- Year in Focus UFO Publications The State
of Ufology in the UK Local Initiatives The Media Discs and Triangles 'Truthtellers'
Award 1998 Magazine of the Year 1998 Idiots of the Year 1998 And finally..........
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-
- THE YEAR IN FOCUS
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- This has been a fascinating year for
all of us. It started off with a pathetic, though vicious, hate campaign
against us organised by one researcher in Northern England and supported
by a handful of losers in the Midlands. One of the things that emerged
from this was a "ban" on both myself and Eric Morris speaking
on stage with certain UFO "researchers".
-
- This has made absolutely no difference
whatever and despite the illegal and libelous nature of the hate material
sent to dozens of UFO researchers I have been asked to speak at many local
group and national conference events. Both Eric and myself have spoken
to non-UFO audiences in order to spread the good news about our work to
as many people as possible.
-
- The highlight of the year for both of
us was the UFOKENT event and you will have received our report on that
Conference. For the first time I felt that the UFO community was beginning
to realize that UFO research is not just a search for 'aliens' or some
sort of 'alien' pseudo-religion. The message that flying discs were built
and developed in Germany and the USA during the Second World War has been
spread far and wide and as I write this there are some tremendous developments
taking place which will become public early next year - probably at our
"Countdown to the Millennium" event on Saturday February 27th.
-
- The Lancashire UFO Society and British
UFO Studies Centre have worked well together this year and put on numerous
well-supported events in and around the North West. These have included
regular monthly meetings in Southport, Northwich and Warrington with several
other meetings in Blackburn, Chorley, Lancaster and Preston. The average
attendance at LUFOS events has been 42 (I am told by our hard-working Secretary
Brenda Wilkinson!).
-
- BUFOSC events in Warrington have been
particularly successful and we hope to build these up next year.
-
- We have ensured that the information
presented at our meetings is balanced and to that end we not only allowed
more skeptical researchers to have an input this year but showed the "Alien
Interview" video, the Russian UFO crash film fake, allowed members
to speak openly about their 'contact' experiences and to invite members
to show videos relating to the "Ancient Astronauts" theories.
-
- The year ended off on December 9th with
Wiltshire-based researcher Matthew Williams presenting a varied talk for
us on crop circles, human circle-making, the evils of freemasonry (!) and
also the latest and quite interesting video footage of anomalous lights
over crop fields in Wiltshire.
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- UFO RAGS and MAGS
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- Our joint magazine 'UFO News' has been
a success although sales figures per quarter are no more, at this stage,
than a few hundred. This is quite usual for in-house magazines although
it has always been our contention that if people are really interested
in accurate, detailed and credible information on the many subjects associated
with Ufology then they should be prepared to dispense with the gloss. On
this note the death of "Sightings" and "Alien Encounters"
magazines were very welcome and although we initially wrote for these mags
it soon became clear that their interest was simply to do with money-making
and sensationalism.
-
- 'UFO Magazine' is now the only newsstand
magazine left in the UK although 'Quest' magazine is rumoured to be interested
in a wider approach to the subject. Having said that the "Face on
Mars" theories were dealt a rather serious blow this year and may
have acted to kill off peoples' interest in this kind of publication.
-
- Sales of 'UFO Magazine' are fairly stable
at between 60-70,000 and it is to be hoped that the snotty and patronizing
attitude of the Birdsall brothers will be replaced by a greater objectivity.
I don't think you have to exaggerate and sensationalize to make money -
but perhaps I'm wrong.....Tony Dodd left the Birdsall team this year and
it is unclear whether this was to do with his increasingly extreme claims
about "alien abductions", the UFO cover-up and the controversial
use of hypnosis or because he fell out with other members of the "Quest
Publications" team. I understand that Tony is now engaged in private
research. Having met Tony on several occasions I found him to be a friendly
and sincere individual although I lost any remaining faith in his objectivity
when Omar Fowler printed the infamous "alien backing tapes" article
in a recent edition of "OVNI" magazine.
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- THE STATE OF THE 'MOVEMENT'
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- BUFORA - a year of change.
