Who knew there were so many blogs dedicated to debunking the paranormal? Herewith, our top five:

Bad Astronomy
What it’s about: Finding the funny in NASA, politics and UFO sightings.
Who writes it: Phil Plait, physics and astronomy professor at Sonoma State University
Who should bookmark it: Science geeks, Trekkies

The Skeptic’s Dictionary
What it’s about: A comprehensive resource on the supernatural, paranormal, and pseudoscientific, “from Abracadabra to Zombies.”
Who writes it: Sacramento City College philosophy professor Robert Todd Carroll
Who should bookmark it: Academics, philosophers

The Rogues Gallery
What it’s about: Debunking myths through science and debate.
Who writes it: Members of the New England Skeptics society.
Who should bookmark it: Conspiracy theorists

The Quackometer
What it’s about: Exposing health fraud and pseudoscience on the web.
Who writes it: Self proclaimed “mad inventor” Andy Lewis.
Who should bookmark it: Disgruntled med students

Memoirs of a Skepchick
What it’s about: A critical thinker’s take on pop culture, the supernatural, and religion.
Who writes it: Skeptical Bostonite Rebecca Watson.
Who should bookmark it: Atheists, literature lovers

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Related: Rebecca Diliberto visits the spiritualist community of Lily Dale.

Actor and comedian Michael Showalter is known for his hilarious standup, as well as his work on projects like The State, Wet Hot American Summer, and Stella. His debut comedy album, Sandwiches & Cats, was released this past November. In a blog-off on Best Week Ever, Michael offered these insights on God, spiritual salvation, and corduroy pants:

Michael Showalter: pictured with his spirit animal"Salvation means being saved spiritually. It’s also an abbreviated name for the place where I go to buy cordoroys. Or sometimes I just like to say, “Sal-vay”. “I’m going to the the Sal-vay to buy some cords.” Sometimes I buy my cords at J. Crew. Sometimes I think that J. Crew is my salvation. Not like the Salvation Army. It’s literally my spiritual salvation. Nothing brings me closer to God than a nice blue J. Crew wool sweater. In those moments, when I’m wearing a blue J. Crew wool sweater, I actually feel, and it’s strange to talk about it, but I feel like I’m being enveloped in warmth. It’s possible that the warmth is being provided but it’s also possible that God is providing the warmth. Who am I to say He’s not? Yes, I said He. Not because I think that God is a He but because “sHe” looks weird on paper."

Earlier this month, I wrote about Jewish Living magazine, and I was really iffy about it. I was questioning the stated target market of the magazine, among other things. Bon Appetite, Goumet and the like are cooking and food magazines, yet they aren't marketed to women exclusively or even as a majority as far as I'm aware. And, with the magazine's comment about Jewish Living being for those of us in our 30s and 40s who have (supposedly) matured beyond Heeb magazine (Heeb, which is marketed to both men and women, snark, snark)... I was very skeptical of the rag, I'll admit.

Jewish Living: Maybe overlooking potential readers, but a good read, if you ask me.So, as promised, I read it. Cover to cover. Ads for upscale modern furniture. A section called Kvell that includes the kvell profile, the kvell of the book, kvell sound check, a national calendar of events, eco-friendly Chanukah gift-guide, cooking that included various ethnic/regional variations on a basic ingredient, Modern Practices-- a section addressing our traditions with a modern take, a huge styley/upscale Chanukah section, a nice article about that dear A.J. Jacobs, stuff about kids, an decently in-depth article about giving in various ways, Two Jews/Three Opinions, a quick list of notable organizations, a piece about Chinese Jews... I have to admit I really like this magazine.

I still think there's nothing inherently female about the magazine, and maybe an opportunity for a male readership is being glossed over in marketing efforts. Family sure, but female? Nuh-uh. Also, even mentioning Heeb and Jewish Living in the same breath is a stretch, as the irreverent brand of humor in Heeb is not found in Jewish Living. Granted, the proof will be in subsequent issues. That will do more in defining the magazine for what it is, so I might be speaking prematurely. But, on its own, I'm reporting back as I said I would, and I do like it. It covers come good basics-- food, home comfort, celebrations, thoughtful gifts, family, and thoughtful discussion of modern Jewish life. All things I enjoy in a magazine. 

Trees everywhere: need to be hugged.I really love Tu B'Shevat. All the things I want and appreciate in a holiday, it has. In years past, I've both attended and held gorgeous, meaningful sederim for the day and unfortunately have to report that I'm not going quite as all-out this year as I did last year. But, that's okay. (PS- Read Helen Jupiter's lovely post about Tu B'Shevat for inspiration.)

