Skeptical Inquirer Electronic Digest 7-15-99

SkeptInq@aol.com
Thu, 15 Jul 1999 11:16:54 EDT 

 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER ELECTRONIC DIGEST 7-14-99

 Visit the CSICOP and Skeptical Inquirer Magazine website at
http://www.csicop.org.  Receiving over 200,000 hits per year, the CSICOP site
was recently rated one of the top ten science sites by HOMEPC magazine.

 In this week's SIDIGEST:

 --Upcoming Events at the Center for Inquiry-West in Los Angeles
 --Join the CSICOP On-Line Community
 --Discover Magazine Features CSICOP Conference on Alt. Medicine
 --Soon-to-Be-Released Bio Reveals the 'Human' Side of Carl Sagan
 --ABC John Stossel Specials Available for Classrooms
 --New Report on Endocrine Disruptors Released

 UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-WEST

 The Center for Inquiry-West is the Los Angeles-based bureau and programming
office for CSICOP and Skeptical Inquirer magazine.  It is located on 5519
Grosvenor Avenue in Marina Del Rey .  Contact the office at 310-306-2847.
Check out their website at www.cfiwest.org

 A number of prominent speakers and events are part of the on-going
programming at the Center for Inquiry-West, drawing regular crowds of up to
hundred.

 UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE:

 The Friday the Thirteenth Bash

 7:13pm
 August 13

 The Center for Inquiry-West hosts its first Friday the Thirteenth
Superstition Bash.  This is your chance to thumb your nose at superstitions
in a festive atmosphere.  Party goers may participate in any or all of the
"Thirteen Stations of Bad Luck" including:

 Limbo Under the Ladder
 A Misfortune Teller
 Mirror Bashing
 Salt Throwing
 Misfortune Cookies
 Chain-Letter Toss
 Selling Indulgences
 and More!

 Admission to the party is free.  Drinks and snacks will be available for
purchase.  Superstitious music will be played.  Bring in your friends for a
superstition-busting good time.

 -------

 Cat Strangling and Other Amusements: An Irreverent Evening with Harlan
Ellison

 730pm
 Sunday, August 22

 "He has been called the world's greatest living writer.  It's probably
ture...so honest, it hurts."

 This and much more has been said of Harlan Ellision, proud, vocal
freethinker and author of such novels as _Angry Candy_, _Children of the
Streets_, and _Dangerous Visions_.  Ellison's career has spanned over fifty
years and started with his first published story at age 13.  He has written
or edited fifty-eight books, more than twelve hundred stories, essays,
reviews, articles, motion picture scripts, or teleplays, and been the
recipient of too many awards to count among them the Hugo award, the Nebula
Award, and the Edgar Allen Poe Award.  Ellision also wrote the teleplay for
the Star Trek episode  The City on the Edge of Forever, which is deemed by
many as the "best Star Trek episode ever written."

 Ellison's appearance at the Center for Inquiry-West is not to be missed.
There is a $5 admission charge, paid up Center for Inquiry-West Friends are
free.

 JOIN THE CSICOP ON-LINE COMMUNITY

 The CSICOP website now has forums where you can discuss the latest CSICOP
news and connect with other skeptics.  We're starting out small and need your
help to build the community, so please visit www.csicop.org and click
"Community".

 DISCOVER MAGAZINE FEATURES CSICOP ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE CONF.

 The August issue of Discover Magazine features a cover story on alternative
medicine guru Andrew Weil.  For a critical perspective on Weil, writer Brad
Lemley attended the February CSICOP-sponsored "Science Meets Alternative
Medicine" conference held in February.  Lemley quotes extensively from the
keynote speech of New England Journal of Medicine(NEJM) editor Marsha Angell,
and from the panel speech of NEJM editor Arnold Relman.  CSICOP Fellow
Wallace Sampson and biochemist Saul Green are also quoted.

 The August issue of Discover Magazine is currently available on newstands,
and look for it soon on their website at http://www.discover.com.  For more
on the Philadelphia conference, go to
http://www.csicop.org/articles/19990226-altmed/.

 NEW BIO REVEALS THE "HUMAN" SIDE OF CARL SAGAN

 The following is a press release on an upcoming book from publisher John
Wiley & Sons that is sure to interest readers of SI DIGEST.  It is due out
September 24.

 CARL SAGAN: A LIFE
 Keay Davidson

 In the first biography about the fascinating scientist who inspired a
generation to look to the stars and beyond, Sagan's fans and foes can finally
begin to understand the complex man behind the visionary legend.  The bio
offers an unprecendented look at Sagan's life through exclusive interviews
with his family and friends, numberous scientists and colleagues, and even
his opponents.  With unique access to private letters and historical
documents, Davidson shows Sagan's roller-coaster life of successes and
failures--both professionally and personally.

 "This is a fascinating book about an extraordinary man--and the evidence is
in the reading."
 --Johnny Carson

 "Absolutely fascinating...Davidson has done a remarkable job."
 --Sir Arthur C. Clarke

 Author Keay Davidson is the chief science reporter for the San Francisco
Examiner and has written feature articles for National Geographic and New
Scientist.  He is the co-author of the acclaimed Wrinkles in Time, with
George Smoot and the author of the official tie-in book to the movie
"Twister."

 For more information, check out www.wiley.com

 ABC'S JOHN STOSSEL SPECIALS HEAD TO THE CLASSROOM

 The following was passed on to CSICOP from ABC Television:

 Greetings,
 I was just at your web page review of John Stossel and thought you'd be
 interested to know that we are working with John Stossel to incorporate his
 ABC News TV specials into classroom curriculums.

 For more information, please visit http://www.stossel.org

 We'd be interested in any assistance that you may
 provide in order to help us get the word out to high school
 teachers, college professors, and the general public.

 Thanks for your time.  I look forward to hearing from you.

 Best regards,
 Rick

 Rick Platt, Director of Marketing
 Stossel in the Classroom at www.stossel.org
 email:  info@stossel.org

 NEW REPORT ON ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AVAILABLE

 Skeptics may be interested in a new report evaluating the influence of
endocrine disruptors on human health.  The following notice is from the
American Council on Science and Health:

 Are Endocrine  Disruptors a Threat to Your Health?

 For years, researchers have investigated the theory that trace levels of
industrial
 chemicals are hazardous to human health. Although studies have failed to
establish a causal relationship, some scientists and activist groups continue
to blame trace levels of synthetic chemicals for human illness.

 Read the executive summary of the American Council on Science and Health's
Special Report:

 http://www.drkoop.com/healthnews/special-reports/acsh/july/endocrine.html

 _____________________


 SI Electronic Digest is the biweekly e-mail news update of the Committee for
 the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP.)

 Visit http://www.csicop.org/.
 Rated one of the Top Ten Science sites on the Web by HOMEPC magazine.

 The Digest is written and edited by Matthew Nisbet and Barry Karr. SI Digest
is distributed directly via e-mail to over 3000 readers worldwide, and is
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Amherst NY, USA.

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