UFO Newsletter

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO Newsletter
Issue Date: October 12, 1996
Publisher: Not specified
Country: France
Language: French

This issue of UFO Newsletter, edited by Richard D. Nolane, focuses on the intersection of popular culture, historical UFO cases, and the ongoing debate surrounding UFO phenomena. The editorial addresses the public's reaction to the film 'Independence Day' and the often-uninformed skepticism encountered when discussing extraterrestrial life.

Editorial: Independence Day and Ufology

Richard D. Nolane begins by commenting on the media frenzy surrounding the film 'Independence Day,' noting his own participation in a radio discussion. He observes that while nearly half of the French population believes in extraterrestrial life, discussions about UFOs are often met with ridicule and ignorance. Nolane critiques the film for its spectacular nature but its near-complete absence of serious ufological themes, despite referencing elements like information suppression, the Roswell crash, Area 51, and abductions. He contrasts the film's portrayal of UFO researchers with prominent figures like Jacques Vallée, Allen Hynek, and John Mack, suggesting the film missed an opportunity to feature a scientist from a private ufological organization.

A Classic Reissued: The Coming of the Saucers

The magazine announces the reissue of 'The Coming of the Saucers' by Kenneth Arnold and Raymond Palmer (1952) by Legend Press in the USA. This book is considered a difficult-to-find classic in ufology. The reissue includes an 8-minute audio cassette featuring Kenneth Arnold's radio intervention just two days after his historic sighting on June 24, 1947. The book is significant for Arnold's account of his observation and the history of Maury Island, and his continued conviction that the event was not a hoax, despite the accidental deaths of two American officers. The section by Raymond Palmer summarizes the knowledge of ufologists at the time, including key American and some foreign observations, and presents older testimonies suggesting that flying saucers existed long before 1947. The article notes that while this is now evident, it was a revelation in early 1952. The reissue is available from Arcturus Books.

Oldies But Goldies: Incident in New South Wales

This section details an incident in Fernvale, New South Wales, Australia, in 1927. It describes extraordinary events including mysterious cattle deaths and aerial phenomena. Witnesses were interviewed by Australian ufologist Bill Chalker. The events began with dancing lights in the sky, causing cattle to panic, with one cow having to be euthanized. On the third night, three cows were found dead, seemingly struck by something with neck wounds, reminiscent of chupacabra reports. A pigsty also showed signs of disturbance, with three pigs attacked and one disappearing, leaving only bloodstains and hair. Later, farms reported mysterious nocturnal visits, with some leaving strange footprints. A young boy claimed to have seen a 'strange man' in a 'white suit.' The incident culminated in a brilliant UFO hovering over a hill and landing, leaving a 9-meter diameter scorched grass circle the next morning. The article notes the modern parallels to this case and other 'seat' phenomena reported in modern ufology.

New Releases

This section briefly reviews recent publications:

• UFOmania (September 1996, issue 13): Features an article on implants and recent UFO sightings worldwide.
• Aux Frontières du Réel novels: Four novel versions of episodes from the series have been released.
• Reichdreams issue 10 (German Circular Planes): A serious work on Nazi flying saucer stories by J. Miranda & P. Mercado.
• France Ufologie bulletin (issue 7): Includes an article on the solitude of man in the universe and a piece by Jean Sider on the links between the CIA and ufology.

Top Secret / Majic

This section reviews Stanton Friedman's new book, 'Top Secret / Majic,' which discusses the well-known MJ-12 documents and the 'Majestic-12 Group Special Operations Manual' received by researcher Don Berliner. The article acknowledges that the authenticity of the MJ-12 documents, which surfaced in December 1984, is primarily defended by extremist ufologists who claim Earth is under extraterrestrial control. However, Friedman is presented as one of the few serious researchers who believes in their authenticity. The article likens Friedman's role regarding MJ-12 to Jean-Pierre Petit's role concerning the Ummo case, both acting as figures who challenge conventional thinking. It notes similarities in the postal methods used in both cases. While acknowledging the possibility of the MJ-12 documents being a fabrication by a security agency, the Ummo case is considered unlikely to be a KGB operation. The article suggests that while the existence of a secret MJ-12 group is unproven, evidence and logic point to a secret committee having examined UFOs in the USA since at least the Roswell crash, possibly under different designations over the decades. The 'manual' itself is described as 'too good to be true,' its main weakness, but if it is a montage, it is the work of specialists in UFO phenomena and secret military documentation. The article concludes by recommending Friedman's book as a guide to classified information in the US and notes his critique of Dr. Donald Menzel's debunking activities.

