North Texas Skeptic - Vol 06 No 10 - 1992

Magazine Overview

Title: The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics
Issue: Volume 6 Number 10
Date: October 1992

This issue of The Skeptic delves into several topics, including the controversial Texas state lottery, the questionable practices of 'vision therapy,' alleged government conspiracies involving aliens, and a critique of Al Gore's environmental theories.

Numbers Racket: Most Texans Either Love or Hate the New Texas State Lottery

This article by Mike Sullivan examines the newly implemented Texas state lottery. It highlights the opposing views on the lottery: religious organizations and some citizens see it as a drain on resources and a regressive tax, while Governor Ann Richards and state employees view it as a revenue generator. The piece also points out how the lottery has created a growth industry for astrologers, psychics, and numerologists who offer services to help people pick 'lucky numbers.'

Vickie Fomby, a Mesquite-based astrologer and numerologist, is featured as an example. She advertises a service providing 'PERSONAL LUCKY NUMBERS' based on birth dates and names, using a system of additive reduction. The author, posing as a potential client, questions the efficacy of these services, especially since the lottery is described as a game of blind luck. Vickie explains her method, which involves reducing birth dates and names to single digits and then using these numbers to identify 'lucky' dates for playing the lottery. She admits she hasn't heard of any big jackpot winners among her clients, who are few and have not been playing for long. The author concludes that the lottery is a 'numbers racket' and that those involved in selling 'magic numbers' are the only sure winners, likening them to unregulated 'pixie dust industry' practitioners.

Healthy Skepticism: Dr. White's "Vision Therapy"

Authored by Tim Gorski, M.D., this section critically examines 'Vision Therapy' offered by optometrist Leonard R. White. The therapy is advertised for learning disabilities, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorders, claiming to improve 'visual skills' like convergence and accommodation. Dr. White's materials, including brochures from the Optometric Extension Program Foundation, assert that visual-spatial deficits underlie dyslexia and that therapies like optometric training are effective. However, the article presents a joint statement from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, which refutes these claims. The statement asserts that children with dyslexia do not have unique ocular health issues and that no eye treatment can cure these conditions. It explicitly states that there is no scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of visual tracking exercises, neurological organizational training, or tinted lenses for improving academic abilities. The article labels 'vision therapy' as quackery, citing its unproven nature and profit motive, and warns that it can provide a false sense of security, potentially delaying proper educational intervention.

The D/FW Council Against Health Fraud also issued a press statement highlighting these facts, referencing a Journal of the American Medical Association article that debunked similar misconceptions. The piece suggests that medical quackery thrives because victims are often embarrassed or unaware they've been defrauded, and that practitioners often employ confidence game tactics. Despite the clear evidence, many ophthalmologists are reluctant to speak out for fear of litigation. The article concludes with a 'buyer beware' message, emphasizing that government regulation does not guarantee truth and that skepticism is essential.

Fringe Theory of the Month #2: A government-alien "deal?"

Compiled by Mike Sullivan, this section presents a reprint of a CompuServe post by 'UFOsearch' that speculates on an alleged 'deal' between the U.S. government and alien visitors. The author, Val Germann, attempts to connect various historical events and UFO sightings to support this theory. The article references John Lear's claims and goes back over 40 years of material. Key points include:

• Hints of such a deal in literature dating back to 1953.
• The government's successful suppression of information regarding Japanese 'FUGO' balloon explosions in 1944-45.
• The suppression of the Trinity bomb explosion's impact on media coverage.
• The idea that Kenneth Arnold's famous 1947 sighting might have been deliberately amplified as part of a government campaign.
• The lack of independent civilian investigation into the flood of 'Flying Saucer' reports in late 1947.
• A 1950 Seattle radio report suggesting aliens looked human and the government was preparing the public for the worst through media.
• The assertion that the UFO field has been deliberately hobbled by disinformation from 'independents' working for the intelligence community.
• The connection of UFO 'advances' to disinformation or intelligence events, citing the Arnold sighting, books by Scully and Adamski, and the Lorenzens' presence at White Sands during the Zamora case.
• The idea that the movie version of 'Communion' received limited distribution and died quickly, suggesting a deliberate suppression.
• A contactee's belief that relatives have been implanted and are working for 'men in black' since the 1950s.
• A farmer's sighting of a 'tall grey thing with a snout' in 1978, matching descriptions of 'greys' with 'big noses.'

The author concludes that the slow pace of UFO research is not accidental but the result of a covert plan.

The Third Eye

This column by Pat Reeder focuses on critiquing Senator Al Gore's environmental theories presented in his book 'Earth In The Balance.' Reeder expresses concern that Gore, a politician with no discernible scientific background, is advocating for radical societal changes based on what Reeder considers 'New Age pop psychobabble' and 'unwarranted leaps of logic.' The author highlights that Gore has singled out the Skeptic's philosophy for condemnation. Reeder contrasts Gore's stance with the core of science, which requires theories to withstand questioning from other scientists. He quotes Gore as stating that global warming skeptics are 'hurting our ability to respond.' Reeder questions Gore's insistence on his theories without allowing public scrutiny, even when data may be flawed or unsupported. He emphasizes the importance of the First Amendment and open debate, arguing that informed skepticism is healthier than blind belief. Reeder points out past instances where Gore's predictions (like deregulation leading to decreased supplies) proved incorrect and notes that some of his advisors were predicting an Ice Age twenty years prior. The column concludes by referencing H.L. Mencken's observation that politics often involves keeping the populace alarmed with imaginary threats.

Up a Tree: A Skeptical Cartoon

A cartoon by Laura Ainsworth depicts skeptics visiting 'Big D' (Dallas), humorously listing it as the home of 'rabid creationists, wild assassination conspiracists, faith healers, haunted restauranteers, and Robert Tilton,' questioning if 'D' stands for 'waldit' (validity?).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critical examination of pseudoscience, the promotion of skepticism, and the debunking of unsubstantiated claims, particularly in the realms of lotteries, alternative medicine, and conspiracy theories. The editorial stance is clearly one of advocating for critical thinking, scientific evidence, and open debate, while actively challenging what it perceives as quackery, fraud, and unfounded beliefs, whether they stem from individuals, commercial ventures, or political figures.