Pulsar - 1978 No 4

Magazine Overview

PULSAR Vol 1, No 4, January 1978, is a magazine published by PULSE PUBLICATIONS, priced at 30p. The cover features diagrams of two mazes, one square and one circular, located at S. Catherine's Hill, Winchester, and Breamore Down respectively. The main cover headlines highlight articles such as 'The UFO that wasn't', 'Hebden Bridge Zodiac', 'Bend Me a Maze', and '1977 in Retro-spect'. The magazine is edited by Kathryn J Freston, with Jenny Randles as Promotions Manager and Rosemary Forrest as Treasurer.

Editorial

The editorial states that this is the first issue where the editor has not written an article, a trend the editor hopes will continue. The magazine's core idea is for readers to contribute articles to share their views and research. The editor expresses a desire to increase circulation through word-of-mouth and encourages regular subscribers to spread the word. Those receiving Pulsar on an exchange basis are asked to offer advertising space in return. To break even, Pulsar needs to sell at least 1000 copies per issue, and readers are urged to ask local shops to stock it. The editorial also calls for articles on any unusual or paranormal subject, whether light-hearted or serious, for future issues.

The editorial also details revised advertising rates: Full Page - £15.00, Half Page - £7.00, Quarter Page - £4.00, and other adverts at 25p/sq.in.

Beasts of the Field - The Hebden Bridge Zodiac

This article, by John Billingsley, presents preliminary notes and observations on the Hebden Bridge Zodiac. It quotes P.G. Hamerton from 1856 describing the hills. The author explains that 14 figures are outlined in the landscape around Hebden Bridge, formed by old tracks, paths, streams, and field boundaries. These figures are described as clear on the map and when viewed from the surrounding hills. The article suggests these zodiacs might be man-made or shaped by a cosmic agency, but the author believes they arise from man working in harmony with the landscape. Historical habitation in the region dates back to Brigantian days, with mounds and earthen circles present, though these monuments don't seem directly related to the zodiac. The author posits that the Hebden Bridge Zodiac likely took shape in the early mediaeval period through the intermingling of Brigantian and Old English settlers. Unlike other discovered zodiacs like Pendle and Lamanche, the Hebden Bridge Zodiac is small, measuring approximately 5x2.5 miles in an oval formation. A unique feature is the reversed order of the signs, running clockwise from Aries to Pisces. The article then details each sign: Aries (a lamb), Taurus (a stamping bull), Gemini (a kneeling giant), Cancer (a boat), Leo (a cat superimposed on the town), Virgo (an old hag tending a cat), Libra (a hawk), Scorpio (a scorpion), Sagittarius (a mounted archer), Capricorn (a slender figure, possibly a unicorn), Aquarius (a bird), Pisces (two fishes), The Crow (its eye on Crow Hill), and The Cock (head of a cockerel on Cock Hill). The article concludes by stating these are initial points and research is ongoing, with future articles and a pamphlet planned. John Billingsly is listed as being from Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks.

The UFO that wasn't - A Light-hearted Look At UFO Reports

Written by Jenny Randles, this article humorously examines UFO phenomena and their often mundane explanations. The author recalls her first UFO sighting in Moss Side, Manchester, which turned out to be a burning ember from a chimney, a fact she shamefully never reported to Flying Saucer Review. She then recounts several other cases:

• Warminster Sightings: A group of skywatchers at Cradle Hill reported seeing 17 white lights, described as UFOs. The author suggests these were satellites, noting the witnesses' self-proclaimed expertise in electronics and ufology, with one having only clocked-up 300 sightings.
• Sussex Incident (1975): Near Clapham Woods, UFO investigators reportedly encountered strange beings and landed UFOs. However, the 'evidence' of footprints was later revealed to be caused by a farmer using a chicken foot on a pole to deter UFO spotters.
• Boy's Sighting: A young boy reported a brilliant UFO landing, a 'death ray', and a deposit of radioactive green powder. This was explained as a 'landing' star and harmless fertilizer from a farm.
• Fluffy White Shape: A witness described a fluffy white shape floating slowly in the sky, which they believed was a UFO disguised as a cloud.
• 'Fido from Mars': A visitor described as 'little, not green, but black and shaggy' was identified as 'Fido from Mars', a 'shaggy dog story' that witnesses believed to be a UFO entity.

The author concludes that the moral of the story is to treat every UFO report with caution, as even wild stories can have simple, natural explanations. She also raises the question of why people concoct such stories, which will be explored further in the upcoming book "UFOs: A British Viewpoint" by Peter Warrington and herself, due in 1978.

The article ends with anticipation for the 'Flying Prune' sighting, a successor to the 'Flying Grapefruit', and a humorous speculation about 'Prunemen from Pluto'.

