Polio jabs a US plot, claim Nigerian Muslims
by Jeevan Vasagar
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1155223,00.html
"A campaign to wipe out polio in Africa is being jeopardised by suspicions among Muslim leaders in Nigeria that the vaccination programme is an American plot to make Muslims infertile."
Polio boycott is 'unforgivable'
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3488806.stm
"A senior United Nations official has condemned Nigerian states that have refused to take part in a mass immunisation drive against polio."
Official Defends Polio Vaccine Boycott
By GLENN McKENZIE
Associated Press
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040226/ap_on_he_me/west_africa_polio_2
"A Nigerian state governor defended a boycott of a polio immunization campaign, asserting a spreading outbreak of the disease was a "lesser of two evils" than rendering women infertile with vaccines that some Islamic leaders have deemed a U.S. plot against Muslims."
Smith School parent wants book removed
By LAURA TODE
Helena Independent Record
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/02/25/helena/a01022504_05.txt
"A concerned parent has called into question a library book about horses and wants it removed from an elementary school library."
Bill requiring evolution disclaimer clears House
By Sean Murphy
Claremore Daily Progress
http://www.claremoreprogress.com/ar...16&PHPSESSID=67f8c78155dcf38ce89fdd5fb8b90b3f
"The Oklahoma House passed a bill Monday that would require public school textbooks that discuss evolution to include a disclaimer stating that it is a controversial theory and not fact."
Darby school district to get free legal help from Christian group
Associated Press
http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde...02/26/build/state/30-darby-schooldistrict.inc
"Anticipating a lawsuit over its revised approach to science instruction, the school board will get legal help from a group that says it functions to "keep the door open for the spread of the Gospel.""
Darby School Board prepares for potential lawsuit; meeting set with lawyer:
By JENNY JOHNSON
Ravalli Republic
http://www.ravallinews.com/articles/2004/02/23/news/news02.txt
"With a potential lawsuit looming, the Darby School Board will meet Tuesday with attorneys who might defend the district in the event that it is sued over recent policy changes."
Objecting to 'origins': Darby student protest highlights concern over new policy
By JENNY JOHNSON
Ravalli Republic
http://www.ravallinews.com/articles/2004/02/26/news/news01.txt
"After the Darby School Board Tuesday made another move in the process of adopting an objective origins policy, students came out to express their opposition."
CWRU scientist threatens court fight if state approves biology lesson plan
by Scott Stephens
Cleveland Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1077796629165810.xml
"A Case Western Reserve University scientist says he will go to court if the State Board of Education approves a 10th-grade biology lesson plan he claims will give teachers a green light to teach "intelligent design.""
Ohio Darwin Groups Enlist Help of Controversial Legal Expert
Press Release
Discovery Institute
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040226/sfth061_1.html
"Ohio's pro-Darwin groups have enlisted the help of a professor known for his "far out" legal views in their effort to censor a proposed science lesson on evolution."
What would Jesus teach?
by Josh Mahan
Missoula Independent
http://www.missoulanews.com/News/News.asp?no=3881
"Religiously motivated questioning of evolution isn’t considered textbook science yet, at least not in Darby’s educational curriculum. But on March 8, the five-member school board will make the heavy decision of what subject matter to offer in science classes to the next generation of students."
Paleontology museum launches new Web site on evolution
Press Release
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/02/26_evolve.shtml
"The debut this month of a new University of California, Berkeley, Web site devoted to evolution provides a much-needed resource for teachers as schools across the nation are being challenged to kick evolution out of the classroom or pair it with instruction in non-scientific alternatives, such as "intelligent design.""
Don't Be a Savya Hata!
BY FRANK LEWIS
Cleveland Scene
http://www.clevescene.com/issues/2004-02-25/news2.html/1/index.html
"Ohio scientists are circulating a document they say proves that Christian activists are trying to sneak their teachings into public schools."
An American werewolf, and it's in . . . Elkhorn?
By MEGAN TWOHEY
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/feb04/210304.asp
"Linda Godfrey thought the first story she wrote on the subject would be her last."
10 YEARS AGO: The night Gloria Ramirez died lives on - for her family, and for Riverside.
By DOUGLAS E. BEEMAN
Riverside Press-Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_gloria23.eb97.html
"Ten years ago, an ailing young mother was wheeled into the emergency room at the old Riverside General Hospital and quickly made international headlines."
Regulation regulation regulation
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,12980,1155986,00.html
"There are a few alternative therapists out there with plenty of time on their hands to do some extra reading."
Queen turns back on Harley Street for 'alternative' GP
By Charlotte Edwardes and Andrew Alderson
The Telegraph [UK]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...een22.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/02/22/ixhome.html
"He offers his patients massage, acupuncture, yoga and aromatherapy, but his latest client is not a pop star or an actress - it is the Queen."
Brewing Ailments Away Using Tea
WBAL
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/health/2867957/detail.html
"Many people love to drink tea, but did you know it can be used as a medicine? Tea is one of the most ancient forms of medication that can be used for many problems, WBAL-TV 11 News Health Alert reporter Donna Hamilton reported."
Cancer Patients Likelier to Use Alternative Medicine
HealthDayNews
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/altm/517575.html
"Cancer patients are twice as likely to turn to acupuncture and herbal therapy as people suffering from other diseases are, claims a new study of alternative medicine use."
'Earthy' Prince Meets Alternative Therapy Patients
By Laura Elston
Scottish Press Association
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2585026
"Complementary medicine advocate the Prince of Wales toured a health clinic today to see how the use of alternative therapies had progressed."
Alternative medicine advocates meet with legislators about bill
By Erik Gable
Fairfield Daily Ledger
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1139&dept_id=142642&newsid=11037358&PAG=461&rfi=9
"Supporters of a bill to exempt alternative health care providers from state licensing requirements met with legislators and medical groups Wednesday in Des Moines."
MDs attack bills giving naturopaths new powers
By ANN POTEMPA
Anchorage Daily News
http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/4788565p-4731395c.html
"Members of the Alaska State Medical Board issued strong statements Thursday opposing two legislative bills that would give naturopaths authority to prescribe drugs and perform minor surgeries."
