DUA5 SHAD

1994 Schedule of Meeting of INFO (International Fortean Organization) Monthly, informal gatherings of Washington metropolitan area Forteans are scheduled throughout the rest of 1994. As in the past, these meetings are planned to complement the major annual INFO affairs. The meetings are open to anyo

ARLINGTON, VA 2210-0367 ============================================ Society for Scientific Exploration 13th Annual Meeting June 9-11, 1994

WHAT HAVE WE DONE? -Highlights of the past year's programs and projects WHAT'S PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR? -Media Watch, education workshop, and more HOW DO WE COMPARE? -Activities of other groups, skeptical and maybe not HOW ARE WE DOING? -Laugh or swear, just be there... we need your feedback 2 p.m., S

NEW DIRECTORS ELECTED TO THE BOARD... NCAS members recently elected Maggie Ragaisis and Curtis Haymore to two-year terms on the Board of Directors. Maggie Ragaisis (mragaisi@nyx.cs.du.edu) will lead the NCAS electronic bulletin board project. Curtis Haymore (curtish@aol.com) shows off one of his sev

This promises to be one of the best shows in town! Maggie and Chris Ragaisis now have NCAS' own Skeptic Tank Bulletin Board Shadow of a Doubt - 1994 06.txt[21/03/2023 14:17:30] System ready for logins (*). As announced in the current Skeptical

The next time those words come to mind when you read about an extraordinary claim purporting to be scientific, please clip or copy the ad or article and send it to us. Tell us where you found it and add any commentary you wish. The media help form the public's opinions and beliefs, for better or wor

LOOKING CRITICALLY AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BASELINE ESSAYS The Portland African American Baseline Essays evolved from the 1982 desegregation plan for the Portland public schools. The essays purport to document the African contributions to mathematics, science, music, religion and philosophy. They ha

The Chevy Chase Library at 8005 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, will host our regular meetings this season. From the Beltway, take Maryland Exit 33 toward Washington; the library will be one mile from the exit on your left. From the other direction it is 1/4 mile north of the intersection of East-W

September 17 2:00 PM February 18-19 October 15 2:00 PM

Last season's programs included: 2 on current issues 2 on tools for skeptics 2 on extraordinary phenomena and claims 1 on official treatment of extraordinary claims 1 on media treatment of extraordinary claims

a day for your calls at 703-280-1446 (2400 baud, 8N1) in Fairfax. Had you called, you would have seen James Randi's comments within 24 hours after NBC aired its infamous program, "Cured!". Within the next few days you could have joined the discussions and picked up NBC's address. The BBS is in a for

NEW Location this year: Chevy Chase, MD, Library 8005 Connecticut Avenue, next to the firehouse [ 1 mile inside the Beltway at MD exit 33 -- 1/4 mile north of East-West Highway ] 2 PM SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 Free and open to the public

Free and open to the public THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT AND QUANTITATIVE LITERACY: A CHALLENGE FOR THE SCHOOLS DR. LEE R. ABRAMSON In its investigation of the Challenger accident, the Rogers Commission concluded that a faulty data analysis was a key

It's another great movie night at the Denmans'... Grace & Chip Denman invite NCAS members and guests for a pre-Halloween movie night at their home in Silver Spring at 8 pm, Friday, October 14. We're planning to show "Curse of the Demon" (1957) starring Dana Andrews as an ultra-skeptical investigator

Shadow of a Doubt - 1994 10.txt[21/03/2023 14:17:31] NCAS ELECTRONIC BBS (703) 280-1446 (2400 8N1 Press Return at Connect)

Robert L. Park Department of Physics University of Maryland We are fascinated with science precisely because of its power to surprise us. Indeed, when first discovered, superconductivity and radioactivity appeared to violate

OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA SKEPTICS (NCAS) The April program for the National Capital Area Skeptics will be a presentation by Richard Dengrove on "The Rosicrucians: Our Secret Masters?" We have all seen magazine ads for the Rosicrucians. In the '50s, the ads appealed to reason by claiming Benjamin

1 mile INSIDE the Beltway at MD exit 33 ... 1/4 mile north of East-West Highway. Please note a different time for this month only: 2:30 PM on Saturday, April 22, 1995. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, OF COURSE! About our April speaker... Richard Dengrove has been the Librarian for the Food and Consumer

Shadow of a Doubt - 1995 04.txt[21/03/2023 14:17:31] ELECTRONIC BBS (703) 280-1446

Friday, September 29, 8 p. m. Chip and Grace Denman again invite NCAS members and their guests to join them for movies that skeptics can laugh at. They will supply the popcorn and sodas; bring anything else you would like to share. On the agenda will be a showing of FOX's definitive broadcast of the

Have old skeptical literature you no longer need or want? Need some fresh new material? Join the NCAS book swap. Before each meeting bring books or newsletters to trade. Bring a book, take a book. Here is a chance to obtain literature from a variety of sources. This is a new activity that NCAS would

Join other NCAS members for a tour of old Alexandria. $4 adult, $3 ages 7-17 (not recommended for younger children, not because it's scary, but because they'd be bored). The tour offers: Legends, Folktails, Oddities, Trivia, ghoulish and bizarre tales of death. Let's meet for the 7:30pm tour on Octo

We are also available on the CapAccess FREENET community online service. To access NCAS:

NCAS has a large Board of Directors to emphasize that critical thinking can be expressed in many ways. That belief has helped to develop a well-rounded organization that is recognized as a national leader. New ideas help keep it there. NCAS members vote each year for at least eight directors to plan

