Rencontres Ufologiques - 2014 05 30 - No 041

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Les Rencontres Ufologiques" (Reference: 041, dated May 30, 2014) focuses on recent UFO-related news and publications, with a significant emphasis on the book "OVNI au Maroc" and an official report on a near-collision incident in Australia.

Vient de Paraître: L'HISTOIRE DES OVNIS AU MAROC

The magazine announces the publication of "OVNI au Maroc," a book by Gérard Lebat that compiles the history of UFO sightings in Morocco. This work, available in print and previously published online to over 100,000 visitors, is described as an easy-to-read and preserve format. It is a catalog of hundreds of cases, with contributions from numerous ufologists and investigations conducted by the author, who resides in Morocco. The article notes that due to local customs and regulations, investigations in Morocco require discretion, with a focus on collecting witness testimonies rather than official inquiries. Sensitive details are omitted for prudence. The book's technical details are provided: ISBN 9781291862287, author Gérard Lebat, published by Ecrit'Vain via lulu.com on May 26, 2014, with 398 pages, softcover, and priced at 16.00 Euros.

AIN REPAS SUR LE DOSSIER OVNI A BOURG EN BRESSE LE 6 JUIN 2014

AIN OVNI is organizing a "Ovni à Table" event in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, on June 6, 2014, featuring a meal, discussions, testimonials, and a conference. The conference, titled "Les ovnis et les observations aquatiques non-identifiées" (UFOs and unidentified aquatic observations), will be presented by Sylvain Matisse, who specializes in UFOs related to aquatic environments. The event aims to foster discussion and support for the UFO phenomenon.

Un ovni dans le ciel percheron?

This section details the case of Daniel Ubertini, who claims to be an "involuntary witness of aerial phenomena" for about thirty years. He has photographed several unidentified objects, including one discovered in the background of a photo taken at a friend's house in La Ferté-Vidame, which he describes as an ovni. He was nicknamed "Ubertovni" in La Réunion. The article highlights four of his photos that he believes show anomalies. One photo from February 1977 in Réunion Island shows a "light ball" above an airplane's wing, resembling a colonial helmet with an antenna. Another incident in 2009 in Tonga captured an object resembling a DVD with a hole. Ubertini contacted GEIPAN (a French UFO research group) but received standard responses about lack of corroboration. He maintains his photos are "uncropped" and not faked.

LES CAFES OVNIS DE VALENCIA EN ESPAGNE

This report summarizes the 11th meeting of the "Café Ovni Valencia" held on May 8, 2014, at the "EL FORCAT" bar-restaurant. The event had an attendance of 23 enthusiasts and featured discussions on human origins and UFO theories, with a notable participation of young, well-prepared researchers. A list of attendees is provided.

L'ASFAN EN ROUMANIE TOUJOURS TRES ACTIVE

ASFAN (The Romanian Association for Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena) organized its first UFO Conference on May 10. The report mentions three multi-witness Romanian air-force cases, previously unknown abroad, presented at the conference. These cases involve retired senior officers and are being gradually unveiled. ASFAN plans to expand its English website to include more Romanian cases.

LE DOSSIER OVNI EN « PERTE DE VITESSE »

This article discusses a perceived decline in public and scientific interest in the UFO phenomenon. It attributes this to a lack of interesting observations, slow progress in understanding the phenomenon, and an increase in sensationalized and false information disseminated online. The author notes that Google searches for "OVNI" and "UFO" have been decreasing since 2011. Economic hardship and a general sense of pessimism are also cited as contributing factors. The article also points out that many reported sightings are easily explained as known phenomena like Thai lanterns or ISS observations. The high cost of field research and the lack of proper training for investigators are also mentioned as challenges. MUFON France is offering investigator training courses.

Insolite: quand un ballon Wi-Fi de Google est pris pour une invasion alien aux USA

This section recounts an anecdote from 2012 where a Google Wi-Fi balloon, part of the company's Loon project to provide internet access, was mistaken for a UFO in Pike County, Kentucky. Residents, including amateur astronomer Allen Epling, reported seeing two bright, unidentified lights. The balloon remained stationary for hours at an altitude of 18 km. Local police received numerous calls, and Google later confirmed the object was one of their balloons, which had deviated from its trajectory. The article humorously notes that Google engineers used UFO enthusiasts' testimonies to help locate the lost balloon.

Australian Government - ATSB Transport Safety Report: Near collision between an unknown object and a De Havilland DHC-8, VH-XFX

This is a formal report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) detailing a near-collision incident on March 19, 2014. A De Havilland DHC-8 aircraft, VH-XFX, on approach to Perth Airport, encountered a bright strobe light identified as an unknown object. The object was described as cylindrical, grey, and approximately 20 meters horizontally and 100 ft vertically from the aircraft. It was at an altitude of about 3,700 ft AMSL. The crew took evasive action. The report states that the airspace below 3,500 ft AMSL was military restricted, and the Australian Defence Force reported no UAV operations at the time. The ATSB was unable to confirm the object's details or identify any operator.

