UFO-Revyn - 1998 3

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO-REVYN
Issue: Nr. 3
Date: 1998
Publisher: Föreningen UFO-TRESTAD
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish

This issue of UFO-REVYN, the member magazine for Föreningen UFO-TRESTAD, delves into the definition of UFOs and flying saucers as presented in various reference works, discusses recent UFO reports, and recounts the organization's participation in a UFO exhibition.

UFO - Vad säger uppslagsverken? (UFO - What do reference works say?)

This extensive article by Roger Skoog critically examines how Swedish and international reference books define 'UFO' and 'flying saucer.' The author notes a common tendency to equate the two terms, often linking them to extraterrestrial spacecraft or mass hysteria. The article analyzes entries from Norstedts Uppslagsbok, Bonniers Svenska Ordbok, Bonniers Compact Lexicon, Bonniers Lexicon (Tone-Vaso), and the Nationalencyklopedin. Skoog points out that while some newer works are more factual, many still perpetuate outdated or simplistic explanations. He highlights that the term 'UFO' was adopted by the US Air Force and that the term 'flying saucer' originated from Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting. The article also touches upon historical reports and surveys, such as one from 1996 indicating a significant portion of Americans believe in UFOs and government cover-ups. Skoog criticizes reference works that dismiss all sightings as misinterpretations, emphasizing that even a single unexplained phenomenon warrants further investigation. He also mentions the work of UFO-Sverige in collecting reports without taking a stance on their nature.

Gästkrönika: Otroliga påståenden (Guest Column: Incredible Claims)

Pelle Persson, in his guest column, questions the persistence of popular myths and conspiracy theories such as Area 51, Roswell, and the Bermuda Triangle. He suggests that these stories, while lacking factual basis, provide excitement and color to people's otherwise mundane lives. Persson argues that the allure of these theories often leads people to disregard logic and evidence, citing examples like theories surrounding the Estonia disaster, the Palme assassination, and the deaths of Kennedy and Diana. He also touches upon the 'new age' belief in lunar inhabitants, dismissing it as scientifically unfounded. The author concludes by noting that while people may seek answers in books, the prevalence of such unfounded theories is a psychological phenomenon.

Rapporter från Lönsboda och Bjärtrå (Reports from Lönsboda and Bjärtrå)

This section presents two recent UFO reports collected by UFO-Trestad as part of their collaboration with the Rapportcentralen. The first report details an observation in Lönsboda, Skåne, on June 24th, describing a powerful light that traversed the sky. While possible explanations include aircraft or an Iridium satellite, the report notes the difficulty in confirming these due to the time elapsed. The second report comes from Bjärtrå and describes a bright, recurring light observed multiple times. Investigations with local airports found no matching air traffic, leading to the possibility of a military aircraft or helicopter, though the report was documented without further in-depth investigation due to its location in northern Sweden.

UFO-Sveriges utställning i Falkenberg (UFO-Sweden's Exhibition in Falkenberg)

Tony Ekberg recounts UFO-Trestad's participation in a UFO exhibition organized by UFO-Sverige in Falkenberg during the summer of 1998. The article details the journey to Falkenberg, including a minor incident with a loose steering wheel. Upon arrival, the UFO-Trestad team assisted Anders Persson of UFO-Väst in setting up and running the exhibition. The author notes that visitor numbers were low on the first day due to major football matches. Ekberg expresses a critical view of the exhibition's presentation, particularly the prominent display of a homemade 'flying saucer' and alien dolls, which he felt detracted from the seriousness of UFO-Sverige's mission as a critical research organization. He also criticizes the marketing of George Adamski's photos as 'likely fakes' without a clear explanation. Despite these reservations, Ekberg acknowledges that the exhibition did present many interesting UFO cases, and he supports the approach of seeking explanations grounded in science, while remaining open to the possibility of unknown phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently emphasizes a critical and scientific approach to UFO phenomena. The editorial stance, as articulated by Föreningen UFO-Trestad, is to study UFOs using scientific methods and a critical perspective, acknowledging the phenomenon's nature, origin, and purpose as an unsolved mystery. They advocate for an agnostic viewpoint, open to all possibilities, including the non-existence of UFOs. The publication also highlights the importance of accurate information in reference works and critiques those that perpetuate myths or misinterpretations. There is a clear distinction made between the scientific study of UFOs and the more speculative 'new age' beliefs or 'flying saucer' hypotheses.

