From: The Skeptic Digest ...@skeptic.org.uk>
Subject: Skeptical Digest 21.1 (Spring 2008)
Date: May 3rd 2008

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>>>Skeptical Digest 21.1 (Spring 2008)

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>>>CONTENTS>>>
>>>Skeptical Stats>>>Dubious News>>>In this issue>>>Administrivia>>>Skeptics in the Pub>>>

>>>SKEPTICAL STATS>>> 1. Number of people who became ill, suffering from headaches, nausea and respiratory problems after inhaling fumes from a 65 ft wide crater made in Peruvian soil by a meteorite: over 200

2. Size of the family home currently being constructed for Arnold Chase, an American businessman, whose property is set to contain a 103-seat cinema: 50,853 square feet, approximately equivalent to 2.2 Wembley football pitches

3. Number of couples who simultaneously participated in a ten-second kiss on September 1st 2007, in an attempt to establish a new Guinness World Record: 6,980

4. Average length of a giraffe's tongue: 19 inches

5. Fastest recorded running speed of a giraffe: 34.7 mph

6. Lowest rate of success in correctly identifying the presence of cancer using mammograms, as found by a longitudinal study of 72 US health facilities: 27%

7. Date upon which the BBC declared in their radio bulletin "There is no news", promptly deciding to play piano music instead: April 18th 1930, Good Friday

8. Number of complaints received by police during a 20-mile naked walk in Dorset, raising money for the Marine Conservation Society: 18

9. Charge for attendance at a two-hour 'psychic training workshop' run by the Psychic Sisters Consultation Service in Selfridges, Oxford Street: £30 per person

10. Maximum number of people permitted to attend each training session: 8

11. Length of the adult education course entitled "An In-Depth Study of Psychical Research" run by Prof Archie Roy at Glasgow University, advertised with the tagline "Paranormal phenomena do occur": 20 weeks

12. Cost for the course, in which Roy addresses topics such as hauntings, apparitions, mediumship, and reincarnation: £120

13. Number of toilets contained within the new Wembley Stadium: 2,618

14. Combined size of the two giant screens in the new Wembley Stadium: equivalent to 1200 television sets

15. Length of the average blink: 0.3 seconds

16. Cost to provide a cow to a Malawian dairy farmer through Oxfam: £250 per month

17. Total amount of water used in the production of I kg of beef: between 13,000 and 100,000 litres, depending on production techniques

18. Total amount of water used in the production of lkg of wheat: between 1,000 and 2,000 litres, depending on production techniques

19. Mass of grain fed to a cow in order to produce lkg of beef: 7kg

20. Number of bottles of probiotic drinks sold annually in the UK: 830 million

21. Proportion of probiotic drinks which do not contain sufficiently 'robust' bacteria to even survive the digestive process, according to the Food Standards Agency: one half

22. Percentage of medical practitioners registered in the Chicago district who, in a survey by peers, admitted to having placebo treatments: 45

23. Most money ever spent on the internet in one minute, the "Mega Minute", as recorded by Retail Decisions, an internet monitoring company: £767,500

