Stockholms UFO-Nytt - 1997 No 1

Magazine Overview

Title: Stockholms UFO-nytt
Issue: 1/1997
Publisher: Stockholms UFO-förening
Country: Sweden
Date: January 1997

This issue of Stockholms UFO-nytt, the information bulletin of the Stockholms UFO-förening, marks the beginning of a new UFO year with a new chairman, Lars Amnestål. The magazine covers various aspects of ufology, including organizational updates, discussions on the nature of UFO phenomena, and reviews of relevant literature.

Welcome Message from the Chairman

Lars Amnestål, the newly elected chairman, expresses his pleasure at the many activities planned for the term and hopes for increased member participation. He emphasizes the importance of a lively and open debate about UFOs, both within and outside the organization, to maintain a clear focus and distance from more questionable elements. Amnestål believes that engaging with various scientific disciplines will lead to greater understanding. He also highlights the value of sowing seeds of knowledge and fostering engagement, referencing a recent lecture by Håkan Blomqvist as an example of inspiring people to seek answers and explore the mysteries of our atmosphere, Earth, and space.

Table of Contents

• The issue includes:
• Presentation of the 1997 Board
• Why chase UFOs?
• UFO, New Age, and Political Extremism
• A good book by Jenny Randles
• Circular from the Chairman of UFO-Sverige
• The mysterious stone
• Press clippings

As a supplement, the statutes of the Stockholms UFO-Förening are included.

Presentation of Stockholms UFO-förening's Board 1997

• The annual general meeting on February 11th elected the following board members:
• Ordförande (Chairman): Lars Amnestål, a high school teacher with prior experience as chairman of a UFO association.
• Kassör (Treasurer): Bernd Bartosch, who works as a property caretaker.
• Ledamöter (Board Members):
• Inga-Lill Wallin, who steps down as chairman but continues on the board, planning to write a book about the 'Marteboljuset' on Gotland.
• Stefan Roslund, a freelance subtitler and translator, also involved with UFO-Aktuellt.
• Other Board Members: Conny Ljung (technician, interested in older UFO cases), Andreas Ohlsson (seen as a future hope for UFO-Sverige), and Mikael Sjöberg (chairman of Uppsala UFO-förening, responsible for UFO-Sverige's website).
• Suppleanter (Substitutes): Bernt Berglund (former chairman of UFO-Sverige), Elsie-Marianne Molin (long-time member and contributor), and Jenny Claeson (studying to be a speech therapist).

Why Chase UFOs?

Anna Schytt, a science journalist for Sveriges Radio and former editor of the magazine Folkvett, contributes an article based on her thoughts shared on the UFO-Sverige website. She expresses sympathy for critical ufologists who are often conflated with 'flying saucer enthusiasts.' Schytt notes that popular media often sensationalizes UFO reports, focusing on flying saucers and alien visitors, neglecting journalistic rigor. This leads to a blurring of lines between credible investigation and fanciful speculation. She draws parallels between the UFO phenomenon and other areas where explanations are sought for unexplained phenomena, such as 'electromagnetic hypersensitivity,' where various individuals and disciplines offer explanations. Schytt argues that as long as the UFO enigma remains unsolved, it will attract seekers with open minds, some of whom may interpret UFOs through religious or political lenses. She acknowledges that even critical ufologists may be drawn to the subject due to an interest in paranormal phenomena. However, she cautions against an overly 'cold' approach, suggesting that a degree of 'permissiveness' is necessary, distinguishing ufologists from pseudoscientific organizations. Schytt posits that serious ufologists may eventually uncover an unknown phenomenon that can be studied scientifically, contrasting this with the skepticism of those who doubt the existence of any phenomenon. She also touches upon the psychological impact of UFO experiences on individuals.

Schytt further explores the similarities between UFO experiences and religious revelations, noting that individuals who witness UFOs often have a greater need for explanation than those who report religious visions. She mentions UFO-Sverige's role in providing explanations for UFO experiences, often attributing them to mundane causes like meteors or reflections. The organization's approach, involving interviews and thorough checks, is seen as a way to encourage critical thinking among witnesses.

UFO, New Age, and Political Extremism

Håkan Blomqvist from the Archive for UFO Research in Norrköping delivered a lecture on March 13th. The event marked the debut of the new chairman, Lars Amnestål, and the inauguration of a new, more central meeting location for the Stockholm UFO Association. The lecture, which touched upon the controversial topics of politics, sex, religion, and UFOs, was well-attended, with chairs quickly filling up.

