SUFOI Intern - 1999 06

Magazine Overview

Title: SUFOI INTERN
Issue Date: June 1999
Publisher: SUFOI
Country: Denmark
Language: Danish
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of SUFOI Intern, a newsletter for SUFOI's representative body, focuses on organizational challenges and future directions. It includes news, a debate section, and a list of recent UFO observations.

News and Notes

Problems with the Homepage and World Online

An article by Toke Haunstrup details ongoing issues with World Online (formerly Image Scandinavia), the company hosting SUFOI's website. Problems include difficulties in registering 'ufo.dk' as a domain name and periods where the website was inaccessible due to server downtime. Haunstrup notes that communication issues between SUFOI, World Online, and DK Hostmaster may be contributing factors. Despite these challenges, progress is being made towards making 'ufo.dk' the primary web address.

Inventory

Members are reminded to complete their inventory count, which is needed for the annual accounts and should be submitted to Per by approximately July 1, 1999. Representative members should have received the necessary list from Per.

Deadlines

Key deadlines are listed: Next Intern issue on July 10, 1999; UFO-Nyt issue #3/99 on July 23, 1999 (absolute final deadline); and SUFOI Newsletter #5/99 on August 15, 1999.

Contact Information

The editor of Intern is Toke Haunstrup, located at Kristianiagade 10, 2100 Copenhagen Ø. Contact phone number is 35 26 03 13 (extension 947), and email is [email protected].

Debate: SUFOI and the Future

Background

The board (Toke, Flemming, and Peter) discussed the future of SUFOI. Toke Haunstrup has announced his intention to resign as chairman at the representative meeting in September and leave the board entirely by March 2000. He cites a changed perspective on the UFO issue and a need to balance his involvement with other life activities. He feels it's problematic to always be in a 'defensive' position regarding public expectations that UFOs are necessarily alien spacecraft. His personal engagement has diminished, leading him to believe it's best to step down as chairman.

The article notes that SUFOI has historically relied on a small group of dedicated individuals. While many have contributed to information and observation work, the chairman has handled numerous tasks, including media inquiries. Per Andersen is specifically mentioned as having been a very active chairman in recent years.

Discussion Points

The board held a telephone meeting on June 1, 1999, to discuss SUFOI's future, particularly its organizational aspects and the declining subscriber base for UFO-Nyt. They recognize the need to adapt their external messaging to their limited resources, especially for conducting report investigations, which have been a significant part of SUFOI's work.

This debate paper is intended to solicit reactions from representative members before the September meeting. The article urges members to mark September 25-26 in their calendars.

Future Possibilities

Several potential future directions for SUFOI are outlined:

1. Changed Organization and Ambition Level:
* Network Model: SUFOI could function more as a network connecting people, facilitated by the internet, similar to the Skeptiker Forening Danmark.
* Decentralized Structure: Reinstating a structure with area leaders, similar to SUFOI's past organization, could distribute responsibilities.
* No Chairman or Board: A flatter organizational structure without a formal chairman and board might better reflect the reality of having few active members. The relevance of a board overseeing a representative body of only 15-20 members is questioned.
* Spokesperson/Media Contact: In a chairman-less organization, a designated spokesperson or media contact could handle external communications, with inquiries distributed based on expertise (e.g., EO for newspaper clippings) or location (e.g., PN for local observations).
* Reduced Ambitions: Given SUFOI's smaller size, it's suggested to reassess ambitions regarding activities like report work, magazine publication, and website maintenance. The current state of report work is described as particularly weak. This discussion should be linked to SUFOI's overall role in the UFO phenomenon and debate.
* Delegating Intern: It's suggested that if the current structure with a board and representative body is maintained, tasks like producing 'Intern' could be placed outside the board.

2. Cooperation with Other Organizations:
* A radical alternative is cooperation with another related Danish or Scandinavian (Swedish/Norwegian) UFO organization. This could involve joint ventures like publishing a high-quality Scandinavian UFO magazine.

Report Work

Report work is identified as a central activity, crucial for SUFOI's self-understanding and public recognition as the go-to organization for sightings. However, the reality is that only about 4-5 active report takers exist nationwide. This necessitates a re-evaluation of the report work and the role of the AC (Analysis Committee).

• Clearer Communication: SUFOI should be more transparent about what it can realistically offer regarding investigations. It should inform the public that not all reports can be investigated to manage expectations and avoid disappointment for observers and guilt for report takers.
• Shift in AC Role: The AC might evolve into a resource for providing telephone guidance and help in finding explanations, rather than a body that immediately mobilizes extensive resources for field investigations.

Your Thoughts

Readers are encouraged to submit comments and suggestions to the board over the summer. Inputs can be sent via 'Intern', mail, email, or phone calls to board members. The outcome of these discussions will be a discussion paper for the representative meeting.

UFO Observations (May 1-31, 1999)

A table lists UFO observations recorded during May 1999, including:

• Dates: Ranging from May 1 to May 26, 1999, with one entry from 1993/1994 and one from April 30, 1999.
• Locations: Various towns and cities across Denmark, including Haderslev, Copenhagen, Horsens, Svendborg, Nykøbing Mors, Køge, Viborg, Allerød, Kokkedal, Rønne, and Øster Ulslev.
• Durations: From a few seconds to over an hour, with some entries specifying minutes or meters.
• Colors: Reported colors include white, red, blue, green, purple, and yellow.
• Status: Various status codes (B/TH, E, C/TB, B/TH, B, Venus, B/TH) indicate the handling of the report, with 'Homepage' and 'AC/SUS'/'AC/VM' indicating where the report was processed or filed.

Status Codes Explained

A legend explains the meaning of status codes used in the observation table, such as 'A' for Alarm received, 'B' for Message received, 'C' for Forwarded, 'D' for Observer contacted, 'E' for Forms sent, 'F' for Forms received, 'G' for Report recorded, and 'H' for Report sent to Report Central.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue strongly emphasizes organizational introspection and adaptation. The primary themes are the challenges of maintaining an organization with limited resources and volunteer engagement, the need to modernize communication channels (website), and the potential for restructuring SUFOI to better fit current realities. The editorial stance appears to be one of pragmatic realism, acknowledging the declining membership and the need for a more focused and perhaps less ambitious approach to UFO research and public engagement. The call for member input suggests a desire for collective decision-making regarding the organization's future.