CONTENTS

For March, 1969

 

 

OWED TO FLUORIDATION   ..........................................................................................             2

LAW AND DISORDER   ...................................................................................................             3

WHY WORRY ABOUT A LOST CAUSE?   ..................................................................             5

DREAM OF A CHRYSALIS   ...........................................................................................             6

SPACE PROGRAMS   .....................................................................................................             8

UNDERSTANDING   ........................................................................................................             9

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING   ....................................................................................             12

book reviews   ............................................................................................................             14

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR   .........................................................................................             16

bulletin board   ........................................................................................................             16

 

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THE STAFF

 

EDITOR ........................................................................................... Dr. DANIEL W. FRY

asst. editor ...........................................................................   kerttu campbell

circulation manager ...........................................................  edna basmajian

staff artist ...................................................................................  gus tanasale

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UNDERSTANDING

VOLUME XIV                              MARCH, 1969                                            NUMBER 3

Dedicated to the propagation of a better understanding among all the peoples of the earth, and of those who are not of earth.

 

 

OWED TO FLUORIDATION

(A few passing thoughts on the coming of fluoridation by Daniel W. Fry.)

We've heard that fluoridation

Is going to come our way,

And we'll just, have to drink the stuff

No matter what we say!

 

The `experts' say, in their expert way,

(And they really seem to think it),

That fluoride cuts down tooth decay

And so we all must drink it!

 

Now healthy teeth are fine to have

(The false ones aren't so handy)

If fluoride only fixed our teeth,

Its use would be just dandy.

 

So pass around the drinking glass

(Be sure its fluoridated,)

For all our rules of health, alas!

Have now been desecrated.

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Who cares a lot if kidneys rot,

(We'll simply do without 'em,)

If blood and brain go down the drain,

We just won't think about 'em.

 

If hearing fades and deafness comes

(It really doesn't matter,)

We just won't have to listen,

To the television chatter!

 

If vision dims and joints grow stiff,

And hands begin to quiver,

Our teeth will still be firm and white

(Although we've lost our liver)

 

When lungs collapse and heart grows still,

We'll go without a sigh.

For we'll have a lovely set of teeth,

(To grin with when we die!!)

——— ♦ ———

LAW AND DISORDER

Evidence of the avoidance of law and the reliance on force to achieve personal and group ends is all around us. Elder statesman Dean Acheson has warned of "the viciousness of substituting the subjective conception of justice for law," and referred to the arrogance of those who would impose their own notions of justice for the law.

Judge Alfred Burka, confronting nine men pleading guilty to riot-related offenses in Washington, D.C., commented on the apparent breakdown, a. lack of respect and a lack of fear of officers, of the law among the defendants. "It seems the public has come to believe that what is done in a group is all right although the same act committed by an individual would be punished," he said before the Court.

In the very air about us today there is already enough defiance of authority, contagious irresponsibility, and a kind of moral delinquency to subject us to the charge leveled by much of the rest of the world that we have discarded faith and despise self-discipline. Yet the brilliant Canadian professor and writer, Marshall McLuhan,

MARCH, 1989                             3

weighing violence among us, says that this is nothing compared to the growing violence we can expect from the young in the

future: "We haven't seen anything yet. When the TV generation arrives, they're as likely as not to burn down every school. They won't hesitate to end the existence of cities either. They hate cities and machinery."

This is the picture. But lawlessness and disorder among us present no new story by now. The sixty-four dollar question is: who has the imagination to give old problems some new solutions? It counts for nothing to blame everything on the involuntary quest for identity under an ever-changing technology, a la Marshall McLuhan. Nor does it count for anything to blame violence on the example of violence set by the mass media, or to blame aggression on basic human nature for both are here to stay. That would be like blaming the ocean.

Perhaps a solution will come about only when people are taught as children how to master the art of turning bottled-up aggression into paths of constructive action. That would be the millennium, however, and not likely to come to pass in a land as wide and free as the U.S. For one of the various freedoms is the freedom to make mistakes.

What, then, is to be done, other than to acquiesce in self-annihilation? The author would like to make the following brief suggestions as to techniques we might. try.