24. Longest episode of hiccups, recorded in Charles Osborn from Iowa: 68 years

25. Half-life of human taste buds: 10 - 14 days

>>>DUBIOUS NEWS>>>

>>>There seems to be an ever-increasing list of things which have been identified as detrimental to the health of the human body: saturated fat, drinking alcohol, not drinking alcohol, not sleeping enough, sleeping too much, masturbation, Cliff Richard and smoking, to name but a few. Interestingly though, Korean nationals can add another item to that list, specifically the humble fan. Writing in 2004 for the popular conservative Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo, writer Grant Surridge noted that there were generally in Korean newspapers "each summer from 1990 to 2004, about 10 stories related to someone dying in the presence of an electric fan". Although I would perhaps expect greater mortality rates among enthusiastic listeners of Richard's Mistletoe and Wine (I am assured there are such people) than among responsible users of electric fans, Korean society has seemingly genuinely assimilated the legend that, in some cases, fans can cause death. It is alleged that specific conditions are necessary for fans to cause these deaths. Doors and windows must be sealed creating a closed, and possibly airtight, room. The demise of the victim is supposedly caused either through hypothermic effects, asphyxiation due to the creation of an airless vortex (sometimes surrounding the victim's face), asphyxiation due to ever-depleting levels of oxygen (and/or increasing levels of carbon dioxide), or some bizarre combination of all of those. Belief in the phenomenon is not confined to specific circles either. Fan death has been 'endorsed' by some high-profile and well educated figureheads, while reports in the news and media are certainly not a rarity. So, why has fan death become such an entrenched belief? As Seo Min, a professor at Dankook University Medical School, wrote in a column on the topic, "It's not like Korea's air is any less oxygen rich". His personal theory is that in a country which already holds a belief in killer fans, making such conclusions is perhaps easier than examining the evidence for other causes of death. I also wonder though if fan death could be used as an explanation of certain types of suicide, in order to spare the emotions or social stigma for family members and to avoid wider disclosure of a clearly sensitive issue?

>>>Astrology offers many things, but never has the course of true love been more directed by the stars than in the case of P. Selvakumar, a 33-year-old Indian farm labourer who recently married a dog. Of course, when I said "true love" I actually meant nothing of the sort. Selvakumar actually approached his astrologer with a tale of cruelty and karma. As a teenager he found two dogs mating, so in an episode he has yet to explain, he decided to suspend their bodies from a tree, and stone and beat them to death. He stated, as reported by the Telegraph, that promptly afterwards "my legs and hands got paralysed and I lost hearing in one ear". His wise astrologer obviously interpreted this as Karmic consequence, advising Selvakumar that he would need to atone for his actions in order to avoid future adverse health and alleviate his disability. The issue here extends far beyond the role of astrology and life decisions, though. The penance Selvakumar was directed to suffer in order to atone for his sins and improve his karma, was that of marrying and maintaining his marriage to a further dog. Exactly how such an action is even remotely supposed to impact upon poor health is immediately questionable, but the penance is also fundamentally selfish, designed solely to negate the supposed moral consequences of Selvakumar's past behaviour. As any good offender rehabilitation scheme establishes, one important method of reducing recidivism lies within the acceptance that a particular act is legally or morally wrong. An inter-species arranged marriage simply does no such thing; it neither establishes responsibility nor does it instil any sense that stoning and beating two dogs to death (a method often used to kill dogs when they are to be eaten, due to the belief that the stress hormones released during the process will make the meat taste nicer) is actually wrong. What motivated the teenage Selvakumar to commit the actions he did is a question which remains open for explanation, but aside from the rather slim possibility of a rather substantial placebo effect, I sincerely doubt his new bride 'Selvi' will be the talisman to good health for which he had hoped. Either way, I pity Selvi and her future prospects.

>>>It always happens. Your least favourite child bought you a pair of novelty socks for Christmas when in fact you really wanted a pendant, an electronic gadget or a secret elixir to prolong and preserve your health. Your disappointment on squeezing those socks through the wrapping was almost visible to the little one. Thankfully Q-Link, a Bristol based company, has the product for you. It's a pendant, an electronic gadget and a secret elixir to prolong and preserve your health. Q-Link, who obviously take great pride in their highly scientific approach to their products which work "at the deepest or quantum level", produce a range of pendants which protect the wearer from terrifyingly harmful electromagnetic radiation. Endorsed by, among others, the Times, the Mail and television's London Today programme, few could fail to be convinced by the sculpted casing which hides a shiny, symmetrical circuit board. The manufacturer claims that "The Q-Link acts as a tuning fork that resonates with the ideal frequency at which the body's own energy system should vibrate." To me, the method through which this is achieved still seems a little fuzzy, however. The Q-Link Classic, for instance, contains a circuit board with etched pads as expected, in addition to a single component: a zero-ohm resistor. In essence, the pendant contains some metal and a bit of wire, all of which doesn't actually connect to anything. The product requires no batteries, has a lifetime guarantee, and for up to £119.95, promises to literally do something. Thankfully, with an order for the Q-Link Polished Silver Pendant, we will never again have to be concerned about the horrific nature of EMF radiation (such as light?). You're protected. That said, the possibilities to play practical jokes on radiographers who fail to take one visible x-ray while you're wearing the pendant are limitless.

