Saturday’s protest saw nearly 20,000 people unite against the pope, making it, by the National Catholic Register’s own admission, “one of the largest protests against a pope in modern history.” Meanwhile, around 80,000 Catholics amassed in Hyde Park, where the pope later led an evening prayer vigil. With only a reported 5% and 11% of British Catholics conforming to the pope’s stances on contraception and homosexuality respectively, we can only hope that most got the wrong address.

Read more here.

Watch or read speeches from the protest here.

‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal stalls as US Senate Republicans block bill

The extent to which gay intolerance remains an issue never ceases to amaze me. This week Republican senators blocked Obama’s promised end to the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy, which allows the dismissal of gays from the US armed forces if they reveal their sexuality. Democrats failed to swing even a single Republican’s vote, and a couple even voted against the policy’s withdrawal themselves.

Read the Guardian’s news coverage here.

‘Draw Muhammad’ cartoonist Molly Norris changes name, goes into hiding at FBI’s insistence

The cartoonist who inspired ‘Everybody Draw Muhammad Day’ has changed her name and gone into hiding at the advice of the FBI after a fatwa was issued against her. A radical Islamic leader linked to the recent Times Square bombing attempt placed her on an execution hit list and wrote that her “proper abode is hellfire.” This in response to her published cartoon with an anti-censorship message, which itself followed Comedy Central’s editing of a South Park episode that depicted the Islamic prophet. RIP Molly Norris: a martyr for a noble cause.

Read the Washington Post’s news coverage here.

[Via HumanistLife]

Mass suicide fears over LA sect allayed

When a group of sect members went missing, leaving behind letters wishing goodbye to their living relatives and claiming they would soon meet their deceased ones in heaven, they naturally ignited fears of a mass suicide. Fortunately the group, which included several children, has been found alive after a tip off to police. CNN reported that one sect member said they were all “perfectly OK”, and were angry to find that such an extensive search was under way.

Read Sky’s news coverage here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Science reporting on the BBC. Your chance to have a say.

The BBC has commissioned Steve Jones, UCL’s star geneticist, to write a report on the impartiality of science reporting on the BBC. It’s an issue that many of you will have some strong opinions on, and luckily you can make them heard by emailing them to trust.science@bbc.co.uk

Read more here.

[Via DC’s Improbable Science]

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

The Queen and the Prime Minister have expressed warm welcomes towards Pope Benedict XVI, but no one else seems to care about his arrival. The pope landed in Scotland yesterday, but was welcomed only by sparse crowds, and thousands of tickets to that evening’s open mass remained unsold. I guess when you alienate yourself from women, children, gays and anyone else with any sense, that doesn’t leave many left.

Watch Channel 4’s news coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Shots fired at Afghanistan Koran protest

Despite the Koran burning event’s cancellation, at least two people have been killed and nine injured in violent protests in Afghanistan. In Kabul, police prevented protesters from marching into the city centre, but still they blocked a road chanting “death to America”. As tyres were burned and stones thrown, police fired warning shots into the air, and were met by Taliban fire.

Read the BBC’s news coverage here.

British Science Festival

The British Science Festival is underway in Birmingham. Although you’ve already missed Dr. Petra Boynton on ‘the science of pulling’, you can still catch ‘the rap guide to evolution’, ‘archaeology through the ages’ and other events. And if the kids get restless, Cadbury World is only around the corner.

Find out more and buy tickets here.

Irish Minister for Science in anti-science scandal

Conor Lenihan, the Irish Minister for Science, had planned to attend the launch of a book in which evolution is described as “a fairytale for adults”, until widely criticised for his decision. Lenihan said he “remains to be convinced” by the author’s arguments, but defended his original decision saying that “diversity of opinion is a good thing”. His withdrawal was reportedly in response to a request from the author, but opinions on the matter are diverse.

Read more here.

[Via NeuroLogica]

Imam in the box

Dragons’ Den here we come! The imam of a large Parisian mosque has invented an easily-erectable ‘mosque in a box’, suitable for Parisian’s on the move. Simply pop one up in your office space to recreate the feelings of a traditional place of prayer suitable for all your spiritual needs. Available in polystyrene and deluxe models.

Watch the BBC’s news coverage here.

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

A small US Church is under criticism for its plans to hold a Koran burning event on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Their opponents include many religious moderates, who are worried that the event will send a message of nationwide intolerance for Islam, from which many fear repercussions. Unfortunately, it’s like water off a duck’s back to the event’s organiser, who still wishes only to fight fire with fire.

Read the BBC’s news coverage here.

*Update: This morning the event’s organiser announced that the Koran burning will be put on hold. He first cancelled the event, but changed his decision after finding that, as he sees it, he was lied to about the relocation of the ‘Ground-Zero mosque’.*

Read more here.

Vince Cable to signal cuts to science funding

Vince Cable has announced plans to cut science funding, reserving it only for commercially useful or “academically outstanding” research. While we could happily cut off some of the fat – studies into making the perfect cuppa perhaps – the plans risk expending many projects whose immediate significance is ‘only’ to further our understanding of a subject. President of the Royal Society Martin Rees also worries that “cuts would create the impression that UK science is in relative decline and make the UK a less attractive location for mobile talent and investment.”

Read the BBC’s news coverage here.

The trouble with the pope

This Monday Channel 4 is airing a little something to get you in the mood for the upcoming protests against the pope’s UK visit. In it, Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell scrutinises the beliefs and policies of Pope Benedict XVI, including all your favourite hits: opposition to contraception, condom use and embryonic stem cell research, and of course, the child sex abuse scandal. The program starts at 8PM. (The programme’s website doesn’t give the duration, but I shouldn’t think it wise to make other plans for that night given the subject matter.)

Read more here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

VoYS stunt a success

This week Voices of Young Science (VoYS) donned their lab coats and took to the streets in protest against a Department of Health-proposed scheme to regulate practitioners of traditional medicine on everything but their medical training. The stunt, which saw young medics dishing out diplomas in ‘Old Wives’ Tales’ to members of the public, was a great success. A big thank you to everyone who made it!

Read more about the proposed scheme and the event here.

Stephen Hawing on M-theory and creation

This week, in an interview for BBC Newsnight, Professor Stephen Hawking talked about M-theory – “the theory of everything” – and its implications towards creation stories. M-theory, he explained, is the culmination of all six string theories, and predicts that the universe will be spontaneously created out of nothing, eliminating the need for a creator.

All week this latest brush with the religious has had Hawking under fire from people who couldn’t hope to understand the maths behind his reasoning, yet remain certain he’s wrong.

Watch Professor Stephen Hawking on Newsnight here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Royal London Homeopathic Hospital rebranded

The Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, that favourite institute of Prince Charles’, has changed its name. It was suggested that the hospital, which offers other alternative treatments including acupuncture and reiki, change its name to something along the lines of ‘Hospital for palliative and supportive care’, which might at least have been a small victory. Instead, it is now the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (read: the Royal London Hospital for Integrated, and therefore accepted, Medicine). Clearly Charlie’s friends, in the wake of homeopathy’s recent negative publicity, have merely retreated to a less controversial-sounding brand name.

Read more here.

[Via DC’s Improbable Science]

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

A US judge has prohibited studies involving stem cells derived from human embryos that will later be discarded. The ruling, which overrides President Obama’s 2009 executive order to allow such studies, has caused many US scientists concern over its impact on their work. The Guardian reports that “The judge’s decision is almost certain to be appealed by the administration.”

Read the Guardian’s coverage here.

US government lends credibility to bogus prayer study

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services now features on its website an article claiming that prayer “may be a useful complement to Western medical practice.” This conclusion was reached through an atrocious study in which the conditions of sight- and hearing-impaired Mozambicans were reportedly found to improve after ‘proximal intercessory prayer (PIP)’. (That’s ‘prayer’ to you and me.) No reasonable scientific protocol was followed: The tests were neither single- nor double-blind, and included no controls. In fact, the participants – attendees of an evangelical meeting! – were subjected to PIP until they said it worked, kind of like how we know that beating the hell out of a person will make him sorry.

Read more on the study here.

Read the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ article here.

[Via Pharyngula]

Claudy bomb: conspiracy allowed IRA priest to go free

The British government and the Catholic Church colluded to protect the priest behind the Claudy bombings of 1972, a report issued this week reveals. One of the gravest atrocities of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the bombing killed 9 people, injuring a further 30. The Catholic Church stands by its actions, explaining that to have identified the IRA bomber to be a Catholic priest might have ignited further violence in what was already the bloodiest year of three decades of conflict. Many of the victims’ families are uncomforted by this justification, and are calling for legal justice and an apology.

Read the BBC’s news coverage here.

Watch the BBC News coverage here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Uri Geller’s mind bender: Egyptian loot in Scotland

Famed bender Uri Geller, presumably having realised the uselessness of manipulating silverware, has found a new hobby: hunting for Egyptian treasure in Scotland. The conjurer recently purchased a small island off the Eastern coast for £30,000, after being inexplicably drawn to it. He later realised that his attraction was caused by ancient treasures buried there, and promptly buried a crystal orb “once belonging to Albert Einstein” (standard protocol I believe). Geller plans to find the treasures by dowsing. Expert historians however, say stories connecting Scotland with Ancient Egypt are “tosh!”

Read the Wall Street Journal’s coverage here.

[Via Skepchick]

It’s looking silly outside; Bring a lab coat

Looking to boost your CV? Science charity Sense About Science is planning an event in which diplomas in ‘Old Wives’ Traditional Medicine’ will be awarded to those who can answer a few simple questions on the subject.

The stunt is a response to Department of Health proposals to introduce a professional registration scheme for herbalists and other practitioners of ‘traditional’ medicine. The move would serve the idea that practising medicine does not require proper medical training.

The event will be held outside the Department of Health office, situated on Whitehall, London (map), on 8 September, and will begin at 11:30am. Please try to pop down if you can, if only for an hour or two. Also, if you have one, wear a lab coat. I promise you won’t be the only one.

For more information, visit the Sense About Science website.

If you’re interested, it would be really helpful if you would contact Julia Wilson at jwilson@senseaboutscience.org and say so, just to give an idea of how many people to expect. Thanks!

(Further details coming soon.)

Empire State Building refuses to light up for Mother Teresa

Although the Empire State Building readily lit up for the Rotary Club’s 100^th birthday, and the 60^th anniversary of the founding of communist China, it will not shine blue and white for Mother Teresa’s 100^th birthday as requested. The building’s owners issued a statement to say that they cannot recognise religious figures in this way. Bill Donohue, talking on FOX News, claims this amendment was added after the request to justify the denial. It’s always fun to see Bill Donohue mad.

Watch the Fox News coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

For several weeks the world has watched the unfolding case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in outrage. Originally sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, she has now appeared on a major Iranian television network, apparently to confess to her involvement in the murder of her husband and his cousin. ‘Appeared’ is not quite the right term though: Sakineh’s face was blurred and her voice dubbed, raising doubts that the person speaking was even her. Her lawyer maintains that it was, but also that she was “severely beaten up and tortured until she accepted to appear in front of camera”.

Read Al Jazeera’s coverage here.

Watch the BBC News coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Faith School Menace

Richard Dawkins’ latest documentary Faith School Menace? examines the role of faith schools in Britain as the coalition government rolls out it’s ‘free schools’ initiative. Through a series of interviews with politicians, teachers and children, Dawkins reveals the depressing realities of faith schools’ discrimination between and indoctrination of children in Britain. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has called for a full parliamentary inquiry into faith schools following the program.