Autism is a mystery, not a medical conspiracy
by Gerald DeGroot
Scotland on Sunday
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=237982004
"THE knives are out for Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who linked autism to the MMR vaccine. Over the last few weeks, various reports have indicated serious flaws in his research. News has also emerged that he received (but did not disclose) £55,000 from a legal aid project set up to look for links between the vaccine and the disorder. Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, admitted that his journal would not have published Wakefield’s paper in February 1998 had it known about his conflict of interest. Stated simply, for the last six years parents have been tortured by a myth."
Doctor demands apology for MMR claims in Lancet
By Julie Henry
The Telegraph [UK]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...mmr29.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/02/29/ixhome.html
"Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who first raised fears of a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, has hired a libel lawyer to demand an apology from The Lancet after claiming that the medical journal has cast doubt on his honesty."
Herbal entrepreneur proving that sex sells
By James McNair
Cincinnati Enquirer
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/02/22/biz_warshak22.1.html
"Neither studmuffin nor studmaker does Steven Warshak appear to be."
Taking Spin Out of Report That Made Bad Into Good Health
By ROBERT PEAR
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/22/politics/22HEAL.html
"The Bush administration says it improperly altered a report documenting large racial and ethnic disparities in health care, but it will soon publish the full, unexpurgated document."
Ghostbusters board 'haunted' WWII battleship
Associated Press
http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/0223ghostbusting-ship-ON.html
"Danny Bradshaw is convinced he's not the only one on the battleship "North Carolina.""
Ghost-hunters encounter ‘signs’
By MARILYN FONTENOT
Atchison Daily Globe
http://www.atchisondailyglobe.com/Main.asp?SectionID=16&SubSectionID=33&ArticleID=2592
"Atchison’s “ghosts” were all stirred up this weekend."
Campus Detective
By Kris Cabulong
Arizona Daily Wildcat
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/97/105/01_11.html
"Question: "Are there any ghosts on campus?""
Prof sees light at end of death's tunnel
By Sarah Stanton
Arizona Daily Wildcat
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/97/102/01_3.html
"The existence of an afterlife is a mystery that has plagued religion, philosophy and psychology since their conception - until now."
Divorce papers are filed by Army sergeant
Associated Press
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ct--deathhoax0225feb25,0,3326444.story
"After much talk about it, Army Sgt. Betsy Valentin has filed for divorce against her husband who is accused of making up a story about her death."
Husband accused of lying about wife's death arraigned on sex assault charges
Associated Press
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/new...5.apds.m0559.bc-ct--deatfeb27,0,3976920.story
"A man who was arrested after allegedly concocting a story about his soldier wife's death earlier this month was arraigned Friday on charges of sexually assaulting a minor."
Kidnapping Hoax: Woman, Boyfriend Charged
KOIN
http://www.koin.com/webnews/2004/20040225_meier.shtml
"A Hood River woman accused of staging her own abduction now faces criminal charges."
Forensic tests in search for art thieves
Australian Associated Press
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/29/1077989424468.html
"Sydney forensic experts investigating Australia's largest art theft have taken several items from the crime scene at a homestead in northern NSW for DNA and finger print tests."
Art heist or hoax?
By Frank Walker
Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/28/1077677017965.html
"Police Commissioner Ken Moroney yesterday ordered in his top forensic investigators to discover whether the theft of $67 million worth of paintings from a North Coast artist's retreat was Australia's greatest art heist or a hoax."
Stolen Cezanne or artful scam?
By Scott Emerson and Georgina Safe
The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8812609%5E2702,00.html
"DRIVE up a dirt track past four flagging letterboxes and a rusted sign warning about children on bicycles and you come to a brick and timber A-framed house with church doors surrounded by scrub."
Restaurant workers strip-searched after prank phone call
Associated Press
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...orkers_strip_searched_after_prank_phone_call/
"They thought they were following orders from police."
Lawsuit Filed After Strip Search Hoax
WCVB
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/2878278/detail.html
"A male employee at a local Wendy's restaurant has filed a discrimination complaint against his female supervisor after a recent strip search hoax."
Naked comes the stranger, once again
By John Woestendiek
Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/arts/bal-as.naked22feb22,0,6597366.story
"They are mostly old coots now, gone gray, gone bald, in some cases simply gone. They're a few steps slower than they were in the 1960s, when newspapers were more playful places to be; not as prone to imbibe; and far less likely to engage in the kind of mischief that saw them pull off, if not the literary hoax of the century, at least a darn good prank."
A small dose of reality goes a long way
By DEBORAH YOUNG
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1077292664308590.xml
"I was surprised to see myself on the runaway hit, "The Apprentice," last night. Friends alerted me with their calls, screaming that I was on TV."
Organizer bans 'Hunting for Bambi' promoter from outdoor show
Associated Press
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/peninsula/8020207.htm
(See also <http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/bambi.asp>)
"A man who sells videos depicting men hunting naked women with paintball guns won't be invited back to a sport and outdoor show held annually in suburban Pittsburgh, the event's organizer said."
Spoofed Proposition
By Brian Sereno
WashingtonWizards.com
http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/spoof_proposal040225.html
"As the Wizards game on Friday, February 20th ended, 15,711 fans streamed out from MCI Center, still abuzz with what they witnessed."
Panic is Timeless
by Jim Knipfel
New York Press
http://www.nypress.com/17/8/news&columns/slackjaw.cfm
"For the past several weeks, I’ve been inching my way through a slim paperback that has turned out to be much more fascinating than I originally expected. It was buried in my library for years, down in the "mental illness and social deviancy" section, but somehow I never got around to looking at it. Most likely, it came along with most of the other books in that section when I acquired Erving Goffman’s library back in Philly."
For Exercise in New York Futility, Push Button
By MICHAEL LUO
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/nyregion/27BUTT.html
"For years, at thousands of New York City intersections, well-worn push buttons have offered harried walkers a rare promise of control over their pedestrian lives. The signs mounted above explained their purpose:"
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EMBRACES CREATIONISM
Press Release
http://www.ems.org/rls/2004/02/26/national_park_se.html
"The leadership of the National Park Service is ignoring calls by its own senior scientists to withdraw approval for a creationist book now being sold in park facilities, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Instead, the book, which claims that the Grand Canyon is only 6,000 years old, has been re-ordered and is being marketed on the web as "natural history.""
The Junk Science of George W. Bush
by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040308&c=1&s=kennedy
"As Jesuit schoolboys studying world history we learned that Copernicus and Galileo self-censored for many decades their proofs that the earth revolved around the sun and that a less restrained heliocentrist, Giordano Bruno, was burned alive in 1600 for the crime of sound science. With the encouragement of our professor, Father Joyce, we marveled at the capacity of human leaders to corrupt noble institutions. Lust for power had caused the Catholic hierarchy to subvert the church's most central purpose--the search for existential truths."
