New episode of Squaring the Strange is out! We discuss the recent Snopes plagiarism revelations and put it into context, and then look at sound therapy and vibrational healing. If you're not quite sure what "Vibrational Medicine" is, join the club! You can listen HERE!
News
Desperation and Drought Draw Dubious Dowsers
Times of social stress, hardship, and uncertainty spur interest in all kinds of divination and prophecy. The public goes to see psychics and fortunetellers more often in times of economic depression than prosperity, times of loss rather than love. It’s human nature,...
La desesperación y la sequía atraen a controvertidos radiestesistas
My Spanish-language article on water dowsing is now out for 'Pensar' magazine, thanks to Alejandro Borgo for the translation! You can read it HERE!
See My ‘Tracking the Chupacabra’ Talk Live on June 15
Tuesday night the 15th at 5:30 MT / 7:30 ET, I will be giving a live Zoom talk for the Rio Rancho Public Library discussing my research into the famous Hispanic vampire el chupacabra and my book "Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and...
Squaring the Strange # 148 – Steak-Umms and the 2001 Monkey Man Panic!
For this episode we are joined by a surprise guest, the critical thinker behind the Steak-Umms popular brand voice (aka Nathan Allebach), who talks to us about targeting misinformation as a PR strategy, managing viral posts, and the brand's recent dustup with Neil...
The Monkey Man Panic: 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago last month the capital of India was gripped in a panic. Early reports claimed that some mysterious monkey-like creature attacked many residents in New Delhi, leaving fear, scars, and ultimately even dead bodies in its wake. The Monkey Man, as it came...
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes: The Story of Anne Innis Dagg
The documentary The Woman Who Loves Giraffes tells the remarkable story of a remarkable Canadian woman named Anne Innis Dagg, who first became fascinated by giraffes as a young girl upon seeing them at the Chicago Zoo. Though virtually unknown—and certainly...
Diversity in Devastation: Media Myths and Mass Shooter Demographics
Mass shootings are, sadly, in the news again. Across the country violence is up overall in recent months, and gun-related homicides are on the rise. From Boston to Chicago to New Orleans, as covid restrictions relax shootings increase. The...
Interview in ‘Superstitious Times’
I'm interviewed in a 'Superstitious Times' piece on the inability (or unwillingness) of investigators to call out fraud and hoaxing in their own fields: "What’s happened, Radford added, was the democratization of paranormal investigators, in particular those who...
Roots Of—And Responses To—COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy
My new blog examines some myths about, and ways to address, covid vaccine hesitancy. From concerns about efficacy to the "Dirty Dozen" social media anti-vaxxers, the first step is understanding the problem; the second step is knowing your audience. As the...