UFO Newsclipping Service - 1983 04 - no 165

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE
Issue: 165
Date: April 1983
Publisher: U.F.O. NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE
Country: USA

This issue of the UFO Newsclipping Service presents a collection of reports on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related phenomena, alongside scientific speculation and theories. It features accounts from various locations, interviews with witnesses and researchers, and discussions on the potential implications of UFO activity.

UFOs in Education and Public Awareness

The lead article, "UFO's come to BHS English Department" by Barry Dunphy, highlights the work of Mrs. Marge Christensen, the State Director of MUFON for Massachusetts. Christensen, a substitute teacher, presented research on UFO sightings to her students. The article emphasizes that MUFON members are serious researchers, not 'nuts,' with many holding advanced degrees. It details how MUFON obtains information through the Freedom of Information Act and discusses significant sightings, including a nun's report of four pink UFOs, daily sightings over US Air Force bases near nuclear weapon storage silos, and a landing incident at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico. A particularly sensational account involves a Beverly resident allegedly abducted by alien beings. The article also notes Christensen's media appearances, including interviews on Channel 7 News and WBCN radio, suggesting a growing public interest in UFOs.

Regional Sightings and Encounters

Several regional reports detail specific sightings:

• Stapleton, AL (Baldwin Times, Feb. 17, 1983): Vivian White and her family reported seeing a large, bright object with blue lights hovering over trees, described as the size of a television. Her father, I.B. Byrd, also witnessed the object, noting its humming sound and unusual lights before it moved off.
• Colfax, LA (Chronicle, Feb. 3, 1983): Mrs. J.W. Norred reported that two bell-shaped objects were spotted, with one exploding into small pieces.
• Rockland, MA (Enterprise, Feb. 10, 1983): Residents reported sightings of bright red and yellow objects in the sky. Police initially attributed them to airplanes, but witnesses like Gail and Wayne Leander described them as hovering and disappearing.
• Maineville, OH (Western Star, Feb. 2, 1983): Eyewitnesses reported an unidentified flying object that appeared like an 'air balloon on fire,' which descended, lifted, and landed again.
• Denver, CO (Up The Creek, April 1, 1983): Reports emerged of 'mysterious' unmarked helicopters circling the city, with some linking them to cattle mutilations.
• Derby Area, VT (Daily Express, Feb. 4, 1983): A Derby resident reported seeing a saucer-shaped object with red, yellow, and orange flashing lights hovering over Jay's Snack Bar.
• Bakersfield, VT (Free Press, Feb. 22, 1983): Aubre Brogden reported seeing a large, white, triangular object hovering in her backyard, making no sound. Jan Marcotte and other PTA members also reported seeing blinking red lights in the same area. Joe Cofelice reported seeing two lights pacing his car that suddenly shot upwards.
• Putnam and Westchester Counties, NY (News-Times, March 5, 1983): Philip Imbrogno, a researcher, is investigating hundreds of reports of a massive, V-shaped object with multi-colored lights flying at tree-top level, often described as silent and maneuvering easily.
• Tallahassee, FL (Democrat, Feb. 21, 1983): Brenda Poston reported seeing a large, round object with red, blue, and yellow lights, similar to a call received by the local airport control tower.

Scientific Theories and Investigations

Several articles delve into the scientific aspects of UFOs:

