Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
PAUL CERNY
Promotion/Publicity
MARGE CHRISTENSEN
Public Relations
REV. BARRY DOWNING
Religion and UFOs In this issue
LUCIUS PARISH ABDUCTION REFLECTIONS by Budd Hopkins .". 3
Books/Periodicals/History UFOS: A PERIODICAL REVIEW by James McCampbell 5
ROSETTA HOLMES CANADIAN LANDING CASE by Graham Comvay .7
Promotion/Publicity TOUCH-DOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA? by George Fawcett 10
COMET HALLEY by Walter Webb 13
f. SCOTT CHAIN UFOS IN REEL LIFE by Joe Kirk Thomas & Dennis Stacy 14
GREG LONG NEWS 'N' VIEWS - 16
Staff Writer THE NIGHT SKY by Walter Webb 18
JAMES LEMING DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE by Walt Andrus 20
SIMONE MENDEZ COVER by Michael Bonecutter
Staff Artists
TED PHILLIPS
Landing Trace Cases
JOHN F. SCHUESSLER
Medical Cases
LEONARD STRINGFIELD
UFO Crash/Retrieval
WALTER N. WEBB
Astronomy
NORMA E. SHORT
DWIGHT CONNELLY
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ABDUCTION REFLECTIONS
By Budd Hopkins .-. •
The UFO sighting I made one bedroom, physical paralysis* an any odd memories from his early
sunny afternoon on Cape Cod examination, an apparent implant, and childhood, he suddenly recalled what I
occurred twenty-two years ago. Not so forth. The next morning there was recognized as a classic missing time
too many months later I discovered, icorroborating physical evidence, experience from his eighth year. Our
and joined, NICAP. I.suscribed to their including a small, fresh incision, an area interview turned into a kind of
newsletter as well as to their skeptical of numbness near his ear and an uncorking of masses of previously
position with • regard to humanoid internal rectal injury. We met and I repressed memories.. The anomoloiis
reports and abduction accounts. David listened to his account. At several times events included the sighting, upon
Jacobs made the witty observation that he was unable to restrain his tears several occasions, of a small white
in those days no one believed that a because the experience had been so figure in the writer's New York City
UFO had an inside — (let alone, God terrifying. apartment. The witnesses include the
forbid, passengers). writer himself, his son and a college-age
Despite NICAP's solid investiga- EXPLOSION baby sitter. During this same time
tions of- many early sightings, and its frame his wife was awakened one night
very real effect on the public's I asked if any other odd, by a jab in her stomach, though she
.awareness of the UFO phenomenon, it "unresolved" memories came to mind apparently did not open her eyes. Later
is safe to say that we have come a long similar.to this one and he said that there that night her son was similarly jabbed,
. way since those early NICAP days. Real was something else that had happened and he awoke to see the little figure
progress has been made. Layers of earlier that fall (October 5, as we later standing alongside his bed.
mystery have been stripped away. This determined). A bluish light had filled the When I asked about the writer's
short paper deals with a few house, there was the sound of a muffled parents and siblings I learned about his
characteristics of the UFO abduction explosion, he vaguely remembered younger brother's UFO'Sighting during
phenomenon which I have only being outside in his pajamas, and so a hunting trip, an'experience which also
recognized in the past few years. forth. This experience, however, included a period of missing time. We
involved his wife and young son as well are just at the very beginning of this
COMMON? as two houseguests. . I have since investigation, but the number of
interviewed each of them separately. supporting witnesses as well as the
First of all, UFO abudctions must Each saw the blue light filling the house, obvious integrity of the central figure
be vastly more common than we have each heard the explosion, and one make it an impressive case. It will be
ever, imagined. This is not the place to houseguest recalled that she heard published in due time as the
detail the complex statistical evidence quick, light skittering sounds after the investigation unfolds.
for such as assertion, but my next boom. Each remembered falling asleep But my point is that this case is not
observation may offer some support to immediately afterwards, and in at all unusual. One abduction report
this disturbing idea. The deeper I have retrospect each regards his or her usually reveals many others. The
delved into the recollections of any behavior as highly unnatural. The December 26 even can already be seen
single abductee — the more thorough seven-year-old boy reported that that as the proverbial tip of yet another
the investigation — the more separate night he dreamed he was being lifted up complex iceberg. Who knows what will
abduction or contact experiences that from his bed and floated out the door, emerge as this case is systematically
individual seems to have undergone. through the living room and out onto explored through hypnosis and other
As an example, I received a phone the front porch. There, .he said, he standard techniques of investigation?
call recently from a rather distraughl floated up into the sky. "Several What kinds of experiences have his wife
man who wished to tell me about a very people" told him not to worry, that and young son undergone?
disturbing experience he had had on everything was all right.
