North Texas Skeptic - Vol 16 No 02 - 2002

Magazine Overview

Title: The North Texas Skeptic
Issue: Volume 16, Number 2
Date: February 2002
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Focus: Skepticism, science, and critical examination of claims.

FLIR: Mike McNulty Responds

This section details an ongoing debate between John Blanton, the author, and Mike McNulty, a documentary producer, concerning McNulty's documentary titled "FLIR," which covered the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas. Blanton had previously reviewed McNulty's documentary in the January issue, noting discrepancies. The article presents a recap of a phone conversation and subsequent e-mail exchange where McNulty addresses Blanton's points.

Key points of contention include:

1. Alleged Deliberate Killings: Blanton questions McNulty's assertion that federal police deliberately killed innocent Davidians on April 19, 1993. McNulty denies stating this directly, claiming his video suggests it happened "to a great degree of certainty."
2. Hot Gun Barrels: Blanton points out that hot gun barrels visible in McNulty's FLIR video do not appear in the April 19 video, despite the latter using a telescopic imaging system. McNulty argues that the barrels are too narrow to create an image from that distance, a claim Blanton refutes by explaining that object size is less critical than the total energy reaching the image plane, drawing an analogy to stellar astronomy.
3. Dust Conditions and Glint: McNulty disputes Blanton's contention that dust conditions on April 19 were not conducive to the tests he conducted, where dust was kicked up before firing. McNulty also suggests dust would have coated objects, suppressing glint, thus implying the flashes seen were gunfire.
4. Agent Actions During Fire: Blanton questions why some agents risked their lives to save Davidians while others used automatic weapons, suggesting their actions depended on whether they were visible to TV cameras.
5. "Who killed Vernon Howell?": This question regarding the death of Vernon Howell remains unresolved, with McNulty stating children in the bunker were not shot and mentioning autopsy data.
6. Fort Hood Tests: Blanton raises the issue of 14-inch and 20-inch barrel weapons tested at Fort Hood. McNulty claims the 14-inch barrels were not used, contradicting the FBI's statement that they were tested. McNulty suggests Senator Danforth's commission required short barrels, but they were not used.

McNulty, pressed for time, forwards Blanton's e-mail to his experts and provides brief comments, stating there are "misconceptions and errors" in Blanton's recap and recommending several reports and websites for further information, including SPIE, Fred Zegal's papers, Barbara Grant's and David Hardy's material, and government reports.

Barbara Grant, a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and CEO of Siros Technologies, is mentioned as an expert who chaired a workshop on the Waco FLIR analysis. David T. Hardy, a former federal attorney, also comments on the spatial resolution and detector footprint relative to object size, referencing Grant's work. Fred Zegel, an expert in FLIR image analysis, is also mentioned, along with Edward Allard and Carlos Ghigliotti, whose health issues and death are noted, leading to speculation among conspiracy theorists.

The article also references a Vector Data Systems report that analyzed the Waco FLIR and conducted follow-up tests, correlating flashes with known sources, such as a glass shard from a BATF agent breaking a window. Senator Danforth's final report is also cited, detailing FBI listening devices and recordings of Davidians planning the compound's destruction, with FLIR video showing ignition points. The report describes events during the fire, including Davidians exiting the complex and receiving medical treatment, and contradicts McNulty's claim that government agents fired at Davidians to keep them trapped.

Actualism vs. Dr. Plaisted's Inadequate Uniformitarianism

Authored by Dr. Kevin R. Henke, this article critiques the arguments of creationist Dr. David Plaisted regarding catastrophes and "uniformitarianism." Plaisted, in an essay titled "A Reply to Dr Henke and Others," suggests that a recent global catastrophe like "Noah's Flood" could have altered the Earth's precession, invalidating dating methods. He cites 2 Peter 3:3-6 and defines uniformity as the invariance of natural laws and the exclusion of supernatural intervention.

