Folklore Frontiers - No 027

Magazine Overview

Title: Folklore Frontiers
Issue: No. 27
Date: December 1995
Publisher: Paul Screeton

Folklore Frontiers is an independent, non-profitmaking magazine dedicated to exploring folklore and folklife, with a particular focus on contemporary beliefs, urban myths, and new social trends. Edited and published by Paul Screeton, the magazine aims to be broadminded and far-ranging in its expression of contemporary concerns.

Articles and Features

The Great Grendel's Arm Rip-Off: FolkJokeOpus

By Mick Goss,

This article delves into the epic poem Beowulf, focusing on the famous encounter between the hero Beowulf and the monster Grendel. Goss examines a critical interpretation of how Beowulf managed to rip Grendel's arm off, suggesting it wasn't solely brute strength but possibly a form of 'Anglo-Saxon ju-jitsu' as proposed by Calvin S. Brown Jr. The author discusses the nature of Beowulf as a superhuman hero within the context of epic literature and folklore, noting that the poem is rich with folkloric elements and draws from North European legends. The piece also touches upon 'Loonie Literary Theories' (LLTs) which, while sometimes amusing, can misrepresent texts by applying arcane concepts or over-literal interpretations.

Hrothgar at Hart (An Anglo-Saxon Wetherspoon's)

By Paul Screeton

This piece by the editor, Paul Screeton, counters Mick Goss's suggestion of Robert the Bruce's connection to a specific location by proposing that King Hrothgar, from Beowulf, was actually located in Hart, County Durham, rather than Denmark. Screeton cites local historian Robert Wood, who suggested that Hrothgar's great mead-hall might have been at Hart, with Hartlepool Slake potentially being Grendel's home. The article draws a parallel between the described hall and modern 'Wetherspoon-style super pubs.'

Aural Simulacra (Extended version)

By Paul Screeton

Paul Screeton explores the concept of 'aural simulacra,' defined as hearing a word or sound misinterpreted as something else, usually vulgar. The article provides numerous examples from television advertisements, TV shows, and public announcements where misheard words caused offense or confusion. These include a TV advert where chickens clucking sounded like 'fuck, fuck,' and a Disney talking book where a character's phrase was misheard as 'squashed bananas up your arse.' The piece also touches on instances of animals making noises that sound like human speech or exclamations, such as a dog's howl sounding like 'fuck off' and a chicken squawking in an oven.

Upon My Sole, This Must be A Shoe Tree

By Nikki Tainton

This article investigates the phenomenon of shoes being displayed on a tree near High Wycombe and Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire. Tainton recounts various rumors and folklore surrounding the shoe tree, including connections to witchcraft, pagan rituals, increased local pregnancies, and a traveler's toll. The reality, however, is that the shoes were initially placed there as a local prank to brighten the area, and their numbers mysteriously increased. The display was eventually removed by the local council due to traffic hazards.

Park Pigeons Sold As Food

By Paul Watson

This report details a disturbing trend in Sunderland's Mowbray Park where youngsters were allegedly snaring pigeons and selling them to city families for food. The article highlights the practice of selling birds for 50p each, with some buyers admitting they eat them. Pigeons that couldn't be sold had their heads torn off and were dumped in the park. The story also mentions a racist turn taken by a national newspaper, which alleged that Asian families were buying the pigeons for their cuisine.

The Art of Begging (Picasso, Pigeons and Monet)

By Paul Screeton

Screeton examines the behavior of urban pigeons, citing research that suggests they can beg and even distinguish between the painting styles of Picasso and Monet. The article recounts anecdotes about pigeons, including a racing pigeon found inside a blue shark and the phenomenon of pigeons causing power surges by landing on overhead wires, leading to their deaths. It also touches on the use of decoy owls to scare pigeons away from train stations and the controversial decision by London Underground to treat pigeons as vermin due to their habit of hopping onto Tube trains.

The Moscow Injectors

By Paul Screeton

This article investigates a series of mysterious attacks in Moscow during the summer of 1980, coinciding with the Olympic Games. Residents reported sudden stinging pains, often in 'embarrassing places,' followed by swelling and bruises. Rumors circulated of a perverse gang fatally injecting people with a slow-acting poison. A KGB investigation, headed by Yuri Andropov, was launched to find the assailants. The investigation eventually revealed that the attacks were carried out by a group of street repairmen who had constructed a catapult from a gas mask strap and aluminum wire as a prank to get revenge on a foreman. Despite their belief that it was a harmless joke, they were charged with malicious hooliganism and received sentences of five to seven years.

Linda Lusardi's Chest-nuts

By Paul Screeton

This piece discusses two 'love revenge urban belief tales' that emerged from the marriage breakup of Linda Lusardi. One story involves a woman who sprayed water and cress seeds throughout her unfaithful boyfriend's house, turning it into a jungle. The other tale recounts a girl who ran up an enormous phone bill by dialing the speaking clock in America for her unfaithful boyfriend.

Wanting the moon

This short piece recounts the anecdote of Neil Armstrong's enigmatic remark, "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky," made at the end of his moonwalk. It explains that the remark was a crude joke, referencing a conversation Armstrong overheard as a boy where his neighbor's wife told her husband he would get 'oral sex' when the 'kid next door walks on the moon.'

