UFO POTPOURRI

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: no. 362
Date: Saturday, April 18, 1992
Publisher: Houston Chronicle

This issue of UFO Potpourri delves into several intriguing topics related to unexplained phenomena, focusing on advanced aircraft, potential extraterrestrial life, and unusual sightings.

Defense: Mysterious Sky Lights May Point To Secret Plane

The lead story, by Edmund Newton of the Los Angeles Times, discusses the "Aurora," a rumored top-secret spy plane. Seismologists in the San Gabriel Valley have recorded mysterious rumbles and ground lurches five times since June, always around 7 a.m. on Thursdays. These events are attributed to an aircraft traveling at several times the speed of sound, potentially up to 4,000 mph. Jim Mori, a seismologist with the United States Geological Survey at the California Institute of Technology, noted that the turbulence has a distinctive seismic signature unlike any known aircraft.

Analysts from Jane's Defense Weekly suggest the phenomenon could be the Aurora, a "black" program aircraft whose funding is disguised in the defense procurement budget. Bill Sweetman, editor at Jane's, stated that knowledge of the Aurora first surfaced in a 1986 Defense Department budget report. Military analysts have since associated reports of mysterious sonic booms with experimental supersonic aircraft. Jane's believes the Aurora is being developed as a replacement for the SR-71 Blackbird, which was retired in 1989.

A related report from Aviation Week & Space Technology mentions recent nighttime sightings near Beale Air Force Base, California. These sightings involved an unknown aircraft with a diamond-shaped lighting pattern, seen in tight formation with F-117 Stealth fighters and a KC-135Q refueling tanker. The aircraft reportedly extinguished its lights after joining the formation and produced a distinctive engine noise described as "air rushing through a big tube." The publication suggests this aircraft might perform a reconnaissance function to assist the fighters.

Outer Limits of Credibility

By Bo Emerson of Cox News Service, this section explores a meeting of TREAT (Treatment and Research of Experienced Anomalous Trauma) in Decatur, Georgia. The group, founded by New York psychiatrist Rima Laibow, initially focused on post-traumatic stress in patients claiming alien abduction. However, the fourth meeting expanded to include a wider range of anomalous phenomena.

Attendees discussed topics like crop circles, remote viewing, and alien abduction. The meeting was characterized by a lack of consensus, with debates on telekinesis, demonic extraterrestrials, and various theories. Eric Beckjord presented slides of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, while others discussed an anti-stress device called BETAR. Mark Woodhouse, a professor at Georgia State University, organized the meeting out of curiosity. Justin Beals, a 19-year-old BETAR operator, spoke about his "kundalini awakening" and his interest in bridging science and the spiritual.

The lectures included a presentation by physicist Ilobrand von Ludwiger on UFOs and the unified field theory, involving complex equations. An Emory University biochemist, who wished to remain anonymous, found von Ludwiger's presentation baffling but impressive. The meeting offered lectures and workshops for $85, with entertainment provided by comic Steve Bhaerman.

Wisconsin: Hairless Creature Attacks Dog

This brief report from the Green Bay Press-Gazette details an incident in Hillsboro, Wisconsin. Ed Hora and his son Brian reported a strange, hairless creature, about 2 feet long with a 9-inch tail, attacking their beagle. The creature was described as upsetting due to its lack of hair. Richard Wallin, a warden with the Department of Natural Resources, suggested it was likely a yearling raccoon with a genetic anomaly.

Water for the Red Planet

This article discusses new evidence suggesting the presence of water on Mars. It references a 1989 statement by Vice President Dan Quayle about seeing "canals" on Mars. While the existence of canals is disputed, new evidence indicates that Mars has water frozen just under the surface in warmer equatorial regions. David A. Paige of the University of California at Los Angeles has concluded that ground-ice deposits could exist a few feet below the surface and could be a valuable resource for future human exploration.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the fringes of scientific understanding and the unexplained. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into phenomena that challenge conventional explanations, ranging from advanced military technology and potential extraterrestrial craft to more fringe topics like alien abduction and cryptids. There is an emphasis on reporting on investigations and theories, even those that are controversial or lack widespread acceptance, while also acknowledging skepticism and the need for scientific rigor, as seen in the TREAT meeting coverage and the identification of the Wisconsin creature as a raccoon.

The issue highlights the ongoing public and scientific interest in UFOs and related mysteries, presenting a mix of investigative journalism, scientific speculation, and anecdotal reports.