Let’s see how many ideas there are for you!
Firstly - songs! Yes, Tim Minchin’s song ‘White Wine in the Sun‘ is available as a single on iTunes from … gah, appears it’s available from 13th December according to ‘people in the know’. Darn Tim Minchin’s over-eager Twitter! If you don’t know the lyrics for ‘White Wine in the Sun’, they’re a great read. Very much an ‘Australian take’ on what the season is like for us. View results for Tim Minchin in iTunes and his official site is timminchin.com.
I think that this song would be a very nice gesture for people to send as a thank-you, and you should be getting the DVD or the full album if you can – the Tim Minchin’s ‘Ready for This‘ purchasing details are here! There’s even a Facebook group for ‘Get Tim Minchin’s White Wine to Number One!‘ (imagine that, an atheist winning top-billing during the Christmas season!) – so feel free to join.
In other news, dapper skeptic George Hrab has recently allowed us yet another sneak-preview of a song from of his next album Trebuchet on his podcast. You can certainly do yourself a favour by getting his previous albums (which are really suitable for people who aren’t skeptics too, if you’re looking for gifts that are generally applicable) via searching for George Hrab on iTunes and George Hrab via CD Baby.com.
The CD Baby.com site have recently restocked everything that the Geologic Universe had previously sold out of too. So, if selling out of previous albums is any sign, you should be getting into them if you haven’t already! This is particularly useful if you’re planning on attending TAM Australia, because he’ll be presenting there and you’ll be the only one who can’t confuse the hell out of him by singing along to ‘Skeptic’ from the audience.
Secondly - I was rather surprised to discover at Briskepticon how few people subscribed to skeptical magazines. Particularly the Skeptical Inquirer and the Skeptic Magazines (and yes, that can mean the US, the UK and the Australian one… don’t get me started…)
Of particular interest should be the most recent ‘Skepticism 2.0‘ edition (the link is to the great Point of Inquiry interview) of Skeptical Inquirer, which really does a great job on giving an overview about how online skepticism has changed things – start by finding it at your news-agency and take it from there.
(By the way – an interview by me is in the first 2010 Skeptical Inquirer and so is one by Dr Karen Stollznow, so get that one too by signing up for a subscription now!)
DO support skeptical magazines, particularly if you have younger kids, because the practice of flicking through a magazine is still a fun way to spend a lazy holiday and learn at the same time. Daniel Loxton has pointed out that gift subscriptions can allow the next generation access to some great articles and the Junior Skeptic is unparalleled in terms of great content that is suitable for all ages. I’d strongly suggest seeing if you can donate copies that you’re finished with to a school or to an office, for people to read.
Thirdly, if you listened to Skeptic Zone podcast episode #56 (yes, the one where we broke the news about TAM Australia, I blame Richard!!) - you’d know that Rikki B is the artist behind the very popular SGU shirt – and she has an Etsy Store called KissyFace! Gorgeous pro-science jewelry that you have to get (before I buy them all, so you have been warned).
In addition, Rikki B has shirts on her other site called Rikki B and they’re also found on Funky Duds - you can find really unique designs and you’ll be supporting a very gifted artist who makes a present special.
In addition, there’s the talents of Noadi, who is very much the kind of Squid & Science Inspired Jewelry & Sculpture artist you want to support! “Inspired by a love of marine animals, science, and all things weird and wonderful. Noadi’s Art is the creation of artist Sheryl Westleigh.” I’ve got the Cuttlefish Jewelry and you need some cephalopod love sent out this season too!
Speaking of cephalopod-love – Digital Cuttlefish has not one but TWO great books full of pro-science, pro-atheist and pro-thinking poems (Volume One and Volume Two) and they’d make a great gift – and the latest news is that the pdfs of both are for free!! “My Cephalopodmas Present To You”:
If you like, then, you can just print out a copy of a particular verse to tape anonymously to someone’s door, or stuff in the church mailbox, or try to pass off as your own.
Particularly useful if you’re wanting to get some great quotes, ideas or literature out to your pro-science friends. I hear that they’re already being anthologised for a literature textbook and cited at special ceremonies. Check out the Digital Cuttlefish blog for more.
For the very younger years – Nerdy Baby. “Artist Tiffany Ard creates whimsical designs featuring serious science concepts. Because there are some things that every baby needs to know from birth, and the inverse-square law is one of them.”
This year I’m sending some books to someone and I’m using Plush Guts and some GIANTmicrobes as the packaging protection! Mostly because I think that their teen daughter should have a cuddly herpes virus, which they could probably use for a future Science class presentation!
Books. Books and more skeptic book suggestions! I’m going to be updating that list of mine for people and if you have any recommendations, I can add them. I’d certainly suggest Martin Bridgstock’s new book ‘Beyond Belief’ and you should certainly support skeptical groups by using their Amazon affiliate code - here’s mine! I hope. I’ll be tweaking with it today to make sure it works and feel free to check out my earlier compilation.
For book ideas for the younger years – check out the suggestions I’ve made about good science books in general and a few novels, picture books and so forth – those are at Skeptical Books for Children – Part One; Skeptical Books for Children – Part Two and Skeptical Books for Children – Part Three and Skeptical Books for Children – Part Four AND Skeptical Books For Children – Part Five AND an Interview With Dale McGowan (his books are out, so check those out for yourself or skeptical parents you know).
I’ve mentioned skeptical movies before (including the ever-relevant ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply‘) there’s also a few great documentaries and comedy videos that you should check out, such as ‘How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer‘ and box sets of shows like Jonathan Creek and The Mentalist and so forth. The Folger DVD Edition of Macbeth directed by Teller and Aaron Posner is out, try that too!
Finally – if you’re stuck with entertainment and educational ideas for the younger years during the holidays (or even want to try a few tricks for yourself to liven up the season), check out the (free!) diverse range of science activities for subscribers to try at home or in the classroom at Science By Email.
Finally – want to give a present to the skeptics out there who create products for you?
Review skeptic podcasts on iTunes. Buy products linked to from our sites, or donate to the ‘tip jar’. Check out the sites of Skepticality, Brain Science Podcast, Skeptic Zone, Skeptoid, Geologic Podcast, Young Australian Skeptics, Skeptically Speaking and many many more out there that I’m sure you listen to and the many more new ones just starting – subscribe and help their show go up in the ratings.
Put in a comment on their site or on iTunes or vote for them on podcast award ceremonies. Most of these shows run on donations, selling shirts, selling books and the generosity of their listeners – it doesn’t take much and they’re always plugging skeptical projects and your ideas if they’re asked. So, feel free to show your appreciation!
Get magazine subscriptions (yes, I said that before, but do it!), buy skeptic-authored books (even for just yourself!), write comments for their products if they’re on Amazon and send in recommendations that they present at future conferences and have a chance to get their message out in the media. Even a little bit helps.
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{ 1 comment }
Wow. Those are some terrific suggestions (definitely on the magazine side, I’m only subscribed to the Australian skeptic mag).
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