• UFO Propulsion Systems (News World, Feb. 26 & March 5, 1983): New Jersey chemist Kenneth W. Behrendt proposes an 'anti-mass field' (AMF) theory for UFO propulsion. He explains that an AMF generator reduces the mass and weight of objects, while magnetic fields create a pressure differential for travel. Behrendt also theorizes that the 'eerie glow' around UFOs is caused by cyclotron radiation emitted by plasma particles, and that ionized air from AMF can cause car engines to stall. He has invented a UFO detector based on this principle and believes governments are racing to duplicate this technology.
• UFOs from the Sea? (Reformer, Feb. 12, 1983): David Chase discusses Ivan T. Sanderson's theory that UFOs originate from Earth's oceans rather than outer space, citing sightings near water and reports of underwater objects. He also touches upon Budd Hopkins' book 'Missing Time,' which documents alleged UFO abductions and examinations.
• Fireball or Comet? (Arkansas Democrat, Feb. 22, 1983): Larry Coleman, an associate professor of physics, suggests that a 'ball of fire' seen over Craighead County was likely a bolide, a fist-sized meteorite, rather than a falling object or aircraft.
• Is Government Hiding UFO Data? (Observer, March 18, 1983): William James Herrmann questions the US government's stance on UFO data, citing a Supreme Court ruling that releasing UFO data could threaten national security, which he contrasts with earlier Project Bluebook findings. He points to a declassified FBI memo mentioning his UFO sightings and address, sent to the Office of Naval Research, as evidence of ongoing, hidden interest.

Other Reports and Observations

• Mystery Sightings on Vermont 36 (Free Press, Feb. 22, 1983): This article compiles multiple sightings in Vermont, including pentagonal, triangular, and hexagonal objects, with witnesses ranging from ordinary citizens to those with flying experience.
• Strange Shapes Flying Overhead (News World, Feb. 17, 1983): John Schuessler reports on various multi-sided, lighted objects seen by credible witnesses, including pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, and square shapes, often with lights resembling aircraft running lights but with distinct shapes.
• Unusual Sighting (Daily Olympian, Feb. 7, 1983): A Mason County man reported seeing a disabled tractor-trailer rig that then went straight up into the sky without lights.
• After three decades, man tells about UFOs (Columbian, March 3, 1983): Sandy Linker shares his story of seeing UFOs emerge from a remote mountain range in Arizona over 30 years ago, describing their size and lights.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the prevalence of UFO sightings across diverse locations, the variety of shapes and behaviors attributed to these objects, and the ongoing scientific and governmental interest (or lack thereof) in understanding them. The publication, UFO Newsclipping Service, appears to be a compilation of news reports and research, presenting a wide array of anecdotal evidence alongside theoretical explanations. The editorial stance, as inferred from the selection of articles, is one of open inquiry into the UFO phenomenon, presenting both skeptical and believing viewpoints, and highlighting the challenges in obtaining official information. There is a clear emphasis on credible witnesses and scientific investigation, even when dealing with extraordinary claims.

This issue of Foreign Report, dated February 10, 1983, focuses on a wide array of unexplained phenomena, primarily UFO sightings and related mysteries from around the globe. The cover story, "Unidentified Flying Objects, with strings attached . . .", by Timothy Good and Ian Smith, sets the tone for an issue filled with witness accounts, investigative reports, and speculative theories.

Key Articles and Reports

UFO Sightings Across the Globe

The magazine presents a compilation of UFO sightings from various locations in early 1983. In Macclesfield, England, an engineer named Maurice Wilbraham reported seeing an "inverted white basin" with flashing lights. A report from Victoria, Australia, details multiple sightings of "incandescent flares" and "silvery objects" with burning trails. In Swansea, Wales, sky-watchers agreed on seeing triangular objects with flashing lights moving silently. German reports include a sighting in Hamburg where over 100 people claimed to see a large, blue sphere, and another in Bedburdyck involving a metallic-silver oval object that followed a couple's car.

Canadian reports detail an incident in Stoke, Quebec, where a luminous blue and red ball was observed, and another in Grand-Mere, Quebec, where a woman witnessed an enormous, egg-shaped flying saucer with green lights.

Specific Case Investigations

Stoke, Quebec, Canada (January 29, 1983): A resident observed a luminous blue and red ball, about 150 feet above the ground, for two minutes before it disappeared behind mountains. Investigators from the UFO Research Center (C.R.O.V.N.I.) are looking into this case.

