Tonight's (Tuesday, November 9) episode of Exploring the Unknown, Fox Family Channel, 10-11pm (but check local listings):

The Hutchinson Effect (physicist claims he can reverse gravity). Our skeptical physicist Dr. Tom McDonough explains this "unknown" phenomenon.

Mission to Millboro (Civil War Reincarnation)

Iridology (reading the iris to determine medical disorders, ailments, physical problems, and overall health.

Santa Fe Staircase (strange staircase built in the 1870s in a Santa Fe, NM church, and was the subject of a two hour movie).

Happy skeptical viewing!

Other shows of interest to this group: all this week A & E's Investigative Reports is running their inside look at "True Believers." Last night was on polygamy, tonight is on Jonestown, and apparently they are even going after Scientology later in the week. The polygamy piece last night was amazing. What a different world. Of course, I can only imagine this in my own life and what the reaction would be from my wife: "Honey, we need to talk. You see, it's like this. God has spoken to me and he said I need to bring home this 18-year old to be my second wife. Now look, I don't want to do this, but you know God's will must not be disobeyed. Seriously, the last thing I want to do is have sex with a bunch of different young women, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. You understand, don't you?"

Yeah, sure. She's gonna buy that one. It reminds me of Sam Kinneson's routine about the resurrection. Jesus (who is married in Sam's story), it seems, was on a three day party binge with his buddies and needed a good excuse to tell his wife. "I was dead." (Imagine Sam screaming that one.) You have to admit, it is original. Almost as good as Mary's excuse for getting pregnant by someone other than her husband. "It was an immaculate conception and virgin birth." Yeah, sure.