Electronic skepticism
    Head-on collissions on the Information Highway
    By Fredric Rice

    You have probably heard about the much hyped "Information Highway"
    yet not everyone knows what it is, exactly, or how to access it to
    search for specific information.  The Information Highway is only
    partically built and yet already there is a sea of available data
    (the majority of which is entirely free to access.)  Many individuals
    are daunted by the task of sorting through it all for information
    that is useful to them.

    A small percentage of the network information is of direct interest
    to skeptics.  Though the percentage is small, the amount of
    information is quite large -- staggering at times where only the most
    dedicated skeptic can keep track of it all.  There are electronic
    versions of organized skeptic's newsletters and free-flowing
    discussion forums which tie skeptics and True Believers from around
    the world together.

    JACKING IN

    One of the fastest-growing public-access sub-networks is the FidoNet;
    a network of nearly 30,000 computers which are all tied together
    through the telephone system.  These computer systems are owned and
    operated by private individuals out of their homes or businesses.

    The system operator (or, 'SysOp') of each system allows anyone with
    a computer and a MODEM to call-up their computer, upload and download
    files, send and recieve personal electronic mail, and participate in
    discussion forums (called, 'Echo Mail') many of which are
    international or distributed around the United States.  Skeptics in
    Arizona, for instance, may access a FidoNet system local to them and
    read mail left by skeptics in Australia.  The skeptic in Arizona may
    then leave mail for the skeptic in Australia (which everyone in the
    forum will see.)  In this way, all who participate in a discussion
    sees the entire discussion -- it is rather like an open discussion
    forum with the added benefit that only one individual speaks at a
    time (everyone is heard) and off-topic messages may easilly be
    ignored.  An additional benefit is that the Moderator may delink a
    disruptive system which has participants who do not conform to the
    forum's guidelines for civility and a minimum of decorum.

    Jacking into the network is easy once one has acquired the right
    equipment.  Any computer with a MODEM and a terminal-emulating
    software package will work.  All that remains is getting a telephone
    number for a FidoNet system which is a local call to dial.  Since
    there are so many systems around the world (most of them within the
    United States) finding a local system to link into isn't difficult.

    Just ask me!  I will be more than happy to help you find a system.
    Feel free to contact me and I will provide a list of systems which
    should be local to you (see the details on contacting "The Skeptic
    Tank" at the end of this article.)  All that I need is your telephone
    number and I will get back to you.

    Most systems don't carry all of the forums which skeptics would be
    interested in.  Though the skeptically-oriented discussion forums are
    quite popular, there are so many forums available that SysOps simply
    don't have the available resources to carry everything.

    Users who dial-up a local FidoNet system can ask the SysOp to carry a
    particilar forum.  Since SKEPTIC, along with so many other forums, is
    carried on the "Echo Mail Backbone," most SysOps are quite willing to
    send an automated request for his or her system to start to carry any
    forum you ask for.  The forum will start to flow into and out of your
    SysOp's system in a day or two, allowing you to participate.

    WHAT MIGHT SKEPTICS BE INTERESTED IN?

    Of most interest, perhaps, is the SKEPTIC forum.  This forum has
    participants from several organized skeptics groups around the United
    States and many Australian and Canadian users and SysOps participate.
    Participants draw upon their education, science, news paper articles,
    skeptics' newsletters et al. and discuss among themselves the
    validity of a wide variety of topics ranging from ghosts to alternate
    medicine.  There is never a lack of questions as well as stated
    beliefs in the forum and several organized skeptics groups
    participate in the forum.

    There are also several UFO forums which are comprised of participants
    who are of the belief that UFO's are other-worldly in origin.  The
    various pro-aliens-among-us forums available are really quite
    interesting.  There is a forum called "MIBS" or "Men In Black."  The
    topics within this forum delve into the aliens who walk among us
    passing themselves off as human.  The UFO forum attempts to examine
    flying saucers and at least attempts to depict a sense of
    questioning and critical examination.  Then there is the I_UFO forum
    which ejects critical thinkers rather like transplant reciepients
    reject foreign tissue.

    A very interesting forum for psychologists to review and participate
    in is the SRA forum.  SRA stands for "Satanic Ritual Abuse."  The
    participants in this forum believe honestly enough that they have
    been the victims of abuse -- ritually 'Satanic' in nature.  Some of
    the claims are testable.  (I have been trying to get an interview
    with the forum's Moderator and have had no success.)  Most of the
    claims are as outrageous as you can imagine.   If you have been
    keeping an eye on False Memory Syndrome, you can see for yourself a
    large number of people who believe honestly that they have been
    victims of such 'Satanic' abuse.  Skeptics may observe and ask
    questions, yet the Moderator doesn't allow debunking of the obviously
    mistaken beliefs stated in the forum.

    Also of interest to some skeptics is the HOLYSMOKE forum.  This is
    the forum which has been called a "drive-by shooting on the
    Information Highway" by paleontologist Dr. Marty Leipzig.  Whereas
    the SKEPTIC forum deals strictly with the testable, HOLYSMOKE deals
    in examining the validity of both testable and untestable religious
    beliefs.  The origins of myths and legends and the debunking of
    Creationist nonsense, coupled with the high number of respected
    scientists who participate make this one of the most destructive
    forums for deeply-held religious beliefs on the Highway.  To be
    blunt, the forum is quite caustic to any who dare venture into it,
    True Believer and skeptic alike.