A special program for Children ages 8-12 and their Parents How can you encourage a child's natural curiosity while fostering a healthy skepticism? How can kids be challenged to think critically about weird science, superstitions and magical beliefs? Chip Denman will conduct a special hands-on progra

The James Randi Educational Foundation has been created as a non-profit, tax-exempt, educational foundation under Section 501The Foundation is generously funded by a sponsor in Washington D.C. who wishes, at this point in time

CSICOP (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) is sponsoring its 20th anniversary meeting at SUNY -- Buffalo in Amherst, NY from 1:45pm Thursday, June 20, 1996 until noon on Sunday, June 23. Some of the featured speakers include: Leon Lederman (Nobel Laureate and Eme

You should shortly be receiving a ballot for a new NCAS Board of Directors. Each year 8 of the 16 members are elected to two year terms. Please return your ballot. Let us also know if you have any special requests for programs that you feel we have not been Last Change: April 15, 1996

This Shadow is the last newsletter of the 1995-96 year. We now take a break for the summer, although the NCAS Board will be busy planning our fall schedule, which begins on September 21. (See schedule below.) Late breaking news is always distributed by email to NCAS members, so if you have an email

Our 1996-97 programs will take place at the Bethesda Branch of the Montgomery County Library, 7400 Arlington Road, a short walk from the Bethesda Metro ststion. Meetings begin at 2 pm and last about one and a half hours. The schedule for the next year September 21, 1996 October 19, 1996 November 16,

CSICOP has been trying to have available, both to its staff and to anyone else who wishes to use it, the finest library of skeptical materials on the paranormal in the world. They have been gathering material for this collection as a part of the Center for Inquiry's library, under the direction of D

Chip Denman, University of Maryland Statistician Ever have a weird coincidence that seemed so unlikely that you were tempted to call it psychic? University of Maryland statistician Chip Denman will discuss the way we perceive and misperceive chance events, and the role of mathematical thinking in th

Grace Denman, President Gary Stone, Vice President Herb Federhen, Treasurer Marv Zelkowitz, Secretary Chip Denman, Spokesman Carol Krol, Skeptical Eye Editor

Please consider lending an hour or so of your time on the weekend of September 27-29 to help your neighborhood public school get wired to the INTERNET. The State of Maryland is sponsoring "Maryland Net Weekend" to organize volunteers willing to help string wire, etc. at schools all across the state

This meeting will be a general work session to help the NCAS officers prepare a large mailing to area skeptics. We will also have a discussion on plans for NCAS and programs you would like in the future. For your entertainment, we will also be showing a video of "Cane Toads," a humorous, whimsical,

The National capital Area Skeptics now has its own name on the Internet and the World Wide Web. You can now reach us at ncas.org. Our world wide web address is now (a lot shorter and easier to remember than our old s_eye@ncas.org. NO DECEMBER MEETING

The December meeting of NCAS has been canceled. Most of you are too busy at that time of year to attend, so we decided to forego this meeting. We will have a meeeting again on January 18, 1997. However, those needing a dose of skepticism in December continue reading below ... NCAS MOVIE NIGHT On Fri

The corpse can be expected to twitch from time to time, but the 17-year controversy over residential electromagnetic fields has been pronounced dead. An expert panel convened by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that "the current body of evidence does not show that exposure to these fields

March, 1997 represents a milestone for NCAS -- our tenth anniversary. Stan Bigman, Sean O'Neill, Phil Klass, Grace Denman, Jamy Swiss and Chip Denman were brought together by CSICOP. Stan and Sean arranged for a mailing to the Skeptical Inquirer subscriber list for the Washington, DC area, and about

NCAS, for its April 19 meeting, will present Col. Richard Weaver, co-author of the Air Force's Roswell report, to discuss his investigation of the purported flying saucer crash at Roswell, New Mexico. He will show how many of the stories now being circulated by UFO enthusiasts regarding this crash (

There will be a 2-hour A&E Special, "Scams, Schemes & Scoundrels" on Easter Sunday, March 30th. James Randi hosts a program on famous hoaxes and swindles. PIGASUS AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT The James Randi Educational Foundation is soliciting nominations for the Annual Pigasus Award. Submit items for

Magician, pseudoscience investigator, and NCAS friend James Randi will be in town on April 19 to accept an award from the American Physics Society for Martin Gardiner, who is unable to travel. Randi will be at the Denman's home in Silver Spring from 7 to 10 pm that evening for light snacks and infor

"UFOs Brought Down to Earth" --- Phil Klass, the world's leading demystifier of UFO claims and one of the original co-founders of NCAS, helps celebrate NCAS's 10th year with an informal question and answer afternoon at NCAS's May 17th meeting. Bring your questions, queries, and crashed saucer debris

On April 1 (appropriately) the James Randi Educational Foundation announced the 1996 Pigasus Awards in four categories for the most outrageous claims related to the supernatural, paranormal or occult: 1. To the scientist who said or did the silliest thing -- Ed May, who headed up the CIA "remote vie

Howard Fishman, Director of Program Outreach Off. of Education, Allegheny Univ. of the Health Sci. The case against satanic social work and pseudoscientific psychology will be made by Howard Fishman. He will address the parallel phenomena of child abuse hysteria and the epidemic of "recovered" memor

The First Annual Meeting of the Rational Feminist Alliance of CSICOP, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO-- Gender and racial politics frequently resort to claims that go unchallenged for political reasons. This amounts to intellectual intimidation, most notably -- and of greatest concern -- in acad