Title: UFO-Revyn
Issue: 1999:3
Date: 1999
Type: Magazine

This issue of UFO-Revyn delves into various aspects of UFO phenomena, research, and related organizations, with a focus on Swedish cases and perspectives.

UFO-utställning på Vänersborgs bibliotek

The magazine highlights an upcoming exhibition by UFO-Trestad at Vänersborg library, which will also tour other regional libraries. The exhibition aims to present UFO-Trestad and the national organization UFO-Sverige, along with the UFO phenomenon itself. It will feature descriptions of the organizations' work, collages of their activities, information on how to create fake UFO photographs, facts about the solar system and the ET hypothesis, and details of notable UFO cases. One specific case mentioned is the 'UFO-älgen' (UFO-moose) on Hunneberg. The organizers hope the exhibition will attract new members to UFO-Trestad.

Insändare till UFO-Revyn (Letters to the Editor)

Letter from Pelle Persson (UFO-Sveriges rapportcentral):
Pelle Persson commends UFO-Trestad for their serious approach, emphasizing the importance of active research within UFO-Sverige. He suggests that investigation groups will increasingly take over from local groups and stresses the need for serious individuals committed to UFO research. Persson notes that his collaboration with UFO-Trestad has been smooth and welcomes feedback, both positive and negative, to improve the work of the report center (RPC). He expresses hope for a bright future for UFO-Sverige, acknowledging significant changes over the past 7-8 years.

Response from the Editorial Staff:
The editorial staff acknowledges Persson's praise but cautions against complacency. They highlight the time commitment required for UFO research and admit that investigations can sometimes be delayed or incomplete. They agree with Persson's assessment of local groups, many of which are described as passive social clubs with little scientific ambition, often focusing on discussions and presentations rather than investigation. The editors also touch upon the commercial aspect of UFO-Sverige, where the need for funding sometimes leads to a compromise on scientific rigor in favor of broader public appeal. They note the paradox of trying to attract serious researchers while also appealing to a general audience. Despite these challenges, the staff recognizes the progress made by UFO-Sverige, contrasting today's ufologists with the 'flummiga' (vague/hippie) ideologies of the 70s and 80s. The presence of individuals like Pelle Persson is seen as a positive sign for the future.

Bokrecension: NORRSKEN - Budbärare från rymden (Book Review: Aurora Borealis - Messenger from Space)

This section reviews the book 'Norrsken - Budbärare från rymden' by Ingrid Sandahl, a docent in space physics. The book explains what auroras are, traces the historical understanding of them, and details modern aurora research. Sandahl's intention is to provide an introduction and overview, answering common questions about auroras. The review notes that auroras occur when charged particles, primarily electrons, collide with Earth's atmosphere, guided by the planet's magnetic field, with energy originating from the sun and transported by the solar wind. The 126-page book contains numerous black-and-white sketches and photographs, including 10 color photos of auroras. It covers the history of aurora research before the space age and discusses the significance of space exploration. The book also presents arguments for studying auroras and contemplates their future research. Described as relatively easy to read and interesting, it is recommended as a suitable textbook, with a small glossary of Swedish/English and English/Swedish terms included. The book concludes with about 15 pages of notes, addresses, literature references, and image sources. The reviewer finds the book to be a serious and well-developed work, offering good value for its price (around 200 SEK) and recommending it for those interested in the subject.

