Rassegna Casistica - No 06 - 1989 12

Magazine Overview

Title: RASSEGNA CASISTICA
Issue: N. 6
Date: December 1989
Publisher: Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (CISU)
Country: Italy
Language: Italian

This issue of "Rassegna Casistica" features a mix of UFO sighting reports and an in-depth study on the cataloging of anomalous phenomena.

Editorial Introduction

The editorial highlights the unusual focus on "STUDI E ANALISI" with Umberto Cordier's "Catalogo Fortiano." It notes the extensive media coverage of UFO sightings in the Soviet Union during the preceding months, a phenomenon not seen on such a scale since 1978. The editorial also acknowledges the limited space available and promises more information in future publications, while inviting reader feedback and collaboration.

INDAGINI (Investigations)

This section details several UFO/UAP case investigations:

• 85CA01: Sinnai (CA), August 15, 1985, 3:30 AM Investigated by Antonio Cuccu. The witness, Giorgio P., and his wife Maria were in their new house under construction near Sinnai. Around 3:30 AM, Giorgio was woken by a dream of people asking for water. He then heard a loud noise. Upon opening his eyes, he saw their room illuminated by a powerful electric torch. He observed a luminous sphere in the starry sky performing impressive evolutions, including spiral gyrations and zig-zag movements. Initially thinking it was a signaling rocket, he then described it as a cigar or siluro-shaped object emitting a rainbow-like halo. It flew horizontally at low altitude, appearing to emerge from behind carrubo trees about 300 meters away. The witness attempted to photograph the object with a Pentax camera but struggled due to the darkness. He managed to take four photos before the phenomenon, which lasted about 40 minutes, vanished. The next morning, construction planks were found scattered, suggesting they had been hit by something.

• RESOCONTO SUGLI AVVENIMENTI DEL SETTEMBRE-OTTOBRE 1988 IN LOCALITA' "U-FOEGU", PRESSO TORRIGLIA (GE) Report by Roberto and Eny Balbi. This report covers alleged UFO sightings near Torriglia in September-October 1988. The investigators attempted to contact the primary witness, Flavio C., without success, but later spoke with his mother. On Saturday, September 24th, they visited the area known locally as "U-Foegu." On October 1st, they returned to the Monte Prela area, near Garaventa, a site of previous UFO activity. Around 11 PM, they observed a "red light" with intermittent, non-rhythmic flashing, stationary in the sky for about two minutes before disappearing. The sky was clear, with bright stars and Mars visible. The light appeared to be suspended and not attached to any fixed point. Later, on October 15th, near the "U-Foegu" location, they encountered a group of people who had also witnessed phenomena. Two individuals from this group, along with Flavio C., had seen an oval, green-blue luminous object, described as a "rugby ball," about 80 cm in size. Witnesses described it as having distinct outlines, like a partially fluorescent television screen, with a dark perimeter and a bright interior. Some described it as car-sized, others as 80 cm. The object gave the impression of being inside something. The witnesses reported seeing transformations of the object, from a "rugby ball" to a bright red "ember," and then to a green-blue "horseshoe" shape. The investigators were unable to follow up due to weather and other commitments.

• ROCCAGLORIOSA (SA): INCONTRO RAVVICINATO DEL SECONDO TIPO? (Second Kind Close Encounter?) Reported by Giorgio Fussolillo and Mimmo Ferrara. On October 21, 1988, at 11:00 PM, a seventy-year-old farmer near Roccagloriosa heard a strange buzzing sound. Dogs in the area became agitated. He saw a luminous mass moving slowly above the trees, displaying white light and smaller red and yellow lights. The mass caused sparks and burned some foliage. Fearing a falling aircraft, the witness fled. Investigators later found burn marks on leaves, branches, and tree trunks up to 150 cm high. Approximately 100 meters away, in the dry bed of the Mingardo river, a continuous indentation was found, forming a pentagonal shape with sides of about three meters. The indentation was three cm deep and two meters wide. Inside this trace, about fifty holes were found, each two cm deep and 1.5 cm wide.

• 88U002: PRADAMANO (UD), September 19, 1988, 4:00 AM Investigated by Dario Barbangelo and Giorgio Ippolito. Franco and Angela R. were awakened by their dogs barking. They went to investigate and heard an intermittent metallic sound, like a siren. Looking towards Pradamano, they saw a "luminous ball," larger than the full moon, rotating on itself in a partially cloudy sky. It moved back and forth before disappearing towards Pradamano. The object was described as yellow-orange in the center, with a light yellow border and a luminous halo. The observation lasted from 4:00 AM to 4:15 AM. Franco estimated the object's distance at about 1500 meters and its altitude at 500-600 meters. The metallic sound came from above.