CSICOP Sponsored workshop -- Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, 6555 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ -- Studies the claims of UFO sightings. UFO incidents and photographs are scrutinized within a framework of the philosophy of science, emphasizing that all scientific hypotheses be both fully objective and

The beguiling ideas about science quoted here were gleaned from essays, exams, and classroom discussions. Most were from 5th and 6th graders. They illustrate Mark Twain's contention that the "most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop." The law of gra

Hosted by Grace and Chip Denman As the final get together for the 1996-97 season, Chip and Grace Denman invites NCAS to hold an afternoon cookout at their home in Silver Spring. Meet fellow skeptics for an enjoyable afternoon talking about skeptical, credulous, or other relevant or irrelevant NCAS w

June 21st is our last meeting of this spring. NCAS takes the summer off (Not in being vigilant against the rise of pseudoscience in our culture, but in holding formal meetings!) and we will return in September for our next meeting. 1997--1998 SCHEDULE Our meeting schedule has been organized for the

The following TV shows may be of interest: June 19, 10pm -- Prophets of Doom, A&E cable network. June 30, time ? -- "50 Years of Roswell Special" hosted by Star Trek's Jonathon Frakes, Sci-Fi cable network. KIDS' SCIENCE THEORIES (continued from last issue) The beguiling ideas about science quoted h

Marvin V. Zelkowitz Computer Science Department University of Maryland A recent best-selling book has caught the public's interest with seemingly prophetic coded messages found through computerintensive searches of the Bible. Hidden for 3,000 years are direct references to World War 2, the Kennedy a

The current Board membership of NCAS for the 1997-1998 year is as follows: President: Grace Denman Vice President: Gary Stone Treasurer: Herb Federhen Secretary: Marv Zelkowitz Spokesman: Chip Denman

Our meeting schedule has been organized for the next year. Meetings will take place in one of two Montgomery County Library -- Bethesda Branch, 7400 Arlington Road, a short walk from the Bethesda Metro station. (We try to schedule meetings here, but are not always successful.) -- Davis Branch, 6400

The James Randi Educational Foundation is pleased to announce a workshop for examining paranormal claims entitled: "Solved Mysteries." This will be a Friday through Sunday, October 31 through November 2 workshop at the Wyndham Hotel - Fort Lauderdale Airport. Contact the JREF at 1 (954) 467-1112 for

If you want to receive a copy of the Shadow of a Doubt by US mail as well as other membership benefits, then join NCAS. Please send $20 (for one person) or $30 (for two-member households) to NCAS, 8006 Valley Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Your Last Change: September 30, 1997

On Scientific American Frontiers, (PBS) "Beyond Science?" on Wednesday, November 18, 1997: What's science fact and what's fiction? Who's a crank and who's a scientific visionary? See what scientists think about the stories behind the headlines as they investigate a variety of well-known claims, from

The Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and well-funded by the Congress, has alarmed a number of prominent scientists who are justifiably concerned by the lack of rigor in the projects entered into by the agency. Quack standards, embraced by the polit

The latest list of Skeptical references has been uploaded to a Web site. This list is over 66Kb and comprises Lewis Jones's personal index to Skeptical Inquirer, the UK Skeptic, and a few other skeptical and scientific magazines. If you read Skeptical Inquirer you will find this list very useful. It

CSICOP Fellow and Skeptical Inquirer magazine editor Ken Frazier did a 40 minute recorded interview on his new book, The UFO Invasion, with Ann Devlin for her online Internet audio program "Ann Online." The interview can be heard at the following IG NOBEL

(p> An edited version of this year's Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony (given to honor that research that could not or should not be reproduced) will be broadcast on NPR'sTalk of the Nation/Science Friday with Ira Flatow on Friday, November 28. WANT TO JOIN If you want to receive a copy of the Shadow of a Dou

The January 17th meeting of NCAS will feature Eugene Ossa, who will speak on the development and role of tarot cards throughout history. Plan on attending this interesting discussion. (Arlington Road library location). If you have email and are not already on the NCAS distribution list, send mail to

NCAS is again sponsoring a spring weekend for members. We will meet from Friday evening through Sunday morning March 13 to 15, 1998 at the Holiday Inn at Solomons in southern Maryland for a weekend of skeptical fun, learning, and other activities. The program is now being planned. Costs and prelimin

At the November meeting, an "Academic Guide to the Internet" was mentioned, but at the time its URL was unknown. It is provided by InterNIC with cooperation from the National Science Foundation and others. There is a frames version and a text only version at these addresses:

On December 19, PBS's "Firing Line" will air a two-hour special on the creation/evolution controversy. The program will be a debate at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., before a student audience. CSICOP IN DC? CSICOP is considering a joint skeptic/humanist Center for Inquiry in Washington

NCAS, led by Board member Jim Giglio and Bob Keefer of Mt. St. Mary's College, has undertaken the task of putting the 1400 page out-of-print Condon Report on UFOs, onto our NCAS Web site. Additional help can still be used to help proofread the scanned-in text. Contact NCAS (by email or telephone) if

Dr. David Murray Director of Research Statistical Assessment Service (STATS) and social anthropologist by training Dr. David Murray will present a talk exploring Native American creation stories, their value, their limitations, and the challenge these alternate cultural forms pose to Western empiric

Jamy Ian Swiss, one of NCAS' founding members, will be seen Wednesday, February 11, at 9:00pm on WETA. The Art of Magic is the name of the show. PSYCHIC FRIENDS NEEDED A FEW PSYCHICS Inphomation Communication Inc., which operates the Psychic Friends Network, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protectio

A Workshop to discuss a recent TV show on a new danger lurking around us. On April 6, from 8 until 9pm WDCA/UPN (Channel 20 in Washington) aired: "Danger in Our Skies: The New UFO Threat."