• Blomqvist identified two main branches within ufology: the (neo)religious and the scientific. He traced historical parallels, starting with the conflict between Christianity and Gnosticism, which emphasized inner experience. Emanuel Swedenborg's 18th-century writings on inner journeys to planets were mentioned. Helena Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society in 1875, is presented as a precursor to the New Age movement, discussing 'masters' in 'vimanas' (flying craft). Alice Bailey in the 1920s bridged this to the 'flying saucer era,' with mediums like Eugene Drake reporting encounters with 'space people.' George Adamski, a prominent figure in the 1950s, claimed to have met and traveled with extraterrestrials. Blomqvist summarized the core tenets of New Age spirituality as:
• Anti-intellectualism (prioritizing feeling and intuition over knowledge)
• Inner knowledge path (relying on subjective experiences and imagination)
• Subjectivism
• Refinement syndrome
• Fascism

He elaborated on how the 'inner knowledge' concept is linked to the idea that inner knowledge is based on fantasies, and that contactees often hear inner voices. Blomqvist warned that many messages conveyed by contactees contain misanthropic elements, suggesting that certain ethnic groups or races are the root of evil on Earth and should be eradicated. He drew parallels between these sentiments and the rise of Nazism in 1930s Germany, stressing the importance of stifling such cults before they evolve into sects or state religions, which would pose a threat to democracy.

The lecture concluded with a Q&A session and discussions, followed by coffee. The new venue was well-received, and attendees hoped for similar gatherings in the future.

A Good Book by Jenny Randles

This section reviews Jenny Randles' book 'From out of the Blue: Global Communications.' The reviewer, Conny Ljung, praises Randles as one of the world's best ufologists and the Rendlesham Forest incident as one of the best UFO cases. The book details the events of the incident, which involved numerous civilian and military witnesses observing strange lights and a landed UFO near Woodbridge airfield in England during two nights. The review notes that the book is well-researched, presenting evidence that makes the case strong. However, it criticizes the book for dedicating significant space to communication difficulties between ufologists and authorities, and for including 'sensationalists' who claim to possess top-secret information but do not come forward. Despite these criticisms, the book is described as generally easy to read and very detailed. The fourth part of the book explores four main hypotheses for the incident, three of which are terrestrial but difficult to comprehend, and the fourth being extraterrestrial visitation. Ljung expresses that while extraterrestrial visitors are a possibility, logical explanations should be prioritized. He recalls a positive interaction with Jenny Randles at an international UFO congress in Gothenburg, noting her extensive knowledge in serious ufology. The review concludes by warning that the book is captivating and hard to put down.

To UFO-Sverige's Local Groups and District Representatives

This article provides an overview of UFO-Sverige's activities and achievements in 1996 and outlines plans for 1997. The organization has grown into a natural hub for UFO enthusiasts in Sweden and maintains international collaborations, partly thanks to the internet. Key events in 1996 included a large national meeting in Ängelholm, which attracted nearly 1,000 people and featured Gösta Carlsson's famous objects, and an international UFO conference in Gothenburg. UFO-Sverige also conducted field investigator courses, planning conferences, board meetings, and published four issues of UFO-Aktuellt and Rapport-Nytt. They assisted around 100 students with special projects and handled numerous letters and phone inquiries. Additionally, they organized a 'Sydostträff' in Småland and a field project on Gotland.

UFO-Sverige launched a Swedish and English website in 1996, which had received 38,000 visitors by the time of writing. They also produced a CD-ROM and operated an information hotline. The article notes that the demands on UFO-Sverige are increasing, with many expecting paid staff and government funding, despite the work being entirely voluntary. The organization's activities are supported by local groups, a report center with field investigators, the UFO-Sverige board, and the Archive for UFO Research.

• Plans for 1997 include:
• A basic course for new field investigators in Norrköping (February 22-23).
• The UFO-Sverige national meeting in Strängnäs (April 26-27), where a proposal for individual memberships will be discussed.
• The 50th anniversary of the term 'flying saucer' on June 24th.
• An international UFO conference in Denmark on November 1st.

UFO-Aktuellt's subscription price will increase to 180 SEK for four issues. The magazine's availability in kiosks and stores will be expanded.

Rapport-Nytt will be produced by Irre Bredin and Håkan Ekstrand, with Einar Larsson joining the editorial team. The work of the assessment groups will be reported in Rapport-Nytt. The popular traveling exhibition will be available for loan from AFU (Håkan Blomqvist).

