North Texas Skeptic - Vol 22 No 06 - 2008

Magazine Overview

Title: The North Texas Skeptic
Issue Date: June 2008
Volume: 22
Issue: 6

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic critically examines the film "Expelled" and its purported connection to the creationism movement. The magazine's stance is that the film misrepresents the experiences of individuals to support a narrative that "honest professionals who support creationism get expelled."

Expelled versus Flunked Out

By John Blanton, the lead article critiques Ben Stein's anti-evolution movie "Expelled." The author initially coined the term "Flunked Out" to describe creationists, suggesting they failed due to lack of intelligence rather than being expelled. The article notes that the film "Expelled" presents the stories of six individuals allegedly persecuted for supporting creationism, but the National Center for Science Education's website, "ExpelledExposed," challenges the accuracy of these accounts.

Richard Sternberg

The film claims Richard Sternberg was "terrorized" and his life "nearly ruined" in 2004 for publishing a pro-intelligent design article by Stephen C. Meyer as editor of *Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington*. The article clarifies that Sternberg resigned from his position six months before publication and that communications with the society remained cordial. While the society did retract the Meyer paper, Sternberg kept his job at the National Institutes of Health and had his position at the Smithsonian renewed. The article suggests his office at the Smithsonian was lost due to departmental space reallocation, not persecution, and that he was offered other space.

Guillermo Gonzalez

Guillermo Gonzalez, a professor at Iowa State University, is presented as another case. "Expelled" suggests he was a rising star whose career was hindered by his views. The article counters that Gonzalez failed to gain tenure, a common outcome, and cites the *Chronicle of Higher Education* which raised questions about his recent scholarship and whether he lived up to his early promise. His publication record, while substantial, was noted to have dipped as his involvement in creationism increased.

Caroline Crocker

Caroline Crocker is presented as having been fired for mentioning Intelligent Design in class. The NCSE's summation indicates that Crocker was not fired but was not re-hired for her non-tenure track job, and she continued to teach after student complaints. The article asserts she was teaching "demonstrably false creationist material," including slides that misrepresented Charles Darwin's life and scientific evidence regarding Archaeopteryx and Eohippus. The article also notes that Crocker later found employment at Northern Virginia Community College, though her contract was not renewed, and she is not currently teaching at a mainstream school.

Robert Marks

Robert Marks, a Distinguished Professor at Baylor University, had a website on a university server that suggested a connection to Intelligent Design. Baylor requested changes, including the removal of anything suggesting a Baylor laboratory. Marks declined and moved his site to another server. The article states that Professor Marks continues to teach and draw his salary, with no apparent harm to his career.

Pamela Winnick

"Expelled" claims that supporting Intelligent Design can be a career killer for journalists, citing Pamela Winnick. Winnick stated that merely writing about Intelligent Design could lead to being "blacklisted." The article points out that Winnick has continued to publish, including in *The Wall Street Journal* and *The Weekly Standard*, and has authored a book, "A Jealous God: Science's Crusade Against Religion." The author suggests that while objectivity might mean showing equal favor to science and Intelligent Design, the latter is "quackery."

Michael Engor

Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor is mentioned for an essay suggesting doctors do not need to study evolution. The article states that "Darwinists" were quick to try and "exterminate" this threat, but most physicians saw it as a minor issue, with some displeased that a fellow professional would promote "quack ideas."

Events Calendar

The issue includes an events calendar for the North Texas Skeptics, featuring a June Program on June 21st and an NTS Social Dinner & Board Meeting on June 28th.

Shakin' it up in SOCAL

By Greg Aicklen, this article describes a presentation by Eric Pounders of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on earthquakes. The presentation covered the science of earthquakes, how they are studied, damage caused, and myths surrounding prediction. It definitively answered the question of whether California could drop off the continent, stating it would float due to lighter rock.

Skeptics in Las Vegas

By John Blanton, this piece reviews the act of magicians Penn and Teller, who are described as world-class skeptics. It highlights their show "B.S.!" which tackles pseudoscience such as feng shui and myths about bottled water, as well as creationism. The article notes that "B.S.!" does not shy away from calling out "quack ideas" and "perpetrators."

Skeptic Ink

This comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton humorously touches on alternative medicine and the perception of bottled water versus tap water.

The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal

This section describes the mission of the committee, which encourages critical investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims from a scientific viewpoint, disseminates factual information, and promotes science, critical thinking, and reason. It also mentions that *The Skeptical Inquirer* is published bimonthly by this committee.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination of claims made by creationists and proponents of Intelligent Design, particularly in relation to the film "Expelled." The North Texas Skeptics consistently advocates for scientific consensus, evidence-based reasoning, and the debunking of pseudoscience. The editorial stance is clearly pro-science and skeptical of claims that lack empirical support, viewing Intelligent Design as a form of creationism and a threat to science education.