• 77PR01: PARMA, May 1977, 10:00 AM Testimony of an unnamed witness. While shopping with his mother in Piazza della Ghiaia, the witness noticed a "reflected glare" similar to sunlight reflected off a mirror. He observed a large, light amaranto-colored sphere with round, porthole-like windows. The sphere moved diagonally across the sky, from Ponte Verdi towards Piazza Garibaldi, at a speed slightly faster than a touring airplane, at an estimated altitude of 600 meters. It rotated counter-clockwise, and the 'windows' that did not reflect sunlight appeared light blue. The witness believed it to be a "flying disc" but it disappeared behind buildings before he could point it out to his mother. He later recounted the event to his brother, who believed in UFOs but didn't know who to contact.

• 86PR01: SORAGNA, Castellina di (PR), 1986, Evening Testimony of Giorgio Pattera. The witness observed five globes of light, forming a cross, with a subtle red halo, stationary in the sky about 2000 meters away. He watched for five to ten minutes, initially thinking they might be helicopters due to faint noises, but their immobility suggested otherwise. He noted that he had never seen such a massive formation of objects in that area at night. The objects shone brightly and gradually vanished.

STUDI E ANALISI (Studies and Analysis)

• IL CATALOGO "FORTIANO" ED I SUOI SOTTOCATALOGHI ("PreUfo") by Umberto Cordier (June 1989) This extensive article delves into the concept of "Fortean" phenomena, defined as unusual, anomalous, or unexplained events that do not fit within current scientific models. The term originates from Charles Hoy Fort (1874-1932), an American researcher who meticulously collected and documented anomalous occurrences from scientific literature.

The article discusses Fort's four major works: "The Book of the Damned" (1919), "New Lands" (1923), "Lo!" (1923), and "Wild Talents" (1932). It highlights Fort's personal style, mixing case histories with philosophical reflections and wit. While "The Book of the Damned" was translated into Italian, the other volumes remain unpublished in Italy.

Following Fort's legacy, numerous study centers and journals have emerged. The article emphasizes the difficulty in classifying and cataloging "Fortean" facts due to their immense variety and inherent inconsistency. It mentions the work of William R. Corliss, whose "Sourcebook Project" (starting in 1974) systematically compiled original texts of Fortean interest from scientific journals and specialized books. Corliss's classification system uses a three-letter code (A: Astronomy, B: Biology, E: Earth Sciences, G: Geophysics, M: Ancient Man, P: Psychology) followed by three digits.

Another significant effort is the "Space-Time Transients and Unusual Events" project by Michael H. Fersinger and Gyslaine F. Lafrenière, which involved inputting over six thousand Fortean events into a computer. Each event was defined by date, time, location, category code, description, and source. They organized 6060 events hierarchically into categories such as "fall phenomena," "unusual electromagnetic appearance," "unexplained sonic phenomena," "UFLO: unidentified flying objects," "unusual astronomical events," "unusual meteorological events," "unusual geophysical events," "unusual forces," "unusual animal behavior," and "unusual archaeological finds."

The article also touches upon Bob Rickard's preliminary project in 1985 for a colossal computer database of Fortean data. The author, Umberto Cordier, discusses the challenges of creating a "Fortcat" catalog for Italian phenomena, emphasizing the need for a flexible approach and continuous verification of criteria. The "Fortcat" aims to catalog anomalous phenomena within current Italian territory, across all eras. The article lists the current main sections of the catalog, including "Anomalies in artifacts," "Astronomy," "Geophysics," "Meteorology," "Unusual falls," "Biology," "Cryptozoology," "Parapsychology," "Ufology," and "Miracle phenomena."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine "Rassegna Casistica" consistently focuses on documenting and investigating anomalous phenomena, particularly UFO sightings and related events. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry and detailed reporting, aiming to provide a platform for researchers and witnesses. The inclusion of the "Catalogo Fortiano" article suggests a broader interest in unexplained phenomena beyond just UFOs, encompassing a wide range of Fortean topics. The magazine encourages reader participation and aims to foster a constructive dialogue on these subjects.