On April 1, CSICOP's Joe Nickell and Matt Nisbet released a list of 10 great hoaxes. The complete CSICOP press release is on the NCAS web site 1. Roswell Incident-- In 1947 a "flying disc" crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. Rancher Mac Brazel described the debris as foiled p

On April 6th, NASA released new pictures recently taken of the so-called "face on Mars." It reveals what most have suspected since the 1976 Viking photos -- a very mundane mesa on the surface of Mars, where the "eyes" and "nose" were just illusions due to sunlight and shadows. Last Change: April 7,

As you relax this summer, think about ways you can help NCAS in the following year. What is skepticism and what is its role in the world today? Is it needed? The following comes from CSICOP and may help you in your thoughts: Skepticism is an ancient philosophical and scientific outlook that traces i

After last spring's elections, the new NCAS Board is as follows:

Our 1996-97 programs will take place at the Bethesda Branch of the Montgomery County Library, 7400 Arlington Road, a short walk from the Bethesda Metro station. Meetings begin at 2 pm and last about one and a half hours:

Is public TV always in the public interest? Try this web address: It is an interesting story on how non-commercial media like PBS have jumped on the New Age and self-help guru bandwagon to make a buck. More junk science Try this web address:

On November 14, the NCAS monthly meeting will feature a representative from the Maryland Judiciary Speakers Bureau on the topic of scientific expert testimony in courts of law. TECHNO-THRILLER: CLANCY FALLS VICTIM TO BAD INTELLIGENCE WARNING: If you are a Tom Clancy fan and haven't yet read "Rainbow

Tuesday, October 6, 1998 from 10-11 pm, EDT - Why do so many Americans consult astrologers, hunt for ghosts, fear extraterrestrials, try to recall past lives, and seek miracle cures? From the silliest superstitions to the strongest of faiths, belief in things for which we have no evidence can have a

NCAS would like to contact other skeptics who may be interested in joining NCAS. Do you belong to any other group that may have members with similar ideals? This could be regional scientific clubs, astronomy groups, or any other such organization. Do they publish a newsletter where we could put a no

Do you have an internet account and are not part of the ncas-share email list? If you would like to be part of this NCAS email discussion group, send a message to ncas@ncas.org. (Traffic is kept fairly light, so this won't flood your mailbox.) Last Change: November 3, 1998

November offers us another Friday, the Thirteenth. At 8 pm on Friday, November 13, Chip and Grace Denman again invite NCAS members and their guests to join them for movies that skeptics can laugh at. They will supply the popcorn and sodas; bring anything else you would like to share. Some suitable f

Well, we missed Halloween by a few days, but Glenn Sparks, professor of communications, teamed up with national celebrity and cultural analyst Dr. Will Miller to find out what people regard as the scariest movies they've ever seen. The topic was part of a larger research project to understand how me

The NCAS web site is now being hosted on a different computer. The slightly modified web address is now The old web address will still work, however. Email to ncas@ncas.org (NCAS officers) or ncas-share@ncas.org (NCAS discussion group) has not changed. OUR SEARCH FOR PLACE AND

20077. As we face the 21st century, we again contemplate the question, "Where are we?" both physically and spiritually in this vast universe. NASA's "Origins" program will invite scientists from many fields to piece together the story of our cosmic beginnings and to answer a question that has preocc

On Tuesday, December 15th, Andrew H. Knoll from the Department of Organisms and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University will speak on the "Early evolution of animals" in the CAPITAL SCIENCE LECTURES, Carnegie Institution, 1530 P Street N.W., Washington, DC 20077. A remarkable proliferation of anima

Last week, USA Today, the most widely circulated newspaper in the world, carried a full page ad for "Vitamin O." Every word of the ad is literally true. "It's so safe, you can drop it in your eyes. It's so natural, it contains the most abundant element on earth...without the proper amount of oxygen

... or at least two or three of you. The NCAS Board has decided to start a publicity and membership activity to help make others in the region aware of NCAS' existence and of our monthly meetings. If you would like to help out, send email to ncas@ncas.org, call the NCAS line at 301-587-3827 or send

Humble software engineer and former high school science teacher Extraordinary claims about so-called repressed memories in a recent psychology academic journal depended upon the accuracy of "recalled" descriptions of a particular World War II aircraft. Jim Giglio, a humble software engineer and form

January brings out all the psychics and others with their predictions for the future. Here are some we've read about. Make sure you save this calendar until December to see how they did or take what you think is appropriate action before some dire event occurs! [Disclaimer: NCAS makes no warranties

As the final get together for the 1998-99 season, Chip and Grace Denman invites NCAS to hold an afternoon cookout in their vast back yard in Silver Spring. Meet fellow skeptics for an enjoyable afternoon talking about skeptical, credulous, or other relevant or Alternative Medicine Symposium, Februar

From Fri to Sun-- July 2, 3 & 4 1999. Virginia MUFON will host the '99 Symposium at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City near Reagan National Airport, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington VA 22202. To register for the conference, mail check or money order payable to: MUFON '99 International UFO Symposi

One result of the recent conference on over-unity was that it led to a close look at the Patent and Trademark Office. The conference was hosted by the Integrity Research Institute, whose president, Tom Valone, is a patent examiner. In this week's Science magazine David Voss reports on his investigat