1. First, stop criticizing each other. Criticism is only another kind of ism. It is much too easy to condemn others, and much too difficult to make a critical evaluation of our own views and opinions and performance.

2. Respect. every person by very reason of his humanity. This does not mean that we must take every disadvantaged person to our bosom with the idea that he is capable of instant. change, as young people of today so touchingly believe. Instant change, social or otherwise, is a delusion, but we can learn to respect the humanity in every person who mines it in himself.

3. Rely on less verbal methods of communication. The young think we are too book-oriented There are non-verbal ways of reaching, in particular, disadvantaged students, even the "unteachable,"

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and teaching them until they can find themselves and something in which to excel.

4. Let us not stop until we have let every man feel he is a giver having something worthwhile to give. If he has enough to give to society, and therefore, through having something to protect, a stake in that society, he will be more likely to see and approve the necessity of upholding society's laws for its survival as a body. The cohesive force will be restored to law and authority, without which laws are only words on paper. The anti-hero,. born from the ranks of those who have nothing to lose, will pass; the black urban guerilla will find himself psychologically disarmed.

5. Let us stop believing that any problem can be solved. Quoting from Political Science Professor Robert A. Scalapino, "What we must learn to do is to have the maturity to live with problems which cannot be solved but. must be contained. It may be painful. America believes it can solve any problem, and swiftly. We used to make fun of the British for `muddling through.' Well, that's the essence of being a world power."

6. Remember, in any case, not to feel discouraged, and to keep working. We are all in school, but it is a school that does not let out. As Goethe's Faust knew about the freedom school, freedom is not free; it is costly, and "Of freedom and life he only is deserving who every day must conquer them anew."

7. And finally, let us remember that. there is always work to be done within, and that what is within can also be what is without. The teachings of Confucius consist in this, that government begins with the individual's control of himself and advances with the self-discipline of the family, the village, the state, and the nation. It follows then, that in the degree that we rule lawlessness out of our own thinking, we help rule it out of the nation.

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WHY WORRY ABOUT A LOST CAUSE?

Ever since I was created I have worried. Not about the things most people worry about. Nobody knows that even though I cannot move around like others, I do have a mind. Most of the people I've seen get up in the morning, eat, go to work, come home, eat, and go to

MARCH, 1969                             5

bed. Aside from working, and eating, and worrying about their neighbors, they go out or watch television. This, they call entertainment. Some of these worriers have doctors. Doctors that try to lure out just what's wrong with their minds. Many of these doctors have similar doctors, which they visit occasionally.

If I could move like these people I would be too busy creating to worn- about the small things.

It hardly seems possible to do all the entertaining things they do and yet still have time to worry so much.

I don't have anything against intelligent worrying, which takes much self control, but they worry about things like being late for lunch, the kids getting their clothes muddy, their lovers are not thinking of them every minute of the day. Or perhaps they have a spot of gravy on their tie and have to give a speech in front of a crowd, or talk to an important client.

I can't understand why they don't worry about important things, realistic problems, like whether or not our creator wishes us to transplant, particles of our human form, designed especially for us. Or does he want us to probe space? Or why don't they worry about wasting their life instead of trying to prolong it.

I know these thoughts are in vain, for even if I could speak to them they would open their ears and listen, but they would not think about what I'm saying because they are afraid of what I'm saying. They would think I was a nut and say, "Well, that's your opinion," and immediately forget what. I had said.

But what, is this!! I am worrying about what people think! Perhaps it's because I pity them, because I know they are doomed, and the end is near, and all that potential intelligence is going to be wasted. Maybe it's for the good of the universe. If man explored space perhaps he would contaminate its beauty, or maybe he would add to it. Maybe the universe would contaminate its beauty in man. This would take a long time, though, because man has been searching for beauty within himself since his creation. I will admit that he seems to have found some of it, but there is no time to find the rest. If man allowed himself to exist long enough to find the beauty within him, and his brothers, I would have no need to exist. But now I do exist. I am here, a reality, a cold fact.

People all over the world fear me. They discuss my necessity.

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Some even hate me. I wish they would face up to the facts logically instead of emotionally. One of the facts is my existence and the damage I can inflict on the human race. They worry enough about me but do nothing about it.