Nätspanarspalten (Internet Scouting Column)

By Tony Ekberg:
Tony Ekberg reviews websites related to UFOs, categorizing them as serious or unserious. This column focuses on 'UFO Patrullen,' a website he describes as extreme. The site claims to be an independent organization fighting against UFOs and aliens, stating that governments have been silent and that it's time to fight back. It advocates for a militant approach to combat aliens and conspiratorial authorities, even suggesting members can become 'agents.' Ekberg finds the site's claims, including the alleged membership of actors Tom Selleck and Steven Seagal, to be absurd and mocks the idea that about thirty 'confused souls' have joined. He suspects the group, reportedly started by students in Uppsala, might be a prank or a front for Nazi ideologies, especially given their use of violent rhetoric and the codename 'operation helvetesvind' (operation hellwind). Ekberg strongly condemns such groups, advocating for combating them with scientific facts and critical analysis rather than violence. He criticizes UFO-Sverige for being considered part of a 'conspiracy' by UFO Patrullen. He directs readers to the UFO Patrullen website for a laugh but warns them to be skeptical.

Tre UFO-observationer i Strömstad (Three UFO Observations in Strömstad)

By Roger Skoog:
Roger Skoog reports on three UFO observations made by a person in the Strömstad area, which were reported to UFO-Sveriges rapportcentral (RPC). A significant challenge in these cases is the observer's lack of cooperation, making communication and investigation difficult. Despite attempts to schedule calls and send forms, the observer remained unresponsive, leading Skoog to conclude the investigation could not proceed without their input.

• Observation 1 (November 1997): Described as silent, blinking lights moving west, illuminated by a white glow. Skoog suggests this could be a group of satellites.
• Observation 2 (May 18, 1998): A 'soundless triangular formation with illuminated white points' moving from east to west at high speed for approximately 2-3 minutes. Skoog finds the duration contradictory to high speed and suggests military aircraft on a night exercise as a possible explanation.
• Observation 3 (May 18, 1998, one hour later): A silent, blinking light moving north, which lit up and disappeared after 30 seconds. This is also considered likely to be a satellite, possibly influenced by the previous observation.

Skoog concludes that Observation 2 is the most peculiar, but even then, natural explanations are plausible. He reiterates the difficulty of investigating cases when observers are passive or uncooperative.

Flera rapporter från Bohuslän (Several Reports from Bohuslän)

By Tony Ekberg:
Tony Ekberg documents additional cases from the west coast.

• January 24: A young person in Varekil, Orust, saw an object with multi-colored spotlights blinking green, yellow, and white. The observer's mother found it uninteresting, suggesting it was likely a normal airplane.
• February 19: Another UFO phenomenon was sighted on Orust, with several observers seeing a large oval object with yellow light moving slowly. Attempts to contact these observers were unsuccessful, leaving the case undeterminable. The author questions why people report sightings they are unwilling to stand by or help investigate.
• July 25: An observation from Kalvö, near Fjällbacka, is described as easier to explain. A large group saw points of light moving in various directions, followed by a single bright light that remained stationary for 30 minutes. This was identified as the planet Jupiter, which rose at 22:14 and was very bright by midnight, with its magnitude at -2.7.

Ekberg concludes that most of these cases are likely misinterpretations of astronomical objects.

Rymdens ord: Den sanna historien om vad Kenneth Arnold egentligen såg 1947 "Flying sausage"

This section, presented as a 'UFO-Hal special,' revisits the famous Kenneth Arnold sighting from 1947, focusing on the true story of what he actually saw, referred to as a "Flying sausage." The accompanying illustration on page 8, attributed to Roger Skoog, demonstrates how easily fake UFO images can be created, using examples like Adamski's flying saucer and Meier's Pleiadian starships as comparisons.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently emphasizes the importance of serious, scientific investigation into UFO phenomena. There is a clear distinction made between credible research and sensationalism or extreme viewpoints, as seen in the critique of 'UFO Patrullen.' The magazine also highlights the challenges faced by UFO researchers, including uncooperative witnesses and the need to distinguish genuine anomalies from misidentified natural phenomena or hoaxes. The editorial stance favors a rational, evidence-based approach, while acknowledging the public's fascination with the unknown. The recurring theme is the ongoing effort to understand the UFO mystery through diligent research and critical analysis, often involving collaboration between organizations like UFO-Trestad and UFO-Sverige.