Quest - Vol 3 No 2

Magazine Overview

QUEST, Volume Three, Number Two (Whole No. 15), published in November-December 1971, is a 50¢ issue from Paradice International. The cover prominently features the word "PEACE" alongside imagery of Jesus-like figures, flying saucers, and peace symbols, suggesting a thematic focus on peace and possibly spiritual or extraterrestrial concepts.

Editor's Notes

Kurt Glemser, the Editor, notes that QUEST is now published entirely by offset, leading to a decrease in the number of pages per issue due to printing costs. However, they plan to return to a 20-page format in the future. A significant change readers will notice is the expansion of subject matter beyond UFOs and the supernatural to include controversial subjects over the next three issues. The editors will gauge reader feedback to decide whether to maintain this broader scope or return to their previous focus.

Key Articles and Content

Haunted Earth by Dennis Stamey

This article explores various accounts of ghostly apparitions and haunted phenomena. Stamey begins by acknowledging the traditional view of ghosts but posits that something more profound than spirits of the dead may exist, possibly interdimensional invaders or projected images. He recounts:

• James Cagney's Experience: While driving, Cagney and his wife heard his deceased father's voice warning them to slow down, averting a crash into a wrecked trailer.
• Animal Ghosts: The story of a "ghost-cat" in Congleton, Yorkshire, England, which repeatedly vanished and whose meowing was heard after the abbey it haunted was abandoned.
• Common Ghostly Locations: Monasteries, old castles, churches, homes, and graveyards are identified as frequent sites for ghostly activity.
• Otley Encounter: Four girls in Otley, Yorkshire, encountered a tall, dark figure without a discernible face in a churchyard.
• St. Simons Island Ghost: An alleged ghost at Christ Church on St. Simons Island, Georgia, captured in a photograph by investigator Allen H. Greenfield.
• Ibo Tribe Legend: A legend of slaves who marched into a creek and drowned rather than submit to slavery, with echoes of their chanting and chains still heard.
• Psychic Photography: Ghost photos are discussed as a known phenomenon in psychic investigation, with an account of a dog's image appearing on a grave marker where a similar dog had been buried.
• "Hitch-hiker" Ghost: The widespread story of a young woman killed in a 1930s car wreck who appears on the anniversary of her death on a North Carolina highway.
• Georgia "Ghost" Encounter: Two businessmen gave a ride to an old woman who vanished from their car, later identified as a recently deceased grandmother.
• "Headless" Men and Things: The article mentions reports of headless figures, including an apparition at the Tuskaseegee River in North Carolina and a spectral dog in the Carolina mountains.
• Mother and Infant: A tale of a young mother and infant lost in the cold, guided to safety by a headless dog.

Ghosts and UFOs: A Potential Connection?

The magazine explores potential links between ghostly phenomena and UFOs:

• Church House Inn: A monk-like ghost accompanied by power failures is reported.
• Castle Ruins: A "weird form, semi-visible" was seen at castle ruins that had also been the site of UFO reports.
• Graveyards and UFOs: Flying saucers are noted to have an affinity for graveyards, with an account of a "dwarfish man" seen in a cemetery in Coleraine, Quebec, and a UFO sighting nearby.
• "Cemetary Lights": Mysterious bobbing lights appearing around burial grounds are discussed, often associated with ghostly legends.
• Phantom Drummers: Accounts of nightly thumping and drumming disturbances are mentioned, such as at the home of John Mompesson in 1663, and mysterious "blue and glimmering lights" seen in similar cases.
• Berkshire Battle: In the mid-18th century, a battle with roaring cannon shots was heard in the air over Berkshire, England, followed by a drum sound and a meteorite.
• Mt. Misery: This location on Long Island is reported to have mysterious night drumming and agonized cries.
• Black River Phenomena: The Black River area in upstate New York is associated with monstrous beings, trees growing overnight, strange automobile fires, silence, and UFOs.
• Lightning Kills and UFOs: The article questions whether "forces" behind ghosts and UFOs produce electrical storms or draw energy from them, noting that many unusual phenomena, including "lightning kills," occur during electrical storms.

