Synchronicity - 2000 No 5

Magazine Overview

Title: SYNCHRONICITY
Issue: 5
Date: March, 2000
Publisher: Anomalous Phenomena Research Agency (APRA)
Country: United Kingdom

This issue of 'Synchronicity', the newsletter of the Anomalous Phenomena Research Agency (APRA), marks its fifth publication and is dated March 2000. The editorial notes that the publication is appearing later than planned and apologizes for the delay, explaining that the March 2000 date was chosen logically. The newsletter's title, 'Synchronicity', is explained as a recognition of the subtle connections between events that many researchers and experiencers have noted. APRA aims to encourage open discussion and sharing of experiences to foster a greater understanding of the paranormal.

The administration of APRA has seen some changes, including the discontinuation of a telephone hotline in favor of email and snail mail communication. Kate Taylor has moved on to other projects. APRA has also launched a new website, making it easier to access information and back issues in PDF format, along with sighting forms.

Brian P. James, a co-ordinator, has taken on the role of Chairman of BUFORA, a significant development that he sees as a challenge to integrate research across multiple phenomena. APRA is working on liaisons with other research groups in Oxfordshire and beyond to share information and collectively address anomalous phenomena.

The issue highlights recent meetings with researchers and experiencers, including Ernie Sears, Elsie Oakensen, and Gary Harlow. It also mentions new contacts such as Michael White, interested in ghosthunting, and Tim Field, an author on stress and trauma. Jean Bastide has contributed clippings from French newspapers regarding CE2K and CE3K cases, which await translation.

Articles and Features

CETI, SETI & UFOs – The Quest for Contact

This section reviews a talk given by Brian P. James to the Hanney Astronomical Society. The talk covered the work of SETI (Search for ETI), CETI (Communication with ETI), and SCETI (Communication with SENTIENT ETI). James discussed projects like "OZMA", "BIG EAR", "META", "Phoenix", and "SETI@Home", as well as optical efforts such as "Darwin" and "SIM". The talk also touched upon speculations concerning Europa and the Viking missions, and the potential for extraterrestrial life. The discussion extended to CETI, exploring active communication propositions, and CSETI, with examples of CE situations. The review notes that the talk challenged sceptics, quoting Carl Sagan: "Absence of evidence of ETI should not be taken as evidence of absence."

UFO Update

This section presents several recent UFO sighting reports:

• December 29, 1999 - Yorks: A grey trapezoidal object, approximately twenty feet long and six to ten feet high, was observed shooting across a road at high speed, disappearing into the darkness. The witness described it as featureless, like a tilted toblerone packet, with no sound.
• November 1997 - Princes Risborough, Bucks: A formation of ten spherical lights, white/yellow in colour and about 18 inches in diameter, was seen directly overhead in low cloud cover, remaining static for at least 30 minutes.
• December 5, 1999 - Oxford: Two witnesses reported a bright shiny cylindrical object moving swiftly across the sky without a vapour trail.
• October 13, 1999 - Reading: A large black triangle was observed flying from Northwest to Southeast, stopping in the sky for about six minutes.
• January 2000 - Reading: Mark Barton reported seeing orange delta-shaped 'aircraft' moving very fast across the sky.
• December 13, 1999 - Swindon: James Hill observed a bright white light that changed into blue/white lights, similar to a previous sighting, which then changed course by 90° and disappeared.

Flying Triangles Explained?

This article discusses a March issue of 'Aircraft Illustrated' that featured revelations about a delta-planform aircraft seen flown from Groom Lake (Area 51). The article contrasts this with reports of 'real FT UFOs' seen over the years, suggesting that such secret aircraft do not demonstrate the flight characteristics of UFOs, particularly their silent hovering, instantaneous supersonic flight, and right-angle turns. It notes that black projects take many years to be revealed to the public, and that current reports do not explain the observed phenomena.

Astronomy Notes

This section provides astronomical information for May 2000. It highlights the changing positions of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, with Mars overtaking Jupiter around April 6, 2000. It also mentions Venus slipping from morning skies. A planetary alignment predicted for May 5, 2000, is discussed, with a note that a similar alignment on June 30, 1908, preceded the Tunguska event. Charts illustrate planetary positions and the eastern sky alignment.

