UFO Newsclipping Service - 1994 01 - no 294

Magazine Overview

This issue of the UFO Newsclipping Service, dated January 1994, focuses on "Close encounters of the Watsonville kind" and a variety of other UFO-related reports from late 1993 and early 1994. The publication is from U.F.O. NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE, edited and published by Lucius Farish.

Close Encounters of the Watsonville Kind

The lead article by Peggy R. Townsend details the experiences of Anne DeSoto, a Watsonville resident who claims to have had a UFO encounter and possibly an abduction. DeSoto first saw a diamond-shaped UFO over her home in 1992. Later, through hypnosis, she recalled an earlier abduction in a field near Watsonville in December 1988, where she and her boyfriend were enveloped in fog and saw a large, burnt-orange, diamond-shaped object hovering over a field. The hypnosis session revealed she had missing time and a strange mark on her hip, with her arthritis disappearing. DeSoto is considering further hypnosis to learn more about the missing hours. The article also mentions a "UFOs & Society: Preparing for the Encounter" seminar where DeSoto will share her experiences along with others, featuring members of MUFON discussing UFOs, crop circles, and Martian monuments. Dr. Robert A. Baker, a professor emeritus, offers a skeptical view, attributing such reports to sleep disorders and active imaginations, while Ron Lampi, an organizer, notes the frequency of UFO sightings.

Too-Close Encounters: Normal People Whisked Away by Fear, Anxiety

This article by Lisa Faye Kaplan from USA TODAY discusses the experiences of Clare Holcomb and Diana Graves from Catlett, Va., who claim multiple terrifying abductions by aliens since childhood. They describe being poked, prodded, and subjected to skin excisions and forced feedings. Research reported in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology suggests that abductees and UFO sighters are not necessarily psychotic, but that UFO-sighters may have believed in extraterrestrial life prior to their experiences. Holcomb and Graves cope with anxiety and depression, finding little recourse for their experiences. The article also touches on the work of psychologist David Ruxer, who treats UFO abductees, and notes that hypnosis can reinforce the reality of these perceived events.

Chances Are, Somebody's Out There

By Hollis L. Engley, this piece explores the scientific possibility of extraterrestrial life. Frank Drake of the University of California, Santa Cruz, believes life is likely abundant in the universe, citing the vastness of space and the number of galaxies. However, he notes that the nearest civilizations are likely thousands of light-years away, making contact improbable. The article contrasts scientific belief in life's existence with the dismissal of alien abduction claims.

Moviemakers Wrap Up 'Roswell'

This article from the DAILY RECORD in Roswell, NM, discusses the Showtime Networks film "Roswell," based on the book "UFO Crash at Roswell." The movie dramatizes the 1947 incident and a reunion of military men involved. Executive Producer Paul Davids explains the film focuses on the human and military drama surrounding the event, exploring the questions of truth, belief, and what is real. Director Jeremy Kagan emphasizes the film's unique approach to exploring various viewpoints of the incident. The production involved extensive research and filming in Bisbee, Ariz., and Los Angeles. The movie aims to spark a more serious dialogue about the Roswell Incident.

Two UFO Sightings Reported

A brief report from the TUSCOLA CO. ADVERTISER in Caro, MI, details two UFO sightings reported on the same Thursday evening, three minutes and 18 miles apart. One witness reported a "saucer shape with lights" that disappeared, followed by a "triangle shape."

Newest Spy Planes Found Under Christmas Trees

By Gary A. Warner in The Orange County Register, this article discusses speculative miniature models of advanced spy planes, the SR-75 Penetrator and XR-7 Thunderdart, released by Testor Corp. The company has a history of accurately predicting secret military aircraft. The article notes Air Force denials of such planes' existence but highlights skepticism due to past secret projects and witness accounts of high-speed aircraft and sonic booms. It suggests these planes might be alien spacecraft if not U.S. government projects.

Group to Study Far-Out Claims

This report from the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS in Denver, CO, introduces the UFO Institute, a new group in Colorado Springs dedicated to studying UFO sightings and cattle mutilations. Founded by Steve Alexander, the group plans to send teams to investigate unexplained phenomena and seeks verifiable evidence.

Fireball Spotted Above Kodiak

A brief report from the DAILY MIRROR in Kodiak, AK, describes two workers at All-Alaskan Seafoods seeing a "huge yellow ball of flame" streaking across the sky, possibly a meteor or space debris.

UFOs, Cults and Cattle Mutilations - Some True

This article from NORTHERN WATCH in Thief River Falls, MN, investigates a series of cattle mutilations in the area, noting unusual damage to the animals and the possibility of cult involvement. It also touches on reports of strange lights in the sky and mentions the U.S. Space Command's tracking of a Russian rocket re-entering the atmosphere. Law enforcement officials are investigating the mutilations, with experts suggesting cult activity and the use of freon to kill animals without leaving external traces.