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- BUFORA, the British UFO Research Association,
staggered on gasping for breath, and life, this year with a dramatic fall
in membership to under 500 after various revelations, claims and counter-claims
about the organizations' finances and structure. The main problems, information
on which I was supplied by several members, seemed to be the result of
the failure to produce "UFO Times" magazine for 10 months and
the attitude of a rump of BUFORA Council members. These few appeared to
believe that they had a right to stay in control of the organization despite
their collective failure over recent years. Philip Mantle was gone, hence
no strong character to do much hard work, and the glossy "UFO Times",
supposedly guaranteed quarterly to members, failed to appear and was replaced
by the lesser though improving "BUFORA Bulletin" under Robert
Moore.
-
- This has all been a great shame because
with BUFORA it is a case of great promises never being fulfilled. Of course
I should point out that over the years it has tried to counter the increasing
hysteria and paranoia of the UFO community but failed to realize that it
is no good having a good product unless you sell it. Within the organization
some excellent researchers continue to beaver away regardless of the shenanigans
of the incompetent council. These are Director of Investigations Gloria
Dixon, the hardest working researcher in the country, Robert Moore, the
Editor and producer of the BUFORA Bulletin, Dave Pointon of Staffordshire
Paranormal Investigations, George Niedwiecz in the Borders region, and
Judith Jaafar in London.
-
- I have no doubt that they will carry
on talking sense about this subject long after the X-Files hangers-on have
left the scene.
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- OTHER LOCAL INITIATIVES
-
- The ability of local groups to work together
in relative harmony was demonstrated by the UFOKENT event where several
Kent-based groups put on a marvellous Conference. Astrasearch, North Kent
UFO Group and UFO Monitors of East Kent (UFOMEK) worked hard to push their
message and the Conference resulted in good publicity for all. What is
more, the hard work was rewarded by the emergence of an intriguing security
camera film showing what appears to be a dark, hovering "UFO".
This will be shown at our February Conference.
-
- In the South West Dave Dunworth continues
to do excellent work with his "Skywatch" group and I understand
that he holds regular meetings in Cornwall. There have been some fascinating
reports from the area and some information relating to high speed UFOs
out to sea.....
-
- In Yorkshire David Bakers' Yorkshire
UFO Society (YUFOS) continues to meet in Sheffield and to produce an interesting
regular magazine. Both Eric and I have spoken at YUFOS meetings and I hope
to be able to help YUFOS in their work next year and to ensure greater
publicity for them. We may even arrange a UFO Conference in South Yorkshire.
-
- Over in Lincolnshire, County of a hundred
airfields and still home to vital parts of UK Air Defence (RAF Waddington
and RAF Coningsby), Vic Metcalf has informed us that he has started a new
group known as the Lincoln UFO Investigations Network (LIUFON). He is an
especially hard-working local investigator and we fully support his work.
We travelled over to the Lincoln Observatory this year and spoke to 20
members of the local UFO group.
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- Matthew Williams Truthseekers International
has seen some growth this year despite his revelations about crop circle-making
and the temporary non-appearance of the "Truthseekers" magazine.
Matthew informs me that this will be out in the new year with a wider focus
on conspiracies and secret societies as well as UFOs and the paranormal.
A Truthseekers Conference was held in Dundee, Scotland, and this led to
some local interest.
-
- Up in Scotland there is a variety of
local groups although the focal point appears still to be Bonnybridge where
I am still to be convinced that anything more significant than military
activity has taken place. Having said that Ron Halliday continues to investigate
sightings in the country and recently his book on Scottish sightings was
published. I bought a copy in picturesque Perth on my recent trip to the
area. I understand from several locals that the A9 road to Inverness has
been the focal point for many strange happenings. More on this next year!
-
- Malcolm Robinson of Strange Phenomena
Investigations and perhaps the best-known Scottish researcher is now headquartered
in London. He continues to spread a message of UFO Reality and we met him
at the recent Carlton TV event. Despite initial (on-screen) disagreements
I found Malcolm to be a very honest and sincere advocate, not to mention
a dedicated researcher. Good luck in the big city!
-
- In the North West the plethora of local
groups continue to operate with varying success. The NLUFOIG group don't
appear to be doing much, not that they ever did, and indeed Cath Calvo
of the Morecambe based group told us earlier this year that only her and
Simon Lewis still did anything and that they were in with LAPIS. Roger
Hill is tied up with David Icke these days.....LAPIS held their one year
event in November.
