presley@mhuxj.UUCP (Joe Presley) (04/01/84)
--> Issue received March 28 194 * NEWS AND COMMENT Highlights of CSICOP's First International Conference, held October 28-29 at SUNY-Buffalo. Sessions: "The Evidence for Parapsychology", "Parascience and the Philosophy of Science", "Why People Believe: The Psychology of Deception", "Paranormal Health Cures". James Randi and the two magicians of Project Alpha described their methods. The Betty Hill UFO abduction case. Cattle mutilations in New Mexico. Discussion of of a Congressional Research Service report on psi phenomena. The report claims that some psi phenomena can be acquired and repeated repeatedly. It accepts the validity of psychic archaeology and dowsing. Summary of two *Science* reports which conclude that hypnosis memories can be error-prone and pliable. Psychic Rita Burns of Toronto loses a $7M suit against a millionaire. She claimed to have given the millionaire psychic advice on investments and sued for 10% of his profits. Apparently she didn't foresee her loss. Psychic Lynn Gladhill of St. Louis, MO, tries the Randi challenge and fails a test that she agreed was satisfactory. After failing, she claimed that the test was unfair. 214 * NOTES OF A PSI-WATCHER, by Martin Gardner Philosopher John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart; Shirley MacLaine. Their views on reincarnation in her book, *Out on a Limb*. Other paranormal bits from her book. 219 * PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS, by Robert Sheaffer The APRO [Aerial Phenomena Research Organization] Bulletin reports on a UFO encounter in 1953 or 1954, where the extraterrestials set up a hamburger stand. All of the people in the restaurant were blonde and about four and a half feet tall, wearing silver uniforms and boots. The Institute for Creation Research reports that their Ararat team has returned safely, but the Ark on Ararat is still hidden. The *Bible-Science Newsletter* (of the Bible-Science Association) explains the creationist version of continental drift: the Atlantic basin was caused in 500 to 1000 years after the Noahic flood. Walt Andrus, director of MUFON, is the source of a rumor of an impending end to the government UFO coverup. He claims that the Pentagon and the other intelligence agencies will be forced to reveal why they have conducted a coverup of their involvement with UFOs; the Pentagon will release a film to the PBS about their role in the coverup. 224 * SPECIAL REPORT Condensed versions of talks given at the CSICOP conference on "Science, Skepticism, and the Paranormal". 239 * Debunking, Neutrality, and Skepticism in Science, by Paul Kurtz Well-informed debunking of outlandish claims is legitimate, but seriously proposed and researched hypotheses deserve a fair hearing and responsible analysis. 247 * University Course Reduces Belief in Paranormal, by Thomas Gray Report on a course titled "The Science and Pseudoscience of Paranormal Phenomena" in the Psychology Department of Concordia University in Montreal. Before, after, and followup studies reveal a decline in belief in the paranormal. 252 * The Gribbin Effect, by Wolf Roder A look at the claim that planetary alignments affect the weather. 259 * Proving Negatives and the Paranormal, by Tony Pasquarello Is it really impossible to prove a negative, or is that often-heard statement merely a platitude that happens to be false? 217 * BOOK REVIEWS *Mindwars: The True Story of Secret Government Research into the Military Potential of Psychic Weapons*, by Ronald M. McRae. 277 * SOME RECENT BOOKS 277 * ARTICLES OF NOTE 281 * FROM OUR READERS ----- The Skeptical Inquirer $16.50/year (quarterly) Box 229 29.00/2 years Central Park Station 38.00/3 years Buffalo, NY 14215 -- Joe Presley (mhuxj!presley, ihnp4!j.presley)