Shadow of a Doubt - 2000 06

Magazine Overview

Title: Shadow of a Doubt
Issue: June, 2000
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, detailing upcoming events and relevant news from a skeptical perspective.

NCAS Summer Picnic

The main event announced is the NCAS Summer picnic, scheduled for Saturday, June 24, from Noon to 5 PM. Hosted by Chip and Grace Denman at their home in Silver Spring, Maryland, the picnic is described as an opportunity for members to catch up, discuss recent meetings and current events, and share ideas for the coming year. The NCAS will provide burgers, hotdogs, and drinks, encouraging attendees to bring anything else they might like. Interested individuals are instructed to leave a message on the Skeptic line at 301-587-3827 for directions. The event is open to both members and non-members.

Board Elections and Fall Projects

Paid-up NCAS members are reminded to vote in the election for the new NCAS Board. The issue encourages members to send in their ballots and also to volunteer for exciting new projects planned for the fall by calling the NCAS phone line.

Monthly Quote

A quote from Susan McCarthy on Salon.com is featured, discussing the need for distinctions between 'good' and 'bad' germs, rather than an all-out antibacterial approach. McCarthy emphasizes using common sense, differentiating between general E. coli and the harmful E. coli O157:H7, and advises parents to let children play in the dirt but not with raw chicken.

Health Scams: 'Vitamin O'

This section reports on a settlement where Rose Creek Health Products agreed to pay $375,000 to settle claims related to marketing ordinary salt water as a dietary supplement for $10 per ounce, with alleged health benefits. The article explains that absorbing oxygen through the gastrointestinal tract is impossible in the quantities claimed, and that the required amount would lead to drowning. The company is also barred from claiming demonstrated health benefits. The report notes that Beverly Sassoon & Co. has since picked up a similar scam, selling salt water as 'BiOxygen' at $17.50 per ounce.

In the Beginning: Beliefs on Creationism and Evolution

This section presents data from a new Gallup Poll regarding Americans' beliefs about the origin of man. The poll indicates that:

• 47% of Americans believe God created man in his present form within the last 10,000 years.
• 40% believe man evolved over millions of years, with God guiding the process.
• 9% believe man evolved over millions of years without divine intervention.

The figures are further broken down by demographic groups, including men, college graduates, those with no high school diploma, income levels (above $50,000 and below $20,000), Whites, and Blacks. The article notes that these figures have not changed significantly over the last 8 years, citing a Skeptics Society email from May 18, 2000.

Editorial Stance

This issue of 'Shadow of a Doubt' reflects the NCAS's commitment to critical thinking and skepticism by highlighting potentially misleading health claims and presenting data on public beliefs regarding scientific and religious explanations for human origins. The focus on a picnic and board elections also underscores the organization's community-building efforts.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include community engagement within the skeptical movement (picnic, board elections), critical examination of pseudoscientific health claims ('Vitamin O'), and the presentation of data on public opinion concerning scientific and religious viewpoints (creationism vs. evolution). The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific understanding and critical evaluation of unsubstantiated claims, as evidenced by the debunking of the 'Vitamin O' scam and the presentation of poll data on beliefs about human origins.