Stars in their eyes (Computer Active July 30 - August 12 1998)
With regard to the article on astrology on the internet ( issue 8,4 June),I feel that you are getting onto shaky ground. Many people who have no interest in astrology see it as harmless fun,however,it has a sinister side.It is very dangerous for people to believe that their lives are mapped out according to perceived stellar and planetary relationships.
People can get hooked on astrology and run their lives by it,even though it has no sound basis, astronomy,of course is a totally different kettle of fish. Astrology is in fact a religion which almost goes back to the beginning of humanity.It is documented and widely condemned in the Bible - in order to protect those who are likely to open themselves to it from a very sinister and controlling force.
This "bit of fun" in the daily newspapers and the magazines is much more than just that.This sounds heavy stuff,I know,but being free from the occult - which includes astrology - can relieve the individual of much strife.
Howard Edwards via E-mail

Uri nation? (Computer Active August 13 - 26 1998)
Computer Active's practical and straightforward stance has been praiseworthy,so why spoil it by letting Uri Geller express the lamentable notion that we have found God through astrology,Bible codes,alien abductions and crystal energy? (issue 11,16 July) What nonsense!
Dr Mary Rice,Liphook,Hampshire

In 1997 The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin caused headlines around the world. Drosnin claimed that the Bible contains hidden messages which could be discovered by searching for equidistant letter sequences (EDLSs). An EDLS is found by taking any text, picking a particular starting letter, then jumping forward a set number of letters at a time. So, for example, with this paragraph we could start with the 'M' in Michael and jump, say, five spaces at a time. If we noted every fifth letter, we would generate the EDLS mesahirt... Although this particular EDLS does not contain any sensible words, Drosnin described the discovery of an astonishing number of Biblical EDLSs that not only form sensible words, but result in complete sentences. According to Drosnin, these sentences are Biblical predictions. For example, he claims to have found references to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Anwar Sadat. In one EDLS the name of Newton is mentioned next to gravity, and in another Edison is linked with the light bulb. Although Drosnin's book is based on a paper published by Doron Witzum, Eliyahu Rips and Yoav Roseberg, it is far more ambitious in its claims, and has attracted a great deal of criticism. The main cause of concern is that the text being studied is enormous: in a large enough text, it is hardly surprising that by varying both the starting place and the size of the jump, sensible phrases can be made to appear. Brendan McKay at the Australian National University tried to demonstrate the weakness of Drosnin's approach by searching for EDLSs in Moby Dick, and discovered thirteen statements pertaining to assassinations of famous people, including Trotsky, Gandhi and Robert Kennedy. Furthermore, Hebrew texts are bound to be particularly rich in EDLSs, because they are largely devoid of vowels. This means that interpreters can insert vowels as they see fit, which makes it easier to extract predictions. From The Code Book by Simon Singh

Return to Bender (Computer Active August 13 - 26 1998)
One reason I was glad we did not win the world cup was the connection between Uri Geller and the team.I believe that miracles occur - even the dead are sometimes raised to life without digital technology.C.S.Lewis argued cogently in Miracles that reason itself is only non-random because it shines through us from beyond nature,rather than being generated within a random universe.
Mechanistic Science has disappointed many by the lack of humanity it offers but science and spirituality are being found by many in the West to go hand in hand .Some,like Raphael Gasson,have been "Spiritualists",but have come to realise that it is just one more games room of the Devil's kingdom:fiddle now,burn later.
Psychic power is yet another, offering physical healings but at the price of damning the soul to eternity. Glenn Hoddle has been called "born again",a term which he very rightly has not claimed as his own.He represents one of a number who have been searching and might with time and grace come to grasp eternity,but the likes of Uri Geller & Eileen Drewery push mankind into spiritual damnation by use of counterfeit phenomena.Computer Active,please back away from Uri Geller sooner rather than later.
Steven H Hakes via E-Mail

Visitors from outer space (Computer Active August 13 - 26 1998)
Scientists at Stanford University in Connecticut have confirmed what us mere mortals have known all along-that talk of UFO's is nothing to be scoffed at. The independent scientific study,the first of its kind for nearly 30 years,came up with some interesting conclusions. The review,organised by Peter Sturrock,professor of applied physics,and backed by the Society for Scientific Exploration,admitted that some UFO sightings had such compelling physical evidence as to warrant further investigation. "It may be valuable to carefully evaluate UFO reports to extract information about unusual phenomena currently unknown to science," says the panel,and that to be credible to the scientific community,"such evaluations must take place with a spirit of objectivity and a willingness to evaluate rival hypotheses."
The physical evidence spoken of includes radio,photographic,radar and soil evidence.Although many of the reported sightings can be put down to natural phenomena or ascribed to secret military activity,some deserved further looking into. However ,the panel stopped short of actually confirming the existence of UFO's.

Bright Blessings (Computer Active Sep 10-23 1998)
It is very rare that I make a complaint like this,but here I just feel that it is necessary.You have printed a letter in the 30 July issue from a Mr Howard Edwards,headlined "Stars in their eyes",and while I am sure that you carefully read all the mail that you print,this one must have slipped through the net.
Mr Edwards should be aware that many people are into the occult,and do not wish to be "free" from it.Wicca for example is condemned as an occult religion,yet it is recognised by many governments as a religion.It is very important to myself and others that people stop being afraid of things they do not understand,and Mr Edwards appears to be one of the people hindering understanding.Please be careful what you print so you do not upset any members of other religions.
Thank you. Oh the reason for the upset.....I am a witch.
Name witheld at own request via E-Mail
Sorry,but we do believe that everyone should get a shout including your good self.

U and Ri,Re and U (Computer Active Oct 8 - 21 1998)
As a regular subscriber to the magazine I appreciate its balance of articles and journalistic style.Like many other readers I wondered what sort of contribution we were to see from Uri Geller.After all,he would not immediately spring to the top of my list of writers for a computer magazine.However,he is off to a promising start,bringing a different perspective to the subject,so I will wait and see. Whilst I believe that everyone has a right to their opinion,the object of a computer magazines letters page is to print letters pertaining to the world of computers,not the personal beliefs and pet hates of its readers.Or am I being to simplistic here?
Mr Hakes, (issue 13,13 August),must surely realise that the internet has as many benefits as it has downsides.Not everything should be measured in religious terms.So please,less religious debate,and let's keep the published letters relevant to computing.
Ray Levy via E-Mail

Mind over Matter (Computer Active Nov 5 - Dec 2 1998)
I was very interested to read in Uri Geller's column in (issue 16,24 September) about Princeton University discovering that one's thoughts can affect a computer,and Uri's assertion that stress can cause malfunction. A year ago I purchased a computer and ,as a very nervous elderly novice,got going under a little tuition.But there were malfunctions from the start. Inexplicable items turned up on my screen from the internet.I was both amazed but relieved to recognise,however, that these messages referred to a specific time ahead. They were therefore a new form of the precognition with which I was very familiar.I have been actively engaged in the paranormal, increasingly on a spritual level,for most of my life. Has anyone else also experienced precognition through their computer?
Margaret Rocker, Stockport