Discussion group provides neutral ground for unusual topics
By Teresa McQuerrey
Payson Roundup
http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/localnews/story/14317
"The topics are so unusual most people would most likely scoff at their slightest mention -- extraterrestrial visits; canola oil as a toxic substance; oxygen as a food supplement; an undetected planet coming between the Earth and Moon every 3,600 years."
Professor wants to find out if you were born lucky
by RUTH ARMSTRONG
Edinburgh Evening News
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=226302004
"A PSYCHOLOGIST is to carry out a massive study in Edinburgh to find out if some people are born lucky."
Arizona Bill to Regulate Cryonics Advances
Associated Press
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/baseball/8049729.htm
"A cryonics firm where baseball legend Ted Williams' frozen remains are said to be stored would be regulated by the state funeral board under a revised bill advancing in the Arizona House."
Cryonics CEO favors regulation
by Peter Corbett
Arizona Republic
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0227alcorceo27.html
"Arizona lawmakers' plans to regulate cryonics will elevate the legitimacy of the practice of freezing the dead in the hopes of reviving them in the future, says the chief of Scottsdale-based Alcor."
'Psychotic psychic'
By BILL CHAPIN
Port Huron Times Herald
http://www.thetimesherald.com/news/stories/20040224/localnews/463388.html
"He sits in the cafeteria at Lambton College, rolling a 4-inch crystal in his palm."
Aussies 'embrace the paranormal'
By Judy Skatssoon
Australian Associated Press
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8776308%5E1702,00.html
"WOMEN see dead people but blokes are more likely to believe in aliens, according to a poll suggesting Australians are willing to accept the paranormal."
Psychics: Lifting the Veil and the Bar
By JOE ZELNIK
Cape May COunty Herald
http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/index.cfm?CID=news_view&Section_ID=1&News_ID=1060
"Joseph Giannattasio has been teaching a “Psychic Secrets” course for believers and skeptics. That’s good, since he seems to be both."
The Night After The Golden Dawn
by Rod Smith
Twin City Pages
http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1212/article11921.asp
"Magic, I'm finding out, is hard work. When I asked Roger Williamson for a demonstration of The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, I certainly didn't think I'd have to participate. The mask I'm wearing makes it damn difficult to circumambulate the tiny, windowless chamber in Williamson's basement. And the candlelight strobing through the thick haze of pungent kyphi incense isn't helping, especially since I'm supposed to be keeping in step with him as he performs the ritual. And, whatever I do, I'm supposed to stay inside the black magic circle painted on the white floor."
They can't explain how it works, but dowsing still has its believers
Roanoke Times
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story163304.html
"Q: I grew up on a small farm in northern Wisconsin. Some farmers were called water witches, because they could use a willow branch to tell you where to dig a well. Is there any scientific explanation?"
Woman tells of clairvoyant experiences in Sherry case
By TOM WILEMON
South Mississippi Sun Herald
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/living/8012009.htm
"Sherry Bahm, a clairvoyant woman who assisted in the Sherry murder case, has written a book that details how she grapples with the information she receives."
Miraculous Vision Of The Clairvoyant Without Sight
By Sandra Chapman
Belfast News
<http://icnorthernireland.icnetwork....-The-Clairvoyant-Without-Sight-name_page.html>
"Sharon Neill has the rare gift of being able to `see' what others cannot."
Focus on metaphysical, an outreach to 'seekers'
By MAUREA SLEESMAN
Hernando Today
http://www.hernandotoday.com/MGACU5RW6RD.html
"The Inner Peace Church of the Spirit provides an opportunity for seekers who may be undecided in their search for a home church."
Psychic 'misled actress to hopeless cancer death'
Expatica News
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=19&story_id=4821
"Accused of misleading Dutch actress Sylvia Millecam to a "chanceless" death from cancer, psychic medium Jomanda was confronted on Wednesday with news that the Public Prosecution (OM) is set to launch a criminal investigation."
Psychic Stephen brings 'a message of hope'
By Jenny Parkin
Huddersfield Daily Examiner
<http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co....hen-brings--a-message-of-hope--name_page.html>
"STEPHEN Holbrook describes one night on stage in Rotherham when a spirit told him: "There's a woman sitting five rows back, three chairs in. Her name's Jean. Tell her it's her husband.""
Even pet psychic can't locate Lab
Wausau Daily Herald
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/wdhlocal/279921125903804.shtml
"For those who have suggested that this column has gone to the dogs, today's installment will only reinforce that opinion."
Every Witch Way Shoppe caters to Wiccans, pagans
By Sean Wolfe
Corvallis Gazette-Times
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/02/24/news/community/tueloc04.txt
"They're out of the broom closet, and they're not going back in. That's the word from the owners of Every Witch Way Shoppe, a new store in Albany that caters to pagans and practitioners of the Wiccan religion."
Suit: TV show demeans voodoo
By Joseph A. Slobodzian
Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/8024245.htm
"A Philadelphia-based advocacy group for African religions yesterday sued Universal Studios and producers for cable's Sci Fi Channel, contending that a forthcoming "reality series" demeans and misrepresents the voodoo religion."
Woman Burns to Death in Apparent Ritual Gone Wrong
By Lucy Yang
WABC
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_022404_womanburned.html
"A woman was found dead tonight in a Bronx apartment badly burned, and police believe it was the tragic result of a religious ritual turned deadly."
She dies in ritual
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
New York DAILY NEWS
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/167811p-146667c.html
"A 41-year-old Bronx woman died yesterday when she caught fire during a Santeria cleansing ritual at a friend's apartment, police and neighbors said."
'Clonaid Cloned Embryo in Korea'
By Soh Ji-young
Korea Times
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200402/kt2004022417350111970.htm
"Clonaid, a U.S.-based company that claims to have produced the first human clone, said on Tuesday it used a South Korean laboratory to create its first human clone embryo."
Fred West linked to the occult
By Caroline Wheeler
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
<http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk...Fred-West-linked-to-the-occult-name_page.html>
"Serial killers Fred and Rose West shocked the world with an horrific murder spree that claimed at least 12 lives."
