Cincinnati Skeptic - Vol 11 No 05 - 2002

Magazine Overview

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 11 No. 5
Date: April/May 2002
Publisher: The Association for Rational Thought
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic newsletter delves into various topics through the lens of rational thought and skepticism. It features articles on vaccine safety, investigations into spiritualism, a book review on astronomy misconceptions, and details of upcoming events for the Association for Rational Thought.

February Meeting: Undercover Among the Spirits

Joe Nickell, a skeptic and investigator from the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, was the speaker at the February meeting. Nickell shared his philosophy that closed-minded skeptics are as unfortunate as closed-minded believers, advocating for a "ground up" skepticism that begins with evidence gathering rather than pre-determined conclusions. He approaches investigations with an open, friendly inquiry, aiming to understand the illusions that mislead people rather than simply dismissing their beliefs. His work has involved investigating phenomena like crop circles and abductee accounts.

March Meeting: When Good Vaccines Go Bad

Dr. Elaine Billmire, a pediatrician, discussed current thinking on viral and bacterial diseases and vaccines. Her talk also covered three recent cases where vaccines were questioned for causing serious illness. While the medical profession takes such possibilities seriously, investigations in these cases found the concerns to be unfounded. The article provides definitions of infection and lists examples of bacterial and viral infections, along with the types of vaccines used to combat them.

Article: Too Many Books.... Too Little Time....

This section reviews Neil F. Comins' book, "Heavenly Errors: Misconceptions about the real Nature of the Universe." The author, an astronomer, addresses common misconceptions about the universe, noting that nature often doesn't conform to our expectations. The review highlights Comins' points on objects falling at the same speed in a vacuum (contrasting with real-world atmospheric resistance), time dilation, and the origin of plant matter. It also touches upon how our brains evolved for survival rather than cosmic comprehension. The review discusses how science hasn't disproved aliens, but Occam's Razor suggests not believing without evidence. It also examines common beliefs about the moon's influence on behavior, noting that most studies show no correlation, despite a few exceptions. The book is praised for its sound knowledge, diagrams, and enjoyable presentation.

Article: Getting on Top ...

This brief item reports on new safety guidelines issued by the employee protection service of New South Wales, Australia, for sex workers, titled "Getting on Top of Health and Safety." The guidelines warn against issues like loose bed frames and venereal diseases.

We Remember Phil Bonham

This section is a tribute to C. Philip Bonham, who passed away at age 74. It details his life, career in management at Proctor and Gamble, his marriage to Jeanne, his role as a parent, and his community involvement, including service on the 4C Board at the Community Chest and the First Unitarian Church. Prominent figures like Al Gerhardstein, Administrative Law Judge Thomas F. Phalen, photographer Gordon Baer, and former Mayor Bobbie Sterne shared their memories, highlighting Bonham's steadfast support for justice, his analytical mind, generosity, and compassionate nature. The tribute was written by Bea V. Larsen.

Article: Nickell from page 1...

This continuation of Joe Nickell's segment discusses his work in spiritualism. Nickell's approach is characterized by friendliness and kindly interest to maintain good working relationships with spiritualists. He explains spiritualism as the belief in communicating with the dead and differentiates it from hauntings. The article traces the history of modern spiritualism in the U.S. to the Fox sisters' hoax and discusses the Davenport brothers' demonstrations. It highlights Harry Houdini's role in exposing spiritualist deceptions, including the use of spirit trumpets and spirit photography. Nickell himself has investigated these phenomena, including creating fake spirit photographs to test claims. He notes that while active mediums may be skeptical of him, plain spiritualists are more welcoming.

Article: Lilydale and Camp Chesterfield

Joe Nickell's investigations extended to Lilydale, a village dedicated to spiritualism, and Camp Chesterfield. In Lilydale, he found that while his cover was eventually blown, he was still accepted due to his cultivated relationships. He describes Lilydale as a place to study cold readings and participant observation. At Camp Chesterfield, Joe adopted an invented persona to investigate their practices, which included spirit trumpets, apports, and spirit writing, often involving hefty fees. He notes the difference in how Lilydale and Chesterfield spiritualists interact, with Lilydale residents rolling their eyes at the Chesterfieldians.

Nickell believes paranormal beliefs persist because they fill emotional needs, appealing to people's hopes and fears. He notes that about four percent of the population is "fantasy prone," with the forms of fantasy evolving over time, from medieval incubuses and succubuses to modern alien abductions.

Poem In a Box!

A poem titled "Old Euclid drew a circle" by Vachel Lindsay is presented, reflecting on geometry and observation.

Article: When good vaccines go bad

This section discusses the potential for medical treatments, including vaccines, to have unintended side effects. It mentions a rotavirus vaccine that was withdrawn due to a link to intestinal obstruction. It also touches on the concept of a threshold where the risk from widespread vaccine use approximates the risk from the disease, citing the Sabin oral polio vaccine as an example of successful widespread immunity. The article notes the shift from oral to injectable polio vaccines and discusses controversies surrounding vaccines triggering non-infectious diseases like febrile seizures, autism, and learning disorders. It specifically addresses concerns about the DPT vaccine and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), concluding no link could be shown, and the MMR vaccine and autism, noting that while a 1998 article suggested a link, subsequent studies found no evidence of a causal relationship.

