UFO Potpourri No 352

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: no. 352
Date: June 20, 1991
Publisher: The Sentinel
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of UFO POTPOURRI features two main articles: one detailing a German journalist's UFO sightings in Gulf Breeze, Florida, and another discussing the scientific efforts to mitigate the threat of asteroid impacts on Earth.

Ami, Child of the Stars

The first section introduces "Ami, Child of the Stars," a book by Enrique Barrios, which is described as a bestseller in South America and now translated into English. The book is aimed at children of all ages and conveys the "Aquarian message," potentially answering questions about "extraterrestrial life." The author, Enrique Barrios, received an apostolic blessing from the Vatican for the book's vital message. The publication details are provided: published in 1989 by Lotus Press, P.O. Box 6265, Santa Fe, New Mexico 85702.

German journalist recounts sighting of mysterious lights

This article details the experiences of Gerd J. Geitz, a thirty-eight-year-old German journalist for the magazine "Stern." Geitz visited Gulf Breeze on Friday, May 24th, to investigate UFO sightings and meet with the local Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) group. He also met with Ed and Frances Walters, showing them the German edition of "The Gulf Breeze Sightings," which was a bestseller in Germany.

Geitz's personal UFO experience began during a three-week holiday in Miami, followed by a drive to the Florida panhandle. While resting at a stop in Perry, Florida, around 2 a.m., he observed a "very intense white light" approximately 500 feet away on Highway 27, about 10 miles from Perry. The light was situated on the ground between the forests lining the highway. When Geitz exited his car to investigate, the light disappeared suddenly.

Later, as he drove further down the highway, Geitz saw the light again, brighter and in the same location. He was struck by its intensity, stating that even the most powerful spotlights he worked with in European TV studios did not compare. He noted, "I used to work in TV studios in Europe, and even the most intensive spotlight does not come close to what I saw."

Following his discussions with MUFON personnel in Gulf Breeze, Geitz went to Pensacola Beach on Saturday, May 25th, to the campgrounds near Fort Pickens. Around 2 a.m., despite a rain shower, he experienced another sighting. He saw a white light in the sky, bright and white, positioned directly above the bay between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze. He could discern the lights of Pensacola and Gulf Breeze despite the rain, with the object overhead.

Two additional sightings occurred on Sunday, May 26th, with the MUFON group at the Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze. These experiences made Geitz contemplative. He stated, "I am a journalist, a reporter with all my heart...I believe what I see, and I saw much more than I expected to see. I am sure I didn't see any aircraft or helicopter; they used to appear much different. I know that because I am a private pilot myself."

Geitz concluded his report by emphasizing the need for awareness among the people of Gulf Breeze and Pensacola regarding unusual activity in their area, suggesting that continued investigation is warranted.

This article was contributed by John F. Schuessler, P.O. Box 58485, Houston, Texas 77258-8485.

Scientists lay plans to fend off asteroids

This article, datelined San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and attributed to the Associated Press (AP), discusses a conference where scientists gathered to plan strategies for finding and diverting killer asteroids before they could impact Earth. Such an impact could cause a calamity killing millions and dooming much life on the planet.

Planetary scientist Eleanor Helin of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena stated, "One of these objects could be a real threat to our long-term existence on Earth. It only takes one event to wipe us out."

David Morrison, space science chief at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, described the potential consequences as "almost unbelievable widespread death and destruction," with half of Earth's population starving due to climate and farming disruptions from a mile-wide asteroid impact.

Helin and Morrison were among over 160 scientists, astronomers, and engineers attending the International Conference on Near-Earth Asteroids. The meeting was sponsored by NASA and The Planetary Society, which has 120,000 members.

The primary objective of the scientists is to secure more funding for telescopes to search for and track "near-Earth asteroids" – rocks that cross Earth's orbit and are remnants of the solar system's formation. Morrison likened Earth's position to being in a "cosmic shooting gallery."

Scientists are also developing methods to prevent catastrophic collisions. These include placing large rockets on asteroids or using nuclear bombs to alter their trajectories. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics noted in a 1990 report that the technology exists to detect, track, and change the orbit of such asteroids.

The article cites recent close calls: asteroid 1991BA, about 30 feet wide, passed within 106,000 miles of Earth on January 18th. Helin mentioned that relatively small asteroids hit Earth approximately every 100 years.

Asteroid 1989FC, which was one-fifth to one-half mile wide, crossed Earth's orbit on March 23, 1989, missing a collision by 400,000 miles. The impact of a similar-sized object could be equivalent to 77,000 to 192,000 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs, potentially causing devastation and killing millions, especially if it hit populated areas like Los Angeles or Tokyo.

Morrison stated that a 6-mile-wide asteroid impact 65 million years ago is believed to have killed two-thirds of all species, including dinosaurs. Such major collisions are estimated to occur every 50 million to 100 million years.

Smaller "doomsday rocks" (wider than 1 mile) are thought to strike Earth every 300,000 to 1 million years. Morrison calculated that an individual's risk of dying in a large impact over the next 50 years is between one in 6,000 and one in 20,000.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue touches upon themes of unexplained aerial phenomena and potential existential threats to humanity. The article on "Ami, Child of the Stars" suggests a spiritual or philosophical dimension to UFOs and extraterrestrial life, while the German journalist's account provides a firsthand report of a UFO sighting. The asteroid article highlights a scientific and pragmatic approach to a tangible, albeit low-probability, catastrophic threat. The overall stance appears to be one of informing the public about both the mysterious and the scientifically concerning aspects of phenomena beyond everyday experience, encouraging awareness and further investigation.