TUFOIC Newsletter - No 060 - June 1990

Magazine Overview

Title: T.U.F.O.I.C. JUNE NEWSLETTER
Issue: Edition 60
Date: June 1990 (estimated based on content and publication dates of cited articles)
Publisher: TUFOIC
Country: Australia
Language: English

This issue of the T.U.F.O.I.C. (The Unexplained Phenomena Investigation Centre) June Newsletter, Edition 60, provides a mid-year update on UFO and unexplained phenomena reports, with a focus on sightings from Australia and international events, as well as discussions on crop circles and government secrecy.

Mid Year News

The newsletter begins by noting a relative quietness in Tasmanian UFO sightings from mid-1988 to 1989, with only two cases remaining unidentified. The broader Australian scene is described as having a number of cases involving lights, but little else. A video from Canberra on February 17th, purportedly showing an early morning light, was suggested to be Venus. Overseas, the past nine months have seen more activity, with reports of landings and alien beings from Russia, and sightings from Hungary and Belgium. A Belgian event involved a triangular set of lights reported at low level, with a video broadcast. The author expresses frustration that despite numerous well-investigated unexplained events, science remains unaroused.

Magra Sighting

A witness from Magra reported seeing an object on February 14th moving across her northern sky towards the north-east. Checks with the Airport and weather bureau confirmed no aircraft were in the area at 10:45 am. The object was described as a brilliant white round shape against a blue sky, appearing to change shape or wobble to present a disc-like appearance. It may have also zig-zagged and stopped for a few seconds, gaining elevation before being lost to sight. The sighting was mentioned in the local paper, but no other witnesses came forward.

Green Light to East

On April 8th, around 4 am, a witness named Mrs E reported seeing a very bright green light low to the east near Cambridge. The light was described as almost traffic-light green and appeared to bob across the road in a jerky manner before taking up a position on the northern side of the Tasman Highway. It then reversed direction, returning to the right side of the road. Later, near Midway Point, the light appeared bright and green over the water. Upon reaching her home, Mrs E noticed a green mass of light approaching her car, described as much larger than previously seen, with a squarish shape at the left end. The mass of light veered away towards the north-east, obscured by buildings and trees. Checks revealed no aircraft until 4:30 am. The Hobart weather observer noted fine conditions with some cloud near 4 am but did not notice Venus.

A Witness from Whitness

This section features a report on a 60-foot circle found in a comfield near Margate, Kent, described as the first of its kind from that county and potentially linked to Dr. Meaden's 'plasma vortex' theory. Two students, Wilfred Gomez and Simon Millington, reported seeing a 'spiralling vortex of flashing light' in a field. They described it as looking like an 'upturned satellite TV dish with 'ots of flashing lights' and making an indescribable noise. The circle had corn flattened in an anti-clockwise swirl, with a smaller circle nearby. The field was harvested within the week. The report includes a photograph and credits Adscene Publishing, Canterbury, for their help and coverage.

Running rings around UFOs

This article questions whether UFOs are responsible for mysterious circular patterns in British grain paddocks or if they are caused by mating animals. UFO Research Australia, a non-profit organization, is seeking Australian witnesses to similar phenomena. Researcher Mr. Keith Basterfield notes theories including lightning, downdrafts, whirlwinds, and animal breeding grounds. He states that similar reports have occurred in Australia over the past 35 years.

'Fairy-ring' fungi at centre of fallen crops riddle

This article from the London Mercury (March 14, 1990) suggests that the mystery of perfectly formed circles of flattened crops in Britain, Australia, and the USA may be solved. Biologists Michael Hall and Andrew Macara attribute these 'fairy rings' to a common variety of fungi. The fungi develop underground, spreading radially and feeding off crop roots, causing weakness in the stems. The circles form with clockwise or anti-clockwise patterns due to prevailing winds. The article states that even small summer breezes could initiate the toppling process, negating the need for whirlwinds.

Experts study reports of UFOs

This brief report from Lyon, France, mentions a weekend gathering of UFO researchers discussing flying saucers over Belgium and strange circles in English fields. A sighting on March 30 over southern Belgium is highlighted, where the Belgian Air Force F-16s reportedly detected UFO signals but found nothing after a chase. Participants were also awaiting a report by British physicist George Meader on the strange rings formed by flattened vegetation in southern England.

Belgium gripped by urge to track down UFOs

This article from the Examiner (April 16, 1990) details Belgium's efforts to track UFOs during the Easter holiday. Lookout teams, police stations, and the Belgian air force with radar back-up were involved. Reports of a silent, luminous low-flying triangle were received, and two planes were deployed to search the skies. The nightwatch was ongoing.

AREA FIFTY ONE

Notes on the News, Radio National, January 31, 1990

This segment, presented by Professor J.D. Frodsham of Murdoch University, discusses the prominence of extra-terrestrials in popular culture and touches upon President Reagan's past remarks about an 'extra-terrestrial threat' and his comments to Mr. Gorbachev. It references the efforts of CAUS (Citizens Against UFO Secrecy) to obtain UFO information from US government archives under the Freedom of Information Act, noting that most documents were heavily censored or unintelligible, suggesting the US government has been lying about UFOs for over forty years.

The main focus is on Dr. Bob Lazar, a physicist who claimed to have worked at Area Fifty-One at Groom Lake, Nevada. Lazar alleged he was tasked with reverse-engineering alien artifacts, including nine flying discs with extremely small seats and an anti-matter generator powered by element 115, an element not known to exist on Earth. Lazar claimed this element generated a gravity wave that enabled instantaneous travel anywhere in the universe. The report notes that attempts to verify Lazar's credentials were met with denials from universities and firms, yet his name appeared in their directories. An earlier report from the 'Los Angeles Times' confirmed Lazar's qualifications. The segment questions the authority capable of manipulating universities in this manner.

Professor Frodsham posits that the widespread interest in extra-terrestrials in entertainment might be a long-term public awareness program to prepare people for the idea of contact with alien life. He concludes that Dr. Lazar's statements are astonishing and demand thorough investigation, as the potential withholding of alien technology from the world by the US government would be a momentous event. The lack of an official denial of Lazar's claims is noted as disquietening.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently highlights unexplained aerial phenomena, UFO sightings, and related mysteries such as crop circles. There is a clear skepticism towards official explanations and a perceived reluctance from the scientific community to engage with the subject matter. The publication appears to support the idea that governments, particularly the US government, may be withholding information about UFOs and potential alien contact. The inclusion of Dr. Bob Lazar's controversial claims and the discussion of President Reagan's remarks underscore a theme of government secrecy and the possibility of advanced, non-human technology.

The editorial stance, as inferred from the tone and content, is one of open-minded investigation into the unexplained, critical of mainstream science's dismissal of UFO phenomena, and supportive of witness accounts. The publication also seems to suggest that the entertainment industry's focus on aliens might be a deliberate strategy to acclimate the public to the idea of extraterrestrial contact.