Folklore Frontiers - No 023

Magazine Overview

Title: Folklore Frontiers
Issue: No. 23
Date: October, 1994
Publisher: Paul Screeton
Focus: Folklore, folklife, urban legends, contemporary happenings.

The Diary

The issue announces that Mick Goss will be contributing a regular column named 'FolkJokeOpus', described as more like articles and fitting into the 'folklife' context. Goss is also noted for doing general articles and snippets. The diary also mentions Nigel Pennick contributing and humorously compares Mick Goss to David Icke, noting that Icke's 'Son of God's organisation' sent leaflets to the magazine, which arrived with a postage surcharge.

September 1994: the news isn't very good (By Mick Goss)

Mick Goss analyzes recent newspaper reports of urban legends, specifically 'needle attacks terror' and the 'platform maniac' phenomenon. He argues that while these stories are reported as facts, they exhibit 'legendary characteristics' and are often stylized in a way that aligns with contemporary legend reporting. Goss questions the extent to which contemporary legend is reprocessed fact and how much news reporting is repackaged legend. He discusses the 'needle attacks terror' reported in the News of the World, involving syringes used in muggings, and notes the generalized fear of AIDS associated with such reports. He also references the 'platform maniac' legend, citing a case from The Guardian involving an attempted push onto train tracks, and compares it to earlier versions of the legend.

Goss also touches upon the issue of escaped exotic pets, specifically red-eared terrapins, being found in British waterways, linking it to the 'Ninja Turtle' craze and concerns about ecological impact. He contrasts the 'legendary characteristics' of these reports with the factual reporting of events, suggesting a blurring of lines between the two.

The Lost Ark: New & Rediscovered Animals of the 20th Century (By Dr Karl Shuker)

This section reviews Dr. Karl Shuker's book, which compiles accounts of newly discovered or rediscovered animals. The review highlights Shuker's interest in cryptozoology, defined as 'the study of hidden life.' It mentions examples like a tree kangaroo from New Guinea, a black panther in Northumberland, and various other creatures such as a sea mink, a large 'terrible mouse,' Fraser's dolphin, Kitti's hog-nosed bat, and a 'hero shrew' believed to grant indestructibility. The review praises Shuker's enthusiasm and optimism in bringing these 'lost' creatures to light, while also acknowledging the mystery surrounding some sightings, such as big cats, and the potential for them to be either spectral or real.

Book Reviews

Several books are reviewed:

• The Baby Train by Jan Harold Brunvand: A collection of urban legends, including a tale of a POW coping with captivity by visualizing playing golf. The reviewer notes Brunvand's inclusion of items that might be considered 'Fortean.'
• Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld by Patrick Harpur: This book explores anomalous phenomena, suggesting that they subvert the modern worldview that discredits them. Harpur examines dreams, apparitions, and UFOs, proposing models to understand 'daimonic reality.' The reviewer finds it a remarkable synthesis of various paranormal and mythological concepts.
• At the Centre of the World by John Michell: Discusses the legendary reputation of Meriden as the midpoint of England and other ritual centres. Michell's work is described as geographical and antiquarian, with a focus on the practical and personal value of these centres as symbols of an ideally-governed state. The reviewer notes Michell's idealistic view of the past but acknowledges his influence on changing worldviews.
• The Chatto Book of Dissent edited by Michael Rosen and David Widgery: Criticized for its limited scope, excluding significant voices in dissent. While it includes figures like Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello, it's deemed lacking in more radical or subversive content.
• The Power of the B1s by Peter Swinger: A pictorial history of steam locomotives, recommended for steam buffs.
• A Walk to the Western Isles by Frank Delaney: The reviewer finds Delaney's account of the Hebrides tedious, criticizing his writing style and factual errors.
• The Diversity of Life by E O Wilson: A readable tour of life's history and geography, though the reviewer questions the simplicity of evolution and the potential for cryptozoology.
• The Moment of Astrology by Geoffrey Cornelius: Praised for its impressive approach to examining horoscope cases and terrestrial zodiacs.
• Dreaming With Open Eyes by Michael Tucker: Explores the shamanic dimensions of contemporary art, viewing artists as visionary healers. It covers painters like Klee and Picasso, and musicians like Bob Dylan and Van Morrison.

Magazines

Brief mentions and reviews of other magazines are included:

• Q-ish: A folklore miscellany.
• Fortean Times: Features articles on ice circles, UFOs, and various strange phenomena.
• Strange Magazine: Covers Fortean wild talents, ufology, Bigfoot, and other mysteries.
• Magonia: Focuses on interpreting contemporary vision and belief, with articles on ufology and its influences.
• Northern Earth: Explores antiquarian mysteries, sacred landscapes, and astrology.

