The UFO Enigma - 2000 09 - Volume 21 no 1

Magazine Overview

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue: Volume 21, Number 1
Date: September 2000
Publisher: UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis

This issue of The UFO Enigma, a publication of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, covers a variety of UFO-related topics, including upcoming meetings, historical sightings, and recent reports from around the world. The magazine is published monthly from September through June and is an independent, non-profit organization.

Meeting Announcement and Program

The issue announces the next meeting of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, scheduled for Sunday, September 10, 2000, at 2 PM at Alberto's restaurant. The meeting will feature the introduction of officers, an election for the upcoming year, and an open discussion on new UFO cases. The program includes a review of older UFO news presented on video films, specifically the "Battle of Los Angeles" from 1942 and mass sightings in Belgium from around 1992.

Dues Notice

Annual dues of $20.00 are due by September 1, 2000. Members can pay at the September meeting or by mail using the membership application form. The funds primarily support the production of the newsletter.

Cover Story: Former Iberia Airline Pilot Reveals Amazing UFO Encounter

The cover story, by Environmental News Network staff, details an extraordinary UFO encounter experienced by Juan Lorenzo Torres, a former Iberia Airlines pilot with 40 years of flying experience, including time in the Air Force. Torres recounts an incident on November 4, 1968, while piloting a Caravelle aircraft over Sagunto, Valencia, Spain. His aircraft was on a collision course with a bright light that hovered about 10 meters from the plane's nose. The object displayed unusual movements and communicated via landing lights. The sighting lasted over ten minutes. Despite initial fear and a pact of silence among the crew, radar records confirmed the presence of three UFOs. However, a lieutenant colonel later attributed the sighting to Venus, a conclusion Torres finds implausible, suggesting military culture's reluctance to accept unexplained phenomena.

Water On Mars - A Genuine Clear Liquid Pool

This article by Joseph P. Skipper discusses the discovery of water on Mars, referencing a clear liquid pool. It includes a date of discovery (1/20/2000) and directs readers to a website for more revelations.

UFO Activity Increasing Around the World

Reports indicate a moderate increase in UFO activity globally, including Europe, South America, Australia, and the US, despite solar storms. This section is attributed to George A. Filer, Director of MUFON Skywatch Investigations.

Illinois Huge Craft Attempts to Land

Beth Skerrett reports an incident in Downers Grove, Illinois, on July 12, 2000, where a security guard observed a "huge object" described as dark silver/blue with a goldish strip, concave underneath, attempting to land in a parking lot. The object hovered silently before shooting upwards at high speed.

Texas UFO As Big As Football Field

Jerry Fox, a Corrections Officer, reported a sighting on July 13, 2000, near Graham, Texas. He and his wife observed a large UFO with white lights, described as round with half-moons, hovering about 2000 feet off the ground. The object vanished when Fox attempted to get a closer look.

Colorado Long Yellow Cylinder

On July 6, 2000, in Thornton, Colorado, a witness observed a bright yellow, wingless object moving across the sky. The object was described as a long yellow cylinder with a narrower middle, moving at a slower speed than jets and making no noise. It appeared to have two cylinders joined in the middle.

Carl Sagan Was an Early Believer in ET

This section revisits Carl Sagan's early views on extraterrestrial life, referencing his 1966 book "Intelligent Life in the Universe" co-authored with I. S. Shklovskii. It quotes Sagan suggesting that Earth may have been visited by galactic civilizations many times and that bases might exist within the solar system. The article notes Sagan's later, more pessimistic statements, possibly due to seeking political acceptance. It also mentions the possibility of life on Mars and underground habitats, referencing genetically altered tobacco grown in a Michigan copper mine.

Lights Glow on Moon

Astronomers have observed lights on the moon, particularly in the Langrenus Crater. French astronomer Audouin Dollfus reported witnessing clouds of dancing lights in 1992, which he believes are due to escaping gas. The phenomenon was observed for several days.

California Desert Chase at 90 MPH

Peter Davenport of NUFORC reports on two witnesses in Baker, California, who encountered a huge cigar-shaped craft described as silver or aluminum with rectangular lights. The silent craft chased their vehicle at speeds up to 90 mph, exerting significant air pressure. The witnesses described the object as being only one to two feet above their car at times. The second witness account details the object appearing directly above their vehicle, causing their ears to pop before it vanished.

When UFOs Controlled The Night Above Washington DC

By Alfred Lehmberg, this article recounts a series of UFO sightings in the Washington D.C. area in the early 1950s. It describes a "flap" where numerous people reported seeing "something." One incident involved an airline crew witnessing a blue-white ball of light moving at high speed. The next day, six strange craft were reported in formation, flying erratically. Reports from Newport News described "red saucers." On July 16th, two lights were seen to zoom up and dance like flies. By July 18th-20th, orange/red disks were seen flying in single file, observed by both pilots and radar. Sightings at Andrews Air Force Base involved multiple UFOs flying in a manner that caused fright.