Watch Faith School Menace here. (Unfortunately this video is only available to UK viewers).

[Via Richard Dawkins]

NHS ‘alternative therapy’ blast

We all know how tough it is to find jobs in this economic climate, so how would you react if I told you of one that pays £68,000 a year, only requires you to work for two days a week, and demands no expertise whatsoever. The position: ‘Specialty Doctor in Homeopathy’ for NHS Tayside. Sure they may be cutting 500 jobs in the next year, but you don’t need to feel bad; you won’t be the only one applying.

Read the Express’ coverage here.

From blasphemy to blasphemy rights

Last year the Centre for Inquiry (CFI) celebrated ‘International Blasphemy Day’, a day intended to promote free speech, but which some abused, using it as an excuse to mindlessly insult faith and religion. This year the CFI have rebranded the holiday ‘International Blasphemy Rights Day’ in the hope that attention will be focused on the serious issues surrounding blasphemy and the right to free speech, at home and abroad.

Read more here.

Visit the ‘International Blasphemy Rights Day’ Facebook page here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

Drug firms hiding negative research are unfit to experiment on people

This week the drug company AstraZeneca settled a class action for £125m after more than 17,500 patients claimed it had withheld information showing that a schizophrenia drug could cause diabetes. AstraZeneca’s publications manager has admitted to the company’s burying of data in a past study concerning the drug, while publishing the positive findings.

Read Ben Goldacre’s article in the Guardian here.

Last Catholic adoption agency faces closure after Charity Commission ruling

This week it was adoption agency Catholic Care’s turn to bend over and take a court ruling up the backside, as the Charity Commission rejected their request to turn away gay couples on the basis of their sexuality. Earlier this year a High Court judge ordered that their case for homophobia be considered, making Catholic Care the last Catholic adoption agency not to have been forced to close down or disassociate with the Church. It would be so easy to end on a joke, but I’m bigger than that.

Read the Telegraph’s coverage here.

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Last week the Church of England’s synod voted overwhelmingly to allow women to be ordained as bishops. Worried that some might mistakenly connect the Catholic Church with such tolerance, the Vatican announced three days later that in its establishment the same actions would constitute a ‘grave crime’, putting it in the same category as clerical sex abuse of minors. I think it might be time to employ a new head of PR.

Read the Guardian’s news coverage here.

Watch the BBC’s news coverage here.

[Video via Atheist Media Blog]

Scientology’s problem with Twitter

Last year, Cardiff councillor John Dixon happened to pass a local branch of the Church of Scientology. He reached for his phone and Tweeted “I didn’t know the Scientologists had a church on Tottenham Court Road. Just hurried past in case the stupid rubs off.” Now he faces a disciplinary hearing for breaching the code of conduct for local authority members.

In response, the term #stupidscientology has become a trending topic on Twitter. For those of you whose lives don’t revolve around what Stephen Fry has for tea each day, that means it’s one of Twitter’s most talked about topics in the UK today. I only hope that the tweets are to say what a first-rate job the church (it’s definitely a church) is doing, which I want to make clear is my view.

Read the Guardian’s news coverage here.

Watch BBC Newsnight’s interview with Councillor John Dixon here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

£17,500 fine over ‘spiritual healer’ advert

This week TV watchdog Ofcom bared its teeth and fined a television network £17,500 for airing a spiritual healing advert ‘likely to exploit vulnerable people’. The ad promoted ‘spiritual healer’ Professor Mohammed Zain, whose advise to one client was to credit his account with £110, pray for a week and call him back. She did so, and upon receiving her call Zain told her to cough up a further £1,400 and in return he would find her a prince. Charming.

Read the Guardian’s news coverage here.

The missing pope petition

Those of you who signed the ‘Protest the Pope’ petition will have recently received an email with the official response from the Prime Minister’s office, which is essentially ‘The Pope is coming to dinner. The UK taxpayer has to fork out a shedload of cash for it.’ Your reaction was probably similar to mine: ‘We know all this. That’s what we’re protesting against!’

So in essence Downing Street ignored the petition. But if that wasn’t bad enough it’s now been removed by Whitehall officials, more than three months before it was scheduled to close. It seems that only selected petitions are allowed.

Don’t let it end there. The Protest the Pope Coalition plans to rally against the Pope’s visit on Saturday 18 September in London. Anyone who isn’t there is a kiddy-fiddler.

Read more here.

Find out more about the rally and other events here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Chicken eggs and Ham

Last week MSNBC reported that scientists have ‘proven’ that the chicken came before the egg – a claim despairingly debunked by PZ Myers. At least one reader was convinced though. This week Ken Ham smugly blogged on the discovery’s consistency with the Bible’s creation myth. Looks like Bananaman’s got a new partner in crime: Eggface.

Read more here.

[Via Pharyngula]

BHA condemns “appalling decision” to give education award to creationist zoo

Gone are the days when we could say ‘only in America’. The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, an initiative of the last UK government set in place to promote educational school trips, has awarded creationist Noah’s Ark Zoo a ‘Quality Badge’ in recognition of its educational programme. Setting aside the biblical myths that are its backbone, the programme denies a host of scientific facts that conflict with the establishment’s views including radio carbon dating, the fossil record and the speed of light. The British Humanist Association is urging for the award’s retraction.

Read more here.

[Via Planet Atheism]

Facing Mecca when you pray doesn’t matter says Islamic leader

Indonesian Muslims have been praying in the wrong direction. Rather than facing Mecca it turns out that the country’s mosques had people facing Africa. The head of the Indonesian Ulema Council – the organisation responsible for the mix up – assured Muslims that their prayers had still been heard by Allah. That’s one bit of superstition ignored, only the rest of the Koran to go.

Read more here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Dispatches: Africa’s Last Taboo

Completely devastating but equally compelling, Africa’s Last Taboo examines African attitudes towards homosexuality and the government policies they inform. The program opens with a hook: stay tuned to find out what’s driving the African anti-homosexuality movement. I don’t want to give away the ending, but I’m sure one guess is all you’ll need anyway.

Watch Dispatches: Africa’s Last Taboo here. (This video is unfortunately available in the UK).

Church members sue after doomsday fails to occur

Two former church members are suing their ex-pastor and his associates for conning them out of a combined $1.4m by lying about a doomsday that never came. I’m not sure how Australian church Agape Ministries claimed it would put their money to use – first-class tickets to the pearly gates perhaps? In any event, here’s where the line between giggles and sh*ts gets blurred:

Ms Baligod said she believed many other people wanted to come forward with civil claims, but were scared. “A lot of them have been threatened by insiders, with death threats as I understand it,” she said.

Read the ABC news coverage here.

[Via Planet Atheism]

Australian antivax group slammed for “misleading and inaccurate information”

And now, some good news for Australia: An Australian government investigation has called antivax group Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) out on their manipulative and dishonest peddling of misinformation. The report found that AVN, who claim not to be antivax, cherry-pick data and even invent sheer lies to steer anyone who’ll listen away from dreaded, life-saving vaccines. Unfortunately there is no real punishment in store for AVN, but they will now have to include on their website a prominent disclaimer stating their antivax position.

Read more here.

Watch Australian news program Lateline’s coverage here.

[Article via Discover Blogs | Bad Astronomy]

[Video via Sean the Blogonaut]

‘Forbidden Art’ show organisers convicted of “fuelling religious hatred”

The organisers of a 2006 Russian exhibition called ‘Forbidden Art’, which featured works considered ‘too outrageous to show elsewhere’, have been found guilty of fuelling religious hatred. Although the works included depictions of Jesus as Mickey Mouse and Lenin, organisers say it was not their intention to offend, but rather to draw attention to censorship issues.

The organisers were sentenced with heavy fines, which disappointed many Russian Orthodox believers, who had hoped for a prison sentence. Also disappointed was a group of artists, who felt the verdict was an infringement on free speech and expressed their outrage with fitting creativity – by releasing thousands of cockroaches in the court building.

Read the Moscow Times’ news coverage here.

Watch Russia Today’s news coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe: Episode 260

There’s no real reason for my including this particular episode of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe in this week’s roundup, but I so rarely get around to listening to them and every time I do I’m reminded of how great they are.  So if you’re new to The Guide, you’re in for a treat; if like me you rarely listen to them, let this one remind you why you should do more often; or if you’re so hooked you can recite them all word for word, as you were.

Listen to the latest episode of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe here.

Topics of discussion include: fin to limb evolution; Pat Boone on the laws of physics; ice patch archaeology; Steven Barratt sued; your questions and emails; flag worship; and science or fiction?.

[Via The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe]

The Age of the Genome: Episode 4

Richard Dawkins’ Radio 4 program The Age of the Genome has reached its fourth and final episode and I’ve neglected to tell you about it, so if you haven’t found it by other means I’m afraid you’ve got some catching up to do.

In episode four, Dawkins talks to Craig Venter – who recently unveiled the world’s first self-replicating species whose parent is a computer – and other leading scientists about the potential powers of genome science in the future. What could be better?

Listen to all episodes of The Age of the Genome here.

French lawmakers vote to ban burqa in public

Women in France could be fined or required to attend citizenship classes for wearing full-length veils in public if a new bill is passed. This week the lower house of parliament approved the bill by an overwhelming majority of 335 to 1, but it must still be vetted by the Constitutional Council and approved by the Senate in September.

Whatever your thoughts on that, you can’t disagree with the section of the bill that would impose a €30,000 fine and a one-year prison sentence on anyone who forces another person to cover their face.

Opponents of the bill see it as a violation of the rights to freedom of expression and religion. Proponents consider it vital for furthering women’s rights and maintaining the country’s reputation for fashion.

Read Reuters’ news coverage here.

Woman on ‘Wife Swap’ makes her surrogate family train for 2012

Last week’s episode of Wife Swap USA brought reality television into the realms of fantasy as a crazed woman had her surrogate family train for the 2012 apocalypse. The filmmakers can’t have believed their luck; you know you’ve hit comedy gold when the cameras are rolling and you’ve got a fully-grown man fitting a life-jacket onto a dog.

Read io9’s blog post and watch a clip from the show, here.

[Via Skepchick]

‘Everybody Draw Muhammad Day’ cartoonist put on execution list

A terror preacher linked to the botched Times Square bombing has put the creator of ‘Everybody Draw Muhammad Day’ on an execution hit list. Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki wrote in Inspire, a new English-language Al Qaeda magazine aimed at recruiting westerners, that “the medicine prescribed by the Messenger of Allah is the execution of those involved”. Awlaki also damned eight other cartoonists, journalists and authors for their involvement with the ‘blasphemous cartoons’.

Read NY Daily News’ coverage here.

[Via Skepchick]

‘The Hills’ finale: Fake set emerges as Kristin Cavallari and Brody Jenner say goodbye

Who’d’ve thought it? The Hills - that emotional rollercoaster tracking the day-to-day lives of glamorous guys and girls, managing to neatly tie up each episode’s storyline after half an hour – is faked. As the show’s finale closed the cameras pulled out to reveal a Hollywood set and the fans rushed to Twitter in search of shoulders to cry on. Don’t worry guys, you can always rely on the integrity of Laguna Beach.

Read NY Daily News’ coverage here.