Come Friday the Thirteenth of August join other skeptics from across the world in the CSICOP-sponsored International Superstition Bash. You and fellow area skeptics can laugh in the face of superstition by holding a barbecue, smashing mirrors, walking under ladders, stepping on cracks, spilling salt

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH VIRGINIA BEACH, VA Virginia Beach Pavilion Theater Richmond Center for Conventions & Exhibitions

The January 8, 2000 meeting of NCAS will feature Bill McDonald who will discuss the State of Maryland K-12 science standards and how they are being implemented in Montgomery County. WRITE TO FOX FAMILY Tuesday, November 16 was the final episode of the first series of Exploring the Unknown, the skept

The November 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association includes a very favorable review of the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine (SRAM). To read the review, go to TIME TO RENEW? Check your mailing label. If the rene

Check your mailing label. If the renewal date has passed, please send $20 (for 1 person) or $30 (for 2-member households) for a one-year renewal to the NCAS

The Smithsonian is planning a weekly lecture series with topics of interest to NCAS members. Registration information can be obtained at: or 202-357-3030. Cost is $72 for Smithsonian Associates, $96 everyone else. The schedule is: January 20, 2000 - "Think Li

"Unexplained Mysteries" on the Learning Channel: Jan. 2, 2000 at 10pm and Jan 8 at 7pm Several consultants, fellows, and staff of CSICOP provide on-camera commentary in an upcoming Learning Channel special on history's top ten paranormal claims. CSICOP Chair Paul Kurtz, Senior Research Fellow Joe Ni

The Save Our Schools (SOS) Campaign is an Internet-based petition drive urging state boards of education to uphold the teaching of evolution, and other sciences threatened by the recent attacks from creationists. The Campus Freethought Alliance (CFA), a network of college student groups across the U

Are you upset about the way WETA Channel 26 has allowed alternative medicine advocate Gary Null seemingly endless hours of self-promotion during pledge drives? Write WETA to express your displeasure: Elizabeth P. Campbell J. Roderick Heller III

After a lapse of several years, NCAS intends to once again judge local science fairs and give awards to those projects that best exhibit good science and skepticism. If you have an interest in this activity and wish to help with a science fair in northern Virginia on Saturday, March 18, leave your n

You might be interested to know that the AZ legislature is contemplating forcing teaching of creationism in high school biology classes. Here's an article on the topic taken from The Tucson Weekly: IF YOU ARE IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA ... Investigatin

Investigating Modern Pseudo-Science, The 2000 Old Dominion University College of Sciences, Distinguished Visitor Lecture Series (Now through April Public Lectures 8:00 PM Thursdays Science Colloquia 3:00 PM Fridays

According to the New York Times this morning [January 28], New York City's Human Resources Administration has been recruiting and training welfare recipients to work as telephone psychics. The minimum starting salary is $10 per hour plus bonuses, and you can work at home. [From Bob Park's "What's Ne

Videotapes from space shuttle missions have persuaded some to claim that NASA astronauts have encountered alien visitors. On the space shuttle mission STS-48 in September 1991, a TV onboard Discovery spotted moving white dots suddenly changing direction when a flash of light appeared. Although nearb

It began when the anonymous owner of an aging border collie named Missy gave A&M $2.3M to clone her. A&M hasn't come up with Missy II yet, but why turn away hoards of other deep-pocket owners wanting pets copied? So the A&M researchers have formed (groan) Genetic Savings and Clone. [From Bob Park's

"Intelligent design" is the current term for "creationism" as an attempt to make it less religious and more scientific sounding. All we have so far is the date (June 22-24, 2000) and the location (Concordia University, Wisconsin). We'll try and get more information by the time of the next "Shadow".

Paul Sledzik, Ph.D. Curator, National Museum of Health and Medicine This talk will be an examination of the European and American vampire folkores, focusing on how these folkores were formed from the misinterpretation of biological phenomena. Paul Sledzik is a forensic anthropologist and curator at

Everyone welcome - members and non-members Call the NCAS Skeptic Line at 301-587-3827 for further info. NCAS ELECTIONS Its time once again for the annual NCAS Board elections. Each year 8 (of 16) Board members are elected for a two year term. Any paid-up member may run. If interested send email to n

For the past 32 year, Fred Jeffers (of Iomega Corp.) has collected, elaborated upon, and developed a seemingly impossible things. Many of the effects demonstrated are at first completely inexplicable, even to experts. He has been awarded more than 50 U.S. patents and is an IEEE Fellow. Friday, April

Cosponsored with the British Embassy, Mon., April 10, 6 p.m. In a special visit to the Smithsonian, Richard Dawkins, one of the most influential scientists of our time, assesses the most compelling topics in the field today. He deftly combines astronomy, genetics, virtual reality, and other discipli

The University of Maryland Physics Department presents a series of free public lecture-demonstrations affectionately known as PHYSICS IS PHUN. Different programs are presented four times yearly, typically in early November, mid-January, mid-March, and early May, on dates governed by the University c

The Skeptics Society normally holds its annual conference in May or June every year, but this year they are having it on Saturday, October 7, 2000 [at Caltech in Pasadena, CA], in a special Festschrift to honor Stephen Jay Gould who will be retiring after 300 consecutive essays in Natural History ma

A requirement by Oklahoma's textbook committee that state science textbooks include a disclaimer against evolution has been thrown out, a spokesman for the state's attorney general said on [February 3, 2000]. Attorney General Drew Edmondson ruled that the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee had overst