Readers 'Phone Home' About Our UFO Story

This article from STAR in Indianapolis, IN, reports on reader responses to a previous UFO story. Thirty-two callers reported numerous sightings and phenomena, with many sharing personal accounts of unexplained objects in the sky, including cigar, blimp, or football-shaped objects that made high-speed turns or stopped mid-air. The article also includes a humorous anecdote about callers claiming to be aliens or experiencing alien encounters.

Author Says Government Can't Keep UFOs Secret Much Longer

By Chris Watson in the SENTINEL, Santa Cruz, CA, this piece features author Michael Lindemann, who believes the government has been covering up UFO incidents, particularly the 1947 Roswell crash. Lindemann argues that increased public awareness and the dissemination of alien imagery in culture are signs that the truth is becoming harder to conceal. He discusses the Robertson Panel's conclusion that UFOs did not pose a security risk but that public interest did. Lindemann suggests the government may be fostering alien imagery to acclimate the public to eventual knowledge of alien encounters.

UFO study group's founder brings project, career to end

This interview with Stan Gordon, founder of the Pennsylvania Association for the Study of the Unexplained (PASU), reveals his decision to dissolve the group after 34 years of research into UFOs and unexplained phenomena. Gordon cites personal reasons, including his upcoming marriage and desire to spend time with his future stepchildren, as well as the financial and time demands of his research. He reflects on the founding of PASU and his earlier groups, emphasizing the importance of credibility and scientific investigation in the field.

Flying Saucers Are Believers' Cup of Tea at UFO Conference

By Cindy West in the NEWS-JOURNAL, Pensacola, FL, this article covers a UFO conference attended by hundreds of people. It highlights the experiences of abductees like Evelyn Roberts and researchers like Jim Greenen and Stanton T. Friedman, who discusses the Roswell incident. The conference aims to share experiences and research related to UFOs and alien encounters.

"Earthlings Welcome" in Tiny Nevada Town Where Mysterious Aircraft Often Fly Overhead

This WALL STREET JOURNAL article by Roy J. Harris Jr. focuses on Rachel, Nevada, a town that has become a hub for UFO tourism due to its proximity to the top-secret Nellis Air Force Base and Area 51. The article describes the Little A'Le'Inn motel, restaurant, and bar, which caters to UFO enthusiasts, and the efforts of locals like Glenn Campbell and the Travises to promote tourism. It touches on sightings of advanced U.S. aircraft and alleged alien craft, as well as the challenges posed by military restrictions on viewing areas.

Congressman Sics GAO on E.T. from New Mexico

This ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE report details how Rep. Steven Schiff, R-N.M., has requested the General Accounting Office (GAO) to investigate whether the government suppressed information about the 1947 Roswell UFO incident. The GAO has begun searching for documents, though progress has been slow. The article mentions claims from a former Air Force officer and a nurse regarding the recovery and autopsy of alien bodies, and the subsequent cover-up narrative.

Surrey May Have Alien Attraction

This article from THE PROVINCE in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, reports on a UFO sighting in Surrey, where a "silver object with red lights" was seen hovering. The UFO Research Institute of Canada director, Lorne Goldfader, noted the proximity of the sighting to Vancouver and alerted UFO watchers. The article also mentions previous sightings of strange lights in Golden Ears park.

The Sky Is Alive with a Rash of UFOs

This WESTERN EVENING HERALD report from Plymouth, England, details a significant increase in UFO sightings in the area during July 1993, with 17 reports received by the Plymouth UFO Research Group. The sightings included multi-colored lights and objects performing maneuvers. One video of a suspected UFO was later dismissed as the planet Venus, but other sightings around Ivybridge are considered worthy of further investigation.

UFO Bolts Before City Celebrates

This CITY NEWS report from Surrey, B.C., Canada, describes a sighting by Alison Watts and her son of a "silvery disk larger than a jumbo jet with strange red lights" hovering silently above the city. The object tilted and disappeared quickly. The UFO Research Institute of Canada director noted the sighting's proximity to Vancouver, while a skeptic suggested simpler explanations.

Spaced Out: Spielberg to Expose UFO Cover-Ups

A DAILY MIRROR report from London, England, reveals that director Steven Spielberg is working on a film, "Project X," about the 1947 Roswell UFO crash, aiming to expose alleged government cover-ups of alien spaceship crashes and bodies. The film is expected to be released in 1997, the 50th anniversary of the alleged landing.

Mystery Object Was Cigar-Shaped

This report from the SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH in England describes a woman's sighting of a cigar-shaped craft with lights underneath, which moved quickly. Her stepson reported a similar object. A national expert noted a rise in UFO sightings across the country.

Family Sees Strangers in the Night

This report from the BUCKS HERALD in Aylesbury, England, details a family's sighting of a "big stick of light" that looked like the edge of a saucer, moving slowly. Other sightings in the area are also mentioned, with local police reporting no aircraft in the vicinity.

They Are Out There... and They Are Watching

This STAR report from Sheffield, England, discusses UFO sightings reported by readers, including a "gigantic Mexican hat-like object" and a "coloured moon" moving slowly. Experts suggest a combination of cosmic rays, quartz rock, and ozone depletion might create such phenomena, but witnesses disagree.

