Skeptical Eye - Vol 03 No 1 - 1989

Magazine Overview

Title: National Capital Area SKEPTICAL EYE
Issue: Vol. 3, No. 1
Date: January, 1989

This issue of the Skeptical Eye, published by the National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS), delves into various aspects of pseudoscience, medical quackery, and critical thinking. It features reports on the NCAS's annual meeting, the CSICOP conference, and critical analyses of claims related to psychics and fringe science.

Annual Meeting Exposes Medical Quackery

This article by Michael Hoffman details the 1988 NCAS annual meeting, held at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The primary focus was medical quackery. NCAS President Chip Denman opened the meeting, and the keynote speaker was Dr. Stephen Barrett, a psychiatrist and author known for his work against health fraud. Barrett discussed what he considers a major medical fraud: the drug companies' promotion of vitamin supplements, arguing that most people do not need them as adequate vitamins are usually obtained from even extreme diets. He also addressed the issue of hair analysis, a practice widely promoted in health-food stores, which he investigated by sending identical hair samples to multiple labs, revealing highly variable and often inaccurate diagnoses.

Subsequent speakers at the meeting included Gabe Merkin, M.D., who discussed nutrition and debunked common false claims about sugar and protein breakdown; Marvin "Chick" Schissel, D.D.S., who exposed quackery in dentistry such as "auricular therapy" and "iridology"; and Grace Powers Monaco, a lawyer who defends insurance companies against quack claims and founded Candlelighters for children with cancer. Monaco emphasized the importance of keeping critically ill children away from quacks who might divert them from life-saving therapy, drawing parallels between the current situation with AIDS and pediatric cancer in the 1960s.

Geoff Drucker, a consumer protection attorney, spoke about typical mail-order fraud cases involving medical quackery, focusing on appearance enhancement, pain relief, and weight loss products. He also detailed the case of Kurt Donsbach, who promoted diluted hydrogen peroxide as a cure for various diseases. Drucker stressed that an educated public is the best defense against quackery.

CSICOP Conference: Informative, Productive, and Fun

Karen Gray reports on the CSICOP's 1988 conference in Chicago. She describes the event as enjoyable and productive, though acknowledging the inherent difficulties in covering the vast scope of "New Age" phenomena. Gray highlights the diversity of speakers and the challenges in presenting coherent viewpoints. She notes that while some attendees might have been annoyed by certain perspectives, the overall experience was positive. The article touches upon the difficulty of analyzing New Age beliefs and practices, contrasting it with a critique of cultural narcissism as an explanation.

Chicago CSICOP Conference

This section continues the report on the CSICOP conference, with the author attending sessions on "Channeling," "Graphology," and "Media Responsibility and the Paranormal." Dr. Sarah Thomason's linguistic analysis of channeled entities' dialects is mentioned, along with Dr. Graham Reed's psychological comments. The author found the graphology session enlightening regarding the lack of agreed-upon methods and the prevalence of the "Barnum effect." The media session highlighted a perceived lack of responsibility among media leaders to critically assess and present information on questionable claims. The final session focused on encouraging science and rationalism through various creative approaches.

A Skeptic's Response

Jamy Ian Swiss addresses common pseudoscientific beliefs, focusing on "psychics" and magic tricks. He explains that such phenomena often do not "look like" magic because they are presented in a serious, non-theatrical context, making failures seem more significant and wins more impressive. Swiss discusses Uri Geller, noting that while Geller has been exposed for cheating, he has also avoided rigorous testing. The article emphasizes that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" and that the burden of proof lies with the claimant. It also highlights the importance of magicians in understanding and exposing deceptive practices, noting that scientists are often deceived because they are reluctant to believe they can be fooled.

