Brian Dunning (skeptic)
Encyclopedia
Brian Dunning is the host and producer of Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena
, a weekly audio podcast
dedicated "to furthering knowledge by blasting away the widespread pseudoscience
s that infect popular culture, and replacing them with evidence-based scientific reality." He is also the author of the book of the same title and a sequel. He produced Here Be Dragons, a free 40 minute video introduction to critical thinking intended for general audiences. Dunning also currently writes articles for Skepticblog at skepticblog.org, and is an executive producer for the network television pilot The Skeptologists. He is a member of the National Association of Science Writers
.
On August 21, 2010, Dunning was honored with an award recognizing his contributions in the skeptical field, from the Independent Investigations Group
(IIG) during its 10th Anniversary Gala.
Winner of the 2010 Parsec Award for "Best Fact Behind the Fiction Podcast".
that offer "degrees" in a variety of subjects.
. Dunning led Buylink's team working with Wells Fargo Bank in the development of the first online payment factoring system which was code-named PayLater. In 2000 he lectured on Buylink at the UC Berkeley's Entrepreneur Forum called Bricks to Clicks in the New Internet Reality Appearing on CNNfn
in 2000 with Rhonda Schaffler's Maverick of the Morning segment to talk about Buylink. Technical Editor, FileMaker Advisor Magazine, 1997-2005 Also contributing Editor, ISO FileMaker Magazine, 1996-2002
FileMaker Excellence Award given at the 2001 FileMaker
Developers Conference.
filed suit against Dunning and two other men accusing them of defrauding eBay and eBay affiliates in a cookie stuffing
scheme. On June 24, 2010, based on the same allegations and following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
, a grand jury
indicted Dunning on charges of wire fraud
. According to Brian Dunning "There are several legal reasons that the lawsuit is improper, and we’ve been fighting it on that basis."
Skeptoid
Skeptoid is a weekly podcast created and hosted by American skeptic and author Brian Dunning. The show follows an audio essay format, and is dedicated to the critical examination of pseudoscience and the paranormal....
, a weekly audio podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
dedicated "to furthering knowledge by blasting away the widespread pseudoscience
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
s that infect popular culture, and replacing them with evidence-based scientific reality." He is also the author of the book of the same title and a sequel. He produced Here Be Dragons, a free 40 minute video introduction to critical thinking intended for general audiences. Dunning also currently writes articles for Skepticblog at skepticblog.org, and is an executive producer for the network television pilot The Skeptologists. He is a member of the National Association of Science Writers
National Association of Science Writers
The National Association of Science Writers was created in 1934 by a dozen science journalists and reporters in New York City. The aim of the organization was to improve the craft of science journalism and to promote good science reportage....
.
Awards and recognition
November 2011, Dunning received an award from the Portland Humanist Film Festival for his DVD video Here Be Dragons.On August 21, 2010, Dunning was honored with an award recognizing his contributions in the skeptical field, from the Independent Investigations Group
Independent Investigations Group
The Independent Investigations Group is a volunteer-based organization founded by James Underdown in January 2000 at the Center for Inquiry-West in Hollywood, California...
(IIG) during its 10th Anniversary Gala.
Winner of the 2010 Parsec Award for "Best Fact Behind the Fiction Podcast".
Dunning in the media
- Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism, 2011
- Ohlone CollegeOhlone CollegeOhlone College is a community college located in Fremont, California. It was established in 1965. Ohlone College is a single college, multi campus district serving the areas of Fremont, Newark, and Union City with its main campus and district office in Fremont...
