159 lines
7.2 KiB
Plaintext
159 lines
7.2 KiB
Plaintext
SUBJECT: A BEGINNERS BUIDE TO UFOLOGY FILE: UFO1608
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This article originally appeared in HUFON REPORT, the newsletter of the
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Houston UFO Network, and can be freely reproduced so long as its source
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is attributed.
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In The Beginning....
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A Beginners Guide to UFOlogy
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By Gayle Nesom
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This new column, an introduction to the basics on the UFO phenomenon,
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is for newcomers to ufology. A relative newcomer to the subject myself, I
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am still trying to learn the basics, and I have lots of questions. The answers
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I am most interested in are those based on fact. Naturally, I am curious
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about other people's viewpoints and their reasons for them, but in general, I
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want to be able to form my own opinions.
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Thus, the main goals of this column are to present the basics and, in the
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process, distinguish between fact and opinion. I also hope that the column
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will represent a different perspective and give other newcomers to HUFON
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a voice in the organization. My own limited exposure to the field will no
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doubt color what I write, so your comments and corrections are sincerely
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welcome.
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UFO Resources:
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Sources for UFO information abound. Whatever your particular interest,
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there's probably an organization or publication for you. I thought it would
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be appropriate to begin this column by describing what's available for those
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who want to learn more and get more involved. The annotated list below is
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not complete, of course, but it does cover some of the best known
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organizations and periodicals, as well as various other resources. I will
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update the list from time to time, and I welcome your input.
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Houston UFO Network
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P.O.Box 942, Bellaire,TX 77042-0942
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Founded 1988; $30/year
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Publication (monthly): HUFON Report
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Serving the greater Houston area, HUFON strives to disseminate UFO
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information, investigate local UFO sightings and abduction reports, and to
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provide lively monthly public meetings that both inform and entertain.
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HUFON's newsletter is one of the best in the field, featuring several
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"scoops" before national publications (submissions are invited).
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Mutual UFO Network
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103 Oldtowne Rd. Sequin, TX 78115.
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Founded 1969; $25/year.
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Publication (monthly): MUFON Journal.
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MUFON, which bills itself as "the world's largest UFO organization," is
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headquartered in Texas just south of San Antonio. For your membership,
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you get an interesting publication and a broader look at ufology than
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membership in a local organization can provide. The letters in the journal
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are full of caustic comments that provides a look at the controversy and
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dissension that is prevalent among UFO buffs and authorities.
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Citizens Against UFO Secrecy
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3518 Martha Custis Ave., Alexandria, Virginia 22302 or P.O. Box 218,
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Coventry, CT 06238.
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Founded 1978; $15/year.
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Publication: Just Cause (published sporadically).
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CAUS, as it is sometimes known, battles what the organization perceives
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as unjustified government secrecy in relation to UFOs, working through
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the Freedom of Information Act and other legal channels. One court case
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(CAUS vs. NASA) reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1980. CAUS has
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obtained thousands of pages of government documents that were previously
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unavailable to the public. If you are interested in the government cover-up,
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this is the group for you.
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Fund for UFO Research
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P.O. Box 277, Mount Rainier, MD 20712.
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Founded 1974; associated with CAUS.
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The Fund is a nonprofit organization that, like CAUS, is interested in the
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government's involvement in and cover-up of the UFO phenomenon. The
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Fund is currently pursuing the Roswell case and since 1990 has spent more
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than $50,000 on its ongoing investigation. Instead of a journal or
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newsletter, communication is a monthly letter from the director. Like
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Amnesty International, the Fund periodically mails out model letters for
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supporters to use in lobbying congressmen and senators. A contribution of
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$50 will get you a copy of the Fund's latest video of interviews with more
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than 30 witnesses to the Roswell incident.
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J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies
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2457 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago, IL 60659.
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Founded 1974; $25/year.
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Publications: International UFO Reporter (bimonthly) and Journal for UFO
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Studies (annual).
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CUFOS was founded by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who coined the phrase "close
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encounters of the third kind" (and acted as technical advisor to director
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Steven Spielberg in the movie of the same name). Dr. Hynek, who died in
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1986, was professor of astronomy at Northwestern University, serving for
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many years as chairman of that department and director of the Dearborn
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Observatory. For 22 years he was chief scientific consultant on UFOs to the
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U. S. Air Force. (Dr. Hynek's 1972 book, The UFO Experience: A
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Scientific Inquiry, is an excellently written scientific analysis of the UFO
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phenomenon.) CUFOS serves as a clearinghouse for a two-way exchange
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of information where UFO experiences can be reported and researched.
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The organization also maintains one of the world's largest repositories of
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UFO data. In addition to the two journals, CUFOS also offers books,
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audiocassette tapes, and videos.
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Canadian UFO Research Network
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P.O. Box 15, Station A, Willowdale, Ontario, M2N 5S7, Canada.
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This is one of at least four national UFO organizations in Canada. I also
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have addresses for organizations in at least 15 other countries. If you are
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looking for one in particular, get in touch with me at a meeting.
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UFO Newsclipping Service
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Route 1, Box 220, Plumerville, AR 72127.
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Since 1969; $55/year.
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The service sends 20-page monthly reports containing the latest U.S. and
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Canadian UFO newsclippings and a foreign section carrying British,
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Australian, New Zealand and other foreign press reports. Also included is
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a three- to five-page section of Fortean clippings. A different news service
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is the UFO Reporting and Information Service, P.O. Box 832, Mercer
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Island, WA 98040.
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Fortean Times
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SKS, 20 Paul St., Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DX, U.K.
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This is a quarterly journal of news and reviews about all sorts of strange
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phenomenon, including UFOs. The publication's name comes from Charles
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Fort (1874-1932), who was interested in the strange and unusual.
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Flying Saucer Review
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FSR Publications, Ltd., P.O. Box 162, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire,
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HP13 5DZ, U.K.
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FSR is one of the leading journals on UFOs and is reportedly subscribed to
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by a number of governmental bodies worldwide.
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Arcturus Book Service
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P.O. Box 831383, Stone Mountain, GA 30083, (404) 297-4624.
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Arcturus deals exclusively in UFO books. Call or write them for a price
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list.
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MUFON Amateur Radio Net
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80 meters-3.929 MHz Sat., 8 p.m.
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40 meters-7.237 MHz Sat. 7 a.m.
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10 meters-28.470 Mhz Sun., 2 p.m.
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(Central Standard Time)
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MUFON Bulletin Board System Network
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4769 Lake Ridge Dr., Memphis, TN 38109.
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John Komar will send you an on-line guide to this electronic bulletin
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board.
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A final note: Rumors are rampant about the supposed goals, sincerity, and
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integrity of various UFO groups. Join and subscribe at your own risk, take
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what you read with a grain of salt, and form your own opinions!
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**********************************************
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* THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo *
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********************************************** |