North Texas Skeptic - Vol 11 No 11 - 1997

Magazine Overview

Title: The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics
Issue: Volume 11, Number 11
Date: November 1997
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The Skeptic newsletter delves into several topics, primarily focusing on critiques of creationism, skepticism towards global warming claims, and a re-evaluation of the dangers associated with plutonium. The publication aims to promote critical thinking and scientific literacy.

Startling news at MIOS

This article by John Blanton discusses a meeting of the Metroplex Institute for Origin Science (MIOS). The author expresses surprise at the claims made by Don Patton, who suggested he had published in the journal 'Geology' after attending the Geological Society of America (GSA) meeting. It is clarified that Patton and David McQueen had submitted a paper to the GSA meeting's proceedings, which would be refereed, but not directly in the journal 'Geology'.

The main speaker, David Meyers, a biology teacher at McArthur High School, presented on "The Consequences of Evolution." Meyers, a self-proclaimed "young-Earth" creationist, encourages his students to question evolution and explore alternatives, preferring terms like "change by chance" and "intelligent design." The author notes Meyers' conviction that scientific evidence is flawed and that teachers are either lying or deluded. The article also references a 'Scientific American' piece about college freshmen rejecting evolution and highlights Meyers' belief that students need to abandon their prior views to learn science.

Blanton also mentions Patton's display of petroglyphs allegedly showing dinosaurs alongside prehistoric Americans, questioning the timeline of dinosaur extinction. Additionally, he notes Patton's possession of a video of mammoths in Nepal.

The third eye

Written by Pat Reeder, this piece adopts a highly sarcastic and critical tone towards what the author perceives as "overheated special interest group propaganda and half-baked pseudoscientific hooey." The article targets the "Open Season on Skeptics" narrative, particularly focusing on the "global warming" issue and its proponents, whom the author likens to "witch-hunter hunters."

The author criticizes Al Gore and his efforts to promote the idea of global warming, citing a perceived drop in U.S. weather satellite temperatures over 20 years. The article claims that the assertion of "2500 scientists" agreeing on global warming is "poppycock" and that the public is being manipulated into believing they will "shrivel up from global warming." The author also points to the dual narrative of impending ice age in the 1970s and current global warming fears.

Skeptics are identified as the scapegoat in this campaign, accused of being "sneaky minions of coal and oil companies" and hindering necessary measures. The article mentions Ross Gelbspan's book "The Heat Is On" and criticizes the way skeptics are attacked and silenced.

A segment from ABC's "Politically Incorrect" is discussed, featuring host Bill Maher and guest Alexandra Paul promoting "doomsday environmentalism." Ben Stein is presented as a voice of reason, calmly citing facts, which reportedly led to Maher and Paul becoming agitated. The author highlights exchanges where Maher expresses belief in imminent death from breathing polluted air and Stein counters with data from the "Statistical Abstract of the United States."

The article also references a 'New York Times' article by William K. Stevens about Dr. Frederick Seitz's contention that a UN report on global warming was altered by political partisans. It also mentions climate expert Dr. Richard S. Lindzen's skepticism about the global warming hypothesis and his claim of support from other scientists who fear for their careers.

Finally, the author discusses James Glassman's 'Washington Post' column about Nathan Zohner's junior high science project, where 86% of students signed a petition to ban "Dihydrogen Monoxide" (water) due to misleading claims about its dangers.

Plutonium Twaddle

This op-ed by Ed Hiserodt, reprinted from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, addresses the controversy surrounding the launch of the Cassini satellite and its plutonium power supply. Hiserodt argues that the media, influenced by anti-nuclear activists, has misrepresented the dangers of plutonium.

The author contends that plutonium is not particularly dangerous, contrary to media reports. He states that plutonium is primarily an alpha emitter, and alpha radiation is harmless, being stopped by a few inches of air or a thin sheet of paper. He refutes the idea that inhaling plutonium dust causes lung cancer, citing a 1945 accident at the Hartford plutonium plant where 26 workers were exposed to levels 25 times the permissible limit. After 40 years, none of these workers developed cancer, and their death rate was lower than expected.

Hiserodt suggests that the "uproar" about Cassini is an opportunity for "anti-technologists" to demonize plutonium and nuclear technology, linking it to the broader "global-warming baloney" to discourage nuclear-based power. He criticizes the "modern-day Luddites" for portraying technology as dangerous and inhumane.

The author concludes by questioning whether Americans will be tricked into believing plutonium is a significant danger, comparing it to alar, asbestos, dioxin, and PCBs.

Good News, Almost

John Blanton reports on a decision by the Texas State Board of Education to approve the purchase of a biology textbook favorable to the theory of evolution. However, he notes that five out of fourteen members voted against it, indicating a belief in supernatural forces responsible for creation. The opposition was led by board member Richard Watson, who claimed the book violated state law by not pointing out weaknesses in evolutionary theory. The author criticizes the politicization of the issue, noting that the vote showed a distinct political bias.

David Meyers, the creationist biology teacher mentioned earlier, expressed disappointment with the outcome, as he was part of the review committee. The article also mentions NTS member Ron Hastings, who previously participated in review processes and had a Ph.D. in physics, helping to ensure evolution was included in texts.

Contacting the NTS

This section provides contact information for The North Texas Skeptics, including phone numbers and email addresses for John Blanton (Secretary) and Keith Blanton (editor), as well as the NTS website address.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards widely accepted scientific or environmental claims, a critical examination of media reporting, and a defense of scientific inquiry against what the authors perceive as pseudoscience and propaganda. The editorial stance is clearly one of promoting critical thinking, questioning authority, and advocating for evidence-based reasoning, particularly in areas like evolution, climate science, and the safety of technologies like nuclear power. The publication appears to align with a skeptical and rationalist viewpoint, challenging what it views as unfounded alarmism and misinformation.