, Psychology Club Speaker Series speaks on Health Scams and Myths - Dunning speaks at GoogleGoogleGoogle Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
with a presentation of Sounds From Beyond. When asked if he sees any positive science trends in the media he answered, "No...I think we have a negative trend, in the realm of rationality and reason it is going to continue to slide. And the reason I think we are going to continue to lose ground as far as capturing the hearts and minds of the general public, is because of the Internet and television, its become so easy to reach so many people with a sensational message. People don't have time to listen to ten things a day, they have time to listen to one thing and it is whatever is easiest. Its the front page of CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
or the first five minutes of Oprah, that's where people get their science information." - Sounds From Beyond lecture for PixarPixarPixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
- On the Queen MaryQueen Mary-Monarchs:* Maria of Montferrat , queen regnant of Jerusalem, daughter of Isabella I of Jerusalem and Conrad of Montferrat and mother of Isabella II of Jerusalem...
BIL conference. - Chaos Communication CongressChaos Communication CongressThe Chaos Communication Congress is an annual meeting of the international hacker scene, organized by the Chaos Computer Club. The congress features a variety of lectures and workshops on technical and political issues....
: Here Be Dragons in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... - At SkeptiCal Conference 2010: lecture on The Virgin of Guadalupe: A Positive Take
- Skeptics Guide to the Universe Dunning announces a casting call for The Skeptologists, we need "...skeptical experts to jump in the BatmobileBatmobileThe Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...
racing to the center of the woo to work their skeptical magic on whatever the topic is that week". - James Randi Educational FoundationJames Randi Educational FoundationThe James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
The Amaz!ng MeetingThe Amaz!ng MeetingThe Amaz!ng Meeting is an annual conference that focuses on science, skepticism, and atheism. It was started in 2003 by the James Randi Educational Foundation...
TAM 9, 2011; TAM Australia 2011; TAM 8, 2010; TAM 7, 2009; TAM 6, 2008; TAM 5.5, 2008
Thunderwood College
Dunning is also the "Chancellor" of the admittedly non-accredited "Thunderwood College", a parody of unaccredited institutions of higher learningUnaccredited institutions of higher learning
Unaccredited institutions of higher education are colleges, trade schools, seminaries, and universities which do not have formal educational accreditation....
that offer "degrees" in a variety of subjects.
Professional
Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Buylink Corporation (1996-2001) which grew by 1999 into the world's largest business-to-business network with 23,000 members transacting over $5 billion annually. Buylink was funded by Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and Draper Fisher JurvetsonDraper Fisher Jurvetson
Draper Fisher Jurvetson is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California with affiliate offices in more than 30 cities around the world and over $7 billion in capital commitments....
. Dunning led Buylink's team working with Wells Fargo Bank in the development of the first online payment factoring system which was code-named PayLater. In 2000 he lectured on Buylink at the UC Berkeley's Entrepreneur Forum called Bricks to Clicks in the New Internet Reality Appearing on CNNfn
CNNfn
CNNfn was a U.S. cable television news network operated by the CNN subsidiary of the media comglomerate Time Warner from December 29, 1995 and of AOL-Time Warner until December 15, 2004. The network was dedicated to covering financial markets and business news.It was available in a number of...
in 2000 with Rhonda Schaffler's Maverick of the Morning segment to talk about Buylink. Technical Editor, FileMaker Advisor Magazine, 1997-2005 Also contributing Editor, ISO FileMaker Magazine, 1996-2002
FileMaker Excellence Award given at the 2001 FileMaker
FileMaker
FileMaker Pro is a cross-platform relational database application from FileMaker Inc., formerly Claris, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. It integrates a database engine with a GUI-based interface, allowing users to modify the database by dragging new elements into layouts, screens, or forms...
Developers Conference.
eBay lawsuit and related criminal case
In August 2008, eBayEBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
filed suit against Dunning and two other men accusing them of defrauding eBay and eBay affiliates in a cookie stuffing
Cookie stuffing
Cookie stuffing is a blackhat online marketing technique used to generate illegitimate affiliate sales. Cookie stuffing occurs when a user visits a website, and as a result of that visit receives a third-party cookie from an entirely different website , usually without the user being aware of...
scheme. On June 24, 2010, based on the same allegations and following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
indicted Dunning on charges of wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
. According to Brian Dunning "There are several legal reasons that the lawsuit is improper, and we’ve been fighting it on that basis."