Stockholms UFO-Nytt - 1998 No 1

Magazine Overview

Title: Stockholms UFO-nytt
Issue: 1/1998
Date: January 1998
Publisher: Stockholms UFO-förening
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish

This issue of Stockholms UFO-nytt, the information bulletin of the Stockholm UFO Association (STUFO), is dated 1/1998 and features a 'Happy Easter!' greeting on its cover, accompanied by a whimsical cartoon. The magazine covers organizational news, reports on UFO-related events, and articles exploring the intersection of UFO phenomena with science fiction.

Editorial and Organizational News

Editorial Message

Lasse Amnestål, the contact person for Stockholms UFO-nytt, opens the issue with a message reflecting on the start of 1998. He notes some initial difficulties with the program and dates but assures that the spring program will be fully available. He regrets that a planned visit to Cosmonova did not materialize due to low attendance at the annual meeting. However, he highlights the association's participation in the Vasastan festival on June 5-7, marking their second year of involvement. A somber note is struck with the departure of Kerstin Bredefeldt due to health reasons, for whom the editorial team expresses well wishes. On a more positive note, Amnestål reports that approximately 100 people visited the UFO-Sverige exhibition at Salem library over three weeks, with Radio Stockholm's coverage contributing to visitor numbers from a wide area. He concludes by hoping for another rich and engaging year, encouraging greater participation in lectures and member meetings.

Stockholm UFO Association Board and Annual Meeting

The issue details the board of the Stockholm UFO Association for 1998, elected at the annual meeting on February 10th. The board members are:

• Ordförande (Chairman): Lars Amnestål
• Vice Ordförande (Vice Chairman): Andreas Ohlsson
• Kassör (Treasurer): Bernd Bartosch
• Ledamöter (Board Members): Jenny Claeson, Conny Ljung, Mikael Sjöberg
• Suppleanter (Deputies): Bernt Berglund, Stefan Roslund

Lars Amnestål, a former junior high school teacher and taxi driver, has a history in UFO organizations, having been chairman of a UFO association as a high school student. Bernd Bartosch manages the association's finances, keeping it in the black. Conny Ljung, a technical mechanic, is interested in older UFO cases and works as a field researcher. Andreas Ohlsson is considered a significant figure in UFO-Sverige and serves as vice chairman. Mikael Sjöberg is also the chairman of the Uppsala UFO Association and manages UFO-Sverige's website. Jenny Claeson is studying to become a speech therapist at Karolinska Institutet. Bernt Berglund is a former chairman of UFO-Sverige. Stefan Roslund is a freelance subtitler and translator, also working with UFO-Aktuellt.

The minutes of the annual meeting (pages 5-8) provide a detailed account of the proceedings. Key decisions included:

• Approval of the agenda and the board's activity report and financial statements. The auditors noted a need for specification in the 'Div insättning' (various deposit) item in the financial report.
• Granting of discharge of liability to the board.
• Election of Lars Amnestål as chairman, Bernd Bartosch as treasurer, and Jenny Claeson, Conny Ljung, Andreas Ohlsson, and Mikael Sjöberg as board members. Bernt Berglund and Stefan Roslund were elected as deputies.
• Göran Norlén was elected as auditor and to the election committee.
• Lars Amnestål was appointed as delegate and Andreas Ohlsson as deputy to the UFO-Sverige national meeting in Björsjö on April 25, 1998.
• A proposal from Jörgen Bengtsson (UFO-Trestad) regarding UFO-Sverige's board and national meeting was discussed, with decisions made on proposals for the vacant treasurer position, a vacant board seat, and the election committee for 1999. Stockholms UFO-förening agreed to host the 1999 national meeting and suggested Norrköping and Vänersborg for the 1998 planning conference.
• The association decided to subscribe to the UFO-Larvik (Norway) magazine, with the condition that UFO-Larvik also subscribes to STUFO-nytt.
• No changes were made to the statutes.
• The membership fee for 1999 was decided to remain unchanged. Conny Ljung registered an objection to this decision.

Membership and Subscriptions

Page 2 outlines the membership fees and subscription options. Membership in Stockholms UFO-förening includes the magazine Stockholms UFO-nytt. The annual fee is 130 SEK, and the half-year fee is 70 SEK. Reduced fees of 90 SEK for a full year and 50 SEK for a half-year are available for pensioners and full-time students. The magazine also recommends subscribing to UFO-Aktuellt for 190 SEK per year (four issues) and Rapport Nytt for 120 SEK per year.

