SUFOG Newsletter No 035

Magazine Overview

This document is a newsletter from the Southampton UFO Group, issue number 35, dated September 1993. The primary focus of this issue is to compile and present media coverage of UFO and crop circle related topics that appeared in July 1992. The newsletter is organized into sections covering regional newspapers, national newspapers, press cutting collections, crop circle articles, paper unknown articles, magazine articles, general information, and reviews of new magazines.

Regional Newspapers

The newsletter lists numerous articles from regional newspapers dated in July 1992. These articles cover a wide range of topics, from 'PAPERBACKS' and 'CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE COSMIC KIND' to 'WOMAN'S SHOCK UFO SIGHTING' and 'UFO SIGHTED IN VILLAGE'. Some headlines suggest skepticism or explanations, such as 'SEAGULLS GIVE UFO ALERT ?' and 'SPACED OUT', while others are more direct, like 'EXPERT LECTURES ON UFO ENIGMA' and 'CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE UNEXPLAINED'. Several articles mention specific events or claims, including 'THE QUESTION ON EVERYBODY'S LIPS....IS THERE ANYBODY UP THERE ?' and 'UFOS CAME TWICE, CLAIM COUPLE'.

National Newspapers

Articles from national newspapers are also featured, including 'DAILY STAR : THREE MINUTE WONDERS' from July 17, 1992. Two articles from the Sunday Telegraph on July 26, 1992, are titled 'SECRET U.S SPY PLANE IS KINTYRES DARK VISITOR' and 'JAPAN CHOOSES FROM UFO BUFFS AND JEW - HATERS'.

Press Cutting Collection

The organiser, Steve Gerrard, maintains a monthly running total of his press cutting collection. The statistics provided show a significant number of cuttings in various categories: Crop Circles (712), UK Nationals (875), UK Regionals (2433), Hampshire Articles (87), Newspaper Unknown (600), Magazine Articles (219), Rest of the World (56), Southampton Echo (388), Times (The) (135), American Newspapers (508), Bermuda Triangle (2), Bigfoot (4), Philadelphia Experiment (1), Cattle Mutilations (13), Stealth Fighter/Bomber (2), Faces on Mars (2), Mystery Cats (3), Aurora Project (3), Search for ET (2), and Loch Ness Monster (2). The total number of cuttings is 6047.

Crop Circle Articles

This section details numerous articles specifically about crop circles, mostly from July 1992. Titles include 'CIRCLES ROUND AGAIN', 'LORDS OF THE AVANT-GARDE RINGS', and 'CULTIVATING A FIRST CLASS CROP OF FAKES: HOAXERS SHOW EXPERTS HOW IT'S DONE'. Several articles discuss the crop circle hoaxers, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, who claimed to have been making them for 15 years and were giving up due to age. Despite their claims, new patterns continued to appear, with some researchers, like Richard Andrews, believing them to be genuine. Articles also touch upon potential links, such as 'CORN CIRCLE CANCER LINK'.

Paper Unknown

Two articles are listed under 'PAPER UNKNOWN': 'RITA'S HAD A PHENOMENAL SUCCESS RATE' (July 11, 1992) and 'DID THEY COME FROM OUTER SPACE ?' (July 20, 1992).

Magazine Articles

Several magazine articles are highlighted, including 'ELECTRONICS & WIRELESS WORLD: GREAT BALLS OF ELECTRICITY !' (July 1992), 'NATIONAL ENQUIRER : UFO ALIENS ARE PRAYING ON KIDS IN BIG-CITY APARTMENTS' (July 21, 1992), and two articles from 'CHAT' titled 'KIDNAPPED BY ALIENS' and 'I WAS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS' (July 25, 1992).

General Information

This section provides useful addresses, including Southern Paranormal Investigators. It also lists available slides that can be obtained from Quest International. A summary of 'Press/Tv/Radio matters' from August 15 to September 15, 1993, is included.

TV and Radio Reports

On September 3, 1993, ITV's 'Strange But True' program featured the Todmorden area in Yorkshire, known for UFO activity, and discussed the death of Zigmund Adamski and the case of Pc Alan Godfrey. On August 31, 1993, the Discovery Channel aired 'In Advance Of The Landing - A Journey Into The World Of Ufo Watchers'. A news item (date unknown) reported on the Delta Clipper, a new spacecraft designed to replace the Space Shuttle, which took off vertically, hovered, and landed on three legs. It was described as dark grey/black and diamond-shaped with rounded edges. BBC Radio 2 reported on August 24, 1993, the mysterious disappearance of the six billion dollar Mars Observer spacecraft after it appeared to fire its rockets, drawing parallels to the Russian Phobos missions.

Newspapers (Continued)

Further newspaper items are presented. 'The Mail On Sunday' (August 22, 1993) published an article titled 'Has ET Decided To Stay At Home?', which humorously examined UFOs and crop circles. The 'Daily Star' (July 16, 1993) featured pilot accounts of close encounters with 'shiny spaceships'. Captain Graham Shepherd described seeing a 'shiny disc object' moving at high speed, concluding it was 'a flying machine not of this technology, not of this earth'. Captain Paul Coomber reported an encounter with three shiny white spherical objects that disappeared with great acceleration. Jenny Randles of the British UFO Research Association commented on the significance of mid-air encounters being picked up on radar, suggesting something 'definitely there'. Astronomer Peter Andrews dismissed the possibility of interstellar travel due to distance.