Henke argues that Plaisted misinterprets scientific findings and newspaper articles. He explains that scientists do not need to assume constant precession, citing evidence for changes over geologic time. Modern uniformitarianism, or actualism, Henke states, acknowledges both natural catastrophes (floods, impacts, etc.) and slow, gradual processes, and recognizes that natural processes can change rates over time without invoking the supernatural. Actualism, he asserts, can explain the geologic record without resorting to creationist magic or miracles.

Henke clarifies that authors like Dalrymple and Hubbert, whom Plaisted partially quotes, do not reject catastrophes but rather define uniformity as the application of the scientific method. He criticizes the creationist straw man argument that uniformitarianism assumes constant rates for all geologic processes. Henke emphasizes that actualism allows for variable rates, including catastrophic events, without violating fundamental laws of chemistry and physics.

He further contends that Plaisted's reliance on 2 Peter is inappropriate, as many theologians consider it a forgery and it is used by creationists to salvage mythological interpretations of Genesis. Henke concludes that Plaisted's arguments are based on outdated definitions and misinterpretations, failing to support radical transformations of the Earth's orbit or rotation from a "Genesis Flood."

NTS Elections

This section reports on the January 12th meeting of The North Texas Skeptics, where a new board of directors was elected, followed by the election of officers. The new officers are: Curtis Severns (President), Daniel Barnett (Vice President), John Blanton (Secretary), and Mark Meyer (Treasurer). The NTS Staff and Board of Directors are also listed.

What's New

This column, by Robert Park, presents several brief skeptical news items:

• DOE Dowsing: The Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management supported "innovative" environmental cleanup technologies, including "Passive Magnetic Resonance Anomaly Mapping," which combines electronics with a human operator to locate underground features. Despite costing $408,750, the technology failed every test, with the company blaming calibration problems. Previous DOE ventures into similar technologies, like the DKL LifeGuard and the Quadro Tracker, are also mentioned.
• Prayer and Medical Research: A report in Time.com by Leon Jaroff is cited, noting that while Mayo Clinic researchers found no benefit to coronary patients from prayers when the patients were unaware, Elizabeth Targ found a positive distance healing effect on AIDS and cancer patients. Jaroff suggests such work needs monitoring by qualified scientists outside the paranormal community.
• Acupuncture and Cocaine Addiction: A large study found acupuncture to be ineffective in treating cocaine addiction, despite its common use for various therapies. The article reminds readers that far-out claims should be supported by plausible explanations based on known science.
• Freedom Car and Hydrogen: The Secretary of Energy announced the "freedom car" program to stimulate hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle development. The article questions the source of hydrogen, noting that it would likely come from electrolysis of water, with most US electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, making it less energy-efficient than it appears.
• Carbon and Energy Policy: The Western Fuels Association promoted increasing CO2 levels as beneficial for the atmosphere. The article notes that 2001 was the second warmest year on record, while also mentioning that the ice sheet in Western Antarctica is growing thicker. The "freedom car" is seen as potentially signaling a shift towards nuclear and renewable energy.

Skeptical Ink

This section features a comic by Prasad Golla and John Blanton. The comic depicts a religious figure condemning a book for its talk of "magical powers and ancient cults," stating it must be purged from libraries and kept from children. Another figure then points to a book titled "Harry Potter," with the caption "oh, right."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The North Texas Skeptic consistently promotes scientific skepticism, critical thinking, and evidence-based reasoning. The magazine actively debunks pseudoscientific claims, creationist arguments, and unsubstantiated paranormal phenomena. The editorial stance is clearly against the acceptance of extraordinary claims without rigorous scientific validation, as demonstrated in the detailed analysis of the FLIR video controversy and the critique of creationist interpretations of geology. The publication also engages with current events through a skeptical lens, questioning technological claims and the interpretation of scientific data in areas like climate change and alternative medicine. The "Skeptical Ink" comic reinforces the magazine's critical view of religious or societal acceptance of certain narratives while dismissing others that are scientifically unfounded.