UFO Newsclipping Service - 1995 08 - no 313

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE
Issue: 313
Volume: August 1995
Publisher: Lucius Farish
Date: August 1995

This issue of UFO Newsclipping Service delves into various aspects of UFO phenomena, featuring a mix of investigative journalism, personal accounts, and scientific perspectives. The cover story highlights Harvard Medical School's decision not to censure psychiatrist Dr. John Mack for his controversial research into alien abductions, a move that sparked debate about academic freedom.

Key Articles and Features

Harvard's Stance on UFO Research

The lead article reports that Harvard Medical School will not censure Dr. John Mack, a Pulitzer Prize-winning professor who studies individuals claiming alien abduction. While avoiding censure, the school issued a public warning to Mack, urging him to uphold professional standards. Mack's lawyer, Roderick MacLeish, criticized the investigation as intimidating to academic freedom. The decision followed a year-long inquiry prompted by Mack's promotion of his book "Abduction: Human Encounters With Aliens."

The 'Alien Autopsy' Film Controversy

Another significant piece discusses a grainy 15-minute film purporting to show the autopsy of an alien from the 1947 Roswell Incident. Experts like anatomist Dr. Paul O'Higgins and forensic pathologist Dr. C. M. Milroy express skepticism, noting inconsistencies and the human-like features of the alleged alien. Producer John Purdey remains convinced of its authenticity. U.S. Congressman Steve Schiff is investigating the film, seeking technological means to authenticate or debunk it, while acknowledging the possibility of an elaborate hoax.

Crop Circles and Their Meaning

The phenomenon of crop circles is explored through the work of ilyes, a former nurse who now coordinates the Centre for Crop Circle Studies. She theorizes that crop circles are formed by a combination of sound, heat, and wind, and believes they carry mystical messages. ilyes gives talks and shares her research, emphasizing that these formations are not mere pranks.

UFO Sightings and Encounters

• Several recent sightings are documented:
• Two skywatchers in Pensacola, Florida, reported a "swirling multiplicity of lights" that transformed into different formations, including a "huge round ball of light."
• A local family near Garcon Point, Florida, witnessed a configuration of amber-colored lights that pulsed on and off.
• A young Pensacola resident saw a "straight blue light" in the sky.
• In Fairfield, California, numerous reports of orange streaking lights and circular objects led to predictions of an active UFO summer.
• A second sighting near Garcon Point involved two lights that split into triangular configurations.

Public Opinion and Government Secrecy

A national survey by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University revealed that 50 percent of American adults believe flying saucers are real and that the federal government might be hiding information about them. The survey also indicated that age and education levels influence these beliefs. Congressman Steve Schiff is probing the Air Force's handling of the Roswell Incident, noting that key documents appear to have been destroyed, fueling suspicions of a cover-up.

Scientific and Personal Perspectives on UFOs

Dr. Steven M. Greer, founder of the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI), advocates for direct, hands-on investigation of UFO phenomena, dismissing both government denials and the more outlandish claims of some UFO enthusiasts. He believes that advanced civilizations might present themselves in unexpected ways. The issue also features an interview with retired Air Force Col. Donald Ware, who discusses his lifelong fascination with UFOs and his belief that extraterrestrial beings have spirits connected to our own.

UFOs and Relationships

Authors Leah Haley and Marc Davenport, who believe in UFOs and extraterrestrial encounters, have started a UFO interest group in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. They share their theories about "space time" and alien travel, and discuss how their beliefs have impacted their personal lives, including job losses and divorces. They also believe the government has been covering up UFO information since the 1947 Roswell crash.

Historical Context of UFO Sightings

An article traces significant UFO sightings and events throughout the 1960s, including the Betty and Barney Hill abduction, congressional hearings on UFO secrecy, and numerous sightings reported by pilots and civilians. It notes the government's efforts to downplay or explain away sightings, sometimes through controversial explanations like "marsh gas."

MUFON and Scientific Investigation

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) is highlighted as a serious, scientific organization dedicated to investigating UFO phenomena. Its annual symposium aims to present UFO research as a legitimate scientific paradigm, attracting professionals from various fields. MUFON consultant Joe Lewels discusses the challenges of UFO research, including societal ridicule and government secrecy.

'Ship Clouds' and Spiritual Interpretations

A letter to the editor discusses "Ship Clouds" over Mount Shasta, suggesting they are not lenticular clouds but extraterrestrial ships from other dimensions. The author posits that Mount Shasta is a source of spiritual light, attracting these beings.

'Alien Autopsy' Film Investigation

Congressman Steve Schiff is investigating the authenticity of the "Alien Autopsy" film, noting that while it could be a hoax, it was elaborately done. He is awaiting a GAO report on the Roswell Incident and has asked for congressional hearings.

UFOs and the 1960s

An article details significant UFO sightings and events from the 1960s, including the alleged Roswell crash, the Betty and Barney Hill abduction, and various sightings that led to government investigations and public debate.

The 'Roswell Crash' Explained as a Research Balloon

Physicist Charles B. Moore claims that the debris from the 1947 Roswell Incident was from a secret Air Force research balloon he launched, not an alien craft. He states that the Air Force report acknowledges Project Mogul, which involved such balloons.

