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Category: Swift
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nbcNote: this piece is a little dated, but rather than let it go to waste, I thought I post it. My apologies for the delay. - Jeff Wagg

Has the National Broadcasting Corporation decided to abandon any pretense of rationality and reality? Reader and colleague Margaret Downey tells us:

I just watched [December 5th] a "how to sell your house in today's bad economy" segment on NBC's Today Show (in the 8:00 AM hour). The segment featured their "Real Estate Expert" Barbara Corcoran. She was asked questions by host David Gregory after a short film that highlighted "creative" ways people are trying to sell their homes.

The film showed people doing some creative advertising (no problem with that) and a man who held a sign on a street corner telling people about the apartment he was selling in the city. The other people they showed in the film clip advocated smudging, Feng Shui, house blessings, and exorcism.

Randi comments: This "smudging" woo-woo is the nonsense of wafting smoke over yourself and/or your possessions in order to "purify" them. Duh.

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Category: James Randi Speaks
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In this episode, James Randi answers selected user comments, spends some time explaining why 3X and 6x preparations are not truly homeopathic, and explores an unsolicited "professional" horoscope reading he recently received via YouTube.

Randi points out some interesting discrepancies in the reading.

To comment on the video, visit YouTube.

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Category: Swift
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Sandra Quincy writes from Australia to tell us about her successful anti-quackery activities "down under."

I thought that you might be interested in the success that I have had with getting a magnetic product removed from sale in Australia.  It all started when a Century Mail booklet fell out of my October 2008 Reader's Digest.  I looked at it out of curiosity and saw an ad for this little plastic case called the Sex Magnet.  It claimed to increase a man's libido and promote oxygen and blood flow if the man put it into his trouser pocket.  I was so angry at such a stupid claim that I wrote to the Australian Complaints Resolution Panel.  They investigate therapeutic goods.  They responded to my complaint and said that they would investigate the claim when they next met.  I got a reply last week.

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Category: Latest JREF News
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Swift contributor and Skeptoid Brian Dunning has asked us to post this messsage and invite you all:

Skeptoid 150th Episode Party

Saturday, April 18, 2009

The University Club
University of California, Irvine
Map

A formal event:
Dinner, hors d'ouveres, drinks, frivolity

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Category: Swift
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WOO IN REVIEW: Lost Time Travel Contest Finalistsdeathfromtheskies

The Lost Time Travel Contest now closed for entries, but it's not over yet! Read over these three entries and vote in the comments (with words, not with the Vote Up/Vote Down button) for your favorite explanation of time travel. The winner of the contest will be announced at 12:00pm tomorrow, and that lucky individual will receive an autographed copy of Phil Plait's Death From the Skies!

ENTRY 1:

written by jpedigo, January 23, 2009
I'm going with option two: "If you believe that time travel is possible in reality, write a comment explaining how, why, under what circumstances, and what would be possible."

  1. The Skepticamp Bargain
  2. An unvaccinated child has died from a preventable disease
  3. "20/20" Vision Less than Acute: Media Perpetuate Myths About Child Mental Health
  4. Questioning Quackery