-
- On the much more positive side Merseyside
Anomalies Research Association (MARA) continues to undertake objective
research and it is to be hoped that we can develop an understanding and
work together. We are also cooperating with the newly-formed Wirral UFO
Study Group and I recently spoke at their December meeting in Leasowe.
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- THE MEDIA
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- In terms of press interest both the British
UFO Studies Centre and Lancashire UFO Society continue to hound the media
into sensible reporting of the UFO subject and to this end we have appeared
on dozens of different radio programmes and spoken to many local talk radio
shows. Television companies continue to show an interest. In November,
when we held our big meeting in Southport to release new information on
earthly flying disc technologies Independent Radio News carried the story
Nationally and we received some great feedback.
-
- I have been working with Union Pictures
in the production of yet another UFO documentary although in this case
one of the three programmes is on the subject of secret military aircraft.
I am still not certain what conclusions Producer John Purdie will reach
although you will have a chance to hear from Thomas C. Smith, formerly
of Chance-Vought, Jack Pickett, formerly with the USAF, Bill Sweetman and
others.
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- Should be fun........
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- THOSE FLYING DISCS
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- More and more information has emerged
this year to support my contention that flying disc aircraft were/are entirely
of terrestrial origin and my feeling is that we have won many battles here,
if not the war. Too many Ufologists are alien cultists and refuse to listen
to anything else. Having said that the reception at my many lectures on
the subject this year at UFO-related events has been very positive. In
fact, many emails have come in from researchers claiming that they have
been waiting for somebody to present this case for years. One wonders why
they couldn't have been more forthcoming in the past - but no matter.
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- FLYING TRIANGLES
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- The same goes for triangle although I
notice the usual nonsense about flying triangles appearing in the latest
CAUS bulletins. I have to say that I have never read worse rubbish on the
subject than the fiction presented by Mr. Robert A. M Stephens on the subject
and to be quite honest I am surprised that Peter Gersten should allow this
obvious loony any exposure at all. THERE IS SIMPLY NO EVIDENCE to support
what Stephens says.
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- CAUS continues to campaign for the release
of US Government UFO files. We fully support this effort.
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- TRUTHTELLERS 1998!
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- A number of meaningless awards of great
value to the following stalwarts and bringers of much-needed truths;
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- Jeff Rense
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- His "Sightings" radio show
is a great success and presents the broadest material to an increasingly
large audience - now over 2 million! He had the guts to allow me to present
the facts about my research into flying triangles and discplanes.
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- Jenny Randles
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- Much-criticized and much-loved author/researcher
who has consistently supported the work of the Lancashire UFO Society.
Her latest book "Something in the Air" (Hale, 1998) is a must
and covers the NW flying triangle flap.
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- Gloria Dixon
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- For her sterling efforts to improve
the standards of UFO research within British Ufology.
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- Kevin McClure
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- For taking on the many lunatics within
Ufology and more particularly the 'abduction' lobby.
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- James Easton
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- Scottish-based researcher who fully exposed
the nonsense of the Rendlesham Forest case and also the excesses of Ufology
throughout the year.
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- MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR 1998
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- Fortean Times
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- For so much interesting and weird information.....
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- BUFOSC 'IDIOTS' OF THE YEAR AWARD 1998
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- Yes, this is the moment you've all been
waiting for. It is incumbent upon us to bestow several lump of the finest
Northern dog turd upon the researchers who have done the most to encourage
ridicule of the UFO community.
-
- And this years winners are...........
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- Linda Moulton-Howe !!!!
-
- She deserves it with the greatest use
of anonymous sources with silly names (this years crop included "Kewper")
having recently started waffling on about a UFO crash retrieval in 1943
for which there is no evidence whatsoever as well as the usual MJ-12 fantasies.
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- Nick Pope
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- For his continued efforts to mislead
us about his personal abduction experience - expunged from his first book
- and to claim that flying triangles are alien in origin. Money well spent
by the MOD.....?
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- Omar Fowler
-
- For talking crap on the recent Carlton
TV show and his constant support for the wildest UFO fantasies.
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- Barry King
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- Walthamstow taxi driver who still claims
to be the victim of a government-alien plot and implant. No evidence but
much paranoia.......