Book Review: 'Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind'

A review of C. D. B. Bryan's book discusses the abduction study conference at MIT and the testimonies of alleged abductees. While acknowledging the consistency of accounts and physical evidence, the reviewer remains skeptical, noting the lack of definitive proof and the book's disorganized nature.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue consistently emphasizes the ongoing debate between believers and skeptics regarding UFO phenomena. There is a strong undercurrent of distrust towards government explanations and a call for transparency and scientific investigation. The role of media, particularly film and television, in shaping public perception of UFOs is also a recurring theme. The magazine appears to lean towards presenting evidence and perspectives that support the reality of UFOs and extraterrestrial encounters, while also acknowledging the need for rigorous scientific inquiry and the possibility of hoaxes. The editorial stance encourages open-mindedness and critical examination of available information, suggesting that the truth about UFOs is complex and multifaceted.

This issue of the Valley Daily News, dated June 26, 1995, focuses heavily on UFO sightings and related phenomena, with additional articles on Bigfoot and other mysteries.

UFO Sightings and Events

The front page features a compilation of 'Recent 1995 UFO Sightings' from the National UFO Reporting Center, detailing numerous observations across various locations in March, April, and May. These include reports of blue-green lights, disks, triangles, and other unusual aerial phenomena. The issue also highlights 'Major UFO Sightings/Events in U.S.', providing a historical overview from 1947 to 1987, covering incidents like the Kenneth Arnold sighting, the Roswell crash, UFOs over Washington D.C., and the Gulf Breeze sightings.

UFOs over Yucca Valley?

An article by Jay Lyman in the Hi-Desert Star reports on two Yucca Valley residents who witnessed strange lights and movements on a Friday night. While the local Cineplex theater's spotlights are suggested as a possible cause, witnesses like Tony Zubel are convinced the lights came from extraterrestrial aircraft, describing them as moving in formation and going fast.

Mary Geiger's Sighting

Amy Giancoli reports on Mary Geiger, a 79-year-old woman from Waynesboro, who claims to have seen an unidentifiable flying object after midnight on a Monday. She describes it as having two headlights and a tail of lights, moving very slowly and changing direction. The police suggested it was a cluster of stars, but Geiger is positive she saw something unusual.

Video Setups Good, and Bad

An article from the Daily Record discusses the use of video recreations for TV docu-dramas, noting both effective and misleading examples. It mentions a "Geraldo" show airing a fake carjacking and the positive impact of "Unsolved Mysteries" filming a recreation of a UFO landing in Socorro, New Mexico.

UFOs quiet in Indiana

This brief report from the Palladium-Item notes a lack of UFO activity in Indiana but mentions busy aeroforms in western Canada, Hungary, Costa Rica, England, and Scotland. It touches on human abduction projects and disturbing reports of sperm/egg taking and fetus theft.

UFO Sighting Over Ft. Pickens

Carole Baker writes about Beverly Pilcher of Mobile, who witnessed a strange 'meteor' behaving unusually while camping at Ft. Pickens. The object streaked across the sky, slowed, descended, made a sharp right turn, and stopped, appearing to be two lights stacked on top of each other, changing colors and emitting flashes.

Alien Window Opens Over Langley

Erin McKay reports on UFO researcher George Crystal, who believes extraterrestrials are trying to communicate through sightings and crop circles. Crystal suggests that Langley, B.C., is a 'window' through which alien craft can travel, describing it as a 'weaker fabric of time and space'. He advises people not to be alarmed and to view ETs as 'big brothers and sisters' here to assist spiritual development.

UFO Sighting Reported in Cloverdale

Tom Zytaruk reports on a UFO sighting by four Whalley residents near Cloverdale, B.C. They saw two bright, soccer-ball-sized objects hovering low to the ground, blinking red and blue as they flew away. The area is known as the 'Surrey-Delta UFO corridor'.

UFO Sightings Lead Her to Write Book

Ruth Sutherland, an Ashburton woman, plans to write a book about Devon 'flying saucer' observations, inspired by her sighting of three UFOs over Dartmoor as a schoolgirl in 1980. The objects were described as cigar-shaped, T-shaped, and saucer-shaped.

Sixth Sighting of UFO Over Derby

Pauline Cooper and her sister Margaret reported seeing a triangular craft with flashing colored lights and a humming sound over Derby, England. This was the sixth such report in the area, prompting an investigation by UFO experts.

Strange Sightings Leave Folk Baffled

This article from the Mail, Oxford, England, details sightings of strange objects over Oxfordshire, including a dazzling green sphere with a long tail seen by D-Day veteran Patrick Churchill and a long, thin grey object with two flashing lights seen by an anonymous secretary.

Mystery of 'Lights in the Sky'

Shropshire Star reports on a mystery object seen over Much Wenlock, described as a black object speckled with red and white lights, huge and the width of the roadway. The object sped off, and no other sightings were reported that night.

Man Watches 'UFO' Head for Far Cotton

John Franks of Northampton reported seeing a strange hovering sphere, described as a white light moving fast and circular like a disc, heading towards Far Cotton. He also recalled a similar sighting in 1964.