Of course, I'm still going to give tzedekah. In addition to the usual JNF Plant-a-Tree program that I often use, as most of us probably have (I do appreciate the environmental work JNF does, among other things) I've unearthed (no pun intended) a few other opportunities for you to love trees if you're thinking of adding another tree, in addition to perhaps an Israeli tree, to your tzedekah this week.

Continue reading...

I remembered this afternoon that I had a dream about Faithhacker. In the dream, I was sitting with Tamar Fox and we were talking about making a "Product of the Week" post. This evening, I was thinking about this dream, and if such a weekly post did exist, how long, I wondered, would take for me to run flat out of things to write about?

As I was considering this, just a bit ago, I got a pretty respectable (and entirely unrelated) headache and, thus, got sidetracked from thinking about Jewy-related products, and thinking instead about a great buckwheat pillow I used to have that felt fabulous to rest an aching head upon. So, I Googl'd, to see if such a thing still existed, and look at the way things come together:

It's not a pillow: It's a kosher, organic, buckwheat pillow. Not only do buckwheat pillows still exist, and in fact, might even be more popular now than they were a decade ago when I had one, but they exist in organic and kosher form. But not only as pillows, but also as mattress rolls. Who knew? Okay, probably a lot of you, whatever. Point being, not only do I not have to live without this fabulous pillow any longer, but I don't have to worry about sleeping in a pile of pesticide-ridden treyf, either.

To find out what on earth would be so great about sleeping on buckwheat (the kernels, not the guy), read this.

And the award: goes to....Okay, okay, so a couple of shitstorms this week. We're a discussion-ey people, these things happen. Predictably, I sat down to write a post about Benjamin E coming to Tamar's defense over the Shomer Negiah post and breaking things down into smaller units of discussion to keep the fight clean and productive, and Tamar's subsequent declaration of love to Benjamin E. Comment of the Week Gold, let me assure you.

But, I realized nobody really touched the anonymous comment that not only missed the point of the comment it was in response to, but named Conservadoxy invalid Judaism, and rather boldly marched into the territory of what movement of Judaism one feels they are a part of versus being declared unfit to be in the movement of Judaism one feels they are a part of. While there is a lot to discuss there, well, there is something not-quite-right to me about declaring an anonymous comment the comment of the week (Oh, I'll catch it right in the face for that, I'm sure).

Hang on, hear me out. I don't mean anything mean by it-- anyone has the right to post anonymously if they'd like, but I think there's something to be said for leaving your name. In a way, when I see an anonymous commenter leaving something really ballsy, I feel for them. I can't help but wonder if the commenter is able to be assertive in their real life. Unfortunately, in my experience a lot of us take anonymous comments rather lightly because somewhere, we're thinking, "Forget it. If s/he really meant that, s/he would have claimed it." It's easy to say something potentially volatile if nobody knows who you are, but some part of me questions the motive for posting anonymously. Do you not really believe in what you're saying? Are you afraid someone will be angry with you if you say what you really think? Just things I wonder about, because I can't possibly fathom the motivation for posting both aggressively and anonymously. I'm mean that. What's the worst that could happen if we all just said what we thought, you know, as ourselves? Really, I'm trying to nudge/encourage more than I am out to rag anyone.

But, I'm getting off task here. The real shocker to me, and thus, the Comment of the Week is that it was not until the eleventh comment that someone inquired about the Shomer Negiah panties. Respectful, eyes-averted, modest hat tip to Soccer.

Torah 2.0: Should we make a bracha for downloading a Torah widget?You know Chabad has a Facebook application, yes? Rabbi Moshe Plotkin of the New Paltz, NY Chabad, who made the Facebook application, has turned to the open system being used by Google. Yep, you can add a Torah Widget to your Google Desktop and iGoogle pages. The widget, which I added on both my Google and my Facebook pages, contains Torah odds and ends for study and links to the weekly pasha. Viral Torah. Discuss.

Widgipedia has a few similar widgetot, as well, and then there is Digi.Torah (note the website boasts access to the "Holly Book of Torah"), and a favorite of mine, the HebCal widget for Mac.

Jewish Living Magazine has just released their list of "Hip Hebraic Homepages" and tipped me off once the list was ready. For reasons quite obvious once you reach the end (kvell, kvell, kvell), I just had to share. Taken straight from Jewish Living:

SHUL OF ROCK

www.jewsrock.org Chaim Witz, Perry Bernstein, Jeffrey Hyman. Half the fun of Jewsrock is finding out the given names of pop icons like Gene Simmons, Perry Farrell, and Joey Ramone, respectively. You can also tour the rock ’n’ roll “Challah Fame” or take the “Jew or Not?” quiz. Between the lines, there’s a serious message about pride in Jewish accomplishments, and a dedication to smashing my-son-the-dentist stereotypes. Alas, the Web site appears to have gone static, but is no less rockin’ for it

KOSHER COMEDY

www.bangitout.com When a site bills itself as “kosher comedy for the circumcised,” expect few sacred cows. Part gimlet-eyed news digest, part Onion-like satire, and part self-tweaking Jewish social club, BangItOut mashes raucous headlines (“New Book Helps Rabbis Stay Away From Hot Widows”), amusing photos (the Barbie menorah is a favorite), and see-it-to-believe-it videos (don’t miss the hilarious “jPhone” commercial). As their site promises, “If something’s funny and Jewish on the Internet, it’s either on here or linked from here.”