Dec. 26, 1985.' It so happens that this MULTIPLE ABDUCTIONS
man is a writer of reputation whom I WHITE FIGURE
had heard interviewed a few months Over the years, my exposure to
ago on National Public Radio; I knew oi The writer had called me initially the subject has led me to the tentative
his work. about one incident only — his conclusion that very few abductees
The writer told me about his frightening recollections of Dec. 26 — have had only one such experience and
conscious recollections, which were and my questions had led to the
rather extensive: small figures in his October event. When I asked about (confini/ed next page)
REFLECTIONS, Continued craft descriptions and ignored why the phenomenon has been
humanoid and missing time reports, we occurring, apparently, for so many
that some individuals seerri to have were simply trying to get. the license' decades. There are, I am sure, other
' been dealt with very frequently. When plate number on the getaway car reasons .behind the abduction and
one considers the high percentage of without understanding what the crime examination of what must be
cases in which members of the same was. The "crime" seems to have been thousands upon .tho.usands .of
family are abducted in different the abduction and examination of individuals. We have only begun to peel
locations, at different times, and at human beings, an activity that the onion, .and there are layers upon
different stages of their lives, one is led apparently has been going oh for a layers of mystery yet to be unfurled. But
to the assumption that each reported longer time and more extensively than I truly believe we're making progress.
abduction may indicate dozens of as yet any of us have dared imagine. It is
unremembered experiences for -that possible .that we may have to turn SUMMARY
individual, as well as for other members things around and begin to consider
of his family. I believe that we UFO UFO sighting reports as an aspect of To s u m m a r i z e : 1.) UFO
investigators are aware of only, a the abduction phenomenon, rather abductions have apparently been
miniscule percentage of the thousands than vice versa. David Jacobs said to occurring -for at least fifty years. 2.)
of . abduction/contact incidents that me recently that the number of UFO Thousands of individuals have
have occurred over the years- with abductions that have apparently taken apparently been abducted, and the vast
apparently total ease of execution. , place is almost as remarkable a fact as majority of these seem to have had
A popular version of UFO history the existence of the abduction multiple experiences. 3.) Genetic
puts forth the idea that the modern phenomenon itself. experimentation of some sort is one
wave of UFO activity begins in 1947. Much of my current-research deals apparent motive for the abduction .
The classic Hill abduction occurred,in with the dovetailing evidence that phenomenon. 4.) In many cases entire
1961, and has since come to be thought genetic experimentation is at least one families seem to be the objects of study
of as the "first" abduction case. central purpose of UFO abductions. As across ' several generations, so the
Certainly it was the first such incident one delves deeper into the physical selection of candidates for abduction is
to be widely publicized, but I have since procedures UFO abductees have not simply random. 5.) Though there
investigated many abduction cases that remembered, what seem to be sperm seems to. be very little we can do to
occurred in the 'forties and 'fifties. I and .ova sampling operations are prevent these abductions from
have partially investigated two potential frequently described. Techniques that occurring, the phenomenon is
abduction cases which occurred in the suggest artificial insemination and the nevertheless yielding its secrets, slowly
late nineteen twenties. (In one instance later removal of embryos have been and inexorably, to patient investigation.
the subject reported seeing a UFO and recalled, as well as other related
a group of humanoids, while in'the procedures. (I intend to go into this Budd Hopkins is a New York-
other the witness suffered a very deep material at length in my book on the based artist who joined MUFON in
cut of mysterious origin; both reports Kitley Woods affair.) 1975. He specializes in abduction
include periods of missing time.) In My consultant in the field of cases and is the author of "Missing
addition, I have partially investigated gynecology and obstetrics recently Time."
four probable abductions which listened to several tape recordings of THE BEST ^
occurred in the 'thirties, and one which female abductees describing under THhJfi ABOUT
happened sometime during World War hypnosis their experiences in this area. 6EJN6 AH
ALIEN IS THAT
II. Two of these abduction cases which He assured me that everything they WE DON'T HAVE
date from 1938 have been rather described is not only physically TO WORRY ABOUT
thoroughly investigated, and hypnosis p l a u s i b l e , but t h e p a r t i c u l a r APR/I- IStti, ,
has yielded similar details. Both of these descriptions of sensations are exactly
individuals, abducted as children, were what one should expect. He told me
born in 1933. One is a practicing that, in his opinion, hone of the
psychotherapist and the other a recollections suggested fantasy;
mechanic. I have perhaps ten other instead, they sounded like accurate and
possible abduction cases in my files dramatically recalled real experiences.
which date from the pre-1947 period
and which remain, for reasons of time GENE SHIFT
and distance, uninvestigated.
