Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 25 no 1 - INCOMPLETE

Magazine Overview

Title: TBS Report Online
Issue: Vol. 25 - No. 1
Date: Summer 2012
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics and Center For Inquiry

This issue of TBS Report Online focuses heavily on the protracted legal battles between paranormalist Noreen Renier and skeptic John Merrell, detailing multiple court rulings and appeals. It also includes several shorter "Snippets" covering various fringe topics and alleged paranormal phenomena.

Noreen Renier Loses Two Appeals Plans Another Lawsuit Against Skeptic

This lead article by Gary P. Posner details the ongoing legal conflict between Noreen Renier and John Merrell, a dispute that has spanned over a quarter-century and involved numerous legal filings. The article highlights a federal bankruptcy judge's remark that their conflict "makes Charles Dickens' Bleak House read like a novella."

Renier had filed an appeal after a federal bankruptcy judge, William E. Anderson, vacated his earlier order from 2010. Renier had hoped this order would result in a $30,000 penalty against Merrell for his continued Internet postings about her. However, Judge Anderson realized that elements of the dispute were beyond his court's jurisdiction.

Subsequently, United States District Judge Norman K. Moon, in a July 22, 2011 ruling, concurred that the bankruptcy court lacked jurisdiction. Renier then appealed this decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The appeals court, after hearing oral arguments on March 21, 2012, issued a one-page ruling on April 28, affirming Judge Moon's "well-reasoned opinion."

The article includes excerpts from the oral arguments at the appeals court, where Renier's attorney argued that Merrell's public statements on the internet, asserting that Renier still owed him $40,000 after her bankruptcy discharge, constituted an attempt to collect a discharged debt. The judges questioned this interpretation, noting that equating public statements with an "attempt to collect" could lead to an overly authoritarian interpretation of the bankruptcy statute and infringe on free speech.

Another allegation by Renier's attorney involved the "improper dominion taken of the copyrights," specifically the phrase of the title for Renier's book, "A Mind for Murder," which Merrell allegedly used as part of a domain name for an anti-Renier website. Renier's attorney argued this was a violation of federal copyright law. Merrell's attorney countered that this issue was also beyond the bankruptcy court's jurisdiction.

Merrell explained that the domain name in question had never been registered by Renier but was used by another author with a book of the same title, copyrighted earlier. This author had allowed the domain to expire, and Merrell registered it. He argued that registering an unused domain is not copyright misappropriation.

A third grievance concerned Renier's counsel's argument that Merrell strategically prevailed upon associates to dispute a Notice of Abandonment for the copyright of "A Mind for Murder" during the bankruptcy proceedings. This led to an auction where only Merrell and his associates, and Renier, bid. The article's author, Gary P. Posner, had written a letter to Judge Anderson offering to purchase the rights for $5,000. At the courtroom auction, after bidding reached $7,500 (Merrell's final offer), Renier increased it, and another bidder offered $8,500. Renier then bid $9,000, and the author believes she and her associate became confused, leading Renier to win the bid at $9,000, paying $1,000 more than necessary.

As Renier's largest creditor, Merrell received about $5,500 from her bankruptcy liquidation. Without the auction, his share would have been only $2,000. Renier's attorney has indicated plans for another lawsuit in state court.

Snippets

Busted "Psychic" Family Broke and Begging

This section refers to a previous "Snippet" from the Fall 2011 issue about a Fort Lauderdale family of psychics charged by the Feds with defrauding clients of $40 million. Ringleader Rose Marks has set up a "Defense Fund," claiming the government has taken everything from them. The family also allegedly targeted celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump via Twitter, leading to their account suspension for spamming.

Bugarach and the Mayan Calendar

Anticipating the end of the world on December 21, 2012, according to the Mayan calendar, over 100,000 people are expected to gather in the French village of Bugarach. They believe the town's geological landmark, Pic de Bugarach, houses a spaceship with alien crew that will transport them to a new cosmological promised land. Some American travel agents are offering reduced fares to the location.

Yeti DNA Testing

A cartooned "Snippet" from the previous issue about a mummified finger alleged to be from a Yeti is revisited. DNA testing at Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo proved the finger to be human. Scientists from Oxford University and Switzerland's Lausanne Museum of Zoology are now appealing for Bigfoot/Yeti hair samples for DNA testing to determine if these creatures exist.

Psychic Surgeons

Florida's James "The Amazing" Randi is mentioned for exposing "psychic surgeons" from the Philippines on The Tonight Show. These practitioners allegedly use animal tissue and sleight-of-hand to create the illusion of extracting tumors. The article notes that similar practices occur in Brazil with "John of God," who performs miracles but does not demand payment, relying on "donations."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination of paranormal claims and the legal and ethical ramifications associated with them. The Tampa Bay Skeptics, through the "TBS Report Online," clearly adopts a skeptical stance, highlighting the legal defeats of Noreen Renier, the exposure of fraudulent psychic practices, and the scientific debunking of alleged paranormal evidence like the Yeti finger. The editorial stance is one of promoting critical thinking, skepticism, and adherence to legal and scientific standards, as evidenced by the detailed reporting on legal proceedings and the debunking of pseudoscientific claims.