Un sondable Sondages (Unfathomable Polls)

This section critiques the lack of originality in TV magazines and their coverage of the 'paranormal wave.' It questions the validity of recent polls on extraterrestrial belief, contrasting a Sofres-Télé K7 poll showing 48% belief with an IFOP-Télépoche poll showing only 24%. The author suggests that either the film 'Independence Day' had a disproportionate effect on public opinion, or the polls themselves are unreliable.

(The Little) Corner of the Debunker

This section critically examines articles and publications that dismiss or ridicule UFO phenomena. It criticizes 'Corrèze Magazine' for its 'Special Mysteries' issue, which it claims is filled with stupidities about UFOs and excessive praise for figures like Gillot-Pétré. The author defends Yves Lignon against an anonymous critic who claimed his university laboratory in Toulouse does not exist. The article also criticizes 'Le Méridional' newspaper for an article promoting Perry Petrakis and the SOS OVNI association, incorrectly stating that 'Phénomèna' is the only specialized UFO magazine in France and downplaying the significance of older UFO publications. It also criticizes the 'Anomalies' magazine, edited by dissidents from SOS-Ovni, for its 'unique and official' thinking, influenced by publications like 'Science & Vie.' The author highlights the 'debunkers' who contribute to magazines like 'Science et pseudo science,' accusing them of perpetuating scientific obscurantism. Specific debunkers mentioned include Jean-Pierre Adam, Henri Broch, Dominique Caudron, Jean-Claude Pecker, and Michel Rouzé. The article questions whether Marc Hallet, a contributor, is actually Gillot-Pétré, given his apparent lack of knowledge about UFO cases. It also notes a letter from a subscriber wanting to organize an association to 'eradicate dangerous ideas for the individual,' which the author likens to Scientology's methods.

Rendez-vous de Baturité

This report details a sighting in Baturité, Brazil, on October 1, 1993, where nearly 3000 people, including ufologists and journalists, witnessed bright blue-white lights flying in formation. The event was reportedly predicted by a 25-year-old man named José Ernani, who claimed to receive messages from the Virgin Mary. The sighting was well-documented with photographs. The article draws parallels between this event and the 1917 Fatima case, noting similar meteorological and aerial manifestations.

New Publications (2)

This section reviews two new publications:

• Incroyable et Scientifique (issue 9): A Franco-Spanish publication featuring articles on the Santilli film and J.P. Petit, as well as a study on ancient Indian technology.
• OVNI, AN 2000 by Roger-Luc Mary & Jean-Michel Raoux: Published by Osmondes Editions.

News

• Roswell Debris: The International Museum of Roswell claims that a famous piece of Roswell debris was actually a piece of metal from a jeweler in Santa Fe, created by an artist from Utah.
• Ecuadorian UFO Sighting: Ufologist Jaime Rodriguez reports a UFO hovering motionless for two hours over the Salinas military air base, observed and documented by approximately thirty officers.
• Chupacabras in Puerto Rico: Sightings of the chupacabras have become rare, but government agencies have conducted autopsies on animals attributed to the creature, concluding they were likely killed by predators like dogs. A study by Pr. José Munoz suggests the chupacabras stories were invented by farmers to explain accidental livestock loss.
• NSA UFO Documents: The National Security Agency (NSA) has released 240 pages of pre-1980 documents related to UFOs, including 54 pages concerning a lawsuit filed in 1980.
• UFO Reality Magazine: A new, high-quality bimonthly magazine from the UK, focusing on a 'Big Brother from space' perspective on UFOs and critical of Nick Pope's work. It is available via international money order.
• Air Inter Flight Incident: A report from the North-Ile de France regional air navigation center details an incident on November 30, 1995, where an Airbus A300 on approach to Orly airport encountered a large, rectangular object with red and white chevrons moving at high speed, which air traffic control could not identify. The article questions how this report became public 11 months after the incident.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the public perception of UFOs, the role of media in shaping these perceptions (particularly through films like 'Independence Day'), the analysis of historical UFO cases, and the ongoing debate between believers and debunkers. The editorial stance is critical of mainstream media and debunking efforts, advocating for a more open and serious investigation of UFO phenomena. The magazine champions the work of researchers like Stanton Friedman and Kenneth Arnold, while questioning the motives and methods of those who dismiss UFO reports. There is a clear emphasis on historical documentation and the belief that UFOs have been a persistent phenomenon for decades, if not centuries.