Cincinnati Skeptic - Vol 08 No 07 - 1999

Magazine Overview

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 8 No. 7
Date: June/July 1999
Publisher: The Association for Rational Thought (ART) of Cincinnati, Ohio.

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic newsletter, published by the Association for Rational Thought, delves into a variety of topics from a critical and skeptical perspective. The cover features a quote from Samuel Butler and a headline posing a question about skepticism's inquiry.

April Meeting: The Magic of Mpingo, Time Travel and Spontaneous Human Combustion

President Roy Auerbach reported on pseudoscience in the high-end hi-fi market, noting that while one might expect good science and engineering, the market is rife with it. He highlighted the division between "audio skeptics" and "audio crazies," the latter believing that marking CD edges with a green pen improves sound. High fidelity devotees are described as being divided into factions, with some doubting the usefulness of many hi-fi products and others embracing what are termed "audio crazies." This includes beliefs about marking CD edges with a green pen to improve sound.

May Meeting: Bigfoot Makes Lasting Impression on Ron Schaffner

Ron Schaffner, an investigator of unusual animals for twenty years, shared his impressions of Bigfoot. He finds it remarkable that people are willing to believe in such creatures without evidence. Schaffner carries a plaster cast of a large, human-like footprint, which he humorously notes suggests Bigfoot has "a hundred percent flat feet." The article places Bigfoot investigation within cryptozoology, distinguishing between mainstream zoologists and fringe researchers. It notes that scientists have little time for investigating non-scientists or their imaginary animals.

The article discusses the Patterson film, a famous piece of Bigfoot "evidence," which Ron Schaffner believes is a hoax. The reporter agrees, describing it as looking like "a guy in a gorilla suit loping aimlessly about the woods." The article mentions that while Roger Patterson died years ago, others associated with the film deny it's a hoax. Jerry Romney, believed to be the man in the ape suit, has refused to admit complicity on camera but is claimed to have told someone he was the stand-in. The article speculates that the suit might have been made by John Chambers, who created costumes for "Planet of the Apes." Only ten feet of the original film remain, leaving about a hundred feet unaccounted for. The Patterson film, regardless of its authenticity, is credited with beginning the recent spate of Bigfoot sightings and turning it into an international phenomenon.

Cultures worldwide have stories of large, dangerous human-like creatures. Native Americans had beliefs in such beings, though they didn't call them Sasquatch; that moniker was coined by white Canadians. The Asiatic version is known as the Abominable Snowman or Yeti. Theodore Roosevelt also wrote about a Sasquatch-like animal. However, it was the Patterson film that propelled Bigfoot to celebrity status.

The Bigfoot Association of North America (BANA) collects information on Bigfoot sightings, including films, casts, hair samples, sound recordings, and photographs. However, the organization itself dismisses most of this "evidence" as hoaxes. Despite this, members speculate about Bigfoot's nature, suggesting it migrates and lives in small groups, even without corroborating evidence.

Ron Schaffner's own investigations often stem from complaints in rural Ohio and Kentucky, where people report seeing animal-like and strange things, with the Bigfoot label being attached by police or reporters. He explains that sightings in Kentucky were likely a "white ape" sighted in Kentucky was likely a tall, bearded, blond man with long hair who had escaped from a mental hospital; or Bigfoot like animals in Ohio most likely were recently reintroduced black bears. Abandoned exotic pets also account for some sightings. Ron believes he could explain 95 percent of them if he had more time.

"What do you think, skeptic?"

This section features a response from Steve Harris, MD, to a situation where a breast cancer patient refused medical treatment in favor of a psychic healer, resulting in a shortened life. Harris discusses the conundrum faced by skeptics: lies can allay anxiety, especially about death and pain, which are inevitable. He posits that skepticism aims to find truth, but the belief that truth always makes things better is a lie skeptics tell themselves to relieve anxiety about their actions. Harris, as a doctor, finds himself occasionally taking a more optimistic stance than the facts fully justify, acknowledging the reality and benefit of the placebo effect, which is not always available to practicing skeptics.

Spreading the Good News about Greening the Earth

This short piece critiques an advertisement in the Washington Post that promotes the idea that rising CO₂ levels are good for the planet because plants thrive on it. The ad, supported by electric utilities and the Western Fuel Association, sarcastically suggests actions like trading in economy cars for gas guzzlers and turning up the thermostat, highlighting the absurdity of using this fact to justify increased fossil fuel consumption.

