UFO MAGAZINE

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO MAGAZINE
Issue: Volume 6, Number 1
Date: Spring 1970
Publisher: UFO Magazine Publications
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of UFO Magazine, dated Spring 1970, is presented as being for release at the 1970 Congress of Scientific Ufologists in Columbus, Ohio. The cover features two photographs: one of a group of men at a table, and another of men at microphones, with the headline referencing the 1965 and 1969 Congresses and posing the question of what will be accomplished in 1970.

The Death of Ufology

An article by Robert S. Easley, titled "THE DEATH OF UFOLOGY," posits that ufology, the study of flying saucers, is dead, having been killed by public apathy, the Condon Report, and Project Blue Book. Easley argues that Dr. Condon's report, despite acknowledging unidentified sightings, concluded that UFO studies had not added to scientific knowledge and further extensive study was not justified. The article criticizes Project Blue Book for its "false explanations of sightings, false and deliberately altered statistics, and general mismanagement." It also references a declassified and destroyed 1948 Air Technical Intelligence Center report that stated UFOs were interplanetary spaceships, which was suppressed by the Air Force. The article notes the disbanding of Project Blue Book on December 17, 1969, citing Air Force Secretary Robert C. Seamans Jr.'s statement that it could no longer be justified on grounds of national security or scientific interest. Easley laments that many researchers have dropped out of the field, leaving a dedicated few to carry on. He concludes that the UFO Movement faces destruction due to public and ufological apathy and government "stupidity."

Dr. J. Allen Hynek and the C Rating Scale

An article by Edward M. Beibel discusses Dr. J. Allen Hynek's Sigma C UFO sighting rating scale, which was accepted by the Congress of Scientific Ufologists. Hynek has since decided the system needs revision. Beibel explains Hynek's method of plotting "strangeness" of a UFO report against the "credibility of the witnesses." The article details how Hynek developed a "Revised C Diagram" that filters out reports that are not genuinely puzzling, focusing on cases with multiple "strange information bits" that require explanation. A diagram illustrates the scale, with credibility on the y-axis and strangeness on the x-axis.

CAPIC Notes

Edward Biebel, from the UFO Watch Filter Center, reports on the CAPIC Notes. He states that there are ten participating groups in the Filter Center project, with expectations of more. The Filter Center idea is expected to be officially endorsed by the Congress of Scientific Ufologists. Biebel appeals for more participants to cover areas like the deep South, New England, the West Coast, and northern plains states, noting that no major sightings have been reported or investigated yet.

Around And About the Saucer World

Rick Hilberg writes about UFO Magazine's policy shift from sensational "saucerzine" content to material of "genuine use to researchers," limiting its readership to "insiders." He justifies this by referencing Jacques Vallee's "PASSPORT TO MAGONIA" and an old letter from Robert Easley about a man with experiences typical of those reported by Vallee, including contact with "elves, demons." This man, who has had experiences with saucer pilots, elves, and demons, has been considered mentally unstable and is currently in an Ohio state mental institution. Hilberg questions whether this man is a victim of "others" or an "ignorant scientific/political system."

Easley's Letter to Rick

Easley shares a letter detailing a man's experiences from October 7, 1967. The man reported premonitions, including one to write on his check stub. He described a dream of a saucer hovering over a river, a sun-like object, and then finding himself inside the saucer at a desk. He also recounted a premonition that led him to a bridge in South Carolina, after which he experienced a period of missing time and was later presumed dead by police. The man drew a saucer similar to the Mc Minnville, Oregon case of 1950. He also claimed to be possessed by a spirit from Venus and was told telepathically that he had three months to decide whether to stay on Earth or return to Venus. He has predicted deaths and events, and despite being ordered to a mental hospital, was deemed sane. The man is scared to leave Earth and believes his experiences are true. The letter includes a copy of the strange writings found on the check stub, which are compared to a message given in the 1965 Brooksville, Florida, John Reeves case.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine's stance appears to be critical of official government explanations and investigations into UFO phenomena, as exemplified by the criticism of Project Blue Book and the Condon Report. There is a strong emphasis on the decline of ufology as a field of serious study and a call for dedicated researchers to continue the investigation. The magazine also explores the more unusual and personal aspects of UFO experiences, including alleged psychic phenomena, premonitions, and extraterrestrial contact, suggesting a belief in the reality of these phenomena despite their lack of mainstream scientific acceptance. The editorial focus has shifted towards providing material for serious researchers rather than sensationalism.