The wristbands are nice, but...

[Rascal]

... let's face it, they don't have much of a practical application.

Now this is something that is fashionable and could prove to be a lifesaver some day: http://www.earthbounddog.com/

[deBergerac]

Well I do not think they are completely useless, just as the W.W.J.D. wristbands ar thought to work as a reminder so can a 'critical thinker' wristband.

A soon as one feels inclined to believ in a ghost story or in a "natural" medicine one can look at the wristband and ask oneself "where is the evidence?"

Even if for some the usefullness will be limited, I do not think people like Randi needs to be reminded that often, it is probably more usefull than the badge, maybe. :)

[Suezoled]

I kinda thought it was like a Breast Cancer band, where you can't take it off until the cure for Breast Cancer is found. I thought "man I'm never gonna be stuck with that thing for life then!"

[CurtC]

We skeptics really need a wrist band! Something like "Show Me the Evidence" or maybe just SMTE. I'd wear one!

[DeVega]

SMTE or SMiTE! Great idea, Curt - I'd wear one!

I have the Breast Cancer band as I myself am a survivor. I had never heard that you're supposed to wear them till the cure is found though... It's a neat thought but highly impractical... Anyway the pink doesn't match anything I own & I ain't chaging my entire wardrobe around it!

People seem to like to show their affiliations and beliefs - there are loads of these bands now - I think they started with the Lance Armstrong ones - a modern interpretation of wearing ones heart on your sleeve.

DeVega

PS: And of course, unscrupulous people are selling them on eBay - you can bet none of that money goes tot he original charity...

[Soapy Sam]

You could dye it brown -as PJ O'Rourke once suggested- as a reminder that diarrhoea kills more kids than AIDS HIV.
And it's preventable.

[Wolrab]

A gumball machine at a local drug store had "Power Bands" for fifty cents, pretty indistinguishable from the originals.

[TheBoyPaj]

Since wristband-fever took off in my school, my Critical Thinker band has provoked lots of questions from pupils, which give a great opportunity to spread the word about scepticism.

I´d call that a practical application.

[Orangutan]

How long did you guys wait for your Wristband?

It's been 3 weeks since I pay-palled for mine, but nothing in the post yet. (And I live in Florida, home of the JREF).

Should I contact Lisa?

O.

[Ashles]

Originally posted by Rascal
... let's face it, they don't have much of a practical application.

Now this is something that is fashionable and could prove to be a lifesaver some day: http://www.earthbounddog.com/
It's brilliant.
Of course the question of why aliens who had crossed interstellar space to pick you up, would then forget where they picked you up from is slightly baffling.

I have a great image in my head of aliens driving their spacecraft, consulting this dog tag.
"No it's left at this pulsar. I'm sure it's this one."
"Who's reading the dog tag me or you? Why don't you just ask for directions"
"I don't need to ask for directions"
"Well I hope this doesn't end up like our trip to Ceres V"
"It wasn't marked! And there was a star that was supposed to be there that wasn't"
"Oh and I supose it just happened to go supernova did it? Just before a trip to my mothers?"
"It had nothing to do with - what was that pulsar?"
"What"
"That pulsar we just passed. Was that the one we needed"
"I don't know you were distracting me"
"Great I can't turn round now until we slingshot around the next M-Class star"
"Why weren't you paying attention?"
"I thought you were supposed to be reading the dog tag"
"I can't read and direct and listen to you prattling on. Ask for directions"

etc.