Maryam Namazie is a political activist, campaigner and blogger, and the spokesperson for Fitnah - Movement for Women's Liberation, and also the Equal Rights Now,One Law for All Campaign against Sharia Law in Britain and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.

The official site for Fitnah: Movement for Women's Liberation can be found at http://fitnahmovement.blogspot.co.uk, and is described as a protest movement demanding freedom, equality, and secularism and calling for an end to misogynist cultural, religious and moral laws and customs, compulsory veiling, sex apartheid, sex trafficking, and violence against women. It aims to remind the Islamic regime of Iran and Islamists everywhere that the women's liberation movement is a source of fitnah for their rule alone.

The petition for supporting Fitnah can be found at https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/fitnah

Maryam works closely withIran Solidarity, which she founded, and the International Committee against Stoning. She has spoken and written numerous articles on women's rights issues, free expression, political Islam, and secularism and been interviewed by all the major international news outlets. She has co-authored Sharia Law in Britain: A Threat to One Law for All and Equal Rights (One Law for All, June 2010) and Enemies Not Allies: The Far-Right (One Law for All, August 2011), and has an essay entitled ‘When the Hezbollah came to my School in 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists (Wiley-Blackwell, October 2009) amongst others.

Other links:

• Support “red-clothed” women of Marivan - Freethought Blogs
• Fitnah (Farsi) - Freethought Blogs
• Fitnah On Facebook

Theme songs are “P&P” by Derek K. Miller of www.penmachine.com and“Leap Second” by Milton Mermikides, of www.miltonmermikides.com.

Please leave positive comments and reviews on iTunes and consider supporting the show via visiting Tokenskeptic.org - and I'd love to get your feedback via tokenskeptic@gmail.com.

Today marks the end of World Immunisation Week and if there's one thing I could recommend to people who are thinking of discussing the value of science and vaccination, it would be work like that created by Darryl Cunningham.

Darryl Cunningham went to Leeds College of Art and is a prolific cartoonist, sculptor and photographer. He has also worked as a health care assistant on an acute psychiatric ward which informed and inspired the thoughts and experiences which went into his best-selling Psychiatric Tales. As a review in The Independent says, "His deceptively simplistic cartoons married with an easy-read writing style announced him as a new talent on the graphic novel scene."

When I was studying a unit in Abnormal Psychology for my postgraduate degree in Psychology, I first came across Darryl's bookPsychiatric Tales, which will be re-released later this year, expanded by some 40 pages and some new chapters. I would highly recommend that book, not only for its investigation of conditions, but also the very engaging personal journey through depression that Darryl reveals in its pages.

Psychiactric Talesis available from Blank Slate in the UK and Bloomsbury in the US. His latest book is Science Tales: Lies, Hoaxes and Scams, is published by Myriad and is also released in the US as How to Fake A Moon Landing: Exploring The Myths of Science Denialby Abrams.

For this interview, we discuss the process of creating art, the source of his inspiration and how he researches topics such as homeopathy, conspiracy theories and pseudoscience, and what comic art brings to the table when it comes to challenging topics like mental illness.

Darryl blogs at Darryl Cunningham Investigates and Tweets at AcmeDarryl.

This show is available on Zune, mp3 via Libsyn or iTunes. Visit www.tokenskeptic.org; and I'd love to get your feedback at tokenskeptic@gmail.com.

Theme songs are P&P by Derek K Miller of www.penmachine.com and Leap Second by Milton Mermikides, ofwww.miltonmermikides.com. Please considering supporting the show via visiting Tokenskeptic.org and leaving positive reviews and ratings on iTunes.

The first skeptical podcast in Romania, Sceptici în România, aka “Skeptical Romania” takes a skeptical view on education, law, politics, science, pseudo-science, miracle claims, miracle cures and vampires. Each episode has either a interview, a debate or a science segment - a podcast in a country where superstition is the norm and paranormal can be seen as 'normal'!