The global lie that cannot be silenced

By Anna Pukas

This article investigates the persistent and harmful myth of organ trafficking from Third World children. Pukas details how this 'lie' has spread globally, fueled by sensationalized media reports and even influencing international organizations like the UN and WHO. The article highlights specific instances where the myth has led to violence against Western travelers and a decline in adoptions and organ donations. It traces the origins of such myths back to medieval accusations against Jews and discusses how the story has been adapted and amplified over time, often with anti-capitalist undertones.

British told the Arabs it was Hitler not Goebbels that had none at all

By Richard Norton-Taylor and Ian Black

This article reveals a peculiar British propaganda campaign from World War II aimed at damaging Hitler's reputation among Arabs in Morocco. The campaign involved distributing gramophone records with a story that depicted Hitler as having had a testicle removed by a Jewish doctor, thereby emasculating him. The story also involved Goebbels stealing a 'private fortune.' The article notes that while the campaign was intended to create anti-German sentiment, not all officials believed in its effectiveness, with some suggesting it was too vulgar or would only be appreciated in brothels.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

Folklore Frontiers consistently explores the intersection of folklore, urban myths, and contemporary society. The magazine exhibits a broad interest in cultural phenomena, from ancient epics like Beowulf to modern-day mishearings and hoaxes. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various interpretations and debunking sensationalized claims while acknowledging the power of belief and the cultural significance of these stories. There's a clear emphasis on presenting factual accounts and investigative journalism, often drawing from newspaper clippings and academic research to support its articles. The magazine seems to encourage critical thinking about the stories that shape our understanding of the world.

This document is page 20 of a publication titled "Newslines," dated sometime in the 1990s, likely 1995 based on internal references. It features "Newslines" as a section title, with a prominent cover story headline about "PORNOGRAPHY IN CYBERSPACE MORAL PANICS." The publication appears to be a magazine or newsletter format, printed by Emjay Reprographics in Nottingham, UK.

Newslines: Pornography in Cyberspace and Moral Panics

The lead article, "Newslines," addresses the moral panic surrounding pornography on the internet. It references a lengthy cover story from Time magazine that warned parents about online carnal horrors, based on a research report from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The article notes a backlash from those advocating for an uncensored internet, with liberal commentators suggesting a conspiracy to regulate the system under the guise of a moral panic, potentially to suppress political subversion.

The Independent Magazine (dated 29/7/95) is cited for its report on the author of the original research, Marty Rimm, an undergraduate. The article highlights that Rimm himself has faced scrutiny, with "Time" admitting he has a "track record as an author." This includes a "salacious" novel titled "An American Playground" and a self-published project called "The Pornographer's Handbook: How to Exploit Women, Dupe Men and Make Lots of Money."

The "exhaustive" research claimed that 85.3% of all images on the internet were pornographic. However, the article points out that this research was not based on the entire Net but specifically on "adult" bulletin boards, which children cannot access. John Naughton, writing in "The Guardian" (12/8/95), is quoted comparing this to finding that 85% of volumes sold under the counter in a Soho bookshop contain sexually-explicit material.

Don's Domain: Book Reviews

This section, "Don's Domain," reviews several books:

• A SEARCH FOR QUETZALCOATL by John Spencer Carroll ($8): The reviewer recounts being approached by an adherent of Quetzalcoatl nearly 30 years prior outside Leeds City Library. The book, according to the review, uses scholarship to investigate the cyclical return of this avatar, described as a personal quest with much of interest.

• THE CRYSTAL VEIL by Donald L. Cyr (£8): This book delves into theories about "hidden halos," presenting over 200 examples of artifacts worldwide that are based on ice crystals refracted into aerial patterns. It is described as a simple but controversial avant-garde archaeological theory, drawing from Stonehenge Viewpoint articles.

• THE WHISTLER SERENADE by James S Brett, Stephen P. McGreevy, Neil Strauss and others (£7): This volume focuses on "whistlers," which are exotic natural sounds detectable on very low-frequency radio receivers. The book is considered particularly fascinating for its new speculations connecting whistlers to crop circles and the famous "Marfa Lights" of Texas. It also draws heavily from Stonehenge Viewpoint articles.

Postpaid copies of these books can be ordered from the UK agent, Leonard C Smith, at 16 Solstice Rise, Amesbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7NQ.

Children's Book Mention

Annette, the daughter of "our good friend Donald," has written and illustrated a children's wildlife book titled "GOOD NEWS BEES AND TULIPTREES." The book, published by Sundance Big Books, depicts seasons changing in the Appalachians and is described as bold and colorful.

Printing Information

The document was printed by Emjay Reprographics, located at 17 Langbank Avenue, Nottingham.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the intersection of technology and societal concerns (internet pornography, regulation), the nature of moral panics, and explorations of unexplained phenomena and alternative archaeology (Quetzalcoatl, hidden halos, whistlers, Marfa Lights, crop circles). The editorial stance appears critical of sensationalism and moral panics, particularly regarding the internet, and presents a more open-minded approach to fringe topics and alternative theories, as evidenced by the book reviews. There is also an appreciation for independent publishing and authors exploring niche subjects.