African strife inflamed by mysticism
By Abraham McLaughlin and Tim Cocks
Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0227/p06s02-woaf.html
"In northern Uganda, a band of mystic-Christian rebels mounted its biggest-ever attack on civilians, killing some 200 with guns, clubs, and machetes last Saturday."
Mutilation horror in DR Congo
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3516481.stm
"At least 100 people, mostly unarmed civilians, have been killed in a wave of horrific attacks in southern Democratic Republic of Congo."
Mozambique 'human organ' nun dead
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3493016.stm
"A Brazilian nun has been found dead in Mozambique after some of her colleagues said they had exposed an organ trafficking network."
The Door: A Church or a Cult?
KPHO
http://www.kpho.com/Global/story.asp?S=1662622&nav=23KtL28w
"Mind control, fear, families torn apart -- these are allegations against a church founded right here in Arizona."
Death penalty for Japan cult guru
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3491488.stm
"Shoko Asahara, the leader of a Japanese doomsday cult which gassed the Tokyo subway in 1995, has been sentenced to death for ordering the attack."
Japan Cult Guru Sentenced to Death for Sarin Attack
Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4451781
"A former Japanese cult guru who ordered a 1995 gas attack on Tokyo subway trains that killed 12, sickened thousands and shattered Japan's myth of public safety was found guilty and sentenced to death Friday after an eight-year trial."
Japan Cult Appeal Could Cause Delays
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/Intl/AP.V6083.AP-Japan-Cult-Verd.html
"It took nearly eight years for Japan's courts to convict and hand down a death sentence against former cult guru Shoko Asahara for the 1995 Tokyo nerve gas attack. With the appeal promised by his lawyers, it could take just as many years to execute him."
Cult reiterates its apology
Japan Times
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20040228a5.htm
"Members of Aum Shinrikyo apologized Friday to the people victimized by the heinous crimes committed by senior cultists on the orders of the guru, Shoko Asahara, who was sentenced to death earlier in the day."
For Aum's victims, it's a life sentence
Asahi Shimbun
http://www.asahi.com/english/nation/TKY200402280178.html
"It's a bitter irony that the Aum Shinrikyo cultists in prison for the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack on Tokyo's subway system are well fed and clothed at government expense."
Sentencing Date for Nuwaubian Leader
Associated Press
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/georgia/news-article.aspx?storyid=15409
"The leader of a quasi-religious sect convicted of molesting children at the group's compound has been scheduled for sentencing."
Friends find their calling
By Lou Kilzer
Rocky Mountain News
http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2689507,00.html
"One of the world's most admired animal sanctuaries has a skeleton tucked deep in its closet - one with a history worthy of its own miniseries."
Curse turns up on anti-Z sign
Hi-Desert Star
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2004/02/28/news/latest_news/news2.txt
"The campaign against Measure Z took a religious turn Thursday, when a sign bearing not only the campaign's message but two religious references was found posted on property near to the home of Community Services District General Manager Kathy Greco."
Dog’s death may linked to Satanic rituals, police say
Associated Press
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11027779&BRD=2311&PAG=461&dept_id=482260&rfi=6
"A dog was tortured and killed in a vacant Lehigh County farmhouse in what officials suspect was a Satanic ritual that may be linked to the recent deaths of three other dogs."
Woman: Police called to site of dog killing before
By Randy Kraft
Allentown Morning Call
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b5-5dogfeb27,0,2519031.story
"Katherine Sarver wasn't completely surprised when she learned a dog was tortured to death in the abandoned farmhouse containing Satanic symbols near her home in Lower Macungie Township."
UFO spotter in Corinth expects mystery to remain unsolved
By MARIA KATOULA
WCNC
http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-022504-ds-ufospottercorinth.27e6f93c.html
"This is the story of an unidentified flying object that fell from the sky and set a field on fire. But the woman who spotted it doesn’t expect to ever find out what it was."
Leading Expert to Speak on Alien Abduction
By TOM SHARPE
Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=6&ArticleID=40823
"A Boston filmmaker whose recent documentary focuses on people who claim they were abducted by space aliens says she looks forward to returning to New Mexico where people are open to unconventional thinking."
Aliens exist, say researchers, abducted audience members
By Sarah Stanton
Arizona Daily Wildcat
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/97/103/01_6.html
"Alien abductees and university professors who specialize in extraterrestrial research gathered last night at University Medical Center to share their out-of-this-world experiences."
The truth is out there
By STEVE HOWIE
Skagit Valley Herald
http://www.skagitvalleyherald.com/articles/2004/02/23/news/news01.txt
"Last fall, Kyle Young was sitting in his bedroom watching a documentary on the history of unidentified flying objects and fretting about what to do for his senior project."
Special Report: Area 51 Uncovered
KLAS
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1662942&nav=168XL2BA
"The infamous Nevada military base known as Area 51 is one of the most secretive places on Earth. For years, the government wouldn't even admit the base existed. Eyewitness News has aired many stories about the base over the years but we've never had much of a look inside -- until now. A private satellite company has developed something that allows people to fly in and take a look."
The missing people-shredder
by Brendan O'Neill
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/analysis/story/0,3604,1155399,00.html
"Forget the no-show of Saddam Hussein's WMD. Ask instead what happened to Saddam's "people shredder", into which his son Qusay reportedly fed opponents of the Ba'athist regime."
Gang ritual alert is hoax, police say
by MELISSA MANWARE
Charlotte Obsever
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/8033779.htm
"Charlotte-Mecklenburg police want the public to know an e-mail warning drivers about a dangerous gang initiation ritual is not true."
Frist Seeks Permanent Authorization Of Voting Rights Act
The Chattanoogan
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_47293.asp
"U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) today made the following statement on the Senate floor on the Voting Rights Act:"
Sheriffs' association falls prey to urban myth
By Chris Post
Marshall Democrat-News
http://www.marshallnews.com/story/1062974.html
"It would appear the Missouri Sheriffs' Association has fallen victim to a hoax concerning the sale of delivery uniforms on the Internet."
Artifacts found at Markle Mill
By Howard Greninger
Terre Haute Tribune-Star
http://www.tribstar.com/articles/2004/02/24/news/news02.txt
"The discovery of an arrowhead and more than a dozen flint chips warrant additional archeological studies of Markle Mill, according to a study from Indiana State University's Anthropology Laboratory."
