Skeptic: Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

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2006 July–December

December 20th: You can make a difference: The Skeptics Society announces its 2007 donation drive to promote science, skepticism, and education; and Michael Shermer reviews Sharon Weinberger’s book Imaginary Weapons: A Journey Through the Pentagon’s Scientific Underworld.
December 13th: The Bible Against Itself: The Skeptics Society announces a new publication: The Bible Against Itself, by Randel Helms. On Skepticality this week, David Federlein interviews the MythBusters (recorded at The Amazing Meeting 4).
December 6th: Cheesecake (and Beefcake!) in Support of Critical Thinking?: On Skepticality, correspondent David Federlein interviews Skepchick founder (and head volunteer) Rebecca Watson, and Derek & Swoopy talk to Bad Astronomy’s Dr. Phil Plait about his revealing 2007 Skepdude calendar photo. Also, a new issue of Skeptic magazine hits the stands, the Why Darwin Matters lecture is now on DVD, and Roy Zimmerman sings satire at Shop Skeptic.
November 29th: Julia Sweeney, TAM5 & Michael Richards: We announce: Julia Sweeney’s new CD Letting Go of God, now available at shop skeptic; James Randi compiles a remarkable line-up of speakers for The Amazing Meeting 5; and Michael Shermer sheds some light on Kramer’s Conundrum, in an LA Times op-ed on racism.
November 22nd: Bigfoot Returns!: Michael Shermer receives a press release from Jon-Erik Beckjord, a long-time Bigfoot hunter, along with four photographs of the mysterious creature. Maybe Shermer is just a lousy pattern-seeking primate, but he just can’t see Bigfoot at all, even when he squints and uses his imagination.
November 15th: Why Christians Should Accept Evolution: Michael Shermer shares with us several letters to the editor of Scientific American commenting on his recent article entitled “Darwin on the Right” about how and why conservatives and Christians can and should accept the theory of evolution.
November 8th: Dawkins DVD; Ann Druyan interview; 6 Basic Mistakes: The Skeptics Society announces its exclusive release of Dawkins’ controversial documentary DVD The Root of All Evil? in North America; on Skepticality, Michael Shermer interviews Ann Druyan, wife and collaborator of the late Dr. Carl Sagan; and David Lidden reviews Thomas Kida’s Don’t Believe Everything You Think: The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking.
November 3rd: Theatre of Science in NYC; this week’s Shermer lectures: Six foot long bolts of million-volt lightning are created for the first time on a New York stage by British scientists Richard Wiseman and Simon Singh as part of their show, The Theatre of Science; Michael Shermer’s next touring schedule is announced; PLUS, Shermer shares his three-tiered model for reconciling the relationship between science and religion.
October 31st: Halloween 1926 death of Harry Houdini: On the 80th anniversary of the Halloween 1926 death of Harry Houdini, we commemorate his legacy with an all-Houdini Halloween Special bonus episode of Skepticality (featuring an interview with escape artist James “The Amazing” Randi), and, a brief selection from poet Steven Price’s critically acclaimed poetic biography of Houdini, Anatomy of Keys.
October 25th: Simon Singh on Skepticality; American Scientist interviews Shermer: Fraser Cain interviews particle physicist Simon Singh about the dodgy topic of homeopathy and Amos Esty of American Scientist interviews Michael Shermer about debating advocates of intelligent design, the importance of understanding evolution, and why Americans, in particular, are troubled by this fundamental tenet of science.
October 18th: Richard Dawkins and The God Delusion: Richard Dawkins’ upcoming Caltech lecture, The God Delusion, is featured along with an announcement about the website launch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. Also, watch Michael Shermer on his East Coast Book Tour in streaming video.
October 11th: Skepticism in Comic Books!: WHAM! POW! KA-BLAM! A Skepticality double header! Derek & Swoopy interview not one, but two authors of comic books and graphic novels dealing with the themes of science and skepticism: Chris Wisnia (creator of the irrepressible Dr. DeBunko) and Jim Ottaviani (creator of graphic novels about scientists from Niels Bohr to Othniel Marsh).