Th'is t h e o r y o f g e n e t i c
"CRIME" experimentation as a central purpose of
UFO abductions would account for the
I have said elsewhere that during large number of apparent abductions
the early years of UFO investigations, which occur across the generations of
when we concentrated on sightings and particular families. It would also explain
UFOS: A PERIODICAL REVIEW
By James M. McCampbell
PHYSICAL TRACES
Graham Conway (left) and Tom Bennett (right) with Simon Fraser University
, . Despite the fact that several
news reporter study "print outs " on landing site material from x-ray spectometry showers had occurred since the
analysis. l a n d i n g , the depressions and
carbonized material were still clearly
LANDING, Continued patches where the "aircraft" had left evident when we arrived at the site. A
carbonized deposits either on take-off more ideal landing spot for seclusion
their son was "hysterical and bug or landing. Bending down to pick up could hardly be found. Surrounded on
eyed," when he arrived home, white this material and rub it between her three sides by a 15-foot bank and with a
faced, and it took him some time to fingers she felt her hand go numb, and it large number of trees on the fourth
calm down. They brushed off his story. remained so for over a week before side,' it could conceal any reasonably
Steven and Henry Stillies' parents were gradually wearing off. The depressions large vehicle from outside eyes for a
out, but they have a teen-age sister who formed a triangle and seemed to long period of time. Only by walking or
was in the trailer washing up. The indicate that some heavy object with a driving into the sandpit area would an
windows from the sink faces the sandpit tripod landing gear had indeed rested object be detectable and even then
, and although few trees serve as screen on the ground. possibly only at the last minute or so,
between them and the sandpit, she Returning home she phoned the particularly if its lights were off. So
didn't notice anything unusual. Royal Canadian Mounted Police who perfect were the conditions, so
Describing the boys' entrance, she graciously hung up on her, after hearing accessible to the major highway
related that their first actions were to the account. The local.newspaper was . nearby, we. allowed ourselves to
lock all the doors and windows, then not so skeptical, at least preferring .to "speculate that maybe the UFO wasn't
draw the drapes. Very frightened withhold any comment until having attracted to the boys by .curiosity, but
herself, she had trouble calming them seen the witnesses and visited the originally. intended to land to pick
down, and extracting an accurate scene. The reporter from the Port someone up or drop him off.
picture from them of what took place. Coquitlam Herald was sufficiently By placing a center stake within
She drew a sketch from the description impressed with what he found to the triangle, then measuring with an
they provided, but tended at that point suggest that a call to the military extended string to only two feet beyond
not to totally believe the story. authorities at Chilliwack, asking them the tripod indentations, we discovered
. On this particular evening, nothing to do a geiger-count survey of the area, that the object's diameter was 20 feet.
further transpired. No one was might be productive. The call was made From the boys' on-the-spot description,
informed, nobody investigated the and a voice at the other end stated that we found it must have stood 10 feet high
scene. "they" would arrive the next day and when resting on the ground.
Possibly due to p a r e n t a l conduct such an investigation. They . ' The dust was chalk-like and
indifference and-or disbelief, the boys never did. Although The Herald gave smooth to the touch when rubbed
related the story the following morning the story front-page coverage in its between the fingers. Two universities
to a close neighbor, Mrs. Lola Rogers, once-weekly publication, and two completed analysis of the material. Dr. •
who lived on the same street. Being weeks later again provided the same, Posnar reported that it showed no
interested in this sort of thing, she treatment to an independent study, evidence of residual material to indicate'
accompanied the boys to the sandpit none of Vancouver's papers attempted what, if anything, had been burnt on
and found not only indentations in the to pick the story up.
alleged landing area, but also circular At the beginning of September, (continued next page)
8
UFO at Port Coquitlam, B.C. was described as bigger than a cor and square on top. Its lights changed from red to green to white and it had an outline in
one side "like a door". With tripod landing gear four feet tall, it was about twenty feet in diameter and stood ten feet high by estimate. Drawing by Lesley
Footner based on witness'sketch. .