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skepticsearch/
-------
If you'd like to support the Skeptic NewsSearch, please consider making a donation via PayPal - <http://tinyurl.com/x81m>
by Jeevan Vasagar
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1155223,00.html
"A campaign to wipe out polio in Africa is being jeopardised by suspicions among Muslim leaders in Nigeria that the vaccination programme is an American plot to make Muslims infertile."
Polio boycott is 'unforgivable'
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3488806.stm
"A senior United Nations official has condemned Nigerian states that have refused to take part in a mass immunisation drive against polio."
Official Defends Polio Vaccine Boycott
By GLENN McKENZIE
Associated Press
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040226/ap_on_he_me/west_africa_polio_2
"A Nigerian state governor defended a boycott of a polio immunization campaign, asserting a spreading outbreak of the disease was a "lesser of two evils" than rendering women infertile with vaccines that some Islamic leaders have deemed a U.S. plot against Muslims."
Smith School parent wants book removed
By LAURA TODE
Helena Independent Record
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/02/25/helena/a01022504_05.txt
"A concerned parent has called into question a library book about horses and wants it removed from an elementary school library."
Bill requiring evolution disclaimer clears House
By Sean Murphy
Claremore Daily Progress
http://www.claremoreprogress.com/ar...16&PHPSESSID=67f8c78155dcf38ce89fdd5fb8b90b3f
"The Oklahoma House passed a bill Monday that would require public school textbooks that discuss evolution to include a disclaimer stating that it is a controversial theory and not fact."
Darby school district to get free legal help from Christian group
Associated Press
http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde...02/26/build/state/30-darby-schooldistrict.inc
"Anticipating a lawsuit over its revised approach to science instruction, the school board will get legal help from a group that says it functions to "keep the door open for the spread of the Gospel.""
Darby School Board prepares for potential lawsuit; meeting set with lawyer:
By JENNY JOHNSON
Ravalli Republic
http://www.ravallinews.com/articles/2004/02/23/news/news02.txt
"With a potential lawsuit looming, the Darby School Board will meet Tuesday with attorneys who might defend the district in the event that it is sued over recent policy changes."
Objecting to 'origins': Darby student protest highlights concern over new policy
By JENNY JOHNSON
Ravalli Republic
http://www.ravallinews.com/articles/2004/02/26/news/news01.txt
"After the Darby School Board Tuesday made another move in the process of adopting an objective origins policy, students came out to express their opposition."
CWRU scientist threatens court fight if state approves biology lesson plan
by Scott Stephens
Cleveland Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1077796629165810.xml
"A Case Western Reserve University scientist says he will go to court if the State Board of Education approves a 10th-grade biology lesson plan he claims will give teachers a green light to teach "intelligent design.""
Ohio Darwin Groups Enlist Help of Controversial Legal Expert
Press Release
Discovery Institute
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040226/sfth061_1.html
"Ohio's pro-Darwin groups have enlisted the help of a professor known for his "far out" legal views in their effort to censor a proposed science lesson on evolution."
What would Jesus teach?
by Josh Mahan
Missoula Independent
http://www.missoulanews.com/News/News.asp?no=3881
"Religiously motivated questioning of evolution isn’t considered textbook science yet, at least not in Darby’s educational curriculum. But on March 8, the five-member school board will make the heavy decision of what subject matter to offer in science classes to the next generation of students."
Paleontology museum launches new Web site on evolution
Press Release
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/02/26_evolve.shtml
"The debut this month of a new University of California, Berkeley, Web site devoted to evolution provides a much-needed resource for teachers as schools across the nation are being challenged to kick evolution out of the classroom or pair it with instruction in non-scientific alternatives, such as "intelligent design.""
Don't Be a Savya Hata!
BY FRANK LEWIS
Cleveland Scene
http://www.clevescene.com/issues/2004-02-25/news2.html/1/index.html
"Ohio scientists are circulating a document they say proves that Christian activists are trying to sneak their teachings into public schools."
An American werewolf, and it's in . . . Elkhorn?
By MEGAN TWOHEY
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/feb04/210304.asp
"Linda Godfrey thought the first story she wrote on the subject would be her last."
10 YEARS AGO: The night Gloria Ramirez died lives on - for her family, and for Riverside.
By DOUGLAS E. BEEMAN
Riverside Press-Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_gloria23.eb97.html
"Ten years ago, an ailing young mother was wheeled into the emergency room at the old Riverside General Hospital and quickly made international headlines."
Regulation regulation regulation
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,12980,1155986,00.html
"There are a few alternative therapists out there with plenty of time on their hands to do some extra reading."
Queen turns back on Harley Street for 'alternative' GP
By Charlotte Edwardes and Andrew Alderson
The Telegraph [UK]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...een22.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/02/22/ixhome.html
"He offers his patients massage, acupuncture, yoga and aromatherapy, but his latest client is not a pop star or an actress - it is the Queen."
Brewing Ailments Away Using Tea
WBAL
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/health/2867957/detail.html
"Many people love to drink tea, but did you know it can be used as a medicine? Tea is one of the most ancient forms of medication that can be used for many problems, WBAL-TV 11 News Health Alert reporter Donna Hamilton reported."
Cancer Patients Likelier to Use Alternative Medicine
HealthDayNews
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/altm/517575.html
"Cancer patients are twice as likely to turn to acupuncture and herbal therapy as people suffering from other diseases are, claims a new study of alternative medicine use."
'Earthy' Prince Meets Alternative Therapy Patients
By Laura Elston
Scottish Press Association
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2585026
"Complementary medicine advocate the Prince of Wales toured a health clinic today to see how the use of alternative therapies had progressed."
Alternative medicine advocates meet with legislators about bill
By Erik Gable
Fairfield Daily Ledger
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1139&dept_id=142642&newsid=11037358&PAG=461&rfi=9
"Supporters of a bill to exempt alternative health care providers from state licensing requirements met with legislators and medical groups Wednesday in Des Moines."
MDs attack bills giving naturopaths new powers
By ANN POTEMPA
Anchorage Daily News
http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/4788565p-4731395c.html
"Members of the Alaska State Medical Board issued strong statements Thursday opposing two legislative bills that would give naturopaths authority to prescribe drugs and perform minor surgeries."
