SUFOG Newsletter No 183-184

Magazine Overview

Title: SUFOG
Issue: 183 / 184
Date: January / February 2006
Publisher: SUFOG (Southampton UFO Group)
Country: UK
Language: English

Editors Corner

The "Editors Corner" by Steve Gerrard reflects on the past two months, wishing readers happiness for the New Year. SUFOG has received good press coverage and more photographs from 'George' in Portsmouth. The magazine is packed with items, with some left out due to space constraints. A new planet, 'Sedna' (technical name '2003 VB12'), has been discovered, raising questions about the number of planets in our solar system. Gerrard also discusses potential changes to the group's structure due to an incident involving an ex-member, and the need for members to take on more responsibility. He lists open positions: Treasurer, Publicist, and Membership Secretary, inviting those interested to come forward with ideas.

Front Cover

The front cover features photographs from the 2002-21st Leeds Conference, organized by UFO Magazine. The images showcase features on Dr. Roger Leir, Graham Birdsall, Stanton T. Friedman, Steve Rider (SUFOG), and Russel Callaghan. The main headline is "LEEDS 2002".

Contents

• The magazine's contents page lists various articles and features, including:
• Editors Corner
• Photographs by 'George'
• Ernie Sears photography in Portsmouth
• Peterborough Today article on GFS Projects Limited
• SUFOG in the NEWS
• UFOs over Hampshire and UK UFO reports
• Newspaper reviews
• Vintage cases and Hampshire sightings
• Magazine reviews
• Mysterious Rods
• World News & UFO Reports
• Hampshire Police spotting UFOs
• Meeting minutes
• "THE PARANORMAL HAS ARRIVED IN SUFOG..." update
• Close encounter in Petersfield
• Ghosts
• My right to Reply by Ernie Sears
• George's Photos
• Letter from Reader

SUFOG Contact Corner & Subscription Details

This section provides contact information for various UFO research groups and organizations worldwide, including UPRI (Ireland), DEGUFO (Germany), Victorian UFO Society (Australia), Junji Numakawa (Japan), Contact International UFO Research (UK), Magonia (UK), Gary Heseltine (UFO Monthly.Com, UK), Omar Fowler (UK), and A.J. Gevaerd (Revista UFO, Brazil). Subscription details for the SUFOG newsletter are also provided, with UK membership rates for single, joint, and family options, noting it consists of no less than 12 double-sided A4 pages and is published bi-monthly.

Peterborough Today - 18th January 2006: Invention: Flying Saucer Is Out Of This World

This article reports on GFS Projects Limited in Peterborough, which has been developing realistic flying saucers for six years. The company, standing for Geoff's Flying Saucer, has attracted the attention of secretive US defence officials. Geoff Hatton, the company's founder, expressed pleasure at the recognition. The meeting with US officials was exploratory, and Hatton was impressed by their reaction. The article mentions that the saucers can take off vertically, fly, hover, and land, and are powered by batteries, with potential for internal combustion engines in larger versions. The company has received a £43,000 SMART grant and equity funding. Shane Miller, the youngest team member, expressed awe at the saucers. The company is exploring marketing the saucers for various uses, including toys, mountain rescues, and land mine detection.

SUFOG in the NEWS

The News - Wednesday, January 4, 2006: UFO-spotter thinks Spinnaker Tower has become an alien tourist spot

Ernie Sears, an 81-year-old UFO spotter and head of the Southampton UFO Group, believes the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth may be attracting alien curiosity. He described a "cigar shape, rounded at both ends, glowing and has several black globes around it" that remained in the sky for a few minutes. The article notes this is the second UFO sighting in the area reported by The News, following a report in September about Martin Pragnell capturing a strange object. Sears stated there have been about eight or nine UFO sightings over Portsmouth Harbour in recent months, a significant rise.

The Weekly News - January 21, 2006: Ernie Tells of His Close Encounter with Little Blue Creatures on Board UFO

This feature details Ernie Sears's alleged abduction experience. He claims to have witnessed a dozen unexplained sightings and an alleged military cover-up. His first UFO sighting was in 1960 in Gosport, where he saw a shining object that disappeared when air force jets approached. The authorities denied seeing any jets or object. Seventeen years later, he saw a triangle of light. A year after that, a black object with lights hovered over him, and a light flashed down, leading to a perceived experience of being in the solar system. He recalls seeing "little, blue aliens that were quite tubby creatures" and a grey alien with big eyes. He has a scar on his wrist and remembers a vision of hybrid alien humans growing in tanks. Sears believes there is a great, big, awesome situation in advance of humanity spiritually and scientifically.