But one day I shall end their worrying. Even as I am hauled into the huge modern fighter-bomber, the technicians will worry about me accidentally falling. And as I travel across the sea men will worry about if I'm going to get there on time and complete the evil job. And as I drop from the plane, men will see me and worry about my arrival.

Even as I am relieved of my worries, as I change into flaming gas and spread myself over the earth freeing thousands of men of their flesh, they will worry about whether they will see the Creator, or gaze upon the prince of evil.

I then will be inclined to believe in my grandfather's words. He uttered them as they dropped him from the bomber on Hiroshima. Man will, until his destruction, worry about. his inescapable fate. Is it not right then, that he be considered a lost cause?"

-Dale Brown

——— ♦ ———

DREAM OF A CHRYSALIS

(This contemplative allegory has been contributed to Understanding Magazine by Professor Georges Agadjanian, Division of Humanities, at Gannon College, Erie, Penna. It is a reprint from "Daily Meditation. ")

A long fresh breath suddenly enfolded the plants in the garden and streamed over them like a wave breaking. Everything shivered deliciously. The flowers rose and fell like a swelling sea. And, like a. flickering, still smoky light, the first gleam of consciousness was kindled in the total nothingness, the opaque and infinite nonbeing, in which the chrysalis had lain so many days. The flame grew stronger, soon to illumine against a background of darkness the procession, vague and intermittent at first, then continuous and clear, of memories. The chrysalis was remembering the time when she was a caterpillar.

It was not so much as a living creature but as a recording apparatus

MARCH, 1969                             7

that she recalled the time, for her consciousness was net yet sufficient for reasoning and active feeling. She was capable only of experiencing images of the past. Her life was reduced to a passive reminiscence. But with the unrolling of bygone days judgments began to stir faintly, emotions answered them-a mental, sentient world whose birth gave birth to her, implanted her little by little in the present and in the future. Her memories, now lucid, were contemplation.

So the chrysalis saw herself again a. caterpillar. Indeed, a very proud caterpillar and ambitious beyond compare. This little grub thought, herself a splendid creature, expected to be the spoilt darling of destiny. She dreamt of glory, love, riches ... What did life do with all those dreams? Coldly, methodically, one might almost say unhurriedly, like a sadist who, the better to savior killing, plays an unspeakably delicate game of cat and mouse with his victim, dragging out the agony of his hopes, destiny had played with the caterpillar's illusions, had killed off one by one all her expectations of happiness. Once confident and affectionate, she had grown wretched and embittered, had known to the full the meaning of the words envy, hate and endure ... right up to the day when, tired of detesting, still more tired of lamenting over her constant. bad luck, as disgusted with the world as with herself, she had allowed an absolute emptiness gradually to fill her being, to turn her soul into a wasteland, a resigned, arid desert. Then she had begun to spin. herself a cocoon in which she might, shut herself up in a solitary cell that would isolate her from the universe, for she no longer desired anything but lethargic oblivion.

The caterpillar had made herself chrysalis.

Then why had that sleep of death now been interrupted just because of a morning breeze? Why was the sap now beginning to run again, like a delightful birth, under the blond caress of the sun? Why-above all-was the rebirth happy, filled with wonderful impulses, hitherto unknown, with gracious, sweet scented longings which fluttered tipsily, with aspirations towards the shining verdant spaces under the liquid gold of the sky? Why... why, O God; was this reborn thing a new creature?

For it was with quite different eyes that she looked back on the past. And strange: it was no longer life that seemed ugly; ugly

8                                                    UNDERSTANDING

were the base dreams, the romantic and selfish fantasies with which the caterpillar bad lulled herself; ugly was the caterpillar herself. Her pretentious dreams had been the illusions of a grub that wants to be queen, that seeks happiness without desiring to change itself, without trying not to be a grub, desiring only to change, for the satisfaction of its grub's tastes, the immutable Laws that govern life. Broken by existence, the caterpillar was dead forevermore. And in her place, out of her cast-off skin, a new being had come forth. A being that already sensed its final metamorphosis, that, the worm in it having been killed, was going to live again, a butterfly.

