North Texas Skeptic - Vol 20 No 06 - 2006

Magazine Overview

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic, Volume 20, Number 6, dated June 2006, features a cover story titled "They're baaack" by John Blanton. The magazine is published by The North Texas Skeptics and focuses on skeptical inquiry into paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.

Featured Articles and Content

"They're baaack"

This lead article by John Blanton recounts a past interaction with Greg Nichols and Greg Willis, who two years prior had presented a product claimed to improve the taste of drinks. They offered a $12,000 prize for a successful test. The article details the initial contact, the presentation of the product, and the subsequent breakdown in communication. Nichols and Willis eventually sent an email stating, "The Free Market is the Final Arbiter of Truth. Not you. Not me. This is a lesson you need to learn or you've wasted a perfectly good life." Blanton expresses a sense of being stung by this appraisal but notes that the organization eventually moved on.

The subsequent correspondence between Blanton and Greg Willis reveals a continued dispute over the $12,000 prize challenge. Willis insists on a formal, controlled, double-blind laboratory test, with the prize money placed in escrow and the testing costs covered by the Skeptics. Blanton, representing The North Texas Skeptics, refuses to place the money in escrow, arguing that only one party (Willis) has something at risk. He also states that the organization is unwilling to pay for laboratory analysis, suggesting the difference should be apparent to the drinker. The exchange highlights a fundamental disagreement on the conditions for verifying the product's efficacy, with Willis accusing the Skeptics of being "frauds" and threatening to report them to authorities.

Events Calendar

• The magazine includes an events calendar with two upcoming events:
• Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m.: A presentation titled "Fine Tuning" by John Brandt at The Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas, discussing the concept of fine-tuning in cosmology and its relation to creationism.
• Saturday, June 24, 2006, 7 p.m.: An NTS Social Dinner at Good Eats in Dallas.

Contact information for the NTS Hotline is provided.

"Creationist discusses science with high school students"

This news item, by Tim Townsend of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reports on Mike Riddle, a biblical creationist from Answers in Genesis, speaking to high school students in Potosi, MO. Riddle presented a literal interpretation of the Genesis story, contrasting it with scientific perspectives. The article notes the unusual nature of an evangelical Christian speaking in a public school library and the students' engagement.

U.S. Majority Picks Creationism over Evolution

This news brief cites a poll by CBS News, conducted by Angus Reid Global Scan, indicating that 53% of American adults believe God created human beings in their present form. It also notes that 23% believe God guided evolution, while 17% believe in evolution without divine intervention.

Scientists Debunk Astrology

An article by Jennifer Viegas from Discovery News discusses a large study that found little to no connection between traditional sun signs and individual characteristics. The study, led by Peter Hartmann, concluded that the independent effect of sun signs is likely irrelevant, suggesting that comic strips might have more truth than horoscopes based on sun signs.

Scott's "The Challenge Of Intelligent Design" available on-line

This section promotes an online lecture by Eugenie C. Scott titled "The challenge of intelligent design," available through the Evolution Education Update newsletter. It highlights Scott's argument that Intelligent Design (ID) is philosophically and methodologically similar to creation science and discusses the implications for science education.

Scientists Tell Baptists Earth is 6,000 Years Old

This news item reports on a conference in Virginia where "creation scientists" from the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) presented the view that the Earth is approximately 6,000 years old. The article contrasts this with the views of most Christians and traditional science, noting that the ICR challenges the interpretation that the universe is billions of years old and life is the result of evolution.

Conservative win: Court tosses out evolution ruling in Georgia

This report discusses a decision by an 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta that vacated a lower court ruling on the constitutionality of evolution disclaimers in Cobb County, Georgia, textbooks. The appeals court found insufficient evidence to support the lower court's decision, sending the case back for further review. The article notes that Intelligent Design supporters view this as a step towards a broader victory.

Bloomberg Criticizes Faith-based Science

This news item reports on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's criticism of "faith-based science" during a speech to graduating doctors. He warned against letting ideology interfere with truth and singled out creationism, global warming, and stem cell research as areas where science is under attack. The article also includes a reaction from Bruce Chapman of the Discovery Institute.

Skeptic Ink

A comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton, titled "Skeptic Ink," is included. The comic humorously depicts a man demonstrating a "magic liquid" that supposedly makes wine taste better and improves health and wealth, with a punchline indicating it's about selling it.

Blog debate

This section invites readers to engage in debates on topics such as astrology and creationism via the NTS blog, encouraging them to submit their viewpoints and responses.

Application for Membership

The final pages of the magazine contain an application for membership to The North Texas Skeptics, outlining membership levels, dues, and the organization's agreement to explore paranormal and pseudoscientific claims from a scientific viewpoint.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards pseudoscientific claims, the ongoing debate between creationism and evolution, the scientific debunking of astrology, and the legal and social implications of Intelligent Design. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific rationalism, critical thinking, and evidence-based inquiry, as demonstrated by the organization's challenges to unsubstantiated claims and its reporting on scientific consensus and legal challenges to anti-evolutionary viewpoints. The magazine actively promotes scientific literacy and encourages public engagement in these debates.