This interview features a chat with Eddy Petrisor, Stanca Miruna Geanta Chelbea and Ovidiu Covaciu - all hard-working, passionate skeptics with a keen interest in promoting a rational attitude towards the weird and wonderful. You can find their site at http://podcast.sceptici.ro.

Links mentioned in the show include: http://insulaindoielii.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/colon-help-sues-wordpress and http://insulaindoielii.wordpress.com/trial-updates. 

This show is available on Zune, mp3 via Libsyn or iTunes. Visit www.tokenskeptic.org – and I’d love to get your feedback at tokenskeptic@gmail.com.  

Welcome back listeners and thanks to everyone for the supportive messages and Tweets about the Token Skeptic podcast's win in the Ockhams Awards at the recent QEDCon! I'm very proud to have been selected by the judging panel, after seeing the very impressive competition that I was up against - please do check out all the finalists and winners, which will soon feature on the www.skeptic.org.uk website.

Speaking of skepticism, I was very impressed with a document that came out last month by Sharon Hill, which features on the Doubtful News website. It's called The Media Guide To Skepticism and features some fascinating tips and guidance for anyone interested in finding out more about skepticism.

Sharon Hill has recently started writing for the Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sharon-hill and you can also find her monthly column "Sounds Sciencey" over on the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry website.

Sharon Hill is a researcher specializing in the interaction between science, the media and the public. She is an advocate for scientific skepticism and the editor of DoubtfulNews.com - a critical thinking weird news blog.

This show is available on Zune, mp3 via Libsyn or iTunes. Visit www.tokenskeptic.org – and I’d love to get your feedback at tokenskeptic@gmail.com.   Theme songs are “P&P” by Derek K Miller of www.penmachine.com and “Leap Second” by Milton Mermikides, of www.miltonmermikides.com. Please considering supporting the show via visiting Tokenskeptic.org.

On February 7th of this year, the Skeptic Society announced a new project over on the Skepticblogs site, authored by Daniel Loxton:

For over twenty years, the Skeptics Society and Skeptic magazine have labored at the forefront of the skeptical movement, constantly experimenting, often pushing the boundaries, but always circling back to the heart of the skeptical tradition.

This week, we're pleased to present Daniel Loxton's challenging and provocative new project, Why Is There a Skeptical Movement? (PDF). Almost two years in the writing, these two meticulously-researched chapter-length explorations dig deeply into the roots, founding principles, and purpose of scientific skepticism.

If you don't know who Daniel Loxton is, then you really need a history lesson. But for those who came in late, he's the Editor of Junior Skeptic (the 10-page kids; science section bound within Skeptic magazine). He's is the author and illustrator of the national award-winning kids science book Evolution: How We And All Living Things Came to Be and is also the author and illustrator (with Jim W. W. Smith) of Ankylosaur Attack, a paleofiction storybook for ages four and up. This is the first book in the Tales of Prehistoric Life series from Kids Can Press, with Pterosaur Trouble soon out and yet another new book co-authored with fellow Skepticblogger Professor Donald Prothero on the way.

Daniel has written for critical thinking publications including Skeptic, Skeptical Briefs, eSkeptic and the Skeptical Inquirer, and contributed cover art to Skeptic, Yes mag, and Free Inquiry.

Why Is There A Skeptical Movement is an impressive document, covering two millennia of paranormal skepticism, and even if you are convinced that you know what skepticism is about, is well worth reading for the fascinating narrative of investigators, scientists and activists from years past. And if you are convinced that you know what skepticism is all about? You may very well need to read this document a few times...

Which is why it's interesting that during a time of discussion and often heated debate about what constitutes skepticism, Daniel released it on Skeptic Blogs now. Hence, this Token Skeptic interview on Why There Is A Skeptical Movement.

