Randi in Holland, last week. Interviewed by Mr. Martijn van Calmthout, photographed by someone or other, and publicly overdosing on homeopathic sleeping pills. Don't worry, folks: He's okay. (And sorry about the shaky camera in the last cut -- for various reasons, I had to carry our tiny little camera in one hand.) - BKT
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 is pleased to announce the final six volumes of the book series it is publishing on Science-Based Medicine.
In cooperation with the Science-Based Medicine blog, which is an invaluable source of expert information on all manner of medical topics, JREF is publishing a number of books on the topic. Led by executive editor Dr. Steven Novella, who heads JREF’s Science-Based Medicine Project, the blog’s team of writers regularly shine the light of good science on spurious health claims, and these new books anthologize their best writing on issues ranging from vaccines and naturopathy to homeopathy and nutritional supplements. Their science-based and skeptical treatment of these issues are of interest to skeptics, non-skeptics, and educated medical consumers alike.
Contributors to the book series include Dr. David Gorski, Dr. Harriet Hall, Dr. Mark Crislip, Dr. Kimball Atwood, Dr. Peter Lipson, Dr. Joseph Albietz, Dr. Scott Gavura, Dr. David Kroll, Dr. John M. Snyder, and Dr. Wallace Sampson, among many more science-based doctors and researchers.
The following six titles are now available on Kindle and Nook. iBooks versions are coming very soon:
Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Ethics, Law, Politics, Media and CAM Kindle | Nook
Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Chiropractic Kindle | Nook
Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Critical Thinking Kindle | Nook
Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Cancer and CAM Kindle | Nook
Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Acupuncture and "Eastern" Medicine Kindle | Nook
Back in September of 2007, I was invited to speak at the prestigious TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference in Monterey, California. To do so, I had to literally get up out of a hospital bed in Florida – very much against the advice of my doctors – and fly off to address what is arguably the toughest, most influential, and savvy audience to be found anywhere. During that heady experience I met actress Goldie Hahn, neuroscientist Vilayanur Ramachandran, entrepreneur Richard Branson, and prominent skeptical author Stephen Pinker, all for the first time, along with literally dozens of other celebrities.
I committed homeopathic suicide during that lecture, a stunt I’ve done all over the world to make an important point about homeopathy, that it has no ingredients that will help or affect any ailment, symptom, or disease, and that it’s inane to take it seriously.