It's a bird, it's a plane, oh, just another UFO

Frances Ellis, director of the Vancouver Island Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), believes human beings and extraterrestrials are on a collision course due to increased UFO sightings, crop circles, and cattle mutilations. She notes that governments often cover up UFO information and that university graduates have the highest percentage of believers.

Harvard Heretic Gives Visiting Aliens Earth Cred

This article discusses John E. Mack, a Harvard psychiatrist, and his controversial book 'Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens'. Mack's research into alien abductions has caused a stir at Harvard, with some accusing him of bringing the institution into disrepute. The article details accounts of alien abductions, including the 'Little Greys' who are described as scientists.

Getting Set for Another UFO Blitz

The Somerset County Gazette reports that UFO experts are anticipating a summer of sightings similar to 1994, when Taunton became a 'UFO hotspot'. The UFO Research and Investigation Network has received calls about strange triangular-shaped bodies of light.

More Sightings of Sinfin UFO?

The Express reports on sightings of a 'Sinfin triangle' over Derby, England. Witnesses describe lights in a triangular formation passing low over houses. The article also touches on the possibility of ley-lines influencing these sightings.

Haunting the Highways and Byways

This article from the Evening Chronicle, Oldham, England, introduces a new column on the bizarre and unexplained, starting with UFO sightings. It mentions the 'phantom helicopter' over the Pennines and other local examples of UFO sightings.

UFO encounter for pensioner

Pat Bray reports on Ron Herbert, a Sudbury pensioner, who claims to have seen a noiseless, brilliant white light followed by a hazy blue spherical shape that zipped across his line of sight at phenomenal speed. He believes this confirms his conviction of life on other planets.

The Texarkana Ghost Light

This article from the Log Cabin Democrat recounts the story of a mysterious ghost light observed for over a century in Texarkana, appearing at a second-floor window of an old Civil War-era home. The light is believed to be a soldier who died by suicide after learning of his parents' death.

London Confronts a Cornish Cat – or Canard

William Miller writes about the 'Beast of Bodmin', a mysterious creature reported in Cornwall, England, that has allegedly mutilated sheep. A Ministry of Agriculture investigation concluded that there was no conclusive evidence of large exotic cats, a conclusion met with scorn by locals.

Bigfoot Tale Walks into Bookstores

This piece from The Columbian announces two new books on Bigfoot: 'Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the Dark Divide' by Robert Michael Pyle, described as a rational account of his search, and another book by an unnamed author. It notes that while Pyle's evidence is inconclusive, he provides a good read for believers.

Chinese Mission Fails to Find 'Bigfoot'

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that a Chinese scientific expedition to find 'Bigfoot' in the Shennongjia forest reserve failed to capture it, photograph it, or find a single footprint, despite obtaining 'slim scientific evidence' like hair samples.

On the Trail of Bigfoot

Bill Donahue profiles Peter Byrne, a 69-year-old who has dedicated over three decades to searching for Sasquatch. Byrne, director of the Bigfoot Research Project, uses high-tech equipment and aims to find Sasquatch to communicate with it, not harm it. He believes the mystery is out there waiting to be solved.

Sasquatch (aka Bigfoot) Characteristics

This section provides a detailed description of Bigfoot, including its physical characteristics (height, weight, appearance, smell), habitat (frequently seen in the Northwest), and habits (nocturnal, omnivorous, may cover tracks).

Tracking a Legend

This section provides a timeline of significant Bigfoot-related events, including the 1924 Kelso cabin attack, Roger Patterson's 1967 film, Paul Freeman's 1982 sighting, and Rant Mullen's 1982 confession of creating false tracks. It also mentions Katie Martin's 1992 claim of having a child with Bigfoot.

Strange Creatures

This brief notice from News, Mt. Airy, NC, seeks eyewitnesses to encounters with strange creatures seen on May 10th, with no UFO sightings reported in conjunction.

What's the big idea?

This article from the Star Tribune discusses the plans of Crookston, Minnesota, to open a museum dedicated to Bigfoot, including a lifelike statue and information on sightings. The city aims to attract tourists and become a 'Bigfoot clearinghouse'.

Brunswick Tale of Ghostly Light Still Grabs 'Em

Paige Williams writes about the legend of the 'Maco light' in Brunswick County, North Carolina, attributed to the ghost of Joe Baldwin, a railroad flagman who was decapitated in 1867. The light is said to bob along the railway where he died, searching for his head. Disbelievers attribute the sightings to overactive imaginations or swamp gas.

Bigfoot Ballyhoo Erupts After Plans for Info Center

Kevin Bonham reports on the widespread media attention Grand Forks, N.D., received after announcing plans for a Great Plains Sasquatch information center and a life-size Bigfoot statue. The city aims to attract tourists and become a national hub for Bigfoot information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, the search for Bigfoot, and other unexplained phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-mindedness and a willingness to report on these subjects, even if some accounts are anecdotal or lack definitive proof. The articles present various perspectives, from skeptical explanations to strong beliefs in extraterrestrial life and cryptids. There's a clear interest in documenting these phenomena and exploring the public's fascination with them.