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- Please don't take this entirely seriously!
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- ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!
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- 1999 will be an exciting year for British
and world Ufology because there is no doubt that every kind of lunatic
prediction will emerge. The aliens didn't land on December 7th, more's
the pity, and do not appear to have done so today either. It is perhaps
the case that the highest echelons of the US military and intelligence
communities do have certain evidence that we are not alone. I very much
doubt that this is going to publicly emerge, if it exists. Our preconceptions
about life out there and our fantasies about grey aliens/sexual encounters
with ET and suchlike do nothing to advance the cause. Perhaps the soothsayer
who suggested that Ufology would become the 'Religion for the 21st Century'
was right but as Lemmy of Motorhead (recently inducted into the BUFOSC
'Files of Fame') states;
-
- "I don't need religion".
-
- If you want religion there is plenty
on offer on TV.
-
- Leave Ufology out of it......
-
- The answers may be along the lines that
Professor Stephen Hawking suggests whereby the constant sending of messages
into space may not be entirely sensible - and may elicit a hostile response.
In addition, we should not attack the many excellent SETI scientists and
we must trust that they will continue their search for the needle in the
haystack....
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- BUFOSC and LUFOS have many plans for
1999 but you can rest assured that nothing will deflect us from our efforts
to get at the truth of the matter and to fully expose the reality of disc
and triangular aircraft technologies. We will continue to allow the widest
range of topics at our meetings and we are happy to print your many responses
to our work both to these email messages and to our UFO NEWS magazine.
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- COUNTDOWN TO THE MILLENNIUM - FEBRUARY
27TH 1999.
-
- Our big Conference, featuring Jenny Randles,
Dave Clarke, James Diss, Andy Roberts and Jerry Anderson is gaining momentum.
This is our chance to choose a path for British Ufology for the 21st Century
and to try and encourage sensible researchers to work together as far as
possible. At just £7 this is a bargain Conference and sure to be
controversial. If you or your group want a free stall or space at the event
please let us know ASAP. Those attending from outside the UK will, of course,
be let in for FREE!
-
- The event takes place in Southport and
will feature an interesting short debate between Andy Roberts and Jenny
Randles on the nature of the evidence for a Berwyn Mountain UFO crash retrieval
incident.
-
- There will also be discussion about the
UK Abductions Symposium - a behind-closed-doors private event hopefully
to be organised for the benefit of concerned researchers and professionals
in the relevant fields of study.
-
-
- I am tempted to allow a one hour discussion
to take place on the subject of "The Future of UK Ufology" in
order to clarify our various positions and to move us forward. With BUFORA
in a mess and many local groups experiencing difficulties NOW IS THE TIME
for us to get together, just once, to plan ahead.
-
- We shall also allow local group organizers
to the platform for a few minutes each to present their views and perhaps
a brief report on interesting sightings and experiences reported to them
during 1998.
-
- This not just our Conference. IT IS YOUR
CONFERENCE......and if you are at all interested in Ufology then you should
be nowhere other than Southport on the day!
-
- Many stallholders have agreed to attend.
-
- It will indeed be a day to remember!
-
- Be there!
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- BUFOSC LATEST
-
- Yesterday we held our XMAS XFILES event
in Stoke at the Cobridge Community Centre to launch a BUFOSC (Staffordshire)
group under the guidance of Roy Bennett. The event attracted major publicity
including hourly bulletins on the news, other radio coverage and press
interest. 30 people managed to break away from their Christmas shopping
ritual to make this a successful day. There was much enthusiasm and a local
group has now been formed.
-
- We will be holding en event in Stoke
within the next few months beyond the usual get-togethers.
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- HAPPY CHRISTMAS
-
- Whatever you believe in we at the British
UFO Studies Centre and Lancashire UFO Society wish you a very happy Christmas
and New Year. Remember NOT to drink and drive and to think of less fortunate
neighbours. If you have a local homeless shelter please donate food, money
or assistance! Remember also to watch out for those unfortunate stray cats
and dogs and to buy your pets at least one treat!
-
- We'll be back with a bang in the New
Year.
-
- Keep your eyes on the skies - and your
local military base!
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- Tim Matthews, The Bunker, Southport,
Merseyside.
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