SUFOG Newsletter No 050

Magazine Overview

This document is the 50th edition of the Southampton UFO Group Newsletter, dated December 1994. It is a comprehensive compilation of UFO-related news, media reviews, and personal accounts, reflecting the group's ongoing interest in the subject.

Editorial

The editorial expresses gratitude to readers for their support over the past four years, acknowledging the 50th edition as a significant milestone. The editor apologizes for any missed Christmas cards and thanks readers who sent them. The editorial highlights the active media landscape concerning UFOs in 1994, mentioning programs like 'Roswell the Movie', 'Sightings', 'Horizon', 'The X-Files', and 'Strange But True'. A disappointment noted is the non-showing of a scheduled UFO program on 18th October. The editor also points out 'rifts' within the UFO community in 1994. Looking ahead to 1995, the editor expresses anticipation for the upcoming UFO conference, for which ticket sales are steadily rising, and mentions BUFORA's conference in Sheffield. The editorial concludes with a hopeful note for 1995, suggesting it might be the year for answers and potential contact with extraterrestrial intelligence.

Media Review: What the Media Had to Say in October 1993

This section provides a detailed listing of newspaper and magazine articles related to UFOs published in October 1993. The articles are categorized into Crop Circle Articles, Local Articles, Magazine Articles, National Articles, and Regional Articles.

Crop Circle Articles:

• 11.10.93: EAST GRINSTEAD COURIER - 'EXPERTS BAFFLED BY LOCAL CROP CIRCLE.'

Local Articles:

• 4.10.93: PORTSMOUTH NEWS - 'PRIVATE EYES ON ASTRAL HAPPENINGS.'
• 8.10.93: ANDOVER ADVERTISER - 'UFO WATCH'S FLASH SIGHTINGS.'

Magazine Articles:

• 00.10.93: COACH TOURS (UK) - 'UFO WEEKEND COURSE.'
• 29.10.93: THE OLDIE - 'UFO ABDUCTIONS & THE END OF INNOCENCE.'

National Articles:

• 12.10.93: DAILY STAR - 'ALIEN UFO IS A VAUXHALL.'
• 30.10.93: DAILY MAIL - 'WILL WE EVER SOLVE THE LAST OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST ENIGMAS.' (BOOK REVIEW)

Regional Articles:

This section lists a multitude of regional articles from various newspapers, covering a wide range of UFO-related topics, including UFO clubs, sightings, investigations, and theories. Examples include:

• EXETER EXPRESSS & ECHO: 'UFO CLUB.'
• WORKSOP GUARDIAN: 'I BELIEVE IN UFO'S NOW.'
• MATLOCK MERCURY: 'FLYING SAUCER SIGHTINGS OVER TOWN CENTRE.'
• DURSLEY GAZETTE: 'LOOK AT BRITISH FLYING SAUCER BUREAU.' and 'ARE UFO'S A BIG COVER UP?'
• SOMERSET GUARDIAN: 'VALLEY OF UFO'S.'
• ADSCENE (KENT): 'DID YOU SEE CITY'S UFO?'
• MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS: 'RINGWAY LIFTS CLOUD ON UFO RIDDLE.'
• ASHBOURNE NEWS TELEGRAPH: 'CLOSE ENCOUNTER SCARES UFO WITNESSES.'
• ADSCENE (KENT): 'UFO'S ? WHITEHALL HAS A FORM FOR EVERYTHING.'
• EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES: 'THE NIGHT THAT ROS CAME FACE TO FACE WITH A CREATURE FROM THE UNKNOWN.'
• WARMINSTER JOURNAL: 'NEW AGE GROUP BACK IN WARMINSTER.'
• PETERBROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'UFO'S WERE SATELLITES CLAIMS EXPERT.'
• SOUTH WALES ECHO: 'ALIENS SEARCH BY EXPERT LEE.'
• BRISTOL OBSERVER: 'WAS IT A LASER, WAS IT VENUS, OR WAS IT A FLYING SAUCER?'
• COULSDON & PURLEY ADVERTISER: 'TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH OR DISMISS UFO'S AS PIE IN THE SKY.'
• NORTHANTS EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE......'
• SHROPSHIRE STAR: 'SLEEPERS.'