This issue of "RASSEGNA CASISTICA" (Case Review), dated July 11, 1988, focuses on significant UFO and humanoid encounters, alongside a review of a major ufological publication.

Case Report: Lomagna Sighting

The primary feature details an investigation by Maurizio Verga and Corrado Guarisco into an incident that occurred on July 15, 1938 (note: OCR date discrepancy, likely meant 1988 based on cover date). The witness, Natalino B., a 35-year-old night watchman from Carugo, was driving alone on a peripheral road in Lomagna (Como province) around 1:30 AM. While navigating a double curve downhill, he noticed movement in the bushes near the second curve, illuminated by a streetlight. Initially dismissing it, he saw the movement again upon exiting the curve, this time accompanied by a dark shadow on the edge of the road.

Suddenly, an "entity"—described by Natalino B. as a "mountain almost three meters high"—darted across the road in two steps and disappeared into the woods on the opposite side. The witness's car, traveling at a very low speed, slowed down abruptly, causing the engine to stall, though the headlights remained on. Natalino B. exited the car, armed with a flashlight, and tried to illuminate the moving trees. He admitted to feeling scared.

He recalled the entity's "elusive" gait, as if trying to escape notice, and a "very strange step," likened to someone walking on stilts. The car's high beams illuminated the entity up to shoulder height, but he did not recall seeing arms. He noted a rectangular protrusion, about ten to fifteen centimeters, at chest level, resembling a backpack or a box. The entity's head seemed to turn towards him, but he could not discern facial features. The body's surface was described as "squamous," similar to snake skin, and reflective. The entity presented itself sideways, appearing as a straight form without trunk flexibility, with its legs exhibiting the peculiar gait. After the encounter, Natalino B. returned to his car and remained there for some time before driving away.

The report is signed by Maurizio Verga and Corrado Guarisco, dated September 15, 1988.

Book Review: "UFO IN ITALIA" - Volume Three

The issue also announces and reviews the third volume of the "UFO IN ITALIA" book series, published by the Cooperativa studi e iniziative UPIAR. This volume, subtitled "Il periodo 1955-1972" (The period 1955-1972), is curated by the Sezione Ufologica Fiorentina (SUF), with contributions from Solas Boncompagni, Fernando Lamperi, Roberto Ricci, and Pier Luigi Sani. It covers a significant period in Italian ufology, including investigations into flying saucers, the formation of ufological groups, and the controversial phenomenon of contactees.

The 352-page book contains 32 illustrations and details 130 UFO cases, 14 IFO (Identified Flying Object) cases, 8 "meteor flap" reports, 8 contactee cases, 7 Fortian phenomena, and 10 extraordinary phenomena, with documented sources. Many cases include extensive commentary, sometimes in the form of entire chapters dedicated to topics like "black-outs," "flying anthropomorphic entities," and "radio" or "telepathic contacteeism." The volume concludes with an analysis of the period.

"UFO IN ITALIA": The First Two Volumes

Parallel to the release of the third volume, the Cooperativa UPIAR has acquired the remaining copies of the first two volumes from Corrado Tedeschi Editore, becoming the exclusive distributor for all three books. The first volume, published in 1975 and reprinted in 1978, covers 72 cases from the early 20th century up to 1953, spanning 246 pages and including historical context and methodologies. The second volume, published in 1980, is dedicated to the major wave of sightings in 1954, comprising 407 cases across 536 pages.

Purchasing Information

Information is provided on how to purchase the volumes. Members of the Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (CISU) can buy the three volumes at a discounted price for 1990: Volume I (1907-1953) for £. 10,000, Volume II (1954 wave) for £. 23,000, and Volume III (1955-1972) for £. 25,000. A special offer for all three volumes is available for £. 52,000. Payments should be made to Gian Paolo Grassino via postal current account.

Non-CISU members can purchase the volumes directly from Cooperativa UPIAR by sending payment to their postal current account. The prices for non-members are: Volume I for £. 12,000, Volume II for £. 28,000, and Volume III for £. 30,000. The special offer for all three is £. 63,000.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue strongly emphasizes documented UFO and humanoid encounters within Italy, highlighting the importance of detailed case studies and comprehensive research publications like the "UFO IN ITALIA" series. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation and dissemination of ufological information, promoting access to these research volumes for both dedicated ufologists and the general public. The inclusion of a specific, detailed sighting report alongside the book reviews suggests a commitment to presenting contemporary and historical evidence within the field.