Grand-Mere, Quebec, Canada: Mrs. Simone Lavergne reported a two-hour sighting of an enormous, egg-shaped flying saucer with green lights. Her son and daughter-in-law believe such sightings are a way for extraterrestrials to make their presence known gradually.

Hamburg, West Germany (February 13, 1983): Approximately 100 Germans claimed to have seen a "huge blue sphere" that flashed and glittered, moving silently. Witnesses described it as looking like an "enormous jumbo jet" or a "firework."

Bedburdyck, West Germany (November 19, 1982): Gerda Dammann reported seeing an object "as large as our living room" with metallic-silver color and pulsating lights. The object followed her car and emitted a low humming noise.

Calderdale, England (February 23, 1983): Five people reported seeing a rectangular object with a scarlet light hovering for about five minutes.

Macclesfield, England (February 10, 1983): Maurice Wilbraham described a bright, "inverted white basin" UFO.

Victoria, Australia (February 10, 1983): Multiple reports of fiery objects with burning trails were received, with some suggesting they might be space junk or meteorites, though the Department of Science and Technology doubted a connection to the Soviet satellite Cosmos 1402.

Swansea, Wales (January 21, 1983): Witnesses described triangular objects with flashing lights moving silently and slowly. Theories of meteorites were dismissed by witnesses.

Thames Valley, England (March 16, 1983): US Air Force radar tracked a glowing white object, which disappeared before it could be identified.

Dublin, Ireland (January 27, 1983): Reports of pinkish, glowing balls of light descending from the sky and hitting the pavement were logged, with scientists suggesting it might be "ball lightning."

Other Unexplained Phenomena

Bigfoot and Sasquatch: The issue features an article on Grover S. Krantz, a physical anthropologist at Washington State University, who believes in the existence of Sasquatch. Krantz has collected casts of large footprints and hopes to present evidence to the Smithsonian Institute.

Loch Ness Monster: Reports from Scotland and Rolla, Missouri, discuss sightings and sonar traces related to the Loch Ness Monster. A teacher from Rolla, Laurie Davis, claims to have seen a "humped back" surface in the water, and sonar equipment detected large, moving contacts.

Animal Mutilations: An article from Salisbury, NC, discusses a series of animal mutilations, with clean incisions and unusual patterns, puzzling owners and the Humane Society. Some incidents occurred near full moons, and theories range from demented individuals to organized cults.

The Aquatic Ape Theory: Elaine Morgan, author of "The Aquatic Ape," argues that early humans underwent an "aquatic interlude" in their evolution, which explains differences between humans and apes, such as hairlessness and bipedalism. This theory is considered a "heresy" by many anthropologists.

Atlantis: Dr. Maxine Asher, author of "The Atlantis Conspiracy," asserts that the lost continent of Atlantis was real and that denials are part of a conspiracy by churches to suppress ancient wisdom.

Government and UFOs: Bob Warth, president of the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained, believes the government takes UFO sightings seriously and collects information on various unexplained phenomena, including mysterious disappearances and poltergeist activity. He also suggests UFOs might be responsible for mysteries like the Bermuda Triangle.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents a stance of open inquiry into unexplained phenomena, giving voice to witnesses and researchers who believe in the reality of UFOs, cryptids, and other anomalies. While acknowledging skepticism and the possibility of hoaxes or misidentifications (like weather balloons or aircraft), the editorial tone leans towards validating the experiences of those who report these events. There's a recurring theme that official explanations are often lacking or deliberately suppressive, and that a significant percentage of sightings remain genuinely unexplained. The issue highlights the global nature of these phenomena and the diverse theories attempting to explain them, from extraterrestrial visitation to unusual natural occurrences and even ancient civilizations.

The magazine seems to encourage the collection of data and investigation into these subjects, suggesting that such phenomena are worthy of serious study, even if they challenge conventional scientific understanding. The inclusion of various case studies, witness testimonies, and expert opinions underscores a commitment to exploring the fringes of known reality.