COME ON, FEEL THE “OYS”

www.klezmershack.com As this site points out, “klezmer is a popular music form that is no longer exclusively Jewish.” Likewise, KlezmerShack isn’t just about klezmer anymore; it’s blossomed into a one-stop shop for news about Jewish music, hot cultural events worldwide, reviews, even music videos grabbed from YouTube (you haven’t lived until you’ve heard “A Hard Day’s Night” in Yiddish). Webmaster Ari Davidow—an online strategist for a Jewish nonprofit by day—oversees the festivities with charm, wit, and infectious joy.

COOLEST JEWISH RECORD LABEL ON EARTH

www.jdubrecords.org If your knowledge of Jewish music stretches from “Hava Nagila” to… “Hava Nagila,” expand your horizons at the online home of JDub, the coolest Jewish record label on the planet. You’ll impress your kids with casual references to ultrahip bands like Golem, Balkan Beat Box, Socalled, and the LeeVees. Then the whole family can download inimitable JDub videos and songs (like all four segments of Socalled’s mystical sci-fi, hip-hop Claymation opus “500-Pound Planet”). Who says parents and kids can’t agree on music?

SCHMOOZE, SHVITZ, SHOP

 www.jewcy.com What began as a retailer of risqué rags (the “Chai Maintenance” T-shirt was a fave) has become the center of Jewish hipsterism’s new wave. The shirts are still there, but so is smart original reporting and opinion, a vibrant social network, and much discussed blogs such as “The Daily Shvitz” and “Faithhacker.” Brains, attitude, and sheer chutzpah make Jewcy a daily must-read.

 Good Shabbes, all. Mwah.

Brandon Walker was a lonely Jew on Christmas with no place to go. Then he discovered Chinese food and movies. He wrote a catchy song about it, and the rest is YouTube history.

Girls Write Now: Show a little love, eh?According to the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), low literacy ability leads to low grades and low achievement levels—which can and usually does then ultimately lead to a high drop-out rate. In the same report, it is noted that of high school seniors, way less than half read at a level required to comprehend a school textbook. The focus of curriculum being on standard testing in the US at the moment allows students little time to explore artistic and literary pursuits, and so writing programs are just not available to students. In a 2000 SCANS Report, research showed students with access to music, theater and creative writing all performed better than students without.

So, recently, when I learned about a truly wonderful organization that is doing some really incredible work in this area, I knew I'd found an organization I wanted to support. Meet Girls Write Now, an organization that "provides a safe and supportive environment where girls can expand their natural writing talents, develop independent creative voices, and build confidence in making healthy choices in school, career and life." Sounds great, right? Wait, wait, it gets even better!

Girls Write Now "provides at-risk New York City high school girls with emerging writing talent an opportunity to be custom-matched with a professional woman writer who serves as her personal mentor and writing coach, meeting with her weekly for the duration of an entire school year, and for up to four years. GWN also enrolls each student in a vibrant writing community — all mentees and mentors gather monthly for genre-based group writing workshops conducted at our offices within Teachers & Writers Collaborative in midtown Manhattan. The year is punctuated by three annual readings, college and career prep seminars, field trips to cultural events, and endless opportunities for scholarships and publication. The magic of the program is reflected in a solid nine-year track record, a 75-percent member retention rate, a 100-percent college acceptance rate, an annual anthology of original writing, and the seven-genre portfolios each student emerges equipped with each season. Founded in 1998, GWN was the first organization to ever present this combination of powerful services, and it continues to be the only program of its kind in the eastern United States."

Helping Others: To Do Their Best Girls Write Now has, in addition to mentoring sessions, writing workshops, a reading series, a Life Adventure series of writing and performance workshops, support for students parsing through the rigors of college admissions, events and activities, and scholarships and contests, but they created Girls Write Forever, a program that helps give supporters so many options to ensure the good work of Girls Write Now can continue into the future. (Now, if I can just figure out where they sell those great t-shirts!)

To support this organization with a donation or an in-kind donation please click here. To volunteer, here, and for litty girls in New York City, click here. And, if you find yourself in New York on January 18th, and you do roll on Shabbes, by all means, get yourself to the Winter Pair Reading and see your ten bucks doing a lot of good.