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Indian Skeptic Indian Skeptic Vol.21 No.5 15-09-2008 COURT NOTICE : To the first for murder and criminal case for murder against the second so their blessings did not turn to rain . ‘Let Swamijis blessings turn into rain - TOI 17.7.2008 Unless otherwise stated, permission is granted to other skeptical organizations to reprint Articles from INDIAN SKEPTIC as long as proper credit is given and you send us copies of your newsletters that reprint our articles. Indian Skeptic 2008 Sep;21(5) http://indiansceptic.org 1 INDIAN SKEPTIC Rs.5/- Other countries US$ 1/-. Annual subscription in India Rs.60.00 Other countries by Air Mail U.S.$ 12.00 Life Subscription in India Rs.500.00 Other countries U.S.$ 150.00 Send M.O. or postal order made in the name of B.Premanand, payable at Podanur, or draft payable at Coimbatore. INDIAN COMMITTEE FOR SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL. Convener: B.Premanand. Objectives: 1. To develop Scientific Temper, Humanism, Spirit of Inquiry and reforms. 2. To encourage the critical investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims from a responsible, scientific point of view and to dissiminate factual information about the results of such inquiries to the scientific Community and the public. 3. To investigate into the ethics of the Cult & Religious Leaders. To carry out these objectives the Committee: * Maintains a network of people interested in critically examining claims of the paranormal. * Prepares bibliographies of published materials that carefully examine such claims. * Encourages and commissions research by objective and impartial inquiry in areas where it is needed. * Convenes conferences and meetings. * Publishes articles, monographs, and books that examine claims of the paranormal. * Does not reject claims on a priori grounds, antecedent to inquiry, but rather examines them objectively and carefully. The committee is a non profit, scientific and educational organisation.''INDIAN SKEPTIC'' is its official journal. Editor, Printer, Publisher and Owner: B.Premanand, Convener, Indian CSICOP, 11/7, Chettipalayam Road, Podanur 641 023 (Tamilnadu) INDIA. Editorial Board : Rahul Singh, Bombay,Prof Narendra Nayak,R.J.Rao, Mrs. Margaret Bhatty, Nagpur. Legal Adviser : K.N.Balgopal, 18/21 W.E.A., Arya Samaj Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110 005. TIME TO RENEW SUBSCRIPTION: If your subscription Number on the Wrapper is 09/2008 your subscription ends with this issue. Renew the subscription by sending Rs.60.00 by M.O. or by becoming a life member by depositing Rs.500/-. Overseas subscribers send by Western Union Money Order US$ 12/- or life membership US$ 150/- made in the name of B. Premanand Indian Skeptic 2008 Sep;21(5) http://indiansceptic.org 2 No. Contents Contents Editor’s Page 1. Sai Baba’s teachings and education in academic isolation Posted by Robert priddy on May 30, 2008 2. Some new postings - Posted by robertpriddy on May 30, 2008 3. The Dalai Lama and Sathya Sai Baba -Posted by robertpriddy on May 27, 2008 4. The Sathya Sai Organization’s Damage-limitation efforts Posted by robertpriddy on May 26, 2008 5. Joseph. Early Sathya Sai Baba Whistleblower Posted by Barry Pittard on May 27, 2008‘ 6. Professor Anil Kumar, Sathya Sai Baba’s ‘left-hand’ man Posted by robertpriddy on June 25, 2008 7. Sai Baba seen in ritual fire (photo)-Posted by robertpriddy on June 23, 2008 8. Sathya Sai Baba as ‘Divine Mother - photos - Posted by robertpriddy on June 17, 2008 9. Outright defenders of sexual abuse by Sathya Sai Baba Posted by robertpriddy on June 17, 2008 10. Ex-king Gyanendra of Nepal & Sathya Sai Baba Posted by robertpriddy on June 11, 2008 11. Miracle story - Sathya Sai Baba -Posted by robertpriddy on June 9, 2008 12. Deception against Sathya Sai Baba -Posted by robertpriddy on June 4, 2008 13. Sathya Sai Baba lack of awards -Posted by robertpriddy on June 3, 2008 14. Sathya Sai Baba as Nobel Peace Prize Candidate Posted by robertpriddy on June 3, 2008 15. Sathya Sai Baba official website deceit exposed Posted by robertpriddy on June 3, 2008 16. Swamijis funeral leads to tension near Royan Circle-DH- 10.4.2008 17. Ashram attack leaves two nuns dead -Deccan Herald 18.4.2008 18. Controversial god man seeks anticipatory bail Times of India - 13.5.2008 19. Kerala’s godman nabbed after drama - Times of India - 14.5.2008 20. Godman arrested for harassing minors - Deccan Herald 14.5.2008 21. Oppn parties ‘feast’ on godman’s contacts -Deccan Herald 15.5.2008 22. Godman sent to police custody -Times of India - 15.5.2008 23. Godman made porn CDs with starlets -Deccan Herald 16.5.2008 24. Godman threatens suicide -Times of India - 18.5.2008 25. Police raid premises of godmen-Times of India - 23.5.2008 26. Asaram supporters on the rampage in Ahmedabad -ToI - 19.7.2008 27. Police suspect foul play in ashram death -ToI - 2.8.2008 28. Boys in Asaram gurukul killed by seniors, say cops -ToI - 3.8.2008 29. Class 9 student killed Asaram school children -Times of India - 4.8.2008 30. Priest Arrested:Times of India - 2.8.2008 31. 