North Texas Skeptic - Vol 17 No 05 - 2003

Magazine Overview

Title: The North Texas Skeptic
Issue: Volume 17, Number 5
Date: May 2003
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic delves into various topics related to skepticism, pseudoscience, and critical thinking. The cover story, "Predicting the past," by John Blanton, examines astrologer Robert Tippett's interpretation of Nostradamus's prophecies, particularly in light of post-September 11th events. The magazine also features updates on the North Texas Skeptics' $10,000 Paranormal Challenge, detailing a failed telekinesis demonstration by Russell Shipp. Other articles include a critique of homeopathy, an analysis of polygraph test reliability, concerns about ephedra, and commentary on creationism and perpetual motion.

Predicting the Past: Nostradamus and Robert Tippett

The main article, "Predicting the past," by John Blanton, introduces Robert Tippett, an astrologer with a BS in psychology and certification from the Atlanta Astrological Society. Tippett has studied Nostradamus for approximately 27 years, with his interest intensifying after September 11, 2001. He has searched for quatrains that fit current events, believing that when strung together, they tell a story. Tippett identified a consistent theme involving Christianity and Islam in Nostradamus's work. He noted that 200 quatrains remained uninterpreted, which he believes could form a narrative. Tippett's interpretation suggests a time frame from 1948 to 2043, with a focus on the period from September 11, 2001, to 2007. He argues that inaccuracies attributed to Nostradamus are actually misinterpretations by others. Tippett's forthcoming book, "The Future According to Nostradamus," will present these 200 quatrains. He also posits that prophecy serves to make people aware of necessary changes to avoid or alter the future.

Tippett's theory on "Les Propheties" is based on several principles: the work must have a purpose, include an introduction, body, and conclusion; consistencies in writing methods; the title must represent the work; prophecy is the inspired declaration of divine will; the text must contain allusions to the title; prophecy must be predictive and proven true; and a specific time frame must be present for testing. He compares the poetic presentation of Nostradamus's work to Goethe's "Faust."

The article lists past events interpreted by Tippett, including the creation of the State of Israel, the 1960 earthquake in Argentina, the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, and UN actions in 1994. Present events include President George W. Bush, Afghanistan/Osama bin Laden, Bush/Blair unity, warnings before the Iraq war, and the assassination of Saddam Hussein. Future predictions include Quday Hussein leading a new Iraqi government, a plague outbreak in southern France, poisoned drinking water in New Jersey, and an Easter earthquake on April 27, 2003.

John Blanton, in his comments, expresses skepticism about Tippett's prediction of an April 27th earthquake, noting that a level nine quake in Turkey would win the $10,000 prize. He later reports that a level six earthquake did occur in Turkey, causing destruction and death, but not meeting the specific parameters of Tippett's prediction. Blanton also humorously notes growing worry about Saddam Hussein's future and suggests Quday Hussein might need to change his name to Jay Garner.

NTS Paranormal Challenge: Telekinesis Demonstration

This section details the North Texas Skeptics' ongoing $10,000 Paranormal Challenge, which requires claimants to demonstrate their abilities under controlled conditions. Russell Shipp claimed low-level telekinesis, specifically the ability to mentally spin a 5-gram object suspended by string.

The initial demonstration took place at the April meeting in Dallas. A compact disk (CD) was suspended from the ceiling in a room with minimized air currents. Despite prior success in private, Shipp was unable to make the CD rotate as required (one full clockwise rotation, stop, then another full clockwise rotation). The CD appeared to move only slightly, possibly due to residual air currents.

A follow-up demonstration was arranged to eliminate air currents more effectively. Two venues were used: inside a car with the sunroof closed, and in an air-conditioned room with the CD suspended inside a clear plastic container. In both cases, the CD failed to rotate as required. A subsequent test with a key ring also yielded no movement. The author, John Blanton, theorizes that air currents were the primary factor in any perceived movement and that Shipp's previous successes might have been due to similar uncontrolled conditions. Blanton suggests that Shipp needs to apply more rigorous controls in future tests.

The article concludes by announcing the next challenge: an astrologer who claims to produce readings for individuals unknown to him, with the possibility of those individuals picking their own readings from a pile.

What's New

This section, compiled by Robert Park, presents several short news items:

• FREE ELECTRICITY: THE PAIN IN MAINE IS PLAINLY ON THE WANE: Perpetual motion huckster Dennis Lee has been barred from doing business in Maine, similar to a previous action in Washington. The Maine Attorney General filed a complaint citing consumer protection laws, and Lee was enjoined from doing business in Maine, with a requirement to state on his website that his products are not for sale there. The APS Council also adopted a statement deploring attempts to mislead the public with claims of perpetual motion machines.
• HOMEOPATHY: JAMES RANDI FLAUNTS HIS PSYCHIC POWERS: The BBC program "Horizon" debunked homeopathy, with James Randi devising a test that homeopathists failed. An Australian psychic claimed Randi used psychic powers to alter the test results. The article notes that the UK is investing over a million pounds in alternative medicine research, including homeopathy, at the urging of Prince Charles.
• POLYGRAPH: DOE DECIDES TO SIMPLY REISSUE ITS OLD POLICY: The National Academy of Sciences report found polygraph tests unacceptable for DOE employee security screening due to false positives and susceptibility to countermeasures. Despite this, the Department of Energy (DOE) reissued its policies, arguing that the tests are still effective as they catch many true positives, even if some false positives occur. The article points out that polygraph tests can be fooled in minutes.

Skeptic Ink

This comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton satirizes the conflict between evolutionary theory and creationism. One panel depicts a character stating, "THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION IS ALL A BUNCH OF LIES. PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IT ARE JUST FOOLS." Another panel shows a character asserting, "CREATION SCIENCE IS THE ONLY TRUE SCIENCE. BESIDES THAT DARWIN WAS AN IDIOT AND A HYPOCRITE." A third panel humorously depicts a character identifying "BAGHDAD BOB" as the former Iraqi Information Minister.

Other News Items

• EPHEDRA: WELL, NOW THAT YOU BRING UP SCIENTIFIC PROOF...: The American Heart Association is calling for a federal ban on ephedra due to links with heart attack and stroke. The ephedrine industry disputes the allegations, but the article points out that ephedra has not been proven safe, and the 1994 Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) leaves the herbal market largely unregulated.
• PRAYER HEALING: WELL WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM "PARADE"?: This item discusses the question of whether intercessory prayer helps patients. It notes that while sick people praying for themselves might find emotional benefit, the efficacy of prayer offered by others without the patient's knowledge remains an open question, not addressed by articles in publications like "Parade."
• WORLD PEACE: “UNIFIED CONSCIOUSNESS FIELD” IS NOT WORKING: The article references John Hagelin's 2001 initiative to train 40,000 Yogic flyers to create world peace through meditation. Judging by the news from Iraq, the initiative appears to have fallen short, as Hagelin announced he would not be a candidate in 2004 and would instead support Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The North Texas Skeptic consistently promotes a rational and scientific approach to evaluating claims, particularly those related to the paranormal and pseudoscience. The magazine actively debunks common pseudoscientific beliefs, such as astrology, telekinesis, homeopathy, and perpetual motion. It emphasizes the importance of controlled experimentation, critical thinking, and evidence-based reasoning. The publication also highlights the efforts of organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting scientific literacy and challenging unsubstantiated claims. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, advocating for a rigorous examination of all extraordinary claims, while not outright rejecting them without investigation, as stated in the membership agreement: "while I do not endorse the a priori rejection of paranormal phenomena and pseudoscientific claims, I believe that such claims must be subjected to the fair and systematic testing which rational enquiry demands."