Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 17 no 2 - INCOMPLETE

Magazine Overview

Title: TBS Report Online
Issue: Vol. 17 - No. 2
Date: Fall 2004
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics and Center For Inquiry Tampa Bay

This issue of the TBS Report Online features a critical examination of pseudoscience and scientific issues, with a focus on a Feng Shui course at the University of South Florida, the challenges facing the Hubble Space Telescope, and various alternative medicine practices.

Feng Shui at USF by Jack Robinson

Jack Robinson, a retired USF science professor, expresses his disappointment and concern over the University of South Florida's 'Learning in Retirement' program offering a course in Feng Shui. He views Feng Shui as a threat to the university's reputation, comparing it to astrology and other pseudoscientific practices. Robinson enrolled in the course to act as a devil's advocate and encourage critical thinking among students.

He describes Feng Shui as a practice that claims to balance life flow through environmental placement, using concepts like 'chi' and 'energy flow.' Robinson notes that while the instructor was pleasant and provided clear explanations and handouts, guest speakers authentically represented their craft, and many students showed great interest, he aimed to foster skepticism.

During the course, Robinson showed a segment from 'Penn & Teller's Bullshit!' which highlighted inconsistencies among three Feng Shui masters hired to arrange furniture in a home. Despite agreeing Feng Shui was a science, two masters disagreed on bed placement, and one suggested red furniture would cause health problems, contradicting the others.

The instructor defended the masters by comparing Feng Shui to medicine, where different doctors can give different diagnoses. However, Robinson points out that medical diagnoses are generally consistent. He also notes that the instructor and guest speakers were more concerned with homeowner tastes than the 'masters' in the video.

Robinson recounts a claim from a handout that 'experiments have shown that red light can kill the HIV virus in blood.' He investigated this and found the experiment involved photochemical riboflavin excited by violet light, not red light, and was not a direct effect of red light alone. He was unable to present this information during the class.

In his final class meeting, Robinson argued that Feng Shui's flexibility allows practitioners to please clients, but this doesn't validate the theory. He illustrates this with an example of Mitchell Stern, chief executive of a satellite-TV company, moving to an office chosen by Feng Shui consultants hired by Rupert Murdoch, who believed it was a 'lucky charm.' Robinson concludes his message with a warning: 'Be informed and beware.' He notes that only five out of eighteen students were interested in reading the related Los Angeles Times article, and hopes that others dropped the course because they perceived it as pseudoscience.

Double Trouble For Hubble by Terry A. Smiljanich

Terry A. Smiljanich discusses the critical state of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), once a marvel of astronomical observation. Launched in 1990, the HST has provided unprecedented views of the universe, contributing to discoveries about galaxy formation, black holes, and cosmic expansion.

However, the HST is in serious trouble. Following the Columbia disaster, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe announced that even when shuttle operations resume, the HST will not be included in the itinerary for repair missions due to the perceived risk. Future shuttle missions will prioritize orbits compatible with the International Space Station as a rescue haven.

This decision has led to an outcry from the scientific community and Congress. A panel of experts recommended a repair mission, and NASA is considering a robotic repair, though the technology is untested and unlikely to be ready in time. A petition signed by 26 former NASA astronauts calls the robotic option 'pie in the sky' and urges a manned mission. NASA cites budget cutbacks, new priorities (like a Mars mission), and stringent safety parameters as reasons for its stance.

Adding to the problems, a critical component, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectroscope (STIS), which is essential for analyzing the chemical and physical properties of celestial objects, has stopped working. The STIS, installed in 1997, was expected to last only five years and was scheduled for replacement. Without it, the HST can only take basic snapshots.

Smiljanich laments that this story is unlikely to receive significant media attention, which is focused on other issues like gay marriage and celebrity trials. The HST, the 'greatest telescope in history,' is passing overhead 'unsung and unnoticed.' The article notes that the James Webb Space Telescope is not expected to be operational until 2011 or later.

Snippets

This section contains several brief items:

• Stephen Hawking on Black Holes: Contrary to his previous theories, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is now theorizing that black holes 'open up and release information about what fell inside,' allowing for the prediction of the future. He presented these findings in July at the 17th International Conference on General Relativity.

• Healing Touch: The article describes 'Healing Touch' (also known as 'Therapeutic Touch' and 'Quantum Touch'), an alternative therapy where practitioners use hand movements to manipulate energy fields. Kimberly Garcia, a nurse, reportedly used this technique to reduce a patient's pain from a '10 to a 2.' The practice is endorsed by Tampa neurologist Rob Wilson, who claims it relieved his migraine. However, the article also notes skeptical commentary from Dr. Stephen Barrett and Dr. Robert Baratz.

• Feng Shui and Energy Fields: The article connects the manipulation of energy fields in Healing Touch to Feng Shui, mentioning the Florida School of Feng Shui in Dunedin, founded by Carol Cannon. Cannon's specialty is backyard Feng Shui, using plants and accessories to balance a lot's energy. She reportedly resolved domestic issues for Diane and Larry Gallin by installing a fountain.

• Dr. Carol Roberts and Chelation Therapy: Dr. Carol Roberts, who teaches at USF's School of Public Health, is excited about a new NIH study on chelation therapy for preventing heart attacks and strokes. Despite a lack of scientific evidence for its efficacy in cardiovascular disease, Roberts has been using it for years, stating, 'We are going to sink or swim by the results of this study.'

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Tampa Bay Skeptics Report Online consistently adopts a skeptical stance towards claims lacking scientific evidence. The issue highlights the dangers of pseudoscience, particularly in fields like Feng Shui and certain alternative medicine practices, by contrasting them with scientific methodology and critical inquiry. The publication also champions the importance of scientific funding and research, as evidenced by the concern over the Hubble Space Telescope's future and the discussion of scientific studies on chelation therapy. The editorial stance clearly favors evidence-based reasoning and critical evaluation of information presented to the public.