13-yr-old beaten up: Times of India - 2.8.2008 32. Narco test not done properly -Deccan Herald 5.8.2008 33. Abhaya case: HC seeks narco CDs -Deccan Herald 6.8.2008 34. Seer held, released -Deccan Herald 26.5.2008 35. Seer arrested, out on bail -Times of India - 27.5.2008 36. CoD may probe seer’s case -Deccan Herald 27.5.2008- PREETHI NAGARAJ 37. HC stays probe into seer’s case -Deccan Herald 2.6.2008 Pejawar pontiff gets court notice: Times of India - 11.7.2008 38. Devotees gather to pay respect to the accused in Murder case -Times of India - 15.7.2008 Indian Skeptic 2008 Sep;21(5) http://indiansceptic.org 3 Editor’s Page: Our mentor and founder editor Premanand’s chemotherapy has been discontinued as the consultant oncologist decided that it was not helping him in any way. But, Premanand is a miracle man himself! When he has been written off he has rebounded, come out with blazing guns and started his campaigns with renewed vigour and I do hope that with all our prayers, blessings from all the holy men(and women too),yagas and yagnas performed for his health he will get well soon! Sarcasm apart, the activities mentioned in the previous sentence have become the pet preoccupations of those of the ruling party in Karnataka. The chief minister Yaddiyurappa had instructed that pujas be performed in all the temples for the well being of the government and the ruling party. With the wafer thin majority that he has and with innumerable rebel groups he does need divine intervention or can hope for it! The famous showman P.T.Barnum had remarked that “there is a sucker born every minute” that was nearly a century ago. With the increasing population of India and with our gullibility rating going up every minute, with due apology to Barnum I could say that in India there is a sucker born every millisecond! The present happenings do support this. In the month of August I was very busy. Lots of time was spent on celebrating eclipses. With two eclipses occurring within a fortnight and one more to follow within a few months, it was a great opportunity to the astrologers and the priestly class. They had a jolly good time predicting evil for those whose signs of the zodiac fall within that period. Like every other calamity of divine origin, these too could be warded off by appropriate rituals. So, that was bonanza for them (the priestly class I mean).As usual the gullible poor were the ones to be fleeced of their hard earned money. China which is the country with the highest population and a communist ruled one, played host to the Olympic Games. Being a communist country did not prevent superstitions from scheduling the opening ceremony for the date 08/08/08 at 8 hours and 8 minutes! That number is supposedly lucky for them. On the other hand one of the Indian channels had astrologers ranting about how unlucky the date is and reeled off lists of the calamities that befell countries in the years the date occurred. Any way, like all other bad luck this too could be warded off by appropriate methods, all of which could be extremely profitable to the vendors of the charms which were supposed to counter the ill effects. The year of eclipses has affected us rationalists too! We lost two of them in June, who were staunch ones and remained so to the last. I am citing the examples of Prof. G.T.Narayana Rao and Advocate Moorthy. GTN as the former was popularly known, was a great scholar, had written many books about scientific temper, debunking astrology, biographies of Einstein, Chandrashekar, an autobiography titled the endless journey and had edited the science encyclopedia in Kannada. He was a teacher of mathematics for three decades at many colleges and universities in Karnataka. He was actively involved in teacher’s co-operatives, the NCC movement and was connoisseur of Karnatik music. He lived as a rationalist, sticking to his principles till the very end. His children were brought up with the same convictions and his three sons are also like minded. The eldest Ashok Vardhan takes active part in our movement and also publishes books, runs a book shop which is a center for many progressive activities. Prof. GTN’s body was donated to a medical college and his eyes to blind persons.
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