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Leaving the Cult

Leaving the Cult follows three teenage boys after their escape from ‘The Crick’, the area inhabited by their polygamist Mormon families. Although painfully difficult to watch, it is essential viewing, and will leave you with a new outlook towards the Mormon missionaries you meet in the street, and if you’re anything like me, an excruciating desire to adopt them.

Watch Leaving the Cult here. (Unfortunately this video is available only to UK residents.)

Attempted intimidation by a quack

Dr. Stephen Barratt of QuackWatch, an excellent organisation dedicated to exposing bogus medical claims, is being sued by the ‘lab’ Doctor’s Data, whose reports Barratt claimed were manipulated to instil unnecessary fears in patients and direct them towards chelation therapy. The case should increase the transparency of Doctor’s Data’s dishonesty, but will cost Barratt much time and money in the meantime. To financially support Barratt you can make a donation to QuackWatch here.

[Via Pharyngula]

Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian woman convicted of adultery, has been sentenced to death by stoning. Mina Ahadi, an activist based in Germany and who was herself forced to flee a death sentence in Iran, is now leading the opposition campaign. She explains that the only chance to overrule this sentence is to have activists worldwide encourage European governments to put pressure on the Islamic regime in Iran, but time is running out. You can help by forwarding a copy of this email (scroll down) to the UN High Commissioner for the Office of Human Rights. It doesn’t take a second and won’t cost you anything.

Read more here.

Watch CNN’s news coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Muslim parents banning children from music lessons

Hundreds of British Muslims are withdrawing their children from music lessons, despite having no legal right to do so. Apparently the prophet Muhammad was not a music-lover, and forbid learning a musical instrument, but that’s not even the point. Music lessons are a part of the national curriculum and children are therefore obliged to attend them. Some teachers and Ofsted inspectors however, are turning a blind eye to this breach of the law so as not to enflame public unrest. The worst part of course, is that the poor people at One Law for All barely had time to celebrate the success of their recent rally before this news broke.

Read and watch the BBC’s news coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Pope visit protest warning

Lord Patten, the Conservative peer helping organise the Pope’s upcoming visit to the UK, has warned those planning demonstrations that they risk sparking outrage among the wider public. Scary. The UK taxpayers’ estimated financial obligation towards the four-day visit has increased from £8m to between £10m and £12m, disregarding policing costs. The total cost is set to be closer to £20m. I guess that’s how much it costs to hire a good anti-equality preacher these days (also available for weddings and office functions).

Read more here.

Find out more about demonstrations against the Pope’s UK visit here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Iranian government bans ‘immoral’ mullets

Hippity-hop to the barber shop, but be careful what you ask for. The Iranian government this week unveiled a list of approved hairstyles, which basically extends only to a short back and sides for men, making Iran the first country to officially recognise that ponytails and mullets are out.

Watch Al-Jazeera’s news coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Gillard Won’t Play Religion Card

Julia Gillard, Australia’s new Prime Minister, is an atheist. Her predecessor Kevin Rudd is Catholic, and before him they had a young-Earther in the hot seat. What’s great is not Gillard’s lack of faith, but her openness about it. In a recent interview she explained that she will not pretend to have a faith that she does not feel and will not go through religious rituals for the sake of appearance. They may be down and under, but they ain’t all backward.

Read more here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Tell the President to Keep His Word to End Religious Discrimination in Faith-Based Initiatives

On July 1, 2008, then-senator Obama promised to modify Bush’s Faith-Based Initiatives program to end proselytizing and religious discrimination by organisations that receive tax dollars. Under the Bush administration such organisations were able to discriminate against potential employees on the basis of their religion, or lack of, and they still are. Now the Secular Coalition for America is calling on all US citizens who believe in a separation of church and state to tell their president to keep his promise, which he can do ‘at the stroke of a pen’, requiring no congressional action. In the words of that interminable woman from Jesus Camp ‘don’t be a promise-breaker, be a history-maker’.

Read more here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Pakistan to Monitor Google and Yahoo for ‘Blasphemy’

In May Pakistan banned access to Facebook after it hosted a ‘blasphemous’ competition to draw the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Now Pakistani authorities will monitor seven major websites, including Google and Yahoo, blocking individual content deemed blasphemous. Get with the twenty-first century people. I mean really, who uses Yahoo nowadays?

Read more here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Richard Dawkins Interested in Setting up ‘Atheist Free School’.

Last week Richard Dawkins took a break from panel debates and news appearances to discuss the significance of religion in education on Mumsnet, a parenting website for mothers. On the subject of the coalition’s new ‘free schools’, one Mumsnet user suggested Dawkins set up an atheist school, an idea that he rightly tweaked into a ‘free thinking school’. Dawkins has no plans to realise such an institution, but did disclose plans to make a documentary on the subject of religion and education. I’ll keep you posted.

Read more here.

Doctors call for Homeopathy Ban

Amidst calls for NHS spending cuts the British Medical Association has voted against offering homeopathic treatment on the NHS, and that in pharmacies the remedies should be labelled ‘placebos’ rather than ‘medicines’.

You may have seen this story in the Telegraph or the Guardian and turned all giddy. So did I. But when I found that no other news sources had covered it I knew it was too good to be true. It turns out that the British Medical Association’s decision has no bearing on NHS policy. Maybe it should.

Read more here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Atheist Billboard in North Carolina Vandalised Within a Week

Last week the North Carolina Secularist Association erected a billboard on Billy Graham Parkway. The excerpt from the Pledge of Allegiance read ‘One Nation Indivisible’ until vandalised by some nut who presumably gets pissed off every time he reads anything that doesn’t mention god.

Read more here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

Psychic Octopus picks Germany to beat Argentina

Get yourself down to the bookies now. I’ve got an inside tip that’s a dead cert. A psychic octopus that hasn’t failed yet in its (four) world cup predictions has picked Germany to beat Argentina tomorrow. Why are you still here?

Read more here.

[Via Skepchick]

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

One Law for All Rally against Sharia Law a Huge Success

Hundreds gathered outside Downing Street on Sunday to protest against Sharia law. The protest, organised by the One Law for All campaign, later joined a march organised by Iran Solidarity, but the event also attracted less savoury activists. First came the pro-Sharias wielding signs of ‘Democracy is Cancer. Islam is the Answer’, and then stepped in the inevitable National Front, or English Defence League, or whatever they’re going by nowadays. The former were only out in handfuls, the latter got locked up, and so the secularists brought home a much-needed victory for England. Well done to everyone involved.

Read more here.

Watch Russia Today’s news coverage here.

[Video via Atheist Media Blog]

Study Examines Scientists’ ‘Climate Credibility’

Ever debated a so called ‘climate change sceptic’ and come up against the idea that ‘loads of eminent scientists don’t believe in man-made climate change either’? Without having the figures to hand it’s always difficult to make credible your counterclaim that ‘the vast majority’ of scientists do in fact recognise man-made climate change. That’s when that particular avenue of discussion becomes a cul-de-sac. But now a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that 98% of climate scientists who publish research on the subject support the view that human activities are warming the planet. Unfortunately, only half of the psychiatric patients in ward three agree with these findings, so I guess there’s still controversy. 

Read the BBC’s coverage here.

Scientology Avoids Paying Tax in the UK

Ever since the Church of Scientology became officially unrecognised as a charity in the UK, it has avoided paying taxes here by claiming its entire UK operation to be a member of its Australian outfit. Australian law still recognises the cult as a religion, exempting it from paying tax there, so that explains that. Why they chose a small suburban house in Adelaide for their major headquarters is anybody’s guess. The building’s owner, who runs a gardening business, was as shocked as anybody to find out.    

Read more here.

Watch Australian current affairs programme Today Tonight’s coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Female Genital Mutilation at Cornell University

Paediatric urologist Dix Poppas of Cornell University is performing surgeries on girls as young as six to reduce the size of their clitorises, which he arbitrarily judges to be oversized. The operations involve removing some of the shaft whilst retaining the tip in an effort to save nerves. If that unnecessary and enforced ordeal doesn’t shock you the follow up treatment will. To test the level of nerve retention Poppas touches the reconstructed clitoris with a vibrator, despite knowing that if it hasn’t worked nothing can be done about it. It’s okay though, because the parents have consented (for some reason).

Read more here.

[Via Pharyngula]

Muhammad Believed in… What?

Islam is long overdue for an image makeover. In an effort to create one Muslims are getting in on the UK bus ads, but something tells me the pretty colours won’t be enough to distract the public from the questionable statements they surround.

All of the above statements are debunked here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

Creationists Suffer another Legal Defeat

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) has moved, and so have the times. While based in California the ICR’s Masters Degrees were officially recognised, but now in Texas… they ain’t. When they filed to get the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board’s approval for their accreditations the court’s response was that the ‘Plaintiff is entirely unable to file a complaint which is not overly verbose, disjointed, incoherent, maundering, and full of irrelevant information.’ Bitchslap! I hope you’ll join me in a celebratory firing of your pistols towards the heavens. Yeehaw!  

Read more here.

[Via Discover Blogs]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

BCA Drop Libel Case Against Simon Singh

After a two year battle the BCA have finally dropped their case against Simon Singh. This tremendous news follows the Court of Appeal’s recent ruling that Singh’s article was comment not fact. Congratulations Simon!

We should remember, of course, that this case did take two years and cost Simon over £200,000. This victory does not mean that UK libel laws work.

Read Sense About Science’s coverage of the story, where you will also find links to all its other coverage and a statement from Singh, here.

 “Richard Dawkins: I Will Arrest Pope Benedict XVI”

The Times reported this week that Dawkins is planning to ambush and arrest Pope Benedict XVI during his September visit to the UK. This is incorrect. Actually Dawkins merely expressed that he was “whole-heartedly behind the initiative of [lawyers] Geoffery Robertson and Mark Stevens.”

Unrecognised by the UN as a head of state, the lawyers believe that the Pope should be unable to claim diplomatic immunity and so could be referred to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. Failing that, Dawkins and Benedict have agreed to go one-on-one in a televised fight to the death. Dawkins has insisted there be no blows below the belt.

Read the Times’ news coverage (with a pinch of salt) here.

Watch Christopher Hitchens discuss the matter on MSNBC News here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

An Interesting Admission

The Catholic Church is opposing Connecticut’s newly proposed legislature to remove the statute of limitations on child sex abuse. A letter explaining that the law would put “all Church institutions, including your parish, at risk” was signed by Connecticut’s three Roman Catholic bishops and Satan himself.

[Via Pharyngula]

Starsuckers: The BS of PR

I think I can safely presume that nobody reading this blog assumes there to absolute journalistic scrutiny within the tabloids, but exactly how bad are they? Starsuckers is a new documentary that set out to answer that question. By feeding a host of invented celeb stories to UK tabloids, the makers saw their fantasies turned into ‘fact’. Ever read the one about Girls Aloud member Sarah Harding being a closet astrophysics nut? Well guess where it stemmed from. I know, I know. I’m as disappointed as you are.

Watch the full documentary here. (Unfortunately this video is available to UK residents only.)

For those outside the UK, watch some snippets here.

[Via Skepchick] 

ICP are no Clowns

Okay, so this post appeared on Skepchick’s website last week, and it’s hardly a new finding, but I couldn’t find time to write a roundup last week (sorry!), I don’t frequent ICP chatrooms as regularly as I perhaps should, and I love, love, love this, which makes it newsworthy.