RECHERCHE DE TÉMOIGNAGES SUR LE PHÉNOMÈNE OVNI SE DÉROULANT AU MAROC

This section reiterates the success of the "OVNI au Maroc" project online and encourages readers to submit their observations and testimonies. It emphasizes the importance of collective memory in documenting the phenomenon in Morocco and provides contact information for submissions.

LES COMPTES RENDUS D'OVNI GRENOBLE FEVRIER 2014 OVNI GRENOBLE

This is a report on the 41st OVNI Grenoble meeting held on February 6, 2014. The meeting featured Stéphane Chalandon, who presented on "The entity of Aleister Crowley and its implication in ufology." The report also mentions other recent UFO-related publications and books available in bookstores.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the documentation and publication of UFO cases, with a particular focus on Morocco. There's a discussion about the declining public interest in ufology, attributed to media sensationalism and misinformation. The issue also highlights official investigations into UFO-like phenomena, such as the ATSB report from Australia, and the challenges faced by researchers. The editorial stance appears to be one of active investigation, documentation, and community engagement, encouraging witness participation while acknowledging the difficulties and skepticism surrounding the topic.

This issue of "Parlons Ovni" (Issue 17, dated 2014) is a French-language publication focused on ufology and related phenomena. It features reports on lectures, discussions, and investigations into UFO sightings and historical cases.

Aleister Crowley: Occultist and Enigma

The issue begins with a detailed account of a presentation by Stéphane Chalandon on the life and work of the British occultist Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). Crowley, known as Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast 666, renounced his fundamentalist Christian upbringing to explore occultism, notably through the Golden Dawn and later developing his own esoteric path. His research led him to develop a 'sexual magic' system and he became a controversial figure due to his lifestyle and political views. He is particularly known for "The Book of the Law," the sacred text of Thelema, and was a member of organizations like A.'.A.'. and Ordo Templi Orientis. Chalandon's presentation also touched upon the possibility of the entity 'Aiwass,' contacted by Crowley, being extraterrestrial, referencing Crowley's 1919 drawing titled 'Lam,' which depicts a grotesque entity resembling a 'grey' or an E.B.E. The article notes that Kenneth Grant, a follower of Crowley, believes Aiwass/Lam to be an extraterrestrial from Sirius, though Crowley himself never considered this possibility.

OVNI Grenoble Meetings: Reports and Discussions

The magazine provides reports on several "OVNI Grenoble" meetings. The 42nd meeting on March 6, 2014, featured Jean-Gabriel Greslé, a former Air France captain with extensive flight experience and a deep involvement in ufology. Greslé, author of five books on the subject, shared his personal observations and analyses of declassified US documents. He discussed the 1952 Washington UFO sightings and the 1953 AFR 200-2 regulation, which he believes confirms the reality of UFOs. Greslé also commented on the potential creation of a special squadron to recover crashed UFOs, as suggested by a Wright-Patterson AFB briefing. He criticized ufological groups for their lack of unity and praised the conclusions of the Cometa report. He also mentioned Paul Hellyer's 2013 interview on Russian television and his own interest in encounters with 'Nordics.'

The 43rd meeting on April 3, 2014, included a presentation by Jean-Claude Sidoun, author of "Roswell Fabrication d'un mythe." Sidoun argued that the Roswell incident of July 1947 was not the crash of an extraterrestrial spacecraft but rather the genesis of a myth. He explained that an event did occur, but the subsequent embellishment by authors like Charles Berlitz and William Moore in 1980, who "found" witnesses and theorized the extraterrestrial hypothesis (HET), created the legend. Sidoun pointed out that official US investigations in the late 1990s debunked the claims of these witnesses, highlighting numerous inconsistencies in their declarations.

The 44th meeting on May 1, 2014, featured Thierry Gaulin, an investigator and author from Hérault, who discussed "X-Files en Languedoc-Roussillon." Gaulin, president and co-founder of the OVNI-Languedoc association, presented a summary of regional UFO cases. These included a 1621 observation, the 'Roméo-Charly' case (1952), the 'Affaire D.' in Assas (1955), a case in Uzès (1974), the 'contactée du Gard' (1998), a sighting in Draguignan (2007), and an entity in Aude (2008). Gaulin concluded that the UFO phenomenon is real, even if its nature remains mysterious and protean, emphasizing the importance of field investigations.

Modern Ufology in the Digital Age

The final section, "L'UFOLOGIE MODERNE," reflects on the current state of ufology. It notes that while the internet provides a vast amount of UFO sighting reports, it also presents challenges. The ease of sharing information anonymously can lead to a deluge of unverified data, fake videos, and a decline in the credibility of the field. The author contrasts this with the period between 1950 and 1990, when written references, established knowledge, and renowned ufologists provided a more structured understanding. The article urges readers to engage actively, join study groups, share reliable data, and organize exchanges to advance the field. It also announces the upcoming launch of a "fake" or imposture section on "www.parlons-ovni.fr" to identify erroneous information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the exploration of occultism and its potential links to UFO phenomena (through Aleister Crowley), the critical examination of well-known UFO cases like Roswell, the reporting of contemporary UFO sightings and meetings in France, and a reflection on the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age for the study of ufology. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation, critical analysis, and a belief in the reality of the UFO phenomenon, while also acknowledging the need for rigorous methodology and structured research to gain credibility.