http://www.dbskeptic.com Skepticism. Critical thinking. Podcast. Community. Sun, 11 Sep 2011 01:30:05 +0000 en-us hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Digital Bits Skeptic brings skepticism and critical thinking to a world of new age, religion and credulous pop culture. Andy Kaiser clean Andy Kaiser skeptic@dbskeptic.com skeptic@dbskeptic.com (Andy Kaiser) 2009 Skepticism and critical thinking in a world of new age, religion and credulous pop culture skeptic, skepticism, critical thinking, new age, religion, pop culture, skeptical articles, critical thinking articles, philosophy http://www.dbskeptic.com/images/dbskeptic-logo-144.jpg http://www.dbskeptic.com/category/league-of-scientists/ http://www.dbskeptic.com/2011/09/10/digital-bits-skeptic-update/ http://www.dbskeptic.com/2011/09/10/digital-bits-skeptic-update/#comments Sun, 11 Sep 2011 01:26:35 +0000 Andy Kaiser http://www.dbskeptic.com/?p=2190 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2011/09/10/digital-bits-skeptic-update/feed/ 0 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2011/02/06/digital-bits-skeptic-on-the-kindle-and-the-league-of-scientists/ http://www.dbskeptic.com/2011/02/06/digital-bits-skeptic-on-the-kindle-and-the-league-of-scientists/#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2011 03:11:08 +0000 Andy Kaiser http://www.dbskeptic.com/?p=2147 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2011/02/06/digital-bits-skeptic-on-the-kindle-and-the-league-of-scientists/feed/ 0 Andy Kaiser By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 153 - League of Scientists book reviews - the reviewers and you - Many of you remember my associated project - "The League of Scientists" - a book series that stars a bunch of science geeks who use skepticism and critical ... By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 153 League of Scientists book reviews - the reviewers and you Many of you remember my associated project - "The League of Scientists" - a book series that stars a bunch of science geeks who use skepticism and critical thinking to solve seemingly-supernatural mysteries. Multiple people now have compared it (in a good way) to the mystery-solving process in 'Scooby-Doo'. More and more, I'm grudgingly agreeing with this analysis, because at the heart of it all, it's true. The League investigates weird mysteries, and similar to the Scooby gang, finds that the ghosts and goblins have completely natural and understandable explanations. The book isn't available yet - the latest estimate from the publisher is that the League of Scientists book #1: Ghost in the Water will be out in late 2011. So while I have to be patient, I've got plenty to do in the meantime. And I'll of course let you know as soon as possible when I have a printed copy in my hands. I have some great reviews from leaders in the skeptical and critical thinking community. My thanks to everyone. Here are some of those reviews. "I read Ghost in the Water by Andy Kaiser. This is pitched for sixth grade level, but don't let that fool you; it's a very nice story. Five bright six graders form the secret-membership League of Scientists to solve supernatural mysteries by explaining them in natural terms. It reminds me of the old radio program, circa 1950, House of Mystery, that did something similar, only for adults. I remember when the head of a cursed castle had to go down in the dungeon overnight to face the malignant spirit of a criminal ancestor whose body was shackled in chains; prior men had done this and been found dead in the morning, unmarked. Indeed, the spook was expecting him: the coffin stood upright facing the door. What a manifestation! It turned out that the tide came in and flooded the dungeon, drowning the poor men locked there. The coffin was standing because the chains around the ancestor's feet weighed down that part, and the water lifted the rest up. Okay, Ghost in the Water is not as ugly, but you get the idea. The school's leading swimmer is attacked by a green ghost in the water and doesn't want to swim any more, meaning the rival teams will win by default. Time for the League to step in; there has to be a natural explanation. Doesn't there? The protagonists are realistically described; one is being pursued by an implacable bully, complicating his existence, because of course the school authorities are oblivious. I loved this novel, and believe most readers of any age will too. It's one great adventure with an educational theme, with luck the first of a series." Piers Anthony Science fiction and fantasy author "I found the first chapter so intriguing that I couldn't stop reading until I finished the entire book." Stephen Barrett, M.D. Founder, QuackWatch.org "As I read this book, I kept remembering Carl Sagan's answer to a reporter asking what his favorite scientific TV show was: 'Scooby Doo!' For the same reasons I can heartily recommend this adventure in scientific thinking." Ann Druyan Co-writer of the Cosmos TV series and wife of the late Carl Sagan "This is the kind of story I wish I could have read as a kid. It would have put me ten years ahead in my understanding of why science is both fun and important. Science is all about solving mysteries. The League of Scientists reminded me that it's an adventure too. Even when it's in the middle of the night and you've been working for thirty hours straight, in a way you're a superhero blazing new trails and learning things nobody's seen before." Brian Dunning Science journalist, Skeptoid.com "This adventure of The League of Scientists is… a wonderful introduction to scientific detective work and critical thinking skills – all wrapped up in a delicious mystery! Andy Kaiser clean 8:17 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2010/03/28/the-league-of-scientists-officially-knows-a-famous-person/ http://www.dbskeptic.com/2010/03/28/the-league-of-scientists-officially-knows-a-famous-person/#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:59:02 +0000 Andy