UFO Magazine - vol 5 number 1

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO MAGAZINE
Issue: Volume 5 Number 1
Date: Spring 1969
Publisher: UFO Magazine Publications
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of UFO Magazine presents a critical examination of the Condon Report and features several eyewitness accounts of UFO phenomena. The cover art depicts a UFO emitting smoke from a cliffside, setting a tone of mystery and investigation.

The Condon Report-One Man's Opinions

Dennis Livingston, Ph.D., provides an extensive analysis of the Condon Report, offering his personal bias that a small proportion of UFO sightings represent objective, unexplained phenomena, with the extra-terrestrial spacecraft hypothesis being the most appealing explanation. As a social scientist and layman in the natural sciences, Livingston approaches the report from three perspectives:

1. Source Material for Social Sciences: The report is a valuable resource for understanding crowd behavior, attitude formation, perceptual problems, and the social-psychological factors influencing how individuals perceive and report anomalous phenomena.
2. Sociology of Science Case Study: The report itself serves as a large-scale case study on how scientists organize and conduct investigations into phenomena that challenge existing natural laws.
3. Central Subject: UFOs as Alien Spacecraft: Livingston discusses the report's conclusions regarding the existence of UFOs as alien spacecraft and the desirability of further scientific research, both of which Condon's report deems negative.

Livingston notes that while the Condon Report is thoroughly researched and offers useful suggestions for UFO investigation, its conclusions are primarily those of Condon himself. He highlights three levels of uncertainty in the report's findings: the selection of cases for analysis, the data obtained from investigations, and the interpretation of ambiguous cases. Livingston points out that Condon's argument relies on probability, suggesting that if most cases can be explained naturally, the remaining ambiguous ones could likely be explained with more data. However, Livingston disagrees, arguing that the residual number of impressive, ambiguous cases suggests the existence of presently unexplained phenomena that warrant further investigation.

Editor's Letter

Robert S. Easley, the editor, addresses readers as "Dear Friend," reflecting on the historical reporting of strange aerial phenomena and the significant increase in UFO sightings since 1947. He states that scientific and non-scientific investigations indicate that something is indeed being seen in the skies, with some researchers believing they are natural phenomena and others believing they are intelligently controlled spaceships. Easley's personal goal as a researcher is to present all facets of the UFO mystery to the public. He also promotes the "UFO MAGAZINE'S NEWS BULLETIN," a quarterly mimeographed publication offering recent sightings and news.

Publications and Subscriptions

The magazine is published quarterly by UFO Magazine Publications, with subscriptions costing $2.00 yearly in the U.S. and Canada, and $3.00 overseas. Back issues dating back to 1964 are available for $2.00. The editorial staff includes Rick and Janie Hilberg, Edward M. Biebel, Thomas L. Nealings, Dennis Livingston, and Karen Selders.

Around And About The Saucer World

This section, by Rick Hilberg, reports on several recent UFO-related events:

• Angel Hair Case in Texas: A case in Spring Beach, Texas, involving a substance described as "angel hair" that reportedly floated to earth after two teenage boys saw a UFO. A professor of music, David Wuliger, noted that a chemist analyzed the substance, finding it fibrous, elastic, sticky, and white, but the chemist's identity and company were not revealed.
• New Mexico Sighting: A housewife in San Jon, New Mexico, reported seeing a bright, colorful UFO flying low and steady, which then mysteriously turned off its lights and disappeared. She described it as not being a meteor or airplane and traveling at airliner speed without noise.
• Michigan Truck Driver Sighting: Harold Lamb, a truck driver and part-time deputy sheriff, reported seeing a UFO on Interstate 75 near Bowling Green, Ohio. He described it as a white, glowing object like a light bulb that followed his truck, appearing to move up and down slightly. It later turned reddish-orange and dimmed.

Congress of Scientific Ufologists

An invitation is extended to attend the 1969 Congress of Scientific Ufologists in Charleston, West Virginia, on June 20 and 21, with details on closed and open sessions provided. Information can be obtained by writing to a specific address in St. Albans, West Virginia.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical analysis of official reports on UFOs, particularly the Condon Report, and the presentation of firsthand eyewitness accounts. The magazine maintains a stance that UFO phenomena are real and warrant continued scientific investigation, despite official conclusions to the contrary. The editorial team actively promotes the dissemination of UFO-related news and theories, encouraging public engagement and independent research into the mystery.