LANDING, Continued Bennett described as an abnormally On August 16 it was a clear warm
high amount of zinc present in the night. No one we spoke to had TV.
that particular spot. Evidence of deposits. interference during the time of the
radiation was also absent. The site did landing. But it is possibly worthy of
not appear to create magnetic SIMILARITIES mention that Mrs. Bate's electric clock
distortions. Surrounding trees and ran one hour, fast that evening,
leaves on the site perimeter did not These findings were surprisingly something it has never done before.
indicate burning or damage, although similar to those of .the Dejphos, Kansas We feel this event is not a hoax.
checked over a period of several weeks. landing incident on Nov. 2, 1971. In that The boys told the truth as they recalled
Tom Bennett, who conducted a case deposits with a high zinc content it.
more thorough examination of the were also left by the object involved, Mr. Conway still retains soil
carbonized substance stated that a high and tests showed the presence of samples taken from the landing site
degree of heat would be required to hydrocarbon of a type that might be an indentations as well as a control sample
produce such results, but even insecticide solvent or might show up in taken from outside the investigated
simulated conditions would not extend a diesel fuel. This, too,'was found in the area. Recognizing that -the soil
so far into the sandy soil. He made Port Coquitlam tests. Stranger yet, samples are now 12 years old, they are
educated guesses as to how the Mrs. Erma Johnson, housewife on the available for analysis if any of our
substance could be duplicated by using farm where the object landed, felt a members have access to a laboratory
a variety of commonly available numbness in her fingers (as did her equipped for such soil analysis. Please
materials. But the big snag was that not husband to a lesser degree) after contact Walt Andrus if you are
all the elements would be left that were touching the residue just as in the case interested.
present in the site samples. On of Mrs. Rogers. The numbness lasted Graham Conway resides at 11102
completion of an x-ray spectrometry "about two weeks" while Mrs. Rogers' River Road, Delta, British Columbia,
test, the print-outs showed what lasted "over a week." V4C 2S4 Canada.
t&&&W'fy'&xfr'7$'**i<. ^-''-^fc^'1----- -~; ^-^^^^^^y^-'^-^^-^^i*-- • *i'^>^:v^~:.^i^3-svs
•R
north Carolina Deportment of floriculture James A. Graham • Commissioner
William G. Parham, Jr. • Deputy Commissioner
A u g u s t 13, 1 9 8 5
Sincerely Yours
MRTrps
Since a knowledge of astronomy is taken the prerogative of displaying it as After the object passes around the sun
so essential to the study of unidentified if it was much closer to the Earth and and heads back into deep space, the
flying objects, a once-in-a-lifetime therefore visibly brighter to the eye. double tail shrinks and disappears.
experience for most people has been May we take this opportunity to thank People often confuse comets with
taking place during 1985-86 with the the multi-talented Michael Boneeutter meteors. Unlike the rapid speed and
return of Halley's Comet. Michael for his contribution of artwork to the almost instantaneous departure of a
Bonecutter, a field investigator trainee MUFON UFO Journal. meteor, a comet appears in the same
living in Corpus Christi, Texas and a -Walt Andrus part of the sky for many days, only
member of the prestigious International slowly shifting its position from night to
Astronomical Artists Association has night.
submitted an artist's rendition of
Halley's Comet as it would appear in VIEWING
the southeast sky, before daybreak on COMET HALLEY
March 20, 1986. It has been posed The cover of the Journal shows
astronomically in the sky in the proper ' Though there have been brighter, Halley in the morning sky near the
relationships with the constellations. more spectacular comets in history, "teapot" of Sagittarius on March 20, a
The foreground consists of a portion of Comet Halley is the most reliable short- good time for U.S. observers to view it.
the McDonald Observatory in the period naked-eye comet, reappearing Having reached its nearest point to the
Davis Mountains in west Texas near Ft. on the average every 76 years — once sun in February, the comet is now
Davis. This will be the site for the new in a lifetime. Down through the ages, approaching earth again. It is brighter
300 inch diameter optical telescope, the this icy visitor from the outskirts of the with, a better developed tail and
largest in the World, being built by the solar system has linked generations of entering its best observation period.
University of Texas. humans who have wondered at the Peak viewing is as follows:
Journal readers, possessing a copy sight for at least 2,200 years. 1. March 7-21. Moonless sky. Look
of the MUFON Field Investigator's Edmond Halley (rhymes with near start of morning twilight low in
Manual, may refer to Star Map No. 8 "alley") was a 17th-century English SE (iy2 hrs. before sunrise at.'lat.
Figure 24 on page 87 (corrected for the astronomer who discovered the 40°N; 1 hr. 20 mins. before at
time of observation) to help indentify periodic nature of comets. After 30°N). Tail grows from perhaps 10°
the constellations that the artist has determining that the orbits of three 'to 25°. The farther south you are,
faithfully depicted. Sagittarius appears comets were actually those of one ' ' the higher Halley will be.
on the right of the comet and touches object, he forecast its next return. 2. April 2-16. Little or no moonlight.
the lower portion of the tail. When the comet reappeared on From 2nd to 5th, look near start of
Capricornus may be viewed in the schedule, it was named in Halley's morning twilight low in south.
upper left corner (triangle-shaped) in honor. From 6th to 16th, look when Halley
front and above Halley's Comet. The is due south (highest); on 6th this is
constellation Scorpius is easily located SNOWBALLS at 4 AM local time and then half an
near the center of the drawing to the left hour earlier each night until 11 PM
of the smaller observatory and above Comets are giant "dirty snowballs" on 16th. On 10th comet passes
the watertank. Our own Galaxy, the — frozen masses of water and other nearest earth (39 millions miles).