Medical Quackery Exposed, from p. 1

This continuation of the medical quackery article from page 1 elaborates on the findings of Dr. Stephen Barrett. It details how mineral analysis of hair is not a rational diagnostic method and discusses quack nostrums with unsubstantiated claims. The article also mentions older forms of quackery like chiropractic and homeopathy. Gabe Merkin, M.D., is quoted on nutrition, debunking myths about sugar and protein. Dentist Marvin "Chick" Schissel discusses quackery in dentistry, including "auricular therapy," "iridology," and "reflexology." Grace Powers Monaco speaks about the rise in pediatric cancer cure rates and the danger of quacks diverting patients from effective treatment, particularly in the context of AIDS. Geoff Drucker discusses mail-order fraud and the case of Kurt Donsbach, emphasizing the need for public education against quackery.

A Skeptic's Response (Continued)

This section continues Jamy Ian Swiss's discussion on psychics and magic. It explains why magicians are reluctant to reveal their methods, citing the need to protect their secrets and the danger of making the public even easier targets for deception. However, it notes that magicians are willing to share information in appropriate settings, such as parapsychological laboratories. The article stresses that experienced magicians can better identify deception because they understand how to manipulate a spectator's existing knowledge and assumptions.

Congressional Watch: A Skeptical Eye on Senator Pell

Randy Lockwood writes about Senator Claiborne Pell's (D-R.I.) fascination with pseudoscience and the occult, noting his office's collection of books on astral projection and Shirley MacLaine. Pell's legislative initiatives have generally supported education, but one resolution, SJ RES 368, proposing a National Commission on Human Resources, raised skeptical eyebrows. The article questions the potential focus of such a commission, given Pell's history of supporting fringe research, and suggests that if it includes members with expertise in critically investigating unusual human performance claims, it could provide an opportunity for skeptics to comment officially.

The Banana Theory: Is Science Una"peel”ing?

Demetrios Tsiptsis begins a new series of columns with "The Banana Theory." He discusses pay-per-call psychic lines and the promotion of "New Age" movements. Tsiptsis recounts his experience calling into Q107's Liveline, where he identified himself as a skeptic and was met with laughter. He attended a seminar by "Inner Peace Movement" leaders Richard Lassiter and Neal Krysinski, who used the inability to describe the taste of a banana as an argument against science. Tsiptsis also mentions the controversy surrounding subliminal messages in heavy metal albums.

Are Science Teachers Dummies Too?

Randall Lockwood examines a study on the scientific knowledge of high school biology teachers, comparing it to a previous study on newspaper editors. The results indicate a significant lack of basic scientific understanding among teachers, with many believing in the coexistence of humans and dinosaurs or favoring creationism over evolution. Lockwood highlights the "disastrous situation" for biology education and the imperative for citizens to possess scientific sophistication to make rational choices.

President's Message

D.W. "Chip" Denman shares his experience at the CSICOP conference in Chicago, highlighting the interactions with other skeptics and the quality of the presentations. He announces that NCAS will host the next CSICOP Annual Conference in spring 1990. Denman also mentions that NCAS has been granted tax-exempt status by the IRS and discusses the recent appearance of Uri Geller at a convention of British magicians, noting Geller's apparent attempts to distance himself from other magicians.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of pseudoscientific claims, medical quackery, and the importance of scientific literacy. The NCAS, through its publication Skeptical Eye, actively promotes a rational and evidence-based approach to understanding the world. The editorial stance is clearly one of skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims, advocating for rigorous scientific investigation and education. The magazine serves as a platform for disseminating information and fostering critical thinking among its readers, encouraging them to question extraordinary claims and rely on scientific evidence.

Title: NCAS Skeptical Eye
Issue: January 1989
Volume: 1
Publisher: National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS)
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the NCAS Skeptical Eye, dated January 1989, focuses on the imbalance of skeptical versus fringe literature in public and university libraries, NCAS's financial standing, and legislative updates.