Insane Clown Posse (ICP) are in fact a posse of evangelicals hoping to lead their fans to God. For those who don’t know, ICP are a hardcore ‘rage-rock’ group, and when you see them and hear their music you’ll know why this is amazing news.

I have to hand it to them though, they are cleverer than they look (see image below). Their impeccable marketing (including ‘beef’ with Eminem and appearing on WWF, as well as generally being the most shocking thing on the market) led them to a platform Jesus would have envied.   

On a related note, I first came to hear of ICP through the excellent documentary Merchants of Cool, which examines MTV culture and marketing. Some of it is extremely clever, and I believe there is a lot that ‘The Skeptic Movement’, if there is such a thing, can learn from it. Watch it here.

Quackademia is Crumbling

It is amazing to learn how many, often otherwise respectable, UK universities run courses in pseudoscience. Worryingly they are usually in medical fields.

After persistently exposing their (suspiciously difficult to acquire) course material to ridicule, anti-woo groups have forced many such universities to discontinue these courses, and this week down went another. The Robert Gordon University has ended their homeopathy course.

Unfortunately, when the Chinese spirits close a door they open a window, and there are still UK universities willing to dish out diplomas in quackery. Check out the lecture slide below from a (Bachelors of Science!) acupuncture course run by Middlesex University.

[Via DC’s Improbable Science]

Penn and Teller in London

There’s nothing I could say to plug this event that wouldn’t sound better coming from Derren Brown, so here’s what his blog post said:

“They very rarely come to London, and they’re the best magic show in the world. Penn & Teller – the eternally cool bad-boys of magic – are rocking the Hammersmith Apollo from 14-17 July. Just a few nights, and it will pack right out. I saw it in Vegas a few years ago with Andy and Coops and we found ourselves gasping out loud and utterly mesmerised. It’s ingenious, funny, heartbreaking and provocative, and if there was ever a must-see in the world of magic, this is it.”

Tickets go on sale today. Get them here.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Simon Singh Wins Libel Court Battle

Well, that’s the Guardian’s misleading title. Simon Singh has won his appeal case, in which it was concluded that his statements were of opinion not fact, allowing him to use the defence of fair comment. A more accurate title would have been ‘Simon Singh Wins an Appeal That Should Never Have Been Necessary, Bringing Him Back Up to Square One’. Even so, this is fantastic news.

Watch the Channel 4 news report here.

Brian Cox on the Jonathon Ross Show

Physicist Brian Cox, best known as the keyboardist from D: Ream, this week appeared on the Jonathon Ross show to talk science. Cox did a great job of debunking the scientific stereotype and demonstrating how we are all fascinated by science, discussing time travel, dark matter and the Large Hadron Collider.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

LHC Smacks Some Protons

On the subject of the Large Hadron Collider, this week it successfully collided two beams of protons at just under the speed of light. This is the first step to understanding the events that unfolded just after the big bang, or, as physicist Michio Kaku put it, “unravelling Genesis Chapter 1, Verse 1”.

[Via Discover Blogs & Pharyngula]

Christopher Hitchens Slams Pope Over Sex Abuse Scandal

Last week we discovered that the Pope was personally responsible for allowing the rape of children. Amidst calls for his resignation, he preferred to save his own arse at the expense of others’, saying that he won’t be intimidated by ‘petty gossip’.

Watch Christopher Hitchens discuss the matter on FOX News, here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Nigeria Sharia Court Confirms Twitter Debate Ban

In 2000, Malam Buba Bello Jangebe stole a cow and became the first person in Nigeria to suffer an amputation under Sharia Law. This week an Islamic court permanently banned a rights group from discussing the punishment on the internet, fearing that Sharia Laws would be mocked. Jesus Christ you might as well just cut off their hands. Oh… right.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

ACLU Reject’s Atheist’s Money

Last week Todd Stiefel donated $20,000 towards a high school prom that had been cancelled because a lesbian couple wished to attend. This week, I’m sorry to say, the American Civil Liberties Union, who is helping organise the prom, have rejected Stiefel’s donation. They say that atheists are so feared that to associate with them would stir further controversy. I can see why they’re feared. I mean, if they’re all like Todd Stiefel it’s a wonder we haven’t all been slaughtered in our sleep yet.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Pope Benedict Faces Child Abuse Cover-Up Queries

Before he became Pope, Joseph Ratzinger led the Vatican office in charge of the Church’s response to child abuse cases. During this time, new evidence suggests, he failed to respond to letters concerning a paedophilic priest with a fetish for the deaf. Twenty years later and Ratzinger is the man to which millions turn for moral guidance. Such is the Catholic Church.

Sceptic Challenges Guru to Kill Him Live on TV

An Indian Guru who claimed to have the power to kill a man using only his mystical powers was this week put to the test live on television. I’ll give away the ending to save you watching the whole thing for yourself: on this occasion extensive babbling and even knife brandishing was not enough to silence the mocking president of Rationalist International, who remained very much alive.  

The Great Apple Experiment

You gotta love this: ‘Britain’s leading charisma expert’ says that telling yourself positive things in the mirror will physically improve your looks. It gets better. She goes on to claim that the same is true of apples. Having fallen into the trap of claiming her voodoo to be scientifically testable, it was inevitable that someone was going to do just that. The results have yet to come in. I’m sure we’ll all be on the edges of our seats until they do.

[Via Pharyngula]

Jack Straw Moots End to UK Libel Tourism

Campaigners for the reformation of the UK’s libel laws have cause for celebration, as Jack Straw this week announced Labour’s commitment to a string of changes. The Libel Reform campaign has accumulated 46,000 signatories and gained the commitment of 260 MPs. Straw’s proposed changes aim to halt libel tourism and balance the onus of justification.      

Sam Harris: Science Can Answer Moral Questions

Will science ever be able to determine what it is to be moral? The vast majority of laypeople and scientists think not. Sam Harris begs to differ, and in his upcoming book The Moral Landscape he’ll lay out his argument. Until then though, check out his talk at TED, and draw what conclusions you will. 

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Royal Row ‘Threatens Alternative Medicine Research’

The Centre for Alternative Medicine looks set to close after Prince Charles pulled out from funding. The reason: the unit found a lack of evidence for several alternative treatments after subjecting them to the same testing as one would expect for any conventional medicine. Isn’t that just a beautiful summary of these people? ‘If it ain’t good news I don’t wanna know.’

Read the Times’ coverage here.

[Via the JREF]

His Fortune Polishes Atheists’ Reputation

Last year, at the age of 35, Todd Stiefel sold his family business for $2.9billion. Since then he has donated hundreds of thousands to secular organisations in an effort to create a culture in the US whereby secularists are respected. Last week, Stiefel donated $20,000 to sponsor a high school prom after it was cancelled by the Itawamba County School District because a lesbian couple wanted to attend. An atheist with morals: who’d’ve thunk it?

Read more here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

Cambridge Science Festival

Lastly, if, like me, you were gutted to miss the Cambridge Science Festival this year, you can watch videos of the events on their website, here. Enjoy.

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Our World – Beneath the Radar

It is unfortunately difficult to choose which of the many paedophile priest stories to include in a roundup of this week’s news. The Catholic Church’s selfish cover-ups have been reported across the globe, and recently one priest has come out to say that he would not necessarily refer sex crimes against children to police today if passed information confidentially.

Watch the BBC News documentary Our World, which follows a former priest and known sexual offender who has been protected by the church, here.

Also, read Christopher Hitchens’ article on the subject here.

Sign the Protest the Pope petition, urging Gordon Brown to formally disassociate himself with the Pope’s preachings prior to his upcoming UK visit, here.

Great News From Ireland!

On Wednesday we celebrated Saint Paddy’s ridding Ireland of snakes (Yes, that is what you were celebrating.) Now it appears that we may soon have cause to celebrate Ireland’s ridding of its hugely more venomous blasphemy law.

The Irish Justice Minister has proposed a referendum to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Irish constitution. His decision can be credited, in no small way, to what he describes as “[Atheist Ireland’s] incredibly sophisticated campaign”. I’ll drink to that.

[Via Pharyngula]

The Pledge Decision

The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals has announced that the Pledge of Allegiance’s inclusion of the words “under God” is in fact constitutional. Take a minute to recover from the shock if you need it. The decision was ruled by a majority of 2-1, and leaned on arguments so fragile that they would surely have collapsed were they not reinforced by the fear of public outrage.

[Via Common Sense Atheism]

Libel Reform – Urgent Next Steps

Last week played host to the Big Libel Gig, in which several comedians and other prolific speakers joined forces to make a case for libel reform in the UK. All proceeds are to be donated to the Coalition for Libel Reform.

This coming Tuesday there will be a mass lobby at the House of Commons, where members of the public are invited to express their concerns over the UK libel laws to their MPs en masse. This will be the last chance to get commitment on the issue from politicians and policy makers before the election is called. Click here for further details.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

The Texas Textbook Hubbub

The Texas Board of Education (BoE) has opted out of the proposed national education standard so that Texan students can have no choice but to live up to their state’s stereotype.

The predominantly Christian Conservative BoE has a history of manipulating their textbooks’ material that would shock Winston Smith. This year, in order to correct the “liberal bias” they have voted to remove references to the Enlightenment and Thomas Jefferson! Even scarier is that because Texas buys so many textbooks, many publishers tailor their material to the needs of the Texan BoE, spreading the propaganda nationwide.  

Watch the ABC Nightline news coverage here.

[Via Skepticblog]

Gaza’s Male Hairdressers: Time to Cut and Run?

Q: What do you get when you cross a Gazan legal system with a nonsensical Islamic tradition?

A: A new policy making it illegal for a man to cut a woman’s hair.

The joke might be funnier of course, if this wasn’t the result of public protest, sometimes taking the form of bombing offending salons.

Read the BBC News coverage here.

Erie UFO not so Eerie

Ohio has been mesmerised by the skies this week, with people gathering around Lake Erie night after night to witness a unidentified light in the sky. The light has returned to its spot for eight consecutive nights and has been reported to change colour. UFO nuts are baffled. Patrick Kent is not.  

Watch the MSNBC News coverage here.

[Via Discover Blogs]

********************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Danish Newspaper Apologises for Muhammad Cartoons

Freedom of the press took a knock last week as the Danish Newspaper Politiken publicly apologised for republishing cartoon depictions of the prophet Muhammad four years ago. The original cartoons, illegal under Sharia law, were published in 2006 and ignited Muslim riots, attacks on Danish embassies worldwide, and dozens of deaths. Politiken representatives have said that this week’s apology was part of a settlement with a Saudi lawyer representing eight Muslim groups in the Middle East and Australia.

The apology was met with disappointment from the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, who said that “Politiken’s pathetic prostrating before a Saudi lawyer takes the first prize in stupidity.” The Danish Union of Journalists described it as “kneeling before opponents of the freedom of press.”

Read the BBC News coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

The Secular Coalition for America’s Briefing with the Obama Administration

This week, in the first formal meeting of its kind, members of the Secular Coalition for America met with White House officials to discuss religious exemptions for child abuse, military proselytisation, and faith-based discrimination. An agreement was made to keep the officials’ responses private.  

Hemant Mehta, author of the blog Friendly Atheist and who was present at the meeting, expressed cautious optimism towards its outcomes. He writes that “[The officials] are better educated about [the issues concerning us] and they can represent us a little better than before”, but adds that “On the flip side, they’re not the policy makers. They can only take what we say and make recommendations to the relevant personnel.”