Milky Way, forms the backdrop, gases a few miles across, imbedded Tail shrinks from perhaps 30° to
angling from between the two with dust, which move in very long less than 10° during the two-week
observatories upwards to the left. orbits about the sun. As they near the period. Again, the farther south
Slightly below the end of the comet's tail sun, the masses warm up, releasing one is, the higher the comet.
is the direction to the center of our some of the gas and dust. Sunlight Although Comet Halley moves still
Galaxy, the Milky Way, approximately pressure and the wind (charged higher in the southern evening sky
30,000 light years distance. particles from the sun) force out two during the next moonless time,frame
Even though Halley's Comet will tails — the more visible curved dust tail (Apr. 25-May 12), it is also fading and
be putting on its poorest performance and a fainter straight ion or gas tail. rapidly losing its tail. By mid-May, we •
in over 2,000 years, being only about Both tails always point away from the may get our last chance to see this
2nd magnitude in brightness at its best sun no matter whether the comet is famous celestial visitor with the naked
on or about April llth, the artist has moving toward or away from our star. eye — that is, until 2061 rolls around!
13
UFOS IN REEL LIFE
By Joe Kirk Thomas & Dennis Stacy
Joe Kirk Thomas is a MUFON is an obvious con man who finds faith acceptance of tabloid material, general
Research Specialist and former healing to be "better than working for credulity and confusion, they are all ripe
State Section Director for Los Lockheed!". He's always looking for a plucking for the contagion that is to
Angeles County. gimmick, a fast buck, even if it means follow.
s e l l i n g . . ho.t . c a r s u n d e r t h e As I watched these, characters
UFORIA tent..."Friends, the „ proceeds go to develop. on the screen, I realized I had
Jesus/". ' . ' , - ' seen them all before! I spent 3 years
I have to admit that in the past I . Then, there's . Arlene Stewart with MUFON Los Angeles, two of them
have had little use for UFO movies, (Cindy Williams), a cashier in the as state section director. We had
having found Speilberg's movies, for local supermarket. Arlene has her meetings every two or three months,
example, chocked full of dubious problems...a lonely woman in a lonely and they were always open to .the
material and silly to boot! But along has place, isolated and sexually inhibited by public. Most of that public was level-
come a film that I believe to have truly extreme religious ideas,.and possibly headed and sane, but there was always
redeeming value. The movie is suffering from a sleep disorder. another component populated with
UFORIA, a Universal picture'produced Previous to viewing this film, it had astrologers, nurherologists, psychics,
by Melvin Simon and starring Cindy never occurred to me that to the housewives suffering from 'tabloid
Williams (of "Laverne and Shirley" modern supermarket checker, working fever', and the psuedoreligious
fame), Harry Dean Stanton, and Fred 40 hours a week only a few feet from the interested in the- 'spiritual side' of
Ward. Make no mistake, it is not the sensationalist tabloids, irrational beliefs UFOs. Most of these folks were
movie that ufologists would like to see, may well be an occupational hazard. transients of sorts — MUFON was too
rather it is a movie that they should see! - Indeed, Arlene has been known to 'conservative' for them. I could have
The story is set in a small desert read the.UFO pulp magazines during cast UFORIA with real counterparts to
community in California. (I note with breaks, and. has come to believe that its fictional characters many times over!
i r o n y t h a t it was f i l m e d in "Jesus came to earth in a UFO, and he It is a problem riot mentioned in
Lancaster/Palmdale, the site of a left in one!". . polite society, but anyone who has been
senseless hoax I once investigated.) Amile is a shy, introverted young active in ufology for any time must be
Much of the move's tone is set in the man also very much into religion. Born aware of it. Like the characters in
opening scene showing Sheldon Bart and raised in Oklahoma, he now travels UFORIA, these people are quite sane
(Fred Ward) driving down the highway with Brother Bud. He knows the latter and usually gentle souls. They have
at sunrise in an open convertible, one is insincere, but he believes that merely succumbed to their belief
foot propped up on the dash, drinking a "sometimes you don't have to believe in systems. And they do a lot of damage.