"We curse life," thought the chrysalis, "because we have eyes only for what it breaks down in us and are blind to what it forges instead. We cherish our shortcomings, find them beautiful, for we are imperfect, and we consider monstrous the Law that flagellates them. And yet it is sufficient to compare the creature the Law annihilates in us with the one it fosters, the inanity that succumbs with the maturity that grows, to understand how far life surpasses dreams ...

"Let him renounce being who wishes to become."

——— ♦ ———

SPACE PROGRAMS

Man seeks to know for knowing sake his world and the cosmos in. which he dwells. Often his projects bring practical results for his day to day endeavors, yet, even if it were not so, he would continue his researches as he is doing today, relative to space in particular.

Recent concentrations and expenditures on the various facets of space and space travel include much more than the well publicized successful manned orbital flights. Many less spectacular, but scientifically significant experiments and achievements, relative to space conditions as well as space technology, have been sponsored by NASA-National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

From a series of articles entitled "Journey to the Stars," by James P. Grazioso, published in the Hoboken (N.J.) Pictorial we have extracted the following interesting data.

The use of radar astronomy by the scientists of the Jet Propulsion

MARCH, 1969                             9

Laboratory of Pasadena, California, has revealed that Venus rotates "backwards" once every 243 days. Venus spins clockwise whereas all the other planets rotate counter clockwise.

Other Venus studies by JPL scientists have produced a map which indicates three rugged sectors on the planet, that cover thousands of square miles. These features could be mountains, craters or fields of boulders. Such studies, for NASA, provide information needed prior to man's possible exploration of Venus.

Another NASA sponsored study is concerned with meteorological hazards to space travel. A three year study by the Marshall Space Flight Center of Huntsville, Alabama made use of three Pegasus Meteoroid Satellites. Results of the Pegasus experiments are vital to the design of space vehicles, particularly those intended for prolonged space missions. Information already received has added to information on the Van Allen Belt radiation, the Earth's reflectivity, degradation of surface coatings under space environment conditions, etc.

Space vehicle design involves countless factors, one of which is the design for a battery able to withstand the shock of impact of a planetary landing; perfection of the battery seal to prevent loss of electrolytes in a high vacuum and in the absence of gravity; provision for high energy storage or rechargability (estimates are that an extended voyage could require 400 recharges).

Five years of research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, assisted by industrial engineers and laboratories, has produced a battery which is expected to provide the factors required for space and landing missions.

The Radio Astronomy Explorer Satellite, launched by NASA on July 4, 1968, is one of the most ambitious experiments in the history of astronomy. The technical problems of maneuvering and preparing the satellite for its full operating potential were, only ten years ago, in the realms of science fiction.

Information received to date includes bursts of solar radio energy, a variety of radio emissions across the Milky Way, a range of radio emissions which seem to be related to the Earth's magnetosphere, and possible radio emissions from the Earth's radiation belt.

"This could be the vehicle that will give us definite information

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that signals sent by an intelligent race somewhere in space have been received," says Mr. Grazioso.

One of the most interesting side products of space oriented technology, when released for use by the public, may well justify all the monies spent in our space program. This is a new light polyurethane foam, developed by Dr. John A. Parker and Salvatore Riecitielo, NASA scientists, as a fire fighting weapon.

This plastic foam, with additives, produces a tough protective char layer when exposed to flame while releasing fire extinguishing gases to help quench the flames. Demonstrations indicate its usefulness not only in our spacecraft, but in our homes, ears, industries, refineries, etc.

Mr. Grazioso notes "The space program has been responsible for the creation of the greatest scientific team ever assembled in the history of the human race. It has been instrumental in the utilization of one of our greatest resources, brain power. Such a meeting of minds can only result in a great benefit for all mankind."

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UNDERSTANDING

When we seek to define such things as faith and inspiration we erect fences that cloud the vision. One evening I was wrestling with a problem that did not respond to logic, and my mind whirled in endless circles. I stepped outside and saw something marvelous.

