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Sorcery-related Killing in Papua New Guinea: A Plea to the International Community PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by Leo Igwe   
Wednesday, 10 April 2013 09:00

The international community must step up efforts to eradicate witchcraft- and sorcery-related killings in the affected parts of the world. In Africa, India, Nepal and Papua New GuineaWitch_hunter brutal attacks and murder of suspected witches are on the rise. And local authorities are unable to intervene and protect victims of witchcraft accusation or stop the wave of sorcery related persecution and execution ravaging countries and communities. When it comes to witchcraft persecution and execution, many countries have failed in their responsibility to protect their citizens and uphold the rule of law. So the international community should step in and bring more pressure to bear on these countries.  

Meanwhile, two women have reportedly been beheaded in Papua New Guinea. Earlier this year the gruesome murder of a 20-year-old woman, Kepari Leniata, who was accused of sorcery, attracted international outrage and condemnation.  

According to the report, the two women were tortured before they were beheaded. As in the case of Leniata, local police officers were present but could not stop the angry mob from killing the alleged sorcerers. A local police inspector, Herman Birengka, said they were helpless and could not do anything while condemning the killing as 'barbaric and senseless'.  

According to him, "The two women were rounded up and taken to Lopele village after they were suspected of practicing sorcery and blamed for the death of the former teacher, who was from Lopele village. They were tortured for three days, suffering knife and axe wounds, before being beheaded in front of the police who had been sent to the village to mediate.'  

The beheading of the two women happened days after six women accused of sorcery were tortured with hot irons in an Easter "sacrifice" in the Southern Highlands in the country.

Like many countries in Africa, witch hunting plagues Papua New Guinea. And international community needs to help this nation combat this social disease. International condemnation by the UN, Amnesty International and other human rights groups is not enough. The world must do more to end this cultural scourge. Papua New Guinea needs international assistance in terms of public education, reorientation and law enforcement. In Papua New Guinea, there is a pervasive notion that sorcery is a crime, and that some people can kill others through sorcery or malevolent magic.  

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This Week In Doubtful News PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by Sharon Hill   
Tuesday, 09 April 2013 09:00

Here is a rundown of the mysterious, the weird and the wacky news from the past week courtesy of Doubtful News.

It was April Fool's Day last week and while Doubtful News took the day off for obvious reasons, there was some fallout from the pranks.

A classic environmental joke about "dihydrogen monoxide" gets some radio hosts in trouble. But is this a hoax of a hoax. I honestly can't tell.

When I saw this claim - that an animal defense fund wanted to protect Bigfoot - I thought it was a joke. But, Bigfoot believers completely swallowed the story. COMPLETELY.

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Uganda: Man Beheaded for Witchcraft PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by Leo Igwe   
Monday, 08 April 2013 10:00
Attacks and killings of people suspected of witchcraft and malevolent magic continue unabated in different parts of Africa. A local newspaper in Uganda, the Daily Monitor, has just reported the brutal murder of a man ‘accused of being a witch’ in a local village. The man, Siraje Kayondo, was waylaid on his way from the garden by machete-wielding persons. They tied him up and beheaded him. According to the report, they threw his head into a bush and dumped his body on the roadside.  
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Last Week In Science-Based Medicine PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by Dr. Harriet Hall   
Monday, 08 April 2013 09:00

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

The final nail in the coffin for the antivaccine rallying cry “Too many too soon”? (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-for-the-antivaccine-rallying-cry-too-many-too-soon/ Vaccine critics claim that infants can’t handle all those antigens in vaccines so early in life. A new study clearly put that concern to rest: it showed no association between the number of vaccine antigens a child was exposed to and the development of autism. Doctors who advocate a delayed vaccine schedule have tried to discredit the study but have only succeeded in demonstrating their ignorance of immunology and the scientific method.

AAFP CME Program Succumbs to “Integrative Medicine” (Harriet Hall) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/aafp-cme-program-succumbs-to-integrative-medicine/ “Integrative medicine” is a marketing term that encourages mixing quackery with science-based medicine. The Continuing Medical Education program of the American Academy of Family Physicians has gone over to the dark side and produced a whole monograph on integrative medicine. There are obvious flaws in its “evidence” and reasoning.

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JREF Congratulates Penn & Teller! PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by JREF Staff   
Saturday, 06 April 2013 18:22

RandiPTstarsmallYesterday, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce presented a star on the Walk of Fame to the great Penn & Teller. It is located at 7003 Hollywood Boulevard, close to Houdini’s star, and right down the street from the The Magic Castle, and also down the street from James Randi Educational Foundation's L.A. headquarters. Magician David Copperfield and South Park co-creator Trey Parker gave remarks at the ceremony, a video of which can be seen in its entirety at the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce website.

Penn & Teller have had one of the most successful careers in magic and entertainment, and have been partners for over 35 years. They’ve had world tours, sold-out runs on Broadway, Emmy-winning TV specials, and hundreds of outrageous appearances on television. They’ve won “Las Vegas Magicians of the Year” six times during their 10-year run at The Rio, and have outsold every other resident magician on the Las Vegas Strip. They are also well-known for their Showtime series “Penn & Teller: Bullshit!,” which was nominated for 13 Emmys and is the longest-running series in the history of the network.


In his remarks, Penn, speaking for the duo, said:


We’ve got to thank -- and I don’t know whether to put him first or to put him last -- but to both us us, and to me personally . . . the most important person outside of our families is James Randi, the Amazing Randi. It is very very safe to say that if there were no James Randi, there’s no way there could be a Penn and Teller.


He met us when we were very young, and in many senses, he’s created us. And all the stuff Trey said about trying to deal with reality and deal with the universe as it is — that all was handed to us directly by Randi. He has the James Randi Educational Foundation. Outside of my family, certainly the most important person to me, the person I call with every problem, every hope, and the person who is most here in spirit is Randi. Randi, we love you, and thank you so much.


Randi, in Los Angeles this weekend on JREF business and to attend The Academy of Magical Arts' annual award show Sunday (Penn and Teller are receiving the coveted Magician of the Year award!), had this to say:


I can’t tell you how proud I am of The Guys. If I had anything to do with their worldview or their stunning success, I will only say that without their personal integrity, and their adherence to the best principles of both show business and fair treatment of their audiences, they could not have received this very prestigious honor. They are among the leading voices for rationality in the world today, and I know they will continue speaking truth through the Bullshit — hey, that’s a good name for a show! They have never disappointed me, they have never let me down in any way — something I cannot say about all those persons to whom I have reached out — and I am confident not only of their continued success, but of their ability to delight me in all ways. My personal love and congratulations.

 
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