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Timothy Ferris Or James Oberg on 1 David Thomas on Eries The Bible Code II • The James Ossuary Controversy • Jack the Ripper: Case Closed? The Importance of Missing Information Acupuncture, Magic, i and Make-Believe Walt Whitman: When Science and Mysticism Collide Timothy Ferris or eries 'Taken' James Oberg on 1 fight' Myth David Thomas on oking Gun' Published by the Comm >f Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION off Claims of the Paranormal AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-INTERNATIONAl (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy. State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts and Loren Pankratz, psychologist Oregon Health Toronto Sciences, prof, of philosophy, University of Miami Sciences Univ. Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Oregon Al Hibbs. scientist Jet Propulsion Laboratory Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, MIT Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, New Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, execu­ England Journal of Medicine understanding and cognitive science, tive director CICAP, Italy Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky Indiana Univ Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Chicago consumer advocate. Allentown, Pa. and professor of history of science. 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Narasimhaiah, physicist, president Bangalore astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Nobel Prize Organizations: France Science Forum, India laureate Martin Gardner.* author, critic Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist New York Univ. E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus. Murray Gell-Mann. professor of physics, Santa Joe Nickell.* senior research fellow. CSICOP Havard University Le* Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Richard Wiseman, psychologist. University of Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Thomas Gilovich. psychologist Cornell Univ. Hertfordshire Nye Labs Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Marvin Zelen, statistician. Harvard Univ. James E. Oberg. science writer Saul Green, PhD, biochemist president of ZOL • Member. CSICOP Executive Council Irmgard Oepen. professor of medicine (retired). Consultants. New York. NY Marburg. Germany (Affiliations given for identification only.) Visit the CSICOP Web site at http://www.csicop.org Tlic SamCAl iNQUOte* (ISSN 0194-6730) b published bimonthly by the Commute* tor ihc Article-;, reports, review-,, and letter-, published in the SKEPTICAL INQL'IRF.R represent the Scientific Investigation of Qiims of the Paranormal. 1310 Sweet Home Rd.. Amherst. NY views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an 14228. Printed in USA. IVriodicals postage paid at Buffalo. NY. Subscription prices: one year endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. (six issues). S3 5: two yean. $60; three years, S84; single issue. $4.95. Canadian and foreign order*,: Copyright ©2003 by the Committee lor the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Payment in L'.S. hinds drawn on a U.S. bank must accompany orders; please add L'SSIO pet year Paranormal. All rights reserved. The SKIFIICA1 INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm. for shipping. 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Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Audioes for format and ortheSkH'iiiAi INSURER. n-tcrerk.es requirements. 11 is on our Web site at hnp://ww»-cucop.org/!^guHic-TW*authorvhtml Postmaster. Send changes of address to SKEMlCAl KQURIR. Box "03. Amherst. Ni and on page 60 of the January/February issue. Or you may send a fax request to the ediror 1122641703. COLUMNS Skeptical Inquirer EDITOR'S NOTE 4 March/April 2003 • VOL 27, NO. 2 NEWS AND COMMENT AAAS Board Urges Opposing 'Intelligent Design' Theory in Science ARTICLES Classes / Death, Taxes, and Failed Psychic Predictions: Tabloid Psychics Fail Again In 2002 / Bigfoot Hoaxer Dies; Legacy Lives On 37 The Blank Slate / 'Miss Cleo' Settles with the Federal Trade Commission / South Park TV Satire Skewers John Edward Psychic Pretensions / Clone The Modern Denial of Human Nature Claims Result in Publicity But No Proof / Dean, Krauss, Stenger, Many intellectuals and social critics have still not moved Wilson Elected CSICOP Fellows 5 beyond the simplistic dichotomy between heredity and environment to acknowledge that all behavior comes out of COMMENTARY an interaction between the two. The author explores wiry the I lessons of the 'Fake Moon Flight' Myth extreme position (that culture is everything) is so often seen as moderate, and
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