Autism is a mystery, not a medical conspiracy
by Gerald DeGroot
Scotland on Sunday
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=237982004
"THE knives are out for Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who linked autism to the MMR vaccine. Over the last few weeks, various reports have indicated serious flaws in his research. News has also emerged that he received (but did not disclose) £55,000 from a legal aid project set up to look for links between the vaccine and the disorder. Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, admitted that his journal would not have published Wakefield’s paper in February 1998 had it known about his conflict of interest. Stated simply, for the last six years parents have been tortured by a myth."
Doctor demands apology for MMR claims in Lancet
By Julie Henry
The Telegraph [UK]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...mmr29.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/02/29/ixhome.html
"Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who first raised fears of a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, has hired a libel lawyer to demand an apology from The Lancet after claiming that the medical journal has cast doubt on his honesty."
Herbal entrepreneur proving that sex sells
By James McNair
Cincinnati Enquirer
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/02/22/biz_warshak22.1.html
"Neither studmuffin nor studmaker does Steven Warshak appear to be."
Taking Spin Out of Report That Made Bad Into Good Health
By ROBERT PEAR
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/22/politics/22HEAL.html
"The Bush administration says it improperly altered a report documenting large racial and ethnic disparities in health care, but it will soon publish the full, unexpurgated document."
Ghostbusters board 'haunted' WWII battleship
Associated Press
http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/0223ghostbusting-ship-ON.html
"Danny Bradshaw is convinced he's not the only one on the battleship "North Carolina.""
Ghost-hunters encounter ‘signs’
By MARILYN FONTENOT
Atchison Daily Globe
http://www.atchisondailyglobe.com/Main.asp?SectionID=16&SubSectionID=33&ArticleID=2592
"Atchison’s “ghosts” were all stirred up this weekend."
Campus Detective
By Kris Cabulong
Arizona Daily Wildcat
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/97/105/01_11.html
"Question: "Are there any ghosts on campus?""
Prof sees light at end of death's tunnel
By Sarah Stanton
Arizona Daily Wildcat
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/97/102/01_3.html
"The existence of an afterlife is a mystery that has plagued religion, philosophy and psychology since their conception - until now."
Divorce papers are filed by Army sergeant
Associated Press
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ct--deathhoax0225feb25,0,3326444.story
"After much talk about it, Army Sgt. Betsy Valentin has filed for divorce against her husband who is accused of making up a story about her death."
Husband accused of lying about wife's death arraigned on sex assault charges
Associated Press
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/new...5.apds.m0559.bc-ct--deatfeb27,0,3976920.story
"A man who was arrested after allegedly concocting a story about his soldier wife's death earlier this month was arraigned Friday on charges of sexually assaulting a minor."
Kidnapping Hoax: Woman, Boyfriend Charged
KOIN
http://www.koin.com/webnews/2004/20040225_meier.shtml
"A Hood River woman accused of staging her own abduction now faces criminal charges."
Forensic tests in search for art thieves
Australian Associated Press
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/29/1077989424468.html
"Sydney forensic experts investigating Australia's largest art theft have taken several items from the crime scene at a homestead in northern NSW for DNA and finger print tests."
Art heist or hoax?
By Frank Walker
Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/28/1077677017965.html
"Police Commissioner Ken Moroney yesterday ordered in his top forensic investigators to discover whether the theft of $67 million worth of paintings from a North Coast artist's retreat was Australia's greatest art heist or a hoax."
Stolen Cezanne or artful scam?
By Scott Emerson and Georgina Safe
The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8812609%5E2702,00.html
"DRIVE up a dirt track past four flagging letterboxes and a rusted sign warning about children on bicycles and you come to a brick and timber A-framed house with church doors surrounded by scrub."
Restaurant workers strip-searched after prank phone call
Associated Press
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...orkers_strip_searched_after_prank_phone_call/
"They thought they were following orders from police."
Lawsuit Filed After Strip Search Hoax
WCVB
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/2878278/detail.html
"A male employee at a local Wendy's restaurant has filed a discrimination complaint against his female supervisor after a recent strip search hoax."
Naked comes the stranger, once again
By John Woestendiek
Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/arts/bal-as.naked22feb22,0,6597366.story
"They are mostly old coots now, gone gray, gone bald, in some cases simply gone. They're a few steps slower than they were in the 1960s, when newspapers were more playful places to be; not as prone to imbibe; and far less likely to engage in the kind of mischief that saw them pull off, if not the literary hoax of the century, at least a darn good prank."
A small dose of reality goes a long way
By DEBORAH YOUNG
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1077292664308590.xml
"I was surprised to see myself on the runaway hit, "The Apprentice," last night. Friends alerted me with their calls, screaming that I was on TV."
Organizer bans 'Hunting for Bambi' promoter from outdoor show
Associated Press
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/peninsula/8020207.htm
(See also <http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/bambi.asp>)
"A man who sells videos depicting men hunting naked women with paintball guns won't be invited back to a sport and outdoor show held annually in suburban Pittsburgh, the event's organizer said."
Spoofed Proposition
By Brian Sereno
WashingtonWizards.com
http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/spoof_proposal040225.html
"As the Wizards game on Friday, February 20th ended, 15,711 fans streamed out from MCI Center, still abuzz with what they witnessed."
Panic is Timeless
by Jim Knipfel
New York Press
http://www.nypress.com/17/8/news&columns/slackjaw.cfm
"For the past several weeks, I’ve been inching my way through a slim paperback that has turned out to be much more fascinating than I originally expected. It was buried in my library for years, down in the "mental illness and social deviancy" section, but somehow I never got around to looking at it. Most likely, it came along with most of the other books in that section when I acquired Erving Goffman’s library back in Philly."
For Exercise in New York Futility, Push Button
By MICHAEL LUO
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/nyregion/27BUTT.html
"For years, at thousands of New York City intersections, well-worn push buttons have offered harried walkers a rare promise of control over their pedestrian lives. The signs mounted above explained their purpose:"
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EMBRACES CREATIONISM
Press Release
http://www.ems.org/rls/2004/02/26/national_park_se.html
"The leadership of the National Park Service is ignoring calls by its own senior scientists to withdraw approval for a creationist book now being sold in park facilities, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Instead, the book, which claims that the Grand Canyon is only 6,000 years old, has been re-ordered and is being marketed on the web as "natural history.""
