North Texas Skeptic - Vol 22 No 12 - 2008

Magazine Overview

The December 2008 issue of The North Texas Skeptic, Volume 22, Number 12, is published by The North Texas Skeptics and features a cover headline of "Mind pit" by John Blanton. The magazine focuses on skepticism, the scientific investigation of paranormal claims, and related topics.

Mind pit

This article by John Blanton details several individuals who attempted to demonstrate paranormal abilities for a $12,000 prize offered by the North Texas Skeptics (NTS). The prize is underwritten by five members of the NTS, including John Blanton, Greg Aicklen, Prasad Golla, Mike Selby, and John Thomas.

Peter Castillo from Chicago contacted the NTS to test for the prize, claiming he could transmit thoughts to identify playing cards. Blanton reminded him that a demonstration is required before a formal test. Blanton notes that in the past, applicants have failed to provide anything worth testing.

Russell Shipp from New Braunfels claimed he could move things with his mind but failed to do so during a demonstration. Rosemary Hunter from Cleveland claimed she could read minds, but Blanton stated only his wife could do so. Rechey Davidson from Quinlan claimed he could locate lost objects by dowsing a map. Blanton mentioned he had no lost objects, but Davidson offered to locate hidden objects. A demonstration involving a map of Blanton's house and a hidden camera resulted in Davidson scoring zero for twelve, saving further expense.

Peter Castillo's demonstration involved him attempting to project playing card images to John Blanton, who would then identify the card. The agreement stipulated that a successful demonstration would require Castillo to score four hits in each of three consecutive sessions. The demonstration involved Prasad Golla as the assistant, who selected cards and recorded the results. Out of 27 trials, Peter Castillo scored only three hits, all in the second session. This result was statistically expected by chance, indicating no paranormal ability. Peter Castillo acknowledged his perceptions might have been misinformed and left with a changed outlook.

Blanton uses this as an example to reiterate the NTS's stance that science has no reason to consider the supernatural because it does not exist. The NTS has offered this prize for over fifteen years, and the money remains unclaimed.

Events Calendar

The magazine includes an "Events Calendar" for December, announcing the annual NTS Christmas get-together/party on Saturday, December 20, 2008, at 2 PM at the Center for Nonprofit Management, 2900 Live Oak Street, in Dallas. Attendees were asked to bring snacks and drinks (no alcohol) and items related to Darwin awards, skeptical videos, or games.

North Texas Skeptics Officers and Staff

The issue lists the officers of the North Texas Skeptics: John Brandt (President), Kristine Danowski (Vice President), Mike Selby (Treasurer), and Barbara Neuser (Secretary). The staff includes Keith Blanton (Newsletter Editor), John Blanton (Webmaster), and Kristine Danowski (Meetings and Social Director). The Board of Directors and Directors Emeritus are also listed, along with Scientific and Technical Advisors such as Joe Barnhart (Professor of Philosophy) and Raymond A. Eve (Professor of Sociology).

The NTS is described as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) scientific and educational organization. The newsletter is published monthly, with a P.O. Box address in Carrollton, Texas. Reprint permission is granted with proper credit.

Out-of-body experiences (Part I)

This article by Kristine Danowski explores the phenomenon of out-of-body experiences (OBEs). It defines OBEs as experiences where a person perceives the world from outside their physical body, noting that near-death experiences (NDEs) are a subset of OBEs. Surveys indicate that 8% to 34% of people have reported an OBE, across diverse demographics.

Common sensations during OBEs include floating outside the body, seeing and moving without it, perceiving a single point in space, traveling through walls, and encountering mystical worlds. Some report seeing objects strangely illuminated or distorted. Less common sensations include having a duplicate body, bilocation, and manipulating objects. OBEs are described as vivid and real, often regarded as life-changing events, though not necessarily proof of being outside the body. The concept of dualism, the idea that the mind/consciousness can function independently of the body, is discussed as a historical and philosophical underpinning.

The article categorizes OBE causation into three broad areas:

1. Physiological: Induced by pharmaceuticals (LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, PCP, etc.), stress, exhaustion, fatigue, relaxation, sensory deprivation, neurological illnesses (stroke, migraines), and oxygen deprivation. Fighter pilots experiencing high g-forces report OBEs and NDEs. Theories include electrical stimulation of the brain (temporal lobe), neural disinhibition, hypoxia, sleep deprivation, and hyponogogic/hypnopompic hallucinations. OBEs do not occur during REM sleep.
2. Psychological: Often reported by trauma or abuse survivors as a "splitting" defense mechanism. Psychopathology, dissociative disorders, autoscopy, and mood disorders can cause OBEs. Hypnosis, relaxation, and religious experiences (being "filled with the spirit") are also cited. These are considered physiological as they originate in the brain.
3. Paranormal (Astral Projection): This category invokes dualism, proposing astral bodies independent of physical bodies. The astral body is believed to be attached by a silver cord (Ariadne's thread) and can travel vast distances. Proponents claim astral bodies can perceive objects through unknown means, but there is no evidence for their existence. This theory is also linked to remote viewing (ESP/clairvoyance), where the astral body perceives distant locations instantaneously. However, remote viewing is described as unreliable, with differing accounts of the same location.