The Fare-Dodger: A German legend (By Nigel Pennick)

This article discusses the urban legend of the 'fare-dodger,' popularized by the film 'Schwarzfahrer.' The story involves a black youth on a tram who eats an elderly woman's ticket to avoid inspection, leading to her ejection. Pennick notes that the legend has earlier versions, with the youth sometimes depicted as a Turk or Yugoslav 'guest worker.' The story is seen as a racist pun on 'schwarzfahrer' (black traveller) and has appeared in various cities across Germany and potentially other countries.

Oldies but Goodies

This section presents a collection of short anecdotes and urban legends:

• A POW coping with captivity by visualizing playing golf daily.
• A gardener bitten by a seven-foot python emerging from a toilet bowl.
• A campaign to collect crisp packets for a sick child, with the promise of a trip to Disneyland.
• A man cured of partial deafness after a bus ticket was found in his inner ear.
• A headline about a man dying during sex with a prostitute.
• A hunter shot by his own dog when it accidentally triggered the gun.
• An anecdote about a man being separated from an electricity pylon by a well-meaning but overzealous gardener.
• A story about a woman chef arrested for allegedly serving human flesh at her restaurant, 'The Jungle.'
• Various brief mentions of legends involving a naked wife tied up and hitting the ceiling, a body found in a barrel of cement, and xenophobic themes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Folklore Frontiers revolve around the nature of legends, their intersection with contemporary news reporting, and the exploration of the unusual and unexplained. The magazine appears to maintain a critical yet open stance towards folklore, examining its social and psychological underpinnings while also presenting intriguing cases from cryptozoology and Forteana. There's a consistent interest in how stories circulate, evolve, and are perceived as truth, often highlighting the role of media in this process. The editorial stance seems to be one of archival and analytical engagement with the world of folklore and its manifestations in modern society.

This document is a single page from the magazine "Folklore Frontiers", issue FF22:7. It contains an "Update" section, a "Letters" section, and a "Stop Press" note. The content is primarily text-based, with no visible images or advertisements on this page. The overall tone is informal and conversational, typical of a niche publication.

Update

The "Update" section serves as a corrections and addenda column, addressing items from previous issues. It begins by clarifying a "Freudian slip" in a previous headline, which was meant to be "Dubious Transmissionary Positions" rather than "Dubious Missionary Positions." It also mentions a "Stop Press" piece that failed to make the previous issue.

Several specific items are detailed:

• Zeitgeist Column Correction: Tom Bussmann's Zeitgeist column is mentioned for adding a reference to a "pervy perpetrator" and a telephone number for a fictional brothel associated with Madam Allyson Wonderland, which is noted as being the home number of Michael Eisner, head of Disney. This was added to a Jessica Rabbit reference.
• Air Bag Technology: A disappointing finding is reported regarding air bags in cars, which were not as likely to be set off by drivers using portable phones as initially hoped. A suggestion is made for manufacturers to compensate by ensuring the bags inflate if the horn is used while the vehicle is stationary.
• Eric Clapton Rumours: Rumours about Eric Clapton falling for actress Susannah Doyle are corrected. It is stated that he spent Easter in London with Francesca Amfitheatrof, for whom friends said he was besotted.
• Broadcasters' Bloopers: Several instances of media bloopers are highlighted:
• Radio presenter Pete Sylvester mistakenly mentioned the BBC's "Good Food and Cooking Show" as "Good Food and Cooking Show," mixing up his F and C.
• DJ Jimmy Lee introduced a record by Dr Hook but accidentally called the group "Dr Fook."
• The station magazine "Tune-in" from Coventry and Warwickshire Radio reported a newscaster referring to "nuclear dumpling" and a woman who "had been laid in her flat for 14 hours."
• Missing Gls in Vietnam: Muhammad Ali is presented as an unlikely champion for "missing" Gls from the Vietnam War. He was reportedly in Hanoi seeking clues to Gls posted missing during the war, assisting the "Missing in Action" group. Ali, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, stated at breakfast in Hanoi, "I've allowed myself to be used to help this cause."

Letters

The "Letters" section contains a single letter from Nick Brown of York. He writes to renew his subscription to "Folklore Frontiers," praising it as the only magazine he can read in the bath without soaking and requesting that its size remain unchanged.

Stop Press

The "Stop Press" note addresses the slimmer format of the current issue compared to previous 24-page or 28-page editions. The editor explains that six months have passed since the last issue, and he decided to release a smaller issue rather than let readers believe "FF had met its demise." He promises another issue before Christmas and thanks readers for their patience.

The page also includes printing information: "Printed by Emjay Keprographics, 17 Langbank Avenue, Rise Park, Nottingham."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this excerpt are media and public relations corrections, celebrity news, and light-hearted anecdotes about broadcasting errors. There is also a notable inclusion of a humanitarian effort related to the Vietnam War. The editorial stance appears to be one of transparency (correcting errors), engagement with popular culture (celebrity news, media bloopers), and a commitment to maintaining reader interest despite publication delays. The magazine aims to be informative and entertaining, catering to a readership interested in niche topics and behind-the-scenes information.