Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 08 no 2

Magazine Overview

Title: Tampa Bay Skeptics Report
Issue: Vol. 8 No. 2
Date: Fall 1995
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics, Inc.

Featured Articles

Florida Woman's “Miraculous” Cure Featured on Unsolved Mysteries

This article by Gary P. Posner, M.D., critically examines the case of a Florida woman, identified as K.B., whose alleged miraculous healing of a breast lesion was featured on NBC-TV's *Unsolved Mysteries*. The program reported that on December 1, 1991, K.B. underwent an ultrasound and mammogram that confirmed a large lump in her right breast, feared to be cancerous. She claimed to have spent the weekend concentrating on healing through prayer, and by the following Monday, a pre-biopsy mammogram showed the suspicious spot had disappeared. Doctors were reportedly dumbfounded.

Dr. Brian Weiss, a psychiatrist specializing in past-life regression, and Dr. Larry Dossey, author of *Healing Words*, were also featured on the program, discussing the potential mechanisms of prayer-induced healing and citing studies on its efficacy. However, Dr. Stephen Barrett offered a skeptical perspective on the quality of the evidence.

Posner contacted K.B. and reviewed copies of her sonogram and mammogram films. He notes that a radiologist consulted found the initial sonogram lesion to be smooth and oval, characteristic of a benign cyst or fibroadenoma, not necessarily indicative of cancer. The Friday mammogram also showed a spot, but it lacked the typical density, spickling, or central calcifications often seen in breast cancers. The Monday mammogram did appear normal.

Further investigation by Posner revealed discrepancies in the dates of K.B.'s medical reports. The reports in her possession did not document any mammogram between October 4 and December 2, 1991, nor any sonogram after November 8. The sonogram shown on TV, which appeared to reveal a benign cyst, had faint markings suggesting it was from November 29, but this date was not on the report. Posner suggests that the lesions might have been benign and that multiple lesions are rare for primary breast cancer. He concludes that there was ample time for a non-miraculous resolution of a benign condition by December 2.

K.B. refused to reveal her doctors' names or facilities, and Posner agreed to use only her initials to preserve her positive experience. Her story had also appeared in *Good Housekeeping* magazine and Dr. Weiss's book *Through Time Into Healing*.

TBS Takes Futile Stab at Testing a Prickly Paranormal Claim

This article by Gary P. Posner details an attempt by the Tampa Bay Skeptics (TBS) to test a claim made by Jamal N. Hussein, Ph.D., director of Paramann Programme Labs in Amman, Jordan. Hussein claimed his group studied paranormal immunities to pain and bleeding in swamis and gurus, and that they could bestow these 'Super Reactions' (SR) to others. He proposed joint research.

In response to Hussein's letter, TBS offered their $1,000 Challenge for verifiable proof of paranormal phenomena, suggesting they could increase the award to $10,000 if Hussein could demonstrate his claims, even offering to have a police presence and dress his wounds. Hussein's colleague, Louay J. Fatoohi, later informed TBS that Hussein would be in the East Coast and pleased to meet, but ultimately, Hussein did not make the trip to the U.S. TBS was denied the opportunity to test the claims.

Roswell “UFO” Crash Explained

This section presents an explanation for the famous Roswell Incident of 1947, based on a CSICOP press release and the recollections of Dr. Charles B. Moore, a retired New Mexico Tech scientist who participated in Project Mogul. Project Mogul was a classified U.S. Air Force project aimed at monitoring future Soviet nuclear tests using balloons to detect acoustic signals in the upper troposphere.