Many thanks to Daniel Loxton and the Skeptics Society for granting this interview. This show is available on Zune, mp3 via Libsyn or iTunes. Visit www.tokenskeptic.org - and I'd love to get your feedback at tokenskeptic@gmail.com. Songs used with kind permission in this episode: Walking In Snow With Russians by Ice Core Scientist. Theme songs are P and P by Derek K Miller of www.penmachine.com Leap Second by Milton Mermikides, of www.miltonmermikides.com. Please considering supporting the show via at Tokenskeptic.org.

Get ready Australia and New Zealand - Sean Faircloth is on his way!

Sean Faircloth was hired as the Secular Coalition for America’s Executive Director in June of 2009 and served a decade in the Maine State Legislature. In his last term he was elected the Majority Whip by his colleagues and was an accomplished legislator, successfully spearheading over thirty pieces of legislation, particularly involving children’s issues and justice system reform.

Sean Faircloth is a strong advocate of the separation of church and state and has received many awards of recognition including the 2006 Legislator of the Year Award from the Maine People’s Alliance, the 2005 Excellence in Advocacy Award from the American Heart Association’s Northeast Affiliate. In 2009 Sean became the executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, advocating for separation of church and state, and for greater acceptance of nontheistic viewpoints in American life.

In September 2011 he became the Director of Strategy and Policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science and was the opening speaker for Dawkins' book tour. His first book published by Pitchstone Press, Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All - and What We Can Do About It was released in February 2012.

NEW ZEALAND DATES:

Auckland: Saturday 6th April, 7:00pm -  Glen Owen Centre, Auckland University.

Hawke's Bay: Sunday 7th April.

Christchurch: Tuesday 9th April

Wellington: Friday 12th April

Further details of times, venue, and and attendance prices will be posted soon - Check the NZ Association of Rationalists and Humanists website for more details.

AUSTRALIAN DATES:

Sydney: Sunday, 24th March, 4pm - Sydney Opera House (with AC Grayling, Father Frank Brennan SJ and the Hon. Pru Goward MP).

Melbourne:

Tuesday, 26th March, 6:30pm - The Spot - 198 Berkeley St, Carlton, at the Business and Economics building. Thursday, 28th March, 12:45pm - Wheeler Centre - 176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne.

Regional Victoria: Wednesday, 27th March, 7pm - Kyneton Mechanics Institute, 81 Mollison Street, Kyneton.

Perth - Tuesday, 2nd April, 7pm - University of Western Australia - Social Sciences Lecture Theatre (G.130).

Check the Rationalist Society of Australia website for more details.

Theme songs are “P & P” by Derek K. Miller of  www.penmachine.com and “Leap Second” by Milton Mermikides, of  www.miltonmermikides.com.

Please leave positive comments and reviews on iTunes and consider supporting the show via visiting  Tokenskeptic.org - and I’d love to get your feedback via tokenskeptic@gmail.com.

Shelley Segal was brought up in a musical family, singing from the age of three and performing with her father’s wedding band from age eleven. She's been performing her original music live for ten years and recording for four years and even moved to the UK for a production deal and recorded two albums there.

Her first is An Atheist Album, which is a reflection on her world-view as an atheist, on religion and related themes, and on the first of March, you can get her latest release Little March\ - a jazzy/bluesy collaboration with US guitarist singer song writer Adam Levy.

Shelley has written and recorded pop, folk, jazz, blues, country, electronic, reggae and rock songs and has toured the US and now Australia, including the Global Atheist Convention in 2012 and the Reason Rally in Washington DC. You can catch her on her current Australian tour by checking out the dates via visiting her site at www.shelleysegal.com.

Although I previously blog-interviewed Shelley for my Token Skeptic site, this is the first time we've had a chance to talk for the podcast, and we discuss her musical influences, her recently posed question on "what does being a woman mean to you" (inspired by the Beauty and Lace site interview) and the origins and even a song from her new album, Little March.

Theme songs are “P&P” by Derek K. Miller of  www.penmachine.com and “Leap Second by Milton Mermikides, of www.miltonmermikides.com.  Additional song by Shelley Segal: "Stuck In The Memory", from her forthcoming album Little March.

