REALL News - Vol 03 No 12 - 1995

Magazine Overview

The REALL News, Volume 3 Issue 12, published in December 1995, is the official newsletter of The Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL), a non-profit educational and scientific organization dedicated to rational thinking and the application of the scientific method to paranormal and fringe-science claims. The issue features a "REALLity Check" section that critically examines media reports and scientific claims.

REALLity Check

Poisoned, Naturally

This section discusses two articles from Discover magazine. The first, from January 1996, by Steven Markowitz and Alex Li, details the case of Mr. Kim, who suffered lead poisoning from a Chinese herbal tea contaminated with clamshell powder. The article highlights that alternative remedies are not regulated by the FDA and their safety is not established. It notes other incidents, including a woman's death from a fungus tea, illness from "Paraguay tea," liver transplant due to chapparal, and reports of chronic arsenic and mercury poisoning from Chinese herbal medicine. The authors of the Discover article conclude that these hazards are unlikely to disappear as more people turn to herbal remedies and some groups pressure the FDA for relaxed regulation. The REALL News editor disagrees, stating that doctors must educate patients about the risks of alternative treatments, and REALL can also play a role.

Poisoned? Not Necessarily.

The second Discover article, from December 1995, features pathologist Nir Kossovsky, who claims silicone breast implants cause medical problems due to an autoimmune reaction. The article questions Kossovsky's methods, noting that his double-blind experiment, when analyzed by Scripps researchers, failed to distinguish between women with and without autoimmune diseases. Scripps rheumatologist Robert Fox stated the analysis had "fundamental problems" and the test run was invalid. Kossovsky had testified in court with preliminary findings before his study was completed and published in a journal where he was on the editorial board. Researchers noted errors, including a major statistical problem. Immunologist John Butler stated Kossovsky's conclusions were based on his hypothesis. The FDA warned Kossovsky in 1994 to change his claims because his test lacked proven diagnostic ability. The article criticizes Kossovsky's insistence on his small studies being correct over larger ones, comparing himself to Galileo. Discover magazine is quoted as saying the "chasm between Kossovsky's courtroom claims and the scientific evidence suggests that mainstream science and the legal system have parted ways."

Wenatchee Witchhunt, Part II

This section provides an update on the Wenatchee, Washington, child abuse conspiracy case. A pastor and his wife were found not guilty on all 14 charges. The article notes that despite a lack of physical evidence, the detective and prosecutors continue to pursue charges. The state governor and House Speaker have requested a federal investigation.

Gullibility Alert

This part discusses Carl Sagan's upcoming book, "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark," and an excerpt in Parade magazine. Sagan emphasizes the importance of evidence in discussing UFOs, stating that witness testimony alone is insufficient due to potential mistakes, jokes, exaggeration, misunderstanding, or hallucinations. He uses crop circles as an example of "shoddy" evidence standards in UFOlogy and advocates for a democratic application of skepticism, similar to evaluating used cars or analgesics.

Anti-Evolution Alabama

This section reports on the Alabama State Board of Education's decision to add anti-evolution "disclaimers" to biology textbooks. The article criticizes the reasoning, citing Governor Fob James's actions and the phrase "Don't monkey with my children." It notes that Alabama previously revised textbook guidelines to call evolution "only a theory" and now insists it is a "controversial theory." The disclaimer incorrectly distinguishes between the origin of life and evolution and makes scientifically ignorant statements about transitional forms. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education explains that creationists are downplaying religious aspects to appear scientific. The article also mentions that local districts in Illinois sometimes sneak in creationism or drop evolution altogether.

I Spy with My Third Eye, Part II

This section details the CIA's 20-year, $20 million program to study and employ psychics for espionage. Two reviewers, psychology professor Ray Hyman (a skeptic) and statistics professor Jessica Utts (an advocate of parapsychology), evaluated the studies. While Utts found a "statistically robust effect," Hyman found no evidence of helpful government results. Utts claimed psychics were accurate about 15% of the time, which the author questions as useful. A former CIA technical director was unaware of significant results. In a remote viewing study, psychics scored about 33% accuracy, described as a "moderate increase over chance," but the judgment of success was subjective, based on the project director's rating. Hyman criticized the lack of independent judges and peer review. The article notes that psychics interviewed by evaluators said the program worked best with those who "accepted the phenomenon." Anecdotal stories, like the prediction of Gen. James Dozier's kidnapping, are presented as unreliable. The program reportedly worsened in the mid-1980s with spoon-bending sessions and a prediction of a huge air attack on Washington. One remote viewer believed in a Martian colony. The article compares "psychic spies" to "psychic detectives," noting that defenders admit psychics are wrong about 80% of the time, which the author finds unhelpful.

The Newest Cure-All

This section discusses the promotion of Melatonin as a new cure-all. An article in the State Journal-Register highlighted books by Russel Reiter, Ph.D., and physician Ray Sahelian. Reiter claims melatonin can dramatically increase immune response, improve cancer and AIDS treatments, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and prevent aging. However, he admitted limited control over book cover claims. Sahelian states the only scientifically supported benefit is aiding sleep, with 80% of his patients showing improvement, but advises caution for certain individuals. The article points out that melatonin, like other "nutritional supplements," is not FDA-regulated and may not meet standards for content or quality control. While the pineal gland produces melatonin and it regulates internal clocks, scientific evidence for its widespread health benefits is limited. Small studies show improvement for insomniacs and suppression of breast cancer cells, but most research is in vitro or on animals, and human studies are not conclusive. The author concludes that, as with much of alternative medicine, there are many claims but little scientific evidence.

From the Editor

Bob Ladendorf, the Newsletter Editor, reflects on REALL's year and looks forward to the next. He notes that the special year-end issue features an extended version of Chairman Bloomberg's column. REALL aims to disseminate information and monitor media reporting on paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. He expresses hope that REALL has made a difference and will continue to be vigilant against non-vigilance and promote critical thinking.

From the Chairman

David Bloomberg, Chairman, discusses REALL's December lunch meeting, which was held on a cold day but still attracted eight attendees for discussions on skepticism and REALL. He announces the next meeting on January 2, which will feature a Skeptics Society videotape on "The Use and Abuse of Statistics in the 'Real World,'" with Dr. Judith Grabiner. Bloomberg also welcomes two new REALL Patron members, David Gehrig and Rev. Charles Hanson, and thanks all patrons for their generosity.

Masthead Information

This section provides contact information for REALL, including its P.O. Box in Springfield, IL. It states that permission is granted to other skeptic organizations to reprint articles with proper credit. The views expressed are those of the individual authors and not necessarily REALL. Contact emails for David Bloomberg (Chairman) and Bob Ladendorf (Editor) are provided. A list of Patron members, who donate $50 or more, is included.

Purpose

The Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL) is defined as a non-profit educational and scientific organization committed to rational thinking and the scientific method. Its goals include conducting research, convening meetings, publishing a newsletter, and disseminating information. Its primary geographic region of coverage is central Illinois. REALL subscribes to the premise that the scientific method is the most reliable system for obtaining knowledge and does not reject paranormal claims a priori but commits to objective, critical inquiry.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critical examination of claims made in popular media and by proponents of alternative or fringe science. REALL's stance is clearly one of skepticism, emphasizing the importance of the scientific method, empirical evidence, and rigorous peer review. The newsletter actively debunks or questions claims related to alternative medicine, parapsychology, and pseudoscience, advocating for critical thinking and a rational approach to knowledge acquisition. The editorial stance is consistently pro-science and anti-pseudoscience, aiming to educate the public about the lack of evidence for many extraordinary claims.