Newsfront

• Mystery Fish: A specimen found in the ocean depths near Campeche, Mexico, initially listed as a "mystery animal," was identified as a shriveled guitar fish, artificially modified to appear skeletal.
• Body-Shop: A brief mention of a "topless-bottomless" craze with the Body-Shop owned by Susan Wright in Hollywood.
• 'Say Hey,' Look At That Hay Fly: This article by Al Wilson details an event in Springwater where Gary W. Robinson and his family witnessed what appeared to be two "overgrown bales of hay" falling from the sky. Robinson described them as moving east at an estimated speed and elevation, with no apparent propulsion, and collected some of the fallen weeds.

Advertisements

• PROFESSIONAL UFO DETECTOR (SENTRY Model): An advertisement for a device designed to detect magnetic fields, alerting users to approaching UFOs. It is described as a scientific instrument for serious researchers, not a toy, and costs $10.00.
• UFO MAPS: An advertisement for a series of ten maps detailing UFO concentration, famous sightings, landings, occupants, organizations, and "Angel Hair Falls" in the continental U.S. and worldwide. Each map costs 25¢, or all ten for $2.00.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ghosts, UFOs, and the broader spectrum of paranormal and unexplained phenomena. The magazine seems to adopt a stance of open inquiry, presenting various accounts and exploring potential connections between seemingly disparate events, such as ghosts and UFOs, and their possible links to atmospheric disturbances like electrical storms. The editorial notes indicate a willingness to broaden the magazine's scope beyond traditional UFO and supernatural topics to include "controversial subjects," reflecting an evolving approach to exploring the unknown.

Title: Marijuana Mythology
Publisher: GALAXY PRESS
Country: Canada
Date: Undetermined (content suggests 1960s-1970s)

This issue of "Marijuana Mythology" challenges prevailing negative perceptions and legal classifications of marijuana, presenting research and expert opinions that question its harmful effects and alleged links to criminal behavior and harder drugs. The cover features a striking, dark illustration of a winged figure in a forest, with the provocative headline: "SMOKING MARIJUANA CHANGES YOU INTO A DRUG CRAVING MONSTER".

Key Articles and Arguments

Challenging the 'Killer Drug' Narrative

The lead article directly confronts the widespread belief that marijuana is a "killer drug." It cites statistics indicating that approximately one in ten Americans has tried marijuana, and notes that in Canada, around 6,500 individuals were arrested on marijuana charges in the previous year, with the rate of arrests increasing. Despite its prevalence, the article points out that marijuana is still classified as a narcotic in law books, a status rooted in misconceptions from the 1930s regarding its supposed physical addictiveness.

Scientific Research on Effects

Several studies are referenced to debunk the negative myths:

• Boston University School of Medicine (1969): A lengthy test involving human subjects concluded that marijuana is unlikely to cause serious detrimental physical effects, whether used short-term or long-term. The researchers described marijuana as a "relatively harmless intoxicant."
• Performance Impairment: The Boston University study also found that while non-users' performance in simple tests was slightly impaired by smoking, chronic users' performance was either unimpaired or even improved.
• Bromberg Study (Manhattan): An intensive study found no correlation between violent criminal behavior and marijuana use.
• Crancer, Dille, Delay, Wallace, and Haykin (Science, May 16, 1960): This research indicated that impairment in simulated driving performance was not dependent on increased marijuana dosage or user inexperience.

However, the article acknowledges that some, like Ann Landers, have expressed concerns that legalizing marijuana could lead to traffic deaths comparable to those caused by alcohol.

Societal Concern and Legal Status

The executive director of the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario is quoted stating that while marijuana is a subject of societal concern, the misuse of alcohol and particularly barbiturates represents a far greater problem due to the number of habitual users and the potential for serious functional or organic damage. The article concludes by suggesting that the current laws against marijuana are not justified by the presented facts and calls for more scientific research over "scare campaigns."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this issue is the debunking of myths and misinformation surrounding marijuana. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of re-evaluating marijuana's legal status based on scientific evidence rather than outdated fears and propaganda. It advocates for a more rational, research-driven approach to drug policy, highlighting the disproportionate societal harm caused by other legal and illegal substances compared to marijuana. The issue aims to inform readers and challenge the prevailing negative narrative.