I've been reading a couple of magazines for a while now and just picked up the latest issues last night: "Skeptic Magazine" and "Skeptical Inquirer". These are great! Just in these issues the authors take on the 9-11 Truthers, the hazards or Aspartame (Nutrasweet) and high fructose corn syrup, professional psychics (especially those who proclaim that their psychic rivals are fakes!) UFO artifacts, aiiens and a lot of other fun subjects. My favorite author in Skeptic is James Randi (The Amazing Randi - the stage magician who debunks psychics by using sleight of hand and mentalist illusions to duplicate everything they do.

I love these magazines because they make you think. If you don't believe in that Woowoo Stuff and like to have a little more info when arguing soft-heads who believe every conspiracy they hear about over the Internet, check these two out.

Greg

If you love those like I do, there are Excellent podcasts as well that will keep you connected to scientific skepticism. Check out the skeptics guide to the universe and skeptoid .

Oddly I have found that rocketry has it's fair share of conspiracy theorists and UFO true believers. You'd think rocketry would attract more science lovers and critical thinkers. Not so. Maybe I am thinking 60s and 70s.

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[SIZE=3]Jeff Gortatowsky
Redondo Beach, California, USA
NAR 70988

Kim's Rocketeer. God I miss you honey!

Thanks - I'll have to check those out (I have an hour drive to and from work, and if I leave after 8 pm there's nothing but classical music on and although I do like classical music, not when I'm tired and its at night. Podcasts keep me awake!

I met James Randi, Phil Plait, Michael Shermer and others at the first "The Amazing Meeting." Unfortunately, the weekend was marred by the loss of the Columbia orbiter. A few people at the meeting worked on the shuttle program. News coverage of the accident was displayed on the projection screens and the people who worked on the shuttle program spoke and answered questions. Some of them had worked with the Columbia astronauts.

One of the more pleasant memories I have from the event is Randi talking about his appearance on Barbara Walter's TV show.

He was invited on the program to duplicate a performance Uri Geller had done on the show. Walters made a drawing and sealed it in an envelope. Geller was able to describe the drawing before the envelope was opened on air.

Of course, the producers of Walter's program knew that the magician would "cheat" so they kept the sealed envelope away from him and his associates (a precaution they didn't take with Geller because he wouldn't cheat, would he?). So, as Randi tells the story, he found himself on stage in front of the cameras with no idea what was drawn on the paper in the envelope.

Nevertheless, he was able to make a rough drawing which matched the drawing Walters had done - surprising Babara Walters and the others on the show.

How'd he do it? Walters held the envelope up for a second and the bright lights in the studio allowed Randi to see through it and get a rough idea that contained a drawing of a house and a sun - like a child might draw.

While he talked, Randi recreated the drawing using a pen he had stuck in his belt buckle. The pen was fixed in place so he drew by moving the note pad around.

Watching the video for the second time, we laughed seeing how the note pad moved around in his lap as he talked.

-- Roger

That must have been great! I have never made it to TAM even though it's only a few hours away. Just seems I have a rocket launch or star party to attend at or near the same time.

I've never understood believers. More recently, believers of any kind. IMO it is demonstrable that science works. (The whole point is that.) The computer I am typing on proves it. There are literally millions of hours of pure science research that went into the materials, physics, and chemistry of the very thing some deny as so.

Just can not wrap my head around it. Anyway good to know there are a few scientific skeptics out there in rocket land. The number of yay-hoos in the world who believe these pseudo-sciences and conspiracy theories is frightening. Particularly here in the USA. Science education fail.

-- jeff

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[SIZE=3]Jeff Gortatowsky
Redondo Beach, California, USA
NAR 70988

Kim's Rocketeer. God I miss you honey!