Cincinnati Skeptic - Vol 09 No 04 - 2000

Magazine Overview

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 9 No. 4
Date: February/March 2000
Publisher: The Association for Rational Thought
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic delves into various topics that challenge pseudoscience and promote rational thought. The cover features a quote, "There is no sin but ignorance," and highlights articles on "Intelligent Design," "Shrinking Hydrinos," "Utron Motors & Other Fantasies," and "Spontaneous Human Combustion."

December Meeting: Intelligent Design: Birth, Death, & Resurrection

The December meeting featured a talk by Steve Schafersman on "Intelligent Design." Schafersman, a fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, explained that "creation science" is a fundamentalist notion of a six-day creation. "Intelligent design" is presented as a more sophisticated attack, suggesting evolution occurred but was supervised by God. He traced the history of intelligent design from William Paley (1743–1805) through its refutation by scientific critics and its resurrection in the work of William Dembski and Michael Behe. Schafersman emphasized that intelligent design is a profoundly anti-scientific viewpoint that scientists need to understand and address.

January Meeting: Shrinking Hydrinos, Utron Motors & Other Fantasies

President Roy Auerbach reported on Dr. Randall Mills, whose work with "hydrinos" (allegedly collapsed hydrogen atoms) is neither clearly quackery nor clearly science. Mills, a Harvard medical graduate, runs a company called Blacklight Power, backed by energy companies and investment firms. He claims hydrinos can power cars and create novel materials. However, his idiosyncratic language and unproven theories raise skepticism. Auerbach noted that Mills' work has stumped chemical analysis experts, but his theories remain unconvincing.

Lance Moody, an ART member, discussed Otis T. Carr, a figure from the 1950s UFO scene. Carr claimed to have met Nicholas Tesla and invented an "utron motor." He was known for organizing publicity and promoting his company, OTC Enterprises, which allegedly produced devices resembling flying saucers. Carr was indicted by the Securities Commission for fraud, having raised up to one million dollars. He died in 1982.

Comments Corner: Food Supplement Regulations

This section discusses new FDA regulations for the dietary supplement industry, aimed at preventing "drug-like claims." The regulations allow claims about affecting the "structure or function" of the body without requiring proof of efficacy or safety. The author argues that these regulations will lead to broader claims, indistinguishable from "disease claims," and provide marketers with loopholes to make unsubstantiated claims.

Examples of permissible claims include "helps improve urinary tract health" or "promotes relaxation." The author criticizes the ability to claim improvement for symptoms related to "age ranges" without proof, predicting an epidemic of strange "age-related" conditions. Readers are encouraged to contact their congresspersons for better regulation.

Dang those fossils.

This "What's New" item reports on the Grace Dangberg Foundation's decision to remove evolution from a new textbook on Kansas history for seventh and eighth graders, following the Kansas School Board's deletion of evolution from the curriculum. The foundation's director cited a desire not to "offend any group in Kansas."

The Free Electricity Story:

Dennis Lee, CEO of Better World Technologies, is touring cities promoting a free electricity machine and urging people to disconnect from the grid before the Y2K crisis. Lee claims the government plans to create a crisis to declare martial law and confiscate guns. He refused to demonstrate the machine, stating that it would be shut down, citing a past jail experience in 1988. He claims divine instruction for his actions.

Maybe ET did it!

This "What's New" item recounts a case where a mafia operative sought confirmation that the DEA had not implanted a tracking device in his rear end. The DEA confirmed they did not, but the statement humorously added, "we cannot speak, however, for any extraterrestrial aliens."

Letters to the Editor

Virginia Jergens writes in response to Joe Gastright's column "Slippery Symptoms Syndrome." Jergens argues that depression is both confirmable and treatable, and that mental health professionals do not prescribe tranquilizers for depression. She states that anti-depressants are effective for the majority of patients and that suggesting depression cannot be treated denies the progress made in mental health.

Joe Gastright responds, clarifying that his point was about the difference between "clinical depression" and the common variety, and that while some drugs affect bipolar disease, the causes of "clinical depression" are not well understood. He reiterates that "clinical" as a modifier does not imply better understanding and that many common complaints are called different illnesses by different world views.

A Puzzle for Thinkers

A legal justice puzzle is presented concerning "Clamdigger Ganef," who is accused of stealing four excellent pieces of jewelry. The prosecutor argues he knew what he was stealing, while the defense claims it was chance. The question is the probability that Clamdigger didn't know what he was stealing.

