Notizie UFO - No 26

Magazine Overview

This issue of "NOTIZIE UFO" (March 1989, Issue 26) is a circular from the Secretariat of the Italian Center for Ufological Studies (CISU), based in Torino, Italy. It aims to welcome new collaborators and inform members about the organization's activities, research, and publications. The magazine covers a range of topics including recent case reports, ongoing research projects, collaborations with scientific bodies, and news from the international ufological community.

Editorial and Welcome

The editorial welcomes numerous new collaborators to CISU, expressing hope that their expectations will be met and that they will actively engage in the center's various sectors. It acknowledges that subscribers should have received issues 2 and 3 of "Rassegna casistica" and issue 6 of "Rivista di informazione ufologica," which concluded the 1988 year despite delays. The newsletter also addresses persistent issues with postal delivery of publications, particularly to Southern Italy, and urges members to report any service disruptions. Members are encouraged to renew their subscriptions to ensure uninterrupted delivery of materials. A special thanks is extended to "old" collaborators who renewed their memberships promptly and to "Sostenitore" (Supporter) members whose contributions help the center grow and improve.

Material Received by the Secretariat

This section details the material received by the central archives and available in photocopy for CISU members. Contributors and their contributions include:

• Antonio CUCCU (Sassari): Continues his work on Sardinian cases from 1988, including a night light in Sassari (Nov 11), a daytime object near Sassari (Nov 29), and a light observed in Sorso (Nov 30/Dec 1).
• Giorgio RUSSOLILLO (Napoli): Submitted documentation on bell-shaped luminous phenomena on August 17, 1988, and a report on a case in IR-2 of Roccagloriosa (SA).
• Moreno TAMBELLINI (SHADO - Lucca): Produced a report on a third-type encounter case in Barga (LU) in late July 1987.
• Marcello CRINO' (Barcellona - ME): Provided documentation on ufological phenomena in Belpasso (CT) during the summer of '87, in an area known for Marian apparitions.
• Giorgio PATTERA (Parma): Submitted testimony cards related to a "bolide" (fireball) on August 17, 1988.
• Arcangelo CASSANO (Bari): Sent copies of numerous investigations conducted by the GRUZ research group in Bari between 1974 and 1979. These include observations of night lights in Noicatto (Aug 1979), Spinazzola (Jan 1976), Grottaglie (Aug 1977), and Bari (July 1979), as well as a "low altitude" case in Ortanova (Feb 1975) and two "car pursuit" cases in Torre Sabina (Dec 1978) and Altamura (Feb 1974).

Other contributors who sent clippings, information, and materials for the archive include Roberto BALBI, Mario BONSIGNORI, Fulvio COLOMBO, Umberto CORDIER, Edoardo COVONE, Vittorio CROSA, Federico DELLA CORTE, Roberto and Marisa DRI, Francesco FAZIO, Edio GADA-BARENCO, Stefano INNOCENTI, Bruno MANCUSI, Lorenzo MASSAI, Daniele PIOLI, Stefano POZZO, Antonio RAMPULLA, and Maurizio VERGA. The magazine also acknowledges the significant volume of material received from Alessandro CORTELLAZZI, Paolo FIORINO, Giuseppe STILO, and Paolo TOSELLI, including reports, interviews, and retrospective investigations.

SMENTITA (Correction/Denial)

CISU addresses a circular received from Mila Zonca of "Galacteus" (Bora Bora, Polynesia), who claimed to represent a group of contactees and sought collaboration. CISU clarifies that they have never had any contact with "Galacteus" and are not interested in any future relationship, citing a fundamental difference in approach. They state that any claim of collaboration or representation by CISU with this group is unfounded.

NOTIZIE C.I.S.U. (CISU News)

CONSIGLIO DIRETTIVO (Board of Directors)

A meeting of the CISU Board of Directors was held in Milan on March 19th. Present were board members Roberto FARABONE, Gian Paolo GRASSINO, Edoardo RUSSO, and Maurizio VERGA, along with members Lorenzo BARTOLI, Alessandro CORTELLAZZI, Corrado GUARISCO, Alberto LAZZARO, and Paolo TOSELLI. The main discussion focused on the upcoming convention, planned in conjunction with the annual assembly. The aim is to move beyond the traditional conference format to a "round table" discussion, allowing for greater participation and debate among members. The positive trend in membership renewals and the progress of various publications and activities were also reviewed. An initiative to boost the Computerized Ufological Network was mentioned, with an emphasis on increasing work in the MS-DOS environment.

ATTIVITA' (Activities)

#### COORDINAMENTI REGIONALI (Regional Coordinations)

• CAMPANIA: Giorgio RUSSOLILLO (Naples) sent a circular to individuals in Campania interested in ufology, inviting them to participate in CISU activities and the Naples group "Solaris."
• LAZIO: Stefano INNOCENTI and Claudio ZACCHIA (Rome) invited over 100 enthusiasts to a regional convention on February 25th to inaugurate the new CISU Roman headquarters (Via Gian Battista Vico 20).
• PUGLIA: Arcangelo CASSANO (Bari) published an announcement in the local newspaper "La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno" seeking witnesses and interested individuals.
• SICILIA: Antonio RAMPULLA (Catania) is working to revive Sicilian ufology through a new bulletin, "UFO NEWS SICILIA." The first issue includes a provocative article by Antonio BLANCO on the limits of ufology. Collaborators are invited to contribute to Rampulla's effort.

