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[Editor’s Note: “Your Skeptic Stories” is an ongoing series written by readers like you, people who have, through one means or another, discovered skepticism and critical thinking. These stories remind us that we all started somewhere and some of us are still finding our way as skeptics If you are interested in contributing your own story, please submit your piece of around 1000 words to maria (at) randi.org along with a short 2-3 line bio.

Today’s story comes from Holly]

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Here is a recap of the stories that appeared recently at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo in medicine. 

Seven Deadly Medical Hypotheses revisited (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/seven-deadly-medical-hypotheses-revisited/ Follow-up on an article in Skeptical Inquirer by Reynold Spector. Several skeptics criticized his article, and he responded. His response misses the point and is arguably more objectionable than his original article.

Are Prenatal Ultrasounds Dangerous? (Harriet Hall) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/are-prenatal-ultrasounds-dangerous/ An article by a pediatric chiropractor amounts to irrational fearmongering about ultrasounds. Prenatal ultrasounds are a vital adjunct to obstetrical care. There is no evidence that they are harmful, but experts recommend not doing them for frivolous reasons.

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This week: James Randi explains his top five must-read books for skeptics, and 'Psychic Nikki' backs away from the Million Dollar Challenge.

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As we hope most of you know by now, on August 17, 2011, ABC's Primetime Nightline aired an episode of “Beyond Belief,” what is intended to be, according to the website, “a special 5-part series that delves into paranormal and unexplained phenomena.” In case you missed some or even all of it, the entire Nightline episode is available online, and you can readily email links of particular segments to your friends and colleagues, both skeptics and not-so-skeptic alike.

It’s been almost a month since, and a busy month at that. More than a dozen stories have broken about the Million Dollar Challenge in the weeks since the story aired. For examples, here’s our media roundup as of September 2.

Meanwhile, there’s been a solid burst of radio interviews with Randi, D.J. Grothe, and myself, and there are links available to some of mine for ready listening. We’ve received nice blog coverage around the skeptic sphere, natch. And the story of the MDC has been picked up by some mainstream journalism, including multiple stories now in Canada, particularly via CBC News. (See my previous blog post about “Psychic” Nikki.)

As we all know, skeptics and the skeptical position don’t often fare well on television. Thus, when a Nightline producer first approached us about cooperating with them for a story, we were wary; we became even more skeptical when that producer claimed to be skeptical of psychic claims himself, and expressed the desire to give us a fair shake and some balanced media coverage of the Million Dollar Challenge.

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truthcover_72

Welcome to the first installment of Notes from the Classroom. This will be a regular feature at randi.org highlighting some of our education-related programs, events, and resources. This week, we're announcing a new workshop in the Washington, D.C. area and the publication of James Randi's The Truth About Uri Gellar.

How do you tell the best place to dig a well? Or locate utility pipes under the pavement? Or even detect hidden explosives? For hundreds of years, rural water witches and their urban counterparts have used pendulums and dowsing rods to seek knowledge, resources and treasure. What are they doing and why does it sometimes seem to work?

To find out, join us Sunday, Sept. 25 at the University of Maryland for The Science of Divination: What they DON’T teach at Hogwarts. This 3-hour hands-on workshop will cover the history, current application, and construction of divination devices, presented from a skeptical perspective, and featuring the research of James Randi on the topic. The workshop will emphasize how paranormal beliefs like dowsing are not trivial, and have real-world implications. Participants will make both pendulums and dowsing rods, and devise randomized, double-blinded trials to test their effectiveness.

  1. James Randi Embarks on Canadian Tour
  2. “Psychic” Nikki Not “Psychologically Ready” To Prove She Can Actually Do Anything (Besides Talk, That Is)
  3. ‘Psychic Nikki’ backs away from JREF’s Million Dollar Challenge
  4. Ontario Physicians Poised To Promote Quackery