Some right wing theists were not happy about the meeting. Bill Donohue for example, expressed disgust towards what he described as the Obama administration’s willingness to meet with “some of the biggest anti-religious zealots in the nation.”    

Read more about the meeting here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Religion vs. Sex Education

Last week the UK government offered new proposals regarding sex education in schools. The proposers have suffered criticism for having allegedly ‘watered down’ the original policy under pressure from faith schools, some of which wish to be allowed to teach that homosexuality and condom use are sins.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has denied any watering down, but acknowledges that faith schools can teach sex education “within the context and ethos of the faith”.  

Watch the debate on The Big Questions here.

Also read Dr Petra Boynton’s well-informed discussion on sex education in the UK here.

Atheist Group Gives Students Porn in Exchange for Bibles

A student group called Atheist Agenda, who are based at the University of Texas, this week conducted a bible-for-porn exchange, which they promoted as ‘smut-for-smut’. The event predictably outraged many Christians, but also some atheists. For these atheists the group’s actions have done nothing more than reinforce negative stereotypes of the loathing atheist with two horns and a tail.

In a letter addressed to Hemant Mehta of Friendly Atheist, a spokesperson for the group defended their actions, explaining that shock tactics were necessary to draw attention to atheists’ existence. They have certainly done that.  

Watch the FOX News report here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Hull Parents Warned Over ‘Fundamentalist’ Faith School

A new, private faith school, described by some as ‘fundamentalist’, is set to open in Hull this year. Its students will follow the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum, which teaches that the Bible is literally true. When senior minister Reverend Jarrod Cooper was asked about the school’s teachings on evolution he dodged the question, answering “A lot of people think Christians spend all their time thinking about a seven-day creation; they really don’t.”

The National Secular society is naturally opposed. Their president, Terry Sanderson, points out that “You do not have to look far on the internet to find people who describe themselves as survivors of ACE education because it is an indoctrination style of work.”  

Read the Guardian’s news coverage here.

Furious Backlash from Simon Singh Libel Case puts Chiropractors on Ropes

Amidst heavy exposure from the Singh vs. BCA case, chiropractors are being forced to retreat and tend to their ever-growing list of casualties. Fortunately they’re just the people for the job. The General Chiropractic Council has had to recruit six new staff members to deal with the fifteen-fold increase of complaints against its members. According to its figures one in every four UK chiropractors is currently under investigation for misleading advertising.

Read the Guardian’s news coverage here.

President Gaddafi Calls for Jihad Against Switzerland

President Gaddafi of Libya has called for a Jihad against Switzerland after a referendum banning the construction of minarets was announced. Gaddafi called upon his people to prevent any Swiss planes from landing, any Swiss ship from docking and any Swiss goods from being sold, throughout the Islamic world.

Last year Gaddafi urged the UN to disown the ‘infidel state’, where his son and daughter-in-law were once arrested for allegedly beating two servants in a hotel, and to carve it up between France, Germany and Italy. The Guardian reports that he was so enraged at his son’s two day detention that he withdrew £3.2bn from his Swiss bank accounts.        

Read and watch the Guardian’s news coverage here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

*************************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk

• 

MPs call to cease homeopathy funding

A lot of attention has been brought to the subject of homeopathy recently. This week, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee publicly stated that there was no justification for spending public money on this bogus treatment (although they didn’t use the word bogus – we all know where that can lead).

Watch Chris French’s appearance on BBC News, where he debated very articulately – even through his understandably clenched jaw – the use of homeopathic remedies, here.

You can also read the BBC’s news coverage of the story here.

Indian State Confiscates ‘Blasphemous’ Jesus Textbooks

The Indian state of Meghalaya is contemplating legal action against the publishers of ‘blasphemous’ textbooks. The books, which picture Jesus with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, are used in the classrooms of a private school in an area where over 70% of the population are Christian. I’m not sure what the publisher’s intended angle was, but I would have thought they should be thanked by sandal-makers and Christians alike, for finally making Jesus cool.   

Read the BBC’s news coverage here.

Simon Singh v BCA in the Court of Appeal

This week saw the much anticipated appearance of Simon Singh in the Court of Appeal. It will be impossible for me to summarise the proceedings in the short paragraph that it is customary for me to write here, and at any rate, I could not do it justice even given ample space. For a decent review of the day’s events I recommend reading Jack of Kent’s latest post. Suffice to say that the reaction from the Singh supporters present was positive, but also that his battle is not yet won.

Sign the Libel Reform campaign here.

Atheist Bus Ads Rejected in New Zealand

The now infamous atheist bus adverts, originated in the UK but spread worldwide, have been rejected by a New Zealand bus company on the grounds of poor taste. This follows an unexpectedly high support for the campaign, demonstrated through its public funding. One Atheist organisation sees this as a case of discrimination, and a spokesperson for the group pointed out that “In a way, the rejection by NZ Bus has shown why this campaign is needed in the first place.”

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Relic Reveals Noah’s Ark Was Circular

You may assume from the title that this is going to be a fluff piece, and it is. The amazing thing is that the original article with this title was not. What’s more, this is not a headline from The Onion or some nutcase website: It is a piece that was featured this week in the Guardian.

The article describes, without a trace of doubt or irony, that according to an ancient Babylonian tablet, our usual depictions of Noah’s ark are inaccurate. It was in fact, round. The author then goes on to explain how much more feasible this version of events is than our previous, embarrassingly naive, notion that the ark was like all other boats.

(Image courtesy of ant.photos)

[Via Discover Blogs]

Ian Rowland: Cold Reader Extraordinaire

Mentalist Ian Rowland is heralded as the world’s leading authority on cold reading. In this week’s Point of Enquiry podcast Rowland identifies uses for this powerful technique outside of professing psychic abilities, and explains why he thinks the skeptic community at large is doing a bad job of promoting its message beyond the converted. He suggests that we take a leaf out of the advertising industry’s book; a view that I am very much in agreement with.

[Via The Skepbitch]

Iraq Still Embracing the Magic

You may remember the recent coverage of the “dowsing rod” bomb detectors being used by the Iraqi armed forces. After their effectiveness has been demonstrated to be non-existent, their manufacturer has been arrested under suspicion of fraud, and all this has been widely covered by the media, the Iraqi Prime Minister is still insisting on their life-threatening use. It just goes to show you that you can dowse an Iraqi Prime Minister to water, but you can’t make him think (Leave me alone, it sort of works.)

[Via Discover Blogs]

*************************************

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk

• 

From Pagan Rituals to E-cards

Unlike Mother’s and Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day is not one of those holidays cooked up by card companies out to make a buck, even if they have parasitically latched onto it. Most of us have probably heard of Saint Valentine, but what exactly did he do? Well, he performed secret marriages between young men and women after they had been forbidden by the Roman Emperor Claudius II in an effort to keep his army strong, the legend goes.

More interestingly, this day of celebration can be traced all the way back to an ancient Pagan ritual, which was later annexed by the Christian Church some centuries after its inception, and pegged onto Saint Valentine. Is there anything they haven’t plagiarised?

Read more at National Geographic.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]  

D. J. Grothe on Skepticality

Congratulations to D.J. Grothe on being appointed the new president of the James Randi Educational Foundation. The organisation being one of the major players in the field of skepticism, it was very interesting to hear D.J. reveal some of the JREF’s new initiatives in this week’s Skepticality bonus podcast. There look to be some exciting new developments in the pipeline.

Listen to the interview here.

[Via the James Randi Educational Foundation]

Airport Body Scanners Violate Muslim’s Modesty

Apparently Muslims should be given the choice as to whether or not they are searched and scanned in an airport like the rest of us. That’s according to the co-founder of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, who recently appeared on Russia Today to defend the notion that airport body scanners violate Muslims’ modesty. Oh yeah, and that kid with the trench coat and the twitch thinks locker searches are a bit ‘Big Brother’.

Watch the video interview here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Life From a Test Tube? The Real Promise of Synthetic Biology

Scientific American this week reported that we are getting ever closer to that which scientists have longed for for so long. I don’t know all the ins and outs of making life from scratch, but I’m pretty sure it’s a bit more complicated than lightning striking a puddle of mud, which Kent Hovind would have you believe is science’s most comprehensive understanding of the problem. 

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Doomsday Pod

What are you going to do when the end is upon us? Well if you’ve got $570,000 to spare, you’re presumably going to be wanting one of the new ‘Apocalypse Pods’ designed by an ambitious Russian engineer. You’d better hope that day doesn’t come any time soon though, because as it stands the prototype looks to be nothing more than cardboard box unworthy even of a Blue Peter badge.

Watch the Al-Jazeera News coverage here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Is it a Column? Is it a Blog? Who Cares? It’s Jack of Kent

I feel obliged to plug Jack of Kent’s new internet column ‘Bad Law’, now featuring on The Lawyer’s website. Not only is his own blog consistently brilliant, but my parents met him at Cambridge Skeptics in the Pub the other night and they tell me “he seems like a really nice guy”.

The new column aims to provide its reader’s with a law-based version of Ben Goldacre’s excellent ‘Bad Science’ column in the Guardian. His first post is on the subject of Cherie Blair and her recent escapades.   

[Via Jack of Kent]

Want a Frontal Lobotomy? There’s an App for that

Introducing the most useless iPhone app of them all (and it’s up against some strong competition): the Answers in Genesis app. I can’t think why anybody would want it, but in case you do, you’ll probably need some help in finding it. It’s in the store’s ‘education’ section.

[Via Pharyngula]

Bill O’reilly the Skeptic?

At last, proof that miracles do happen. This week Bill O’reilly of all people somehow managed to muster up some skepticsm when dealing with an author who claimed to have indisputable evidence for the existence of an afterlife. Quite how this guy made the news I don’t know, seeing as his ‘evidence’ is certainly nothing new. Bright lights, out of body experiences, yadda yadda.

Watch the FOX News video here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

For an interesting and light-hearted debunking of the relationship between near death experiences and an afterlife, check out this video by Penn and Teller.  

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk

• 

We Might Err, But Science is Self-Correcting

It was pleasing this week to stumble across an article in the Times, which not only made the defence of science its sole purpose, but repeatedly and explicitly made connections between the scientific method and the notion of scepticism. Challenging the media phrase ‘climate sceptics’ and addressing the rocky relationship between science and politics, John Krebs makes a first class defence of the principles we hold dear.

Prince Charles Declares War on… The Enlightenment

But one man remains unconvinced. In a recent article in the Times, the Prince of Woo was reported to have remarked, “I was accused once of being the enemy of the Enlightenment. I felt proud of that.” He went on to hypothesise that “The Enlightenment started over 200 years ago. It might be time to think again.” Presumably Charlie would see our return to the dark ages, during which time the medicines he champions may have seemed semi-plausible.   

[Via DC’s Improbable Science]

Herbal Spot Treatment Gave Woman Cancer

Here’s an example of what can go wrong (as if you needed one) when you adopt the thinking of some uneducated charlatan who spent his days knee deep in excrement. A woman suffered a heart attack, kidney failure and has been diagnosed with cancer, after following a lengthy course of herbal spot treatment medicine, a court heard this week. The pills were found to contain the banned substance aristolochic acid.

