Dear Students:
Please click the link below to download the sheet explaining how to access and use Canvas and ConferZoom video conferencing.
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It is with a heavy heart that I inform you tonight of the passing of my dear friend, and friend of the college, Magda Brown, who passed away late last night. She had been hospitalized for some time due to a recent injury, and at the age of 93, it was more than her body could take.
Magda visited Ohlone College on several occasions, and was one of the most popular guests in our Ohlone Psychology Club Speaker Series. A survivor of the Holocaust, she devoted the past several decades of her life to fighting against the rise in Holocaust denial around the world, and to spreading her message of love and acceptance to everyone she met. She was a tireless educator, and her calendar was always incredibly packed, sending her traveling to schools, colleges and universities, church groups, mosques, temples, and public auditoriums of all sorts, making clear in each of her talks, “I do not tell you to hate, or not to hate. All I ask is this: think before you do so. Always think.”
James Randi's reputation as a magician and escape artist is a matter of world renown. Although he occasionally still performs small feats, most of his current efforts involve his work as a tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Utilizing a keen scientific mind, Randi - as he prefers to be called - examines claims of paranormal powers and activities all over the world.
A few years ago, I was asked by the James Randi Educational Foundation to contribute to part of their educational efforts. The result of this collaboration was three chapters in their e-book, "Magic in the Classroom." In it, I wrote chapters on the following topics:
Click here to visit the download page where you can get a FREE copy in multiple formats.
Dear Students:
Many of you laughed when I mentioned the Flat Earth Society in class (and it is, indeed, laughable). But believe me, I'm not kidding. There are litereally thousands of otherwise normal, everyday folks around the world who believe that our planet is flat.
This view of the world is ancient, and derives from staggering ignorance. Even Christopher Columbus knew that the world was a sphere (regardless of the children's tale that says otherwise). To find people who believed this, you'd have to go back much further than the 1400s. In fact, it was the Greek philosopher Pythagoras who first proposed a spherical Earth in the 6th century (the 500s)!
CLICK HERE to read a report about the Flat Earthers and their ridiculous beliefs. Then, consider what other beliefs people hold (homophobia, Creationism, sexism, anti-GMO, racial superiority, vaccine denial), as well as any that you yourself may hold that aren't supported by the facts.
I'm pleased to announce that my long-awaited podcast has finally aired. Each week, my co-host Amanda DeVaus (from the Australian Skeptics) will cover a different topic from science or skepticism, and feature interviews from famous scientists, authors, critical thinkers, etc.
NOW AVAILABLE in the iTunes store! Just search for "ShelShocked," then subscribe so that episodes will download automatically each week FREE.
CLICK HERE to join our Facebook fan page where each new episode will post, and related information can be found.
In addition, you can listen to (or download) episodes directly from my website HERE.
Dear Students:
I'm happy to report that Operation Bumblebee (San Jose) was a rousing success. Several of us to took part have written up articles about the experience, and some are already taking part in podcast interviews to spread the word. In addition to tricking self-described psychic Chip Coffey into connecting with our fake dead relatives, we also hoped to spark skeptical activism in our community. When you have a moment, click the link below to read (or listen to) my take on the evening. It was an emotionally exhausting experience, but very gratifying, nonetheless.
CLICK HERE to read a report of the evening's events (also available in audio format on that page). We have some interest from several major publications and a TV show, and I'll keep you posted about those as they develop.
Stay skeptical!