<OVNI>

Magazine Overview

This issue of the newsletter "<OVNI>" from February 1992, published by the Phenomenon Research Association (PRA), focuses on crop circle developments and UFO sightings. The PRA is based at 12 Tilton Grove, Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, with Omar Fowler as the Group Leader.

Crop Circle Conflicts?

The newsletter reports on changes within the Centre For Crop Circle Studies (CCCS), citing work pressure as a cause. Bob Kingsley, editor of the CCCS quarterly magazine "The Circular", announced in January 1992 that he no longer has sufficient time for the publication. The CCCS organization, with over 1,000 members, is finding administrative requirements increasingly difficult to manage.

Furthermore, Colin Andrews has reportedly left his partnership with Pat Delgado (co-author of "Circular Evidence") to pursue crop circle phenomena as a solo investigator. Andrews is currently in the USA promoting his latest video.

Pat Delgado's latest book, soon to be published, has been retitled "Crop Circles Conclusive Evidence". Delgado faced adverse publicity the previous year due to the "Doug and Dave" hoaxes, which were featured in the "Today" newspaper. A letter of complaint has been sent to the Press Council concerning the "Doug and Dave" episode, raising serious questions about the organization behind them, including who arranged their immediate continental and subsequent US lecture tours, suggesting a possible "dis-information" exercise.

Delgado commented on the recognition of the 55cm bent stem phenomenon, stating, "I should imagine that there is a lot of work to be carried out yet with this particular branch of research and it is important, because we have no guide lines on which way to go." The newsletter anticipates more examples of this phenomenon in the coming season.

More UFO's

PRA member Neil Smith shared details of an encounter from October 14th, 1988, at 0100 hours, while on security duty at Nestle Co. Ltd. in Burton-on-Trent. He observed a large, luminous, "rugby ball" shaped light stationary above houses. After approximately one minute, the object suddenly shot off at fantastic speed in a Northeast direction. This sighting was recorded in the factory log book and a sketch is provided on page 3.

The sketch on page 3 illustrates the layout of the area, showing private houses, a staff shop, factory buildings, and sports fields. Neil Smith's position is marked as 'A*', and the object's position as 'B*'. The object is described as "RUGBY BALL SHAPED OBJECT SIZE OF TWO HOUSES AT DISTANCE OF 250 YARDS."

A Schoolboy's Sighting 1982

On page 4, a sighting from the Sinfin area of Derby in 1982 is described. The witness, who was about ten years old at the time and is now studying at London University, drew a sketch of the scene. He was not alone; several other people were present. His description is noted as typical of many worldwide sightings.

Page 5 provides a more detailed account. The witness, along with his brother and 20-30 other people, saw a dark discus-shaped object hovering silently near a pylon in a field. The object appeared to "wobble" after about a minute and then moved off across the field at a steady pace of about 10mph, maintaining a constant height, heading towards the Rolls Royce plant. The UFO was estimated to be about one meter in width and had no visible markings. The witness questions if there is a logical explanation or if similar sightings have occurred.

The report also references a sighting by Mrs Brandon in November 1984 on Red Road, Bagshot Heath, Surrey. She observed a very bright yellowish light, seemingly attached to a "saucer" shaped object hovering near a power line. The light had a steady glow, and she heard an accompanying "electrical" noise. She was scared and locked herself in her car.

Additionally, the incident involving Dave Mc Murray on Red Road on September 15th, 1985, is mentioned. This event resulted in Mc Murray suffering extensive physiological effects, including severe headaches, body marks, sleep loss, 'out of the body' experiences, and electrical phenomena. His wife, who also witnessed the event, experienced no serious after-effects, possibly due to being inside a car, which could have provided protection from electrical radiation (Faraday's cage principle).

The Instantaneous Human Combustion Phenomenon

Jeff Whitear presents a theory linking microwave energy to both crop circles and instantaneous human combustion. He posits that microwave energy, a natural phenomenon, could be involved in crop circle creation. Considering the human body's composition of water and its electrical nervous system, he suggests that a "hot spot" of microwave energy within a building could cause rapid heating of body water, leading to combustion. He also raises the question of whether ultra-sound waves could play a role in crop circles.

Local Group Activities

Mansfield UFO Group: Tony James of the East Midlands Group is scheduled to give a talk on UFO phenomena reported around Nottingham in May 1991. Meetings are held at Mansfield Public Library, starting at 7:30 pm on March 2nd, 1992.

Seen Recently: On Tuesday, February 18th, 1992, around 7:30 pm, a vivid green light was observed below cloud to the north of Derby for three minutes.

Recent Talks: Omar Fowler gave a talk on UFOs to the Ilkeston & District Winemakers Circle on February 4th. During discussions, a former RAF Radar Operator revealed plotting five UFOs near an RAF base, which quickly disappeared after fighters were scrambled. A talk was also given to the International Friendship League of Derby on February 10th.

Next Meeting: The PRA's next meeting will be at the Stanley Club, Stanley Common, on Wednesday, February 26th, at 8 pm. A video of an American "abduction" case by Bill Herrmann will be shown. Old UFO magazines will be distributed, and Derek Hodgson has donated UFO paperbacks to the group library.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the ongoing mysteries and conflicts surrounding crop circles, various UFO sightings reported in the UK, and speculative scientific theories connecting electromagnetic phenomena (microwaves, ultrasound) to both UAPs and unexplained human events like instantaneous combustion. The PRA appears to maintain an open-minded but investigative stance, documenting sightings, reporting on research group activities, and exploring potential explanations for anomalous phenomena.