Paranormal explanations also extend to meditation, hypnosis, and religion, suggesting communion with deities or the soul surviving death. Skeptics are concerned by paranormalists' use of pseudoscience and misinterpretations of quantum mechanics, cosmology, and string theory to support their claims.

The article poses critical questions about how astral bodies perceive, convey information, and why descriptions of objects and locations during OBEs are often incorrect or disagree among subjects. It questions whether astral bodies can get lost or abandon physical bodies without death. If OBEs are purely physiological or psychological, these paranormal problems do not arise.

OBE research is conducted in four ways: survey studies, attempts to detect astral bodies (unsuccessful with magnetometers, thermistors, etc.), examination of information transfer (experimental evidence is weak, with differing subject descriptions), and studies of drug/electrical stimulation-induced OBEs to understand physiological causes.

What's new

This section by Robert Park includes two clippings:

COLD FUSION: OR IS IT THE "FLEISHMAN-PONS EFFECT"?

This clipping discusses the controversy surrounding cold fusion, first announced in 1989 and quickly ridiculed. A small group of defenders has persisted, now preferring the term "low-energy nuclear reactions" (LENR). Recent excitement surrounds the work of Yoshiaki Arata, who demonstrated excess heat production, but skepticism remains until the results are replicated by independent scientists and a plausible explanation is provided.

SCIENCE ADVISOR: NO, I HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD.

This clipping notes an article in Wired naming a group of scientists advising a Democratic candidate. The group included Nobel laureates Harold Varmus and Peter Agre, along with other distinguished scientists. However, their names have not been prominent since, with the focus shifting to technologists.

Skeptic Ink

This section features a comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton with humorous observations on "National Muckraker"-style headlines, including "Sarah Palin is Elvis's Love Child?", "NASA Is Run By Aliens.", and "Science Proves Intelligent Design."

ISS TURNS TEN: TIME TO CHANGE THE WALLPAPER.

This brief article notes the tenth birthday of the International Space Station (ISS). The space shuttle Endeavor was docked for remodeling, adding two bedrooms and a second toilet. Four spacewalks were performed to fix a rotating joint on a solar panel. Technology for converting urine and perspiration to drinking water is mentioned, with a comparison to water treatment in Washington D.C.

GINKGO BILOBA: A TIP ON WHERE YOU CAN CUT EXPENSES.

This article discusses the annual sales of Ginkgo biloba ($249 million in the US) and its alleged benefit for memory loss, which studies have not supported. A large trial involving 3,069 volunteers found that the placebo group performed slightly better than the Ginkgo group, though the difference was not statistically significant. The article notes that many popular herbal supplements, such as ephedra and Echinacea, have failed in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.

Another challenge. . . not

This article by John Blanton recounts a phone call from someone in Pennsylvania who claimed to have experienced a Near Death Experience and gained paranormal powers, including moving a crystal with his mind. When asked to demonstrate this without touching the crystal, the caller refused, stating it was not a paranormal ability if it required touching. Blanton offered the $12,000 prize for such a demonstration, after which the call was abruptly ended.

January Elections

An announcement for the North Texas Skeptics' annual election of the Board of Directors and officers, to be held on Saturday, January 17, 2009, at 2 PM at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas.

Application for Membership

The final page is an application form for membership in The North Texas Skeptics, detailing membership levels, annual dues, and options for receiving the newsletter via email or mail. It also includes a statement of agreement with the organization's purpose of exploring paranormal and pseudoscientific claims from a responsible and scientific viewpoint.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism, the scientific method, and the debunking of paranormal claims. The North Texas Skeptics consistently promotes the idea that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and that pseudoscientific assertions lack empirical support. The magazine actively challenges individuals to demonstrate paranormal abilities under controlled conditions, as exemplified by the "Mind pit" article and the $12,000 prize. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific inquiry and critical thinking, viewing the supernatural as non-existent and not a subject for scientific study unless demonstrable evidence is provided. The magazine also engages with topics like out-of-body experiences and cold fusion from a critical, scientific perspective, aiming to educate readers about the lack of evidence for paranormal phenomena and the importance of rigorous research.