North Texas Skeptic - Vol 14 No 06 - 2000

Magazine Overview

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic, dated June 2000, is Volume 14, Number 6. It is published by The North Texas Skeptics and features a variety of articles and news items from a skeptical perspective.

Web News

Catholic church could allow new tests on Turin shroud Reuters reports that the Roman Catholic Church might permit additional tests on the Turin Shroud. Previous tests in 1988 suggested the shroud was made of linen from between 1260 and 1390. Archbishop Severino Poletto stated that science, not faith, should be the final arbiter of the shroud's mystery. Pope John Paul II encouraged scientists to seek answers with an open mind.

Remote viewing conference Fred Sicher announced the 2nd Annual Remote Viewing Conference held in Mesquite, Nevada, from May 26-28. The article notes the popularization of remote viewing by intelligence agencies and its growth into a full-blown industry with thousands of websites and annual conferences. The author expresses skepticism about the practice, particularly regarding claims of electronic interference.

Study of premonitions A request from Switzerland is made for participation in a study on premonitions. The study, conducted on www.paranormal.ch, aims to develop a personality questionnaire for individuals who claim to have premonitory visions or dreams. The goal is to find correlations between these experiences and the subjects' characteristics, such as their intellectual or emotional profile, or physiological traits.

Web site hits The new NTS website at ntskeptics.org is highlighted, noting an increase in interest as indicated by a hit counter installed in March.

Contacting the North Texas Skeptics Contact information for The North Texas Skeptics is provided, including a P.O. Box, phone number, and email address.

Image from the Web site An image from the ntskeptics.org website is displayed, showing a 'Skeptic Ring' navigation with links to 'Next Site', 'Prev Site', 'Random', 'What is this?', and 'List Next 5'.

When cousins marry This section discusses Prince Charles's Reith Lectures 2000, which are interpreted as questioning the scientific worldview. Professor Alan Linton is quoted on evolution being a man-made theory. The article contrasts this with the idea of nature as a system to be manipulated. Richard Dawkins is mentioned for his reply, "Don't turn your back on science," which criticizes the Prince's hostility to science and his embrace of contradictory alternatives. Dawkins also addresses the Prince's praise of "natural agriculture," pointing out that agriculture has always been unnatural.

More on free energy Eric Krieg is mentioned for maintaining a skeptical website with a section on Joe Newman and "free energy."

Cliff Pickover's Internet Encyclopedia of Hoaxes This section introduces Cliff Pickover's encyclopedia with examples of hoaxes, including the P.T. Barnum unicorn skeleton hoax (constructed from mammoth and rhinoceros remains), the Tasaday People hoax (stone-age people who were posed and coached), and the Cottingley Fairies hoax (created by two English schoolgirls).

The travails of alternative medicine This article discusses "What Is 714X?" by William H. Moore, Jr., an article about a homeopathic medication developed by Gaston Naessens. It explains that homeopathic medicines are believed to influence energies rather than act chemically, a concept influenced by discoveries in quantum physics. The article criticizes medical orthodoxy and mentions the persecution of those in alternative medicine.

The Weekly World News This section mentions that the publication is not available locally but can be accessed online, and provides a sample headline about a UFO incident.

UFO BLASTS RUSSIAN JET OUT OF THE SKY! This is a news item about a reported UFO incident over Moscow where a saucer-shaped UFO allegedly blasted a MiG-29 fighter jet out of the sky with a laser ray on April 8. The article quotes a Russian spokesman who states there is a mystery that cannot be solved.

What's new By Robert Park, this section includes clippings of interest:

"Vitamin O": company agrees to pay $375,000 to settle. Rose Creek Health Products marketed ordinary salt water as a dietary supplement, making unsubstantiated health claims. The company agreed to pay $375,000 to settle. Beverly Sassoon & Co. also sold salt water as BiOxygen.

Nuclear phobia: risk at LBL is put into perspective. An increase in radiation exposure at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) was deemed equivalent to living 30 feet higher in altitude, leading to concerns about field trips to the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Alternative science: Congress briefed on intelligent design. The Discovery Institute briefed members of Congress on "Intelligent Design" (ID) as an alternative to Darwinian evolution. ID is presented as a middle ground, but critics like Ken Miller question the lack of peer-reviewed scientific literature supporting it.

Intelligent design: you and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals. Nancy Pearcey is quoted discussing how Darwinism might replace religion with a "cosmic myth." The debate is framed as potentially undercutting morality, with a quote from a Bloodhound Gang song used to illustrate the point. House sponsors of the briefing are listed, including Bartlett, Canady, Jackson-Lee, Petri, Pitts, Souder, Stenholm, and Senator Sam Brownback.

Y2K Errata Corrections are made to the January 2000 issue, specifically an incorrect date banner (January 1900 instead of January 2000) and a factual error about the International Date Line not moving. The newsletter assures readers that all bugs have been fixed.

Letter to the editor Prasad Golla writes from India, expressing surprise at the level of superstition in America despite its technological advancements. He argues that the most technologically advanced country does not necessarily have the most rationally thinking citizens, citing psychics, dowsers, UFOlogists, and conspiracy theorists.

NTS Paranormal Challenge at $10,000 John Blanton announces that the NTS paranormal challenge prize has been increased to $10,000 due to a lack of serious challenges for the previous $6000 prize. The challenge is underwritten by five interested skeptics and is independent of the NTS charter. The article contrasts this with James Randi's challenge, which has since been significantly increased. The author expresses confidence in the prize money's safety, noting that to win, a challenger would have to do the impossible. A sample of a "psychic" message received is included, along with a horoscope from Joyce Jillson.

Skeptical ink This section contains a comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton, featuring General Custer and a political cartoon about McCain.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards paranormal claims, alternative medicine, and pseudoscientific theories like Intelligent Design. The publication actively debunks hoaxes and promotes critical thinking. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific inquiry and rationality, often highlighting the lack of evidence or logical flaws in paranormal and pseudoscientific assertions. There is a consistent effort to inform readers about potentially misleading information circulating on the web and in popular culture.