Other Content

• Next Issue: Mentioned on page 17.
• 1977 In Retrospect: A review of the year, also on page 17.
• Background Research In Ufology - Suggested Books: A list of suggested books, on page 19.
• Astro Notes: A section on astronomical notes, on page 19.
• Last Words: A concluding section, on page 20.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Pulsar are ufology, unexplained phenomena, and the interpretation of evidence. The editorial stance is one of encouraging reader contributions and open discussion on paranormal subjects, while also emphasizing critical thinking and the need for caution when evaluating UFO reports, as highlighted by Jenny Randles' article. The magazine appears to be a platform for amateur researchers and enthusiasts to share their findings and perspectives on the unusual.

PULSAR, Issue No. 5, dated March 1978, features a prominent article titled "BEND ME A MAZE (Here is the Key)" by Patricia Villiers-Stuart, alongside a "U.F.O. Round-up" by Jenny Randles. The issue also includes a review of 1977 predictions and looks forward to 1978.

Bend Me a Maze (Here is the Key) by Patricia Villiers-Stuart

Patricia Villiers-Stuart, an artist since the 1930s, has been fascinated by the possibility of a unified system underlying life's complexities. Her research, initially drawn to William Blake and later encompassing mystical and scientific writers, led her to study the labyrinth or maze. Inspired by Keith Albarn's "The Language of Pattern," she applied geometrical and numerical patterns to maze formations, developing her ideas gradually. Villiers-Stuart is a member of the I.G.R. and contributes to the work of R.I.L.K.O.; her husband is the sculptor Oscar Nemon.

The article highlights the recently discovered maze on Glastonbury Tor, which Mr. Geoffrey Russell identifies as labyrinthine curves, suggesting that ancient mazes served a similar purpose to modern atomic stations as power centres.

Villiers-Stuart expresses concern about modern power capacity and the potential for self-destruction through scientific advancement, contrasting this with the concept of a Golden Age. She posits that past civilizations left clues to a unified, harmonious system, drawing power from their environment through various forms like temples, pyramids, zodiacs, mazes, and philosophical propositions.

Her personal research began with the squared form of Cretan coins, finding that a 1x7 rectangle and its diagonal were significant to the Ancient Egyptians, as noted by Schwaller de Lubicz in "Le Temple de l'Homme." She also points to Stonehenge, where a line from the centre to the Heel or Holy Stone forms the diagonal of a 1x7 rectangle, supporting John Ivimy's theory of Egyptian influence in its construction.

Further investigation into plotting maze forms onto squares, divisions of a circle (1/5, 1/6, 1/7), and numerical relationships proved challenging. Villiers-Stuart emphasizes the importance of avoiding decimals and using numbers like 5040 (Plato's favourite) and 7, noting that 7 and its multiples were significant, as seen in the 56 Aubrey Holes at Stonehenge, other stone circles, and the Medicine Wheel of Wyoming with its 28 spokes.

She discusses a stela from Amarna, Akhenaton's City of the Horizon, where rays from the sun are angled towards Akhenaton in a 1/6th division of a circle and towards Nefertiti in a 1/7th division. The angle between them is 5/504, and the overall angle is 23/72 or 115/360. She notes that the angle marked with an ankh and Royal Cobra on the stela is 50/5040, reinforcing 5040 as a number of perfection. This same angle, she claims, defines the entrance path width in the maze of Chartres Cathedral.

The cathedral maze makers, she suggests, understood the rhythm of number and space, a knowledge now lost. The Chartres maze circle is divided into 114 intervals, accommodating the geometry of 13 and 26, with complex divisibility by numbers up to 13 and 26.

Villiers-Stuart also references Dr. Aubrey Westlake's book "The Pattern of Health," which explores healing through radiesthesia and geometrical patterns like the Diamond, Celtic Cross, and Star of Bethlehem, used in combination with plants, minerals, and elements. She quotes L. L. Whyte's "Accent on Form" on understanding the ultimate form through a new scientific doctrine of structure and form.

For Mexican Indians, mazes are a form of ultimate creative form. Frank Waters, in "The Hopi Indians" and "Mexico Mystique," describes Hopi and Casa Grande mazes. The square type, T'apu'ut (Mother and Child), symbolizes birth and spiritual rebirth, while the circular form symbolizes the universal plan of Creation.

Villiers-Stuart finds the designation of square mazes as female and round mazes as male significant. She suggests the square maze produces angles of space, while the round maze suits the speed of time. Their union could be responsible for flight, levitation, or alternate coiling, essential for electricity production. She likens migrating birds' maze-like movements to orienting themselves to universal power currents.

An editor's footnote discusses D'arcy Thompson's "On Growth and Form," which analyzed biological processes and their interconnection, linking them to ancient wisdom and challenging Darwinian linear evolution with a concept of cyclic, self-regenerating ontology.