Solutions to the previous month's problem about the side of an eight-pointed star are provided, involving geometric calculations.

Too Many Books.... Too Little Time....

This section reviews John Maddox's book, "What Remains to be Discovered: Mapping the Secrets of the Universe, the Origins of Life, and the Future of the Human Race." Maddox, former editor of Nature, argues against the idea that all fundamental discoveries have been made. He discusses the vastness of what remains to be discovered in fields like abiogenesis. The review highlights Maddox's arguments against the strong Anthropic Principle and his discussion of determinism versus free will. The reviewer, Andrew O. Lutes, notes some flaws in the book, such as confusing historical figures and misrepresenting scientific observations.

Prometheus Bedeviled: Science and the Contradictions of Contemporary Culture

This is a review of Norman Levitt's book, which defends the scientific worldview against Post-Modernism and the New Age. Levitt argues for the reality of scientific insights and that scientific findings allow rejection of the paranormal and supernatural. The review states that Levitt posits that human existence is an accident without ultimate purpose, a conclusion that causes pain for many. The review also touches on the idea that science and technology are seen by some as complicit in societal evils, and that scientific thinking is viewed as an "amoral virus." The reviewer, Wolf Roder, recommends the book for both skeptics and non-scientists.

December Meeting from page 1: Intelligent Design

This section continues the discussion on Intelligent Design, referencing William Dembski's "Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science and Theology" and Michael Behe's "Darwin's Black Box." It revisits William Paley's classic design argument, which uses the analogy of a watch to argue for a divine designer based on the complex interdependence of parts in nature, such as the human eye. The argument is presented as teleological, claiming that apparent purpose implies design. The review critiques this argument, stating that the mere appearance of purposefulness does not prove its existence. It also mentions the "fine-tuning argument" and the "anthropic argument" as modern teleological attempts to support intelligent design.

The review further discusses logical errors in the intelligent design argument, such as the riskiness of analogies and Behe's "irreducible complexity" argument, which is described as an argument from ignorance. Examples of suboptimal design in nature, like the human eye's blind spot, are cited as evidence against intelligent design. The review concludes that Darwin's theory of evolution ended design arguments among scientists 130 years ago, and that intelligent design, despite its sophisticated arguments, is no more logical now than in its earlier form.

December Meeting from page 1....

This section continues the discussion from the January meeting. It mentions Carr's promotion of perpetual motion machines and free energy contraptions. It also notes that Carr was indicted by the Securities Commission. Lance Moody compares Arthur C. Clarke's view on UFOs (that numerous alleged sightings suggest invention rather than reality) to the "red panda story."

More from the December Meeting...

Pig Used to Demonstrate "Spontaneous Human Combustion"

Brad Bonham reported on a Learning Channel program that demonstrated "spontaneous human combustion." The phenomenon is characterized by a body found burned thoroughly, with only extremities remaining unburned, in an area with little other fire damage. The program explained that the key factor is the amount of accelerant used. A demonstration with a pig, wrapped in a blanket and treated with a small amount of accelerant, showed a slow burn at about 800 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing the body to dust.

Medugorje Visionary Sees Mary in Alabama Cow Pasture

President Roy Auerbach reported on Maria Linetti, a visionary from Medugorje, Bosnia, who was attracting large crowds to a cow pasture in Alabama. Linetti claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary since 1981. The article describes people visiting the pasture to witness her visions and reports on the Virgin Mary. One visitor reported seeing a star and a scene resembling the birth of Jesus. Caritas, a Roman Catholic organization, supports the visions and has a mailing list of 200,000.

Governor not descended from a baboon?

This "What's New" item discusses Governor Frank Keating of Oklahoma appointing eleven biblical literalists to the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee. These individuals mandated stickers on biology texts warning that evolution is a theory. The article references Genesis and a clarification from the Institute for Creation Research regarding the order of creation. It concludes by noting that Governor Keating does not believe he is descended from a baboon.

Spoon Bending Psychic sues Nintendo!

This "What's New" item reports that Uri Geller is suing Nintendo for $96 million, claiming he was defamed by the Pokémon character Alakazam, which is described as an evil magician with psychic powers and drawn with a spoon in each hand.

Modern Quackery.

This section highlights "modern quackery" in California, mentioning "forget-me-not" for increasing awareness of karmic relationships and "mugwort" for dreams and conscious control of psychic life, citing Robert Carroll in The Skeptic.