UFO'S Over Hampshire... (Isle of Wight 1950 - 2002) (Part 7)

• This section lists several UFO sightings from Hampshire:
• October 12th, 1996 (05:30 AM, Shanklin): Female witness observed a glowing orange light.
• October 12th, 1996 (21:30 HRS, Godshill): Female and child witnessed a metallic object moving across the road, oval-shaped with no light or sound.
• October 13th, 1996 (06:30 AM, Newport, Shanklin & Ryde): Three independent witnesses saw a bright pulsating light travelling west to east, moving to a higher altitude to overtake planes, with aircraft seen circling the area.
• October 16th, 1996 (04:00 HRS, Horsebridge Hill, Newport): Male witness saw a pulsating light travelling west, which stopped, flashed, then headed northwest, changing into a kite shape of lights. Another set of lights in the same formation was seen travelling in the opposite direction.

UK UFO Reports

• The Huddersfield Daily Examiner - December 15th, 2005: A Crosland Moor woman, Teresa Millward, captured images of a strange object above Huddersfield. She described it as strange, slow-moving, shaped like a triangle, and moving sideways. She photographed it with a digital camera and recorded its movements on video.

BBC News - 27 December 2005: UFO Enthusiasts Gather In Forest

Over 100 people gathered in a Suffolk forest to mark 25 years since a famous UFO sighting in Rendlesham Forest (December 26-27, 1980). US servicemen reported mysterious lights, including a glowing metallic triangle and a hovering object with red and blue lights. Brenda Butler believes the sightings were real. Kevin Conde, a former US security policeman, claimed he and another airman created the lights as a prank using patrol car lights. However, some witnesses, like US Air Force Sergeant John Burroughs, do not believe it was patrol car lights, stating the technology was beyond anything they had seen.

The Lincolnshire Echo: 05 January 2006: Are Aliens Watching Us?

Residents in Lincolnshire reported seeing alien spaceships hovering over the county on December 30 and 31. Two groups of people saw glowing objects that disappeared silently. No official radar records exist for these dates as RAF Waddington's air traffic control centre was closed. Lincolnshire Police received no reports. Beth Clarkson is convinced she saw a UFO.

SUFOG (PAGE 10)

This page continues the Lincolnshire UFO reports. A witness described an orange cone-shaped object burning in the sky that hovered and headed towards Waddington. Another witness described a "plate with a flame on it" moving at about 20mph. Freedom of Information Act requests revealed six unidentified flying objects reported in Lincolnshire over the past five years, including objects shaped like triangles, torpedoes, or cylinders, described as "glowing" or "lights." These objects were reported to hover, move silently, race across the sky, and spin. One report mentions a "glowing object" appearing over a house in Gonerby, Grantham, causing it to shake and a power cut. MoD records noted the caller saw what looked like a missile moving very fast, and believed it could not have been an aircraft as it had no wings. RAF reported no flights in the area at the time.

SUFOG Diary - 2006

The diary outlines monthly themes for SUFOG meetings throughout 2006, including "Rods," "Paranormal Evening: Hampshire Ghosts," "Real UFOs and UFOs, Lies and the Cold War," "Crop Circles," "The Russian Roswell," and "Alien Implants." Meetings are held at the CIU Club, Victoria Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a £3.00 charge to cover room hire. Attendees are advised to contact the editor to confirm meeting details due to potential cancellations or changes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SUFOG magazine are UFO sightings, alleged alien encounters, and the investigation of paranormal phenomena. The magazine actively reports on sightings from various UK locations, features personal accounts of abductions and close encounters, and discusses potential government cover-ups and the scientific community's response to these events. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry and a willingness to explore unexplained phenomena, encouraging reader participation and discussion. There is a clear focus on documenting and disseminating information related to UFOlogy and the broader paranormal field.

SUFOG, Page 11, is a section of a magazine that focuses on UFO and paranormal news, presented through newspaper reviews by Ernie Sears. The content is primarily English and appears to be from the UK.