Japan Building Center to Study Flying Saucers

An EXAMINER report from San Francisco, CA, details plans for the world's largest UFO institute to be built in Hakui, Japan, funded by the central government. The institute, conceived by Josen Takano, aims to study UFO phenomena and extraterrestrial life, with a library and plans for a UFO landing strip.

UFOs Drama for Family

This STAR report from Sheffield, England, describes a family's sighting of a UFO over Darnall, described as a "huge, oval in shape, with a dome flashing underneath" and making a noise like a Hoover. The sighting converted the family from disbelievers to UFO admirers.

Club Plans Landing Pad for UFOs

A Deutsche Presse Agentur report from Tokyo describes a Japanese group's plan to build a landing pad for UFOs for a formal encounter with extraterrestrial beings, as part of a complex including a luxury guest house.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the persistent public fascination with UFOs and alien encounters, the alleged government cover-ups surrounding such events (particularly the Roswell incident), and the ongoing efforts of researchers and enthusiasts to document and understand these phenomena. The editorial stance, as reflected in the collection of articles, appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting both witness accounts and skeptical analyses, while leaning towards the belief that there is indeed something significant happening in the skies that warrants investigation.

The Independent, July 31, 1993. This issue features an in-depth article titled "A mission to square the circles" by T. Good, exploring the phenomenon of crop circles and the ongoing debate surrounding their origins.

The Investigation

The article details a field investigation into crop circles in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, England. The author, T. Good, joins a team comprising Alf Riggs (a consultant engineer and eminent dowser), Roger Taylor (an immunologist interested in scalar fields), and Lucy Pringle (from the Centre for Crop Circle Studies). Their objective is not merely to document the circles but to uncover the elusive force creating them.

Methods and Findings

One of the initial targets was a plain circle in a barley field. Lucy Pringle aimed to retrieve buried water bottles for laser-beam and electronic-signature analysis to detect molecular changes. Alf Riggs attempted to dowse for earth radiation, while Roger Taylor used a homemade device to measure scalar fields. Riggs found no earth radiation at this particular site, and Taylor's device showed no activity.

However, in a subsequent multiple formation with several circles, Riggs's dowsing rod reacted strongly, indicating a concentration of radiation bands running across the main circle. He described these bands as potentially dangerous to humans if they intersected.

Witness Accounts and Theories

The investigation team encountered other researchers and enthusiasts, including Paul Vigay, a computer specialist. Vigay and his friend had spent a night vigil on Milk Hill and reported seeing a blue light followed by a green light. A group of Germans with high-powered night-vision equipment also witnessed similar phenomena.

The article mentions prominent hoaxers, Doug and Dave from Southampton, who claim responsibility for many formations but declined to participate in a hoax competition. It also references Jim Schnabel, an American author whose book "Round in Circles" is seen as an attempt to ridicule the idea of natural origins for crop circles.

One phenomenon that researchers believe cannot be reproduced by humans is the way corn stalks are laid down in multiple, interwoven layers, seemingly hit all at once by a burst of energy. Roger Taylor likens this to closing the flaps of a cardboard box simultaneously.

Personal Experiences and Reactions

Fans of the subject report experiencing euphoria, warmth, somnolence, dizziness, fear, and physical repulsion when visiting circles. The article recounts a disturbing anecdote about a porcupine found flattened in a crop circle in Saskatchewan, with its quills swept in a swirling pattern, suggesting it was violently hurled to the center.

The Case of the Swinton Man

Separately, the article includes a report about a former mechanic, Richard Smith from Swinton, who claims to have had a "close encounter" with a flying saucer 20 years prior. He described an elongated object with eerie green lights hovering near an electricity pylon. Smith is willing to undergo a lie detector test or hypnosis to recall more details, feeling a part of his memory is missing.

UFO Sightings in Lynn

Another report details a surge of UFO sightings in West Norfolk, specifically over South Quay in Lynn. Six people claimed to have seen mysterious lights. Local amateur UFO researcher Phillip Eke interviewed a woman who saw flashing red, green, yellow, and white lights. Paul Murray recalled a similar sighting from ten years prior, describing a bright light that drained power from his house.

Bishopstone UFO Report

In Bishopstone, reports of a flying saucer prompted an investigation by UFO experts. Karl Peterman described a huge, Mexican hat-like object with flashing lights. This sighting led to the re-opening of a British UFO Research Association file on the 'spaceship corridor' along the A418.

UFOs in Mid-Sussex

Four youngsters in Hassocks claimed to have seen a mysterious object described as a bright green light with a band around the middle, triangular in shape, with rays coming from the side.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes are the mystery surrounding crop circles and UFO sightings, the ongoing debate between sceptics and believers, and the various methods used to investigate these phenomena. The article presents different perspectives, from scientific inquiry to personal testimony, without definitively concluding on the nature of these events. It highlights the intensity of feeling the subject generates and the persistent search for answers.