1991 08 00 OMNI - 900 number

Magazine Overview

This issue of OMNI magazine, dated August 1991, features a prominent cover with the headline "THE SEARCH FOR GOD" and the magazine title "OMNI." The cover art depicts a cosmic scene with a clock face and a Vitruvian Man diagram. Other cover stories include "THE GREAT WALL OF THE COSMOS," "REINVENTING RELIGION," "MANIPULATING REALITY," and "DAN QUAYLE'S POWER OVER SCIENCE." The price is listed as $3.50.

Antimatter: UFO Update

The "Antimatter" section presents a "UFO Update" focusing on a new 900 number service called UFOLine. This service, founded by popular lecturer and UFO researcher Stanton Friedman with backing from businessman Ryan Wood, offers callers a 24-hour hotline with information on UFO sightings, alien abductions, and what Friedman calls "proof of a cosmic Watergate" – an alleged high-level government cover-up of crashed saucers and the origins of UFOs.

UFOLine also allows callers to report alleged UFO sightings, providing their contact information for potential follow-up by investigators. Friedman asserts that "the evidence is overwhelming that planet Earth is being visited by intelligently controlled extraterrestrial spacecraft." He believes the government is concealing significant information, citing the recovery of a crashed saucer in New Mexico in 1947 and technological advancements derived from such events, as well as knowledge of alien anatomy.

Regarding the origin of UFOs, Friedman speculates that some may come from planets around "Zeta 1 or Zeta 2 Reticuli," stars located about thirty-two light-years away. He suggests that aliens might be observing Earth due to humanity's potential "destructive hostility" posing a threat to them, and that they might be concerned about our species' readiness to leave Earth without qualifying for galactic "federation" membership.

Friedman intends to use UFOLine to disseminate his views on UFOs and gather new data. He openly admits a financial motivation, stating, "I hope to make a little money." The service costs $2 for the first minute and $0.49 for each subsequent minute.

However, the article also includes critical perspectives from prominent figures in the UFO research field. Jacques Vallee, author of "Confrontations," is skeptical, noting that "previous experience" has shown that credible UFO sightings are typically reported in person to trusted individuals, not via telephone services that often get swamped with "the lowest quality and least reliable information."

Robert Sheaffer, associated with the UFO subcommittee of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, also expresses strong doubts. He calls UFOLine a business venture for Friedman, designed to maximize call duration and revenue. Sheaffer criticizes the information offered as "at best dubious and at worst downright misleading," suggesting that much of it has been "seriously challenged, if not totally refuted." He recommends seeking information from responsible science publications instead.

Callers can reach UFOLine at 1-900-446-8367. The article is attributed to Keith Harary.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of OMNI appears to delve into profound and speculative topics, ranging from the nature of divinity and the cosmos to the manipulation of reality and the intersection of science and politics. The "UFO Update" highlights a growing public interest in extraterrestrial phenomena and the emergence of services catering to this interest, while also presenting a critical counterpoint from established researchers, suggesting a balanced, albeit sometimes skeptical, editorial approach to fringe topics. The inclusion of "Dan Quayle's Power Over Science" indicates a willingness to engage with contemporary political issues and their impact on scientific discourse.