TUFOIC Newsletter - No 106 - January 2013

Magazine Overview

Title: TUFOIC REPORT
Issue: 106
Volume: 2012
Date: January 2013

This issue of the TUFOIC Report, dated January 2013 (Edition 106), covers the organization's activities and UFO/paranormal investigations primarily from the year 2012 in Tasmania, Australia. The magazine details specific sightings, discusses the challenges of modern investigation methods, and promotes TUFOIC's publications.

Year in Review 2012

The report notes a lamentable decrease in incoming UFO reports for 2012, with only 40 investigations conducted, of which merely two remain unexplained. Despite the low numbers, the complex events at Highland Lake are highlighted as a significant focus. The Centre's Facebook page is acknowledged for generating interest, but the report laments the difficulty in obtaining full sighting details due to excessive commentary overshadowing original reports. The rise of Chinese lanterns and LED-lit kites is identified as a source of misidentified lights, with examples cited from Legana and Launceston. Investigations into these incidents often revealed mundane explanations, such as residents flying kites bought from China. The Launceston Examiner and Burnie Advocate also reported on UFO sightings, which TUFOIC's follow-up often attributed to kites or other conventional sources, such as a "Mass sighting at Stowport" being traced to a single light trail.

Specific Sightings and Investigations

Several specific incidents are detailed:

• Pilot Light Incident: On September 13th, a familiar "pilot light" was observed in a clearing. Later that night, around 3 am, a granddaughter witnessed an intense white light illuminating her upstairs bedroom from outside, moving across the window and curtains before fading.
• Team Paranormal Visit: On October 27-28th, Team Paranormal visited a location and reported observing single bright flashes of white light, strange pale red streaks on tree trunks, an extremely bright orange light moving back and forth, and a large multicoloured ball that continuously shifted position. The object evaded the team's advance and disappeared.
• Tassielink Bus Driver Sighting: On May 1st, 2012, a bus driver heading north near Campbell Town reported seeing a distant hovering shape resembling a bird. Approaching the object, he estimated it to be about 200m elevation, the size of a car, brown in colour, with an arrow shape at the front and a tapering wing appearance. He described it as having a "spacecraft" texture.
• Highland Lakes Lights: Since June 2012, residents in the Highland Lakes area have reported various white and coloured lights on their property. Initial sightings included a softball-sized light and a large bright yellow light. One incident involved a whooshing sound and a disturbance among ducks on a nearby canal. Another event on September 1st involved a rumbling sound followed by a crashing noise in the bush, which agitated a dog.

TUFOIC Operations and Publications

TUFOIC's contact information is provided, including a P.O. Box in South Hobart, Tasmania, an email address, and a website. The executive team is listed: Janis Burns (President), Keith Roberts (Secretary), and Ray Thomas (Librarian). The report notes the departure of Phil Polden, the former Northern Representative, to Queensland due to job security issues, though he will continue to manage the Facebook site. The Centre has gained the assistance of Team Paranormal, an operation based in Hobart that uses expertise and equipment to monitor paranormal events. Following a meeting in September, Team Paranormal assisted TUFOIC with a visit to Highland Lake, where they reportedly observed strange lights.

A new document, "Tasmania A UFO History," was finalized and printed in 2012. This 78-page publication covers UFO events in Tasmania from 1898 to the present and details the state's major UFO sightings. Copies are lodged at the Federal (Canberra) and State Libraries.

TUFOIC Statistics 2012

• The report includes statistics for 2012, categorizing sightings as:
• Unidentified: 2
• Astronomical: 14
• Aircraft: 4
• Satellites: 3
• Balloon/Kites: 8
• Others: 9
• Total: 40

Editorial Stance and Challenges

The magazine expresses concern over the decline in reported UFO cases and the challenges posed by social media in gathering accurate information. It also highlights the need for common-sense investigations into reports, criticizing media outlets like the Examiner and Advocate for sometimes sensationalizing or failing to thoroughly investigate sightings. The shift from traditional telephone contact to online platforms is noted as potentially impacting the quality of UFO investigation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the reporting and investigation of UFO sightings in Tasmania, the history of UFO phenomena in the region, and the operational aspects of the TUFOIC organization. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent investigation, a commitment to historical documentation, and a critical view of media reporting on UFOs, while also acknowledging the difficulties in obtaining clear evidence in the modern era. There is a clear emphasis on distinguishing between genuine unexplained phenomena and misidentifications, such as lights from kites or lanterns.