James Randi Educational Foundation

Skeptic History: Vaccines

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Written by Tim Farley
Category: Swift
Published: 25 October 2011
Created: 25 October 2011
Hits: 8783

Skeptic History iconVaccines are one of the most important topics for skeptics in recent years.

This week is the birthday of Jonas Salk, who invented one of the polio vaccines. He was born October 28, 1914. He was hailed as a hero half a century ago because polio was a huge public health issue at the time.

The eradication of polio has been close at hand for many years, but it has been stymied in part by vaccine denialists in the few countries where the disease is still found.  In the United States the celebrity most associated with vaccine denial is Jenny McCarthy, who was born November 1, 1972.

But I prefer to remember a different person when I think about vaccine denial. That person is Ali Maow Maalin, a cook in a town in Somalia.  What, you’ve never heard of him?  

Read more: Skeptic History: Vaccines

Sunday Comics: Flim-Flam! Anti-Dowsing

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Written by JREF
Category: Swift
Published: 23 October 2011
Created: 23 October 2011
Hits: 6253
Flim-Flam! Comic Strip: Dowsing

Weekly Media Roundup, October 21, 2011

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Category: Swift
Published: 21 October 2011
Created: 21 October 2011
Hits: 4107
This week: TAM 2011 videos released; JREF blasts credulous media and offers grants for skeptical educators.
  • Freethought Arizona | Tucson Citizen, October 21, 2011
    Happy Doomsday... Again!
  • Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine, October 20, 2011
    Our Future in Space – panel at TAM 9
  • Doubtful Newsblog | Skeptic Magazine, October 18, 2011
    JREF blasts Anderson Cooper show; Skeptic voice omitted
  • The Skeptical Teacher, Oct. 16, 2011
    Educator Grants Available from the James Randi Educational Foundation!
  • It’s Forty Two!, October 16, 2011
    Winning Hearts and Minds for Skepticism

SkeptiCamp New Hampshire 2011 This Weekend

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Written by Brian Thompson
Category: Swift
Published: 21 October 2011
Created: 21 October 2011
Hits: 5143

The JREF is proud to be a co-sponsor of SkeptiCamp New Hampshire 2011 this Saturday, October 22nd, in Concord, NH.  SkeptiCamps are free, participant-driven conferences for skeptics who wish to share their expertise and ideas with each other.  All registrants help make the conference happen, whether by delivering a presentation themselves or by helping with logistics.  They always turn out to be educational, inspirational, and a ton of fun.

This year's SkeptiCamp New Hampshire has a jam-packed schedule.  Some of the presentation topics include alternative medicine, health food myths, "mathemagics", and even a lesson on how to make your own bed of nails!

The conference will be held at Concord's Barley House this Saturday from 11am to 4pm.  Register now.

Sunday Comics: Flim-Flam! Echinacea

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Written by JREF
Category: Swift
Published: 30 October 2011
Created: 30 October 2011
Hits: 4398
flimflamechina-square
  1. Skeptic Metrics: Measuring Our Impact Online
  2. TAM 2011 Panel: Our Future In Space
  3. Skeptic History: The Randomness of Dates
  4. JREF Decries ‘Anderson’ Episode Featuring Psychic Medium John Edward

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