Research Communications Network

Organisation

Research Communications Network was a short-lived organization begun by David and Stephen L. Talbott, after the demise of Pensée in April 1978.^[1]Dwardu Cardona, “The Road To Saturn (Excerpts from an Autobiographical Essay)”, Aeon I:1 (Jan 1988) XXI. Online at Aeon Journal web site It produced three issues of a Newsletter.

Research Communications Network Newsletter Issues

• Newsletter #1 (10 September 1976)
  • Organization News
  • Invision
• Newsletter #2 (February 10, 1977) 8pp
  • The Age of Saturn
  • Uniformitarian Dogma
  • Mysteries of Radiohalos
• Newsletter #3 (October 15, 1977) 8pp
  • Saturn’s Age by John Gibson

Also published

• Saturn: Universal Monarch and Dying God, by David N. Talbott (12pp)

Criticism

Velikovsky criticised the Talbotts’ Newsletter:

“These days Steve Talbott stunned me, and probably all of you who have read his last Network Communication (dated April 15, but mailed with a delay of several weeks). After introducing the “member” of the Network to the Zetetic and its purpose (one of the main purposes is debunking Velikovsky together with Uri Geller, von Däniken, and Mme Dixon as announced in Science News (April 28, 1976). Talbott “communicates” by way of asking and answering:

“All of which constitutes a recommendation that you subscribe to the Zetetic? Yes!”

The huckster continues:

“Every Network member should own a subscription to the Zetetic”.

“Attached is an order form for the Zetetic ($10.00 a year) with a couple of other books.

“I believe that you and the four other associate editors of the now-defunct Pensée, Lewis Greenberg, C.J. Ransom, Ralph Juergens, and Bill Mullen) should make a common statement and try to reach the subscribers of Network, deluded into believing that the Network is an organ to defend and protect my work, and that Talbott unselfishly works to that end. One of my great disappointments in people.”^[2]Letter, “Immanuel Velikovsky to Lynn Rose” May 11, 1977. Online at the Velikovsky Archive.