The Ullage Group deserves a mention on this site. Anthony Matt and I had contemplated forming a Fortean Society, along the lines of John Keel’s old group, and like those currently meeting in pubs in Dublin and Edinburgh. We finally opted for a semi-fortean group, and chose as our emblem “ullage,” a fine old word meaning the air at the top of a bottle, and a symbol of all that is marginal and liminal. Joined by Lisa Hirschfield, and sometimes by others, we’ve organized mini-conferences, and maintain a blog at www.ullagegroup.com.

So far, the Ullage Group has put on fifteen events, all at the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn. They featured talks, music, a variety of audio-visual aids, and the ceremonial uncorking of an appropriate ullage.

1. Five Sides of a Machine (12/2/07). A demonstration of old projection devices, and a discussion of the methodology of assessing technology.

2. Microlithomania (5/18/08). Short talks on unusual stones. The title was inspired by John Michell’s book on megaliths, Megalithomania.

3. Through the Blackboard (9/28/08). Examinations of school, including lunch programs, classroom films, and more.

4. Medi-Vaudeville (4/19/09). Medicine, with a title taken from the book Charles Fort planned to write. There were medical songs, and a talk on quack ray devices. Dr. Mamie Caton joined us for a look at evidence-based medicine, and the difficulties of applying a scientific method to the human body.

5. Straight Talk About Hoaxes (10/11/09). Hoaxes, both intentional and accidental.

6. Pandora’s Music Box (1/24/10). We brought on every strange musical instrument we could find; and demonstrated toy instruments, gizmo harps, and the destruction of an electronic keyboard with a violet ray generator. Geoff Wiley joined us to make a washtub bass onstage.

7. Not Dirty, Just Spicy (5/16/10). Double entendre songs, burlesque sketches, and other cultural tidbits not quite obscene.

8. Remembering Keel (7/11/10). To mark the anniversary of John Keel’s death, we read from his works, and showed video interviews.

9. Marching to Utopia (9/26/10). Utopias, planned communities, and secret societies.

10. Unacceptable Flying Objects (5/8/11). UFOs, considered as a stigmatized social subject.

11. Long Island Beyond the Pale (4/22/12). Myths, legends, and conspiracy theories from Long Island.

12.  The Ullage Group Film Festival, Volume One (8/19/12). Short films and videos by Doug Skinner, John Keel, Anthony Matt, Morgan Miller, and Russ Johnson. Mark Newgarden also showed a reel of old shorts and commercials.

13.  The Ullage Group Presents Mark Pilkington (11/11/12). A talk by British writer Mark Pilkington, about his book Mirage Men.

14.  Peculiar Popularities (3/3/13). Obsolete fads: X-rays in pop culture, slang and artificial languages, pre-cinema spectacles.

15.  A Tribute to Les Blank (8/11/13). A screening of short films by Les Blank, with commentary by his sons Harrod and Beau.