The Junk Science of George W. Bush
by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040308&c=1&s=kennedy
"As Jesuit schoolboys studying world history we learned that Copernicus and Galileo self-censored for many decades their proofs that the earth revolved around the sun and that a less restrained heliocentrist, Giordano Bruno, was burned alive in 1600 for the crime of sound science. With the encouragement of our professor, Father Joyce, we marveled at the capacity of human leaders to corrupt noble institutions. Lust for power had caused the Catholic hierarchy to subvert the church's most central purpose--the search for existential truths."
Discussion group provides neutral ground for unusual topics
By Teresa McQuerrey
Payson Roundup
http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/localnews/story/14317
"The topics are so unusual most people would most likely scoff at their slightest mention -- extraterrestrial visits; canola oil as a toxic substance; oxygen as a food supplement; an undetected planet coming between the Earth and Moon every 3,600 years."
Professor wants to find out if you were born lucky
by RUTH ARMSTRONG
Edinburgh Evening News
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=226302004
"A PSYCHOLOGIST is to carry out a massive study in Edinburgh to find out if some people are born lucky."
Arizona Bill to Regulate Cryonics Advances
Associated Press
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/baseball/8049729.htm
"A cryonics firm where baseball legend Ted Williams' frozen remains are said to be stored would be regulated by the state funeral board under a revised bill advancing in the Arizona House."
Cryonics CEO favors regulation
by Peter Corbett
Arizona Republic
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0227alcorceo27.html
"Arizona lawmakers' plans to regulate cryonics will elevate the legitimacy of the practice of freezing the dead in the hopes of reviving them in the future, says the chief of Scottsdale-based Alcor."
'Psychotic psychic'
By BILL CHAPIN
Port Huron Times Herald
http://www.thetimesherald.com/news/stories/20040224/localnews/463388.html
"He sits in the cafeteria at Lambton College, rolling a 4-inch crystal in his palm."
Aussies 'embrace the paranormal'
By Judy Skatssoon
Australian Associated Press
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8776308%5E1702,00.html
"WOMEN see dead people but blokes are more likely to believe in aliens, according to a poll suggesting Australians are willing to accept the paranormal."
Psychics: Lifting the Veil and the Bar
By JOE ZELNIK
Cape May COunty Herald
http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/index.cfm?CID=news_view&Section_ID=1&News_ID=1060
"Joseph Giannattasio has been teaching a “Psychic Secrets” course for believers and skeptics. That’s good, since he seems to be both."
The Night After The Golden Dawn
by Rod Smith
Twin City Pages
http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1212/article11921.asp
"Magic, I'm finding out, is hard work. When I asked Roger Williamson for a demonstration of The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, I certainly didn't think I'd have to participate. The mask I'm wearing makes it damn difficult to circumambulate the tiny, windowless chamber in Williamson's basement. And the candlelight strobing through the thick haze of pungent kyphi incense isn't helping, especially since I'm supposed to be keeping in step with him as he performs the ritual. And, whatever I do, I'm supposed to stay inside the black magic circle painted on the white floor."
They can't explain how it works, but dowsing still has its believers
Roanoke Times
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story163304.html
"Q: I grew up on a small farm in northern Wisconsin. Some farmers were called water witches, because they could use a willow branch to tell you where to dig a well. Is there any scientific explanation?"
Woman tells of clairvoyant experiences in Sherry case
By TOM WILEMON
South Mississippi Sun Herald
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/living/8012009.htm
"Sherry Bahm, a clairvoyant woman who assisted in the Sherry murder case, has written a book that details how she grapples with the information she receives."
Miraculous Vision Of The Clairvoyant Without Sight
By Sandra Chapman
Belfast News
<http://icnorthernireland.icnetwork....-The-Clairvoyant-Without-Sight-name_page.html>
"Sharon Neill has the rare gift of being able to `see' what others cannot."
Focus on metaphysical, an outreach to 'seekers'
By MAUREA SLEESMAN
Hernando Today
http://www.hernandotoday.com/MGACU5RW6RD.html
"The Inner Peace Church of the Spirit provides an opportunity for seekers who may be undecided in their search for a home church."
Psychic 'misled actress to hopeless cancer death'
Expatica News
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=19&story_id=4821
"Accused of misleading Dutch actress Sylvia Millecam to a "chanceless" death from cancer, psychic medium Jomanda was confronted on Wednesday with news that the Public Prosecution (OM) is set to launch a criminal investigation."
Psychic Stephen brings 'a message of hope'
By Jenny Parkin
Huddersfield Daily Examiner
<http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co....hen-brings--a-message-of-hope--name_page.html>
"STEPHEN Holbrook describes one night on stage in Rotherham when a spirit told him: "There's a woman sitting five rows back, three chairs in. Her name's Jean. Tell her it's her husband.""
Even pet psychic can't locate Lab
Wausau Daily Herald
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/wdhlocal/279921125903804.shtml
"For those who have suggested that this column has gone to the dogs, today's installment will only reinforce that opinion."
Every Witch Way Shoppe caters to Wiccans, pagans
By Sean Wolfe
Corvallis Gazette-Times
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/02/24/news/community/tueloc04.txt
"They're out of the broom closet, and they're not going back in. That's the word from the owners of Every Witch Way Shoppe, a new store in Albany that caters to pagans and practitioners of the Wiccan religion."
Suit: TV show demeans voodoo
By Joseph A. Slobodzian
Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/8024245.htm
"A Philadelphia-based advocacy group for African religions yesterday sued Universal Studios and producers for cable's Sci Fi Channel, contending that a forthcoming "reality series" demeans and misrepresents the voodoo religion."
Woman Burns to Death in Apparent Ritual Gone Wrong
By Lucy Yang
WABC
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_022404_womanburned.html
"A woman was found dead tonight in a Bronx apartment badly burned, and police believe it was the tragic result of a religious ritual turned deadly."
She dies in ritual
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
New York DAILY NEWS
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/167811p-146667c.html
"A 41-year-old Bronx woman died yesterday when she caught fire during a Santeria cleansing ritual at a friend's apartment, police and neighbors said."
'Clonaid Cloned Embryo in Korea'
By Soh Ji-young
Korea Times
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200402/kt2004022417350111970.htm
"Clonaid, a U.S.-based company that claims to have produced the first human clone, said on Tuesday it used a South Korean laboratory to create its first human clone embryo."
Fred West linked to the occult
By Caroline Wheeler
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
<http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk...Fred-West-linked-to-the-occult-name_page.html>
"Serial killers Fred and Rose West shocked the world with an horrific murder spree that claimed at least 12 lives."