A Return to Rendlesham Forest

This article recounts a visit by James A. Hill, Kate Taylor, and Brian James to Rendlesham Forest on October 30, 1999. The visit included exploring former military sites like RAF Bentwaters and Orford Ness, areas associated with alleged UFO events. The authors note the industrial development of the former base and the security presence. They visited locations such as the 'flying saucer trail', the site of a missile-like object sighting, and areas where animal carcasses were found dumped. The article also mentions the 'East Gate' and the 'HAS's' (Hardened Aircraft Shelters) at Woodbridge.

Still Going Round in Crop Circles?

This piece speculates on the upcoming 2000 crop circle season. It references the 1999 'Matrix' formation and discusses potential developments, including 3D and possibly 4D representations of patterns. The author expresses skepticism about formations centered on tramlines and proposes a "challenge" to "Circlemakers" to demonstrate their ability to manipulate energies by flattening an entire field while leaving a standing formation.

Big Cat Diary...

This section compiles recent clippings about "Alien Big Cats" (ABC's) in the Thames Valley area of the UK. It includes reports of sightings of large cat-like creatures, such as a "mystery big cat" seen by Annette Bennett in Oxfordshire in January 2000. Other sightings mentioned include a "wildcat" found in East Hagbourne, a "bear" seen in Wytham Woods, and reports from Charlbury, Chadlington, and Stonesfield. The article also references an article in 'The Field' magazine about big cats in the British countryside and discusses the possibility of these animals thriving due to the lack of natural predators in Britain.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of 'Synchronicity' include UFO sightings and related phenomena, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI/CETI), unexplained aerial phenomena (flying triangles), historical anomalous events (Rendlesham Forest), and the mystery of crop circles. There is also a section dedicated to astronomical observations, providing a scientific counterpoint to some of the more speculative content. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into the paranormal and anomalous, encouraging researchers and experiencers to share information and collaborate. The publication aims to foster a greater understanding of these phenomena, acknowledging the complexities and the need for interdisciplinary approaches. The magazine also highlights the importance of local research groups and their role in the wider paranormal community.

Title: Synchronicity
Issue: 5
Issue Date: 2000
Cover Headline: Booms, Deltas and Triangles

This issue of Synchronicity focuses on unexplained aerial phenomena, particularly 'Nocturnal Booms' and sightings of unusual craft, alongside discussions on theoretical propulsion systems and upcoming events.

Nocturnal Booms, Deltas and Triangles

Mark Barton and Brian James discuss the 'Nocturnal Booms' heard in the mid-1970s in South Oxfordshire, which were often associated with sightings of delta and triangle-shaped craft. Barton recounts his personal experience, noting the phenomena began on Monday, October 18th, 1976, with a loud, single boom occurring consistently at 9:20 pm for several weeks. Neighbors also reported hearing the booms, but nothing was ever seen. The booms were described as distinct and localized, not a general rumble, and oddly, not all parts of the village heard them, which ruled out a typical sonic boom.

David Horne's article explores a similar 'mystery noise' in South Oxfordshire, which caused windows to rattle and curtains to shake. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Clayton of Mill Farm, West Hendred, reported hearing these noises sometimes three times a week, always around 9:20 pm. Inquiries at Wantage Police Station revealed similar reports. Mr. Derek Smith, an ex-RAF navigator, identified the rumblings as the shock wave caused by an aircraft flying faster than sound. He suggested it could be the French or English Concorde flying over the English Channel or Bristol Channel, particularly on clear, westerly or south-westerly wind nights.

A spokesman for the British Aircraft Corporation confirmed Concorde flights occurred around that time but stated the evidence was not conclusive. The 'Concorde echo' theory had been advanced for similar bangs in the South-West. However, the article notes that the booms were not a general rumble but came from a specific point in the south-western sky, and that the booms were definitely single and not sonic booms.

Mystery Bang Sets Off Police Search

An article details a loud bang heard at RAF Benson that rattled doors and aroused suspicions of IRA activity. Police searched the airfield after two NCOs were startled by what they thought was an explosion. However, the search yielded nothing, and there were no other reports of explosions in the area. This incident is presented in the context of unexplained bangs.