In 2011, new EU laws will require that only regulated drugs be administered. Under current UK law herbal and other alternative medicines do not fall into this category. The UK government is to decide later this year whether or not this will remain the case.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

How To Respond To The Westborough Baptist Church

I suspect that most of you are familiar with the Phelps family, aka the most hated family in America. They’re the ones who picket soldiers’ funerals with signs expressing what seems suspiciously to be their only concern, and that is “God Hates Fags”. Come out already Gramps, we won’t make fun. Anyway, if you’re wondering what you can do to combat these hatemongers then look no further. The protesters have cracked it. Problem over.  

If you haven’t seen it already, I highly recommend Louis Theroux’s documentary in which he spends three weeks living with the Phelps family. In fact, I highly recommend all of his documentaries.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

Church of England Concerned by ‘Religious TV Cuts’

The synod this week expressed disappointment at the lack of religious programs available on all UK television networks. Perhaps more disappointing is that Channel 4 felt the need to defend itself by claiming that religious programs were “at the heart of its schedule”. Fortunately this is clearly not the case.

Jurassic Park Meets the Flintstones

According to Discover Magazine the prospect of being able to clone Neanderthals is not too far from us. Aside from the ethical dilemma attached, which is addressed in detail in their own article on the subject, this might open doors to help us to answer some fascinating and important questions, not least of which I imagine is ‘did you guys really mix cement in pelicans’ beaks?’

[Via Discover Blogs]

When Atheism Goes Mainstream

I remember the first time I watched the video titled ‘The Four Horsemen‘, in which Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris and Dennett discuss Atheism, and most interestingly their visions for the future and practical ways of getting there, at length. It was the first time that I realised that I agreed with some of them (Dawkins and Harris, since you ask) much more than others (Hitchens. I have never really explored Dennett’s work). To me, Hitchens’ most striking remark was that he would not like to see a world without religion, essentially because that would leave him with no one to argue with. 

Well it appears that Hitchens is not alone in this respect. In an article titled ‘When Atheism Goes Mainstream’, Hemant Mehta takes a similar stance, but adds to this several other things he’ll miss if and when Atheism becomes the norm. I’m very confused by all this. It reminds me of a hardcore Nirvana fan who one day decides that he only likes the ‘old stuff’, because Nevermind is too mainstream. For the most part, when a band or anything else becomes ‘mainstream’, it is because it’s gained recognition because it was good, and atheism certainly is that.   

Disclaimer: Friendly Atheist is an excellent blog, and in all fairness to him Hemant’s article is not about how he hopes that atheism never prevails.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

A Religious, but not Righteous Judge: Cherie Blair

Sorry, that last one turned into a bit of a rant. I’ll keep this one short and sweet.

Judge Cherie Blair gave an “expressly lenient” sentence to a man found guilty of assault, because he was religious. She made no attempt to disguise the fact. It’s a clear cut case. Read the story for yourself. You be the judge.

Christ, I’m not really going to end on that am I?

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk

• 

Pope Benedict Attacks Government Over Equality Bill

The British taxpayer is to fork out an estimated £20m for this year’s upcoming visit from Pope Benedict, during which time he has indicated that he will be spewing anti-homosexual ramblings. In fear that a *gasp* gay person or *holy trans-phobia Batman* transsexual might one day take a high position within the catholic church, the Pope has recently attacked the UK’s Equality Bill, stating that it “violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded.” Huh?

Sign up to the ‘Make the Pope Pay’ petition here.

Vegetarianism is not for Sissies

It turns out that philosophy isn’t just for pretentious, pipe smoking students, who host dinner parties only to discuss whether or not the table they are sat at is really there. This week I stumbled across a discussion between Richard Dawkins and professional philosopher Peter Singer, who between them lay out the highly logical argument that if you ‘believe’ in the Theory of Evolution it is immoral for you to eat meat. Admittedly this is not a new interview, but if I who thought I had seen every online clip of Professor Dawkins had not seen it, I can only assume that neither have many others. It is well worth watching and highly thought provoking.

I Believe in Miracles

This week BBC3 brought us another uncompromising work of journalistic scrutiny, this time on the subject of alternative therapies and presented by the former model Jodie Kidd. In it, Jodie guides us through the world of woo, all the while relating back to her own positive experiences with crystal therapy. One of my personal favourite arguments spouted in the program is from a “NASA scientist and shaman” who explains that “everything is made of atoms, atoms are made of energy and energy is consciousness.” Sold! To that man in the tinfoil hat!

Watch the full program here. Unfortunately, this video is available to UK residents only.

Ask Oscar

I hope that title means something to someone out there. It was the name of a great children’s trilogy on water, light and air that I watched when I was a kid, and I’ve just found out that the scientist mole’s voice was in fact that of Bill Oddie.

But the Oscar who hit the headlines this week is no mole. He is in fact, a cat. A death detecting cat to be precise. Oscar has reportedly sniffed out 50 patients in their dying hours, and otherwise spends his time in solitude. The talented tortoiseshell has now become the subject of a new book by David Dosa, who in it claims that Oscar can smell ketones in the same way that dogs have reportedly been able to detect cancer. Dosa has also published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, although it reads more like a short story than a scientific study.

[Via Discover Blogs]

Full Judgement on the GMC on Wakefield

Following the recent ethics investigation into MMR scaredoctor Andrew Wakefield, in which the panel concluded that he acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in his research, the medical journal the Lancet this week fully retracted his 1998 paper, ridding the published record of this false evidence. However, the question does remain, why did it take twelve years for this move when the scientific community had been in agreement over the issue for so long? An article posted this week by Science-Based Medicine critiques the peer review system and offers some answers to this question.

[Via Science-Based Medicine]

Voices in Your Head

Just when you thought FOX News couldn’t get any stupider, Father Jonathon Morris manages to give five laugh-out-loud answers all within seven minutes. The question’s he’s answering, by the way, are asked by robots. Don’t ask. They include ‘how do you know whether the voices in your head are God?’ and ‘is God rooting for the New Orleans Saints?’

Watch the clip here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Why We’re Losing the News

As an aspiring journalist concerned about the frequently poor standard of science reporting, an article from Discover Blogs addressing this issue particularly resonated with me. The argument for why this is the case is lifted from Alex Jones’s book (not that Alex Jones!) and goes something like this: Proper reporting is costly, involving travel expenses, libel insurance and research budgets, and it is partially for this reason that the main bulk of many newspapers is taken up by opinion columns and fluff stories. The cause of the reported decline in the ‘real stuff’, is that newspaper budgets are necessarily being cut as the increasing availability of new media leads to the depletion of their profits, and let’s face it, who would bother reading The Times when you’ve got The Skeptic’s weekly roundup to keep you informed. That last bit was mine.

[Via Discover Blogs]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Danny, Watch the Stars!

Danny Dyer, the pride of England, is best known for his hardman film characters and such ‘documentaries’ as ‘Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men’. Having strayed from Bravo to the BBC, Danny is now seeking danger on the next level in his latest work ‘I Believe in UFOs’. In a shamefully biased investigation into claims of alien encounters, some of the only sane words come from our very own Chris French, who makes a brief appearance. If you however, like me, enjoy a cocktail of hilarity and fist biting rage, then this is the program for you.

Watch the full video here. Unfortunately, this video is available to UK viewers only.

Next week, the Jackson sisters present ‘I Believe in Miracles’, a study of alternative therapies. I can’t wait.

Dowsing Rod Bomb Detector

A hand-held ‘bomb detector’, until recently used by the armed forces of Iraq, has been banned after the recent finding that it simply does not work. The TNT detection chip inside is no more than an anti-theft tag of the kind that is used to prevent robbery from clothing stores, and costs around three pence. The inventor, Jim McCormick, who has now been arrested on suspicion of fraud, explained that “the theory behind dowsing and the theory behind how we actually detect explosives is very similar”. McCormick sold $85,000,000 worth of these life-threatening devices to the Iraqi government.

Watch and read the BBC coverage here.

The Journalist, the Tourist, the Claim and Their Lawyers: Libel Reform – Part 1

For a while now, I have been urging you to sign up to the Libel Reform Campaign. I still do. However, the first part of another excellent article from Lucifee has caused me to pause and give further consideration to the issue. In it she examines some of the claims made in the report “Freedom of Speech is Not for Sale” by English PEN and the Index on Censorship, revealing it to be perhaps a little oversimplified and demonising of our current laws.

[Via Jack of Kent]

Why David Cameron Wants a Boom in Faith Schools

David Cameron this week announced himself to be a supporter of faith based schools, both “politcally and personally”. The Tories reportedly advocate the “biggest expansion of church schools since the establishment of thousands of ‘national’ schools almost 200 years ago”.

For more on the debate, you can watch Richard Dawkins and others’ discussion of faith schools from 2008 here.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

MMR Scaremongerer ‘Acted Unethically’, Panel Finds

MMR Scaremongerer Dr. Andrew Wakefield is responsible for the misconception that the MMR vaccine leads to autism in children, the following significant reduction in the uptake of the vaccine and the correlating increase in the number of cases of measles. Now, at last, justice is being done. The General Medical Council have ruled that he acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in his research. Wakefield remains adamant of his claims and reassured parents that “the science will continue in earnest”

Read the BBC News coverage here.

Charles Darwin: The Movie

Based on Randal Keynes’ biography of his great-great-grandfather, Creation: The True Story of Charles Darwin secured itself a position in US theatres this week, after having initially being deemed “too controversial for religious America” in the view of the film’s Oscar-winning producer.

The film focuses chiefly on the period between Darwin’s marriage to Emma and the publication of his seminal work On the Origin of Species, through which time it deals with Darwin’s personal struggle with his faith in the light of his findings and the death of his daughter.

Reviews seem overwhelmingly positive, excluding those of creationists.

[Via Skepticblog]

Islam is Bullshit

For those of you who may not have read the preceding story, some Google user or other discovered that if you type into its search engine “Christianity is”, the suggested searches include “bullshit”, “a lie”, “fake” and more along this line. The same is true of all religions from Hinduism to Paganism, with one exception: Until recently, if you were to type in “Islam is” you would suspiciously receive zero suggestions. This has now been redeemed.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Vatican Bank Facing Money Laundering Investigation

The Vatican bank is under investigation for the alleged money laundering of €180million (£160million) through the accounts of the bank UniCredit. Movements of money being untraceable within the bank, it is reportedly the 8^th most popular destination in the world for laundered cash. In December 2009, The Telegraph reported that “Vatican lawyers are understood to be considering whether to argue that the bank is outside Italian legal jurisdiction”.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

A word of warning: this article does encroach on my first post, which was lifted in part from this one so as to deal more specifically with one small point made here. Any comments regarding the Facebook quiz idea that I propose here would probably be better directed towards that post. Apologies for the repetition. 

Preaching to the choir

As it stands, the Skeptic Movement is at risk of simply preaching to the choir. Excellent material is available, but will usually be found by those who actively search for it. These tend not to be the sorts of people in need of persuasion. This is not to say that their involvement is not needed. On the contrary, it is vital that such individuals are aware that there exists a community of like-minded people, who too are tired of the destructive power that pseudo-science and scientific illiteracy hold over so many. Only as a movement, rather than a group of individuals, can Skepticism develop and win its battles. It is for this reason also, that separatist branches of the Skeptic Movement, who for the most part will never have considered themselves in such terms, must come together as one voice. Such branches include the scientific community and perhaps most importantly, the Atheist Movement.