The entire Western sky was filled with small, silvery clouds, bathed in a glorious pink light that slowly deepened to orange and gold. Against the horizon shafts of soft light emerged, gradually paling, and a pearl-green glow overspread the sky. It was more than a sunset. It was a stirring song to the soul, a scroll of glory in which the message of faith and inspiration needed neither words nor argument nor definition. There came to me a spirit of peace and the deep insight that the solution of my problem was not to be found in the futile whirling of the mind.

Words are wonderful. But words are limited in many ways, and when employed in spiritual seeking they may become confusing. God speaks in a Word that is understood by faith, as a ray of illumination.

MARCH, 1969                             11

 

Pilots Tell of Strange UFO

(Daily News, West Australia, August 23, 1965)

An unidentified flying object seen by two commercial pilots about 130 miles east of Kalgoorlie yesterday was so vivid that they immediately notified the Civil Aviation Department to safeguard any other aircraft in the area.

Gordon Smith (33) of Wesley St., Tuart Hill, said he and Wallace Gargin of Mill Point Rd., South Perth, were also concerned about the safety of their own aircraft. Mr. Smith's attention to the strange object, 10 miles ahead, lasted about 10 minutes. He said it was hard to distinguish the shape and size of the object but he likened it to the size of a Boeing 707 at 10 miles. The main object continued to split into 2 halves and small cigar-shaped objects continually left what he called the mother ship.

The smaller objects, about 6 of them, flew out 3 or 4 miles and then merged back on to the two main parts of the mother ship. After about 20 minutes the main object took off with the speed of a rocket.

Mr. Smith, who has been flying for about 13 years, had never seen a UFO before.

(Courtesy, Fred Stone, Panorama, published at Kilburn South Australia, Vol. 7, No. 4.)

Parapsychology Recognized

(World University International News Letter, Feb. 1969)

A Division of Parapsychology has been established at. the University of Virginia School of Medicine. So far as is known, this is the first such Division of Parapsychology fully integrated within a Department in an American University. Dr. Ian Stevenson has been appointed the first incumbent of the new Chair. Although all types of spontaneous cases are under study, at present special emphasis is laid on reincarnation, out-of-the-body experiences, and apparitions.

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UFO Reports Dwindle in 1968

(Post and Times, Cincinnati, Ohio, January 15, 1969.)

WASHINGTON (UPI)-The number of flying saucer sightings reported to Air Force investigators decreased substantially during 1968, the Pentagon said.

The, total for the year was 375, compared to 937 in 1967 and 1112 in 1966. It was the smallest number of sightings for any year since 169 were reported in 1951, before the investigation got into big figures.

Of the 1968 sightings, the Air Force attributed 37 to astronomical phenomena, 41 to aircraft, 38 to balloons and 84 to "other" explainable causes.

Three were listed as "unidentified," 34 were under "investigation still pending," and 117 cases provided "insufficient data to reach a conclusion."

School Group Scared by UFO

(New Zealand Herald, N. Z., Dec. 21, 1968)

Press Assn., Hastings-A low-flying object, described as "about half the size of the school swimming pool" has been described in detail by a group of Te Mata standard four schoolchildren.

The children said the object hovered above an orchard near the school at 11:20 a.m. yesterday.

They could see a hatch and antenna on the bowl-shaped vessel that was emitting "a clicking noise."

Scared, the children ran to tell their teacher, who was supervising swimming lessons not far away.

As they went the object shot upward and flew toward Hastings, leaving a vapour trail.

The children were not alone in their sighting, however.

A teacher said he watched the object for about 10 minutes as it flew backward and forward over Hastings.

At times he thought it might be an aeroplane, he said, but, at other times it appeared too round to fit the description of any aircraft he knew.

He said he believed the children were genuine in their descriptions.

Bridge Pa aerodrome and the Civil Aviation authorities at Napier reported no aircraft in the area at the time of the sighting.

MARCH, 1969                             13

Need Witch Doctor

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (UPI)-(Jan. 8, 1969) Abu Bakar Pin Bazma, a member of parliament, today asked the government to appoint a. national witch doctor to prevent annual floods and other natural disasters.

New Drugs for Cancer

(Grants Pass Courier, G. P., Ore., Nov. 11, 1968)

WASHINGTON (UPI)-Scientists of the National Cancer Institute report new drugs have demonstrated ability to "completely control" certain types of cancer and chemical control of all types should become possible in five years or so.

