The UFO Enigma - 2000 02 - Volume 20 no 6

Magazine Overview

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue Date: February 2000
Publisher: UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis
Volume: 20
Issue: 6

This issue of The UFO Enigma, a monthly publication of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, covers a range of UFO-related topics, with a strong focus on a significant sighting in Illinois and broader UFO research.

Meeting Announcement

The UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis announced its February meeting to be held on Sunday, February 13, 2000, at 2 PM. The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Schnucks Store on Big Bend Blvd. in Webster Groves, in their restaurant banquet room. The announcement noted that the room was free if members had lunch there. The agenda included an introduction of officers, a welcome to visitors, and an open discussion on UFO cases and related happenings. The program director, Arnold Pryor, was attempting to secure a speaker for the meeting, though he had been hospitalized. The group also recalled a well-attended January meeting featuring a new speech by Forest Crawford.

Filer's Files

This section, authored by George A. Filer, MUFON Eastern Director, discusses the growing public interest in UFOs and the realization that they are real. Filer suggests that the average reader knows more about UFOs than most media personnel, scientists, military, congressional, and government employees, who often lack knowledge or access to classified data. He notes that over 400 sightings are reported monthly, often by multiple witnesses. Filer highlights the importance of public awareness and knowledge for the future. He also mentions his three-year writing of 'Filer's Files' and the significant traffic to the associated website. He thanks his wife, Janet, for her support and shares seven life lessons, including the reality of UFOs, the wisdom in ancient religious writings, and the importance of searching for truth.

Illinois Police See Early-Morning UFO

This article details a significant UFO sighting that occurred early Wednesday morning, January 5, 2000, in St. Clair County, Illinois. Millstadt police officer Craig Stevens reported seeing a large object shaped like an arrowhead, covered with lights, flying northeast to southwest. The object was described as being about two stories high and about three times as long, with dimmer lights sprinkled across its surface and three brighter lights at its tail. Stevens managed to take a Polaroid photo, though it developed poorly. Other officers from Lebanon, Shiloh, and Dupo police departments also reported seeing the object. The sighting prompted calls from national experts and media. The National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS), a Las Vegas-based research institute, sent a team to investigate due to the credibility of the witnesses, who were primarily police officers. NIDS investigators interviewed eyewitnesses and summarized their accounts, noting the object's low altitude, silent movement, and unusual maneuvers, including a sudden change in direction. Inquiries to Scott Air Force Base and Boeing St. Louis confirmed no military aircraft were active in the area during the time of the sighting. The report indicates that the investigation is ongoing and further details will be available on the NIDS website.

NASA Didn't Tell Lockheed About Canyon

This section reports on the failure of NASA's Mars Polar Lander, which likely broke apart in a canyon. Scientists suggested the landing site was the reason for the failure. The $165 million lander was intended to analyze the planet's atmosphere and search for frozen water. Lockheed Martin team members believed the landing site was near a deep canyon, based on probable coordinates posted online by NASA and JPL. Lab officials acknowledged knowing the canyon was in the area but could not confirm if the lander hit it. The loss occurred less than three months after the Mars Climate Orbiter also failed due to communication issues between Lockheed and JPL. The article notes that Lockheed scientists were surprised to learn the canyon was within the projected landing zone. An editor's note speculates that NASA may have found evidence of ancient intelligent life on Mars, citing descriptive names like 'Nod' and 'Inca City' for Martian features that resemble ancient cities and structures, but cannot announce it until probes are successful. A new website by researcher Carl Feindt on UFOs seen near water is also mentioned.

Oklahoma's Amazing UFO Sightings

This article, by Jim Hickman, proposes 'Oklahoma's Area 51' as a new center of UFO activity, focusing on the area around the old Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base in Burns Flat, Oklahoma. The article notes that Lockheed Martin is considering this base as a launch site for its VentureStar reusable launch vehicle. It references a book, 'UFO's in the USA,' which mentions UFO sightings along I-40 near Elk City. Cliff Capers, state director for Skywatch International, describes the area as a 'flap area' where green fireballs and bright lights have been seen. Hickman also shares his personal triangular UFO sighting report from October 4, 1997, near Elk City, describing a black triangular object observed at night, with estimated dimensions and altitude, moving silently and changing direction abruptly. He also recounts a sighting from June 21, 1998, in Elmwood, Oklahoma, involving a black triangle observed by himself and family members.