beer and singing along with the radio a something to do people a lot of good!". These are the folks who allowed
Waylon Jennings..tune. The movie is And then there's Toby and his themselves to be led around the
laced with country. music, artfully wife, who live out in the country in a southwest by The Two', and who keep
selected to match the story line, if pyramid-shaped farmhouse. He's a new the UFO pulp papers in business. They
perhaps hard on this author's nerves. wave type with-, a history of are largely responsible for the poisoning
It would, of course, be the height of hallucinogenic drugs, and he has of our data base and for the general
rudeness to .reveal much of the plot. boasted to Arlene "I believe in disrepute of ufology in academic and
Fortunately, it isn't necessary, as much everything!". It is Toby who is to first governmental circles. They are a social
of the movie's value to ufology lies in its suggest to Arlene that her dreams may phenomenon into themselves who fly
characterizations. be real. interference with legitimate ufology,
Take Sheldon. He's basically a Finally, there is the elderly couple and we have, yet to learn to deal with
drifter, a good natured fellow with little who think they have seen a UFO. It isn't them.
education and a history as a scam artist, clear from the story line whether or not Universal held back the release of
but a rationalist nevertheless. The only this encounter was real. But their this movie for 5 years, and I suspect that
thing he believes in are "things that can experience with the authorities and it will not be a blockbuster. But
be proved in black and white." ^ with the press have left them angry and UFORIA is, I think, a jewel whose
Initially just passing through town, confused. optimum audience rriay well be present'
Sheldon visits an old friend, now going Sitting Ducks! Arlene, Amile, Toby or former state section directors with
by Brother Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) and his wife, the elderly couple — with two or more years experience.
of Brother Bud's Crusade. Brother Bud their admixture of religion, uncritical
14
Dennis Stacy is the editor of as Aurora's town scalawag and drunk, a alien should fly down Aurora's main
the Journal and a San Antonio- peddler of Doctor Neptune's Elixir, an street because it will apparently make
based photojournalist whose alcohol-laced antidote to the yellow good copy for her 4-page newspaper.
articles and pictures have appeared fever sweeping the countryside. This publicity coup begins in broad
in a variety of newspapers and Carol Bagdasarian, as Alain daylight which quickly turns to nightfall
magazines both here and abroad, Peeples, the school ma'am who inherits so the special effects budget can be
including "Southwest" and her daddy's newspaper, the "Aurora used up in one swell foop. Previously,
"OMNI." Sentinel," is called on to deliver most and again for reasons left unexplained,
of the movie's lines, and does passingly the airship alternately glowed or
AURORA well, again considering the script. The steamed smoke, neither mode of which
high sheriff, "Not-in-my-town-you- propulsion seemed necessary as long
The Aurora Encounter (New won't," is played by Tom Brown, who as it was securely supported by cables
World Pictures) purports to be about a has little to say and seems thankful and cropped camera angles.
"true story," the alleged crash of an enough for it. But come downtown it does, in a
alien airship at Aurora, Texas, on April There's also a b a d - g u y , blaze of arc-lights. Boy alien steps out of
17, 1897. According to legend (most undercover Texas Ranger (yes, in black his ship long enough to be gunned down
UFO historians regard the account as hat), a cameo appearance by Spanky by the dastardly Ranger. He staggers
more hoax than history), the sole McFarland as the state governor, inside, lifts off, and then passes out at
occupant of the ship, who perished in Dottie West as Irene, who contributes a the controls so his ship can slam into
the collison with a water tank, was gratuitous nipple, and more cute the Aurora water tower and explode.
subsequently buried in the town children than you can shake a stick at, But the cascading water puts out the
cemetery. probably impressed into their roles by fire long enough for one of the girls to
A sandstone headmarker their parents. retrieve his body before the spaceship
supposedly portraying the strange More material falls through the erupts in paltry pyrotechnics again.
airship reportedly marked the grave sieve-like plot than floats to the surface, A tiny casket is prepared for burial,
until sometime in the Seventies, when but for whatever reason(s), a but just like in E-T, cuddly alien movies
renewed interest in the case brought an diminuitive alien (Micky Hayes) aboard don't end on sour notes. The casket
influx of outside visitors and it was an airship from the moon turns up in glows blue, and what I assume to be
stolen. Metal detectors were said to Aurora shortly before the turn of the boy-alien's soul streaks skyward, a sort
have picked up readings under the now century. Which proves to be just what of moonbeam in reverse.
unmarked gravesite, but these samples the suffering small town needs, having I caught Aurora at a bargain
later disappeared, too, u n d e r been bypassed by the railroad, its matinee and even then felt swindled. If
somewhat mysterious circumstances. cotton crop failing, and dread yellow you have some very young (and
Finally, the local cemetery association fever on the loose. gullible) children, perhaps it'll be worth
sought and received a court injunction For more reasons unknown, the your while. Otherwise, encounter it
to prevent any further digging. little alien frequents a riverbank where soon on a TV or videocassette near
The Aurora Encounter also he maintains a bunch of cattle skulls you, because it's not long for the box-
purports to be a movie, but offers little and feathers on sticks. This is just office.
in its own defense, borrowing heavy- above a fakey cave three young girls fall
handedly virtually every Spielberg into for a convenient late afternoon
cliche in the book, from flying children, stroll through a cutrate Spielberg set.