    Another forum of great interest to skeptics is the EVOLUTION forum.
    As you might well imagine, the forum is highly educational in scope
    and must, due to the Creationists among us, also debunk many stated
    misconceptions daily.  The forum boasts of having several well-
    respected scientists which spend some time talking among themselves
    to the benefit of those who merely sit on the sidelines reading them.

    ANYTHING ELSE OF INTEREST?

    These are just a few of the several thousand discussion forums which
    are available in the Fido Network.  There are science forums,
    alternate science forums, general chat forums, news forums, and
    entertainment forums.

    The Internet link is useful to sending mail to individuals within
    universities and to individuals on CompuServe.  Notables such as
    Wizzard James Randi and Arkeologist watcher Mr. James J. Lippard may
    be reached through FidoNet <==> Internet gateways.  It's just a
    question of finding out how it's done.  (Mr. Geller has yet to put
    in an appearance in any forum, I should add.  We are fully
    degellerized.)

    Most systems in FidoNet maintain files which may be downloaded for
    free.  Of interest to skeptics are newsletters from various organized
    skeptics groups, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, book
    reviews and even electronic versions of various books.  Having such
    materials on disk makes referencing a topic easy.

    There are also many hundreds of thousands of public domain software
    packages ranging from astronomy packages to shoot-'em-up games.

    AN IMPORTANT OBSERVATION

    Skeptics have noticed that debating Creationists and proponants of
    fringe science and quack medicine is a difficult task in the public
    arena.  The difficulty stems from the Creationist et al. picking the
    environment and topic for discussion, not to mention the individuals
    from the skeptical side they will debate.

    Because of this, knowing the credentials of whom they will pick and
    debate, the Creationist et al. will invariably pick topics the
    specific skeptic is not well versed in, making for themselves a
    win/win situation.

    Not so in forums like SKEPTIC, EVOLUTION, and HOLYSMOKE.  A
    Creationist who claims something faulty with evolution runs aground
    upon a dozen biologists who will correct the misconception.  Someone
    who claims that thermodynamic laws negate the possibility of
    evolution often find themselves talking to physicists.  Since the
    forums have as participants geologists, astronomers,
    palleontologists, house-wives/husbands, computer programmers, and
    brick-layers, the environments are very good ones for learning and,
    perhaps even more importantly, winning debates against Creationists
    et al. using sound scientific principles and accumulated knowledge.
    Nearly everyone has fun and learns from such discussions.  Yes, a
    few walk away very bitter yet I would hazard a guess that they have
    learned at least something.

    This ability to draw from a wide pool of knowledge to debunk a fringe
    science claim or a Creationist misconception has its analog in such
    forums as I_UFO, of course.  When believers ban together, anyone who
    contradicts the dogma is tossed from the nest.  Rick Moen, Chair of
    the Bay Area Skeptic, sums it up by examining the I_UFO forum and two
    of its participants:

        The purpose of the echo is to promote UFO religion in its
        various forms.  Occasionally, the unwary will wander in,
        and be shown the door if their professed beliefs don't
        measure up to what's expected.  The key question for a
        fringe-science-related forum is this:  Are there beliefs
        that are required irrespective of the participant's conduct?
        The answer on your forum [UFO - flr] is "no".  On I_UFO (as
        on the CompuServe NEWAGE forum), it's "yes" but they just
        aren't willing to be honest about it.

        Clark [one of the participants - flr] will go on at great
        length about how unnamed skeptics are guilty of various
        rude (alleged) acts on I_UFO and elsewhere.  This has two
        functions that are immediately obvious:  (1) It's a great
        device to promote group cohesiveness.  Every religion needs
        devil-figures for this purpose.  The unnamed skeptic serves
        this purpose for Clark.  (2) It distracts from the more
        basic fact -- which they don't want anyone to notice -- that
        skeptics are in fact to be banned REGARDLESS of how they
        comport themselves; that their _beliefs are unacceptable_
        and must not be expressed in any form whatsoever.  This is
        uncomfortable to admit because it is of course
        _narrow-minded_, not in accord with their self image.

        There will, in that echo, be allegations of fact (for
        example) that are held to be sacred.  Any post that
        suggests they aren't true, or dares to contradict them,
        will be held to be "ridicule" or to show the wrong
        "attitude," or you will be told that it "does not fit the
        spirit of the stated intent of this conference" and is
        "offensive."  You can be EXTREMELY pleasant, ignoring all
        the name-calling that _you_ will be subjected to, but your
        posts will still receive the above-described reception.
        Those who persist will be ejected.

        It's inevitable.  The spirit of your posts actually is
        irrelevant.  Your attitude, in truth, doesn't matter.  You
        can eschew giving offence as much as any man alive has
        ever achieved -- all to no avail: It's the _prohibited
        beliefs/thoughts/opinions_ that are to be excluded.

        In short -- as I said -- just a rather inbred religion
        echo, with required beliefs and prohibited beliefs, founded
        to promote particular ideologies and exclude particular
        (disliked) ways of thinking.  I don't object to this at
        all, in itself.  I just object to the glaring hypocrisy
        of calling this echo a haven for open-mindedness, when
        in fact admission is based flagrantly on ideological tests.

    WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION

    To get information on systems local to you or information on how to
    set up your computer to use the networks, you may call The Skeptic
    Tank using your MODEM at (818) 335-9601 and either leave a message
    for myself or choose the (Y)ell option on the main menu.  If you
    leave a telephone number, I will telephone back with a list of
    systems which are local to you.  If you have a FAX, I will FAX you a
    list of systems in your area.

    If you wish to telephone in "human mode," call (818) 335-4391 after
    6 p.m.  You may leave a message on the answering machine at any time.

    So long and see you in cyberspace!