LAVORI IN CORSO (Work in Progress)

CATALOGHI REGIONALI (Regional Catalogs)

Two new regional catalogs have been completed:

• LIGURIA: Umberto CORDIER (Savona) revised and expanded the computerized catalog for Liguria, creating a new list of 487 cases and related documentation (54 pages).
• LAZIO: Stefano INNOCENTI (Rome) revised and expanded the Lazio regional catalog, computerizing and printing a list of 638 cases archived by CISU, along with brief descriptions of each sighting.

The Friuli-Venezia Giulia research group (Roberto and Marisa DRI, Stefano POZZO) also submitted a list of 265 cases from their region. Umberto CORDIER has also indexed and photocopied all sighting reports from the monthly magazine "Pi Kappa" (1972-1973), edited by Peter Kolosimo.

OPERAZIONE ORIGINI (Operation Origins)

• Arcangelo CASSANO (Bari): Completed transcriptions of ufological news from "La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno" for 1957 and is researching the 1950 and 1954 issues. He invites correspondence with other CISU members conducting similar library research.
• Umberto TELARICO (Naples): Provided copies of news articles from the 1940s and 1950s from "Il Mattino" and other newspapers.
• Giuseppe STILO (Florence): Continued reviewing and reproducing clippings from "La Nazione" for 1953. An article summarizing the project's results will be published soon.

DIVULGAZIONE LOCALE (Local Outreach)

In addition to the Rome convention and interviews given by CISU members during the March 21st "flap," the following are highlighted:

• A letter from Angelo FERLICCA (Montefiascone) published in "Illustratofiat" (December 1988) discusses CISU and ufology.
• Edoardo RUSSO (Turin) gave a conference on February 24th on "American Ufology of the 80s: A Comparison with European Research," part of a monthly series organized by the Turin branch.
• A six-part television documentary "UFO: Are they extraterrestrials?" produced by local broadcaster "Telecity" (Angelo IACOPINO, Barcellona) began airing on March 8th, featuring interviews with CISU members.

IPNOSI E UFO (Hypnosis and UFOs)

Hypnosis is increasingly recognized as a vital tool for ufological research, particularly for investigating close encounters and abduction phenomena. CISU is initiating a collaboration with the Italian Medical Society of Psychotherapy and Hypnosis (SMIPΙ) to develop a correct and scientific approach to hypnosis in ufology. An initial meeting was held in Bologna on December 3rd, laying the groundwork for a collaboration protocol. This protocol will involve SMIPΙ's consultation on UFO hypnosis, feasibility studies for operational protocols for UFO abduction regression experiments (based on Alvin Lawson's 1977 work), and the potential involvement of SMIPΙ members in conducting hypnotic regressions on witnesses of UFO sightings with temporal gaps.

COMMISSIONI DI STUDIO (Study Commissions)

Progress is reported from several CISU study commissions:

• "ITALIA 3": Paolo FIORINO (Turin) updated the catalog of Italian IR-3 cases, increasing the number of third-type encounters from 303 to 425. A new, expanded edition with bibliographic references is in preparation.
• EFFETTI DEGLI UFO (UFO Effects): This new commission has begun compiling a dossier of bibliographic material. Edoardo RUSSO (Turin) selected and photocopied texts on specialized ufological publications, while Stefano INNOCENTI (Rome) gathered articles on electromagnetic effects from technical literature. Matteo LEONE (Turin) focused on Italian cases of close encounters with electromagnetic effects. Umberto TELARICO (Naples) contributed a study on the physiological effects of UFOs.
• BIBLIOGRAFIA UFOLOGICA ITALIANA (Italian Ufological Bibliography): A new project coordinated by Marcello PUPILLI (Falconara Marittima) aims to create the most complete bibliography of Italian books on UFOs. The catalog will include 397 volumes published between 1948 and 1988 and will be published in the CISU monograph series "Documenti UFO." Pupilli is also analyzing Italian ufological literature.

UN NUOVO “FLAP” (A New "Flap")

Despite generally low sighting numbers, a "flap" occurred on March 21st, similar to the one on August 17, 1988. The March event involved a luminous phenomenon observed across Northern Italy, generating numerous sightings and media attention. CISU members were actively involved in gathering data, interviewing witnesses, and coordinating with international colleagues.

AGGIORNAMENTO DAL MINISTERO (Update from the Ministry)

Following persistent inquiries from CISU members, the Italian Air Force has released a second update to its "Extract of sightings of unidentified flying objects" from the State Major's "official commission." The January 1989 update (32 pages) covers June 1986 to December 1988 and lists 20 UFO cases, noting that most reports came from private citizens. The document highlights that the military's primary source of information is often imprecise newspaper reports, suggesting that military ufological activities are largely formal.