Further regional articles from October and November 1993 are listed, including:

• WESTERN MORNING NEWS: 'THE SUNS HAVE GOT THEIR HATS ON.'
• LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'FILM-MAKER WILL FLY FROM CANADA TO SCREEN UFO's.'
• LUTON NEWS: 'MUM CAUSES A STIR WITH HER CLAIM OF SIGHTING A UFO.'
• FALKIRK ADVERTISER: 'UFO NIGHT.'
• LUTON LEADER: 'IS IT A PLANE ? IS IT A BIRD ? IT'S A UFO ?.'
• WEST ESSEX GAZETTE: 'ENCOUNTERS OF THE NOT-SO-CLOSE KIND.'
• HINCKLEY TIMES: 'CLOSER ENCOUNTERS FOR UFO'S.'
• ADSCENE (KENT): 'UFO SEEN IN KENT.'
• ACCRINGTON OBSERVER: 'ALIEN BEINGS TO BREEZE IN.'
• SOMERSET STANDARD: 'UFO MIX-UP.'
• SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'FAMILY SEES STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT.'
• NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST: 'TRIANGLE IN THE SKY PLEA.'
• METRO NEWS (BIRMINGHAM): 'SIGHTING TO BE EXPLAINED.'
• EASTERN EVENING NEWS: 'BOOK CHOICE.'
• MID SUSSEX TIMES: 'YOUNGSTERS UFO SIGHTING.'
• LYNN NEWS & ADVERTISER: 'MORE SIGHTINGS OF LIGHTS IN THE SKY.'
• WORKSOP GUARDIAN: 'UFO IS SEEN AT LANGOLD.'
• ADSCENE (KENT): 'HOVERING LIGHT ABOVE ROOFTOPS OF OUR ESTATE.'
• BARKING YELLOW ADVERTISER: 'FLYING SAUCERS ARE ABOVE US.'
• SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'EXPERTS PUZZLED BY UFO SIGHTINGS.'
• SHEFFIELD STAR: 'UFO'S DRAMA FOR FAMILY.'
• LYNN NEWS & ADVERTISER: 'LIGHTS IN THE SKY - WE SAW THEM TOO.'
• WESTERN DAILY PRESS: 'CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE FRIENDLY KIND.'
• KETTERING EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'TAXI DRIVER SPOTS 'UFO'S'.'
• WESTERN EVENING HERALD: 'LIGHTS FANTASTIC.'
• DUNSTABLE GAZETTE: 'MYSTERY OF UFO SIGHTING.'
• DUNSTABLE LEADER: 'WOMAN REPORTS SEEING UFO OVER THE TOWN.'
• KETTERING EVENING TELEGRAPH: 'ANOTHER TWO SAW THE 'UFO'.'
• LUTON LEADER: 'WOMAN REPORTS SEEING UFO OVER THE TOWN.'
• BRISTOL JOURNAL: 'FIRST UFO GROUP IS 40.'
• KEIGHLEY NEWS: 'MAYBE EVEN ALIENS NEED HELP WITH THEIR TAX RETURNS.'
• KENT & ESSEX COURIER: 'UFO BUFFS LAND FOR CONFERENCE.'
• EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS: ''SON OF UFO' APPEARS TO START NEW MYSTERY.'
• WORKSOP GUARDIAN: 'ARE LITTLE GREEN MEN INVADING BASSETTLAW ?'
• COLCHESTER YELLOW ADVERTISER: 'BUSY SKIES BOOST FOR UFO GROUP.'
• WORKSOP GUARDIAN: 'KEEP LOOKING TO THE SKIES.'
• WORKSOP GUARDIAN: 'UFO INVESTIGATORS MOVE INTO LANGOLD.'
• ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS: 'UFO MYSTERY.'
• BRIGHTON EVENING ARGUS: 'UFO WEEKEND.'

Newspaper Unknown: UFO MANIA

• 20.10.93: A mention of 'UFO MANIA'.

Press Cutting Collection

The editor maintains a monthly running total of press cuttings. The current collection includes:

• Crop Circles: 804
• UK Nationals: 984
• UK Regionals: 3256
• Hampshire Articles: 97
• Newspaper Unknown: 657
• Magazine Articles: 274
• Rest of the World: 59
• Southampton Echo: 395
• The Times: 142
• American Articles: 569
• Bermuda Triangle: 3
• Bigfoot: 4
• Philadelphia Experiment: 1
• Cattle Mutilations: 13
• Stealth Fighter/Bomber: 5
• Faces on Mars: 3
• Mystery Cats: 17
• Aurora Project: 3
• Search for ET: 2
• Loch Ness Monster: 2

Total: 7317

Press/TV/Radio Matters (15.11.94 - 15.12.94)

This section reviews recent media coverage.

