BUFORA Bulletin No. 13, Sep/Oct 1999

The BUFORA Bulletin No. 13, published in September/October 1999, serves as the official journal of the British UFO Research Association. The issue focuses on the organization's commitment to professionalizing UFO research through a new 'Rolling Progress' project initiative. This strategy aims to avoid the pitfalls of withholding research for too long by publishing preliminary findings and inviting global input from serious ufologists and scientific disciplines. The bulletin outlines several active projects, including studies on the 'Men in Black', the 'BOLIDE' project, and investigations into vehicle interference and pilot reports. A significant portion of the bulletin is dedicated to the debate surrounding the use of regression hypnosis in abduction research, noting BUFORA's long-standing moratorium on the practice. The editorial highlights the 500th edition of UFOCALL, a telephone information service managed by Jenny Randles, which served as a revolutionary source of information before the widespread adoption of the internet. The bulletin also features reports on recent sightings, including a case in Reading, Berks, involving a witness who reported various aerial phenomena, and an incident in Avebury, Wilts, where a team of skywatchers observed bright pulses of light. Malcolm Robinson contributes a detailed account of a 1996 'halls of residence' incident in London, where a student reported a traumatic abduction experience involving small, monk-like beings. Anthony Eccles provides an analytical look at how the media portrays UFOs and the paranormal, tracing the origins of modern stereotypes back to the post-World War II era and the 'flying saucer' craze. The bulletin also includes historical perspectives, with Steve Gamble examining 17th-century 'ball-of-light' reports from John Morton's 'History of Northamptonshire' and Dr. Plot's 'A Natural History of Staffordshire'. The issue concludes with a list of forthcoming lectures and events, including talks on the 'Stargate Conspiracy' and the 'Scoriton Mystery', and a book list from the BUFORA shop.