Cincinnati Skeptic - Vol 03 No 02 - 1993

Magazine Overview

The Association For Rational Thought News, Volume 3, No. 2, published in December 1993, is a newsletter from an organization supporting skeptical thinking in Cincinnati. It aims to encourage rational evaluation of paranormal and fringe-science claims.

Organization and Membership

The Association for Rational Thought (A.R.T.) invites the public to become members. A December meeting was scheduled to include a questionnaire on paranormal events and a discussion. The organization also sought volunteers for 'Skeptical Blurbs,' a new service to provide critical responses to media reports on paranormal topics, and to write summaries for a database of arguments against various claims. Topics needing authors included Psychic Detectives, Faith Healers, Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Hypnotherapy, Graphology, Biorhythms, The Bermuda Triangle, Alien Abductions, and Facilitated Communication.

Skeptics Online

A.R.T. now hosts a forum called 'The Skeptics' on Productivity Online, a local computer bulletin board service. This forum offers discussions, a library of skeptical articles, and private email. Plans include adding connections to the Internet and the SCI.SKEPTIC conference.

Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)

Lance Moody, Media Resources Coordinator, presented a summary of his talk on UFOs. He stated that while unexplained objects are seen, most have everyday explanations. The modern belief in extraterrestrial UFOs began with Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting. Despite government investigations like Project Blue Book and the Condon Report finding no evidence of alien UFOs, public belief persists, often fueled by media specials and theories of government cover-ups. The article categorizes current interest in UFOs into two camps: those seeking proof of alien craft or government cover-ups, and those focused on alien abduction, which is linked to hypnotic regression and fabricated memories.

Evidence for UFOs

Believers cite sightings, photographs, and physical evidence. The newsletter notes that about 90% of sightings are explainable, and unexplained ones do not necessarily support alien craft theories. Photographic evidence is often blurry or identified as hoaxes, with Project Blue Book finding many were perpetrated by teenagers. Video evidence is rarer and harder to fake. Physical evidence like landing marks is often traced to mundane causes like building foundations or fungus. Implants are mentioned as a form of physical evidence related to abduction claims, but no reliable evidence has been collected.

Organizational Activities and Meetings

The newsletter details several A.R.T. meetings and council activities.

October Executive Council Meeting

Key discussions included obtaining a tax-exempt mailing permit to reduce newsletter costs, and considering the cost and usefulness of making donations income tax deductible. Standards for newsletter articles were discussed, including potential review by someone other than the editor, and the possibility of adding a 'Letters to the Editor' column.

October Membership Meeting

This meeting focused on the new third-class bulk mailing permit and the establishment of the 'Skeptics Forum' on Productivity Online. The organization's name was discussed, with 'Cincinnati Skeptics' considered as a secondary name.

November Executive Council Meeting

Discussions included filing for Ohio sales tax exemption and applying for federal income tax exemption. Plans were made to use the bulk mailing permit for the December newsletter. Membership Chair Roy Auerbach redesigned mailing labels. Keith and Virginia Jergens would split newsletter editing duties. Joe Gastright reported on an interview for a Cincinnati Enquirer article about local hauntings. Treasurer Peggy Borger and Keith investigated stories at Mitchell Memorial Park, concluding they were examples of folk tales in the making. Lance Moody presented a draft survey on paranormal topics.

November Membership Meeting

Members discussed the December newsletter mailing and the Skeptics Forum. Virginia Jergens suggested changing the organization's name to 'Cincinnati Skeptics,' but it was decided to use it as a secondary name.

Media and Presentations

Videotape of Psychics on the Jerry Springer Show

A segment of a Jerry Springer show was shown, demonstrating how psychics use vague statements and client validation to create the impression of psychic ability. Joe Gastright explained that the client's own input and interpretation were key to the perceived success of the reading.

Nova Videotape -- James Randi in Russia

Segments of a program detailing James Randi's trip to Russia were analyzed. Randi investigated Russian scientists' claims of psychic phenomena, suggesting their experiments were flawed and their conclusions based on wishful thinking. He tested a psychic's ability to influence blood pressure and brain waves, finding the results no better than chance. Randi also tested a psychic's ability to describe a person from a photograph, which failed to identify Ted Bundy's true nature.

Cold Reading Demonstration

Following the Randi tape, Joe Gastright gave a lecture demonstration of cold reading, impersonating a psychic to read volunteer Virginia Jergens. He explained the technique, which involves using vague statements, observation, and 'fishing' for information to convince a client of the reader's psychic abilities. Sources for information on cold reading were provided.

Calendar

The newsletter includes a calendar of A.R.T. meetings and newsletter deadlines for the 1993-94 year, typically held on the second Saturday of the month at the Bethesda Blue Ash Medical Building.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the promotion of skepticism and rational inquiry into paranormal claims, the debunking of pseudoscientific evidence (particularly regarding UFOs and psychic phenomena), and the organization's efforts to engage with the media and public through services like 'Skeptical Blurbs' and online forums. The editorial stance is clearly that of a skeptical organization, aiming to counter what it perceives as credulity in media and public discourse, and to provide evidence-based evaluations of paranormal topics. The organization actively seeks member participation in these efforts.