Jenny Randles' U.F.O. Round-up

Jenny Randles introduces her regular column, "U.F.O. Round-up," inviting reader suggestions. She begins by addressing the topic of UFO photographs, warning readers "DON'T BE FOOLED!"

Randles critically examines early UFO photographs, particularly those by George Adamski, which she considers the "best fakes on record" due to their resemblance to everyday objects. She notes that despite their questionable authenticity, they continue to appear in books and magazines.

She expresses amazement at the number of "classic" UFO photo cases that have crumbled over time, questioning the basis for accepting any photograph as genuine without positive evidence. Randles has encountered about two dozen photo cases in her ufology involvement, finding only two or three of potential interest, and none she can fully vouch for. Many were of poor quality.

She recounts cases like one investigated by UFOIN involving two fuzzy discs, similar to those taken by Stephen Pratt and Alex Birch in the 1960s. Birch later admitted to hoaxing his photos after ten years. Kodak experts also found cause to disregard Stephen Pratt's photos. A 1977 case involving two boys in Wrexham, Clwyd, was also found to be a fabricated story.

Randles emphasizes that many plausible photographs still have inconsistencies when examined closely, especially regarding lighting and depth of focus. She states that without the negative, photos are useless, and even then, they often prove to be faked.

She discusses sophisticated techniques like computer manipulation but notes that simple methods, such as painting a picture on glass and holding it in front of a camera, can still fool experts. However, such results are usually too poor to warrant consideration.

Randles argues that modern thinking gives too much credence to photographic cases, automatically assigning them importance due to the image. She believes that a case should stand on its own feet, providing probative evidence without a photograph, and that multiple independent witnesses are essential, with the photograph serving only as backup.

She questions whether any cases truly stand up to this scrutiny, mentioning the McMinnville, Oregon, photos which passed the Condon Analysis but did not fit her criteria. The famous photos from a survey ship during the International Geophysical Survey are considered by some to be the best on record, but they may depict natural phenomena. More recently, it has been learned that some of the most famous photos, taken in Madrid in 1967 with a strange marking, were faked, despite independent witnesses and photographers.

Randles concludes that photographic cases must be treated with grave suspicion, estimating that at least 90% are not genuine, and possibly closer to 100%.

She provides her address for correspondence: 23 Sunningdale Drive, Irlam, Salford, M30 6NJ.

Next Issue

The "Next Issue" preview includes articles on "The UFO - Ley Connection," exploring the link between Ley-lines and UFO phenomena; "The JENNY RANDLES UFO Round-Up" with a glossary of UFO terminology; details of an interrupted Southern ITV broadcast; and an old script from Old St. Pauls Church dated 1692. A "PULSAR EXCLUSIVE" is promised, possibly "ONE OF THE GREATEST SCOOPS OF ALL TIME." Readers are invited to order PULSAR No. 5 now for March '78 and are asked to submit articles for future issues, ranging from UFOs to Ghosts, Leys to Magic, and Witchcraft.

1977 In Retrospect

PULSE received a letter in January 1977 from Gary Lanham, a ufologist who emigrated to Canada in 1976. The letter contained about 7 predictions made for 1977 by several top clairvoyants regarding UFOs and allied subjects. The issue reviews whether these predictions came true:

1. In late 1976, a famous psychic spoke of possible UFO landings in the USA and England during 1977.
2. In the fall of 1976, Jean Dixon predicted a UFO would make an 'open' landing in August 1977.
3. Micky Dahne predicted that archaeologists in Egypt would discover a spaceship from ancient times.
4. A prediction was made that scientists would discover a herb in the Arizona Desert to cure multiple sclerosis and diabetes, linked to UFOs reportedly landing there.
5. Shawn Roberts forecast an unmanned spacecraft crash in Arizona in 1977, leading to new knowledge about space travel.
6. Hollywood psychic Kebrina Kirkdale predicted the US Air Force would reveal in 1977 that it had captured an alien spacecraft and its occupants, who would communicate telepathically.
7. Page Bryant said that 1977 would see Lee Majors star in a series about a space colony on an alien planet.

The Editors Note states that, to their knowledge, none of these predictions came true. Readers are invited to share comments.

Predictions for 1978

The issue asks for predictions for 1978. The editor makes a prediction that one of Britain's top ufologists will marry in 1978. They also forecast that a book titled "UFOs - a British Viewpoint" by NUFON and a regular writer for PULSAR, to be published in 1978, will be widely accepted.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the intersection of the unexplained, ancient mysteries, and scientific inquiry. There's a strong emphasis on critical analysis, particularly regarding UFO evidence, as exemplified by Jenny Randles' skeptical approach to photography. The editorial stance appears open to exploring fringe topics but maintains a cautious and evidence-based perspective, encouraging reader participation and discussion. The recurring theme of patterns, whether in mazes, ancient geometry, or biological forms, suggests a belief in underlying universal structures.