I think boy-alien is visiting the place
17TH ANNUAL
caves and cobwebs, to a cuddly alien
because his ancestors (more skulls) are
UFO
visitor. What emerges, however,
including what must be the absolutely buried here among all sorts of
worst spaceship in the history of mysterious Aztec and Mayan allusions
cinema, is more spaghetti than that otherwise go unexplained.
Spielberg. Anyway, the girls are imperiled by a
One looks for a kind word to say fake roof falling in, though the under-
about such a promising storyline, but cover Ranger lurking above is appar- SYMPOSIUM
one looks in vain. The acting is for the ently unaware of all the seismic activity.
most part wooden and the plot has Boy alien arrives in the nick of time, and JUNE 27-29. 1986
more holes in it than a coffee filter. one of the grateful girls gives him her
Cabbage Patch doll.
ACTORS PRESENTED BY
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Jack Elam, the only name actor,
who's probably been in more westerns Moving right along, the school
than he cares to remember, turns in a ma'am, who has built the first crude MUTUAL UFO NETWORK
credible performance, given the script, aeroplane in the meantime, decides the
15
NEWS <N'.VIEWS
Washington; DiC. to be hosted by the Mars, in Sagittarius, rises shortly after midnight in .the ESE. The red planet is
Fund for UFO Researched sponsored brightening, surpassing Saturn by 3/4 magnitude at month's 'end. Comet
by the Mutual UFO Network. Fred Halley's head lies below Mars early in April. - . •' , ,
Whiting, sympoisum coordinator,
.confirmed the decision of the Board of Jupiter, in Aquarius, rises about 3:30 in midmonth "and gleams- brilliantly at
Directors -after their recent meeting. . , magnitude -2.1. The giant world is climbing higher in the ESE during morning
The location .will probably be" a .; "twilight/,
university campus in Washington D.C.
similar to the.facilities at M.I.T., M.S.U. Saturn passes 61/2° above the red start Antares oh Apr. 1, the year's second
and-fhe University of Nebraska. •" conjunction (one of three) between these.two objects. The ringed planet stands •
Marge Christensen, Director of 28° directly above Comet Halley's head on the 7th. Saturn appears .low in the
Public Relations, and the P.I.P.E. ; SSW at dawn.
committee want to remind everyone
. that MUFON's Second National UFO Total Lunar Eclipse:
Information .Week is scheduled for
August 10-17, 1986. Gary Levine, The full moon enters the earth's shadow on the morningof April 24. In the East,
Ph.D., State Director for New York, the moon sets before the eclipse begins; in the central U.S., early stages of the
.published his 'first MUFON, NEW event's partial phase will be seen (weather permitting); from.West Texas
YORK NEWSLETTER, Issue 1, westward to the coast, some of the total phase can be glimpsed before
January-February 1986. He has now moonset; and from Hawaii and the Pacific, all stages of the.eclipse are
joined Marge Christensen (Massachu- observable. The moon .enters, the earth's dark central shadow at 3:03 AM
setts) and Francis Ridge (Indiana) in Pacific Standard Time and is totally eclipsed from 4:10 to 5:15 (totality occurs
publishing a state newsletter. during twilight in the western states). From Hawaii, Comet Halley should
* * * emerge into view as the moon darkens.
The Office of Public Relations for
the Mutual UFO Network, Inc. will be Meteor Shower:
moved to Tucson, Arizona in July 1986,
when Dave, Marge Christensen, and Unfortunately this year the Lyrids peak on the morning of the 22nd will be
c h i l d r e n move f r o m B e v e r l y , spoiled by the bright light of a .gibbous moon. Under better conditions,
Massachusetts to the sunny southwest. observers would see about 15 of these bright white meteors in an hour during
They have already leased an apartment maximum. . , v
The March 1986 issue of the Degree from various universities area of extraterrestrial life and the
MUFON UFO Journal contained a throught the U.S.A. possible advance in scientific
ballot in which each subscriber was It is a pleasure to announce that knowledge that might accrue from such
invited and encouraged to cast his/her Fred Whiting, a State Section contact.
