Notizie UFO - No 49

Magazine Overview

This issue of NOTIZIE UFO, number 49, dated September 1995, is a circular informative bulletin from the Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (C.I.S.U.). The publication highlights a significant increase in UFO activity and information during the second quarter of 1995, evoking a '70s climate. The bulletin details the growing workload and initiatives of CISU, acknowledging the challenges of managing a volunteer-based organization.

From the Secretariat

Material Received

Between April and June 1995, CISU received investigation reports and clippings totaling 2160 pages. The secretariat expresses gratitude to numerous members and friends for their contributions, including Giovanni ASCIONE, Marco BIANCHINI, Antonio BLANCO, Renzo CABASSI, Pasquale CASACCHIO GALLO, Arcangelo CASSANO, Claudio CAVALLINI, Matteo CHINELLATO, Umberto CORDIER, Armando CORRASCO, Antonio CUCCU, Marcel DELAVAL, Gian Pietro DONATI, Giancarlo D'ALESSANDRO, Roberto FARABONE, Angelo FERLICCA, Bruno FERRARI, Paolo FIORINO, Angelo GALBIATI, Massimo GARBARINO, Luigi GARLASCHELLI, Simone GRANDICELLI, Corrado GUARISCO, Stefano INNOCENTI, Matteo LEONE, Alfredo LISSONI, Mirko MAF-FIOLI, Lorenzo MALAGUTI, Bruno MANCUSI, Fabio MONTALDI, Marco ORLANDI, Giorgio PATTERA, and Ermenegildo PERSONE. Special thanks are given to members who provide timely updates via fax from local news or Televideo RAI, specifically Renzo CABASSI, Matteo CHINELLATO, Antonio CUCCU, and Fabio MONTALDI.

Investigations Received

Reports received from April to June 1995, not already mentioned in the "Informazioni" section, include:

• Salvatore CALI' (BZ) submitted a report on a luminous sphere with a gray trail sighted over the military airport of FROSINONE on January 24, 1995, between 18:30 and 19:00, which disappeared suddenly as helicopters approached.
• Arcangelo CASSANO (BA) completed a report on his investigation of a nocturnal light sighted in Modugno (BA) on November 13, 1994, at 21:30, where a woman observed a red-ruby and then white light moving rectilinearly and slowly from north to south.
• Claudio CAVALLINI (PV) finalized a comprehensive report on a nocturnal light sighting in Salice Terme (PV) on December 10, 1994, between 19:30 and 20:30. A girl in a car observed for about half an hour two or three circular lights chasing each other in the sky with a rotating motion, possibly laser effect lights. Cavallini also submitted a preliminary report on an interview concerning two photos without a luminous ring next to the moon at sea in Diano Marina (IM) on July 20, 1984.
• Angelo FERLICCA (VT) was involved in a collective sighting on the evening of January 24, 1995, across various locations in Viterbo province, attributed to the effect of a light on stratified clouds.
• Maurizio FORLANI (SO) interviewed a witness who filmed a light in Valmalenco on the evening of January 14, 1995.
• Corrado GUARISCO (CO) sent in reports from his province, including an investigation from November 26, 1994, about a nocturnal light sighted in Fino Mornasco (CO) on October 29, 1994, at 18:15. A couple observed a stationary white light in the sky, which then moved away and reappeared, described as circular with bright rectangular lights and three yellow-orange lights in the center. The light disappeared towards the southeast, and upon reaching Cermenate, they saw the light stationary again in the southwest. Around the same time, a woman in Cermenate saw a large, light-filled object.
• Giorgio PATTERA (PR) completed a brief report on a nocturnal light case from 1993 in Parma.
• Marcello PUPILLI (AN) prepared a report on two photographic cases previously covered in Notizie UFO n.48. The first occurred in Iesi (AN) on January 24, 1995, where two yellowish lights were seen entering and exiting clouds, moving slowly eastward. The witness took 36 photos, with 14 showing a white dot. Other witnesses contacted local newspapers. The second case involved a teacher photographing a cigar-shaped, yellow-orange light on February 26, 1977, visible for 2 minutes.

The CISU and the Autopsy Film

This section addresses the controversy surrounding the alleged alien autopsy film promoted by Ray SANTILLI. CISU initially took a reserved stance, awaiting developments. However, upon discovering attempts to exploit the film for promotional purposes, particularly a press conference by Maurizio BAIATA and Roberto PINOTTI for CUN, CISU felt compelled to act. They refuted false news, such as Steven SPIELBERG's alleged involvement, and issued a press release on June 23, 1995, coinciding with the anniversary of the first flying saucer sighting. CISU held a press conference on June 24, 1995, to clarify the Roswell case, the autopsy film, and Spielberg's purported role. They distributed a four-page statement titled "Extraterrestrial or Hoax? The True Story of the Alien Autopsy Film," which summarized facts, debunked falsehoods, and commented on the instrumental use of true and false information for commercial gain. CISU stated they could not definitively determine the film's authenticity but felt obligated to correct incomplete or false information disseminated by the media, criticizing the prioritization of commercial interests over the search for truth.