This heartening news was reported Thursday by researchers of the Public Health Service organization, including Dr. C. Gordon Zubrod, chief of the institute's Drug Therapy program.

Six kinds of cancer now yield to drugs in "complete remission of disease for extended periods," the doctors said.

The scientists said all six cancers exhibited fast growth rates, a distinguishing feature they think was responsible for their susceptibility to drug therapy.

Hypnosis Not Wise For All

(Chicago Daily News, Chicago, Ill., Nov. 23, 1968)

Do you find yourself living emotionally in a book you read or a movie you see? You'll make the best subject for hypnosis, a conference on the University of Chicago campus reported Friday.

About 99 per cent of people are hypnotizable but only 10 to 15 per cent are capable of deep hypnosis, according to Dr. Frederick P. Zuspan, chairman of the obstetrics and gynecology department, Pritzker School of Medicine.

Dr. Zuspan and Dr. Erika Fromm, professorial lecturer in the department of psychology, cautioned that there are some people who should never be hypnotized.

"The psychotic or pre-psychotic patient should not be hypnotized because he is in danger of being overwhelmed by his unconscious mind," Dr. Fromm said.

The psychologist condemned stage performers who hypnotize people in the audience.

"Stage hypnotists don't know who should be hypnotized and

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who should not be," he said. "One should respect a person's defenses and should never force a patient."

Zuspan said hypnosis is an excellent device for alleviating pain. Self-hypnosis can be taught to many people and can be useful for a patient who may have terminal cancer and is in great pain.

Users of narcotics are poor subjects for hypnosis, because they cannot concentrate.

"People should not try to teach themselves hypnosis by means of a book," he added. "A pre-psychotic can get himself into an auto hypnotic stage and become terribly overwhelmed by his unconscious."

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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

UFOs Get Official Recognition

Paul Harvey writes in Newark (Ohio) Advocate, Jan. 1, 1969:

The dreamers always must precede the doers across new horizons.

The ethical scientist. has opinions, preconceptions, but dares not acknowledge them even to his colleagues. To the professional scientist all new ideas are theoretical until they are supportable with conclusive evidence.

There is no conclusive evidence about "flying saucers." Most men of science, therefore, have expressed either disdain or disinterest in the subject.

The handful of bona fide scientists who did want to speculate on UFOs have found themselves in the uncomfortable company of pseudo scientists, commercial cultists, pulp booksellers and crackpots.

Last December's issue of the respected Journal of Aeronautics and Astronautics changed all that. In this technical publication the bigwigs of the esteemed AIAA subscribed to this very meaningful conclusion: "UFO phenomena cannot be resolved without. quantitative scientific. study; this matter merits the attention of scientists and engineers."

Suddenly the pooh-poohers were themselves refuted.

Suddenly, officially, all Air Force and other studies conducted heretofore were adjudged inadequate.

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Suddenly such men as Dr. James McDonald felt less alone. Dr. McDonald, physicist, head of the department of meteorology; University of Arizona, has been in the forefront of those few respected voices urging "quantitative study."

Inevitably now the evidence he and others have collected will be properly evaluated.

Dr. Allen Hynek head of the department of astronomy, Northwestern University now freely confesses his own "conversion." Having previously rejected the notion of extraterrestrial visitations as preposterous, Dr. Hynek-a civilian consultant to the Air Force on this subject-now urges thorough scientific examination of accumulated documentation. He says, "I can no longer dismiss the UFO phenomenon with a shrug."

Other respected professional voices join the rising chorus. For Medical Times, Dr. Berthold Eric Schwarz, eminent psychiatrist, examined scores of UFO "observers" decreed that they are not. psychotic, not suffering hallucination, not publicity seekers. "More, on the contrary fearing ridicule, are embarrassed to testify to what they saw."

Notably Dr. Schwarz and his colleagues find among mental patients a total absence of any such "observations."

So, concludes Dr. Schwarz, "These reports are neither conscious nor unconscious fabrication. What they say they saw they think they saw!"

