Randi Speaks: The 2008 Pigasus Awards
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- Written by Jeffrey Wagg
- Category: James Randi Speaks
- Hits: 14626
Every year on April 1st, the JREF gives out the Pigasus awards; a dubious honor to people or organizations that have done their best in the past year to snuff out science and promote irrationality. Randi talks about the 2008 winners, who receive no plaques, trophies, or banners: just the knowledge that they're getting publicity... but probably not the kind they want.
[Note: We became aware after making this video that Pigasus winner Dr. Colin Ross has recently reactivated his Million Dollar Challenge claim. While the video is still technically correct, we thought it fair to add this.]
To leave a comment please visit YouTube, and you can read the announcement itself on the 2008 Pigasus Awards page.
TAM 7 Talent Show
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- Written by Phil Plait
- Category: Swift
- Hits: 7629
Got talent?
At the JREF, we know we have one of the cleverest, funniest, artistic, and simply most talented audiences in the world.
But we are, after all, skeptics, and we decided it's time to prove it. So at The Amaz!ng Meeting 7 this year we're holding a Talent Show. Are you coming to TAM 7, and can you sing, dance, juggle, contort, do a light-sabre routine, tumble, prestidigitate, or bend spoons with the power of your mind alone? Then sign up!
And even if you don't want to get on stage and potentially embarrass yourself in front of hundreds of revelers, you can still be a reveler! Come to TAM 7 -- our speaker lineup is great, the extracurricular activities are stellar, and find out why TAMs are the premier skeptical conferences on the planet.
And yeah, we can prove that, too.
The Trouble With Open-Mindedness
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- Written by Phil Plait
- Category: Swift
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JREF fan Clare Zimmerman alerted us to this brilliant video that illustrates perfectly the basic problem with the all-too-common accusation that skeptics are closed-minded.
Because we rely on evidence before we decide whether a claim is correct or not, we skeptics are not closed-minded! Instead, we filter the ideas that get into our heads, allowing us to separate sense and nonsense. As the saying goes, have an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.
The JREF YouTube Account is back online!
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- Written by Phil Plait
- Category: Latest JREF News
- Hits: 13515
We're pleased to announce that our YouTube channel is back online.
Our account had been suspended by YouTube due to some copyright complaints on a handful of videos we had uploaded. The videos in question have been removed, the proper hoops have been jumped through, and YouTube restored the account. We are currently going though our inventory to make sure any videos that we even suspect might be in violation are removed. There are 200+ of them, so it'll take us some time, but we're on it.
I'd like to thank all our supporters once again for the outcry when this happened. But I'll also gently chide some of you: there were many rumors, accusations, and conclusions jumped-to when our account was taken down. As you can see, no one was attacking us, and no one acted unfairly - the complainants were within their rights, and YouTube acted according to their rules. In fact, when we started conversing with one of the complainants and with YouTube, everyone acted in a civilized and even friendly manner. The matter was resolved quickly and, I think, to everyone's satisfaction.
Because of this, I'd like to personally thank everyone involved with this as well.
So we're back on the air! You can expect to see more Randi Speaks soon, as well as our usual skeptical take on all things unskeptical. Thank you to everyone for your support and patience.
Randi Speaks: Why Do We Still Believe?
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- Written by Jeffrey Wagg
- Category: James Randi Speaks
- Hits: 9013
Many years ago, learned people realized that the masses believed many things that weren't true. Why do they still? Many years ago, learned people realized that the masses believed many things that weren't true. Why do they still? In this week's edition, Randi discusses a vist to the first "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!" Museum, chopping off Alice Cooper's head, and The Madness of Crowds.
To leave a comment, please visit YouTube.
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