UFO-Sverige will continue its efforts to provide employment through the ALU program, having already assisted about 40 unemployed individuals. They are also increasing their focus on the internet, which presents both opportunities and challenges.

A new 'Sydostträff' for UFO enthusiasts in Småland and Blekinge is planned for the spring, building on the success of a previous event. This region is becoming more active in UFO research.

The article emphasizes that the success of UFO-Sverige relies on the contributions of its local groups. The board plans to visit each local group to discuss issues and needs, aiming to make 1997 'the year of the local groups.'

Clas Svahn, Chairman of the national organization UFO-Sverige, signs off from Stockholm on January 17, 1997, expressing hopes for a successful year.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the ongoing debate between skeptical and more open-minded approaches to UFO phenomena, the organizational structure and activities of UFO-Sverige and its local branches, and the review of UFO-related literature and events. The editorial stance, as expressed by Lars Amnestål and Anna Schytt, favors a balanced approach that encourages critical thinking while remaining open to the possibility of genuine unexplained phenomena. There is a clear emphasis on the importance of open debate and rigorous investigation within the field of ufology.

Stockholms UFO-nytt, issue 1/1997, is a Swedish publication focusing on UFO phenomena and related topics. This issue features a lead story on a mysterious stone case, an article on Comet Hale-Bopp, and reports on scientific investigations into potential extraterrestrial life and other unexplained phenomena.

The Mysterious Stone

The main article details the experience of Krister Tolppola in Finland in November 1963. While walking home after a birthday party, he encountered a high-speed, yellow-orange object that illuminated the ground. He then experienced paralysis and a period of missing time, with fragmented memories of being in a tunnel and on a cold floor, and experiencing pain in his left eye. He found himself at home later, unaware of how much time had passed, realizing that the five-kilometer walk had taken three hours. In his pocket, he found two objects: a crystal with a peculiar cut that could act as a glass cutter, and a brown stone with various holes. The stone is currently being examined by Henrik Skoogby at the Department of Mineralogy at the Natural History Museum. A month later, Krister saw a similar yellow-orange object approaching in a zig-zag pattern at high speed, estimated to be 50 times that of an airplane, but did not experience the same effects as the first encounter.

During an interview, Krister appeared stable and credible, emphasizing that he had not consumed alcohol, adhering to a philosophy that alcohol and sports do not mix if one wants to achieve results. The crystal he found is no longer in his possession, having possibly been lost during a move or given away. Krister believes the crystal likely came from the object he saw. He was hesitant to speak about his experience due to his father's negative reaction, who dismissed it as a dream or fantasy and stated that only fools talked about unknown flying objects.

Comet Hale-Bopp

Another section of the magazine provides information on observing and photographing Comet Hale-Bopp. It states that the comet was visible throughout the night and would become brighter until April. Observers were advised to look northwest after sunset and northeast in the early morning. The article includes a diagram showing the comet's position relative to constellations like Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Cygnus. It also offers advice on photographing the comet, recommending cameras with a 'B' setting for long exposures (10 seconds to 2 minutes), a tripod, and a remote shutter release. Fast film (ISO 400-3600) is suggested, with specific recommendations for color negatives and slides. The article notes that Comet Hale-Bopp was predicted to be one of the century's brightest comets, potentially outshining Sirius by March 31st, and that its tail would become increasingly visible.

Search for Life on Jupiter's Moon Europa

The issue reports on the possibility of life on Jupiter's moon, Europa. New data from the Galileo space probe suggests the existence of an ocean beneath Europa's ice crust, possibly with volcanic activity. This environment is compared to Earth's ocean floors, where communities of bacteria and other organisms exist independently of sunlight, living off sulfur and hydrogen near underwater lava flows. Scientists are planning future expeditions to Europa to analyze the moon and drill through the ice.

Other Reports

Briefly mentioned are reports on the Loch Ness Monster, with a Scottish coast guard believing he may have located its lair or an underwater exit to the sea, and archaeological discoveries in Siberia, where Russian archaeologists found burial pyramids resembling those in Latin America, dating back to 400 BC. The magazine also includes a note about a booklet titled "Ljuset på Martebomyr" (The Light on Martebomyr) by Inga-Lill Wallin, detailing expeditions to Gotland.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of Stockholms UFO-nytt reflects a continued interest in unexplained aerial phenomena, personal encounters, and the scientific search for extraterrestrial life. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting witness accounts and scientific findings for the reader's consideration, while also acknowledging the historical skepticism surrounding such topics.