Press:

• Independent (The) - 17.11.94: 'BRAIN POWER MAY INSPIRE 'ALIEN KIDNAPS'.' This article discusses Dr. Susan Blackmore's research at the University of Sudbury, Ontario, attempting to recreate alien abductions in a laboratory to explain the rise in reported 'extra-terrestrial kidnappings'. Her experiment was to be featured on the Horizon program.
• Daily Telegraph - 17.11.94: 'UFO ABDUCTIONS ALL IN THE MIND.' This article also focuses on Dr. Susan Blackmore's New Scientist magazine article and the Horizon program.
• Independent On Sunday - 20.11.94: 'ILLEGAL ALIENS.' The Swiss government has turned down an application to build an embassy for 'elohim' (small visitors from outer space), stating that diplomatic status cannot be discussed until they have landed and been recognized. The Geneva-based Rael movement, which requested the embassy, believes life on Earth was created by the elohim.

News Of The World - 20.11.94: 'PROFESSOR WHO BELIEVES IN ALIENS.' This article interviews Dr. John E. Mack, who has interviewed 100 people claiming alien encounters, including stories of alien abductions.

Southampton Evening Echo - 29.11.94: 'CHECKING FOR SPACE INVADERS.' This reviews the Horizon program presented by Dr. Susan Blackmore on the alien abduction phenomenon, concluding with 'slim evidence at the moment'.

The Observer - 4.12.94: 'DYING FOR AN AMERICAN DREAMLAND.' This article discusses 'Dreamland' (Area 51 in Nevada) and a lawyer, Jonathan Turley, filing a motion to compel the US government to reveal what is at the base, claiming workers are suffering from lethal diseases due to 'Black Programmes'.

The People - 11.12.94: ''ALIENS WANT MY BABY' PROBE BY MOD.' According to Eric Morris, director of the British UFO Studies Centre, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is to investigate evidence concerning people claiming to have been kidnapped by aliens.

Television

• Schofields Quest - 20.11.94: A five-minute segment featured Philip Mantle discussing people claiming to have seen strange lights over the Yorkshire Moors. The reviewer found it a waste of time.
• Horizon - 28.11.94: This program featured Dr. Susan Blackmore researching abduction phenomena in America. The reviewer felt the program was tongue-in-cheek and questioned why the research couldn't be done in the UK, despite Dr. Blackmore appearing to consider the phenomenon's reality.
• Strange But True - 9.12.94: This program provided a fascinating look at the Rendlesham Forest UFO encounter in December 1980, featuring interviews with witnesses and the base commander, Colonel Charles Halt. It was considered the best program in the series.
• BBC 2 - 17.12.94: A 4-hour special on 'The Weird And Not So Weird' included a Fortean Review of the year, UFO segments caught on camcorder, an edition of 'The X-Files', and a 40-minute paranormal debate featuring Jenny Randles. The reviewer recommended it and noted a video copy was available.

Magazine Reviews

1. AXMINSTER LIGHT CENTRE - WINTER 94: Reviews an article on Arthur Shuttlewood, the Warminster Experience, and UFOs in the UK.
2. OVNI - Nov & Dec 94: Covers mysterious flying triangles and a lecture by David Icke, as well as UFOs and television media, and reports from Sweden.
3. S.P.I (Portsmouth) U.F.O Monthly - No 12 94: Continues the Roswell story and discusses flying objects over Southampton and Cocking (Sussex).
4. GLOBAL NETWORK NEWS LETTER - No 1 Nov 94: Contains press cuttings, sightings in Hampshire, and reports on British abductions.
5. PEGASUS - No 3 1995: Edited by Gordon Millington, this edition looks at the Abduction Experience, including accounts of alien abductions and a case involving a teenager abducted by Greys.

Southampton Evening Echo - 20.12.94: 'WE WATCHED AS A FLYING SAUCER WENT ZOOMING OVER THE DOCKS'

This article details a sighting by Gillian Hunt of a strange spinning black disc hovering over Southampton. Her daughter, Sarah Macdonald, also witnessed it. The object oscillated and disappeared towards the docks. Mrs. Hunt, initially skeptical, now believes in keeping an open mind. This sighting is noted as the latest in a series over the city, though most have been strange lights. Another report from a week prior mentions teenager Katherine Hewitt seeing seven oval lights. UFO expert Paul Fuller called the latest sighting 'intriguing' and noted the unusualness of two sightings in the same area, as police had received no other reports of mystery lights.

Southampton Evening Advertiser - 12.94: GHOSTLY GATHERINGS !

This section announces the re-start of 'ghostly gatherings' in Southampton following a successful meeting of the Psychic and Paranormal Studies Group. Marlene Norris, a founder member, is organizing meetings to discuss vigils and paranormal activity, including UFOs. She is also writing a book on authentic ghosts of South Hampshire.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this newsletter are UFO sightings, media analysis of UFO phenomena, alien abductions, and the broader landscape of ufology. The editorial stance is one of open-minded inquiry, acknowledging the public's fascination with UFOs and encouraging continued investigation and discussion. The newsletter actively promotes upcoming events and provides extensive documentation of media coverage, suggesting a commitment to informing its readership about the latest developments in the field.

