1985 09 00 OMNI - Owen Davies

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: September 1985
Price: $2.50
Cover Headline: CHINA FUTURE SHOCK

This issue of OMNI magazine, dated September 1985, presents a striking cover featuring surrealistic artwork with the prominent headline "CHINA FUTURE SHOCK." The magazine delves into various topics, with a significant portion dedicated to a UFO sighting and the interpretation of alleged alien communication.

UFO Update: 'Sharon's UFO Code'

The central article in this section, titled 'UFO UPDATE,' details an extraordinary account by I. W. Whiteside, an eighty-three-year-old former Bell Labs communications engineer from Glenview, Illinois. Whiteside claims that on the night of May 2, 1981, his nine-year-old granddaughter, Sharon, witnessed peculiar patterns of lights on her bedroom wall while visiting him. Initially dismissing it, Whiteside eventually looked and observed a white, perfectly formed trapezoid that flashed and rotated. Subsequently, lights on a nearby bookcase formed discs, approximately two inches across, which displayed five distinct patterns, described as beautifully colored like jewelry. Whiteside asserts that each pattern was repeated four times.

Whiteside, with his engineering background, concluded that these patterns represented a message or a code. Thanks to Sharon's "photographic memory," he was able to record dozens of patterns, including trapezoids, discs, triangles, rectangles, and squares. After weeks of interpretation, Whiteside proposed that the patterns formed a simple number system. He identified an orange disc with a white triangle in the center as zero, white figures as one, and blue or red rectangles as two. He believed this was the most logical starting point for deciphering a potential alien code.

Scientific and Skeptical Reactions

Whiteside's account has garnered attention from notable figures in the ufology community. J. Allen Hynek, a leading scientist in the field, residing in Scottsdale, Arizona, expressed a degree of confidence in Whiteside's report. Hynek described Whiteside as a "stable, intelligent man" with no doubt about his honesty, stating, "I am sure he is describing exactly what he saw." However, Hynek, who is an old friend of Whiteside's son-in-law, does not personally believe the incident was extraterrestrial in origin. Instead, he suggests it might be related to "psychic phenomena, poltergeists, and that sort of thing," classifying it as paranormal.

Other experts voiced greater skepticism. James E. Oberg, a space scientist known for debunking UFO claims, commented, "It isn't the explanation I doubt so much as the report." This suggests Oberg questions the veracity or completeness of Whiteside's description.

Whiteside's Proposal for Communication

Despite the skepticism, Whiteside remains convinced that the incident warrants action. He proposed the establishment of an organization with worldwide stations that could use light signals to communicate in this alleged alien code. He suggested NASA would be the ideal entity for such a program, hoping it might lead to attracting UFOs and initiating communication, potentially revealing wonders from extraterrestrial civilizations.

However, Whiteside's efforts to gain support have been unsuccessful. Despite receiving several letters from him and an inquiry from his local congressman, NASA has reportedly shown no interest in pursuing his proposal for an international UFO communication program.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of OMNI magazine appears to engage with themes of technological advancement, future shock (as indicated by the cover headline), and the persistent mystery of UFOs and potential extraterrestrial contact. The editorial stance, as evidenced by the inclusion of both Whiteside's extraordinary claims and the skeptical analyses from Hynek and Oberg, seems to be one of exploring intriguing phenomena while maintaining a critical and scientific perspective. The magazine provides a platform for unusual accounts and expert commentary, encouraging readers to consider various interpretations of unexplained events.