October 3rd: Shermer Book Tour (pt2); Language of God: Michael Shermer speaks at various venues across the east coast and signs copies of his latest book Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design; Robert K. Eberle reviews Francis S. Collins’s book The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief.
September 27th: Shermer Speaks with Randi on Skepticality: Skeptics Society founder Dr. Michael Shermer sits down for a special, one-hour, one-on-one interview with James “the Amazing” Randi! This remarkable conversation was recorded for Skepticality while at sea during the James Randi Educational Foundation’s recent Amazing Adventure cruise — in the midst of the eerie Bermuda Triangle!
September 21st: Godless: The Church of Liberalism: Matthew Provonsha reviews Ann Coulter’s book Godless: The Church of Liberalism (Crown Forum, 2006, ISBN 1400054206).
September 14th: new season of Caltech lectures: Another fabulous season of lectures at Caltech begins. Dr. Michael Shermer kicks off the season, followed by Dr. Owen Gingerich, Dr. Richard Sloan, Dr. Sam Harris, Dr. Richard Dawkins, Dr. Bart Kosko, and Jonathan Kirsh. Also, Skepticality interviews Dr. Shermer about the new book as well as recaps the whirlwind weekend that was Dragon* Con 2006.
September 11th: 9/11 Conspiracy Theories: On the 5th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, Phil Molé takes a look at the “9/11 Truth Movement” and shares with us his experience attending a weekend conference held in Chicago, organized by 911truth.org.
September 6th: Shermer Book Tour; Environmental Wars: Michael Shermer speaks at various bookstores across the west coast and signs copies of his latest book Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design; The Environmental Wars Conference 2006 is launched at Shop Skeptic.
August 30th: new book Why Darwin Matters: Dr. Michael Shermer announces his latest book Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design.
August 25th: The Futile Quest for A.I.: In this penetrating skeptical critique of Artificial Intelligence, computer scientist Peter Kassan reviews the numerous reasons why this problem is harder than anyone anticipated.
August 14th: Announcing Skepticality: Michael Shermer announces Skepticality — the offical podcast of Skeptic magazine. Skepticality is a top-rated audio talk show dedicated to skeptical topics and interviews. On this premiere episode of the re-launched Skepticality, Shermer joins hosts Derek and Swoopy to celebrate our exciting new creative partnership.
August 10th: Debunking TV’s “Ghost Hunters”: Alison Smith, the founder of Skeptical Analysis of the Paranormal Society (SAPS), an investigative team devoted to re-creating and debunking popular paranormal video footage shown on television, debunks “Ghost Hunters” — a Sci-Fi Network TV show by one of the most famous paranormal investigation groups in the world (TAPS — The Atlantic Paranormal Society). Smith is a licensed private investigator, armed security officer, and is also a psychology major at the University of Texas at Arlington.
August 3rd: Secrets of Mental Math: We announce your last chance to sign up for Shermer’s Science & Spirituality seminar at the Esalen institute, Secrets of Mental Math (formerly Mathemagics) arrives at Shop Skeptic, and Dr. Dino gets arrested for tax fraud.
July 28th: Is Lonesome George Really Lonesome?: Dr. Frank J. Sulloway explores the question of whether Lonesome George — the only known giant tortoise from the island of Pinta in the Galápagos — is the last survivor of his race.
July 21st: Strip Mall Psychics: Amanda Mitchell interviews Michael Shermer about the paranormal in “Strip Mall Psychics,” we announce Mark Edward’s new book Sense and Séance and link to Laura Marble’s review of Why People Believe Weird Things.
July 13th: Science, Spirituality & the Search for Meaning: Michael Shermer announces his workshop “Science, Spirituality & the Search for Meaning” at the Esalen Institute this August; also, James N. Gardner, the author if Biocosm, reviews Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel Dennett.
July 7th: Stephen Hawking & the Pope: Stephen Hawking says that the Pope told him not to study the beginning of the universe; David Ludden reviews The Psychology of Religious Fundamentalism by Ralph W. Hood, Jr., Peter C. Hill, and W. Paul Williamson.