Sept. 11 Conspiracy Book • Moscow Mysteries • The Return of Spring-Heeled Jack Alternative Medicine an the White House Commission . • THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF 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 Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine Toronto and Sciences, prof, of philosophy. University (retired), Marburg, Germany Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, of Miami Loren Pankratz. psychologist, Oregon Health Oregon C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Sciences Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, Al Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. New England Journal of Medicine Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, MIT Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of understanding and cognitive science, Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Kentucky Indiana Univ. executive director CICAP, Italy Stephen Barrett M.D., psychiatrist, author, Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Physics and professor of history of science. Chicago Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Harvard Univ. Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada Ray Hyman,* psychologist, Univ. of Oregon medicine, Stanford Univ., editor. Scientific Irving Biederman, psychologist Univ. of Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, 77me Review of Alternative Medicine Southern California Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition, Amardeo Sarma, engineer, head of dept. Susan Blackmore, psychologist, Univ. of the Scientific American at T-Nova Deutsche Telekom, executive West of England, Bristol Philip J. Klass,* aerospace writer, engineer director, GWUP, Germany. Henri Broch, physicist. Univ. of Nice, France Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Evry Schatzman, former president, French Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Observatory Physics Association emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Paul Kurtz,* chairman, Center for Inquiry Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, execu­ Vern Bullough, professor of history, California Lawrence Kusche, science writer tive director, National Center for Science State Univ. at Northridge Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Education Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Nobel laureate in physics John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor. National Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist, Emory Univ. Robert Sheaffer, science writer Center for Science Education Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic. Technology Daily (China) director, Biosystems Research Institute, professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology. Univ. of La Jolla, Calif. California, Berkeley California, Berkeley Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist Salk Inst, for Elizabeth Loftus. professor of psychology, Hills, N.S.W.. Australia Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif; Nobel Prize Univ. of Washington Robert Steiner, magician, author, laureate Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, El Cerrito, Calif. Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Mountain View, Calif. Univ. of Utrecht the Netherlands David Marks, psychologist Oty University, London. Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor. Walter C. McCrone, microscopist, McCrone Angeles, Calif. Encyclopedia of Philosophy Research Institute David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology. Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Peralta, New Mexico Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer. Mexico City, Mexico Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Univ. of Southern California Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, sciences, M.I.T. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and direc­ Los Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames tor, Hayden Planetarium, New York City Kendrick Frazier.* science writer, editor. Research Center Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine con­ SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. tributing editor and CBS News correspondent Yves Galifret. vice-president. Affiliated of Calif., Berkeley Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Organizations: France H. Narasimhaiah, physicist president, astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Nobel Martin Gardner,* author, critic Bangalore Science Forum, India Prize laureate Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist. New York Univ. Richard Wiseman, psychologist, University of Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Hertfordshire Lee Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Saul Green, PhD. biochemist president of ZOL Nye Labs * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Consultants, New York, NY James E. Oberg, science writer (Affiliations given for identification only.) • • • Visit the CSICOP Web site at http://www.csicop.org • • • The SKEPTICAL INQUIRE* (ISSN 0194-6""30) is published bimonthly by die Committee for the Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPIICAl INQUIRER represent the Scientific Investigation of Claims 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 U.SA Periodicals postage paid at Buffalo. NY. Subscription prices: one year endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. (six issues). S35: two yean. S58; three years. SS1; single issue, $4.95. Canadian and foreign orders: Copyright ©2002 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Payment in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank must accompany orders; please add USS10 per year Paranormal. All rights reserved. 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SKEPTICAl INQUIKFR subscribers may not speak on behalf of CSICOP 828-2080. Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Aurhors for format and or the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. references requirements. It is on our Web site at http://www.cskop.org/si/guide-for-auihors.himI Postmaster Send changes of address to SKEJTTCAI INQUIRER, Box 703. Amherst. NY and on page 69 of the March/April issue. Or you may send a fax request to the editor. 14226-0703. SPECIAL REPORT Skeptical Inquirer 12 White House 'CAM' Commission July/August 2002 • VOL 26, NO. 4 Reaches 'Preordained' Conclusion TIM GORSKI, M.D. SCIENCE AND PS E U D O S C I E N C E IN RUSSIA 25 The First Skeptics' Congress 15 Prescriptions from the Land of Convenes in Russia Make-Believe Healthcare PAUL KURTZ WILLIAM M. LONDON 28 Resolution Against Antiscience, Charlatanism, and Irrationalism COLUMNS in Russia EDITOR'S NOTE 29 The Reliability of Scientific Knowledge and the Enemies NEWS AND COMMENT New Age, Paranormal Topics Influenced Alleged Domestic Pipe of Science Bomb Terrorist Luke Helder / Rise of the Raelians: Flying Saucers, Science, Sex, and Religion / Controlled Study Finds No Efficacy for YURI N. EFREMOV St. John's Wort in Major Depression / Eloquence on Western Medicine, Alternative Medicine / Stephen Jay Gould 1941-2002 33 Why Is Pseudoscience Dangerous? / Kansas Scientist Who Fought Creationists Honored by American Physical Society / Conspiracy Book About Sept. 11 Attacks a Best EDWARD KRUGLYAKOV Seller in France 5 INVESTIGATIVE FILES RTI C LE S Moscow Mysteries JOE NICKELL 17 37 Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards of the Single Case History NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD Return of Spring-Heeled Jack Part 2 Cose histories have played a long-standing role in the his MASSIMO POLIDORO 22 lory of science, medicine, and mental health. But they can mislead—especially when only half the story