Doubt - No 16

Magazine Overview

This issue of DOUBT magazine, identified as No. 16 and dated '16 FS' (likely referencing a Fortean Society dating system), is edited by Tiffany Thayer and priced at 25c. The cover features a striking silhouette of a child in historical attire, superimposed over crossed swords and ornate weaponry, with the magazine's title prominently displayed. The issue delves into a diverse array of topics, reflecting the Fortean Society's characteristic interest in anomalies, unexplained phenomena, and critiques of conventional scientific and social paradigms.

Contents and Articles

The magazine presents a collection of short reports, reviews, and discussions, often drawing from various sources and dated with the Fortean Society's unique system. Several sections highlight specific events and observations:

Economic and Social Commentary

• Charter of United Individuals: A piece from Salzburg, Austria, advocating for world unity and offering essay prizes, with a notable $10,000 first prize.
• Truth Seeker: Reports on the FCC's decision to grant legal radio rights to Freethinkers, seen as a significant step for advocating atheism.
• IMP'S BULLETIN: An attack on 'JEW-TOCRACY' from the Independent Music Publisher's Service, offering song titles for sale.
• Trends and Tides: A publication by Louis Adamic, noted for its sensible commentary on foreign affairs.
• Neo-Economy Series: Pamphlets by Dr. Hugo R. Fack exploring economic theories, including those of Silvio Gesell.
• Freedom and Plenty: Another publication by Dr. Hugo R. Fack, reprinting an article on Gesell's economic theories.

Reviews and Book Notices

The issue includes reviews and mentions of several books and publications:

• Christiania in Ecce Homo: A book by Cesare Montanari, sent from Milan.
• Men God Forgot: A book by Albert Cossery, published by Circle, featuring stories about people in Cairo's slums.
• Free Soul: A journal of personal liberation edited by Don M. Flower, focusing on poetry and selected prose.
• Lycanthropy as a Psychic Mechanism: A reprint from the Journal of American Folklore by M. S. Nandor Fodor, noted for its subtle implication.
• Freethinker: Features a serial critique of J. B. Rhine's ESP findings by Professor Chester E. Kellogg.
• Helan Jaworski: Several titles by Jaworski are listed, with a note that he is now in South America.
• Haunting of Cashen's Gap: A book by Harry Price and R. S. Lambert about the talking mongoose phenomenon.
• Natural History of Nonsense: A book by Bergen Evans, critically reviewed for its perceived reliance on 'mass stupidity'.
• Through Children's Eyes: A book by Blanche C. Weill offering guidance for parents on child behavior.
• Shakespeare Myth: A book by Sir Edward Durning-Lawrence, arguing that Bacon was Shakespeare.
• Message to the Seeker of Divine Truth: Associated with the Brotherhood of the White Temple.
• Peoples Post: The organ of the 'British Peoples Party', associated with the Duke of Bedford.
• Popular Astronomy: An issue checked for the use of the number 1.618 in measurements of the Great Pyramid.
• Temple of Ammon at Karnak: A paper by F. S. Richards on the age of the Great Temple.

Anomalous Events and Observations (Forteana)

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to cataloging unusual occurrences, often referred to as 'Forteana':

• Rain of Worms: Thousands of tiny worms observed blanketing a yard in Philadelphia.
• Rain of Beans: Uncleaned beans found dumped in Newport Bay, California, marked 'United Nations'.
• Dogs and Wardens: A note on the defeat of the N.Y. Anti-Vivisection bill.
• Following Ponies: A theory by Ray Jurgen suggesting horses have emotional cycles affecting their performance.
• Hooray for God!: Reports of prayers for rain in South Africa followed by deluges and drownings, and a similar incident in Actopan, Mexico.
• Easter Turns Over: The disappearance of a beach on Easter Island and the emergence of a new volcanic shoal.
• Greylock Shrinks: A note on the reported decrease in the height of Mount Greylock.
• Skinny Whales: Whales stranded on Florida beaches and a whaler's report of unusually thin whales.
• More Jersey Shots: Reports of rifle shots fired at trains in New Jersey.
• Survivors Survive: A philosophical reflection on Darwinism and survival, attributed to Charles Fort.
• Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Dreiser: An announcement that Theodore Dreiser's Forteana collection has been added to the Society's archives.
• Nuns Lose Wits: A vague report from a 'Bogota daily' about nuns losing their wits and animals dying near a lagoon.
• Light in Sky: An observation by policemen in Weatherford, Texas.
• Blackest List: Mentions of 'lie detectors' and individuals associated with them.
• More Details Needed: A report of an octopus found in a freshwater river in West Virginia.
• Meteor Injures 28: A meteor striking a farm near General Bravo, Mexico, causing tremors, and another falling in Rotterdam.
• Oyster's Can't Fly: Attempts to transport oysters by air to South Africa failed due to dead arrivals.
• Crime Still to Pay: Reports of identical fingerprints found in twins in Minneapolis.
• Bees: Notes on bees curing ulcers in Moscow, horses eating beehives in Oregon, a fatal bee sting, and government experiments with wasps.
• Comets: A list of comets observed or noted as invisible during late 1945 and 1946.
• Ghosts: Reports of a haunted ship, a ghost on crutches at St. Mary's barracks, a haunted house in Borley Rectory, and strange occurrences in Beverly Hills and churches in North Lancing.
• It's Tobermory: A talking cat in Spain and a talking dog in England.
• Noise and Jar: Reports of rumbling or crashing thuds waking residents in the Niagara Frontier area.
• Ice in August: Formation of icicles and glare ice during warm weather in Massachusetts.
• Lunacy Lessons: A recommendation to send for 'Little Lessons in Lunacy' from the Fellowship of Humanity.
• Lincoln Letters: Information regarding the availability of Robert Todd Lincoln's papers at the Library of Congress.
• Follow Ups: Updates on cases, including prolonged hiccups, a meteorite explanation, rising Greenland temperatures, and polio self-cure rates.
• Abominable Snowman: A request for data on this subject.

The Truth About India

This section, continued from a previous issue, discusses the influence of dancing girls, the instability of services, prostitution of justice, and the financial dealings within Indian princely states, citing various reports and observations.

More Notes of Charles Fort

This extensive section is a chronological catalog of anomalous events, primarily meteors, earthquakes, and other atmospheric or geological phenomena, dating from 1840 onwards. It meticulously lists dates, locations, and brief descriptions of these occurrences, often referencing specific publications or sources.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently adopts a skeptical yet open-minded stance, characteristic of the Fortean tradition. It questions official explanations, highlights inconsistencies in scientific and governmental reports, and provides a platform for documenting unusual and unexplained events. The editorial approach emphasizes the importance of observation, data collection, and critical inquiry, often with a wry or ironic tone. The recurring theme is the persistent presence of the unexplained in the world, challenging readers to doubt conventional wisdom and explore the 'stranger' aspects of reality. The magazine also engages with social and economic issues, often from a perspective critical of established power structures and financial systems.

The issue concludes with advertisements for books and publications related to Iktomi, John Millis's work on Drayson's Hypothesis, Chakotin's 'Rape of the Masses', and the collected works of Charles Fort, all available through The Fortean Society.