Professor of Physics University of Maryland, College Park A best-selling health guru insists that his brand of spiritual healing is firmly grounded in quantum theory; half the population believes Earth is being visited by space aliens who have mastered faster-than-light travel; and educated people a

The May NCAS talk is by Bob Park. For more on the topic, see the May 15 Forbes magazine, which contains an article adapted from Dr. Robert L. Park's new book Voodoo Science. It is also on the web: MATH AND THE NEWS Old-time NCAS members have heard ou

Old-time NCAS members have heard our own Chip Denman speak on the use and misuse of statistics in critical thinking. If such topics interest you, there are two web sites you should visit: -- John Paulos, who wrote the excellent book Innumeracy, has a monthly web column:

If you attended the NCAS Weekend two years ago, NCAS member Stephanie Hall conducted a survey on the beliefs of those present. This started her on a quest to study this further. A preliminary version of her research is in IMPROMPTU JOURNAL ISSUE 4: MARCH, 2000, and can be found at the web site: http

Professional skeptic and friend of NCAS, James Randi, now has his own weekly radio show at 7pm on Saturdays. In South Florida it is on WINZ/Supertalk 940 (AM), and it can be heard on the Internet as well at (Except for the following dates: May 20th, July 1st, and Septemb

An NCAS member will soon be moving to Florida and will be freeing up Virginia license plate titled "SKEPTIC." If any local members should want to pick this up (they'd just have to pay the swap fees) please have them e-mail to dandy@mail.nova.org. This is an open offer through (roughly) sometime in O

By Jeff Bagato, Washington Post WEEKEND supplement, Sep 1, 2000, Page N31: From the curious to the cultured, the offbeat to the obscure, Washington's blessed with magical journeys and visions. Here are 25 such spots. The following items in that article may be of particular interest to local skeptics

"Inherit the wind," a play from the 1950s that documents (mostly correctly) the 1925 Scopes trial on the teaching of evolution, will be at Fords Theater from September 26 through November 6. If there is enough interest, perhaps NCAS can organize a members' outing to the play. Call the NCAS Skeptics

For those who missed Penn and Teller when they were here in Washington last year (and for those who didn't miss them), they will return to the Warner Theater in DC from December 26 to 31. Tickets can be bought by calling 800-669-STAGE. FESTSCHRIFT 2000 This Saturday, October 7, the Skeptics Society

A report evaluating the teaching of evolution in public schools gave six states scores of 100 for their science education California, Connecticut, Indiana, New Jersey, North Carolina and Rhode Island all received scores of 100 and grades of A.States that scored in the 90s and received A's were South

On November 11, Howard Fishman, former director of continuing medical education at Massachusetts Mental Health Center and the Menninger Clinic, will speak on "Junk Science and the Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) Epidemic." See the NCAS web site or next month's Shadow for more information. TIME T

WITCH TRIALS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE GOOD-OLD-USA A 15-year-old Tulsa high school student allegedly accused of being a witch and casting a spell on a teacher filed a federal lawsuit in October against public school officials who suspended her last year. Brandi Blackbear, 15, was accused by school offi

Most of you have heard by now, skeptic, humanist, free thinker, song writer, comedian, author, scholar, gentleman, and a Renaissance man for our time, Steve Allen, 78, died in his sleep on October 30. He played to a sold-out house Sunday night, rocking the audience with humor, music, and creative th

With Halloween just over, you may be interested in the following ghost tours that are in the NCAS vicinity (although, with the disturbing story from Oklahoma above, we hasten to add - this is only entertainment folks) [From Washington Post]: • Capital Hauntings, McPherson Sq. Metro Station, Fri & Sa

"SCIENCE WRITING AT ITS BEST" Michael Shermer, publisher Skeptic Magazine Joel Achenbach puts the ET debate into the context of the space program, discoveries in astronomy, and the hunger for meaning and spiritual nourishment in an era when science often doesn't provide the answers that

MR. ACHENBACH WILL SIGN HIS BOOK, WHICH MAY BE PURCHASED AT Saturday, December 16, 2000, 2 pm - 3:30 pm

CITIZENSHIP Professor Steve Frantzich, Department of Political Science, U.S. Naval Academy discusses and signs his book CITIZEN DEMOCRACY: Political Participants in a

Political Participants in a Cynical Age. "Citizen Democracy shows ordinary people engaged in extraordinary civic activity. Their causes run the gamut from civil rights to flag burning, from the Internet to the international fronts of landmines and the UN, but their

YOUNG SKEPTICS As many of you may already know, CSICOP recently unveiled "The Young Skeptics Program". It has begun as a webbased project gathering useful, thought-provoking and fun-filled content for students, parents and educators. You can find the project on the web at:

While not specifically skeptically-oriented, this is a categorization of dodges often used by the credulous (what IS the opposite of skeptic?) to avoid having to defend their ideas on their "merits": SKEPTICAL MEDICINE The following are several medical an

The Statistical Assessment Service ( has given awards to the worst science of the previous century: Grand Prize Winner: The Evil of Scientific Racism- Probably the most pernicious piece of pseudoscience in history was taken to a new level when Houston Chamberlain published his theories

Master of deception Jamy Ian Swiss is one of the original co-founders of NCAS. Now based in New York, he brings a sophisticated show of magic, honest lying, to audiences around the world. His special "Cracking the Cons" was recently seen on Discovery Channel.

