For those interested, here is how to obtain a free transcript of the Stossel show on "The Power of Belief" on the internet: http://www.abcnews.com/onair/abcnewsspecials/transcripts/specials_belief981006pt1_trans.html

Because of the generous exposure of Skeptic magazine on the show the phone here has been ringing nonstop for two days, with hundreds of subscriptions coming in. Although no mention (that I recall) was made where we are located (Altadena, CA), people have had no trouble finding us thanks to the internet. And in just one day three media calls were placed and interviews arranged, just from that one show. Stossel certainly has a wide and deep influence. He's smart and, from what I could tell from spending an afternoon with him, he's a hellova nice guy.

On another topic, since I was in college I have been collecting books on science, history of science, philosophy of science, the paranormal, pseudoscience (at first because I believed a lot of this stuff--I still have my marked up copy of Hal Lindsey's LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH, along with my philosophy professor's critique), etc., and have donated them all to the Skeptics Society Research Library, now that we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. We have about 5,000 volumes, plus some very valuable antiquarian books, and a number of archaeological artifacts and other items, such that the library is also becoming a small museum. For the past few years a few individuals have donated important books to help build the library, and recently an active skeptic in the movement offered to send about a hundred books related to evolution and creation, science and pseudoscience, religion and cults, etc., in exchange for some books, tapes, a subscription to Skeptic, and back issues of the magazine from our catalogue. If anyone out there would like to do something similar--that is, exchange books we could use in our library for the equivalent in subscriptions, back issues, books, and video tapes from our catalogue, please e-mail me the titles you have so I can see which ones we already have and which we need. (We'll have to guesstimate the value of the used books, but that's reasonably simple to do.)

Finally, allow me to add one more point about the Stossel show. Even though Skeptic and I got a lot of coverage, watching the show just reminded me again that in this area of paranormal and pseudoscience claims Randi, like home run champ Mark McGuire, is "the man." He is the fountainhead of the skeptical movement and we are proud that Skeptic can be a regular outlet for what he has to say. Way to go Randi. Keep knocking them over the fence.