Moore suggests that the debris recovered at Roswell likely came from a complex experimental package launched from Alamogordo Army Air Field as part of Project Mogul. He provides eight lines of evidence supporting this conclusion:

• The debris included smelly, smoky gray, rubber-like material consistent with neoprene balloons used in Project Mogul.
• Much of the debris, including sticks, metallic paper, and tape with pastel, pinkish-purple flowers, was similar to material used on radar reflectors from Flight 4 of Project Mogul.
• 'Hieroglyphic' designs on some debris matched markings on reinforcing tape used on radar reflectors.
• Radar targets had eyelets, as described by rancher Brazel, who found the debris.
• Brazel's daughter described aluminum ring-shaped objects, consistent with rings used in the balloon trains.
• A black box was described, similar to those used by the NYU crew for batteries.
• Flight 4, launched June 4, 1947, was tracked near the debris field location.
• Wind and altitude data suggest a trajectory consistent with the debris landing at the Foster ranch.

Moore concluded that it would be difficult to exclude NYU Flight 4 as the likely source of the debris found by W. W. Brazel.

USF Skeptics Group Founded

Craig Ellis, a student at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa and a member of Tampa Bay Skeptics, has founded a campus group called Skeptic. Dr. Miles Hardy, TBS vice chairman, is serving as faculty advisor. The group aims to explore pseudoscience and paranormal claims and plans to organize media access through WUSF.

"Alien Autopsy" Film Labeled "Hoax"

An excerpt from a CSICOP press release states that a controversial film purporting to show the autopsy of a space alien, aired on Fox TV, is a hoax. Recent Air Force files indicate the Roswell wreckage was from a Project Mogul balloon-borne surveillance assemblage. Factors contributing to the hoax conclusion include the absence of prior historical record for the film, suspicious circumstances of its surfacing, a bogus non-military codemark, injuries inconsistent with an aircrash, and out-of-focus internal organ views. CSICOP investigator Joe Nickell and chairman Paul Kurtz both declared it an obvious hoax.

Columns and Departments

Chairman's Corner: Information vs. Knowledge

Terry A. Smiljanich discusses the proliferation of information via the internet and online services. He questions whether this access to information translates into true knowledge. Smiljanich argues that raw data, without organization and coherence, is merely a pile of facts. He expresses concern that while young people are becoming computer literate, they may not be becoming more knowledgeable. The article criticizes the retreat from general education in schools and colleges, citing Florida's Board of Regents' decision to reduce required general education courses. This trend, he contends, leads to a society with many facts but poor analytical skills, hindering a true understanding of the world.

Snippets

• John Mack: Harvard psychiatrist John Mack will retain his faculty position despite a review, with professors supporting him for fear of being targeted next.
• Female UFO Abductees: Carl Sagan humorously critiques the idea of 'hybrid' offspring from UFO abductees, comparing its improbability to a cross between a human and an artichoke.
• Ann Landers: In response to a reader's concern about a psychic friend, Ann Landers advises against developing psychic abilities, suggesting counseling for anxiety and stating that people rarely admit when their predictions are wrong.
• "Wild Man" of China: An article describes the 'Wild Man' of China and the efforts of searchers, including one who claims to have found red hair from the creature.
• Charlotte County Psychics: County commissioners are considering an ordinance requiring psychics to pass background checks and maintain licenses.
• Roswell Documents: The U.S. General Accounting Office reported that only two government documents related to the Roswell incident could be located, with others destroyed more than 40 years ago.

Letters • Readers' Forum

• Kenneth D. Hackmeyer expresses his interest in joining TBS and suggests creating a World Wide Web page for the organization.
• Dave Carroll inquires about starting a skeptical organization in Wilmington, NC, and asks for advice on the process.
• Fred R. Saluga is forming a statewide organization in Florida focused on paranormal phenomena and seeks information on non-conventional investigative techniques and TBS's membership requirements.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Tampa Bay Skeptics Report consistently promotes a rational, evidence-based approach to extraordinary claims. The publication critically examines paranormal phenomena, UFO sightings, and alleged miracles, often debunking them with scientific explanations or by highlighting a lack of credible evidence. The editorial stance emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and general education in distinguishing between mere information and true knowledge. The organization actively challenges paranormal claims through its "$1,000 Challenge" and by providing a platform for skeptical viewpoints.