A Puzzle for Thinkers

A logic puzzle is presented, challenging the reader to determine how Charlie should distribute beads between two bags to maximize his chances of survival when a bead is drawn randomly.

Details of Upcoming Events...

This section lists the upcoming meetings for the 2001-2002 season of the Association for Rational Thought, including topics like "Urban Legends," "Psychic Readings, Hot & Cold," and "Brew Myths," along with their speakers and dates. It also provides information on membership duration and dues, reminding members to pay promptly.

Science Book-Club Meetings for 2002

This section details the schedule for the Science Book-Club meetings throughout 2002, held at the downtown Cincinnati Public Library. It lists the books to be discussed each month, covering topics from computer science and philosophy to the history of science and human evolution.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around critical thinking, scientific investigation, and the debunking of paranormal claims and pseudoscientific beliefs. The Association for Rational Thought, through its newsletter, consistently promotes evidence-based reasoning and skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims, particularly concerning spiritualism, alternative medicine, and popular misconceptions. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific methodology and rational explanation, while acknowledging the psychological and social reasons why people may hold onto non-scientific beliefs. The newsletter also serves as a platform for community engagement, announcing meetings, events, and book club discussions, fostering a network for like-minded individuals.

The "Cincinnati Skeptic" Vol. 11 No. 5, published in April/May 2002, is a newsletter from The Association for Rational Thought (ART). ART is described as an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization that aligns with the philosophies of CSICOP, The Skeptics Society, and JREF.

Organizations and Affiliations

The newsletter provides contact details for several key organizations:

• CSICOP (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal): Publishes the "Skeptical Inquirer" journal. Contact information includes PO Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226-0703, phone 800-634-1610, fax 716-636-1733, and website www.scicop.org.
• The Skeptics Society: Publishes "The Skeptic Magazine." Contact information includes PO Box 338, Altadena, CA 91001, phone 626-794-3119, fax 626-794-1300, email [email protected], and website www.skeptic.com.
• JREF (James Randi Educational Foundation): Publishes the "Swift Newsletter." Contact information includes 201 SE Davie Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316-1815, phone (954) 467-1112, fax (954)467-1660, and website www.randi.org.

Association for Rational Thought (ART) Activities

ART holds meetings on the second Saturday of each month from September through June, starting at 10:00 AM. These meetings are open to the public. ART also publishes the "Cincinnati Skeptic" bi-monthly and maintains a database of information on paranormal claims for local media. The organization was founded by Cincinnati area skeptics in 1991.

Membership and Contributions

Annual dues for ART are $15.00, which includes a subscription to the "Cincinnati Skeptic." The newsletter includes a form for new and renewing members, requesting name, address, phone, and email. It also solicits additional contributions to support ART's work, emphasizing that dues are kept low despite rising costs. Checks should be made payable to the Association for Rational Thought and mailed to P.O. Box 12896, Cincinnati OH 45212. Contributions are noted as not currently tax-deductible.

Contact Information

Key contacts listed are:

• President: Roy Auerbach (513)731-2774
• Lance Moody (513) 336-9834
• Membership Questions/Address Changes: Nurit Bowman (513) 731-0642, [email protected]
• Website: http://www.cincinnatiskeptics.org

Skepticism and ART on the Electronic Media

The newsletter promotes joining SANE (Skeptical Area Network Effort) for skeptical news via email, featuring messages from CSICOP, James Randi, and ART. It highlights the ART website (http://www.cincinnatiskeptics.org) as a resource containing blurbs on various subjects, links to skeptical thinking resources, information on joining SANE, definitions of ART's purpose and bylaws, and details on attending meetings. David Wall is listed as the Web Site Manager, with email [email protected].

What is a Skeptic?

A section defining skepticism states that it is a response to paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Skeptics embrace the scientific method for seeking knowledge, are not cynics, and believe that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Cincinnati Skeptics meet to discuss claims, debate merits, skewer dogmatism, and have fun, believing "The truth is out there. And skeptics are looking for it."

Preview of Coming Attractions

The newsletter lists the schedule for the remaining meetings of the 2001-2002 season:

• Seventh Meeting: Saturday, April 13, 2002, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (program), followed by lunch.
• Eighth Meeting: Saturday, May 11, 2002, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (program), followed by lunch.
• Last Meeting: Saturday, June 8, 2002, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (program), followed by lunch.

It also notes that next year will include a "Friday 13th" in September, December, and June, and asks for input on a celebration.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the promotion of skepticism, the scientific method, and rational inquiry in response to paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and debunking fringe beliefs. The newsletter actively encourages community involvement through meetings and membership, and utilizes electronic media like email lists and websites to disseminate information and foster a skeptical community. There is a strong emphasis on providing resources and information to the public while also soliciting support for the organization's activities.