SUBJECT: A BEGINNERS BUIDE TO UFOLOGY FILE: UFO1608




This article originally appeared in HUFON REPORT, the newsletter of the Houston UFO Network, and can be freely reproduced so long as its source
is attributed.



In The Beginning....
A Beginners Guide to UFOlogy
By Gayle Nesom

This new column, an introduction to the basics on the UFO phenomenon,
is for newcomers to ufology. A relative newcomer to the subject myself, I
am still trying to learn the basics, and I have lots of questions. The answers I am most interested in are those based on fact. Naturally, I am curious
about other people's viewpoints and their reasons for them, but in general, I want to be able to form my own opinions.
Thus, the main goals of this column are to present the basics and, in the process, distinguish between fact and opinion. I also hope that the column
will represent a different perspective and give other newcomers to HUFON
a voice in the organization. My own limited exposure to the field will no
doubt color what I write, so your comments and corrections are sincerely welcome.

UFO Resources:

Sources for UFO information abound. Whatever your particular interest,
there's probably an organization or publication for you. I thought it would
be appropriate to begin this column by describing what's available for those who want to learn more and get more involved. The annotated list below is
not complete, of course, but it does cover some of the best known
organizations and periodicals, as well as various other resources. I will update the list from time to time, and I welcome your input.

Houston UFO Network
P.O.Box 942, Bellaire,TX 77042-0942
Founded 1988; $30/year
Publication (monthly): HUFON Report
Serving the greater Houston area, HUFON strives to disseminate UFO
information, investigate local UFO sightings and abduction reports, and to provide lively monthly public meetings that both inform and entertain.
HUFON's newsletter is one of the best in the field, featuring several
"scoops" before national publications (submissions are invited).



Mutual UFO Network
103 Oldtowne Rd. Sequin, TX 78115.
Founded 1969; $25/year.
Publication (monthly): MUFON Journal.
MUFON, which bills itself as "the world's largest UFO organization," is headquartered in Texas just south of San Antonio. For your membership,
you get an interesting publication and a broader look at ufology than membership in a local organization can provide. The letters in the journal
are full of caustic comments that provides a look at the controversy and dissension that is prevalent among UFO buffs and authorities.

Citizens Against UFO Secrecy
3518 Martha Custis Ave., Alexandria, Virginia 22302 or P.O. Box 218,
Coventry, CT 06238.
Founded 1978; $15/year.
Publication: Just Cause (published sporadically).
CAUS, as it is sometimes known, battles what the organization perceives
as unjustified government secrecy in relation to UFOs, working through
the Freedom of Information Act and other legal channels. One court case
(CAUS vs. NASA) reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1980. CAUS has
obtained thousands of pages of government documents that were previously unavailable to the public. If you are interested in the government cover-up, this is the group for you.

Fund for UFO Research
P.O. Box 277, Mount Rainier, MD 20712.
Founded 1974; associated with CAUS.
The Fund is a nonprofit organization that, like CAUS, is interested in the government's involvement in and cover-up of the UFO phenomenon. The
Fund is currently pursuing the Roswell case and since 1990 has spent more
than $50,000 on its ongoing investigation. Instead of a journal or
newsletter, communication is a monthly letter from the director. Like
Amnesty International, the Fund periodically mails out model letters for supporters to use in lobbying congressmen and senators. A contribution of
$50 will get you a copy of the Fund's latest video of interviews with more
than 30 witnesses to the Roswell incident.

J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies
2457 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago, IL 60659.
Founded 1974; $25/year.
Publications: International UFO Reporter (bimonthly) and Journal for UFO Studies (annual).
CUFOS was founded by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who coined the phrase "close encounters of the third kind" (and acted as technical advisor to director Steven Spielberg in the movie of the same name). Dr. Hynek, who died in
1986, was professor of astronomy at Northwestern University, serving for
many years as chairman of that department and director of the Dearborn Observatory. For 22 years he was chief scientific consultant on UFOs to the
U. S. Air Force. (Dr. Hynek's 1972 book, The UFO Experience: A
Scientific Inquiry, is an excellently written scientific analysis of the UFO phenomenon.) CUFOS serves as a clearinghouse for a two-way exchange
of information where UFO experiences can be reported and researched.
The organization also maintains one of the world's largest repositories of
UFO data. In addition to the two journals, CUFOS also offers books, audiocassette tapes, and videos.

Canadian UFO Research Network
P.O. Box 15, Station A, Willowdale, Ontario, M2N 5S7, Canada.
This is one of at least four national UFO organizations in Canada. I also
have addresses for organizations in at least 15 other countries. If you are looking for one in particular, get in touch with me at a meeting.

UFO Newsclipping Service
Route 1, Box 220, Plumerville, AR 72127.
Since 1969; $55/year.
The service sends 20-page monthly reports containing the latest U.S. and Canadian UFO newsclippings and a foreign section carrying British,
Australian, New Zealand and other foreign press reports. Also included is
a three- to five-page section of Fortean clippings. A different news service
is the UFO Reporting and Information Service, P.O. Box 832, Mercer
Island, WA 98040.

Fortean Times
SKS, 20 Paul St., Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DX, U.K.
This is a quarterly journal of news and reviews about all sorts of strange phenomenon, including UFOs. The publication's name comes from Charles
Fort (1874-1932), who was interested in the strange and unusual.

Flying Saucer Review
FSR Publications, Ltd., P.O. Box 162, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire,
HP13 5DZ, U.K.
FSR is one of the leading journals on UFOs and is reportedly subscribed to
by a number of governmental bodies worldwide.

Arcturus Book Service
P.O. Box 831383, Stone Mountain, GA 30083, (404) 297-4624.
Arcturus deals exclusively in UFO books. Call or write them for a price
list.

MUFON Amateur Radio Net
80 meters-3.929 MHz Sat., 8 p.m.
40 meters-7.237 MHz Sat. 7 a.m.
10 meters-28.470 Mhz Sun., 2 p.m.
(Central Standard Time)

MUFON Bulletin Board System Network
4769 Lake Ridge Dr., Memphis, TN 38109.
John Komar will send you an on-line guide to this electronic bulletin
board.


A final note: Rumors are rampant about the supposed goals, sincerity, and integrity of various UFO groups. Join and subscribe at your own risk, take
what you read with a grain of salt, and form your own opinions!


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