OMNI

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: March 1994
Volume: 20
Price: $3.50

This issue of OMNI magazine, dated March 1994, features a dynamic cover with the headline "HARNESS THE WIND: KITE POWER!" and the prominent OMNI logo. The cover also teases several feature articles, including "SPECIAL! BIG BANG EXPLAINED," "WEIRD WEATHER! LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HURRICANE PATROLS," "BILLY IDOL GOES INTERACTIVE," and "STARTLING SCIENCE FICTION BY JONATHAN CARROLL."

Electronic Universe: The Final Frontier

This section, written by Gregg Keizer, explores new multimedia packages that put the space experience into cyberspace, primarily focusing on CD-ROM titles for PCs and Macintoshes. The article reviews several titles:

Space Shuttle (The Software Toolworks)

This CD-ROM is described as an excursion for space fans, offering guided tours rather than a full simulator. It walks users through training, presents 53 different missions, and demonstrates how the crew lives and works. The disc is heavily narrated, includes minimovies of launches and landings, and details aspects of space life, such as crew meals. It allows users to fly over 50 STS missions, including the Intelsat satellite retrieval mission (STS-49) and the January 1992 launch of Endeavor. It also covers missions dedicated to the Department of Defense and includes the disastrous Challenger mission.

UFO: The Planet's Most Complete Guide to Close Encounters (Software Marketing)

This title offers a different perspective on space, functioning as a database of more than 1,200 encounter incidents. Users can search by criteria such as cattle mutilations, abductions, and psychic phenomena. The CD-ROM displays sightings on a world map, shows photographs, and includes short video clips of alleged unidentified flying objects. The article notes that while it may strengthen the faith of believers, it is unlikely to convert skeptics. It also mentions the inclusion of debunked crop circles and cattle mutilations, placing the disc on the "fringe."

Murmurs of Earth (Time Warner Interactive Group)

This eclectic two-disc collection for Macintosh or PC CD-ROM drives contains images, greetings, diagrams, and songs that were originally packed onto gold-plated phonographs sent aboard the Voyager spacecraft. Users can listen to greetings and music, including Louis Armstrong's "Melancholy Blues" and a Navajo chant, on a standard audio CD player. The 116 images selected by Carl Sagan and others require a computer to view.

The View from Earth (Time Warner)

This talking Time-Life book, compatible with multimedia-ready PCs or Macintoshes, combines over 600 photographs and color illustrations with narration and music. It offers tours through sections on the sun, moon, Earth, and other planets. The article suggests it is suitable for families interested in science due to its accessible content.

The section concludes by emphasizing the joy of exploring these virtual environments and the experience of traveling to places one might never reach in reality.

Antimatter: The Spirit of Barbie

This article introduces Barbara Bell, the managing editor of the New Age journal Common Ground, who claims to channel the voice of Barbie. Bell began this practice two years prior, inspired by her daughters' Barbie dolls. She started the "Barbie Channeling Newsletter," which for $3, provides readers with Barbie's answers to personal queries. Bell describes entering a light trance to receive these messages. Mattel, represented by Lisa McKendall, has expressed concern that this use of the Barbie trademark adversely affects the family image. Bell, however, defends her actions, stating she is not selling to children but addressing adult concerns and giving Barbie a broader market.

Antimatter: End of an Era?

This piece, written by Anita Baskin, questions whether the focus on UFO sightings is becoming outdated. Investigator David Jacobs suggests the future of UFO research lies in the systematic study of abductees, as opposed to traditional sightings. Jacobs, who teaches history at Temple University, notes that UFO researchers have already classified thousands of cases by movement, color, sound, shape, and environmental impact. However, he questions the level of verification needed and whether sighting data answers the "why" questions. Jerome Clark, vice president of the Center of UFO Studies, argues that neglecting sightings means overlooking a valuable source of information and that focusing solely on abductions might lead to speculation. Clark's recent examination of UFO sightings where crafts came within 500 feet of witnesses revealed no "little gray men," raising questions about why abductees perceive them.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of OMNI magazine reflects a strong interest in the intersection of technology, science, and the unexplained. The "Electronic Universe" section highlights the growing role of multimedia and CD-ROM technology in disseminating information about space exploration and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The "Antimatter" section delves into unconventional topics, from channeling Barbie to the evolving methodologies in UFO research, suggesting a willingness to explore fringe ideas and challenge established paradigms. The magazine appears to cater to a readership interested in cutting-edge science, speculative fiction, and phenomena that push the boundaries of conventional understanding, while also engaging with popular culture figures like Billy Idol and exploring scientific concepts like the Big Bang.