Personal Account of Booms and UFOs

The author, presumably Mark Barton, describes his attempts to record the booms using a parabolic dish and reel-to-reel tape recorder, but the booms became unpredictable and missed his recording attempts. He notes that similar nocturnal booms, sometimes accompanied by blue flashes, reappeared in the mid-1990s and were speculatively linked to 'Flying Triangle' reports.

The article references Peter Paget's Fountain Journal and research at Bristol University into the cause of these booms. The author expresses skepticism that the booms were 'merely Concorde' over the Atlantic, citing that Concorde no longer flies regularly and military aircraft flying supersonic off the coast do not typically cause such inland booms. The author also mentions reports of booms and rumbles over America related to alleged flights of 'The Aurora' and other similar aircraft. Experimental delta-shaped vehicles, dating back to Northrop's flying-wing designs and German designs from the Horten brothers in the 1930s, are also discussed, including the ill-fated Valkyrie bomber. The article concludes that it remains unknown whether these booms were caused by UFOs or experimental aircraft.

Articles by Jim Rayner

Oddities

Jim Rayner discusses the concept of UFOs as part of a broader category of unexplained phenomena, including ghosts and poltergeists. He notes that unusual aerial phenomena persist and resist explanation, often lacking adequate proof when they occur. Rayner suggests that people tend to categorize these experiences into concepts like spaceships, aliens, or fourth-dimensional creatures, which often stem from illusions of the mind or are linked to mythological thoughts. He posits that internal factors might be perceived as external causes, and that belief systems, religious and mythological backgrounds play a significant role in how people interpret these experiences.

Proposed Propulsion of Alien Craft

This section delves into a theoretical propulsion system for alien craft. It describes a device that acts as an accumulator of energies, agitated by color frequencies and vibrating pulses. This process is said to create an excitation of energy potential, generating impetus for the craft. The system involves a neutralizing agency to maintain velocity against polarized direction and a depolarizing procedure to detach the housing unit from the ground. The article explains how a field of a different kind, possibly electro-optical enhancement, could direct magnetic flow to charge transient programming, altering the vehicle's attitude and mode transition. It describes how connecting the unit to ground zero would create a high-energy surge for flux flow drive, leading to a sidereal oscillation or mode transfer for forward velocity. The resulting glow from the vehicle is described as green to yellow. The article also touches upon the effect of the amplifier's magnetic flow on the surrounding atmosphere, decreasing the 'R' field resistance. It concludes by noting that current laws do not have jurisdiction over space matters or the fourth dimension.

Meetings and Events Diary

This section provides a schedule of upcoming events for the year 2000.

APRA Meetings

APRA (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena) holds regular meetings on the last Wednesday of each month from 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm at the Fleur de Lys, Main St, East Hagbourne, Didcot, Oxfordshire. Meetings are informal and often include videos. Dates for 2000 are listed as March 29th, April 26th, May 31st, June 28th, July 26th, August 30th, September 27th, October 25th, and November 29th.

Skywatches

Skywatches are held regularly, usually in association with other groups, typically on Saturday nights. Provisional dates and venues for 2000 include:

• Saturday, March 18th – Bury Down, Chilton, Oxon (Bufora skywatch)
• Saturday, June 24th – Avebury, Wilts (possible Bufora skywatch)
• Saturday, July 29th or August 5th – APRA skywatch at Avebury, in association with SUFOG
• Saturday, September 23rd – Bury Down, Chilton, Oxon (Bufora skywatch)

Contact details for more information are provided: Phone: 01235 851319 or email: [email protected].

BUFORA Lectures

Forthcoming lectures for BUFORA (British UFO Research Association) are listed:

• April 1st – Rev. Lionel Fanthorpe, of Fortean TV
• May 6th – TBA
• June 3rd – TBA

The issue encourages readers to keep up-to-date with events by checking the websites: http://www.apra.org.uk and http://www.bufora.org.uk.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation of unexplained aerial phenomena, specifically 'Nocturnal Booms' and UFO sightings, and the exploration of theoretical concepts related to these phenomena, such as alien craft propulsion. The magazine appears to maintain an open-minded but analytical stance, presenting personal accounts, expert opinions, and scientific speculation. The inclusion of event listings suggests an editorial stance that encourages community involvement and further research in the field of ufology and anomalous phenomena.