vote for one of the candidates who will Director living in Alexandria, Virginia, * * *
be the recipient of the MUFON has assumed the responsibility of State "UFOs: Beyond the Mainstream of
AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING Director for Virginia, replace Bob Science" is the theme for the MUFON
WORK IN THE UFO FIELD. The G rattan who will be transferring April 1986 UFO Symposium to be held June
award will be presented at the MUFON 1, 1986 to Paris, France to be head 27, 28 and 29, 1986 at Kellogg Center
1986 UFO Symposium to the person librarian at the American Library. Fred for Continuing Education, Michigan
judged by the ballot of members who has also been very active in the Fund for State University in East Lansing. In
has done the most for the UFO subject UFO Research and Citizens Against addition to the speakers and their
during the MUFON corporate calendar UFO Secrecy. He will soon be selecting subjects previously announced in the
year from July 1985 through June 1986. new State Section Directors for the March issue of the Journal, the
The candidates nominated for the 1986 counties in northeast Virginia to fill the following have provided the titles of
award by the Public Information and vacancies created by his promotion. their presentations: Alan C. Holt, M.S.
Public Education Committee (P.I.P.E.) * * * - "Interstellar Spaceports and
are as follows: Barry Greenwood, The following new State Section Transportation Systems"; Michael D.
Budd Hopkins, Marge Christensen, Directors have been appointed: Frank Swords, Ph.D. - "The Case for
Dan Wright and Bruce Maccabee. E. Mangus, Lt. Col. (retired) U.S.A.F., E.T....Within the Mainstream of
In addition to the plaque being living in Durango, Colorado, will cover Science"; and Harley D. Rutledge,
awarded by MUFON, the Fund for LaPlata, Montezuma, Archuleta and Ph.D. - "Project Identification: Thirteen
UFO Research will make a monetary San Juan Counties. During his 20 years Years and One-hundred and Sixty
award of $250 to the awardee in in the service, he has been an instructor Sightings Later." Other speakers are
memory of Isabel Davis. Please submit pilot, senior navigator, electronics Bruce Maccabee, Ph.D., David M.
your ballot promptly to Walt Andrus engineer, and communications and Jacobs, Ph.D., John F. Schuessler,
before May 15, 1986 for tabulation so electronics staff officer. Mr. Mangus is M.S., Richard F. Haines, Ph.D.,
adequate time will be available for an amateur radio operator (NOGCG). Robert H. Bletchman, J.D., and the
engraving the plaque. Robert S. Gates of Idaho Falls, Idaho keynote speaker Mrs. Marge
MUFON and the P.I.P.E. has been assigned the counties of Christensen.
committee will also present an Bonneville, Bingham and Jefferson. He Reservations for rooms at the
engraved plaque to Dr. J. Allen Hynek has been specializing his UFO research Kellogg Center and registration for the
in recognition for his lifelong dedication to UFOs over military installations, symposium are now available by writing
and contributions to UFO research and minutemen bases and airline UFO to George Coyne, 6171 River Road,
public information at the UFO encounters. Flushing, Michigan 48433. Registration
Symposium in Lansing, Michigan. Bernard Haugen, M.A., a retired for the MUFON 1986 UFO Symposium
* * * scientist and educator from Oxford, is $25 in U.S. funds ($30 after May 27)
Michael Sinclair, International North Carolina, has also concentrated by check or money order made payable
Coordinator, is proud to announce that his research to pilot reports and to Michigan MUFON, Inc. Rooms at
Sr. Carlos Paz Garcia, a professor in aviation reports from Project Blue the Kellog Center are $35 per night for
Lima, Peru, is the new Representative Book. Mr. Haugen has been a member single occupancy or $42 per night for
for Peru. He is a member of numerous of MUFON since 1982, however he will double occupancy. Michigan MUFON
UFO organizations in South America now take a more active role as State will forward your room reservation
and has had other specialized training Section Director for Granville, Person request immediately upon receipt.
in exobiology, astrobiology, and and Vance Counties. William I. Reservations received by the Kellog
parapsychology. John A. Banasick, McNeff, B.S.E.E., an electrical Center after May 27 cannot be
M.A., a retired U.S.A.F. Lt. Colonel, engineer residing in Coon Rapids, guaranteed.
and physics instructor, has accepted Minnesota, has been recommended by If you will be arriving after 6 p.m. on
the position of Representative for the Walter J. Moe, Asst. State Director the first night of reserved room
Republic of Panama where he resides. for Minnesota to oversee the counties occupancy, you must prepay by
Mr. Banasick has accumulated 140 of Anaka and Hennepin. Mr. McNeffs
graudate hours over his Masters prime interest to date has been in the (continued on page 18)