Newspaper Reviews by Ernie Sears

Ernie Sears provides a critical overview of recent media coverage concerning UFOs. He notes that the Portsmouth News ran a headlined item about him being a 'UFO spotter' attracted to the Spinnaker as a tourist attraction, though the original article was misplaced. He also highlights the Weekly News for a front-page feature based on a sixty-minute phone interview, accurately detailing his experiences with alleged abductions and lost time intervals, though it conflated events from January 1978.

Sears also mentions a call from Ellie Tennent of 'VISTA', a newspaper for the Landscape Institute, who wanted to do a short item on Portsmouth UFO sightings. Tennent had seen a similar article in 'The Metro', and Sears found the 'VISTA' article to be a 'journalistic licence'.

The London 'Metro' Underground Newspaper

An article from January 19th, 2006, titled 'Aliens 'visiting millennium tower'', reports on sightings of alien craft over the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, attracting UFO watchers and residents who claim to have seen a cigar-shaped flashing object. UFO spotters believe the 170m building is attracting alien attention.

The Guardian (The) - 6th February

This review discusses a story about Barney Broom, a screenwriter, who discovered a 30cm (12 inch) figure of a baby alien in his attic, stored in a pungent liquid with a US serial number on its foot. The figure resembles aliens depicted in a hoax film of the Roswell incident. The discovery was made in an old toffee jar wrapped in a copy of the Daily Mirror from October 1947, the same year as the Roswell incident. Professor Adam Roberts, an expert in science fiction literature, examined the figure and suggested it could have a military component, while the US Air Force stated they do not make such models and called it a hoax. The figure was found near two large US air bases.

Hampshire Sightings

A personal account describes a sighting in late July or early August 1967, when the narrator, aged 10, along with his sister and mother, observed a silver disk hovering in the sky near Chandlers Ford, about 10 miles from Southampton. The disk descended and landed in a wooded area. The narrator then saw the craft, described as a silver disk, hovering about 10 feet off the ground. After it ascended and disappeared, a round crop circle, about 40 feet across, was discovered in the field.

UFO DATA Report No 1

This review covers the January/February issue of UFO DATA, featuring a 'Flying Triangle' on its cover. The magazine, available in print or online, includes articles on 'Future Wars fought in space', 'NASA's Fallen Star', a tribute to Walter Haut, 'The Stuff of Legends', and 'Rendelsham'. It also mentions Steve Gerrard as a speaker at the Probe International UK conference.

OVNI (Journal of the Phenomena Research Association)

This review discusses the January/February issue of OVNI, highlighting news of UFO activity in Nottinghamshire and dramatic photos of John Hanson's Rendlesham expedition. It also reports on sightings such as mysterious lights over Hucknall, a flying triangle over Marlborough, and an unearthly encounter in Mablethorpe involving a flashing electric blue sphere. The issue also covers 'Unknown apes' investigated by a US NAVY 'SEAL' unit in the Congo and an article titled 'Are aliens Amongst Us?'

UFO monthly.com

This review praises UFO monthly.com for its coverage, including a plug for SUFOG and a photo by 'George' illustrating Portsmouth Harbour UFOs. It mentions articles on 'The Disney Connection', an obituary of Roswell's Walter Haut, Rendelsham Forest, an interview with ex Deputy Prime Minister Paul Hellyer supporting UFOs, and a review of UFO images from 2005. It also highlights Portsmouth Harbour again and rounds up UFO news from the web.

SUFOG (PAGE 15) - UFO Magazine & PARANORMAL

This section reviews 'UFO Magazine' (Oct/Nov 2005 issue), noting its glossy production and content including publisher's notes, letters, conference wrap-ups, and reviews of various books and films. It also discusses 'PARANORMAL', a monthly glossy magazine that started with a small UFO section. The January issue of PARANORMAL featured an article by Hilary Porter titled 'Alien Invaders', detailing strange incidents at Marconi Space and Defence in the mid-seventies, including a missing security guard, a black MOD limousine, and a security guard who claimed to have seen a grey suited 'alien' rifling through documents, leading to psychiatric treatment.

