PHIL KLASS AND ROBERT BAKER REMEMBERED • EXPOSING A PSEUDOSCIENCE SCAM • LEGENDS OF CASTLES AND KEEPS I / THE MAGAZINE FOR IENCE AND REASON Volume 29, No. 6 • NovxemCT If/ December 2005 Mark Perakh David Morrison Lawrence Krauss Jason Rosenhouse Sean B. Carroll Elie Shneour Lawrence S. Lerner Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION of Claims of the Paranormal AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY- TRANSNATIONAL (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., Toronto Saul Green. Ph.D., biochemist president of ZOL Loren Pankratz. psychologist Oregon Health Jerry Andrus. magician and inventor, Albany, Oregon Consultants, New York, NY Sciences Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D„ former editor-in-chief, New Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Robert L Park, professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland England Journal of Medicine and Sciences, Professor of Philosophy and John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Stephen Barrett M.D.. psychiatrist, author, Professor of Law, University of Miami Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist Harvard consumer advocate. Allentown, Pa. C E. M. Hansel, psychologist Univ. of Wales Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, David J. Helfand, professor of astronomy, Willem Betz. professor of medicine, Univ. of executive director CICAP, Italy Brussels Columbia Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist Univ. of Chicago Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human under­ Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist Simon Fraser Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of standing and cognitive science, Indiana Univ. Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada medicine, Stanford Univ., editor, Scientific Gerald Holton. Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Irving Biederman, psychologist Univ. of Southern Review of Alternative Medicine and professor of history of science, Harvard Univ. California Amardeo Sarma. manager NEC Europe Ltd., Ray Hyman,* psychologist Univ. of Oregon Susan Blackmore, Visiting Lecturer, Univ. of the executive director, GWUP, Germany. Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, 77me West of England. Bristol Evry Schatzman, former president. French Physics Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition, Henri Broch, physicist Univ. of Nice, France Association Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist professor Scientific American Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist executive emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Lawrence M Krauss, author and professor of physics director. National Center for Science Education Vern Bullough, professor of history, California and astronomy, Case Western Reserve University Robert Sheaffer, science writer State Univ. at Northridge Edwin C Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Elie A. Shneour. biochemist author, Observatory Mario Bunge, philosopher. McGill University director. Biosystems Research Institute. Paul Kurtz,* chairman, Center for Inquiry John R. Cole, anthropologist editor. National La Jolla, Calif. Lawrence Kusche, science writer Center for Science Education Dick Smith, film producer, publisher. Terrey Hills, Leon Lederman, emeritus director. Fermilab; Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, N.S.W., Australia professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Nobel laureate in physics Robert Steiner, magician, author. El Cerrito. Calif. California, Berkeley Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist Emory Univ. Victor J. Stenger, emeritus professor of physics Lin Zixin, former editor, Science and Technology Richard Dawkins, zoologist Oxford Univ. and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct Daily (China) Geoffrey Dean, technical editor, Perth, Australia professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Jere Upps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of Daniel C Dennett University Professor and Austin Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETT Institute, California, Berkeley B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, Director of Mountain View, Calif. Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Univ. Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, Calif. Ann Druyan, writer and producer, and CEO, California, Irvine David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Cosmos Studios, Ithaca. New York Peralta, New Mexico AeroVironment Inc.. Monrovia, Calif. Cornells de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. Stephen Toulmin. professor of philosophy, Univ. of of Utrecht, the Netherlands John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Southern California Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor. Encyclopedia David Marks, psychologist City University, London. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director, Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and of Philosophy Hayden Planetarium. New York City science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology, Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Central Connecticut State Univ. contributing editor sciences, M.I.T. Antony Flew, philosopher. Reading Univ.. U.K. Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and David Morrison, space scientist NASA Ames Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer. Foothill College, Los astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Altos Hills. Calif. Research Center Nobel laureate Kendrick Frazier, science writer, editor, SXBTKAL INQUWH Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Yves Galifret. vice-president Affiliated Calif., Berkeley Harvard University Organizations: France Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Martin Gardner, author, critic Lee Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College Richard Wiseman, psychologist University of Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Fe m Nye, science educator and television host Nye Labs Hertfordshire Institute; Nobel laureate James E. Oberg, science writer Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Thomas Gilovich. psychologist Cornell Univ. Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired), " Member, CSICOP Executive Council Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Marburg, Germany (Affiliations given for identification only.) • • • Visit the CSICOP Web site at www.csicop.org • • • The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (ISSN 0194-6730) b published bimonthly by the Committee for the Sci­ of the November/December 2004 issue. Or you may send a fax tequest to the editor. entific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, 1310 Sweet Home Rd.. Amhera, NY 14228. Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER represent the views Printed in U.S-A. PeriodkaJs postage paid at Buffalo, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Subscrip­ and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an endorse­ tion prices: one year (six issues). $35; two years. $60". direc years, $84; single issue. $4.95. 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SPECIAL REPORT Skeptical Inquirer 20 Skeptics and TV News Expose November/December 2005 • VOL. 29, NO. 6 'Magnetic Water Conditioners' DAVE THOMAS EVOLUTION AND THE ID WARS CONFERENCE REPORT 32 Does Irreducible Complexity Imply Intelligent Design? 22 Developing Perspectives on Anomalous Experiences MARK PERAKH JULIA SANTOMAURO 37 Only a Theory? COLUMNS Framing the Evolution/Creation Issue DAVID MORRISON EDITOR'S NOTE Evolution and the ID Wars 4 38 SI on Evolution and ID NEWS AND COMMENT 'Psychic Swindler' in San Antonio Convicted of Theft by Coercion / Plane Crash Survival: Miracle or Skill and Science? / Center for Inquiry 41 The Intelligent Designer Granted Representation at the United Nations / 'Winking