This document appears to be a collection of reviews and announcements related to UFO phenomena, likely from a publication titled 'UFO HOTLINE'. The content spans several entries, numbered 6 through 9, and includes a 'Stop Press' section and details for a UFO conference. The primary focus is on reviewing various UFO-related magazines and journals from 1994, offering insights into their content and providing contact information for subscriptions.

Magazine Reviews

6. LONDON UFO STUDIES : SKYLINK : No 9 1994
This magazine is highly recommended for its value. It features a newly formatted issue with updates on Wiltshire's 1994 crop circles, crop circle photographs, descriptions of typical Grey species, and sightings from Alton Barnes and LUFOS (Somerset). The subscription costs £10 per year for four issues. Contact: Roy Lake, 10A Tudor Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 9RX.

7. HEARTLAND UFO JOURNAL : No 30 September 94
Formerly 'Amateur Ufology News', this American journal contains significant information. The current edition explores the possibility of alien deification, a holiday camper encounter, the Springfield Conference 94, and 1969 sightings. Contact: Heartland UFO Journal, PO BOX 440, Lockwood, MO. 65682.

8. AWARENESS (JOURNAL OF CONTACT INTERNATIONAL (UK)). Vol 20 No 1 1994
This issue examines new energy life forms, Silbury Hill CE3, a 1994 crop circle report, 'Roswell - The Final Reckoning', 'The First Real UFO Crash', 'The Gatwick (Airport) Files', and the 1993 UFO Crash. Contact: Awareness, 11 Ouseley Close, New Marston, Oxford, OX3 OJS.

9. IUFOPRA JOURNAL Vol 3 No5 Nov/Dec 94
This magazine is considered essential for ufologists. Its contents include 'The Androgynous Factor', 'The Bible & UFOs Part 2', 'The Great UN Abduction', and 'News Views Roundup'. Details from: IUFOPRA, PO BOX 3070, Whitehall, Dublin 9, Ireland.

9. PROMISES & DISAPPOINTMENTS : No 1 1994
This is a new venture by Kevin McClure (known for 'Alien Scripture' and 'The Wild Places'). It covers topics such as the curse of space mummies, conspiracy theories, book reviews, 'Demons Doctors and Aliens', and news from the front (magazine reviews). Contact: Kevin McClure, 42, Victoria Rd, Mount Charles, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 4QD.

10. CENAP REPORT : No 218 1994
This report from Germany is considered well worth reading, especially for those who can read German. It includes recent sightings and television transmissions. Contact: Werner Walter, Eisenhower Weg 18, 68309 Manheim, Germany.

Newsletter Subscription Details

The Newsletter consists of no less than 5 double-sided A4 pages. It includes news-cuttings and articles of interest to the reader. In the summer months, an extra page is included to cover any crop circle news. The newsletter costs £5 per year (including postage).

GETTING THE BALLANCE RIGHT. (PART 1). G. HARROP.

This section discusses the author's experiences following the Crop Circle Phenomenon throughout the summer of '94. The author notes that while many formations are possible and seen by makers, few are paid attention to by those who return the next year. The author expresses skepticism about the phenomenon, suggesting that formations might be a deception or a joke, and that people either ignore, try to laugh off, or simulate the shapes. The author believes that while many formations visited in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, and Sussex were likely hoaxed, the quality of some suggests improving skills among hoaxers. The author concludes that hoaxing will continue as long as the real phenomenon persists.

STOP PRESS

According to UFO grapevine, an item that was scheduled to be shown on ITV regions on October 18th, 1994, on 'Network First', has been rescheduled to January 10th, 1995. The editor humorously notes that they should not be blamed if it is rearranged again.

1995 ONE DAY UFO CONFERENCE

Details are provided for a UFO conference on April 22nd, 1995, at Warblington Secondary School in Portsmouth, running from 10 AM to 4 PM. Guest speakers include Busty Taylor, Gordon Millington (SIGAP), Roy Lake (London UFO Studies), and Malcolm Terry (Andover Group). For more details, interested parties should contact Steve Gerrard at 25 Weston Grove Road, Woolston, Southampton, Hampshire SO19 9EE.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this document are UFO sightings, crop circles, and the critical analysis of information related to these phenomena. The reviews of magazines suggest a broad coverage of international UFO news and research. The section by G. Harrop expresses a skeptical yet engaged perspective on crop circles, distinguishing between potential genuine phenomena and deliberate hoaxes. The overall stance appears to be one of information dissemination and critical inquiry within the UFO community, encouraging readers to seek out diverse sources and form their own conclusions, while also highlighting upcoming events and publications.