African strife inflamed by mysticism
By Abraham McLaughlin and Tim Cocks
Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0227/p06s02-woaf.html
"In northern Uganda, a band of mystic-Christian rebels mounted its biggest-ever attack on civilians, killing some 200 with guns, clubs, and machetes last Saturday."
Mutilation horror in DR Congo
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3516481.stm
"At least 100 people, mostly unarmed civilians, have been killed in a wave of horrific attacks in southern Democratic Republic of Congo."
Mozambique 'human organ' nun dead
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3493016.stm
"A Brazilian nun has been found dead in Mozambique after some of her colleagues said they had exposed an organ trafficking network."
The Door: A Church or a Cult?
KPHO
http://www.kpho.com/Global/story.asp?S=1662622&nav=23KtL28w
"Mind control, fear, families torn apart -- these are allegations against a church founded right here in Arizona."
Death penalty for Japan cult guru
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3491488.stm
"Shoko Asahara, the leader of a Japanese doomsday cult which gassed the Tokyo subway in 1995, has been sentenced to death for ordering the attack."
Japan Cult Guru Sentenced to Death for Sarin Attack
Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4451781
"A former Japanese cult guru who ordered a 1995 gas attack on Tokyo subway trains that killed 12, sickened thousands and shattered Japan's myth of public safety was found guilty and sentenced to death Friday after an eight-year trial."
Japan Cult Appeal Could Cause Delays
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/Intl/AP.V6083.AP-Japan-Cult-Verd.html
"It took nearly eight years for Japan's courts to convict and hand down a death sentence against former cult guru Shoko Asahara for the 1995 Tokyo nerve gas attack. With the appeal promised by his lawyers, it could take just as many years to execute him."
Cult reiterates its apology
Japan Times
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20040228a5.htm
"Members of Aum Shinrikyo apologized Friday to the people victimized by the heinous crimes committed by senior cultists on the orders of the guru, Shoko Asahara, who was sentenced to death earlier in the day."
For Aum's victims, it's a life sentence
Asahi Shimbun
http://www.asahi.com/english/nation/TKY200402280178.html
"It's a bitter irony that the Aum Shinrikyo cultists in prison for the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack on Tokyo's subway system are well fed and clothed at government expense."
Sentencing Date for Nuwaubian Leader
Associated Press
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/georgia/news-article.aspx?storyid=15409
"The leader of a quasi-religious sect convicted of molesting children at the group's compound has been scheduled for sentencing."
Friends find their calling
By Lou Kilzer
Rocky Mountain News
http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2689507,00.html
"One of the world's most admired animal sanctuaries has a skeleton tucked deep in its closet - one with a history worthy of its own miniseries."
Curse turns up on anti-Z sign
Hi-Desert Star
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2004/02/28/news/latest_news/news2.txt
"The campaign against Measure Z took a religious turn Thursday, when a sign bearing not only the campaign's message but two religious references was found posted on property near to the home of Community Services District General Manager Kathy Greco."
Dog’s death may linked to Satanic rituals, police say
Associated Press
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11027779&BRD=2311&PAG=461&dept_id=482260&rfi=6
"A dog was tortured and killed in a vacant Lehigh County farmhouse in what officials suspect was a Satanic ritual that may be linked to the recent deaths of three other dogs."
Woman: Police called to site of dog killing before
By Randy Kraft
Allentown Morning Call
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b5-5dogfeb27,0,2519031.story
"Katherine Sarver wasn't completely surprised when she learned a dog was tortured to death in the abandoned farmhouse containing Satanic symbols near her home in Lower Macungie Township."
UFO spotter in Corinth expects mystery to remain unsolved
By MARIA KATOULA
WCNC
http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-022504-ds-ufospottercorinth.27e6f93c.html
"This is the story of an unidentified flying object that fell from the sky and set a field on fire. But the woman who spotted it doesn’t expect to ever find out what it was."
Leading Expert to Speak on Alien Abduction
By TOM SHARPE
Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=6&ArticleID=40823
"A Boston filmmaker whose recent documentary focuses on people who claim they were abducted by space aliens says she looks forward to returning to New Mexico where people are open to unconventional thinking."
Aliens exist, say researchers, abducted audience members
By Sarah Stanton
Arizona Daily Wildcat
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/97/103/01_6.html
"Alien abductees and university professors who specialize in extraterrestrial research gathered last night at University Medical Center to share their out-of-this-world experiences."
The truth is out there
By STEVE HOWIE
Skagit Valley Herald
http://www.skagitvalleyherald.com/articles/2004/02/23/news/news01.txt
"Last fall, Kyle Young was sitting in his bedroom watching a documentary on the history of unidentified flying objects and fretting about what to do for his senior project."
Special Report: Area 51 Uncovered
KLAS
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1662942&nav=168XL2BA
"The infamous Nevada military base known as Area 51 is one of the most secretive places on Earth. For years, the government wouldn't even admit the base existed. Eyewitness News has aired many stories about the base over the years but we've never had much of a look inside -- until now. A private satellite company has developed something that allows people to fly in and take a look."
The missing people-shredder
by Brendan O'Neill
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/analysis/story/0,3604,1155399,00.html
"Forget the no-show of Saddam Hussein's WMD. Ask instead what happened to Saddam's "people shredder", into which his son Qusay reportedly fed opponents of the Ba'athist regime."
Gang ritual alert is hoax, police say
by MELISSA MANWARE
Charlotte Obsever
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/8033779.htm
"Charlotte-Mecklenburg police want the public to know an e-mail warning drivers about a dangerous gang initiation ritual is not true."
Frist Seeks Permanent Authorization Of Voting Rights Act
The Chattanoogan
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_47293.asp
"U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) today made the following statement on the Senate floor on the Voting Rights Act:"
Sheriffs' association falls prey to urban myth
By Chris Post
Marshall Democrat-News
http://www.marshallnews.com/story/1062974.html
"It would appear the Missouri Sheriffs' Association has fallen victim to a hoax concerning the sale of delivery uniforms on the Internet."
Artifacts found at Markle Mill
By Howard Greninger
Terre Haute Tribune-Star
http://www.tribstar.com/articles/2004/02/24/news/news02.txt
"The discovery of an arrowhead and more than a dozen flint chips warrant additional archeological studies of Markle Mill, according to a study from Indiana State University's Anthropology Laboratory."
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