AWARENESS pocket magazine

This review covers the October 2005 issue of AWARENESS, the Journal of the Contact International UFO Research organisation. It includes articles on UFOs from East Anglia, a crop circle report, and a personal account of paranormal proof. The review mentions that SUFOG has supported their conferences and that Geoff Ambler, the editor, received photos from SUFOG, interpreting a 'cigar shaped object with black globes' as a 'high winged light aircraft'.

THE CLUB NEWSLETTER "the truth seeker"

This section reviews the November issue of the Southend UFO and Paranormal Group's newsletter, which includes topics like Conspiracies, Disclosure Project, and Alternative Fuels. It mentions a UFO found on a 17th Century French coin, a former Canadian Defence Minister speaking out on UFOs, and an alleged entity photographed near a Mexican Power Station.

Mystery ROD's

This section addresses reader inquiries about 'ROD's', described as mysterious 'Things' that appear in America. Three pictures are presented, showing a solid body with a thin rippling 'wing'. They are described as elusive creatures that have been observed since the late 1990s. Images are shown of parachutists encountering ROD's, which appear to be faster than birds chasing them. A website, www.roswellrods.com, is provided for more information.

SUFOG (PAGE 17) - World News & UFO Reports

This section reports on the death of Lt. Walter Haut, spokesman who announced the wreckage of a flying saucer in Roswell in 1947. He died at 83. The article details his role in issuing the news release and his continued belief in UFOs. It also mentions his co-founding of The International UFO Museum. The section also includes a report from Argentina about a bus being stopped due to the presence of a flying saucer on the road, with a passenger describing an enormous light and a cone-shaped object.

SUFOG (PAGE 18) - China Strange Craft Causes Near Miss

This report from China details an incident where six Chinese Air Force pilots witnessed a large unidentified aircraft formation flying towards them, resulting in a near mid-air collision. Air traffic control radar could not detect the formation. The deputy team lead described the experience of seeing the formation appear suddenly. Separately, a Taiwanese company is investing $20 million to build a UFO research base in Guizhou, China, following reports of alien visits in 1994 and mysterious phenomena like trees falling and objects being moved.

SUFOG (PAGE 19) - X-Files Revealed: MoD Has UFO Log

This section reveals that spooked residents have reported mysterious UFOs in Harborough and Lutterworth, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) logging these sightings. A large black triangular aircraft with three bright lights was spotted above Harborough in January 2004. The MoD documents, disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, show that the MoD recorded nine separate incidents in Harborough in 1996-1997 and three more in 2000. A witness also spotted a UFO with flashing lights in Lutterworth in 2004. An enthusiast noted that most UFO reports have rational explanations, but some do not.

SUFOG (PAGE 20) - ICBERKSHIRE - UK

This section reports on alien alerts in Bracknell, UK. Residents in Priestwood reported seeing a jet black spherical object with four claws. Julie Kendall described seeing a dark solid object hovering. Her father, Terry Walters, had previously claimed to be abducted by aliens, which he believed cured his bad back. A neighbour shared similar thoughts, noting that many people were looking up, indicating they were witnessing the same phenomenon.

Minutes for the meeting - December 2005 and January 2006

The minutes detail the SUFOG group's Christmas party, which was poorly attended but enjoyable. The December meeting had usual video and food. The January 2006 meeting included an update on membership numbers (41 as of December 2005) and the upcoming launch of a new DVD Library. Bill and Ferne visited from America and brought a new DVD, but it could not be played. The meeting concluded with a general discussion, including George's photos.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SUFOG are UFO sightings, newspaper reviews of UFO-related news, and personal accounts of alleged encounters. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, presenting various reports and perspectives, while also acknowledging skepticism and the possibility of hoaxes or misidentifications. There is a clear focus on UK-based sightings but also includes international reports. The magazine seems to encourage reader participation and discussion, as evidenced by the mention of membership forms and the review of other UFO publications.

SUFOG, Page 21-26, presents a collection of articles and reports on paranormal phenomena, UFO sightings, and related topics. The issue features a striking cover with an alien illustration and the headline 'THE PARANORMAL HAS ARRIVED IN SUFOG...', listing key themes such as Supernatural, Unexplained, Flying Saucers, Open Minded, and Ghosts.

