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Shadow of a Doubt - 2003 10
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Title: Shadow of a Doubt Issue: October 2003 Publisher: National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS) Volume: 17th year of public lectures
Magazine Overview
Title: Shadow of a Doubt
Issue: October 2003
Publisher: National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS)
Volume: 17th year of public lectures
This issue of 'Shadow of a Doubt,' the monthly calendar of the National Capital Area Skeptics, focuses on a public lecture by Dr. Walter Rowe, Professor of Forensic Sciences at The George Washington University, titled "The Case of the Tichborne Heir: A Victorian Sensation." The magazine also provides updates on NCAS board elections, upcoming events, and skeptical news.
The Tichborne Heir: A Victorian Sensation
The cover story and featured lecture by Dr. Walter Rowe delves into the historical "Tichborne Heir" case. Roger Charles Tichborne, heir to an English baronetcy and a significant fortune, disappeared en route to Jamaica. After a decade, Thomas Castro of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, claimed to be the long-lost heir and attempted to seize the family fortune and title. The case involved numerous claims, counter-claims, confessions, and retractions, culminating in one of the longest trials in British history. Dr. Rowe presents this as a case study illustrating the projection of false beliefs through mass media and public meetings, and the persistence of such beliefs despite contrary evidence.
The lecture was scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 18, from 2-4pm at the B-CC Services Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center is described as being located in downtown Bethesda, across from the Metro station, within a two-story County office building on the plaza level of the Metropolitan complex, above a County parking garage. Free parking was available on weekends.
NCAS Updates and Events
New NCAS Board: The issue announces the results of the spring election for the NCAS board, listing the following members: Jonathan Boswell, Chip Denman, Grace Denman, Sharlene Deskins, Jim Giglio, Stephen J. Goodson, Neil Inglis, Paul Jaffe, Eugene Ossa, Walter Rowe, Tim Scanlon, Scott Snell, Gary Stone, Jamy lan Swiss, Chris Wanjek, and Marv Zelkowitz. Officers were to be chosen at the next board meeting.
Membership Renewal: Members are reminded to check their mailing labels for renewal dates and to send $30 for a one-year individual renewal or $40 for a two-member household renewal to the NCAS address to avoid being dropped as a member.
Welcome Back Lecture Series: Saturday, October 18, marked the first meeting of the NCAS for the 2003-4 season. The lectures are described as free, entertaining, and open to everyone. NCAS began in 1987 and was entering its 17th year of public lectures.
CSICOP Conference on Myths: Information is provided about the CSICOP conference on "Hoaxes, Myths and Manias" in Albuquerque, October 23-26, 2003. The conference featured speakers such as Ray Hyman, Joe Nickell, and Eugenie Scott. An optional trip to Roswell was available. Contact information for CSICOP is provided, including a phone number (1-800-634-1610) and a website.
Fortfest03: The 35th Annual Fortfest03, organized by the International Fortean Organization, was scheduled for November 15-16, 2003, at the Carlyle Hotel in Roland Park, Baltimore, MD. The conference focused on anomalous phenomena, with the organization described as partly skeptical and partly credulous. Information is available via a website.
Skeptical News and Mythbusters
Skeptical News: A report from CSICOP mentions that an ancient icon depicting Christ was removed from display at the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, after claims that its "energy field" was causing deaths among staff. The icon was reportedly linked to the deaths of several supervisors.
Mythbusters: The popular Discovery Channel show "Mythbusters" is highlighted for its investigation of urban legends. Upcoming episodes were scheduled to include segments on wallets erasing credit card information (October 10), whether a penny dropped from the Empire State Building can kill (October 17), and surviving being buried alive (October 24).
The Borderlands Network: The issue notes that "The ALL Paranormal network" is now available through various cable providers, offering content from UFOs to ghosts. The website for the network was stated to have no content yet.
Contact Information
NCAS Address: P.O. Box 8428, Silver Spring, Maryland 20907.
NCAS Information: Telephone: 301-587-3827, Email: [email protected].
Skeptical Eye Submission: [email protected].
Website: http://www.ncas.org/
Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance
The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism, critical thinking, and the debunking of myths and urban legends. The National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS) actively promotes these values through public lectures, educational content, and by highlighting media that engages with these topics, such as "Mythbusters." The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific inquiry and evidence-based reasoning, as demonstrated by the focus on forensic science in the Tichborne case and the promotion of skeptical analysis of paranormal claims and historical mysteries.