A Map-Dowsing Competition? We Can Do Better Than That
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- Written by James Randi
- Category: Swift
- Hits: 11183
Yesterday I happened across this article in the Guardian, "Dowsing competition pits diehard believers against sceptics," in which a web site called The Megalithic Portal is giving away calendars to the winners of a "map-dowsing" competition.
Map-dowsing is a particularly silly practice which makes use of the ideomotor effect to supposedly locate hidden materials or objects, much like the usual walking-around-with-a-stick kind of dowsing. But with map-dowsing, you don't even need to put on your hiking boots. With map-dowsing, you just wave your magic wand over a printed map or a computer screen to find the treasure. Those nonexistent "vibrations" that dowsers claim make their pendulums swing, wires cross, and forked sticks twitch, are apparently so strong they even can even be found in a paper map, printed from an image online, that contains no trace of the object to be found.
I'd like to remind any would-be entrants to this contest that if they'd like to win something more substantial than a calendar, any wand-waver who obtains impressive success with his/her efforts is of course eligible to apply for the million-dollar prize offered by the James Randi Educational Foundation. Any interested person can find all the details right here. Since dowsers have by far been the most numerous applicants over the 15 years that we’ve offered this prize, we might expect a reaction…
Hypothes.is Reaches Funding Goal
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- Written by Tim Farley
- Category: Swift
- Hits: 8907
Good news came this past Sunday in the funding of a new software project that could become crucial for skeptics. The Kickstarter fund-raiser for Hypothes.is exceeded its initial goal of $100,000 for initial startup funds. With a matching pledge by entrepreneur Sunil Paul, the project now has over $230,000 to begin work.
The purpose of Hypothes.is is an ambitious one. It hopes to be a peer review layer for the entire Internet. It is designed to address many of the shortcomings of the current state of the art in commenting online. I blogged last month about how important I feel this will be for skeptics when it becomes available. I believe it will allow skeptics to post criticism of pseudoscience and the paranormal in such a way that the people who need it the most can see it.
Grassroots Spotlight: Air Capital Skeptics
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- Written by Brian Thompson
- Category: Swift
- Hits: 4926
Some of the most important work in promoting science and skepticism happens at the grassroots level. There are regional skeptical organizations all over the world that serve their local communities, and we like to regularly shine the spotlight on some of them.
The Air Capital Skeptics formed just over a year ago as a community of rationalists and critical thinkers in the Wichita, Kansas area. Dozens of members regularly attend their Skeptics in the Pub events, which serve as both venues for educational presentations and as social gatherings for like-minded skeptics. They also host Skeptics in the Park, where families can share a meal and perform outdoor science experiments with their kids.
Fluff Won't Make The World A Better Place
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- Written by Barbara Drescher
- Category: Swift
- Hits: 12499
Help to Make The Season Bright
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- Written by D.J. Grothe
- Category: Newsflash
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The James Randi Educational Foundation’s annual end-of-year fundraising initiative, The Season of Reason, supports our important work combating harmful paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs. Over half of our annual support comes during this critical year-end period and we couldn't continue our operations without it. This year, we are asking you to help us raise $220,000 to support the JREF’s grassroots and educational programs that will be the backbone of the JREF’s work in 2012.
The JREF is an independent non-profit and all donations are used for the sole purpose of promoting critical thinking to the public and advancing our skeptical, pro-science mission. Your Season of Reason contribution will help us teach students to think critically about the world, support skeptical grassroots campaigns, and take on public figures and celebrities who promote dangerous nonsense.
Donate today to help us reach our goal!
Our Gift to You: Make a one-time donation of $100 or more or a monthly donation of $25 or more during the Season of Reason campaign and you will receive this limited-edition, hand-made, three-inch ceramic ornament by Surly-Ramics. Surly-Ramics have long been a popular fashion staple of the skeptical community, and we are both proud and honored to have this special three inch diameter ornament available to a limited number of our supporters this year. The design on the 2011 Season of Reason ornament is James Randi as "SkeptiClaus" based on a popular photo taken at The Amazing Meeting 2011 (Photo by Ingrid Laas). Randi enjoyed the design immensely.
Our annual Season of Reason ornaments are a collector’s item. Hundreds of JREF supporters participated in last year’s Season of Reason, and by doing so again this year, you will add to your collection. Don't miss your chance to keep your collection, and the JREF, going strong.
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