Saturday, May 28, 2016

1988 UFO Magazine: John Lennon, Gulf Breeze sightings and more


In the wake of Sunday's post on Galactitags, which I hope you didn't miss, here are some more tidbits from that 1988 issue of UFO Magazine.

1. A short article about the John Lennon song "Nobody Told Me," which was recorded in 1980 and released posthumously in 1984. There's a line in the song that goes "There's UFO's over New York and I ain't too surprised." That line might be referencing a sighting of an alleged UFO by Lennon in 1974. The article quotes an anonymous Los Angeles woman who states: "The space people are using mankind's great love for him [Lennon] as a bridge between the dimensions. They're also using the dolphins for this purpose." Sure.

2. A review of the 1988 book Disneyland of the Gods, by John Keel (1930-2009). UFO Magazine reviewer Dennis Stacy treats the book with a surprising amount of skepticism, given that he's writing for a periodical called UFO Magazine. Of Keel's book, Stacy writes: "The reason why so many of us enjoy Keel, in fact, is because he's such an irreverent, unpenitent cheerleader for the paranormal in general, and his own particular world view, in particular. Like Fort, reading Keel is a headlong ride on a comet. So what if the data snowball is not as pure as it could be?" (By the way, copies of this book range from $14 to $64 on Amazon these days.)

3. An advertisement to buy a VHS tape featuring video of the then-famous Gulf Breeze UFO sightings, which began in 1987 and were centered about witness Ed Walters. The VHS tape, touted as "the real thing" and "the best UFO evidence of all time" cost $39.95, which is the equivalent of $80 today. Ouch! In subsequent years, evidence appeared that strongly pointed toward the Gulf Breeze sightings being a hoax.

4. Speaking of ridiculous prices, there's an advertisement for a $139.95 "UFO DETECTOR" from Klark Kent Super Science in Dayton, Ohio. The device's description: "This scientific instrument is for amateur and professional Ufologists to use at home or in actual field cases! The MAGNETIC FIELD DISTORTION DETECTOR has variable sensitivity for long range detection and can be set in alarm mode as an intrusion warning device."

5. Finally, a classified advertisement for a UFO newsclipping service run by Lucius Farish and Rod B. Dyke and based out of tiny Plumerville, Arkansas. The service was in existence from 1969 until 2011. When it closed up shop, Dyke sent the following email, as posted on UFO UpDates and reposted here, for posterity and because they were, if you think about, fellow ephemeraologists, sorting, saving and archiving paper:

From: Roderick Dyke
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:50:29 -0700
Archived: Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:31:08 -0400
Subject: UFO Newsclipping Service - An End Of An Era?

UFO Newsclipping Service An End Of An Era?

For the record:

Below is the front page editorial & farewell for the last

Edition of the UFO Newsclipping Service (just published)
For August 2011 issue # 505.

- Rod Dyke

-----

Dear UFO Newsclipping Service subscribers,

Dave Marler, (who is only the 4th editor of this esteemed news
journal), has asked for a few words from me on the "passing" of
the UFONS. I started and was the originator of the UFO
Newsclipping Service, (UFONS), whose first issue was published
way back in May 1969 (as a young 17 year old teen, and to save
those mentally doing the mathematical extrapolation, yes, I'll
be 60 in a few months. But I digress...) I was the editor from
the very first issue thru issue #98 (June 1977) and then as co-
editor with Lou Farish from issue #99, (July 1977), thru #258,
(December 1990). So, as the "father" of the UFONS and thus
giving birth to it, I feel honored to say a few "last words".

Over the last 42+ years and 505 issues, the UFO Newsclipping
Service has documented, (without editorialisation on our part,
mind you), the intriguing and amazing, (and sometimes wacky),
world of Ufology, Cryptozoology and related Fortean news as it
happened in the press from around-the-world. All 10,000 pages
and 30,000+ newsclippings!

I want to especially thank Lou Farish who took over full
editorship from me with issue #259, (January 1991), and ended
with #460 (November 2007). Lou really was in the trenches
when it was most needed and carried the torch forward when
other personal and business time commitments precluded me
from continuing. Thanks go to Dave Marler for the heads-up
that Lou was stopping the UFONS back in November 2007.

That let me try my hand once again as editor, along with my very
able co-editor Chuck Flood from issues #461-473 - December 2007-December 2008.

And now to Dave Marler who has unfailingly been a positive
supporter of the UFONS... (see what that gets you Dave? - that's
right, editorship). Dave has been the able 4th (and last) editor
of this journal from issues #474-505 (January 2009- August
2011). He was at the helm when the UFONS proudly saw its issue
#500 published, and as editor of this, the last issue.

Thanks, Dave.

I want to personally give a big Thank You to all those who have
inspired and encouraged this publication over these decades...
Lou, Chuck, Dave, my wife Colleen, and the hundreds and hundreds of faithful subscribers.

A heartfelt thanks to those like me, a kid of the 1950's, who
still after all these years still have a sense of wonder, and
can envision a world and universe of untold wonders, secrets and
mysteries yet to unfold.

We all now say goodbye with this the August 2011 - 505th issue
of the UFO Newsclipping Service.

-----

On a parting note, and as the archivist of the Archives for UFO
Research (AUFOR), here on Bainbridge Island, Washington,
I personally own and retain the copyrights =A9 to all the UFO
Newsclipping Service (UFONS) issues. I'm excited to let all
researchers and historians know that all 505 back issues are
being scanned and will be made available to those who need
them, in either printed or PDF editions. So, all is not lost!

Sincerely yours in research,

Roderick B. Dyke, Archivist
Archives for UFO Research [AUFOR]
Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110

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