Bay Area Skeptics Information Sheet - 1993 04

Magazine Overview

This document is the April 1993 issue of "BASIS", the newsletter of the Bay Area Skeptics. It is Volume 12, Number 5, and was edited by Chris Muir. The issue primarily focuses on skeptical commentary on current events, debunking pseudoscience, and reporting on legal matters.

April Fools' Edition

The editor, Chris Muir, begins by acknowledging that the April issue is late, framing it as an "April Fools" prank. He humorously suggests blaming taxes and the IRS for the delay. Muir also notes that the title of the newsletter itself is a "vile, contemptible, disgusting little pipsqueak newsletter," a self-deprecating joke.

The newsletter then recounts common April Fools' pranks, such as those at Sun Microsystems and unbelievable stories produced by media outlets. It highlights two specific hoaxes: a radio announcer claiming the space shuttle would land at a local airport, causing a crowd to gather, and a story published by the East Bay Skeptics about a fictional "Dr Lizzy" being nominated for a Nobel Prize for using NMR scanning for homeopathic research.

Skeptical News and Debunking

The issue presents a series of news items that the editors wish were April Fools' jokes but are not:

• President of Peru: Albert Fujimori stated he consults his seer for matters not concerning the national interest.
• Hypnosis for Bust Enhancement: Michael Stivers, founder of the Professional Hypnosis and Research Center in Largo, Florida, claimed to use hypnosis to help clients visualize their breasts growing again to reactivate hormone production, asserting a 75% success rate.
• Relationship Drama and Psychics: Susan Stone allegedly left Bill MacDonald's wife, with Naomi McDonald attributing it to a psychic telling Stone that she and Bill were lovers in a past life.
• Alternative Medicine Spending: A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that in 1990, 10% of Americans sought alternative medicine, spending $10.3 billion compared to $12.8 billion on hospital bills.
• UFOs and Nazi Plots: A Manhattan doctor who believes UFOs are part of a Nazi plot to eliminate Jews was permitted by the Board of Regents to continue treating patients.
• Education Policy: Pete Wilson's nominee for Superintendent of Public Education, Marian Bergeson, opposed Proposition 98 and voted against legislation to give school districts more authority.
• Teaching Certificate Lawsuit: Sofia P. Pandazides sued after failing a public school teaching exam, claiming she was "learning impaired" and should have had unlimited time, but she lost her lawsuit.

From the Battlefield: Uri Geller Lawsuits

This section, edited by Chris Muir, details the ongoing legal battles involving psychic Uri Geller. Letters from James Randi provide updates:

• Florida Case: Randi reported that Geller had dropped his case against Prometheus et al. in Florida, having previously offered to settle for $50,000.
• Japanese Lawsuit: Randi was notified by the media that a Japanese court had awarded Geller 500,000 Yen (approximately $4,310) in a lawsuit against Randi. Randi is appealing this decision, stating he never had a chance to present his case and received no response to his summons.
• CSICOP Lawsuit: On March 16th, in Federal Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Stanley S. Harris ordered Uri Geller to pay CSICOP $106,433.97 for fees and costs incurred as a result of Geller's suit against James Randi and CSICOP. Further costs may also be required.

The scoreboard for Geller's lawsuits is presented:

• Geller suit against Timex: Timex wins.
• Geller suit #1 against James Randi: dismissed.
• Geller suit #2 against James Randi: dismissed.
• Geller suit #3 against James Randi and CSICOP: pending.
• Geller suit #4 against James Randi (Japan): pending.
• Byrd suit against James Randi: trial date set for May 25.

Mantra Away Crime

Chris Muir writes about an offer made by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to rid cities of crime through meditation, as advertised in the San Jose Mercury News. The Maharishi proposed charging 10 cents per person per day, which would amount to about $53.4 million per year for a city. The article outlines several problems with this proposal:

1. Financial Burden: The fee would amount to millions of dollars monthly for large cities, which are often financially strapped.
2. Constitutional Separation: The program is based on Hindu Vedic scriptures, and government funding would violate the separation of church and state.
3. Extraordinary Claims: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and the article questions if any town has been rendered crime-free by this technique.

The author points out that India, the origin of Transcendental Meditation, has not been rendered crime-free and is experiencing religious riots, suggesting that exchanging crime reduction for religious conflict would be a poor bargain.

BAS April Meeting: The "Hot Hand" Fallacy

This section announces an upcoming meeting of the Bay Area Skeptics on Wednesday, April 28th, at 7:30 p.m. at the El Cerrito Public Library. The speaker is Lee Dembart, a former reporter and current educator. The topic is the "Hot Hand" fallacy and its implications.

Dembart's statement explains that the belief in a "hot hand" (or a slump) in sports, where athletes are thought to perform differently due to some internal state, is a misinterpretation of normal and predictable statistical variations. He argues that random events are not evenly distributed and tend to appear clustered, leading people to seek explanations for patterns that are not inherent in the data but rather in the observer's mind.

Bay Area Skeptics Information

The newsletter provides contact information for the Bay Area Skeptics, including their address in Castro Valley, CA. It lists the current officers: Norman Sperling (Chair), Wilma Russell (Secretary), and Lucinda Ben-David (Treasurer). A list of directors and BASIS staff (Chris Muir as Editor, Wilma Russell for Distribution, and Kate Talbot for Meeting Coordinator) is also included.

Subscriptions and Material for Publication

Information on subscriptions is provided, with a year's contribution of $18.00 or more entitling one to the newsletter. An "S" on the mailing label indicates expiration month/year, and "I" signifies an inquiry or courtesy copy. An address in San Jose, CA is given for "MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION."

Finally, the document notes that this is a "heavily cut down electronic version" copied by hand from a printed version by Ottar Sande at the Norwegian Bulletin Board for Skeptics, Firda BBS.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BASIS are skepticism towards pseudoscientific claims, debunking of paranormal or extraordinary assertions, and reporting on legal challenges to individuals and organizations promoting such claims. The editorial stance is clearly one of critical inquiry, using logic, statistics, and evidence to question and often refute claims that lack scientific backing. The newsletter actively engages with current events to highlight instances of gullibility, fraud, or misinterpretation, promoting a rationalist perspective.