For those of us who not only wish to base our own understanding of the universe on rationality and evidence, but who wish to spread this way of thinking throughout the world, there is a need for a new, detailed plan of attack. Of course, this is not a new idea. Most, if not all, organisations dedicated to the cause have some guidelines regarding their own methodologies. The problem as it stands is that most of these fall somewhere along the wishy-washy lines of ‘We must strive to increase public awareness and understanding of such-and-such issues’. Now we skeptics are not fans of wishy-washy. What we need to address with no vagueness whatsoever is the ‘how?’ part of such objectives.

The overlying objective: recruitment

The most overlying objective of the Skeptic Movement must be to increase its arsenal by recruiting members, particularly those in positions of power. The most obvious way to accomplish this is to reach a wider audience, as is being continually and increasingly achieved most notably by the Atheist Movement. Fantastic and daring authors including Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris have accelerated this movement drastically, not least by successfully marketing bestselling books concerning a controversial subject. The all-encompassing issue of Skepticism however, unfortunately does not hold the controversial status that Atheism does. It is for this reason that fantastic books such as Ben Goldacre’s ‘Bad Science’, while reaching and affecting many, cannot hope to reach the sheer volume of potential Skeptics that Dawkins’ ‘The God Delusion’ managed through extensive news coverage. We must therefore find new ways in which to extend our reach. One useful act would be to more formally align ourselves with such movements as the Atheist Movement, perhaps through conversations with Professor Dawkins, who is not only an Atheist activist but a true Skeptic activist in every sense of the term, but at present does not use such semantics. Were he to commonly refer to himself publicly as a ‘Skeptic’, the number of Google searches for the term and the overall awareness of the cause would expand drastically overnight.

The hook

The first step in recruiting Skeptics must be a hook: an enticing glimpse of our stance that leads people to look further into our work. The hook must be positioned such that anybody might be caught by it, Skeptic or not. We must take full advantage of the far-reaching mediums available to us in the 21^st Century. The internet is a potential goldmine, but if we are to draw in members of the general public to our websites and literature we must take a leaf out of the advertising industry’s book and first entice them through the virtual areas that are common to all. Such areas include Wikipedia, YouTube and Facebook. It is of course recognised that because of its general non-profit nature, the Skeptic Movement does not have the available funding to throw money at advertising, which is why we must get creative. It should be noted that at no point does there arise a need to involve ‘dirty tactics’.

How naive are you?

To take Facebook as our first example, there are several ways in which we might go about casting our line. Spamming, although potentially far reaching, would be counterproductive, giving newcomers a reason to instantly associate the notion of Skepticism with annoyance. It is of the utmost importance that being termed a ‘Skeptic’ becomes a favourable label (an issue which, I fear, already lands the word on dangerous territory because of its connections in common parlance with the negatively charged word ‘cynic’). A more productive use of Facebook might be to create an application in which the user answers a series of questions regarding their beliefs in such phenomenon as the tooth fairy and homeopathy. At the end of the questionnaire the user is presented with their results in the form of a position along a sliding scale with ‘dangerously naive’ at one end and ‘well-informed Skeptic’ at the other. Below the result is a link to a Skeptic website where the user can ‘find out more’ about the answers they got wrong. This example has the added benefit of particularly attracting those who scored lowest on the test.

Hitchens, Randi and ‘pop’

My second example is concerning YouTube, which is already overflowing with entertaining and informative videos on the subject of Skepticism. Again though, the problem with the current situation is that it is only those who were previously aware of the issues who tend to find these videos. Ensuring that Skeptic videos are found in the ‘related videos’ section adjacent to widely viewed clips could lead millions to stumble upon our message. The kinds of videos needed in such positions are those which possess what the creators of the World Wrestling Federation refer to as ‘pop’. These are those videos that give the viewer a buzz as though their football team had just scored the winning goal in the ninetieth minute. Such videos are already in existence and the magnitude of their effect is outstanding. Perhaps the two leading examples of videos that fall into this category are Christopher Hitchens’ debates with his religious proponents and James Randi’s scientific testing (he dislikes the term ‘debunking’) of supposedly supernatural claims. In both instances the ‘pop’ is provided by the annialation of the proponent. We might term such an approach the ‘Hitchens attack’. Such clips will reel in those who were Skeptics all along, but had never really given it much thought. As in the Facebook example, across the bottom of the video can read the web address of a Skeptic site to which the viewer is directed for further information.

[Citation needed]

The last example for increasing public awareness of our cause that shall be given here is regarding Wikipedia. Wikipedia is an incredible phenomenon and is, for the most part, a surprisingly good source of information. The US Skeptic magazine (not directly related to this organisation) suggests on its website that members of the public relentlessly edit pages on topics of pseudoscience in order to increase their accuracy. While this is a good suggestion, I would advocate taking it one step further and inserting relevant references that lead to Skeptic websites. The Wikipedia article on any subject is usually the most viewed and most easily found webpage regarding that topic.

To reiterate, it is these practical, creative and most importantly specific methods of approach that require our attention. Not only can such techniques be used to increase our numbers, but also to address the specific issues that are of greatest concern.      

The Dawkins approach

The aim of the Hitchens attack is to lead the public to the meat of the argument, or what we might term the ‘Dawkins approach’. For the most part, our Dawkins approach material is already out there in our websites and our literature. It should consist of concise, rational and impenetrable arguments detailing our position. Intertwined with this we must continue to place emphasis on the reasons for believing Skepticism to be a cause worthy of fighting for, as well as simply illustrating it to be a mindset that is suited to the individual. The arguments for this are numerous and convincing, and having read the Dawkins approach material many will agree. The next, perhaps the most important, stage is to give people a way in which they can be helpful.   

The issues arm

Although I have stated that the overlying aim of the Skeptic movement must be to recruit more members, this is only useful as a means to accomplishing more specific goals. We might think of our approach as being divided into two main arms: the ‘feedback loop arm’, which aims to recruit members as discussed, and the ‘issues arm’, which aims to tackle the very issues that create a need for Skepticism. Such issues include the Libel Reform Campaign, which incidentally is a fantastic initiative not only because it addresses an issue which has been seen especially recently to be pressing, but because absolutely anyone can get involved. A quick glance at the list of signatories reveals that it is not only professional scientists, but people from all walks of life who are concerned.

While I whole-heartedly back the Libel Reform Campaign, one positive that has arisen from Simon Singh’s struggle, which played a hugely catalectic role, is the media coverage that must inevitably address the question of ‘were Singh’s statements verified?’ The issues that are worthy of our attention are forever changing and so it will be difficult to give specific plans for tackling them here. One thing is universal however, and that is that if we can continue to get publicity by making challenging conflicts with pseudoscience and then proving legally that our claims were completely substantiated, more and more people will come to recognise that fact. An example shall be given here with reference to homeopathy, but could be tweaked to incorporate any issue imaginable: If ‘Yes Men’ style actors could infiltrate news stations posing as leading experts on (and advocates for) homeopathy, and could be heard to make such (shocking but accurate) statements as “it’s almost certainly nothing but water, just with a highly elevated price”, then this scandal would get major network coverage and again, the facts would have to be examined in the public sphere.

Conclusion: Let’s get creative

The opportunities for advancing the Skeptic Movement and making real headway are endless. What is important is that we do not simply preach to the choir and pat ourselves on the back at lectures, meeting only to confirm that we all agree. From a one on one debate at the pub to a worldwide scheme, every contribution helps. What is being advocated here is creativity, not for its own sake, but to raise the possibility of opening unexplored pathways. The days in which advertisers sold products on the basis of their efficiency are long gone and the reason is obvious: there are more intelligent methods of approach. It is time that we Skeptics used our slice of the pie to advance our worthy cause, the only difference being that we don’t have to lie.       

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Please feel free to leave a comment and I will do my best to reply as quickly as possible. Alternatively, you can drop me an email at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Secular Help for Haiti

The devastating earthquake suffered by the people of Haiti last week, has been described as the worst in decades. In response, the James Randi Educational Foundation and the Richard Dawkins Foundation, along with other skeptic and secular organisations, have teamed up to create a portal through which you can donate money to relief organisations with no religious angle. The two that have been selected in this case are International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders (Médecins sans Frontières). 100% of the money you donate will be given to these organisations as Dawkins will personally donate the money to cover the PayPal fees.

Click here to donate.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Earthquake Survivors Get Solar Powered Bibles

In case you are unconvinced of the virtues of separating relief work with religious affiliation, here is an example of the uselessness that can arise at the crazy end of the spectrum: Earthquake survivors in Haiti are being donated solar powered, audio-Bibles. According to the donating group, Faith Comes By Healing’s website, the devices are “self-powered and can play the Bible in the Jungle, desert or … even the moon!” I’m not sure how well the audio works there though.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

Funniest Clips from Atheist Stand-Up Comedians

Wind down your week with some religion-mocking clips from some fine, and some not-so-fine, stand-up comedians. Needless to say, Ricky Gervais’ clip is the best, and the one that you should both start and end with.

[Via Common Sense Atheism]

BBC2 Horizon, ‘Pill Poppers’ (and the Medicalisation of Sex)

According to the program’s website, “over a person’s lifetime they are likely to be prescribed more than 14 000 pills”. The premise of this week’s Horizon was to ask how much we really know about the drugs that we consume. The program goes on to illustrate how “drug discovery often owes as much to serendipity [Ricky Gervais’ least favorite word] as to science”. Although it does suffer the same pitfalls as so many programs like it – dumbing-down the material and laboring the point – the program still manages to present the viewer with an interesting window into the pharmaceutical industry and features a short word from the excellent blogger Dr Petra Boyton.

Watch the full video here (Unfortunately this video is available to UK residents only).

[Via Dr Petra Boynton]

In Defence of Mr Justice Eady

Those who have been following the BCA v Singh case will be aware that Mr Justice Eady, the case’s ruling judge, has recently come under fire for his decision that Singh’s use of the word ‘bogus’ implied that the BCA knowingly promotes bogus treatments. Singh has been allowed to appeal, but if this decision sticks it will dramatically reduce the likelihood of his being found innocent of libel.

In an excellent article that manages to remain readable and enjoyable to the layperson despite its legal content, Lucifee defends Eady and concludes that the tabloids’ attack on him is rarely a result of their allegence with Singh, but rather their own agenda to be allowed to publish “any slimy little story they want”.

[Via Jack of Kent]

Sign up to the Libel Reform Campaign here.

Hate to iBurst Your Bubble but…

Residents of Craigavon have recently been fighting a battle against iBurst, demanding that they remove a monsterous [sic] mobile tower whose evil microwaves have been afflicting them with conditions including rashes, headaches and disrupted sleeping patterns. The protesters were sure of the causality, because some had claimed that upon leaving the area their ailments were quickly relieved, only to return as soon as they arrived back in town. What they didn’t know however, was that the tower had been switched off six weeks before the meeting at which they confirmed their continued ailments. Oops.

Also worth checking out is this pretty amazing case of a builder who experienced tremendous physical pain for purely psychological reasons. A builder!

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

U.S. Military Rifle Scopes Inscribed With Bible Verses

Despite the US’s intention and obligation to ensure that the military’s efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan are not perceived to be religious wars, it has been revealed that some gun sights supplied to the US army are inscribed, by the manufacturer Trijicon, with references to Bible passages. This irresponsibility has justifiably led soldiers to worry that their perceived proselytising will ignite hostility among the Muslims with whom they work as well as those they are fighting against.

