REALL 1996 V04N07

More than 1,000 critical thinkers from around the world gathered for the first World Skeptics Congress in Buffalo, New York, last month to listen to speakers ranging from Stephen Jay Gould to Chris Carter, producer of The X-Files, attend panel discussions on various topics, and be updated on the sta

York, last month to listen to speakers ranging from Stephen Jay Gould to Chris Carter, producer of The X-Files, attend panel discussions on various topics, and be updated on the status of paranormal/pseudoscientific activities worldwide. Sponsored by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of

panel discussions on various topics, and be updated on the status of paranormal/pseudoscientific activities worldwide. Sponsored by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) and held at the University of New York at Buffalo and the Center for Inquiry, the Co

At the awards ceremony, it was announced that an asteroid was being named for CSICOP to honor its efforts to encourage rational, scientific inquiry. Because the astronomical group responsible for the naming of astronomical bodies indicated that "CSICOP" was not pronounceable, the asteroid would be n

announcement prompted banter between Kurtz and James Randi, conjurer and author who also has an asteroid named after him, as to who had the larger asteroid! At the start of the Congress, CSICOP announced the formation of a new "Council for Media Integrity" to monitor and respond to media stories and

"The major networks have been running two or three such specials almost every month. Recently there have been programs on prophecies, astrology, psychic powers, creationism, Noah's Ark, angels, alien abductions, etc. This is in addition to the popular 'Unsolved Mysteries,' 'X-Files,' and 'Sightings,

From the Chairman For the first time in several months, it actually feels like a month between newsletters. I've had some time to think and write without deadlines looming over me. Not that I have enough time for everything I'd like to do, of course, but does

For the first time in several months, it actually feels like a month between newsletters. I've had some time to think and write without deadlines looming over me. Not that I have enough time for everything I'd like to do, of course, but does If you can answer that question, "Yes," then you definitel

World Skeptics Conference last meeting. Oh, sure, you can read about it here, but it's just not the same if you didn't attend the meeting. Well, I don't have much more to say this month. Hopefully, I'll see you at the next meeting, on August 6th at the Lincoln Library. Editor Bob said to me, "David,

attend the meeting. Well, I don't have much more to say this month. Hopefully, I'll see you at the next meeting, on August 6th at the Lincoln Library. Editor Bob said to me, "David, we haven't had a REALLity Check in a little while, so this one had better be pretty long." Bob, being an editor, didn'

Editor Bob said to me, "David, we haven't had a REALLity Check in a little while, so this one had better be pretty long." Bob, being an editor, didn't want to hear any excuses. Luckily for me, two events occurred and made certain that this column would be long enough to make him happy: Independence