Please leave positive comments and reviews on iTunes and consider supporting the show via visiting  Tokenskeptic.org and I'd love to get your feedback via tokenskeptic@gmail.com.

Welcome to episode one hundred and fifty-three!

Dr Burrows, of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, has been given a Victoria Fellowship to continue her study in new touchscreen technology, which aims to improve treatment for dementia, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders.

For this episode of the Token Skeptic, we discuss her work and the claims of the “educational exercise program” known as Brain Gym, with suggestions as to how to sensibly and skeptically approach such practices.

Theme songs are “P&P” by Derek K. Miller of  www.penmachine.com and “Leap Second” by Milton Mermikides, of  www.miltonmermikides.com, and "Good Morning Moon" by Marian Call.

Please leave positive comments and reviews on iTunes and consider supporting the show via visiting  Tokenskeptic.org - and I’d love to get your feedback via tokenskeptic@gmail.com.

Dr Ben Goldacre is a best-selling author, broadcaster, medical doctor and academic who specialises in unpicking dodgy scientific claims from drug companies, newspapers, government reports, PR people and quacks. As of 2012 he is Wellcome research fellow in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

His first book, Bad Science sold over 400,000 copies, is published in 18 countries, and reached #1 in the UK paperback non-fiction charts. His new book, Bad Pharma, which exposes bad behaviour in the pharmaceutical industry, was published at the end of 2012.

For this interview, we discuss the extent of the problems that face the medical establishment - the ramifications of an unscrupulous alliance between the pharmaceutical industry and regulators, the suppression of negative studies revealing many drugs to be either ineffective or less effective than those they seek to replace - and what we can do to solve these problems, including the new petition AllTrials.net, for the publication of clinical trial results, at www.alltrials.net.

We also reveal the New Zealand and Australian tour plans that will be featured on the Bad Science website, soon! You can follow Dr Goldacre on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bengoldacre.

Theme songs are “P&P” by Derek K. Miller of www.penmachine.com and Leap Second by Milton Mermikides, of www.miltonmermikides.com. Song used in this episode: “Laundry“ by makardos.

Please leave positive comments and reviews on iTunes and consider supporting the show by visiting www.tokenskeptic.org. 

For this episode, I do a joint interview with both Dr. David Gorski and Dr Robert Blaskiewicz on the recent fundraising effort called The Houston Cancer Quack, which has already reached over $8000 at www.crowdrise.com/fightchildhoodcancer - for a very good cause.

In "honor" of Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski’s 70th birthday on January 23rd, 2013, the Skeptics for the Protection of Cancer Patients are fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The goal is to raise at least $30,000 by Burzynski’s birthday, the approximate cost of entering one of his clinical trials of antineoplaston therapy – with the challenge to Dr. Burzynski to match the total sum donated by skeptics, science advocates, and others who value good research into devastating forms of childhood cancer.

Dr David Gorski writes at Science Blogs as “Orac” for Respectful Insolence and at Science Based Medicine - he is an oncologist, cancer researcher, and patient advocate, has written extensively about Burzynski.

Dr Robert (Bob) Blaskiewicz is a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he teaches courses in writing and twentieth-century American literature. He specializes in World War II veterans’ writings, extraordinary/paranormal claims and conspiracy theory. He co-edits the blog Skeptical Humanities.

Further links: 

• The OTHER Burzynski Patient Group
• Boing Boing report on Burzynski by Xeni Jardin - On quack cancer cures, and "alternative medicine" as religion
• Josephine Jones’s Blog who features a comprehensive list of content about Burzynski, his clinic, and his chemotherapy on the web.

Theme songs are “P&P” by Derek K. Miller of  www.penmachine.com and “Leap Second” by Milton Mermikides, of  www.miltonmermikides.com.  Please leave positive comments and reviews on iTunes and consider supporting the show via visiting  Tokenskeptic.org - and I’d love to get your feedback via tokenskeptic@gmail.com.