Canada Researcher Chronicles A Century Of UFO Reports

This section highlights the work of Chris Rutkowski, a Winnipeg UFO researcher and author, who has chronicled Canadian UFO sightings for nearly 25 years. Rutkowski has compiled a list of 11 of the strangest tales from the last 100 years. The article mentions the first recorded Canadian UFO sighting in 1792 by Explorer David Thompson, who described a large gelatinous blob. Other notable cases include a 1915 phantom invasion of aerial objects over Ottawa, the disappearance of Granger Taylor in 1980, a 1954 incident at Shirley's Bay where a magnetic disturbance was detected by Wilbert Smith, and a 1967 ocean crash near Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia. Rutkowski's work aims to explore the fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ongoing investigation and reporting of UFO phenomena, emphasizing credible eyewitness accounts, particularly from law enforcement. There is a consistent theme of public awareness and the idea that ordinary citizens may possess more knowledge about UFOs than official sources. The publication also touches upon the intersection of UFO research with space exploration and historical accounts, suggesting a long-standing presence of unexplained aerial phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry and a belief in the reality of UFOs, encouraging readers to seek truth and question official narratives. The inclusion of 'Filer's Files' and the detailed reporting of the Illinois sighting underscore a commitment to documenting and analyzing UFO events.

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue: Vol. 11, Feb 2000
Publisher: Canada Researcher
Country: Canada
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of The UFO Enigma, dated February 2000, presents a compelling narrative of unexplained phenomena, focusing on a "Strange Case Of Missing Time & Melted Ice Cream In NJ" and a chronicle of Canadian UFO reports.

Canadian UFO Reports Chronicle

The magazine features insights from Rutkowski, a researcher who has chronicled a century of UFO reports in Canada. He highlights several unusual cases, including one involving American navy vessels where divers recovered something and mysterious green foam was observed on the water, though no satisfactory explanation was ever provided. Rutkowski classifies these as among the most unusual of the 11 cases he has examined.

A particularly significant case detailed is that of Steve Mihalak, who claimed to have been burned by an object that landed near Falcon Lake, Manitoba, in May 1967. This incident, occurring in the same year as strange events near Shag Harbour, was investigated by both American and Canadian military and government officials and has reportedly stood the test of time. Mihalak reportedly maintained his account of the event until his death in October of the previous year.

Rutkowski notes a slight decline in the number of UFO sightings in Canada, estimating around 200 per year. He had anticipated a potential increase due to "millennium fever" as 1999 drew to a close, but despite the numbers, he observes that public interest in the subject is definitely increasing, stating, "People are very much into this sort of thing."

Strange Case Of Missing Time & Melted Ice Cream In NJ

Authored by George A. Filer, Director of Mutual UFO Network Eastern and MUFON Skywatch Investigations, this section details a peculiar experience in Glassboro, New Jersey, just before Christmas. The author and her husband received a call from their son at 5:10 PM. They left to go grocery shopping at 5:20 PM, a trip that typically takes about 9 minutes to reach the Shoprite store. They entered the store around 5:30 PM.

During their shopping, the author overheard two men discussing UFOs. Before checking out, she purchased ice cream. As she placed it on the conveyor belt at the checkout, it spilled over and was surprisingly melted, despite having been picked up last. The cashier offered a replacement. After loading their groceries into their truck, they spoke with a friend for about 15 minutes. It was approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit at the time.

Upon returning home, the author was shocked to discover it was 11:00 PM. They could not comprehend how five hours had passed in what felt like a much shorter period. They verified the time with their watches, answering machine, and Shoprite's surveillance cameras, but found no explanation for the missing time. The editors note that similar reports of missing time, where individuals have no memory of the lost hours but are certain they are gone, are being received frequently.

Local Meetings and Organizations

The issue also serves as a directory for local UFO research groups, providing meeting schedules and contact information:

• UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis: Meets regularly on the second Sunday of the month at 2 PM at Schnucks Station Rest., Webster Groves, MO. Contact Spence Wolling or Walter Palmer.
• MUFON Missouri-St. Charles, MO: Meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 6:30 PM at the Holiday Inn Select in St. Peters, MO. Contact Bruce Widaman.
• MUFON of Southern Illinois: Meets at 2 PM on the third Sunday of the month at the Ponderosa Steak House in Collinsville. Contact Forest Crawford.

The "UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc." lists its 1999-2000 officers, including Walter Palmer as President and Spencer Wolling as Vice-President. The "Fund for UFO Research, Inc." is also listed, based in Mt. Rainier, MD.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation of unexplained aerial phenomena, temporal anomalies (missing time), and the documentation of UFO sightings. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into these subjects, as evidenced by the detailed reporting of cases, the involvement of organizations like MUFON, and the publication of research findings. The magazine provides a platform for eyewitness accounts and research, encouraging public interest and investigation into UFO phenomena.