Category: Skepticism
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What is at the root of denial? A Must Read from Chris Mooney in Mother Jones
Chris Mooney has been exploring the basic underpinnings of denialism lately, with this latest article a good summary of the basic problems: In a recent study of climate blog readers, Lewandowksy and his colleagues found that the strongest predictor of being a climate change denier is having a libertarian, free market world view. Or as…
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Psychics like Sylvia Brown are immoral frauds
In the wake of the dramatic events surrounding the discovery of three women including Amanda Berry, being held captive for a decade by a monster, it’s important not to forget another sociopath played a role in this drama. That sociopath is the psychic who told Amanda Berry’s mother that her daughter was dead: Her mother,…
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New homebirth statistics show it's way too dangerous, and Mike Shermer on liberal denialism
Two links today for denialism blog readers, both are pretty thought provoking. The first, from Amy Tuteur, on the newly-released statistics on homebirth in Oregon. It seems that her crusade to have the midwives share their mortality data is justified, as when they were forced to release this data in Oregon, planned homebirth was about…
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Rebecca Watson's Skepticon talk is NOT an example of science denialism
I was recently pointed to this post by Edward Clint which purports to show Rebecca Watson using the 5 tactics of science denialism during her talk “How Girls Evolved to Shop” which was critical of evolutionary psychology at Skepticon. I watched her talk, found it entertaining, informative, wondered why I haven’t been invited to Skepticon,…
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Psychic Sent to Prison for 5 years for Fraud – So can we jail them all now?
Via Ed I find out about a Psychic in Colorado sentenced to 5 years for fraud. BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- A woman claiming to be a psychic has been sentenced to five years behind bars for stealing more than $300,000 from her clients. Nancy Marks told her victims she needed their cash and credit card numbers…
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The 111th Skeptics’ circle, featuring that creepy Sham-Wow guy
I have no idea what possessed Action Skeptics to use the Sham Wow guy to present this week’s entries, but it’s amusing. Check it! In particular I like ICBS everywhere on this thermography nonsense, and Living better skeptically on yet another cancer quack. It’s very upsetting when quack modalities defraud people of hard-earned money. It’s…
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Angels and Demons – Feeding our love of conspiracies
Tomorrow Angels and Demons comes to theaters across the country. One in a long series of movies that profits from the idea that underneath our regular, ordinary world, there are powerful forces controlling the scenes. I understand the appeal of these movies, it’s an entertaining concept. A fictional conspiracy engages your intellect, creates a mystery,…
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Skeptics’ Circle 102 at Happy Jihad’s House of Pancakes
Please check out this week’s skeptics’ circle at Happy Jihad’s House of Pancakes. Of note, I liked Dr Austs’ post on the human toll of HIV/AIDS denialism, it is stirring. I also found the Skeptic’s field guide particularly interesting. I would have two suggestions. One would be to prioritize by frequency of use or rhetorical…
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Atheists Advertise!
I never thought I’d see this. But here it is in all its glory. When I used to live in Georgia and drive past huge billboards that read “I heard that! — God,” or “You’re Welcome –God,” I imagined the day when atheist billboards would appear. I always wanted to buy a billboard that simply…
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Don’t Let Him Defecate!
This will be Orac’s new favorite show, perhaps the best reality show ever made. Meet Shirley Ghostman. The UK’s premier psychic who is mounting a search for the UK’s next psychic superstar. Watch his students cry as he channels Lady Di! Watch as he brings forth a evil serial killer in the presence of his…