YUFOS Journal vol 2 no 2

Magazine Overview

Title: YUFOS JOURNAL
Issue: VOL.2 NO. 2
Volume: Volume Two
Date: May 1903
Publisher: Yorkshire UFO Society
Country: United Kingdom
Price: 50P

This issue of the YUFOS JOURNAL, published by the Yorkshire UFO Society, presents a collection of UFO reports and related articles, focusing heavily on cases from North Yorkshire and Sri Lanka. The journal aims to document and investigate unexplained aerial phenomena, encouraging member participation and the sharing of information.

Contents

The contents page lists several key articles and sections:

• Editorial: Observations from Sri Lanka, the case for North Yorkshire, topical points on the UFO scene, discussion on 'Alternative 3', UFO updates, future events, Annual General Meeting, and UFO organizations.
• Directory: Lists key personnel of the Yorkshire UFO Society and Contact International, including co-ordinator, treasurer, research/memberships, journal editor, committee members, and an honorary committee member/adviser.
• Editorial: Discusses changes within the society, the establishment of a research department, and highlights the work of Philip Mantle and Walter Black in exploring UFO sites and collecting physical samples for analysis at Leeds University. The editor appeals for more member involvement and notes the scarcity of letters to the journal.
• UFO Reports from Sri Lanka: An article by Ananda Sirisena detailing UFO sightings in Sri Lanka, noting the absence of abduction reports and exploring the cultural and religious context of UFO interpretations in the island nation, referencing the term 'Devatta Eliya'.
• The Case for North Yorkshire: A detailed examination of numerous UFO reports from North Yorkshire, with a significant percentage involving experienced police officers. The article presents several case studies with diagrams and references a map of the area.
• Round Up: A section featuring brief reviews and mentions of other UFO-related publications and media, including 'NEW VOYAGER Magazine' and a video tape titled 'UFO JOURNALS'.

Editorial Notes

The editorial highlights a restructuring within the Yorkshire UFO Society, with Christine Birdsall taking over as treasurer to allow Ian Birdsall to focus on research. A new research department has been established, mirroring Oxford's approach, which involves reviewing old files, visiting sites, and collecting physical evidence such as earth, bones, and tree bark for analysis at Leeds University. The editor emphasizes the importance of this work for finding answers and encourages greater member participation. The lack of letters to the journal is noted, with the editor questioning if this indicates general satisfaction among the readership.

UFO Reports from Sri Lanka

Ananda Sirisena contributes an article on UFO phenomena in Sri Lanka. The island, located at the tip of India, experiences temperatures ranging from 27°C to 16°C. UFO reports are described as similar to those worldwide, including nocturnal lights, daylight discs, winged spheres, and reports of humanoids. However, a notable absence is the lack of UFO abduction reports. Sirisena speculates this could be due to the cultural background of the predominantly Buddhist population, suggesting that 'abductions' might be interpreted as mental experiences. The article introduces the term 'Devatta Eliya', derived from Sanskrit, meaning 'Shining One' or 'Light', which ancient Sinhala language uses to describe UFO phenomena. The legend of the Hunnasgiriya Devatta is mentioned, involving tales of beings and lights, and a 'humanoid' that changed size. The article concludes by noting that Buddhism has always accepted the concept of extraterrestrial life, with ancient texts outlining various worlds and realms.

The Case for North Yorkshire

This section presents a significant number of UFO reports from North Yorkshire, with over 30 cases recorded in the last 24 months, many involving experienced police officers. The article states that approximately 90% of these cases cannot be explained by conventional means. It highlights the unusual nature of the sightings, including photographic evidence that has eluded expert analysis. The article then details eight specific cases, referencing a map and diagrams:

1. Case 1: A large, yellowish ball of light observed by a policeman and a member of the public, which transformed into a cigar shape with a red light and a revolving band of yellow lights.
2. Case 2: A bright 'strip' of light, crescent-shaped, observed by three police officers at a low altitude (75-100ft), intensifying without emitting a beam, and accompanied by red and white lights.
3. Case 3: Similar to Case 2, observed by police officers, with lights moving slowly in the dark sky.
4. Case 4: A terrifying encounter experienced by Mr. X and his family, involving two coloured balls (red & green) that paced their car at window height, causing extreme fear.
5. Case 5: A report of over 60 sightings of nocturnal lights, described as oval or circular objects travelling at low altitudes (around 400ft) and following the contours of the moors.
6. Case 6: (Implied by reference to diagrams and map, but description not fully detailed in text provided).
7. Case 7: A spectacular sighting by two North Yorkshire police officers of an extremely bright light moving towards them, which tilted to reveal a glowing object approximately 100ft long, described as more 'streamline' than Adamski's photographs.
8. Case 8: A zig-zagging object with red and white lights observed by three witnesses, approximately 4ft above the ground, emitting a beam of light, and drawing comparisons to the Livingstone 'close encounter'.

The article emphasizes the high strangeness of these cases and the amount of sightings in the area.

Round Up

This section includes brief mentions of other publications and media:

• NEW VOYAGER Magazine: Described as a publication covering modern science, science fiction, films, and UFOs, with a focus on space modelling and well-known UFO cases.
• William Hills STAFF JOURNAL: Discusses public opinion and betting odds on UFO existence and space exploration, referencing the moon landing and a tragic story of a bet winner.
• UFO JOURNALS (Video): A 92-minute video tape criticized for presenting a poor impression of ufologists, showing unproven fakes and lacking factual backup, potentially harming serious investigators.

