REALL News - Vol 10 No 09 - 2002

Magazine Overview

Title: The REALL News
Issue Date: September 2002
Volume: 10
Issue: 9
Publisher: Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL)

This issue of The REALL News, a newsletter focused on rational thinking and skepticism, features a critical review of M. Night Shyamalan's movie "Signs," discussions on various hoaxes, and commentary on the Intelligent Design movement and alternative medicine.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs (by Bob Ladendorf)

This article reviews the movie "Signs," calling it a "flawed gem" that starts well but devolves into a "conventional cop-out ending." The author notes that while Shyamalan builds suspense effectively, the film's plot becomes "sillier in the last half." The review highlights the movie's depiction of crop circles and alien invasion, contrasting it with the real-world understanding that most crop circles are man-made, citing Joe Nickell. The article mentions that two documentaries about crop circles were also being released and that the International Crop Circle Database has cataloged approximately 2,000 crop circles. The author, while willing to suspend disbelief for the film's premise, finds the resolution where the aliens are easily defeated by a baseball bat to be illogical, especially given their supposed advanced capabilities. The article concludes that Shyamalan is a fine director but needs to improve his storytelling.

REALLity Check (by David Bloomberg)

This section examines various articles from U.S. News & World Report and other publications, focusing on hoaxes and skeptical analysis.

Mystery Map

The August 12 issue of U.S. News & World Report is discussed for its article on the "Vinland map." While initially calling it "devilishly clever" if a fraud, the article points out that carbon dating places it in the early 1400s, but spectroscopy reveals the ink was made after 1923, indicating a hoax.

Sylvia Browne and other Hoaxes

The August 26 issue of U.S. News & World Report featured 20 specific hoaxes. The author notes that while psychic Sylvia Browne is mentioned, the article fails to connect her with post-9/11 hoax claims. Browne's readings are described as general and safe, making people feel good, which the author identifies as a key element in constructing hoaxes.

Freemasons

This section discusses the historical hoax surrounding Freemasons, largely attributed to Gabriel Jogand-Pages (Leo Taxil), who claimed Freemasons were Satanic before admitting it was a fabrication to embarrass the Catholic Church. The article notes that such sentiments persist in works like Chick Tracts and Pat Robertson's "New World Order."

Hoax Squared

This part addresses the supposed autobiography of Binjamin Wilkomirski, whose book about his experiences in Nazi concentration camps was revealed to be false. Despite contradictory information about his Swiss origins and birthdate, Wilkomirski has not recanted his story.

Circular Illogic

This section revisits crop circles, stating that the movie "Signs" brought them back into the news. It criticizes "cereologists" who ascribe unexplained phenomena to aliens or parallel universes, while skeptics are labeled as accepting "cockeyed" explanations. The author agrees with a cereologist that there is an "intelligence behind it," referring to the acknowledged British hoaxers who started the phenomenon.

Full of Hot Air

This segment discusses the "Breatharians," people who claim to live solely on fresh air. The article notes the tragedies associated with this belief, including a woman's death from dehydration in Australia and two Breatharians going to jail for letting an initiate starve. The author attributes these deaths to the beliefs themselves.

Randi Vs. the Hoaxers

This part highlights an article about James "The Amazing" Randi, focusing on his debunking of Peter Popoff and Uri Geller. Randi's quote, "I go straight to the truth of the matter. A lot of people think this is not an approach that wins me friends. I'm not out to win friends. I can't do it any other way," is presented. The author wishes the article had delved more into John Edward and similar psychics, considering them a more significant hoax than Freemasons in contemporary times.

The Drug War

This section briefly touches on a U.S. News article about drug screening by employers. It notes the increasing number of tests and the use of faster, but potentially less accurate, lab methods, raising concerns about job loss and reputation damage due to false positives.

Comic Strip Science

The author critiques Johnny Hart's comic strip "B.C." for frequently promoting fundamentalist Christian beliefs, including attacks on evolution. The example given is a strip about ants discussing a "Missing Link 101" class, which the author finds factually devoid and amusingly illogical.

Taking a Beating

This piece criticizes the Chicago Tribune for an article on "Gua sha therapy," an Oriental alternative treatment. The therapy involves smearing oil on the skin and rubbing it with a tool, supposedly drawing out impurities as a red rash. The author equates this to bruising and questions the lack of skepticism in the article, noting that practitioners claim it treats pain-related issues that often resolve on their own or via placebo effect. The author expresses concern about doctors becoming more open to things they don't understand, implying a disregard for basic science and the placebo effect.

Polly Want Her Own Psychic

This section discusses a Chicago Tribune column by John Kass about "The Pet Psychic" show on Animal Planet. The show features a person who counsels animals and their owners by reading the animal's mind. The article notes the availability of tapes and seminars, and that the pet psychic, Sonya Fitzpatrick, also claims to talk to dead animals, drawing a parallel to John Edward.

Medical Media Frenzy

An article from the Chicago Tribune is discussed, which commented on media publicity of medical studies. The article notes that the media often covers new "discoveries" prematurely, raising public hopes that are later dashed when small studies do not pan out. The debate is presented on whether all results should be published for public knowledge or if scientists should be allowed to be wrong as long as they follow rules. The Tribune also published an editorial on the subject.

Peter, Peter Popoff Healer (by Bob Ladendorf)

This article reports on the return of disgraced faith healer Peter Popoff and his wife Elizabeth, who are promoting their book "Prosperity Thinking" and offering "Miracle Spring Water" via infomercials. The author recounts how James Randi exposed Popoff's scam in 1986 on "The Tonight Show," revealing that Elizabeth transmitted information to Peter via a hidden earpiece. The article describes scenes from Popoff's revival show, including people falling backward and Elizabeth reading testimonials. The author criticizes Popoff's incoherent plea to viewers and advises readers to ignore his offers. The article references Randi's book "The Faith Healers."

From the Chairman (David Bloomberg)

David Bloomberg announces an upcoming talk by Professor Karen Bartelt on "The Evolution of Intelligent Design" on Tuesday, September 3, at the Lincoln Library. The talk will cover the history and tactics of the Intelligent Design movement, which started in the 1980s as an alternative to evolution but has not published peer-reviewed papers. Professor Bartelt, with degrees in chemistry and experience in the creation/evolution controversy, will discuss the arguments and tactics used by the "Big Four" of the ID movement and the scientific community's responses. Bloomberg encourages attendance to counter the influence of creationists.

A Nod to Our Patrons

This section thanks REALL's patron members for their support, listing individuals from various towns in Illinois and Indiana.

Our Next Meeting

This section reiterates the details for the upcoming meeting on "The Evolution of Intelligent Design" presented by Prof. Karen Bartelt at the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois, on Tuesday, September 4, at 7:00 PM. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism, critical thinking, and the debunking of paranormal claims and hoaxes. The REALL News consistently promotes the scientific method as the most reliable means of understanding the world. The editorial stance is clearly against pseudoscience, faith healing scams, and unsubstantiated claims, while advocating for evidence-based reasoning. The publication also addresses the media's role in sensationalizing fringe topics and the importance of distinguishing between metaphor and truth, particularly in the context of recovered memories and alleged paranormal phenomena.