Kaiser http://www.dbskeptic.com/?p=1938 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2010/03/28/the-league-of-scientists-officially-knows-a-famous-person/feed/ 8 Andy Kaiser By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 149 - You remember the book I'm writing, right? It's "The League of Scientists", about a group of science geeks who investigate supposedly supernatural mysteries. Well, the book publication process is moving along - we're n... By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 149 You remember the book I'm writing, right? It's "The League of Scientists", about a group of science geeks who investigate supposedly supernatural mysteries. Well, the book publication process is moving along - we're now in the final stages of proofing, finalizing the internal artwork, planning advertising, and I've also started writing book #2. You'll be able to buy it soon - the release countdown is less than a year away. That's all fine, and it's old news to some of you. But I didn't want to write this article without giving you some other important information. I told you before that "The League of Scientists" book #1 will have a "skeptic celebrity" endorsement, a mini-review we could perhaps put on the book cover, website and other advertising copy. I've finally got it. It's in my hands. I have my book review from a Skeptic Celebrity. You wanna know who it is? Take a guess. My original clues: it is a man, he's appeared on TV (cable and nationally-broadcast), he has written books and has been interviewed by most high-profile skeptical podcasts. This person is not John Stossel, though this person and John share multiple weird similarities. I told you that the Digital Bits Skeptic audience would be the first to know, and I meant it. I'm putting this here, even before I update LeagueOfScientists.com! The skeptical celebrity for The League of Scientists is Joe Nickell. For those of you who don't know who Joe Nickell is, there's a lot to learn. Here's a portion of his bio: "Joe Nickell, Ph.D., is Senior Research Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) - an international scientific organization - and an investigative columnist for Skeptical Inquirer magazine. He was formerly a professional stage magician and private investigator for a world-famous detective agency. Presently, he appears to be the world's only full-time, salaried professional paranormal investigator. Utilizing his varied background, Nickell has become widely known as an investigator of myths and mysteries, frauds, forgeries, and hoaxes. He has been called 'the modern Sherlock Holmes', 'the original ghost buster', and 'the real-life Scully' (from 'The X-Files' ). He has investigated scores of haunted-house cases, including the Amityville Horror and the Mackenzie House in Toronto, Canada. Nickell is the author (co-author or editor) of more than twenty books. He has appeared on numerous national TV shows, including CNBC's 'News with Brian Williams', 'Dateline NBC', 'TLC's Best Kept Secrets', 'Larry King Live', 'Oprah', 'Ricki Lake', 'Jerry Springer Show', 'Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious Universe', 'Unsolved Mysteries', 'Politically Incorrect', '20/20', A&E's 'The Unexplained', '48 Hours', and 'Exploring the Unknown', in addition to several documentaries on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic Channel, and many others. Nickell has been profiled in the New Yorker magazine and on the Today show." That's just a small sampling from a very large data set. The man is smart, he knows his stuff, and he has helped change the world for the better. And yes - the reason for this article - he did read and review "The League of Scientists and the Ghost in the Water". Here's a portion of what he wrote: "This adventure of The League of Scientists is... a wonderful introduction to scientific detective work and critical thinking skills - all wrapped up in a delicious mystery! Although the exploits are shared with young readers, this seasoned detective looks forward to the League's next adventure." Joe Nickell Forensic, Historical, and Paranormal Investigator One of the reasons I specifically picked Joe to review my book was that, frankly, I really respect the guy and think he does an incredible job in a unique profession. Another reason was just as important: Joe Nickell is a real-life adult equivalent of the stars of my book. Like The League of Scientists, Andy Kaiser clean 7:34 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2010/02/01/mental-percolations-on-the-league-of-scientists/ http://www.dbskeptic.com/2010/02/01/mental-percolations-on-the-league-of-scientists/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:04:32 +0000 Andy Kaiser http://www.dbskeptic.com/?p=1877 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2010/02/01/mental-percolations-on-the-league-of-scientists/feed/ 6 Andy Kaiser By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 144 - As some of you know, I'm writing the first book in what will hopefully be a young adult mystery series called "The League of Scientists". It takes place in the "real world" - it's not fantasy or science fiction. By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 144 As some of you know, I'm writing the first book in what will hopefully be a young adult mystery series called "The League of Scientists". It takes place in the "real world" - it's not fantasy or science fiction. It's about the adventures of friends who use critical thinking and applied science to solve seemingly-supernatural mysteries. It's already been accepted by "Science, Naturally!", a traditional book publisher, but it's not yet available in stores. It should be available in late 2010 or early 2011. Here's the latest: Things have gone very well with the book, of which the full title is "The League of Scientists and the Ghost in the Water". While I'm sure future efforts will be faster, it took me quite a while to write it, even when I don't have the length of