Everett DeJager on Natural Disasters

ART member Everett DeJager presented a theory that predictions of natural disasters that can be prevented by great effort are always wrong. He cited the prediction of running out of oil in 1929 as an example. He also believes that predictions of disaster are often accompanied by suggestions for averting them, such as reducing fossil fuel use. DeJager also commented on the Alar scare and asbestos predictions, believing they were exaggerated. He expressed skepticism about global warming and the need for great sacrifices to avoid it. His comments were considered controversial, with few members agreeing with him.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes a skeptical and rationalist viewpoint, critically examining claims of pseudoscience, religious dogma, and unsubstantiated phenomena. Themes include the critique of "Intelligent Design" and creationism, the investigation of UFO claims, the scientific explanation of purported paranormal events, and the regulation of unsubstantiated health claims. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific evidence, critical thinking, and the rejection of wishful thinking and unfounded beliefs. The magazine aims to educate its readers about the flaws in pseudoscientific arguments and to encourage a rational approach to understanding the world.

Title: Cincinnati Skeptics
Issue: Vol. 9 No. 4
Date: February/March 2000
Publisher: Association for Rational Thought (ART)
Type: Nonprofit, scientific and educational organization newsletter.

Organization and Mission

The Association for Rational Thought (ART) is an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization dedicated to encouraging rational, well-informed evaluation of fringe-science, pseudoscience, and paranormal claims. ART shares the philosophies of CSICOP, the Skeptics Society, and JREF. They actively encourage the investigation of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims from a responsible, scientific viewpoint and distribute the results of these investigations to the public. ART was founded by Cincinnati area skeptics in 1991.

Key Organizations Mentioned

• CSICOP: The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, publisher of the *Skeptical Inquirer*. Contact information and website are provided.
• The Skeptics Society: Publisher of *The Skeptic Magazine*. Contact information and website are provided.
• JREF: The James Randi Educational Foundation, publisher of the *Swift Newsletter*. Contact information and website are provided.
• SANE: The Skeptical Area Network Effort, an e-mail list for skeptical news.

Membership and Contributions

Annual dues for ART membership are $15.00, which includes a subscription to the *Cincinnati Skeptic* newsletter and meeting notices. The organization emphasizes keeping dues low but welcomes additional contributions to support their work, noting that contributions are not currently tax-deductible but are working towards that status. A membership form is included for new and renewing members, with options for contributions and gift memberships.

Meetings and Events

ART meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month from September through June at 10:00 AM at James Tavern, located at Cooper Road and Reed Hartman Highway in Blue Ash. The meetings are open to the public and are followed by a lunch/social portion. Coffee is available for a small donation.

Preview of Coming Attractions:

• Sixth Meeting of the 1999-2000 Season (February 12, 2000):
• Topic: "The Reichenbach Affair: A Case Study of Pseudoscience in 19th Century Chemistry"
• Speaker: Dr. William B. Jensen, who holds the Oesper Chair in the History of Chemistry and Chemical Education at the University of Cincinnati.
• Description: This talk was set to summarize Dr. Jensen's research on a classic case of pseudoscience in 19th-century chemistry and physics, drawing parallels to modern examples like cold fusion.

• Seventh Meeting of the 1999-2000 Season (March 11, 2000):
• Details about the speaker and topic were to be announced via mail.

The newsletter encourages readers to "Join us....to find out what's real and what's not!"

Skepticism and ART on the Electronic Media

The cover story highlights the role of skepticism in the digital age. ART encourages readers to join SANE for weekly skeptical news via e-mail, featuring content from CSICOP, James Randi, and local skeptics. The ART website, http://www.cincinnatiskeptics.org, is promoted as a resource containing BLURBS on various subjects, links to skeptical thinking resources, information on joining SANE, definitions of ART, bylaws, directions to meetings, and contact information. David Wall is credited as the Web Site Manager, with the e-mail address [email protected].

Contact Information

For general information and membership questions, contact President Roy Auerbach at (513) 731-2774 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Nurit Bowman can be reached at (513) 731-0642 for general information. The website is http://www.cincinnatiskeptics.org.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently promotes a rational, scientific approach to evaluating claims, particularly those related to the paranormal and pseudoscience. It emphasizes critical thinking, evidence-based investigation, and the dissemination of accurate information. The organization actively engages with its community through meetings and electronic media, fostering a network of like-minded individuals. The editorial stance is clearly pro-skepticism and anti-pseudoscience, encouraging public participation in these discussions.