For no man is this now-official recognition more rewarding than for Dr. McDonald. He believes "UFOs constitute the greatest scientific problem of our times." He believes this matter has been "mishandled for 20 years."

Perhaps we are today where the French were just a few generations ago. Periodically, peasants had whispered or shouted stories about "stones from heaven!"

It took a handful of very brave scientists to coax the French Academy of Science properly to investigate the stories.

But the peasants' accounts proved correct and the very useful science of meteorites was born.

——— ♦ ———

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book reviews

 

2001, A Space Odyssey

(Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, The World Publishing Co., 2231 W. 110th St., Cleveland, Ohio, 44102. $4.95)

2001, A Space Odyssey is a motion picture. It is also a book. Both the movie and the book are worth exploring individually; together they become extraordinary.

Actually, each enhances the other.

The film is one of these modern sorts where they don't tell you everything. Many reviewers have been downright confused by it. When this writer saw it, someone in the row behind him remarked when it was over "We paid $3.50 to see this?" So, if you read the book first, you will understand and enjoy the movie that much more. On the other hand, the movie is fantastic pictorially. It is an experience in sight and sound and makes the book more alive.

Space Odyssey begins in prehistoric times, then focuses on the world of tomorrow, with a trip to a space station and a startling discovery on the moon. The second half of the story concerns a lengthy space journey outward into the solar system, with a segment on man vs. computer. The ending is metaphysical and thought provoking.

There is no encounter with humanoids from other planets, but there are some interesting ideas about extra-terrestrial life.

The movie makes good use of classical music as background. Oddly, it opens with the same selection Dick Miller used on his "Monka" tapes, recorded almost 15 years ago.

The story is co-authored by movie director Stanley Kubrick and space authority Arthur C. Clarke. The movie is playing on a "hard

MARCH, 1969                             17

ticket" basis in most major U.S. cities but should be coming around to the smaller ones soon. The book should be available at most libraries.

-Cleve Twitchell

The Flying Saucer Vision

(By John Michell, Sidgwick and Jackson Ltd., London, 1967. $3.95)

From the author's introduction to "The Flying Saucer Vision" we have the following: A great many reports from the 19th century and earlier appear to refer to flying objects of the same sort as are seen today. So it may be said that it has become evident that flying saucers are by no means new. In the earliest legends of mythology the flying vehicles of the gods are described in the same way as now, ie., wheels or winged discs. When men first achieved an expanded way of thought necessary to build a civilization, the step forward was taken through the appearance on earth of a superior race whom the earth's primitive people called the gods. The lessons learned from that time have survived, sometimes embedded in the culture of the great civilizations of the past, sometimes guarded by more or less secret dynasties of priests and scholars in, for instance, the Druid colleges and certain remote monasteries of the East. In this way we have reached the present critical moment in the history of our civilization, when no further significant progress seems possible within the existing system, when to many people our only hope of development and even survival seems to lie in the achievement of a new higher vision whatever form this may take. It may be that flying saucers today, as at the time of our last great vision, when they were revealed as the vehicle of the gods, are a portent of a further evolutionary step to be brought about through the working of some influence from outside the earth.

The main thesis of this book seems to be that the origin of the identification of the serpent with the flying saucer is to be found in the snake's characteristic habit of coiling into a circle or spiral. This concept is very far removed from that ancient and highly occult one of the serpent or naga as representing the Descending and Ascending Arcs in the Great: Cycle of Life and Being during a manvantara.

In this book there is much interesting mythological material

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dealing with dragons or serpents as fiery circles, levitation by sonic power, great, artificial mounds, as well as traditions of another race on earth. An illustration of Stonehenge as seen from the air shows considerable resemblance to recent photographs of UFO's.

As the author states in his conclusion "a great deal of material has been included in this book which may perhaps seem irrelevant or even contradictory." It may well be that, the reason for this is that the ancient myths change with the passing ages into a folklore at variance with the original facts and in sympathy with the prejudices of later peoples.