Reports and Articles

Report from Hessdalen

Conny Ljung recounts a week-long trip to Hessdalen, Norway, in September. Accompanied by eight people, including representatives from Rapportcentralen and UFO-Aktuellt, the group aimed to observe UFO phenomena. Despite challenging weather conditions, including cloudy skies and a full moon eclipse, the group managed to witness two brief flashes of light on their last night. Ljung describes the event as possibly related to the Hessdalen phenomena, noting that while they have no concrete proof, the experience was difficult to explain rationally. He expresses belief that the Hessdalen mystery will eventually be solved, likely with a terrestrial explanation rather than an extraterrestrial one.

Science Fiction and UFOs: Is There a Connection?

This section, the third part of an ongoing series by Mark Pilkington, explores the relationship between science fiction films and UFO mythology. This installment focuses on Steven Spielberg's 1977 film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

• Film's Impact: The film's release in late 1977, preceded by an extensive marketing campaign, coincided with a surge in UFO interest and reporting in the US, reminiscent of the 1952 wave.
• Spielberg's Fascination: Spielberg, born in 1947 (the same year as the major UFO wave), had a long-standing interest in UFOs, making an early film about UFO investigations and alien invasions.
• Inspiration: The film was influenced by the Betty and Barney Hill abduction case of 1961 and Spielberg's own early ideas. He initially worked on a script titled "Watch the Skies."
• Hynek and Classification: The film's title refers to J. Allen Hynek's classification system for UFO encounters. Hynek, a scientific advisor to the Air Force's "Project Blue Book" (1952-1969), evolved from skepticism to recognizing the objective reality of the phenomenon, making UFO studies his life's work. Spielberg consulted Hynek's book "The UFO Experience" and hired him as a technical advisor for the film.
• Plot and Themes: The film follows ordinary Americans and an international research team investigating encounters with a non-human race, culminating at Devil's Tower, Wyoming. The narrative emphasizes the gradual understanding of the phenomenon through visual and auditory cues, with researchers deciphering messages using technology. The film draws on theories by psychoanalysts like Carl Jung and ufologists like Jacques Vallée, who interpret UFO sightings as modern interpretations of visionary experiences.
• Visual and Auditory Elements: The film uses visual effects like flashing lights and sounds, including helicopter rotor noise, to build tension. The article critiques some of these elements, such as poltergeist-like effects and the use of sound, arguing that they deviate from typical UFO reports which often emphasize silence and light phenomena.
• Public Perception: The article discusses how the film manipulates audience perception, presenting UFOs in a way that blurs the line between "science fact" and "science fiction." It notes the religious undertones and the portrayal of aliens as awe-inspiring beings.
• SETI Connection: The article briefly mentions the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project, noting that Spielberg partially sponsored it. It touches upon the conspiracy theory that such projects are used to mask the truth about UFOs from the public.
• Commercial Success: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was a commercial success, though not as much as "Star Wars," which was released around the same time. Both films are seen as reflecting a societal need for escapism.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the organizational activities of the Stockholm UFO Association, the reporting of UFO sightings and related phenomena (Hessdalen), and the critical analysis of how UFOs are portrayed in popular culture, specifically science fiction films. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into UFO phenomena, combined with a pragmatic approach to organizational management and a critical engagement with media representations. There is a clear effort to inform members and the public about UFO-related activities and research, while also acknowledging the challenges and skepticism surrounding the field.

Title: Stockholms UFO-nytt
Issue: 1/1998
Volume: Vårprogram 1998 (Spring Program 1998)
Date: 1998
Publisher: Stockholms UFO-förening (Stockholm UFO Association)
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish

This issue of Stockholms UFO-nytt delves into various aspects of UFO phenomena, media influence, and astronomical discoveries, alongside the Stockholm UFO Association's planned activities for 1998.

The Impact of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

The article discusses how the film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (Närkontakt av tredje graden) influenced public perception and reporting of UFOs in the late 1970s. During a period of social unrest and political events like Watergate and the Vietnam War in the USA, and economic hardship in Britain, the UFO topic offered a distraction. Jimmy Carter, who had seen a UFO in 1969, promised to open government UFO archives, though many reports remained classified. Grenada's Prime Minister Eric Gairy even requested a UN meeting in November 1977 to discuss UFOs, with delegates shown the film to set the mood. While a Times article mockingly suggested the attendance of female delegates indicated low interest, the newspaper itself became increasingly engaged with the topic, dedicating numerous articles to UFOs in 1977-1979 and reporting sightings from around the globe.

The UFO topic was debated in the British House of Lords on January 18, 1979, following a motion to publish government UFO information, which was ultimately rejected but led to the formation of an all-party investigation group led by Lord Clancarty.