>>>With George Bush's final presidential term coming to an end on the 20th January 2009, focus is inevitably being given to the policies and politics of his potential successors. Yet, to date, no Science and Technology policy debate has ever been held with hopeful candidates. With that in mind, now is the perfect time for the emergence of Sciencedebate. Billed as a "grassroots initiative spearheaded by a growing number of scientists and other concerned citizens", Sciencedebate 2008 aims to bring together the presidential candidates for the largest debate into what the organisers believe is possibly "the most important social issue of our time". Although none of the candidates address all of the eight primary areas of science and technology in their proposals, the topics of energy, the environment and digital technology are among the most contested, while Clinton is notably the only candidate to address the topic of space. Sciencedebate has attracted high-level support from Nobel Laureates, scientists, business leaders, university deans, writers and many other signatories, though no formal arrangements have been made for the debate. In the current climate, a mass-scale debate on science is essential. It would reveal which candidates are best suited to and most capable of addressing the urgent and contentious issues facing society, while raising scientific awareness especially within the American public. The organisers and signatories are requesting support from any suitable sources and it is possible to do exactly that by visiting http://www.sciencedebate2008.com.

>>>The Skeptic is changing...
Your favourite 20-year-old British sceptical magazine is changing. As we approach our 21st birthday, we think the time is right to find out what you like and what you don't like about the magazine so that we can give you more of what you want. With that in mind, we are collecting data via an online survey and we would be very grateful if you would spare a few minutes to complete it. Just go to the website of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit
(http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru) and click on the "Skeptic Magazine Survey" link. We not only want to hear from current subscribers but also lapsed subscribers and those who have never subscribed - so if you know people who fit those descriptions who might also be willing to help out, please send them the details. We are also considering adopting a new title. We are well aware of the negative connotations that the word "sceptic". Although we feel that such attitudes are based upon misunderstanding a new, more universally acceptable title could only be a good thing. Let us have your suggestions for a new title. If we adopt your suggested tide, we will let you have a year's free subscription to the re-launched magazine! Feel free to let us know what you think about The Skeptic by email too (write to edit at skeptic.org.uk). We want your opinions, both positive and negative, and your ideas for improvements. This is your opportunity to shape the future of your magazine - get in touch!
Thanks for your support!

>>>IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SKEPTIC (21.1, Spring 2008)

Features

Reincarnation: Overview of the work of Ian Stevenson (1918-2007) (Leonard Angel) Exposing the Myth of Alcoholics Anonymous. Part 2: Cult not Cure (Steven Mohr) Amazon's Amazing Admission (Mark Newbrook)

Columns

Editorial (Victoria Hamilton and Chris French) Hilary Evans's Paranormal Picture Gallery Hits and Misses (Wendy M. Grossman) Philosopher's Corner (Julian Baggini) Sprite (Donald Rooum) From Michael Heap Letters

Reviews

Ghost Hunters: The Victorians and the Hunt for Proof of Life After Death by Deborah Blum How to Win Every Argument: The Use and Abuse of Logic by Madsen Pirie Phantasmagoria: Spirit Visions, Metaphor and Media into the Twenty-first Century by Marina Warner Bad Medicine: Doctors Doing Harm Since Hippocrates by David Wootton

>>>SOURCES FOR SKEPTICAL STATS>>> 1 Yahoo; 2 ABC News; 3 Telegraph; 4, 5 San Diego Zoo; 6 Chicago Tribune; 7 BBC News Newswatch; 8 BBC News; 9 Channel 4 News - Online; 10 AOL; 11 Scotsman.com; 12 Glasgow University; 13, 14 WNSL; 15 Bristol Neuroscience; 16 Oxfam; 17, 18, 19 Vegetarian Society; 20, 23 The Times; 21 The Guardian; 22 Reuters; 24 Guinness World Records; 25 Petersen, O.H. (2006), Human Physiology, p. 160.

