North Texas Skeptic - Vol 17 No 04 - 2003

Magazine Overview

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic, dated April 2003, focuses on 'Healthy Skepticism,' critically examining various claims and practices that fall outside conventional scientific understanding. The magazine features articles that debunk pseudoscience, report on legal actions against purveyors of unproven remedies, and explore alleged paranormal or unexplained events.

"CAM" Nonsense Takes Komen Funds

This article by Tim Gorski, M.D., critiques the Susan G. Komen Foundation (SGKF) for allocating a portion of its funds to 'Complementary and Alternative Medicine' (CAM) initiatives. While acknowledging SGKF's significant contributions to breast cancer research, the author expresses concern over funding for practices like acupuncture, therapeutic touch, guided imagery, and 'Reiki.' The article highlights specific examples, including a pilot study on acupuncture for chemotherapy side effects and funding for programs at Colorado Springs Memorial Hospital. A major point of contention is the SGKF's association with Larry Dossey, M.D., a proponent of 'nonlocal effects' and spiritualism in medicine, whose views are described as at odds with scientific evidence. The article also mentions Carole O'Toole, another CAM proponent, and her association with the National Foundation for Alternative Medicine (NFAM), which promotes unproven methods. The author argues that even small amounts of funding for such practices by SGKF lend undue credibility and represent a waste of resources that could be better used for proven medical research.

Events Calendar

The 'Events Calendar' section for April lists two upcoming events for The North Texas Skeptics: an 'April Program' on April 12th featuring Robert Tippett discussing Nostradamus' predictions, and a 'Social Dinner and Board Meeting' on April 26th. Contact information for the NTS Hotline is provided.

North Texas Skeptics Officers and Staff

This section lists the officers of The North Texas Skeptics, including President Daniel Barnett, Vice President Curtis Severns, Secretary John Blanton, and Treasurer Mark Meyer. It also details the staff, such as Newsletter Editor Keith Blanton and Webmaster Keith Blanton, and lists the Board of Directors and Directors Emeritus. Scientific and Technical Advisors are also named, including academics and professionals in fields like philosophy, geology, sociology, and medicine.

The North Texas Skeptics is identified as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) scientific and educational organization. The newsletter is published monthly, with contact information and reprint permissions outlined.

Larry Dossey's Views

The article elaborates on Larry Dossey's philosophy, quoting him as stating that scientific evidence affirms the reality of distant healing, intercessory prayer, and nonlocal perception, advocating for a shift towards 'Eternity Medicine.' The author contrasts Dossey's ideas with mainstream scientific and theological views, linking them to classical 'Spiritualism' and the 'New Age' religion.

Carole O'Toole and NFAM

Carole O'Toole, a breast cancer survivor, is presented as another proponent of CAM associated with NFAM. NFAM's founder, Berkley Bedell, was convinced of a cure for Lyme disease through cow colostrum. The article details the Hufeland Clinic in Bad Mergentheim, Germany, which offers detoxification and various therapies, including 'Psycho-Spiritual therapies' and examination of teeth for 'foci.' NFAM's 'scientific advisors' include celebrities like Diane Ladd and CAM proponents such as Deepak Chopra, James Gordon, Woodson Merrell, Wayne Jonas, and Andrew Weil. O'Toole promotes chiropractic, ayurveda, and 'energy healing,' and links to resources by Wayne Jonas and Ralph Moss. Moss is described as a promoter of cancer quackery, including laetrile and 'anti-neoplastons,' and believes the American Cancer Society engages in 'brainwashing.'

Supplement Promoter and Associates Indicted

This section reports on the indictment of A. Glenn Braswell and two associates on multiple charges of income tax evasion. Braswell, owner of G.B. Data Systems, Inc. and Gero Vita International, Inc., peddled anti-aging and other 'quack products.' The scheme involved a sham entity in Canada. Braswell has a history of fraud convictions and was among those pardoned by former President Clinton. Attorney William E. Frantz and accountant Robert B. Miller are also charged in connection with Braswell's tax evasion, which allegedly cost the government millions in unpaid taxes.

FTC Picks Off "Dr. Clark" Promoters

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed charges against Dr. Clark Research Associates and its owner, David P. Amrein, for making fraudulent claims about 'dietary supplements' and devices related to Hulda Clark's theories. Clark claims that cancer and other diseases are caused by toxins and parasites, diagnosed via her 'Syncrometer,' and cured by herbal remedies and an electric 'Zapper.' The FTC complaint notes that defendants advertise cures on www.drclark.com. Hulda Clark operates the New Century Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, offering a costly treatment program.

