ISSUE #1
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The Newsletter of Science and Reason in Hampton Roads
Issue 1 (July 2001)
Editor: John Robinson
1. Welcome to the first issue of ????????, the Science & Reason in Hampton Roads newsletter. A few administrative notes first:
a. Name: At the moment I have no idea what to call this thing. Send any recommended titles to me at: tympani@att.net
b. Frequency: I'm planning to release one issue each month, a few days before the SRHR meeting. However, since some of the content of these newsletters might stimulate lots of debate, I also want to release a secondary message about two weeks after each issue. The follow-up message will include whatever good comments were stimulated by the newsletter (monthly is way too slow a schedule to carry on any kind of worthwhile discussion).
c. Disclaimer: Just so everybody knows who's who and what's what, any quotes will be sourced back to their originators, including anonymous ones. Any editorial content I might add is my opinion alone, and not necessarily that of SRHR. Reader comments & guest editorials are always welcome.
2. Next meeting: SRHR will hold its next meeting on July 12, 6:30PM, at the home of Dr Larry Weinstein. Bring along some snacks. The address is:
3116 Blair Circle
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
631-1618
>From Norfolk: Take 264 E past Independence Rd and Mt Trashmore to the Rosemont Rd exit. At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Rosemont Road. Turn right at the second light onto Virginia Beach Blvd. Turn left at the first light onto Little Neck Rd. Pass two traffic lights and one blinking yellow light. Turn right at the first intersection after the blinking yellow traffic light onto Little Haven Rd. Take the second right onto Hurds Lane and the first right onto Blair Circle. We are at the end of Blair Circle in the half-timbered pseudo-Tudor house.
3. Friday the 13th Celebration: Sandy Brenner is ramrodding this, and still needs volunteers. Contact him at 622-4801, or email him at: sandy@pinn.net
4. Monkeyman a No-Show: Authorities in New Delhi, India, have concluded that the so-called "Monkeyman,", an odd cross between Bigfoot and El Chupacabras, was nothing more than the result of mass hysteria. See a writeup by an unnamed Indian journalist at: http://www.timesofindia.com/today/18mdel1.htm
For several weeks the Monkeyman held the city in the grip of terror, allegedly breaking into houses, assaulting citizens, and damaging property. See some background at: http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/ south/05/16/india.monkeyman/index.html
5. Guess They Didn't See It Coming Dept: The Thursday, July 5th issue of the Virginian-Pilot frontpaged the news that Virginia Beach's own Association for Research and Enlightenment, a "nonprofit center for holistic healing and spiritual guidance", founded by the late renowned mystic Edgar Cayce, has lost about 80% of its membership and gone about $4.5 million in the hole. A.R.E. officials disputed some of the membership figures, but acknowledged that certain financial policies would have to be modified to put the Association back in the black. An online version of the story by VP writer Tim McGlone is at: http://www.pilotonline.com/news/ nw0705are.html
6. Hey, It COULD Work: A July 1 article by Kimberly Sweet, also in the Virginian-Pilot, tells the story of Inge Bardor, a "self-proclaimed psychic", who believes that many children diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder are overmedicated by the psychiatric industry. While many non-psychic people agree with her position, they might have problems with another of her statements that she can use her psychic powers to help such stressed-out children make better contact with their inner selves. See Page B3, right under the Oscar Wilde photo; couldn't find the story online.
7. The Real Thing: Dr Arthur Bowman, a Hampton University biology professor, and others at Hampton's Center for Atmospheric Sciences, will soon present a course in Astrobiology. This course will feature science-based consideration of what extraterrestrial life might look like.
(I personally am very interested in sitting in on this course, and finding out what might be out there besides gray aliens and ancient astronauts. I was unable to make direct contact with Dr Bowman by deadline, but a phone message from him confirms that the course will be taught. Details will follow by separate e-mail as soon as I have them -- ed.)
(End of Issue 1)
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Comments/Questions/Suggestions/Threats? E-mail them to
me at tympani@att.net -- John A. Robinson, editor