a standard adult book. My comparatively short 35,000 words still took a lot of keypresses. I've been meeting with the cover artist on a weekly basis to design and approve the artwork. After more than 70 hours of work (which includes conceptual designs as well as the actual final oil paining), we're pretty much done. The book itself has its own website at LeagueOfScientists.com, but some of you may have seen it elsewhere. You can follow it on Facebook and Twitter, and of course here on Digital Bits Skeptic. I've also had it mentioned and introduced on the "Swift Blog" of the James Randi Educational Foundation. I'm very lucky to have the JREF's continued interest and promotion. Special thanks to outgoing President Phil Plait and the Randi.org editor Brandon Thorp. I also have a surprise. You know how some books have a "famous person's quote" on the book jacket? Mine will have one of these, too. And the person I've got to do the promotion... well, let's just say that most everyone in the skeptical community - and many outside of it - have heard of him. This skeptical celebrity is... ...going to remain a surprise for just a little longer. I can't say who it is right now. While he's already committed to getting me a review and a quote, I don't yet have it in my greedy electronic hands. Heck, worst case is that he may not actually like the book! So, I'll let you know after I have the review. Believe me, the Digital Bits Skeptic audience will be the first to know. Your only hint is that this person is not female. That cuts the field by quite a bit. Record your guesses, good luck, and I'll let you know later if you guessed right. What's next? If there's anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of the publishing process, speak up and I'll give some detail. But to keep things simple, I'll just say that, for the most part, the book is completely done, and what's next is the actual draft revision, proofing, and then publicity and publication. And, yes, I've already started writing The League of Scientists #2. That's right - you heard it here first! The current beta title for this work in progress is "The League of Scientists and the Magician's War". I'm still in the outlining stage right now - because these books are mysteries, I can't just start writing them without a general direction of where I'm going. I, just like you, have to figure out the mystery, only I have to know "whodunnit" a little bit sooner than you. So, the first book - "The Ghost in the Water" - is pretty much done and will hopefully be available within a year, assuming the publisher keeps to their schedule. Book #2 - who knows? Depending on how life's treating me, I can be a really pessimistic guy. In this case, I think my personality flaw is appropriate: if I keep my expectations low, no matter what happens with the book, I'll be happy with the results. Hopefully you will be, too. Andy Kaiser clean 3:19 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2009/11/08/the-league-of-scientists/ http://www.dbskeptic.com/2009/11/08/the-league-of-scientists/#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:47:52 +0000 Andy Kaiser http://www.dbskeptic.com/?p=1615 http://www.dbskeptic.com/2009/11/08/the-league-of-scientists/feed/ 3 Andy Kaiser By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 1344 - Hi everyone, Andy Kaiser here. - The majority of people who visit Digital Bits Skeptic are - you’ll be shocked to know – mostly skeptics. Many of us here have related interests in critical thinking, in science, By Andy Kaiser Article ID: 1344 Hi everyone, Andy Kaiser here. The majority of people who visit Digital Bits Skeptic are - you’ll be shocked to know – mostly skeptics. Many of us here have related interests in critical thinking, in science, and in wondering about how the world works. This is just a guess, but it’s an educated one; these topics often go hand-in-hand. It is with this shared interest that I’d like to introduce you to my latest project, a book called “The League of Scientists”. If the book is successful, we’ll take it to a series. The full title for this first book is “The League of Scientists and the Ghost in the Water”. The League of Scientists stars several science-minded young adults. They use their knowledge along with skepticism and critical thinking to solve seemingly-supernatural mysteries. Kinda like what a lot of skeptics do, isn’t it? This is a “real” book – it’s not from a print-on-demand company or a vanity press. It’s been accepted by a traditional book publisher (Science, Naturally!), and I’m working with an editor to finish, edit and get it published. You’ll eventually be able to find it in big bookstores near you, and of course at the usual online places. I’m telling you about The League of Scientists because investigating our world and exploring mysteries with science and critical thought is important to a lot of skeptics. It is to me – that’s why I’m writing the book. (And knowing a little bit about the publishing industry, believe me, it's not for the money.) If you’d like to know more, visit LeagueOfScientists.com. The book isn’t available yet – the writing, editing, promotion and publishing process takes a while, particularly for a new, unproven writer like me – but, I wanted to get the word out to start driving interest. The sooner the better, because, well, it’s a lot of work and it takes a while. If you have kids, and if they like science and mysteries, go to LeagueOfScientists.com, visit the “Info” page, and sign up for email updates. I’ll let you know as I make progress on the book, and you’ll of course be notified when it’s available for purchase. If you are a young adult, and want to know more – anything from questions on the publishing process to The League of Scientists characters and story - let me know. This is my first experience working with a book publisher, but I’m happy to share what I know. And I'll share more League of Scientists updates as they occur. Stay tuned. Andy Kaiser clean 4:50