The FTC had previously obtained an injunction against another company marketing Clark's products, prohibiting claims that standard treatments were unnecessary or that Clark's products were effective.

FTC Sues "Slim Down Solution"

In a separate FTC action, charges were filed against Slim Down Solution, LLC, and others involved in promoting a weight loss fraud. Advertisements claimed that the product's ingredient, D-glucosamine, acted as a 'fat magnet and trapper' for 'effortless' weight loss. Steven Pierce, based in Conroe, Texas, manufactured and sold D-glucosamine under various brand names.

The Third Eye

This column, written by Pat Reeder, returns to the pages of The North Texas Skeptic after a hiatus. Reeder expresses surprise at the column's return due to other commitments, including book releases and caring for parrots. He begins by discussing the National Academy of Sciences' findings on the unreliability of polygraph machines, sharing a personal anecdote about a polygraph test.

Reeder then delves into various 'wacky news' items. He reports on 'urine therapy' in Cameroon, where the government has banned its consumption due to social repercussions. He also discusses attempts by the 'International Congress of White Witches' to prevent the war with Iraq through spells, which proved unsuccessful. The column touches on astrological predictions for the start of the war, citing the National Astrological Association of Thailand. It also covers a pay-per-view séance intended to contact Princess Diana, where psychics reportedly provided details that impressed the executive producer.

Reeder continues with a story about New Mexico lawmakers approving an 'Extraterrestrial Culture Day,' prompting humorous speculation about alien influence on Hollywood epics and reality TV. He then shifts to Lithuania, where President Rolandas Paksas is facing criticism for his association with psychic Lena Lolishvili, dubbed 'The Toilet Paper Rasputin.' Finally, Reeder recounts the tale of a talking fish in New Square, New York, claimed by some Hasidic Jews to be God, which reportedly spoke in Hebrew before being killed and prepared for gefilte fish.

Letters to the Editor

This section features letters from readers. One letter, from Marshall Barnes, challenges the definition and practice of skepticism. Barnes argues that many self-proclaimed skeptics ignore or reject evidence that contradicts their beliefs, citing the Roswell incident and the 'Philadelphia Experiment' as examples where skeptical organizations offered explanations that he deems fallacious. Barnes claims that skeptics fail to investigate matters thoroughly and are afraid of challenging their own belief systems.

The Philadelphia Experiment

Written by John Blanton, this article examines the legend of the Philadelphia Experiment. Blanton summarizes the plot of a TV movie based on the event, which involved a 1943 experiment at the Philadelphia Navy Yard resulting in bizarre effects on sailors, including teleportation. He then presents information from the International Movie Database and the US Navy Historical Center. The Navy's Operational Archives Branch has no records confirming the event or any Navy interest in such an achievement. The ship involved is identified as the USS Eldridge (DE 173), a destroyer, not a battleship, which was commissioned in August 1943 and was not in Philadelphia during that year. The article notes that the legend is also known as 'Project Rainbow' and that Albert Einstein's unified field theory is sometimes cited as a basis, though Einstein never completed such a theory and had disputes with Niels Bohr regarding 'spooky action at a distance.' The author also mentions that L. Sprague de Camp, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein, who served at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, dismissed the idea of a conspiracy. Blanton concludes by suggesting that the legend might have originated from misinterpretations of degaussing coils used to make ships invisible to magnetic mines.

Skeptic Ink

This cartoon by Prasad Golla and John Blanton depicts a skeptical cartoonist struggling for a new idea, rejecting Atlantis and UFOs, and settling on 'Crop Circles' and 'Debunking the Myth of Professional Wrestling.' The cartoon humorously reflects the challenge of finding fresh skeptical topics.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of pseudoscientific claims, the promotion of evidence-based reasoning, and the debunking of paranormal phenomena and unproven medical treatments. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, advocating for rigorous scientific inquiry and challenging claims that lack empirical support. The magazine actively reports on instances of fraud, quackery, and the misapplication of funds towards non-scientific practices, particularly in the realm of health and medicine. It also engages with popular culture and folklore, such as the Philadelphia Experiment and various 'wacky news' items, through a skeptical lens.