Welcome to the latest blog feature from The Skeptic. At the end of each week I will roundup some of the best skeptical blogs and news from the internet. Wading through the mountains of great skeptical blogs out there can be overwhelming for even the most dedicated skeptic, so let me do the hard work for you!
As it’s the opening week for this blog (sound the trumpets!), we’ll get the ball rolling with something a little light-hearted.
Michelle Malkin: Atheists Should Be Treated Like “Trolls”
If Atheists are the Ebenezer Scrooge of the holiday season, then who other than FOX News could fill the buckled boots of the fat, bearded old man. News reporter Michelle Malkin advocates that when it comes to dealing with Atheists, good citizens of America should “treat these people like trolls”. Happy holidays!
Watch the video here.
(Note: This video was from 2008, last Christmas)
[Via Richard Dawkins]
Jesus On An Iron
Speaking of Jesus, who could ever grow tired of the endless sightings of the divine in such forms as the burned bits on a cheese toasty, the oily residue on a crisp, and now, in the charred stains on a household iron.
Watch the video here.
If you’re interested in the psychology behind our perceptions of such ambiguous images as these, Michael Shermer sheds light on the subject in a highly entertaining video that can be viewed here.
[Via Atheist Media Blog]
Sarah Palin Spins Out On “Climate Gate”
With the Climate Gate ‘scandal’ being so focused in the media’s headlights, there have inevitably been a wide range of interesting posts on the topic this week: An article in Discover, details the nonsensical ramblings of Sarah Palin, who has written that “the President’s decision to attend the international climate conference in Copenhagen needs to be reconsidered.” The article also includes a link to Adam Siegel’s thorough debunking of Palin’s latest scientific fail.
The Year’s Most Amazing Scientific Images
A brilliant slide show of 62 amazing images ranging from the volcanic lightning display of an explosion “1000 times as powerful as the atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki” (pictured below), to the computer images of the Large Hadron Collider’s first collision. Each picture is accompanied by a description and many include links to further reading.
[Via Derren Brown]
Rift Flares After US Episcopal Church Elects Gay Bishop
Handbags and feather dusters lined the streets of America this past Sunday morning; the remnants left behind by Conservative Americans expressing their opposition to the election of the second openly gay bishop of the Anglican Church. One onlooker was reported to have mused, “We’re here, we’re queer,” and most poignantly, “get over it”. We couldn’t agree more.
[Via Richard Dawkins]
Parliamentary Science and Technology Select Committee on Homeopathy
Dr. Ben Goldacre, author of the Bad Science column in the Guardian, recently took part in a government panel discussion that aimed to evaluate the evidence behind homeopathy and its implications for government policy. His blog post on the subject presents his thoughts on the event. The full video of which can be seen here.
And it’s not all grey stuff wrapped in legal terms. In fact, within the first two minutes you can expect to hear a bold admission from Paul Bennett, professional standards director for Boots, that neither he nor his company believe in the efficacy of their own medicines! Merseyside Skeptics have penned a great letter to Boots calling for the removal of homeopathic remedies from their shelves.
Switzerland Bans Minarets
Switzerland, commonly regarded through conventional wisdom as being one of the world’s most non-confrontational countries, has recently banned the building of minarets: the towers on the outsides of mosques, from which Imam’s would traditionally call on Muslims to pray, due to their being a sign of ‘Islamisation’. This certainly appears to be an odd area with which to take issue. Perhaps the Islamophobes are worried that these towers are used to house large, cartoon-rocket-shaped missiles. Friendly Atheist has posted a level-headed article on the subject, in which Hemant Mehta argues that “while we fight for our right to have freedom from religion, we can’t forget how important it is to also support freedom of religion”.
Women Who Stare at Kidneys
Does anyone remember the woman who accepted James Randi’s $1m challenge, claiming to have the power to cause involuntary urination in others using only the power of the mind? Well perhaps she was channeling similar energies to those used by Anita Ikonen, who claims to be able to determine whether or not a person is missing a kidney using similarly intangible methods. A detailed account of the experiment testing her claim, conducted by IIG, along with a commentary from a very skeptical Mark Edward, can be found here. If you, like Mark, suspect some foul play on Anita’s part (she did fail, don’t worry) and have some time to spare, you can scrupulously watch the whole proceeding here.
Christians Upset Over Government Funding of Medical Research
President Obama has given the go-ahead for the first batch of government funded experiments using embryonic stem cells. Many Christians, of course, are crying over the losses of potential lives and presumed souls, while failing to comprehend the real benefits that could result from research into this area. This video, posted by Atheist Media Blog, is worth your attention not only for your information, but because it is a rare opportunity for you to witness a reasonable discussion on the FOX news channel.
Woo Begins in the Womb
A recent study has found a negative correlation between the level of exposure to testosterone in the womb and the likelihood of embracing supernatural beliefs as an adult. In 2001, actress and feminist Sandra Bernhard, speaking on Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect, made the ridiculous claim that “women come into this world more spiritually evolved than men”. It now appears that she may have had a point, but it is probably not the one that she was trying to make.
[Via Supersense]
STORY OF THE WEEK: Formal Libel Reform Campaign Launched
Many of you will be aware of the Keep Libel Laws Out of Science campaign, which was ignited after the British Chiropractic Association sued author Simon Singh for expressing his thoughts on their work in writing. We should be deeply concerned that our freedom of speech in the UK is being stifled, and that professionals need fear to articulate their views when they are in dissonance with large corporations.
This week saw the formal launch of the Libel Reform Campaign, which is excellently summarised and advocated by Jack of Kent. We too, strongly urge you to sign the petition online which will automatically send a letter to your local MP.
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Well that’s about all for this week. Please feel free to leave a comment and I will do my best to reply as quickly as possible. Until next time, take care of yourself, and each other.
*If you come across something through the week that you think our readers would enjoy please send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.