Strange Days Indeed! - Celebrity UFO Encounters

By Jim Hickman, this report compiles celebrity UFO encounters, including one involving Walter Chronkite. In the 1950s, Chronkite witnessed a missile test in the South Pacific where a large disc-type UFO appeared. The object, estimated at 50-60 feet in diameter, hovered and fired a blue beam of light that froze a missile, a guard, and a dog. The missile then exploded, and the disc vanished. An Air Force Colonel claimed it was a staged test to gauge media reaction, suggesting the UFO was a secret plane. Chronkite, however, was certain it was not an Earthly technology.

UFO Roundup: 1881: A Possible Abduction in Southern Wisconsin

This report details a strange incident from 1881 involving the Nodolf family near two ancient mounds in Wisconsin. During a severe thunderstorm, children Minnie Louise and Louis Nodolf disappeared from their beds. They were later found outside on the steps, inexplicably dry despite the pouring rain and intense storm. The incident suggests a possible abduction or unexplained phenomenon.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the persistent nature of UFO sightings across different eras and locations, the descriptions of various craft shapes and behaviors, and the skepticism or attempts at rationalization by authorities. The editorial stance appears to be one of open investigation and reporting of these phenomena, encouraging public participation and questioning official explanations, as seen in the "Editor's Note" and the overall presentation of eyewitness accounts. There is a clear emphasis on presenting evidence and personal testimonies, even when they challenge conventional understanding.

Title: The UFO Enigma
Issue Date: September 2000
Publisher: UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of The UFO Enigma delves into a peculiar case of childhood trauma and its potential connection to unexplained phenomena, alongside organizational information and a membership drive.

Article: The Stuttering Children

The lead narrative recounts a disturbing incident involving two young children, Minnie (four years old) and Louie (two years old), who inexplicably began to stutter after an event where they were found outside their home. Their mother, Louise, questioned how they got outside, as all the doors were locked from the inside and barred with high sliding bars, making it impossible for the children to have opened them. The children themselves could not explain their egress, and the stuttering persisted for them, and only them, among their eight siblings. The editor poses a question to child psychology majors, suggesting the possibility of trauma as a cause. The article cites "Wisconsin Lore" by Robert E. Gard and L.C. Serden, and "Wisconsin: A Guide to the Prairie State" as sources for related information.

Roswell Mention

A brief news item mentions a police officer in Roswell, New Mexico, warning an individual named Buryl Hill of Sedona, Arizona, that his flying saucer is not street legal. This occurred on a Friday as Hill was driving his vehicle to the opening ceremony of 'Roswell Trek 2000,' an event celebrating the city's interest in extraterrestrial visitors and commemorating an alleged 1947 UFO crash.

UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc. - Membership Application

The majority of the second page is dedicated to a membership application for the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc. It describes the organization as a non-profit entity focused on researching and investigating unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The annual membership fee is $20.00, which supports the publication and mailing of ten issues of their magazine, "ENIGMA," and covers occasional speaker fees. The officers and board of directors serve voluntarily. The membership period for the 2000-2001 year runs from September 1, 2000, to August 31, 2001. The application requests the applicant's name, phone number, address, city, state, and zip code, and indicates payment can be made by check or money order. Mailings should be directed to P.O. Box 31544, St. Louis, Missouri 63131. The organization encourages potential members to attend their ten monthly meetings and utilize their lending library.

Local Meetings and Organization Details

Information is provided for local meetings of UFO-related groups:

• UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis: Meets the second Sunday of the month at 2 PM at Alberto's restaurant (The Fountains), 8427 Gravois, St. Louis, MO 63123. Contact Walter Palmer (314-771-0173) or Spence Wolling (314-966-4955).
• MUFON Missouri-St. Charles, MO.: Meets the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Holiday Inn Select, 4221 South Outer Road., St. Peters, MO. Contact Bruce Widaman (636-946-1394).
• MUFON of Southern Illinois: Meets the third Sunday of each month at 2 PM at the Ponderosa Steak House in Collinsville, IL. Contact Forest Crawford (618-345-0554).

1999-2000 Officers and Board of Directors

The issue lists the officers and board of directors for the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc. for the 1999-2000 term:

• Officers: Spencer Wolling (President), Walter Palmer (Vice-President), Margaret Myers (Treasurer), Walter Palmer (Secretary), Frank Brown (Librarian), David Rapp (Chf. Fld. Investigator), Spencer Wolling (Editor Enigma).
• Board of Directors: Spencer Wolling, Walter Palmer, Margaret Myers, Frank Brown, John Schroeder, Walter Rogers, Arnold Pryor.

Contact Information

Additional contact information is provided for the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc. (P.O. Box 31544, St. Louis, Missouri 63131) and UHR (P.O. Box 176, Stoneham, MA 02180).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme in this issue is the promotion of the UFO Study Group of Greater St. Louis, Inc., with a clear focus on membership recruitment and providing information about their meetings and organization. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, as evidenced by the inclusion of a case study involving unexplained childhood trauma and stuttering, and the general promotion of ufology. The inclusion of local MUFON chapters suggests a connection to broader UFO research communities.