Shadow of a Doubt

Magazine Overview

Title: Shadow of a Doubt
Issue: December 1999
Publisher: National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS)
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of 'Shadow of a Doubt' serves as the monthly calendar for the National Capital Area Skeptics, focusing on events and topics relevant to a skeptical audience.

Y2K Finally Arrives Talk

The main feature of this issue is an announcement for a talk titled "Oh-One-Oh-One-Uh-Oh: Y2K Finally Arrives" by Marvin V. Zelkowitz, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland and an NCAS Board member. The talk, scheduled for Saturday, December 11, 1999, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bethesda Library in Bethesda, Maryland, will address the Y2K computer bug. Zelkowitz plans to discuss the widespread warnings, fear, planning, and anticipation surrounding the millennium date change. He will explore what kind of world might be found on January 1, 2000, examine the actions taken by governments and industries regarding the Y2K bug, and consider how other societal aspects like cults, religions, and the media are preparing for the next century. A humorous note is added, suggesting that purists who believe the millennium ends on December 31, 2000, can stay home.

Marvin Zelkowitz's background is noted as a professor at College Park with research interests in large-scale computer systems.

Mysterious Science Lecture Series

Another significant announcement is for a weekly lecture series hosted by the Smithsonian, titled "Mysterious Science." This series is scheduled to run from late January through late February and will cover topics of interest to NCAS members. Registration information is available via a provided URL. The listed lectures include:

• January 20, 2000: "Think Like a Scientist" by Chip Denman (Statistics Laboratory, University of Maryland).
• January 27, 2000: "Alien Life" by Michael Meyer (PhD, Astrobiology Discipline Scientist, NASA).
• February 3, 2000: "A Reality Check on Cryptic Animals" by George Zug (PhD, Curator, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution).
• February 10, 2000: "Communicating with the Afterlife" by Michael Epstein (Mount Saint Mary's College).
• February 17, 2000: "Science vs. Pseudoscience: The Scorecard" by Robert Parks (American Physical Society).
• February 24, 2000: "Magic and Fooling the Senses" by Jamy Ian Swiss (Magician).

Maryland State Science Standards

The January 8, 2000 meeting of NCAS will feature Bill McDonald discussing the State of Maryland K-12 science standards and their implementation in Montgomery County.

Write to Fox Family

This section encourages readers to write to the Fox Family channel regarding the TV series "Exploring the Unknown." The first series, which focused on skepticism regarding the paranormal and other mysteries, had its final episode on Tuesday, November 16. Michael Shermer is awaiting a decision on reordering the series, for which Fox Family has ordered a pilot and six one-hour episodes. Readers are urged to send their letters to [email protected] to influence this decision.

JAMA Reviews Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine

Attention is drawn to the November 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which contains a favorable review of the "Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine (SRAM)." A URL is provided for readers to access the review.

Membership Renewal

Members are reminded to check their mailing labels for their renewal date. A prompt to send $20 for a one-year individual renewal or $30 for a two-member household renewal to the NCAS address is included. Failure to renew may result in being dropped from membership.

Help Needed

NCAS is seeking an individual with marketing experience to assist with publicity and other NCAS projects. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Paul Jaffe at 703-329-0270 or [email protected].

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around critical thinking, skepticism towards paranormal claims and pseudoscience, and the examination of scientific and technological issues like the Y2K bug. The editorial stance, as represented by the NCAS, is clearly pro-science, evidence-based reasoning, and a critical approach to unsubstantiated claims, as evidenced by the topics covered in the lectures and the focus on scientific standards and reviews.