>>>ADMINISTRIVIA>>>
Thanks to this issue's clippings contributors: Mark Williams, with suggestion for this copy from John Roberts. A special thank-you to Sid Rodrigues, who persistently and indefatigably keeps filling The Skeptic's blog (http://skeptic.org.uk/news) with news stories and pointers.

Editorial and other e-mail to The Skeptic should be addressed as follows:
Subscription inquiries: subs at skeptic.org.uk (please do not phone)
Letters to the editor: letters at skeptic.org.uk Contributions for Skeptical Stats and Hits and Misses: news at skeptic.org.uk
Book review section: reviews at skeptic.org.uk Article ideas and other editorial queries: edit at skeptic.org.uk

Unsolicited commercial email is NOT welcome at any of these addresses. E-mail one address ONLY. If you do not get a reply, it probably means that our reply email bounced.

The Skeptic (UK) Digest is written by Wendy M. Grossman (http://pelicancrossing.net) and e-mailed quarterly alongside published issues of The Skeptic; there may be occasional additional mailings. To sign up to receive the digest or to get off the list, visit http://skeptic.org.uk/digest (we do not sell, give away, or rent the e-mailing list).

The Skeptic is published quarterly. For details see http://skeptic.org.uk. A free sample issue is available in return for a self-addressed stamped A4 envelope. Subscriptions cost UKP15/year for UK residents. For pricing and availability of back issues and non-UK pricing, see our Web page or the back page of any printed issue. The Skeptic accepts payment by credit card or by cheques in pounds Sterling drawn on a British bank (sorry, but the banking charges for foreign cheques and postal orders are impossibly high). The Skeptic is no relation to the (more recent) American magazine or the (older) Australian magazine of the same name.

>>>ENDS>>>

>>>SKEPTICS IN THE PUB>>> Skeptics in the Pub meets (usually) on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm at the The Penderel's Oak, 283-288 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HP (Nearest tube: Holborn and Chancery Lane). A £2 donation is requested to cover the guest speaker's travelling expenses and sundries. Non-skeptics welcome. Turn up at any time during the night. Detailed directions, a list of upcoming speakers and a map of how to get to the pub can be found at http://skeptic.org.uk/pub.

5th-10th May 2008
CFI London event 'The Sources of the Book'. An Anatomy of the Literary Beginnings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Six evenings at Conway Hall, London. Registration fee £30. See http://www.centerforinquiry.net/london/events/the_sources_of_the _book/ for details.

Tuesday 6th May 2008
Mahlon Wagner: "Chiropractic - A 113 year struggle from pseudoscience to legitimacy"

Saturday 10th May 2008
Skeptics in the Pub Outing to the Mystic Arts psychic fair at Olympia

Tuesday 20th May 2008
Richard J. Evans: "Holocaust denial and freedom of speech"

Tuesday 17th June 2008
Dr. Ciarán O’Keeffe and Steve Parsons: "How not to investigate the Paranormal"

The talk will be followed by informal discussion in a relaxed and friendly pub atmosphere. Skeptics in the Pub is a regular evening for all those interested in and/or skeptical of the paranormal, alternative medicine, psychic powers, pseudo-science, UFOs, alien abductions, creationism, Fortean phenomena, cult religions, water-divining, lost civilizations, etc. Further information and mailing list announcements available from pub at skeptic.org.uk. Suggestions for speakers or offers to speak are gladly welcomed.

>>>END ANNOUNCEMENTS>>>