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A Message from James Randi



Randi's headshotHappy Halloween from the James Randi Educational Foundation! With all this talk of ghosts and witches and black cats crossing your path, sometimes we forget that while you and I might enjoy these silly superstitions at this time of year, some take them far more seriously... and often with serious consequences. The JREF is always there to fight harmful superstition wherever it rears its ugly head. Whether it’s examining why someone believes their house is haunted by ghosts, or bringing to light the unspeakable horrors of “witch” burnings in Africa, the JREF works tirelessly to expose harmful superstition and those who promote it.

When this newsletter gets sent out, I'll be en route to India for a speaking tour with JREF president D.J. Grothe (an appearance at THiNK, as well as talks in Bangalore and Mumbai, and meetings with Indian Rationalists and skeptics of the so-called God-Men) so I'll miss Halloween celebrations, including the Houdini Séance. 

But in this Halloween edition of our newsletter, you'll see topics from the spooky to the sinister, and you will learn about the ways you can fight groundless superstition. Trick or treat! 

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You know those times when you have a friend take a maternity photo of you, and all of a sudden, Buzz Lightyear shows up in it? Well, that happened to Maggie Waldron of the United Kingdom, which won her a feature in The Sun, complete with photo and the "spooky" story, calling the the Tim-Allen-shaped apparition "a UFO."

When we saw the photo (at left, below), we couldn't help but wonder if JREF supporters could replicate it themselves, showing that the same image could be produced with less than supernatural means. We took to Facebook and asked our readers to try their hand at mimicking the effect, and within hours had several dozen entries, from the spot-on to the downright hilarious. 

We are happy to announce the winner of our contest is Heather Adams, who will receive a Team Randi shirt for her entry. Congratulations, Heather! 

 

 

                           Maggie_Waldron_1588382a    HeatherAdams

                                          The original "UFO" photo.               Heather Adams' winning entry. Buzz Lightyear or Android logo? You decide.



See more of our favorite entries here:


All photos used with permission of the creator.

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The following is a contribution to the JREF’s ongoing blog series on skepticism and education. If you are an educator and would like to contribute to this series, please contact Bob Blaskiewicz.

All university-level physics instructors, at some point in their careers, will receive an unsolicited letter or email from a member of the public detailing a novel, unorthodox, and potentially revolutionary theory. Most of these theories are ignored or swiftly discarded. At my previous teaching position (Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California), the physics department has been maintaining an archive, affectionately known as “The Box”, of all the crackpot theories that have been mailed in since the early 1990’s. A few years ago I borrowed The Box over the summer and read through its contents, and found that some of these theories can be repurposed for classroom discussion or for homework problems. When students can identify errors and misconceptions, they gain familiarity with the critical analysis of claims about the natural world.

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IgweThe James Randi Educational Foundation today announces the appointment of Leo Igwe as a research fellow. The appointment will support his work advancing skepticism throughout Africa and around the world. Mr. Igwe is a skeptical activist from Nigeria and a former representative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Currently, he is researching African witchcraft accusations and their social impact at the University of Bayreuth in Germany.

Mr. Igwe, in partnership with the JREF, will work to respond to harmful and growing superstitious beliefs throughout Africa, including belief in psuedoscientific “medicine,” and witchcraft, which result in heinous murders of adults and children alike. A recent poll showed that about 55% of people living in Africa believe in witchcraft, despite no evidence that these powers exist. Perhaps not unsurprisingly, a lack of science education was correlated with an increased belief in witchcraft, indicating a need for more education throughout Africa on the dangers of unfounded belief in the paranormal.  

Igwe will report on the state of superstition and paranormal belief in Africa regularly at randi.org, with his column, Skeptical Africa. Through his work in the field and in academia, Mr. Igwe aims to better understand the causes of harmful and unfounded superstition across the continent, and to help combat it through educating the public, both in the U.S. and abroad.    

He is also the author of the new A Manifesto for a Skeptical Africa, a call to arms for African skeptics, science advocates, humanists and secularists. The manifesto aims to promote skepticism in Africa and to help save lives. The manifesto has been endorsed by a number of leading figures, including prominent names in science and skepticism throughout Africa and globally.  

"We at the JREF are proud to work with Mr. Leo Igwe in fighting deadly misinformation in Africa, and around the world,” said JREF founder James Randi. “Our mission of promoting critical thinking wherever it is most needed, fits in perfectly with Mr. Igwe's very important work.”  

To make a donation to support the JREF’s work educating the public about pseudoscience and the paranormal, click here. For more information about the JREF’s research fellows, click here.

To read A Manifesto for a Skeptical Africa, click here.

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Showing near-paranormal energy, James Randi spent five very long days in Hollywood last week for taping and interviews for the new documentary in production about his life, An Honest Liar. The shoot was at the world famous Magic Castle, one of Randi's favorite places.

Topics explored by the directors include Randi's investigations of Uri Geller and James Hydrick, Randi's early career as a psychic entertainer, his career as a radio host and TV personality, his exposé of Peter Popoff, and much, much more.

More information on the film, including the trailer, can be found at anhonestliar.com.
  1. Last Week At Science-Based Medicine
  2. This Week In Doubtful News
  3. Houdini Halloween Séance
  4. New Videos from the Amaz!ng Meeting 2012: Brian Dunning and R. Elisabeth Cornwell