Close Encounter of the Hairy Kind in Petersfield

A significant report details a close encounter experienced by Cameron Lawther in Petersfield in March 2005. While walking home from school, he heard a strange screeching sound and then saw a peculiar monkey-like creature on a mud bank. The creature was described as fur-less, with completely visible skin, and possessing bizarre, large fangs at least 2-2.5 inches long. The witness ran home in fright after the creature stared at him with beady eyes. The source of this report is cited as Cryptozoology.com.

SUFOG Members' Activities and Investigations

The magazine highlights the activities of SUFOG members Ferne and Bill Coombes, who live in the USA for part of the year and are involved in UFO research and investigations. Bill is noted for hosting a 'café UFO' and being active in radio and sky watches. In the UK, they are based in Christchurch, Dorset, and engage in crop circle visits, explore haunted locations, and research orbs. Ferne is responsible for much of the filming, including orbs in their lounge and over the roof in 2005. The issue also features photos taken at the 'spooky' Chislehurst Caves in Surrey, known for alleged paranormal activity and black magic cults, where Ferne and Bill had an excursion in 2005.

Another account describes an experience at ST Nectans Glen in Cornwall, where Bill attempted to encourage orbs to appear, with success. Several photos are mentioned, showing orbs and a 'Love flashing lights and music' phenomenon. A 'UFO' type object was also photographed in 2004 by two members while sky watching in a crop circle at Avebury Trusslow.

Personal Reflections and Paranormal Anecdotes

Ernie Sears, SUFOG's Public Relations Officer, contributes a 'My Right to Reply' section addressing comments made by 'Steve G' about a BBC SOUTH TODAY program. Sears clarifies his identity and defends the program and the Southern UFO Group, stating he received six enquiries from various locations. He recounts a story about a chocolate birthday cake that mysteriously crashed in his kitchen, which he attributes to a friendly protest from his late father.

George, a photographer associated with SUFOG, shares his experiences, including an earlier UFO sighting in 2000 while on a ship near Eastbourne, where a dark object caused the town lights to go out. He also recalls wartime and post-war encounters from his time in an Observer Corps lookout post. George believes the 'weird' objects he photographs are from another dimension or parallel world, and that 'they' are here to observe humanity's global situation of greed and violence.

A reader's letter discusses UFOs disappearing into clouds, suggesting they might be 'cloaked' and that disc-shaped clouds could be disguised UFOs. The reader speculates about the advanced technology employed.

Late Magazine Review: UPRI Newsletter

The issue includes a review of the UPRI Newsletter from November 4, 2005, produced by UFO & Paranormal Research Ireland. This newsletter is packed with newspaper cuttings covering UFOs and the paranormal, including a report of an Unidentified Falling Object baffling locals in South Wicklow. The Department of Defence stated the object was not related to them, and the local coastal unit found it strange. The review also mentions other articles on vampires, the Jesus shroud, haunted castles, and alien earths, describing the newsletter as a 'great read'.

SECRETS OF UFOS DVD Series Promotion

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to promoting a 4-disc DVD collector's series titled 'SECRETS OF UFOS'. Each disc, approximately 50 minutes long and priced at $9.98, explores different aspects of UFO phenomena. The series includes:

• AREA 51 BASE: Investigates the mysterious complex, its alleged connection to confiscated UFOs, and claims of an alien UFO engine.
• ROSWELL UFO CRASH: Details the events of the 1947 crash, government cover-ups, eyewitness intimidation, and the seeding of alien technology into the industrial complex by Colonel Philip Corso.
• KECKSBURG UFO CRASH: Examines the 1965 crash, eyewitness accounts of a copper-colored, acorn-shaped object, and the military's swift recovery of the object.
• FIELDS OF MYSTERY: Focuses on crop circles, exploring their scientific investigation, how they appear, cellular changes in crops, strange lights, and the possibility of them being messages from an alien civilization.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SUFOG revolve around unexplained aerial phenomena (UFOs), paranormal encounters, cryptid sightings, and ghostly activity. There is a strong emphasis on personal experiences, eyewitness accounts, and investigative efforts by group members. The magazine appears to adopt an open-minded stance, encouraging readers to consider various possibilities and evidence, while also acknowledging skepticism. The promotion of the 'SECRETS OF UFOS' DVD series suggests an interest in historical UFO events and government cover-ups. The editorial stance seems to be one of exploration and sharing of unusual phenomena, encouraging reader participation and discussion.