Locus Of Infection

By Walter F. Rowe, this article addresses the concerning prevalence of fringe literature in libraries, contrasting it with the scarcity of skeptical works. Rowe uses a hypothetical scenario of a library filled with books on topics like Velikovsky, the Bermuda Triangle, and UFOs, noting that while these books sell well, skeptical counter-arguments are often missing. He details a preliminary survey conducted at the Gelman Library of George Washington University, which revealed extensive holdings of books by authors such as Immanuel Velikovsky, Barry Fell, Jeffrey Goodman, Wilhelm Reich, J. Allen Hynek, Jacque Vallee, and Donald Keyhoe, with only a few creationist books listed. Skeptical writers like Martin Gardner, James Randi, Paul Kurtz, and Kendrick Frazier were poorly represented.

The author raises questions about how this fringe literature entered the library's collection, suggesting that departmental library representatives might be misusing library budgets. He proposes a project by the Education-in-Skepticism Special Interest Group to secure a grant for purchasing skeptical books for local libraries. Rowe urges readers to help by submitting lists of notable pseudoscience and skeptical literature and by actively requesting skeptical books from their public libraries, arguing that increased skeptical holdings will naturally reduce the space for fringe material.

A Trivial Concern?

This section briefly ponders whether the presence of so much 'crank literature' in a university library is a significant issue, given that universities aim to provide comprehensive scholarly resources. It implies that the imbalance is indeed a concern.

Lawyer Wanted

A notice seeking an attorney to provide legal advice and/or services for NCAS at a reasonably priced rate, with contact information for D.W. "Chip" Denman.

Voices from the Skeptic Tank

This segment features a Q&A with "Naphtha," an entity channeled by NCAS Directors Jamy Swiss and others, with input from the NCAS Board. Naphtha offers humorous and often evasive answers to questions about miracles, fringe medicine, and predictions for the future. Notably, Naphtha predicts NCAS will host the next CSICOP annual conference in spring 1990. The segment also mentions Naphtha and Swiss being quoted by magicians Penn & Teller on David Letterman's show, and Naphtha's horoscope for Aquarians, which humorously advises renewing NCAS membership.

NAPHTHA SPEAKS

This section continues the Q&A with Naphtha, addressing its popularity and media appearances. Naphtha humorously claims its column is reprinted by another local skeptics' organization and that it was quoted by Penn & Teller. It concludes that "Naphtha's good for the soul."

NAPHTHA'S BIRTHDAY HOROSCOPE

A satirical horoscope for Aquarians, offering vague predictions and a humorous nudge to renew NCAS membership.

National Capital Area Skeptics 1988 Financial Report

Prepared by Grace E. Denman, Treasurer, this report details NCAS's financial activity for 1988. It lists the 1987 and 1988 balances, income sources (dues, interest, annual meeting, merchandise), and expenses (election, bylaws, symposium, annual meeting, CSICOP in China, Skeptical Eye, brochures, taxes, corporation fees, debts, postage, and miscellaneous items). The report shows a 1987 balance of $4472.82 and a 1988 balance of $3466.84, with total income of $4782.79 and total expenses of $5788.77.

Polygraphy Update

This section discusses the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, which became law on December 20. It references a previous article in the April 1988 issue, "The Pinocchio Syndrome," which criticized the polygraph as an unscientific "lie detector." The new law prohibits most employers from using polygraph tests for employee selection or investigation, though it exempts critical industries and government agencies. Leonard Saxe, quoted from The Washington Post, notes that the law shifts the focus from an applicant's nervousness during an interview to their actual job performance, preventing businesses from relying on invalid techniques.

The Littlest Skeptic

An apology is offered for the slight lateness of this issue, attributed to a busy holiday season and the arrival of the daughter of Julie Stern and Randy Lockwood, Susan Mee, from Seoul, Korea. A photo caption notes that NCAS's youngest member is investigating a popular cult figure.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the promotion of skepticism and critical thinking, particularly in the context of public institutions like libraries. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of actively countering pseudoscience with well-reasoned skeptical literature, rather than resorting to censorship. The publication also demonstrates a commitment to transparency through its financial reporting and a proactive approach to current events, such as legislative changes affecting employment practices. The inclusion of the "Naphtha" segments adds a layer of humor and lightheartedness, suggesting that skepticism does not need to be overly serious to be effective.