FROM OCTOBER National Capital Area Skeptics Public Lecture Series FREE admission - Everyone welcome - members and non-members For more information call the 24-hour NCAS Skeptic Line recording at (301) 587-3827 e-mail: ncas@ncas.org

On September 7-9 the 10th European skeptical congress will be held in the city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. All skeptics are invited to attend. There will be an interesting scientific program, and in addition, one or two excursions will be organized through this ancient city, in the

Sunday, April 22nd, 2001 (12:30 - 4:30pm) at the Center for Inquiry-International; 1310 Sweet Home Road; (off of Maple, opposite the University of Buffalo's Amherst Campus); Amherst, New York 14226; Buffet $10.95 per person.The topic for the meeting is "Skeptic's Odyssey: 25 Years and Counting" with

This year there are two Friday the 13ths, but to make this a regular annual event CSICOP will choose only one date per year to act as the National Superstition Bash Day. This year's event will take place on July 13th and will include a major press campaign to all national media outlets. CSICOP hopes

FOX Family's EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN returns: (hosted by Michael Shermer and X-Files star Mitch Pileggi) starting Thursday, April 5 at 10pm, following Major League Baseball, which will hopefully provide a good lead-in audience for the show. More details as we get closer, but if the ratings are good th

For more information, call the 24-hour NCAS Skeptics Line recording at (301) 587-3827, send email to ncas@ncas.org or visit Members and nonmembers alike are welcome. NCAS is a 501NCAS...for

Isaac Asimov Memorial Lecture sponsored by New York Area Skeptics, Saturday, May 12, 3:00pm Unitarian Community Church, 40 East 35th St. (between Park and Madison) Manhattan, New York. Contact: Ted Debiak, debiak@li.net or info@nyask.com or INTELLIGENT DESIGN: THE NEW CREATIONISM: New

Society,Sunday, May 13, 3:00pm, Yale University Contact: Jon Blumenfeld, jon@jblumenfeld.com or ctskeptic@compuserve.com The new "Skeptical Inquirer" series will debut on the Discovery Science Channel ( in mid-April. This series, produced in cooperation with Skeptical I

WANT FREE ENERGY FOR YOUR HOME? Dennis Lee has been lecturing around the country promoting his free energy device. He is scheduled to be in this area for a free lecture on November 12th at University of Maryland, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Tawes Theatre, College Park MD 20742. For a skept

Is your hard drive a bit sluggish? Need a mhz boost? Visit the Institute of Holistic Computer Wellness at for a dose of computer homeopathy and other new-age treatments for your LEARNING WITH THE STARS Inside the country's first college of astrology. B Y M A

Inside the country's first college of astrology. B Y M A R K D . F E F E R [From the Seattle Weekly.] This week, in a central Seattle classroom, several dozen students and teachers are reviving an academic subject that's been scorned, vilified, and banned from universities for the past four hundred

at 1987 renewal rates. Check your mailing label. If the renewal date has passed, please send $20 (for 1 person) or $30 (for 2-member households) for a one-year renewal to the NCAS address at the top of this page, or you will be dropped as a member. NCAS has never raised it membership fees since it b

MEDIUM CROSSES THE LINE For several days recently, Studios USA's 'Crossing Over with John Edward' on the Sci-Fi channel was planning a special where John Edward would communicate with those killed by the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. There was such a negative response from the press

Longtime NCAS investigator spent 2 weeks in Scotland in August searching for Nessie. Here he is looking for the monster at Loch Ness (left) and his find (right).

PENN AND TELLER ARE BACK Penn and Teller are back in Baltimore at the Lyric Opera House from January 29 through February 3. For those who have still not seen them, says Baltimore's CitySearch "Don't expect rabbits popping out of hats. Think critters tossed into shredders or smashed by anvils, the ju

March is the month for local school districts to hold science fairs. If you have any experience judging science projects and would like to be a judge evaluating projects for appropriate critical thinking, contact NCAS (either email or phone). Science fair judges are expected to spend a Saturday morn

NCAS is starting to develop a speakers bureau. If you are a member of an organization that would like a speaker to talk on topics of interest to NCAS, or if you are an NCAS member who has the expertise to talk on such topics, let us know. We are developing a set of guidelines to create such a list o

In case you missed the January 6 Washington Post: "Over at the Cassadaga Spiritualist Psychic Therapy Center, five mediums are on duty, and walk-ins are welcome. Down the street and around the corner, the Rev. Margaret Ann Schmidt -- who describes herself as a spiritualist medium, counselor, healer

The following is preliminary information. You might find this worthwhile if you can be in LA in June. The Fourth International Skeptics Convention, sponsored by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) is to be held at the Hilton, Burbank Airport and Conven

BEYOND THE BASICS April 6-7, 2002 Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Special Guest James Randi

HIGH-TECH GIZMOS based on IDEOMOTOR ACTION and marketed to law enforcement? NCAS presents a workshop where you can delve into the advanced issues and most up-to-date twists on topics that just won't seem to go away. Speakers include Chip Denman, Jim Giglio, Paul Jaffe, Marv Zelkowitz, author of Vood

Because of the need for advance planning, this Month's Shadow advertises the April workshop in Harper's Ferry. However, there WILL BE a regular monthly meeting on March 30 at 2pm in the Silver Spring Library. Mr. Banash previously spoke to us on pseudoscience and the US patent process. Full details

The first annual Pennsylvania Paranormal Conference will be held April 13, 2002. It is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and will feature lectures on UFO's and Bigfoot sightings in Pennsylvania as well as ghosts. Registration is $85.00 per person plus tax and includes admission to the conference

You will find no hollow "psychic" babble but an honest, scientific approach to validate paranormal happenings. Too many novices ignore sound scientific protocols and tools that can measure and record physical changes that can validate or contradict their psychic feelings. Join Dave and Sharon in the

FTC shuts down Miss Cleo's psychic hotline for fraud. Go to to get the latest scoop on the legal plights of Access Resource Services, Inc., the company responsible for the Miss Cleo enterprise and accused of b

and try to bring a friend. Good crowds at our current events make it easier to attract intersting speakers in the future. Locations will be announced shortly. National Capital Area Skeptics Public Lecture Series

Michael Shermer at St. Mary's College Critical Eye Dr. Michael Shermer will be giving a talk at St.

