www.randi.org/site/index.php/jref-news/797-james-randi-educational-foundation-names-new-president.htmlJames Randi Educational Foundation Names New President
Latest JREF News
Written by JREF Staff
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2009
James Randi Educational Foundation Names New President
Fort Lauderdale, FL - The James Randi Educational Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of noted skeptic organizer D.J. Grothe as the JREF's new President. Grothe will succeed Dr. Philip Plait, who is leaving to pursue an opportunity in television.
Grothe joins the JREF following a 10-year career at the Center for Inquiry, where he most recently served as Vice President and Director of Outreach Programs. In his role at CFI, Grothe helped establish a robust grassroots program encompassing a network of 26 North American branches of the Center, as well as 180 affiliated skeptical and freethought campus groups. Formerly a professional magician, he has also hosted the popular radio show and podcast Point of Inquiry since 2005, exploring the role of science and skepticism in society.
"After considering several impressively qualified candidates, we have decided that D. J. Grothe is our choice to lead the JREF," said James Randi, Founder and Chairman of the Board. "D. J. has made significant contributions to the organized skeptical movement, is a well-known figure in the skeptic community, and his track record speaks for itself. He has displayed the strong leadership and dedication to innovation required to take the JREF to the next level."
Randi also said, "We are grateful for the leadership of our current President Phil Plait, and while we're sad to see him go in a formal capacity, he will always be a part of the JREF family."
Plait, who became President in August 2008, agrees: "Leaving the JREF was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. It has been an incredible honor to serve the mission of the Foundation and Randi himself for the past year. I've known and respected D. J. for many years, and I know he'll do a fantastic job running the show." Plait will continue to work with the JREF in an informal advisory capacity.
Upon accepting the position Grothe said, "The JREF is one of the world's great skeptical organizations, with a proud history of promoting critical thinking regarding paranormal and supernatural beliefs. It's a great honor to join the JREF team and have the opportunity to build on its success, and especially to work with James Randi, a hero of mine since I was a young magician."
Grothe will take up his new duties on January 1, 2010.
D. J. Grothe Biography
D. J. Grothe, 36, is incoming President of the James Randi Educational Foundation. Prior to joining the JREF, he spent ten years with the Center For Inquiry, where he served most recently as Vice President and Director of Outreach Programs.
An associate editor of Free Inquiry magazine, he frequently speaks on topics surrounding science and central beliefs at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
He has hosted the popular radio show and podcast Point of Inquiry since 2005, discussing fundamental questions with the world's thought leaders, exploring the implications of the scientific outlook for society's most cherished convictions.
Formerly a professional magician, Grothe studies the nature of deception and self-deception, and his strong background in magic informs his perspective on the challenges that skeptics bring to parapsychology and paranormal claims.
For more information please see
www.djgrothe.com.
About the James Randi Educational Foundation
Established in 1996 as a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, The James Randi Educational Foundation promotes critical thinking about paranormal and supernatural ideas in society. It was founded by James Randi, who has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist, but today is best known as the world's most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.
The Foundation conducts and disseminates research into paranormal and fringe-science claims. It offers a variety of educational resources to the public that encourage critical thinking. The Foundation hosts an annual critical thinking conference, The AMAZ!NG Meeting, which is the largest meeting of its kind in the world.
To raise public awareness of these issues, the Foundation also conducts a $1,000,000 challenge to any person or persons who can demonstrate a psychic, supernatural or paranormal ability of any kind under mutually agreed upon scientific conditions.
For more information about the JREF and its programs, please visit
www.randi.org.
www.randi.org/site/index.php/jref-news/797-james-randi-educational-foundation-names-new-president.htmlwww.randi.org/site/index.php?start=180Rbutr – The future of global discourse
Swift
Written by Shane Greenup
Saturday, 06 April 2013 09:00
How many times, while reading a great debunking, do you find yourself wishing you could get that debunking in front of the people who are reading about the woo? To get them the information they need, right when it matters? Right when they start forming their opinions about the subject...
Imagine an Internet where debunkings and rebuttals are made available right where the claims are being made. An Internet where there is no corner for ignorance to hide and multiply itself with self-referential confirmation. An Internet where our ever-present confirmation bias filters receive constant cracks in them, forcing us to thoroughly check our own thoughts...
Read more...
Join us for "Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia", a Live JREF Workshop
Latest JREF News
Written by JREF Staff
Friday, 05 April 2013 11:28
On Sunday, April 14th, the JREF will be hosting a live workshop at our Hollywood headquarters. Presented by skeptical activist Susan Gerbic, "Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia" will teach you how to edit and expand Wikipedia in a way that challenges unsupported claims, spreads truthful information about pseudoscience and the paranormal, and helps the public have a better understanding of science and critical thinking.
Gerbic began the "Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia" project in 2011, and the project now has 80 volunteers editing in 17 languages. Gerbic is a co-founder of the Monterey County Skeptics and a steering member of the Independent Investigations Group.
Please join us at our offices in Hollywood on Sunday, April 14th, at 11am for this enlightening and inspiring presentation. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To RSVP, visit our Facebook event page.
And click here to find our location on Google Maps.
What's A Poor Skeptic To Do?
Swift
Written by Jamy Iam Swiss
Friday, 05 April 2013 09:00
A new poll was just released by Public Policy Polling, concerning Americans’ belief (and disbelief) in conspiracy theories. This headline from MSN.com tells the story well, especially for skeptics.
True dat.
Among other results, the poll reports that:
21% of voters believe the government covered up a UFO crash at Roswell (27% of Romney voters believe in the cover-up as compared with 16% of Obama voters)
20% of voters believe there is a link between childhood vaccines and autism, 51% do not
13% think Obama is the Antichrist
9% of voters think the government adds fluoride to our water supply for sinister reasons (not just dental health)
7% of voters think the moon landing was faked
5% of voters believe that Paul McCartney actually died in 1966
4% believe that "shape-shifting reptilian people control our world by taking on human form and gaining political power to manipulate our societies."
14% of voters believe in Bigfoot
What’s a poor skeptic to do?
Read more...
Yahya Jammeh and HIV/AIDS Cure Claims in Gambia
Swift
Written by Leo Igwe
Thursday, 04 April 2013 09:00
The Gambian dictator, Yahya Jammeh, continues to insist that he has a cure for HIV/AIDS. While people outside Gambia might think he is a lunatic and that his claims are bizzare and should be ignored, many sick people in Gambia take him seriously. They are trooping to the state house to receive ‘free treatment’ with no proof of efficacy or effectiveness from his ‘Excellency’.
Shortly after he announced his cure for AIDS, Jammeh gave a journalist access to his ‘quack healing session’ at the government house in Banjul. In response to questions by the journalist, Jammeh revealed himself to be a ‘presidential health care disaster’, a bloated, ignorant, shameless charlatan who ‘toys’ with the health and lives of the people of his country.
At a point during the interview, when the journalist showed some reluctance towards drinking the concoction he prepared, Jammeh laughed like a typical comedian, saying ‘This is Africa’.
www.randi.org/site/index.php?start=180