Activities

Who Does What

CISU continues to highlight the activities of its members to foster data exchange and public recognition.

• Regional Catalogues Project: Updated catalogues for Novara (Gian Pietro DONATI) and Parma (Giorgio PATTERA), and a regional catalogue for Puglia (Arcangelo CASSANO) have been received.
• Thematic Catalogues: Marco ORLANDI (BO) has updated catalogues on sightings by Italian pilots (AIRCAT ITALIA) and foreign pilots (AIRCAT ESTERO), as well as UFO observations in space.

Operation Origins

Giuseppe STILO (FI) is cataloging old newspaper articles related to the "Operation Origins" project, focusing on the 1950s. Marcello PUPILLI (AN) has collected articles from the weekly "Oggi" from 1954.

Giuseppe VERDI (RG) is updating computerized lists of UFO news from newspapers, covering the years 1946-1954 for "Operation Origins" and from 1981 onwards for the "Notiziario archivio stampa" (PRESSCAT).

Edoardo RUSSO (TO) is managing the computerized index of clippings from "Eco della stampa."

Project Gutenberg

Launched by Edoardo RUSSO (TO) in February, this project aims to transcribe articles from Italian UFO magazines onto personal computers for magnetic archiving, automatic searching, and electronic circulation. It is inspired by the global Project Gutenberg initiative.

UFO Crashes and Submersibles: Two New Catalogues

Giuseppe STILO (FI) has initiated "CRASHCAT," a catalogue of Italian cases involving objects found on the ground or seen crashing. A preliminary version covering 63 episodes has been compiled.

Marco BIANCHINI (SI) is creating "USOCAT," a thematic catalogue of submerged or underwater objects (USO) observed within Italian territorial waters.

The Hessdalen Project

CISU is collaborating with Italian researchers and the Italian National Research Council (CNR) on the Hessdalen Project, which investigates recurring luminous phenomena in a Norwegian valley. Activities include participation in seminars and promoting articles about the project.

UFOTEL

UFOTEL, a weekly, free telephone news service on UFO topics, launched on November 28, 1994, by Edoardo RUSSO (TO) for CISU. It provides timely information to CISU members and has gained significant media attention.

Local Dissemination

CISU representatives have been active in local dissemination efforts:

• April 5: GRP television in Turin aired a segment on CISU featuring Antonio LO CAMPO, Matteo LEONE, and Edoardo RUSSO.
• April 7: Paolo TOSELLI (AL) participated in a round table discussion on extraterrestrial life at the University of Pavia.
• Ongoing: Simone GRANDICELLI (MC) continues a sensitization campaign in Marche region newspapers.
• April 27: Matteo LEONE (TO) gave a conference in Cuneo.
• April 30: Angelo FERLICCA (VT) presented at the EmpireCon science fiction event in Perugia.
• May 6: Enrico BERNIERI and Renato FEDELE (CE) held a conference on UFOs in Caserta.
• May 12: The Siena edition of "La Nazione" newspaper dedicated its front page to UFOs, featuring articles by Marco BIANCHINI (SI).
• May 10: The weekly "Cronaca vera" reprinted and summarized an article by Paolo FIORINO and Matteo LEONE (TO) on a close encounter in Zimella (VR).
• May 20: "Il giornale" published a summarized editorial by Joel Mësnard on skepticism.

CISU and UFOTEL were mentioned in "I misteri di maggio" magazine, and "Neural" republished content.

Telematics in Ufology

CISU has been actively present on Italian and international telematics networks since late 1994.

• National Networks: CISU utilizes Italian amateur databases (BBS), with FidoNet being the largest. Areas like "MISTERI.ITA" are active for UFO discussions. Contributors like Edoardo RUSSO and Arcangelo CASSANO are active on these networks. CISU also participates in EuroNet, Arcadia/MultiNet, P-Net, and EsoNet. AGORÀ, a BBS of the Radical Party, now features a UFO conference area.
• UfoNet: This telematics network dedicated to ufology, promoted by CISU, connects about twenty BBSs across Italy. It offers discussion areas on sightings, research methods, socio-psychological aspects, and technology, as well as file archives including CISU publications, international UFO documents, photos, and images.
• Internet: CISU is leveraging the Internet for email communication with international organizations, efficient document exchange, and accessing vast amounts of UFO information through newsgroups (alt.alien.visitors, alt.paranet.ufo) and FTP archives. The World Wide Web is also seen as a powerful tool for accessing UFO-related content.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue strongly emphasizes CISU's commitment to rigorous research, accurate information dissemination, and combating commercial exploitation and disinformation within ufology. There's a clear stance against sensationalism and a dedication to the ideal of pursuing truth. The magazine actively promotes the use of modern telecommunication technologies for research and communication, highlighting the growing importance of the internet and BBS networks in the field of ufology. The editorial stance is one of academic seriousness and a desire to maintain the integrity of ufological study, differentiating it from commercial ventures.