The section concludes with a call to action for readers to share information about UFO sightings with the YUFOS society.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the documentation and investigation of UFO sightings, particularly those occurring in North Yorkshire and Sri Lanka. There is a strong emphasis on witness testimony, especially from credible sources like police officers. The journal also explores the cultural and psychological aspects of UFO belief, as seen in the Sri Lankan context. The editorial stance is one of serious inquiry, encouraging research, data collection, and the pursuit of explanations for unexplained phenomena, while acknowledging the limitations of current knowledge and the challenges of investigation, such as lack of funding and potential for misinterpretation (e.g., hypnotic regression). The society actively seeks to gather information and encourages public participation in its efforts.

This issue of UFO UPDATE, dated 1983, published by the Yorkshire UFO Society, focuses on the controversial 'Alternative 3' theory and reports on several UFO sightings and the Society's Annual General Meeting.

'Alternative 3' Theory

The lead article, "AN ALTERNATIVE?", discusses a paperback book that explores the 'Alternative 3' theory. This theory, allegedly based on the 'brain drain' syndrome of the early sixties, suggests that scientists discovered Earth's short lifespan due to the 'greenhouse effect' and developed three alternatives. The first was underground cities, deemed impractical. The second was launching a nuclear missile into the Van Allen radiation belt, which would allow dangerous cosmic rays through. The third, and supposedly implemented, alternative was colonizing a nearby planet, using the Moon as a stepping stone, with the author claiming man landed on the Moon in 1962. The book's journalists reportedly uncovered that many scientists involved in this project did not arrive at their intended overseas posts, and parents of missing scientists found their children's early photographs were faked. Information allegedly came from a former NASA employee who provided a deciphering machine to a senior head at Jodrell Bank. This individual was later killed in a car crash, which the book's researchers believed was no accident. The theory posits that those in charge had absolute power, eliminating threats and surgically operating on kidnapped individuals to create obedient slaves for the 'new world'. The author of the article expresses that while not concurring with everything, his own inquiries have led him into uncharted areas like Antarctica, where he suggests Moon missions might be based.

UFO Sightings and Investigations

The "UFO UPDATE" section details several reported sightings:

• Gargrave, North Yorkshire (Around June 1965): A 39-year-old woman reported seeing a metallic, saucer-shaped object, approximately 30-40 feet wide, travelling at 50-60 mph about 60 feet off the ground. It made no sound but swished the tops of trees. A metallic pin was later found in the ground where the object was seen.
• Bradford, West Yorkshire (March 25, 1983): Mrs. Florence Rhodes, aged 77, reported seeing a bright flashing red light with smaller white lights, described as round but flattened, hovering and then moving slowly like a balloon. The sighting lasted about 5 minutes, with no sound, and the object was sharply outlined and about the size of a football held at arm's length. Its estimated speed was 10 mph, and its height 30 feet.
• M62 Motorway, West Yorkshire (April 15, 1983): A 37-year-old lorry driver observed a bright light over moorland at approximately 1,000 feet high. Other lorries in both directions were flashing their lights. The lights moved across the motorway and hovered.
• Carleton, North Yorkshire (April 16, 1983): Investigators Phillip Mantle and Walter Black photographed a series of lights, described as having solidity, with six main lights and a smaller one slightly above. The lights appeared to fade and brighten. The investigation team collected samples for examination.

The journal notes that a research team has been set up to investigate these cases more closely. The Carleton lights are considered potentially explainable, but the team remains open-minded. The Yorkshire UFO Society is presented as being at the forefront of UFO phenomenon analysis.

Annual General Meeting 1983

The first Annual General Meeting of the Society took place in Leeds on March 26, 1983. Despite significant publicity, around seventy people attended. Speakers included John Sears (Chairman of Contact International) and Derek Mansell (Senior Research Officer), who gave a talk on 'Nazi UFOs'. Tony Dodd presented a dramatic account of his UFO experiences in North Yorkshire. A regression case was discussed, and a tape featuring actors playing the roles of subject and investigator was played. The famous 'Cracoe UFO' slides were also displayed. The meeting featured displays from Leeds Astro Club, and books and badges were sold. A Yorkshire Post reporter covered the event, resulting in a positive article.

Other Items

• Advertisements: Bramley Business Machines, a Rank Xerox dealer, advertised photocopying services. Advertising rates for the journal were also listed.
• Announcements: Details of upcoming YUFOS meetings in Leeds and a skywatch event in North Yorkshire were provided. Information on purchasing back issues of the journal was also included.
• A.G.M. Snippets: This section included humorous anecdotes from the AGM, such as elderly attendees slamming doors, a rumour about Graham Birdsall needing a miner's helmet, a note about the raffle draw, an exchange with Pam Sheridan regarding her 'Awareness' magazines, and well wishes for Pauline Dodd after she experienced a dizzy spell.
• Future Conference: The article suggests that the Contact International Conference will likely be held in Leeds in 1984, with Centenary House being a preferred venue due to financial benefits.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, government cover-ups, and the potential for space colonization. The editorial stance, particularly from G.W. Birdsall, is one of open-minded investigation, acknowledging the need for critical analysis while remaining receptive to extraordinary claims. The 'Alternative 3' theory is presented as a significant, albeit controversial, explanation for UFO phenomena and government secrecy. The journal emphasizes the importance of rigorous investigation and the dedication of its members.