Magazine Review

Several magazines are reviewed:

1. Ufo World Journal. NO. 4: Praised for its news, views, interviews, and press cuttings, featuring an article on a landed UFO in Canada in 1991.
2. Ovni...August 93: Reviews the Second International CCCS Conference in Bath and includes crop circle news and an article by Pat Delgado.
3. Skylink. No.5: Described as one of the best magazines, covering UFO reports from London and home counties, and the phenomenon in Puerto Rico.
4. Gloucestershire Earth Mysteries. No. 16: Contains crop circle news and an interview with Peter Morris.
5. Wonderland. No.1 1993: Features an article on the men in black.
6. The Crypto Chronicle. No.1 1993: While not a UFO magazine, it covers Bigfoot and other ape-like creatures.
7. Fortean Times. No.70: Contains small items on UFOs and crop circles, including press reports from Romania and Ireland, and a review of Jim Schnabel's book 'Round In Circles'.

UFO HOTLINE & Second Hand Books

The newsletter provides details for a UFO Hotline with charges for standard and peak rates, and a Bufora Weekly News Update number. It also lists second-hand books for sale: 'The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved' by L. Kusche (£0.50p) and 'Dowsing The Crop Circles' edited by John Michell (£1.50).

Subscription Details

The newsletter consists of at least 4 double-sided A4 pages, including new cuttings. An extra page is added in summer for crop circle news. The annual subscription cost is £5 (including postage).

New Magazine

A new magazine from Bristol UFO Research Group is announced, due out October 1st, with 25+ pages and an unspecified price. It will focus on recent UFO activity in Bristol.

UFO Sighting 31 March 93 OVER SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

This section mentions 'Annals of the Enquiring, Vol 14, No.3 July/Sept 93', which identified a UFO as rocket fragments of Cosmos 2238, launched from the Baykonour Cosmodrome. The editor notes this as another 'ufo sighting bites the dust'.

Southern Paranormal Investigations Group

This group studies crop circles and UFOs, conducting monthly sky watches. Contact details are provided for Mr Bob Schindler.

Future Events

Several upcoming events are listed:

• East Midlands UFO Research Association Meeting: November 24, 1993, at Bullwell Library, Nottingham. Admission £1.00, includes refreshments. Features UFO footage from Gulf Breeze.
• Hereford UFO Research Group Meeting: October 9, 1993, at The Lancaster Public House, Hereford. £2.00 per ticket or £3.00 on the door.
• Six weeks course on the phenomena of ufos: September 21 - October 26, 1993, at Llandrillo college, Llandudno.

Sheffield Conference 1993

The author recounts attending the Sheffield Conference, describing it as an 'Aladins cave of information, memorobelia, books, magazines'. They listened to speakers such as Budd Hopkins, Linda Moulten-Howe, Jenny Randles, and Philip Mantle. The lectures were well-presented, leading to new thoughts and ideas. The author made new friends and had interesting conversations with Cynthia Hind, Paul Fuller, Jenny Randles, and Margaret Fry. While the accommodation and food were excellent, the slide presentations were criticized due to excessive light and the wrong screen being used, attributed to the university's incomplete work. The author hopes to attend the following year.

Crop Circle News (Continued)

Further crop circle news includes an article from the 'Southampton Evening Echo' (August 20, 1993) about the return of crop circles in Hampshire, with new patterns at Cheesefoot Head. Another article from the 'Belfast Telegraph' (August 18, 1993) reports on farmer Alex Patterson in Broughshane, Northern Ireland, who discovered two crop circles in his barley fields, attracting local interest.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently focuses on UFO sightings, crop circles, and media reporting on these phenomena. There is a clear interest in documenting and sharing information related to the unexplained. While some articles and reports suggest skepticism or offer explanations (e.g., hoaxes, misidentifications), the overall tone suggests an open-minded approach to investigating UFOs and related mysteries. The compilation of numerous newspaper and magazine articles indicates a desire to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of how these topics are being presented in the media. The inclusion of events, research groups, and book sales further supports the newsletter's role as a hub for UFO enthusiasts.

This document is a page from a publication titled "SPACE.", identified as page 11. The content is primarily text-based and discusses UFO-related incidents and a humorous anecdote.

Content Summary

The main section of the page is dedicated to a short piece under the heading "SPACE.". It begins with a quote describing people insisting that certain events were caused by a craft from outer space. The speaker recounts an incident where a man called inquiring about the cost of a trip to Mars. The speaker humorously replied, "I told him £15 but warned him it would be a one-way ticket!" The caller eventually hung up when he realized the respondent was joking.

Following this anecdote, there is a brief mention of Mr. Patterson, who has appealed to sight-seers not to trample over his cereal crops. This suggests a potential UFO sighting or related activity that might have attracted visitors to his property.

The page concludes with a report of a past incident: "Two years ago a family living in nearby Cullybackey reported seeing a ufo hovering over their back garden."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is undoubtedly UFOs and potential extraterrestrial contact or phenomena. The tone of the Mars trip anecdote is light-hearted and humorous, suggesting the publication may not always take such reports with utmost seriousness, or at least can find amusement in them. The mention of Mr. Patterson and the Cullybackey sighting points to a focus on reported UFO events, potentially local ones, and the impact they have on the community or individuals.