Tampa Bay Skeptics Report

Magazine Overview

Title: Tampa Bay Skeptics Report
Issue: Vol. 11 No. 1
Date: Summer 1998
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics, Inc.
Country: USA
Language: English
ISSN: 1074-9335
Price: $13/yr. (4 issues)

This issue of the Tampa Bay Skeptics Report critically examines various paranormal claims and phenomena through a skeptical lens. It features articles on spirit mediumship, hypnosis, UFO sightings, and alternative healing techniques, alongside organizational news and reader contributions.

Articles

Talking to the living loved ones of the dearly departed by Gary P. Posner

This article critically reviews James Van Praagh's best-selling book "Talking to Heaven." Posner argues that Van Praagh's "spirit medium" performances, especially those seen on television, are more akin to a magician's or typical "psychic's" act, relying on a barrage of questions and feedback rather than genuine communication with the deceased. He suggests that Van Praagh's primary technique involves asking clients questions and then claiming to receive information from the "departed," often using vague statements that clients can interpret as meaningful. Posner recounts his own observations of Van Praagh on "48 Hours" and "Oprah," noting how the medium's claims often rely on easily spotted "mentalism" techniques. He also criticizes the idea that thoughts simply transfer to a "higher frequency" after death, finding the concept unconvincing. Posner concludes that Van Praagh's act is a performance, comparing it to party games like "Hot and Cold" or "Twenty Questions."

Hypnosis Featured at TBS Meeting by Valerie Grey

This piece recounts a Tampa Bay Skeptics (TBS) meeting featuring a presentation by P. Rhonne Sanderson, Ph.D., a psychologist and hypnotherapist. Grey shares a family anecdote about the powerful and potentially harmful effects of hypnosis. She notes the current media focus on repressed memories allegedly recovered through hypnosis and subsequent lawsuits. Sanderson defined hypnosis as a state of controlled daydreaming, an altered state of consciousness, not unconsciousness, where suggestions are more readily accepted. He emphasized that hypnosis is not mind control and individuals can break out of it at any time. Sanderson also stated that one cannot be formally hypnotized against their will or made to act against their basic values. Grey volunteered for a demonstration, noting that while she didn't feel "hypnotized" in a dramatic sense, she felt a desire to cooperate and a sense of trust. The article also touches upon the claim that hypnosis can be used as a substitute for standard anesthesia, a claim that TBS Executive Director Gary Posner, a physician, expressed skepticism about, citing the exaggerated account of James Reston's appendectomy in China.

Magnetic Power, or Illusion? by Valerie Grey

Valerie Grey describes her experience at a fashion show where a store owner promoted "health magnets" and magnetic shoe inserts. The owner claimed these products could increase strength and energy by stimulating pressure points. Grey recounts a demonstration where an elderly woman, standing on the magnetic soles, was able to resist downward pressure more effectively than without them. Grey herself also experienced a similar effect. However, she questions the validity of the demonstration, noting the subjective nature of the pressure tests and the lack of scientific measurement. She also observes that the store specialized in inexpensive imitations of designer items, suggesting a theme of "illusion." The owner also promoted magnets for back pain and headaches, claiming a Japanese company had 20 years of proven efficacy. Grey humorously notes the owner's own significant weight, questioning her claims about weight loss benefits.

"UFO Roundup" Excerpted from www.ParaScope.com

This section compiles several brief reports of alleged UFO sightings and related events. One report details Jeff Ritzmann spotting a UFO in Florida, capturing a 13-second video of a fast-moving, bright white/silver object that appeared to tilt and flash before fading erratically. Another report mentions Florida authorities closing Highway 192 near Narcoossee due to a V-shaped UFO sighting, which coincided with a collision involving a chemical truck, leading to speculation among UFO enthusiasts about a possible saucer landing. A newspaper reporter in Sebring spotted mysterious lights. Additionally, reports from Lake Okeechobee describe palm harvesters seeing lights in the sky, which the Air Force later identified as flares used for A-10 testing and night vision goggle training.

Snippets

This section presents a collection of short news items related to paranormal claims and skepticism:

• The "Amazing" Kreskin: Kreskin reportedly offered his services to Attorney General Janet Reno to determine the "actual thoughts" of individuals involved in the Clinton White House scandals, a claim met with a dismissive response from the Justice Department.
• Therapeutic Touch (TT): Emily Rosa, a fourth-grader, conducted a science fair project demonstrating that TT practitioners could not feel "human energy fields." The study, co-authored by her mother Linda Rosa, was published in JAMA. The article notes that James Randi offers a $1-million prize for the first successful demonstration of TT.
• Dean Kraft: Tampa Tribune television critic Walt Belcher commented on a CBS-TV test of TT practitioner Dean Kraft, deeming the effort "weak and unsatisfactory."
• Richard Hoagland and Mars: Richard Hoagland, author of "The Monuments of Mars," claimed that a "rogue group" within NASA may have sabotaged the Mars Observer spacecraft to prevent it from photographing alleged alien structures. However, the Mars Global Surveyor has since photographed the area, revealing no such structures, leading Hoagland to claim NASA trickery.
• Faith Healing Deaths: A study in the journal Pediatrics found that 81% of children who die as a result of faith healing would likely survive with conventional medical care. An additional 10% would have had a greater than 50% chance of survival with medical treatment.
• Fortune Tellers in Clearwater: Clearwater City Attorney Pam Akin recommended allowing fortune tellers to operate legally again, despite some commissioners considering them "undesirables."
• Psychic Charged with Fraud: Louis George, a Key West "psychic," was charged with defrauding a woman of $160,000, supposedly to rid her of "bad spirits." He was later seen driving a new Mercedes.

TBS members respond to Don Addis Gift Fund

This brief note thanks TBS members for their donations totaling $162, which were used to purchase a wedding gift for Don Addis and a plaque for his ten years of cartooning for TBS Report.

Renier Chapter Now On Web

Gary Posner's chapter on Noreen Renier from the book "Psychic Sleuths" is now available online via the TBS website.

No winners in TBS Sweepstakes

The article notes that no one won the TBS Sweepstakes, leaving the $1,000 jackpot available for anyone who can demonstrate genuine "psychic" power.

30% Discount on all Prometheus Books

TBS members can receive a 30% discount on books ordered through Prometheus Books.

UFO Abduction Insurance

TBS offers its members $10-million UFO Abduction Insurance through St. Lawrence Agency.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Tampa Bay Skeptics Report consistently adopts a critical and skeptical stance towards paranormal and fringe-science claims. The publication prioritizes evidence-based reasoning, scientific inquiry, and the dissemination of factual information. Recurring themes include the debunking of psychic phenomena, the critique of alternative healing methods, skepticism towards UFO claims, and the promotion of rational thinking. The editorial stance, as embodied by editor Gary P. Posner and chairman Terry A. Smiljanich, is to challenge unsubstantiated claims and encourage critical examination of purported paranormal events and abilities. The organization actively engages in promoting skepticism through its publications, meetings, and a standing monetary challenge for verifiable proof of paranormal powers.