New Videos from The Amaz!ng Meeting 2012: Skepticism and the Future
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If you missed The Amaz!ng Meeting 2012, you can still catch great talks on science and skepticism given live from the TAM 2012 stage, at the James Randi Educational Foundation's YouTube page. Today, we are happy to share videos of two wonderful talks by Dr. Pamela Gay and Dr. Karen Stollznow.
Dr. Karen Stollznow: Talking to Tomorrow
Linguist, investigator, and JREF fellow Dr. Karen Stollznow uses her expertise in language to explain psychics, mediums, channelers, and other peddlers of the paranormal. Click the image below for more.
Dr. Pamela Gay: Make the World Better (Ask if Anyone Minds
Later)
Astronomer and educator Dr. Pamela Gay calls on skeptics to be proactive in creating a kinder, more rational, and welcoming society for both themselves and others. Click the image below to see this inspiring talk.
More videos of TAM 2012 will be posted in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!
JREF News & Updates for August 2012
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We are just off the heels of the Amaz!ng Meeting in Las Vegas — TAM 2012. Of the TAMs I’ve been to, this was my all-time favorite so far. Dedicated and committed educators and activists explored new ways to work together to advance scientific skepticism. Some of the leading minds of our day talked about subjects important to us. Penn and Teller inspired us, Carol Tavris gave a fantastic keynote, and there was wonderful evening entertainment, workshops and parties. But the skeptic's work is never done, so rather than our team basking in the kudos they deserve for putting on such a fabulous event, now we turn our attention to upcoming projects, events and opportunities. (That said, enjoy some fantastic pictures of TAM 2012 here.)
Though it feels like he just returned from the tour of Spain, Italy and Germany, Randi will soon be off to India, and also to Australia to speak at conferences and for lecture tours. And of course he will be hosting JREF’s upcoming Amazing Adventure that’s on the horizon — think of it as a TAM-at-Sea. We have new JREF classroom resources that have been released, and we are very happy about the positive response that our new show Consequence, hosted by Brian Thompson, has been getting; it focuses on the harm that results from undue credulity in the paranormal and you can hear previous episodes here. Our new director of communications, Carrie Poppy, is getting settled in, and we are all moved into our new offices in Los Angeles. (We will have an open-house in the month ahead, stay tuned to randi.org for details.)
Last week, we also celebrated Randi’s birthday (he’s ringing in his 84th!), and if you want to drop him your birthday greetings, you can do so here . We hope you will join us on our upcoming Amaz!ng Adventure; maybe you can celebrate with him there. And as ever, thank you for your support of our work. We couldn’t continue without it.
Sincerely,
D.J. Grothe
President, James Randi Educational Foundation
Priceline.com: Will You Prove Your Spokesperson Worthy for a Million Dollars?
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In my line of work, I hear horror stories every day. Some involve ghosts and goblins or psychics with premonitions, but not in the way you might expect. The James Randi Educational Foundation exists to bring light to claims of the paranormal, and often to the ways people fake paranormal abilities to take advantage of others: from false hope to reconnect grieving families with dead relatives to offering hollow promises of miraculous cures. So when I heard that priceline.com was featuring "Long Island medium" Theresa Caputo in their commercials, I knew I had to fire off a letter to Priceline's CEO and ask them to prove that Ms. Caputo is what she claims to be. And I even put a million dollars on the line.
Read our letter for yourself, and consider giving priceline.com your own thoughts on the Long Island Medium here.
Read more: Priceline.com: Will You Prove Your Spokesperson Worthy for a Million Dollars?
There Is Nothing Wrong With “I Don’t Know”
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Though we are a diverse, independent, and freethinking group, we do not escape the trappings of tribalism. We gather around a set of basic tenets like scientific inquiry, reason, and the recognition of human fallibility, as brothers and sisters before the campfire, enjoying and protecting the light that fends off the darkness. This inevitable gathering of minds will be true of any group or movement, however young or loosely defined it may be.
When a skeptic, new to some topic or curious about a new development in a more explored one, asks, “I have a friend who believes x,y,z…how do I debunk this?”, or “Does anyone know any good arguments refuting x,y,x…?,” the group steps up. Whether on forums or phones, the consensus is put forth. I believe the skeptics who do this are asking the wrong questions.
Announcing the Amazing Adventure 2012: It's Not the End of the World!
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Join James Randi for a TAM-at-Sea!
This December, the JREF and a team of paranormal investigators and other skeptical experts will explore 2012 doomsday prophecies and other skeptical topics on board a seven-day cruise to the Mayan Riviera.
We’ll set sail from Tampa, Florida to the heart of Mayan civilization, with stops in the Rotan Bay Islands, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Cozumel, Mexico. Between guided tours and talks about prophecies of impending doom and other skeptical topics, you’ll have ample time to scuba, snorkel, enjoy the beach and the jungle, and see some of the most beautiful Mayan ruins.
But the best part is, you’ll be spending the week with Randi and scores of other seafaring skeptics like you, including exciting speakers like paranormal investigator and cryptozoology expert Benjamin Radford, skeptical historian, philosopher and poet Jennifer Michael Hecht, JREF president D.J. Grothe, Consequence host and JREF outreach coordinator Brian Thompson, and fringe group investigator and JREF director of communications Carrie Poppy.
Space is limited, so get your tickets now!
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