From the Un-Easy Chair: Miracles

The editor discusses the nature of miracles, noting that they are personal or historical events that are difficult to protest. Skeptics tend to doubt such tales and seek rational explanations. The question is posed: what constitutes a real miracle, and how would we know and record it beyond doubt? The editor suggests that true miracles would reside in the realm of the absolutely impossible, citing geometric impossibilities like a frog in an unopened box (which doesn't exist) or the insertion of a soft iron sword into country rock. A more plausible example is the challenge of inserting one ring donut through another without breaking either, which would require penetrating the fourth dimension. Such a feat, verifiable by microscopic inspection, would prove a miracle.

Alternative Medicine: Congress Consults the Stars

This brief item notes that Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) scheduled a hearing on "Patient Access to Alternative Medicine," with actress Jane Seymour as a witness. It sarcastically suggests subsequent hearings might feature actors Tom Hanks and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Too Many Books.... Too Little Time.... The Baltimore Case: A Trial of Politics, Science, and Character

This section reviews Daniel J. Kevles' book about the accusations of fraud leveled against biomedical scientist Thereza Imanishi-Kari and Nobel prize winner David Baltimore. The case involved complex science, including transgenic mice and interpretation of experimental data, and spanned over ten years, involving congressional hearings and NIH investigations. The review highlights the difficulty in following the narrative due to the scientific complexity and the large cast of characters, including scientists, NIH staff, and FBI/Secret Service technicians. The case is described as a miscarriage of justice where an innocent scientist was hounded for years, with David Baltimore being a strong supporter.

Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals Abuse of Science

This section reviews Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont's book, which critiques fashionable French philosophers for their misuse of scientific concepts. The authors argue that these philosophers use scientific terms metaphorically or literally without understanding, leading to confusion and a distortion of science. The review criticizes the book for focusing only on hard sciences and neglecting the social sciences, where the authors believe a distinction between facts and lies is still possible. It questions whether postmodernism's view of science as mere myth or social construction is entirely accurate, while acknowledging that some generalizations in social science are widely accepted.

Glass Houses are Half Full

This piece discusses racial disparities in home loans in Milwaukee. While Milwaukee was labeled the worst place for such disparities, the minority loan denial rate was actually lower than the national average. This is attributed to an incredibly low denial rate for whites, suggesting good savings habits, low bad-debt rates, and high marriage rates contribute to a good collective credit rating.

Magic of Mpingo (from pg 1)

This continuation discusses the "magic of Mpingo" promoted by the Shun Mook Company, which claims ebony disks can correct "wayward resonance" in hi-fi systems. The article debunks this, stating that while silver wire conducts electricity faster, it doesn't make a difference in sound quality, and gold wire conducts electricity less well than copper. It criticizes expensive cables marketed with pseudo-scientific claims and suggests that money is better spent on good speakers. The article also touches on the debate about whether black metal trays defrost meat faster and briefly mentions discussions on teleportation, hydrothermal rifts, and the origin of life.

Time Travel

Gary Himes discusses speculative theories on time travel, noting that while current physics doesn't rule it out, it would require immense energy. Possibilities include "worm holes" connecting black holes or a rotating cylinder. The article compares the speculative nature of time travel to the historical perception of landing on the moon.

Spontaneous Human Combustion

Brad Bonham explains spontaneous human combustion as a poorly understood but explainable phenomenon where a person burns while their surroundings remain largely untouched. It is usually associated with elderly, immobile individuals who have used sleeping pills or alcohol, and were smoking or near an open fireplace. The fire is not spontaneous but caused by external factors, with various circumstances accounting for the limited spread.

The Pigasus Award for Supporting the Most Useless Study

This award was given to Joe Firmage for his belief that humans are not smart enough to invent computer chips and that they were reverse-engineered from crashed UFOs, with the government hiding this truth.

Bread

A humorous anecdote about a man who dropped buttered bread on the floor, which landed butter-side up, and his Rabbi's interpretation of the event.

Bigfoot (from pg 1)

This section continues the discussion on Bigfoot, detailing Ron Schaffner's presentation at the May meeting. It reiterates the skepticism regarding the Patterson film and discusses the possibility of the suit being made by John Chambers. The article notes that the film's existence led to a surge in Bigfoot sightings and made it an international phenomenon. It also mentions the Bigfoot Association of North America and their collection of evidence, much of which they dismiss as hoaxes.

Race and Crime: Is "Profiling" Reasonable?