Ufologist Jenny Randles played a significant role, promoting the film and investigating UFO reports. She noted that the film encouraged witnesses to come forward with past sightings they had kept secret due to fear of ridicule. John Spencer, chairman of the UK organization BUFORA, observed a substantial increase in membership and UFO reports in the months leading up to and following the film's premiere. Reports suggest that UFO sightings worldwide quadrupled during this period. A 1978 US opinion poll indicated that 57% of people believed UFOs were real, a slight increase from 1973.

While the film was a box office success and raised public awareness, it's difficult to definitively prove it caused a surge in sightings. The extensive pre-release publicity may have led people to misinterpret ordinary aerial phenomena. However, numerous interesting reports emerged between 1976-1978, including an incident over Bass Strait, Australia, where a pilot reported an unknown craft, and a case in Fujian, China, involving two large orange spheres that caused casualties.

The article also touches upon the growing mythology surrounding alleged abduction cases, influenced by films.

Review: "UFO Crash Landing" by Jenny Randles

This section reviews Jenny Randles' latest book, "UFO Crash Landing" (1998), published by Blandford. It is her third book focusing on the Rendlesham Forest incident. The review highlights that the book contains new information and is considered Randles' most insightful work on the subject to date. The ongoing release of information is attributed to former NATO base personnel now retired and more willing to speak out, as discussing UFOs officially could harm military careers. Former NATO base commander Colonel Charles Halt is mentioned as actively giving lectures about the incident.

The book explores various theories about the Rendlesham Forest object, including a crashed prototype stealth aircraft, a spy drone test, or even a dropped nuclear warhead. Other possibilities discussed include natural force fields causing light phenomena, similar to the Hessdalen phenomena, or secret US weapon systems. One theory links the incident to a secret NSA project called Cobra Mist, which involved bouncing powerful radiation into the stratosphere for radar detection, potentially capable of disabling Soviet military satellites. The text notes that a Soviet satellite did crash around the time of the incident, raising the question of whether the NSA was involved.

The review acknowledges that the book presents a wide range of theories, including the ET hypothesis, in a sensible manner. However, it cautions that the extensive correspondence Randles has had with various British and American authorities over 17 years can make the book's narrative complex and potentially confusing for readers unfamiliar with the case. Prior study of the Rendlesham Forest incident is recommended before reading the book.

Other UFO and Astronomical News

Several short news items are presented:

• Water on the Moon and Europa: NASA announced the probable existence of frozen water on the Moon and liquid water on Jupiter's moon Europa, evidenced by images showing giant icebergs and fissures.
• Meteorites in Greenland: Danish authorities are searching for meteorites believed to have landed in Greenland based on satellite imagery.
• UFO Sect in Dallas: A Taiwanese UFO sect in Garland, Texas, is awaiting the physical manifestation of their leader, Chen Hon-ming, on March 31st, believing he will perform miracles.
• Mars Sounds: The Mars Polar Lander mission will deploy a microphone on Mars to record sounds like wind, sandstorms, and thunder.
• Prioritizing Humans: A letter to the editor expresses strong disagreement with spending vast sums on searching for extraterrestrials when human suffering on Earth remains unaddressed.
• Asteroid Threat: Asteroid 1997 XF11, discovered in December 1997, was initially predicted to pass very close to Earth in 2028, posing a potential impact threat. Later updates suggest it will not collide with Earth.

UFO Exhibition in Salem

A three-week UFO exhibition, including local cases, was held at the library in Salem, organized by UFO-Sverige.

Stockholm UFO Association's Spring Program 1998

The Stockholm UFO Association's program for Spring 1998 includes:

• February 10: Annual meeting.
• March 3: Video night with discussion on UFOs.
• February 21 - March 12: UFO-Sverige exhibition in Salem.
• April 25-26: UFO-Sverige national meeting, hosted by Västerbergslagens UFO-förening.
• May 14: Lecture on astronomy by Per Ahlin from Stockholm Folkobservatorium in Solna.
• June 3: End-of-term gathering in Solna, discussing a TV4 UFO program.
• June 6-7: Participation in the Vasasta'n festival in Vasaparken, with a book and magazine stall.

The association is seeking volunteers for the Vasasta'n festival.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently covers UFO sightings, research, and related media, reflecting a strong interest in the phenomenon. It presents a balanced view, including scientific findings, historical cases, and personal accounts, while also acknowledging skepticism and the potential for misinterpretation. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, encouraging public engagement and discussion, as evidenced by the detailed program of events for the Stockholm UFO Association and the inclusion of reader contributions like the letter to the editor.