North Texas Skeptic - Vol 10 No 04 - 1996

Magazine Overview

Title: The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics
Issue: Volume 10 Number 4
Date: April 1996
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The Skeptic newsletter tackles a variety of topics, primarily focusing on media criticism, health-related scams, and debates surrounding population growth and scientific claims.

The Third Eye: News and Commentary from the Weird World of the Media

By Pat Reeder, this column offers a brief commentary on recent media events. The author expresses relief that Jonathan Frakes will be directing a new "Star Trek" movie, hoping this will keep him from hosting pseudoscience shows like "Alien Autopsy." The column also touches on a Texas Supreme Court case where a sexual abuse lawsuit was dismissed due to lack of evidence, criticizing the plaintiff's lawyer's stance. A significant portion discusses the financial mismanagement in Orange County, California, where the Treasurer allegedly based investment decisions on advice from an astrologer and a psychic, leading to bankruptcy.

"The Mysterious Origins of Man" and Creationism

John Blanton critiques the NBC program "The Mysterious Origins of Man," which aired in February. He argues that the program attacked science and displayed an appalling ignorance of basic facts. The show featured creationists Don Patton and Carl Baugh, who claimed the scientific establishment ignores their evidence. Blanton notes the irony of the show referencing fossils millions of years old while promoting a young-Earth agenda. The article includes a response from the producers of the show, Bill Cote, Carol Cote, and John Cheshire, who defend their goal of presenting an alternative view and question the scientific community's explanations for artifacts like modern man's tools found in ancient strata and the Paluxy River man tracks. They also accuse critics of using emotional responses rather than logical arguments and state they are not creationists.

Healthy Skepticism: Pap Smear Testing and Papnet(R)

By Tim Gorski, M.D., this section discusses the reliability of Pap smears and raises concerns about a new computer-assisted screening method called Papnet(R), developed by Neuromedical Systems, Inc. The article explains that Pap smears are screening tests, not diagnostic, and their interpretation can be subjective. While the test has improved detection of abnormalities, concerns are raised about Papnet(R)'s marketing, which suggests it's a new standard of care. Dr. Raheela Ashfaq, Director of Cytopathology at UT Southwestern, calls the promotion a "clear misrepresentation," stating that Papnet(R) is still under study and functions by highlighting cells for human review, not diagnosing. The article highlights that the federal government already mandates rescreening for high-risk patients and that Papnet(R) has not been proven superior to manual rescreening. The Dallas/Fort Worth Council Against Health Fraud is mentioned as a source for information on quackery.

Last Meals a Hazard Says Food Watchdog Group

This is a parody press release by Pat Reeder, satirizing the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The "study" claims that "last meals" ordered by death row prisoners are a health hazard due to high fat and calorie content, citing examples like steak with mushrooms and butter-laden side dishes. CSPI spokeswoman Banne DeFrommage is quoted describing such meals as an "execution on a plate." The parody suggests healthier alternatives like grilled soy-based protein and steamed squash, concluding with a sarcastic remark about feeling "light, healthy and energetic" before execution.

A Zero-Sum Game: Population Predictions

This section features a debate regarding population growth predictions. It begins with an editor's note about R.A. Dousette's article "Apocalypse Someday" in "Contingencies" magazine, which criticized dire population growth predictions. The newsletter presents a letter to the editor from Sharon Pickett of Zero Population Growth (ZPG), who defends the link between population growth, environmental degradation, and human suffering. Pickett cites a "Warning to Humanity" signed by over 1,500 scientists and emphasizes the need for limits on growth. She highlights consequences like ozone depletion, pollution, and resource shortages. Pickett advocates for measures like access to contraception, reproductive choice, and sustainable development. The section concludes with a rebuttal from Tony Dousette, who criticizes Pickett's arguments as exaggerating the consequences of population growth and questions the accuracy of past population projections. Dousette references a bet he made with economist Julian Simon, which Simon won, demonstrating that raw material prices declined rather than increased as predicted by Ehrlich. Dousette also challenges Lester Brown of the Worldwatch Institute to a similar bet.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include skepticism towards media sensationalism and pseudoscience, critical examination of health claims and marketing practices, and a debate on the scientific and societal implications of population growth. The North Texas Skeptics, through its publication, adopts a clear stance of promoting critical thinking, scientific literacy, and a rational approach to information, actively debunking or questioning claims that lack empirical evidence or are presented with undue sensationalism. The editorial stance is one of advocating for evidence-based reasoning and cautioning against the uncritical acceptance of extraordinary claims, particularly those presented in popular media or through commercial interests.