 

(Printer's note: Those gremlins are at it again. Somehow they crawled into the typecase-Linotype in this instance-and scrambled the names of the book reviewers in the last issue. "The Search For the Girl With the Blue Eyes" was reviewed by Florence Bohnert and "The Silent Language" by Ernest L. Wyatt.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Sirs

Enclosed is Five Dollars for the renewal of my Membership and Subscription for this coming year. I enjoy the magazine so much. Must mention, we here in North Dakota had saucer sightings this fall and early winter at both Minot and Bismarck. Following the sightings a discussion was held over radio station KLPM, Minot. To me the surprising thing was that during the 15 minute program not one adverse call was received. Those who did call in were convinced the objects were not our air craft, and wanted more information.

I had on hand several Flying Saucer post cards and so at once sent one to the station, saying I enjoyed the program very much and would also like more information. I felt "things are looking up" for this is different than a few years ago when we had to face ridicule if we dared to speak up for flying saucers.

-Lucille Prouty

You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it in himself.

-Galileo

MARCH, 1969                             19

bulletin board

 

Translators Needed

To share New Age and UFO news received from around the globe, we need persons able and willing to translate from French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Finnish publications.

Write to our Merlin address if you can and will translate for the Understanding Magazine. Thank you.

-F,. McGlashan

For Esperanto Readers

If any of our Understanding Members are interested in reading in Esperanto we shall be happy to loan you copies of "Oomoto," published in Japan and written in Esperanto.

"Oomoto," also published in English, is the official organ of Oomoto and the Universal Love and Brotherhood Association. You will find the text very interesting.

Write to our Merlin address if you wish to borrow the publication.

Thank You

To Jack and Anna Bates, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, we say "Thank You" for the three volumes of Lawsonomy donated to our Merlin Understanding Library.

We encourage our friends in the Merlin-Grants Pass area to use our Library which contains many interesting volumes for study or just pleasure reading.

Buffalo Lecture Announced

A rare treat is promised all who attend the lecture sponsored

20                                                  UNDERSTANDING

by our Buffalo Unit 37 on April 11th, at the International Institute, 1260 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York.

Speakers will be college students Peter and Paul Bleckinger, twins, long time saucer enthusiasts. Their slide illustrated and well documented November lecture "was tremendous," according to Mrs. Maie A. hall, President of Unit 37. If you are in the area plan to attend.

Earthquake Study

After a two-year study of 28,000 earthquakes in the conterminous United States, including 16,000 in California, the Environmental Science Services Administration (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) has published a map indicating the "risk" of earthquakes over a long time period in various parts of the United States.

The report states "The continuing studies of earthquake risk by the Coast Geodetic Survey will hopefully provide guidelines for building codes governing earthquake-resistant construction. Since earthquakes can neither be predicted at the present time nor prevented, the best deterrent. against damage and resultant loss of life is earthquake resistant construction.

Copy of the map, which divides the U.S. into four zones as to earthquake expectancy, may be had by writing to the United States Department of Commerce News, Washington, D. C. 20230, publication E S 69-1.

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CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT

6c per word per insertion; 3 or more insertions same copy, 5c per word.

FREE-Metaphysical, Occult and UFO Book List. U-69-10. Dorothy Low, Box 211, Oxford, Mass. 01540.

WORLD PEACE requires ESPERANTO, Text, record, etc. loaned, FREE, Esperanto Library, Dept USI. Middleton, Wis. 53562.

KNOW THYSELF-through Vibranalysis-Health, Personality and Vocational Keys, $2.50 complete. Send birthdate. Dorothy Low, Box 211, Oxford, Mass. 01540.

FOUR OCCULT books for sale. Miss Mercedes Pineiro, 700 Edwards Road, Parsippany, New Jersey. 07054.

 

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Memberships in Understanding

Understanding, Inc is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the propagation of a better understanding among all the peoples of the earth so that they may live in harmony and be better prepared psychologically and sociologically for the space age.

Several types of membership are available to those who wish to support our endeavors either with dollars or with time and service, or both.

The Associate Membership is Two Dollars per year; the Contributing Membership, Ten Dollars per year, including the Understanding magazine; Sustaining Membership, Twenty-Five Dollars per year, including subscription; and Life Membership, Five Hundred Dollars, including subscription to Understanding magazine.

Welcome to the Understanding family!

UNDERSTANDING, INC.

P.O. Box 76, Merlin, Oregon 97532.