This document is a scanned issue of a publication focused on ufology, likely a magazine or newsletter, with the primary theme of 'Background Research in Ufology'. The issue date is indicated as November 1977, with page numbering suggesting it is part of a larger publication (page 19, 20, 21). The content includes recommendations for books on ufology, astronomical notes, and news items related to UFO investigations and sightings.

Recommended Books

The issue begins by recommending several books for those wishing to pursue ufology in greater depth, labeling them as 'BEST BUYS' from a top British ufologist. These include:

• THE UFO EXPERIENCE: by J.A. Hynek. Available in paperback, it's described as a sound introduction to scientific ufology, with Hynek noted as a respected ufologist and U.S. astrophysicist.
• UFOS OVER BRITAIN: by R. Chapman. Also in paperback, this book offers narrative accounts of older British cases, written by the science editor of the Sunday Express, and is said to cover most 'classic U.K. cases'.
• UFOS, OPERATION TROJAN HORSE: by J. Keel. This large paperback recounts 'wierder aspects of ufology' and presents Keel's ideas of a 'cosmic fraternity of ultra-terrestrials' or a 'hidden' Earth race, with his speculations noted as provoking.
• UFOS: THE PSYCHIC SOLUTION: by J. Vallee. A new (1975) paperback, it is recommended for going further than other works and extolling the link between UFOs, psychic phenomena, and ancient fairy mythology, representing a new trend in ufology.

Subscriptions

Readers interested in staying updated are encouraged to subscribe to:

• "Flying Saucer Review": Available at £4.20 per annum for 6 glossy issues, providing up-to-date articles on important world cases. The address given is West Malling, Maidstone, Kent.
• Metempirical UFO Bulletin (MUFOB): Recommended for those interested in the 'new' ufology, available at £1.20 per annum for 4 litho issues, with a format similar to 'The Ley Hunter'. It can be obtained from 11 Beverly Road, New Malden, Surrey.

Astro-Notes

The 'Astro-Notes' section provides brief astronomical information:

• Planets:
• Mercury: Visible as an Evening Star but too close to the Sun to be seen with the naked eye.
• Venus: Poorly placed, unlikely to be mistaken for a UFO.
• Mars: Fairly bright in Cancer, moving into Gemini in early February, with a distinctive RED colour.
• Jupiter: Very bright in Taurus.
• Saturn: In Leo throughout January & February, close to Regulus.
• Lunar Phases: A list of lunar phases (Last quarter, New Moon, First quarter, Full Moon) for January and February is provided with specific dates and times (GMT).
• Misc.:
• Sirius: Described as the brightest star in the night sky, though not as bright as Jupiter, located on a line from Orion's belt.
• Quadrantids Meteor Shower: Occurring from January 1-6, noted as 'Not spectacular'.

Last Words

This section reflects on events in November 1977, particularly in the ufological field.

• Dennis Wheatley's Death: The passing of writer Dennis Wheatley on November 11, 1977, is noted as a sad loss.
• Erich Von Daniken Theories: The demolition of Erich Von Daniken's theories on Horizon, BBC2, on November 19th is mentioned.
• White House UFO Investigation: It was announced on November 26th that the White House had ordered MAGA to reopen investigations into the '150 mystery'. This followed an announcement by the Prime Minister of Grenada about an international conference on UFOs and was seen as partly fulfilling President Carter's pledge to release official UFO information.
• Southern England Sighting/Incident: Also on November 26th, a Southern ITV news bulletin was interrupted by a man named Gillon, who claimed to represent the 'Ashdown Galactic Command'. He warned of an invasion if the Human Race did not cease hostile activities. The IBA and GPO considered it a hoax, but the Royal Observatory did not rule out an extraterrestrial origin. The culprit would face a £200 fine if caught.
• Music Releases: Following the song 'Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft' by The Carpenters, new releases mentioned are 'Ain't No UFO Gonna Catch My Diesel' by Danny Roberts and a re-release of 'A Spaceman Came Travelling' by Chris DeBurg.

The section concludes with a welcome to 1978, posing the question 'WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR? WAIT AND SEE.'

New Year Greeting

The issue includes a prominent New Year greeting: 'A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS good luck for 1978'.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ufology, book reviews related to the subject, astronomical observations, and news concerning official UFO investigations and alleged encounters. The editorial stance appears to be one of encouraging serious research into ufology through recommended literature and publications, while also reporting on contemporary events and developments in the field, including both official government actions and public claims of extraterrestrial contact. There is a clear interest in the 'new' ufology, which links UFOs with psychic phenomena and mythology, as highlighted by the recommendation of J. Vallee's book. The publication also seems to have a connection to astronomy, as evidenced by the 'Astro-Notes' section.