"RAPIMENTI UFO” IN TV ("UFO Abductions" on TV)

The final episode of the TV series "I Colby" featured a plotline about the protagonist being abducted by a UFO, with subsequent episodes exploring the abduction scenario. The issue notes that the details are based on Whitley Strieber's best-selling books "Communion" and "Intrusi." In Italy, four cases have been reported of individuals who, after reading Strieber and Hopkins' books, suspect they may have had a "hidden" UFO experience.

ESTERO (Abroad)

IL C.I.S.U. ALL'ESTERO (CISU Abroad)

The special issue on "abductions" of the "UFO" magazine received positive international reception. Several foreign magazines requested translation rights for articles, and researchers praised the magazine's quality. Contributions presented by CISU at the Brussels Congress have been published in American ("Orbiter"), British ("Magonia"), and German ("CENAP Report") publications. An interview with Paolo TOSELLI and an article by Maurizio VERGA on trace cases appeared in the Spanish magazine "Cuadernos de ufologia." The Swedish "UFO Aktuellt" reprinted an article by Antonio CHIUMIENTO and two CISU cover designs.

PANORAMA INTERNAZIONALE (International Panorama)

• GRAN BRETAGNA (Great Britain): The anthology "PHENOMENON," edited by John SPENCER and Hilary EVANS, has been a bestseller, with the hardcover edition selling out and a paperback reprint announced. The British UFO Research Association is reportedly receiving 90 new membership applications per month.
• GERMANIA (Germany): The magazine "UFO NACHRICHTEN," a publication of the DUIST organization, has ceased publication after 32 years due to the health of its director, Karl VEIT.
• SVIZZERA (Switzerland): Bruno MANCUSI coordinated a national opinion poll for the AESV, similar to the CISU-DOXA survey, partially funded by a government institute.
• FRANCIA (France): The "Groupement d'Etude des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés" (GEPAN), created in 1977 within the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES), has been transformed into the "Service d'Expertise des Phénomènes de Rentrées Atmosphériques" (SEPRA). This new service will focus on atmospheric re-entry phenomena (IFO) rather than UFOs, leading to speculation that this is an attempt to sideline ufological investigations.

USA: LA SCOMPARSA DI KEYHOE E ANGELUCCI (USA: The Passing of Keyhoe and Angelucci)

Donald KEYHOE, a prominent American ufologist, passed away at age 91. A former Marine Major, writer, and aviation journalist, Keyhoe was a leading proponent of the extraterrestrial hypothesis and a key figure in ufology from 1949 until his death. He was a founder of NICAP and directed it from 1956 to 1969. Orfeo ANGELUCCI, one of the first American contactees of the 1950s, also passed away a few months prior. His work on the symbolic and religious value of his "contacts" was noted by psychologist Carl Gustav Jung. The passing of Keyhoe and Angelucci marks the end of an era for American ufology.

FILM UFOLOGICI (Ufological Films)

Filming has begun in the USA for a movie inspired by Whitley Strieber's book "Communion." Another film about the Travis Walton abduction case (1975) is also in production. In Great Britain, a sequel to "E.T." is being filmed.

DOCUMENTI DISPONIBILI (Documents Available)

The CISU library has acquired several documents from the "Fund for UFO Research," which funds UFO study projects. CISU can also purchase these documents for its members. Available documents include:

• "Final Report on the Psychological Testing of UFO 'Abductees'" by Ted BLOECHER, Aphrodite CLAMAR, Budd HOPKINS, Ron WESTRUM (44 pages, $10).
• "Catalogue of UFO-like Data Before 1947" by Louis WINKLER (84 pages, $12.50).
• "UFO Abductions: the Measure of a Mystery - Vol. 1: Comparative Study of Abduction Reports" by Thomas BULLARD (402 pages, $60).

Interested parties should contact the Secretariat.

CONVEGNO NAZIONALE A BOLOGNA (National Convention in Bologna)

CISU announces its "3rd National Convention on Ufology" to be held in Bologna on Saturday, June 24, 1989, at 3 PM. The theme is "The current state of ufological research: ongoing activities and study projects." Unlike traditional conferences, this event will feature a round table discussion with project leaders and commission members to foster debate. The convention is open to CISU members and also to non-members who are requested to contact the Secretariat in advance due to space limitations.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the ongoing efforts of CISU to collect, archive, and disseminate ufological information, both domestically and internationally. There is a strong emphasis on collaboration, both among members and with scientific institutions. The editorial stance appears to be one of rigorous, evidence-based research, while also acknowledging the importance of public outreach and education. The magazine actively debunks misinformation and clarifies CISU's position on various matters, such as the "Galacteus" circular. The issue highlights the challenges faced by ufologists in gaining official recognition and the need for independent research to fill the gaps left by governmental and scientific bodies. The growing interest in hypnosis as a research tool and the international scope of ufological activities are also prominent themes.