Date – July 5th, 2011 read by Derek.
– Looks like Derek is going to be doing more solo interviews.
– Derek and Swoopy will be attending TAM 9, and participating on some Workshops.
– Tim’s Skeptic History now is a free iPhone/iPad application.
Skeptic History Notes
– The Australian paranormal contest program “The One” (featuring Richard Saunders) debuted on July 8, 2008.
– The second patent on Scientology’s “E-Meter” was granted July 16, 1957.
– Scientology’s “Operation Snow White” resulted in a large FBI raid on July 8, 1977.
– The Scientology versus the Internet battle grew out of the creation of alt.religion.scientology on July 17, 1991.
– New revelations about Scientology regularly appear at the Village Voice blogs and at former Scientologist Marty Rathbun’s blog.
– Janet Reitman’s book “Inside Scientology” was released this week.
– Hugh Urban’s book “The Church of Scientology” will be released in August.
– The TAM9 Obituary reel is being worked on, please contribute if you can.
– Rustum Roy was a materials scientist who defended homeopathy by studying water, he was born July 3, 1924. He died last August.
– Zecharia Sitchin was an author who promoted ancient astronaut theories, he was born July 11, 1920. He died last October.
– You can read daily Skeptic History facts on Twitter or Facebook or download the brand new (and free) JREF iPhone app.
Interview
– Dr. Wisemen was named on the UK’s “Happy List”
– He was named on the Happy List at the same time as his ‘59 seconds‘ book.
– We should make sure people have the information so they know the science.
– It is getting easier to get the message of science out to people using the Internet.
– Learning how mind tricks and stage magic works can make people better skeptics.
– Using Quick Response Codes is a great way to enhance information outreach.
– There *is* an App For That!
– The United States Publishers thought there was no demand for Paranormality: Why we see what isn’t there.
– People go to unregulated and unlicensed psychics instead of medical professionals.
– About one quarter of British believe in the supernatural.
– People get terrified when they do not understand sleep paralysis.
– About 80% of the people in the United States believe in the paranormal.
– Many UK celebrities are very skeptical in nature.
– Are too many people primed to expect the paranormal?
– Wiseman has done large experiments on peoples perception of ghosts.
– You body has many physical and chemical responses to fear or expecting the paranormal.
– People seem to think lens flairs in pictures of scary places are ghosts.
– Skeptics should be more than just nay-sayers or just debunkers.
– We should remember that these things are not new, one example the ‘spirtual’ movement.
– Michael Faraday did some clever tests to show frauds during the hight of the spiritual era.
– Swoopy loves Gef the Talking Mongoose.
– Harry Price attempted to investigate Gef the Talking Mongoose.
– Why do people join cults?
– Activation-synthesis hypothesis can explain many abuction stories.
– We are still understanding why we dream.
– Hoping the same people who gravitated to Quirkology
will enjoy Paranormality
.
– You can see Dr. Wiseman at TAM this July.
– To find out more and keep tabs on Dr. Wisemen follow him on twitter or do his puzzles at his website.
