UFO-RAMA

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO-RAMA
Issue: Number 5
Date: April 1998
Type: Monthly Ufological Bulletin from Italy and the World.

Editorial

The editorial highlights April 1998 as a significant month for ufology, not just for the number of sightings but for important events. These include the 6th World Symposium on UFOs in San Marino, which gained global significance; revelations about the 'Echelon-Ukusa' case, a system known to fans of US government conspiracy theories; and the first photos of the Mars Global Surveyor probe from the Cydonia region, showing the so-called 'Martian Sphinx'. The editorial also announces the second part of a series on the discoveries and inventions of Professor Ighina.

6th World Symposium on UFOs in San Marino

The Republic of San Marino, in collaboration with the National Ufological Center (C.U.N.) of Rome and CROVNI (RSM), hosted the 6th World Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects and Related Phenomena. The event, themed 'UFO: The Answers', took place on April 3-5, 1998, at the Teatro Turismo in San Marino City. Entry was free. The symposium was noted for becoming a global event due to the extensive organization and the quality of its speakers. A key feature was a round table discussion titled 'A UN Commitment', aiming to revive an initiative from the late Sir Eric Gairy, former Prime Minister of Grenada, to create a UN Commission for the study of UFOs. San Marino is a member of the UN. International guests invited included Colin Andrews (England), Fabrizio Aumento (Canada), Robert Bauval (England), Gildas Bourdais (France), Mark Carlotto (USA), Budd Hopkins (USA), David Jacobs (USA), Michael Lindemann (USA), Jaime Maussan (Mexico), Auguste Meessen (Belgium), Javier Sierra (Spain), Yvonne Smith (USA), Sun-Chi-Li (China), Boris Chourinov (Russia), Philip Corso (USA), James Courant (USA), Adhemar Jose Gevaerd (Brazil), Michael Hesemann (Germany), Jean-Jacques Velasco (France), and Colman Vonkeviczky (Hungary).

'Face on Mars' Debunked

A report from Washington details how NASA released a photograph taken by the Surveyor probe that dispels the myth of the 'Face on Mars'. For twenty years, a famous photograph taken by the Viking 1 probe in 1976 had fueled speculation about an alien monument. NASA explains that the 1976 image's appearance was due to lighting conditions on Mars in the late afternoon, creating an illusion of a face with hollow eyes, a nose, and a semi-open mouth. The new Surveyor photograph clearly shows the geological features that contributed to this optical illusion. Arden Albee of the Jet Propulsion Lab compared the formations to parts of South Dakota. Michael Carr of the US Geological Survey expressed hope that this photo would end the 'face' story. However, Richard Hoaglund, author of 'Monuments of Mars', remains unconvinced, stating the new images are too unclear and contain TV-like 'snow' interference to definitively disprove the face's existence. Hoaglund hopes the Surveyor probe will photograph other structures, including pyramids, which he believes form an 'urban complex'. The article notes that Hoaglund and others have accused NASA of a cover-up, even suggesting the loss of the Observer probe in 1993 was intentional to prevent photographic evidence of Martian monuments. NASA, through Glenn Cunningham, director of the Surveyor project, denies any conspiracy, stating the new photos are ten times clearer than those from 1976 and were released immediately.

Echelon Surveillance System

An investigation by 'Il Mondo' reveals the existence of 'Echelon', a global surveillance system operated by the US National Security Agency (NSA) that can intercept communications worldwide. This system, built on the 1948 UKUSA agreement (extended to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), allows for the control of telephone calls, faxes, and emails. By inputting keywords, Echelon can sift through international communications. Five bases intercept signals from twenty-five geostationary satellites, including those in Europe. The European control center is located in Morwenstow, UK. According to a document from the General Directorate of Research of the European Parliament, nothing escapes Echelon's reach in Europe. Information gathered is transferred to the NSA. The article suggests that a portion of the increased US intelligence spending is due to Echelon, and that the collected data might be used for purposes beyond military espionage, potentially to benefit US industries in competition with Japanese companies. Senator Daria Bonfietti has questioned the Italian government on how it intends to protect citizens and entities from such illicit intrusions. The article notes that the news is not entirely new, having been previously covered by Nexus magazine, and that Italian TV channels RAI and Canale Cinque have also reported on it. Echelon can intercept any communication containing keywords like 'UFO', 'OVNI', or 'Disco Volante', suggesting it could be used to suppress information about UFOs.

The Technologies of Professor Pier Luigi Ighina (Part 2)

This section continues the discussion on Professor Pier Luigi Ighina's theories, building upon the atomic models of N. Bohr (1913) and A. Sommerfeld (1868-1951), and E. Rutherford's (1871-1937) description of atomic structure. Ighina posits that scientists use excessively intense electromagnetic fields to isolate single atoms, which causes alterations. He proposes that to observe a free atom, its movement must be arrested by other atoms. The article outlines Ighina's four laws of the atom:

1. Cession: All atoms cede part of their movement to other atoms, slowing down.
2. Absorption: Atoms absorb movement from other atoms to increase their own.
3. Attraction: An atom with greater movement attracts an atom with lesser movement.
4. Luminosity: The more an atom moves, the more energy it emits, and vice versa.

The text concludes by stating that all matter has its own vibration and a specific absorption percentage of that vibration, according to an 'Atomic Scale'.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, government secrecy, and alternative scientific theories. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFOs, critical of government transparency, and supportive of unconventional scientific ideas, as evidenced by the continued coverage of Professor Ighina's work and the skepticism towards official explanations regarding the 'Face on Mars'. The Echelon story highlights a concern for privacy and potential misuse of surveillance technology, aligning with a broader theme of challenging established powers.