Advance Notice: NCAS and the University of Maryland Honors Program present The NCAS Annual Workshop Saturday, March 1, 9am-5pm (with optional dinner following) CSI Building, University of Maryland campus, College Park, Maryland (within walking

THEORY, PRACTICE AND SHOWBIZ OF TALKING TO THE DEAD RAY HYMAN, PH.D. PROFESSOR EMERITUS, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

9:00AM - 5:00PM, SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2003 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK TV mediums and best-selling authors claim to talk to the spirits of the dead. How do they do it? Is it some special power?

A new monthly web column by Matthew Nisbet is exclusively at the CSICOP website For example, recently: The Skeptical Environmentalist: A Case Study in the Manufacture of News: How did a book authored by an obscure Danish academic with little or no expertise in environmental science b

By Michael Shermer (General Editor), Pat Linse (Contributing $99.00. This is now available at ONE NATION WITHOUT GOD? Secularism, Society, and Justice Conference sponsored by the Council on Secular Humanism

(Roan Mt.) Elizabethton, Tennessee The next public awareness gathering of the United States UFO Information and Research Center will be held on the last weekend of June from Friday evening, June 27th through Sunday Afternoon, June 29th. Sponsored by the US UFO Information and Research Center. Advanc

July 3-July 17, 2003 Travel with William McComas, Skeptic's Society member, veteran tour leader and evolution educator for an in-depth custom expedition to "Darwin's Islands. "Discuss evolution and natural history in lively evening sessions and enjoy the markets of the highlands of

State Rep. Daniel R. Foley (R), whose district includes Roswell, introduced a bill in the New Mexico Legislature to designate an annual Extraterrestrial Culture Day to recognize contributions of space aliens to the culture and economy of Roswell. (From "What's New" - March 21)

Skeptic Magazine Senior Editor Frank Miele has recently authored two books: Intelligence, Race, Genetics: Conversations with Arthur R. Jensen (Boulder, CO: Westview Press) and The Battlegrounds of Bio-Science: Cross-Examining the Experts on Evolutionary Psychology, Race, Intelligence, and Genetics,

DOCUMENTARY Michael Shermer recently participated as a "talking head" for a PBS documentary series on science and religion, based on a Harvard course taught by Armand Nicholi on Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. The producer e-mailed him, "wondering whether you

The Blount County (Tennessee) Board of Education in early April denied the adoption of three new biology textbooks because they teach evolution but do not cover creationism. The vote to deny the texts passed by a 2-1 margin Thursday night. Four board members did not vote. The three textbooks in ques

As a result of the spring election, the NCAS board consists of: Eugene Ossa Jonathan Boswell Walter Rowe Chip Denman

Time is running out on CSICOP's conference on Hoaxes, Myths and Manias in Albuquerque - October 2326, 2003. Three days of excellent talks are planned, including Ray Hyman, Joe Nickell, Eugenie Scott, others. An optional trip to Roswell is available.

- An ancient icon depicting Christ has been removed from display at the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg after claims that its "energy field" is killing staff. The icon has led to the deaths of

Mythbusters a new show on the Discovery channel investigates urban legends. Episodes are at 9pm and repeated several times. Each episode includes several segments. Some future episodes include: - Wallets erasing magnetic credit card

CFI Announces Two New Magazines CFI has added two magazines to its roster: The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, edited by Dr. Wallace Sampson; and The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, edited by Professor Scott Lilienfeld. Both are published by the newly integrated "Council

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Three, count 'em, three, special NCAS events coming up: Friday the 13th get together in February (that's right, this Friday!) "Art Becomes Reality" workshop in March

TLC'S site has both credulous and skeptical (but skewed towards the credulous) material. Lots of fun and educational stuff. My favorite: a quiz in the form of a game called "Spot the UFO." The description of nine photos of UFOs reads: "Can you pick the two unidentified flying objects

WEBSITE. Call 202-252-0012 for information URL: son Building on Capitol Hill on weekdays. Here is their description for Bluebeard: Friday, October 29 (7:00 p.m.)

The Monthly Calendar of the National Capital Area Skeptics Randi's "The Amazing Meeting" (TAM) More Amazing than Ever Randi is holding the third annual TAM Jan 13-16,

Death by Fire! Neil Inglis Michel de Villeneuve (aka Michael Servetus) is an unjustly overlooked figure from the history of the Reformation. As a physician, he was known for his pioneering work in medical research, yet

The Monthly Calendar of the National Capital Area Skeptics Smithsonian Resident Associate Program: A Special Tribute to Stephen Hawking Monday, February 14, 6:30 p.m.

The ULTIMATE FAKE Jamy Ian Swiss Sleight of Mind An evening of laughs, gasps, and inexplicable mystery!

One of the last practitioners of a quintessentially American art form-the sideshow-Todd Robbins