This article examines the practice of police "profiling" in light of statistics showing disproportionate minority involvement in drug crimes. It presents data from New Jersey and FBI Uniform Crime Reports, noting that while statistics show higher arrest rates for minorities, this could be due to police targeting them. The article discusses the complexity of the issue, considering factors like the type of drug used and the circumstances of use. It concludes that while profiling might be statistically valid, it can lead to discriminatory real-world results and worsen racial tensions, emphasizing that statistics alone cannot determine public policy.

A Puzzle for Thinkers

This section presents a math problem about student grades and provides the solution to a previous puzzle involving five children and true statements.

ART Business

This section lists the officers elected for the coming year and reports on Brad Bonham's investigation into rumors about Febreze fabric odor eliminator killing pets, concluding that the rumors are false. It also includes a brief commentary on Bayer's "Making Science Make Sense" program, suggesting it needs to start with Galileo.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of claims that lack scientific evidence, the debunking of pseudoscience in various fields (hi-fi, cryptozoology, alternative medicine), and the analysis of social issues through a rational lens (race and crime, misuse of science). The editorial stance is clearly that of skepticism, advocating for evidence-based reasoning and a critical approach to extraordinary claims. The newsletter aims to inform its readers about potentially misleading information and to encourage rational thought.

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 8 No. 7
Date: June/July 1999
Publisher: Association for Rational Thought (ART)
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic newsletter, published by the Association for Rational Thought (ART), focuses on the intersection of skepticism and electronic media, while also providing organizational updates and information for potential and current members.

Organization and Mission

The Association for Rational Thought is presented as an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization. Its mission aligns with the philosophy of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), an international body that investigates alleged paranormal events, sponsors workshops, and publishes the journal "Skeptical Inquirer." ART itself investigates local paranormal claims and maintains a database of information on such claims for the media. The organization was founded by Cincinnati area skeptics in 1991.

Membership and Dues

ART holds its meetings on the second Saturday of each month, from September through June, at 10:00 AM at James Tavern in Blue Ash. Meetings are open to the public. Annual dues are $15.00, which includes a subscription to the Cincinnati Skeptic newsletter. The newsletter also provides information on membership status, indicating whether a member is in good standing or has lapsed. A membership form is included in the newsletter, allowing individuals to join or renew their membership, and also to make additional contributions to support ART's work. Checks should be made payable to the Association for Rational Thought and mailed to their P.O. Box in Cincinnati. Contributions are not currently tax-deductible, but the organization is working on this.

Contact Information

Key contacts for ART include President Roy Auerbach (513-731-2774) and Nurit Bowman (513-731-0642). Roy Auerbach also handles address changes, corrections, and membership questions, and can be reached via email at [email protected]. The organization also encourages members to visit their website for more information.

Electronic Media and Skepticism

A significant portion of the issue is dedicated to "Skepticism and ART on the Electronic Media." This section promotes SANE (Skeptical Area Network Effort), an email service that delivers weekly skeptical news, messages from CSICOP, James "The Amazing" Randi, and local skeptics. This serves as a means of communication between issues of the Cincinnati Skeptic. The newsletter also highlights ART's "NEW & IMPROVED skeptical website" at http://www.cincinnatiskeptics.org. The website features blurbs on various subjects, links to skeptical thinking resources worldwide, information on joining SANE, definitions of ART's mission and bylaws, details on how to get to meetings, and instructions for sending sample copies of the newsletter. David Wall is listed as the Web Site Manager, with contact email [email protected].

Upcoming Events

The "Preview Of Coming Attractions" section details the location of meetings at James Tavern at Cooper Road and Reed Hartman Highway, noting its accessibility. The Tenth Meeting of the 1998-1999 Season was scheduled for Saturday, June 12, 1998, with a program from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and lunch from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The topic and speaker for this meeting were not yet finalized at the time of printing, with an announcement expected via mail. The newsletter also announces that this June meeting would be the final one of the year, with the next regular meeting scheduled for September 1999. Information about a picnic and other events would be sent out later.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around promoting skepticism, rational inquiry, and scientific investigation of paranormal claims. The Association for Rational Thought positions itself as a resource for accurate information and a community for like-minded individuals. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of critical thinking and evidence-based evaluation of extraordinary claims, as evidenced by its affiliation with CSICOP and its publication of the "Skeptical Inquirer." The emphasis on electronic media, through SANE and the website, indicates an effort to leverage modern communication channels to disseminate skeptical viewpoints and engage with a wider audience.