We finish 1982 on a distinctly upbeat note for an organization less than six months old. Bay Area Skeptics has already had a good impact in our area and is expanding with all due speed.

We have over 150 subscribers at the moment, and pass out another few hundred copies of the newsletter each month, both to the interested and the hostile. The Skeptic’s Challenge is making the rounds, and may yield interesting results in the future. The Bay Area journalist community is now aware of our existence and has alre…

How do you judge the strength and health of this new organization known as the Bay Area Skeptics? Let me count the ways:

Public reaction has been enthusiastic. People come forward wanting information, wanting to participate, wanting to meet other people interested in our organization and in our ideas, and wanting to do something — anything — to further the interests of the organization.

This enthusiastic reaction has been supported by words, deeds, and money. And it includes people in the Bay Area, throug…

In response to a lot of feedback, BAS has commenced to sponsor meetings open to the public. On Dec. 1, at 7:30 PM, there will be an open meeting at the Campbell Public Library, 70 North Central Avenue, Campbell, CA.

In addition to welcoming the public and meeting one another, the topic for the evening will be “Psychics and Police Work”.

There is no admission charge.

Have you grown weary of having a new acquaintance at a party inquire about your sign, rather than being interested in what you think?

Happily, there are many skeptics in the Bay Area. Come on out so that we can meet one another.

Saturday, June 26, 1982, 7:30 P.M. will be the founding party of the Bay Area Skeptics, at the home of Bob Steiner.

There will be snacks, conversation (REAL conversation), magic, planning, challenges, intellectual stimulation, and more.

One can just look around the Bay Area and realize that we seem to have more than our share of mystics. Come hither and see that th…

We are you, if you are interested. Come on aboard!

The founding members are:
=> Lawrence Jerome, Fellow of CSICOP, science writer, engineer.
=> Wallace I. Sampson, M.D., Member of the Paranormal Health Claims
Subcommittee of CSICOP, and outspoken critic of health fraud.
=> Terence J. Sandbek, Member of the Education Subcommittee of
CSICOP, Clinical Psychologist, Professor of Psychology – American
River College.
=> Robert Sheaffer, Fellow of CSICOP, science writer, designer of
micro-processor software, and an alert idea man.
=> Robert A. Steiner, Consultant to CSICOP, M…

The first organizational meeting and social bash of the Bay Area Skeptics was held in Bob Steiner’s home on the evening of June 26 (as announced in the first “BASIS”). Before the partying started, the Directors held a brief meeting. No permanent editor for “BASIS” stepped forward. Bob Steiner will continue to edit the newsletter on a temporary basis (pun intended). The Directors were also informed that $135 had been contributed thus far. (The money will be used for stationery, copyi…

From the germ of an idea to realization took just slightly over one month. In today’s red-tape-ridden world, that accomplishment borders on the fantastic.

Some of the skeptics in the Bay Area have kept in close contact with others of a similar persuasion. There had become an increasing awareness that we are building a cadre of people interested in critically examining claims of the paranormal.

If that last sentence sounds familiar, take heart. It is part of the Statement of Principles of The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP).

Bay Area …