jenny Randles played a witness to a CE3 incident, and the audience was split into groups to interrogate her from different perspectives ('British UFO & Spaceship Club', 'Society Against Pseudo-Scientific Nonsense', and a radio show 'So They Told Us'). This exercise led to discussions about investigative roles, media policy, and the interpretation of facts.

Stephen Simpson, a lecturer from Bolton College, presented on perception, focusing on judgment of motion, size, and structure, using illusions and demonstrations. An interview with UFO witness Marion Sunderland was also shown, discussing ideal investigators and investigations, and the use of witness data.

News Round-Up

This section includes several items:

• Correction: Shirley McIver clarified an editorial point in NUN 98, stating that John Groom did not film her for the HORIZON programme due to her not being a skeptic, but rather because he had gone to America to film.
• BUFORA Congress 1983: Details are provided for the upcoming BUFORA Congress on August 27-29, 1983, to be held at the Lorch Foundation near High Wycombe. Speakers will include Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Dr. Stanton Friedman, and Dr. Harley Rutledge from the USA, along with European and British researchers. A major seminar on the Peter Day movie film case is also planned.
• BUFORA Code of Practice: BUFORA has produced a booklet detailing its Code of Practice for investigators, available for 20p each.
• Lie Detectors: Dr. David Lykken of the University of Minnesota is quoted in The Times expressing skepticism about the accuracy of lie detectors, stating they produce incorrect results about one-third of the time. Professor Peter Venables of York University shares the opinion that they should not be allowed in Britain.
• Hello & Farewell: This section reviews other UFO publications:
• MAGIC SAUCER ceases publication after 4 years.
• EXPANSION is a new publication on 'expanded consciousness'.
• UFO RESEARCH MIDLANDS releases its second issue with two case investigations.
• SEAPS second CENTRE UPDATE provides reviews of books and articles, with a comment on the Code of Practice.
• EARTHQUEST NEWS by Andy Collins is a 30pp litho publication covering UFOs, ghosts, and other mysteries.

UFO Sightings and Investigations

• The Final Frontier (ITV Programme): Mark Brown reports on his involvement in the Granada TV programme 'The Final Frontier', which aired on November 3rd. He describes the production process, which involved collaboration with producer Martyn Day to ensure the UFO segment was co-directed by ufologists. The 12-minute feature included historical UFO cases, the Ken Arnold story, and explanations of UFO phenomena like the piezo effect. The programme aimed at children, but also conveyed important points to adult viewers.

• The Piezo-Electric Effect: This article discusses the piezo-electric effect as a potential explanation for UFO phenomena, noting its physical process and examinable cause. While the existence of piezo-electricity is established, its application to subsoil rock strata is still theoretical. The author emphasizes the need for geologists and physicists to collaborate and study this effect, referencing Paul Devereux's work linking UFO sightings with earth faults.

• Investigation Jottings: A letter from Mike Collier, a dentist, suggests a correlation between dowsing figures and the decline in UFO reports. He provides data from 1977 to 1982 showing 'off' and 'VS' (Very Strong) figures.

• Daily Star Report (Pigeons): A report from the Daily Star on September 8, 1982, noted that homing pigeons were losing direction sense, with speculation about ionospheric or electromagnetic disturbances. The article suggests this could be related to UFO activity and the piezo-electric theory.

• Case Reports: Several UFO sighting reports are detailed:
• A flame-coloured ball of light seen falling to the ground (West Midlands).
• Six golden, flitting lights seen beside the moon (Scarborough).
• An ovalish cigar-shaped object seen in Leeds.
• Three bright white lights moving in formation over Cleveleys.
• Sixteen fuzzy, off-white objects observed in Southport, followed by circular movements.
• Two bright white 'car headlights' seen moving silently down a hill (Bacup).
• A report of a tall, silver-suited figure encountered on a road in Wales, similar to a previous case in Ewloe.

• New Address: An important note provides the new address for Editor Jenny Randles.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO investigation, reporting of sightings, and the exploration of potential explanations for UFO phenomena, such as the piezo-electric effect. There is a strong emphasis on the scientific and investigative aspects of ufology, encouraging collaboration between different scientific disciplines and promoting rigorous research methods. The editorial stance appears to be open-minded yet critical, advocating for evidence-based analysis and caution against unverified claims, as seen in the discussion on lie detectors and the piezo-electric effect. The publication also serves as a platform for networking among UFO researchers and enthusiasts in the UK.