Watch the MSNBC coverage of the story here.

[Via Discover Blogs]

I had originally included the following links because early reports of this story claimed that the inscriptions were cryptically coded. Now that it has been revealed that, for example, JN8:12 = John 8:12 (not too difficult to decipher if you ask me), they hardly seem relevant, but what the hell, they’re interesting in their own right.  

Watch Michael Shermer debunk the supposedly coded predictions wrapped up in the text of the Bible here, and if you find that interesting you can read Ben Goldacre’s post on a similar subject here.

Twitter Terrorist

The other day a friend of mine was questioned under suspicion of intentions to commit terrorism, for joking within earshot of a member of airport staff who had just finished searching him, “Good thing he didn’t check down the back of my leg.” Not the brightest of my friends I hasten to add. I would not think someone stupid however, for twittering amidst his concerns of the snow “Robin Hood airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!!” But that is exactly what one twitterer did, and it resulted in his arrest and seven hours of police questioning. I’ve heard of the YouTube spelling police, but that is ridiculous.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

God is an Advert

Presumably as a rebuttal to the Atheist subway ads in New York and the Atheist bus campaign, the Times Square Church have branded around 1000 subway cars with the advert you see below. Let the battle commence.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

I deliberated over what should be the umbrella topic for this blog for some time; familiarising myself with many of the fantastic existing Skeptic blogs in the process; I concluded that the main gap in the regular discussion is an area that I think should be a primary focus of Skeptics everywhere: methods for advancing the Skeptic Movement. 

This blog will not attempt to map out a definitive blueprint for this advance, but rather, I will be addressing what I consider to be the obstacles that we face, as well as offering my own ideas for overcoming them and inviting you to share yours with the Skeptic community. 

As this is the blog’s first post, where better to start than the fundamentals? Since having become aware of the term ‘Skeptic’ as it is used on this website and others like it, I have been slightly concerned with the word itself. Although technically fit for purpose, I worry that in common parlance it has negative connotations. In everyday conversation it seems that the word ‘sceptic’ is strongly tied to or even synonymous with the word ‘cynic’.

This has been demonstrated recently in light of the Climate Gate ‘scandal’, where media outlets uniformly refer to those who doubt that Climate Change is significantly influenced by mankind as ‘Climate Change sceptics’. In actual fact, it is those who form the vast majority of scientists that makes up the general consensus regarding Climate Change who are most likely to be the sceptics. Surely the term ‘Climate Change deniers’ would be more fitting to the fringe group. I do not believe, as many I have spoken to do, that this is an unimportant case of mere semantics.

Richard Dawkins has expressed similar concerns with regards to the term ‘Atheist’; worrying that preconceived, negative notions may be partially responsible for some people’s unwillingness to identify themselves as such, even where technically the term is perfectly fitting to the individual. In Dawkins’ own words, “You can do two things: one is to try to rehabilitate the word ‘Atheist’… [The other is] to do some pneumatic engineering”. Dawkins empathises with some people’s concern that to attempt the former is to fight a losing battle, which influenced him to back the unveiling of a new noun: ‘bright’, to replace ‘Atheist’. Although this has been likened to the engineering of ‘gay’ as a noun to replace ‘homosexual’, it is clear that ‘bright’, first coined in 2006, has not caught on and is unlikely to. To coin a term that will be accepted by all is, in my mind, a far more difficult task than to rehabilitate a term that is at least already accepted by those within the community in question.

‘How best to achieve this?’ is a difficult question. One thing is for certain: We cannot be lazy and simply leave the goal at “we must strive to rehabilitate the term ‘Skeptic’ so that it becomes more favourably perceived”. This is a good umbrella goal, but it is important that specific sub-goals are devised to address the ‘how?’ part of the umbrella goal.

One central theme that I will advocate repeatedly is the use of creative solutions. I believe that it will often be useful to take a leaf out of the advertising industry’s book and think outside the box, not for its own sake, but so that we can explore avenues that would otherwise be left un-trodden. I will give one such suggestion here, and I invite you to leave your own in the comments section below, no matter how mundane or off-the-wall they might at first seem.

We create a Facebook application titled ‘How naive are you?’ in which the user answers questions regarding their beliefs in a range of supernatural phenomenon. An example question might be ‘Does the Loch Ness monster exist?’ At the end of the quiz the user is given a score that is shown along a sliding scale that reads ‘Dangerously naive’ at one end, and ‘Well-informed Skeptic’ at the other.

This application could reach and influence the perceptions of many. A link to ‘further information’ regarding the questions answered incorrectly will help to introduce newcomers (particularly those who scored worst) to our websites. I must admit that I do not know about the feasibility of this suggestion logistically.

This could clearly only ever be one weapon in an arsenal of steps that must be taken to address the issue, but I strongly believe that it is solutions like this, particularly those that utilise the virtual spaces capable of reaching a wide audience, that can help us to take progressive steps forward.

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I am hoping, I’m sure naively optimistically, that this blog can become a hotbed of useful discussion. I therefore encourage you to share your thoughts. Maybe you disagree that this is even a problem, or maybe you disagree with my suggestions for tackling it. Maybe you have suggestions of your own, or maybe you have expertise in a potentially useful area and would like to offer your assistance. Whatever your contribution to the discussion, I will do my best to reply as quickly as possible. Thank you.

• 

Radical Islam Group Banned… Again

Islam4UK, a radical Islamic group that promotes the implementation of Sharia Law in Britain, has been formally banned in the UK. Leading figure of the organisation Anjem Choudary, who sponges £25,000 annually off the state with which he is so opposed, appeared yesterday on The Daily Politics.

Watch the video here. Unfortunately this video is only available for UK viewers.

Footballer Claims He Was Chased By Ghost

A Peruvian footballer, when found running naked through the streets, defended his actions by claiming to have been being chased by a ghost. When questioned, Carlos Flores explained ‘I didn’t want my wife to be suspicious about ladies, so I just told her it was a ghost. She failed to believe me.’

Jack of Kent and Podcasting

Allen Greene, also known as Jack of Kent, is one blogger who never fails to deliver the goods. Now he has appeared on his first podcast panel discussion, which is also well worth tuning in to. Topics discussed include the powers of the UK police force, the banning of Muslim extremist group Islam4UK and the resignation of Liberal Democrat PPC Greg Stone.

[Via Jack of Kent]

Groundbreaking Gay Marriage Trial Starts In California

Around 100 campaigners gathered this week to protest against the proposition approved in 2008, which bans same-sex marriage in the state of California. Several states have seen the legalisation of gay marriage in recent years, and this week a trial challenging the proposition opened and is expected to go all the way to the Supreme Court.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Pat Robertson and the Haitian Earthquake Crisis

In the most recent instance of religious nutcases attributing everything under the sun to their God, Evangelist Pat Robertson stated on his CBN newscast that it was Haiti’s ‘pact with the Devil’ that caused the recent disaster, which Robertson described as ‘a blessing in disguise’.

Watch the video here.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

This week’s roundup includes, as ever, a diversity of article and media posts from throughout the blogosphere. Read up on MPs’ responses to the Libel Reform Campaign, a collection of essays by and about the late, great Carl Sagan, and the scientific discoveries and controversies of 2009. Also, as usual I have included a handful of pithier articles that took my interest this week, which I suppose I have no real reason for thinking will take yours, but here’s to hoping.

Libel Reform: Which MPs Are Doing Their Jobs?

2010 will see the formal appeal hearing of the Singh v BCA case, which as most of you will know has been a catalyst for the Libel Reform campaign, which I strongly urge you to sign up to if you have not done so already. Rebecca of Skepchick has been busy writing to MPs and urging them to do the same. You can read their responses and find out how each political party is shaping up on the issue overall, here.

[Via Skepchick]

Dolphins Proven to be Smarter Than Chimps and Second to Humans in Intelligence

Dolphins have reportedly been found to be more intelligent than chimpanzees. Not only this, but according to one teacher of ethics at Loyola Marymount University, the extent of their intelligence is such that it is morally wrong for us to kill or captivate them. I am unsure of how he has distinguished the level of intelligence at which to draw the moral line, but it does remind me of an interesting point made by Professor Richard Dawkins that was something along the lines of ‘the evolution of human ethics has led us to give our differences ever-less reverence. It is perhaps a natural progression that this may one day extend to all animals, as we are after all, all related.’

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

Can An Atheist Unity Convention Happen?

Activist Margaret Downey recently suggested (not for the first time) at an annual meeting of atheist group leaders, that an Atheist Unity Convention, to which representatives of all Atheist organisations would be invited to attend, would be an invaluable instrument for furthering the movement; an area that is of great importance to me and which does not, I feel, get enough mention. Is Downey’s dream doable? Perhaps not. Professor Richard Dawkins can often be heard to say that organising Atheists is comparable to herding cats, and this is why.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

An Inspiring Collection of Carl Sagan Essays Now Online

The late, great Carl Sagan was and is an inspiration to so many. I was too young to watch ‘Cosmos’ when it was first aired, but although the special effects may be a little dated, the subject matter remains incredible. Now, an inspiring collection of articles by and about Sagan are available for all to read in one handy location.

[Via James Randi Educational Foundation]  

I Feel Sorry For This Kid

Unfortunately not an altogether unusual occurrence; the other day a child was pulled out of a school trip to a museum at the request of his creationist parents, who also explained in their letter to the school that their child’s ‘Rock and Minerals’ essay would conform to the teachings of the Bible rather than his textbooks, and so may not [need to be] five pages long.

[Via Pharyngula]

The Year in Science

Last year would have been an unbearable one for creationist, television-watching UK residents. As 2009 marked the anniversaries of Charles Darwin’s birth and best known publication (separate anniversaries; he was clever but come on!), you could hardly channel surf without retaining information on the theory of evolution. But 2009 brought about its own scientific breakthroughs and controversies too. Listen here, to an hour long discussion between Chris Mooney and Lawrence Krauss on the scientific discoveries and science policy issues to arise from the past year.   

[Via Richard Dawkins]

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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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

The Noughties Are Defined By Fakery

There has always been fakery, but over the past decade the world has made every effort to do things bigger and better. In an article in the Guardian, Hadley Freeman, amidst a forgivable rant about Sarah Palin, argues that fakery, and particularly fake science, is what best defines the ‘noughties’. Perhaps we can push for a global New Year’s resolution. On the plus side, spell check still doesn’t recognise the word ‘noughties’.

You can also check out Ben Goldacre’s more detailed description of some of the year’s fake science here.

Atheist Alliance International 2009 Videos

This year’s Atheist Alliance International Conference reportedly hosted around 700 attendees, a marked increase from last year’s 450. The impressive line-up of speakers included Richard Dawkins, Dan Dennett, PZ Myers and Lawrence Krauss. The full length videos, listed in “descending order of awesomeness”, features Dawkins’ talk in fifth position out of a possible seven. Need I endorse the event any further?

[Via Common Sense Atheism]

“Dad Dancing” May Be The Result Of Evolution, Scientists Claim

Dr Peter Lovatt, a psychologist from the University of Hertfordshire, has concluded that cringeworthy “dad dancing” is an evolutionally created turnoff towards younger females, with the effect of making way for males who are in their sexual prime. Just the latest of a whole host of reasons for young lads to go out on the pull with their dads.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

The Diet Delusion

Looking to shift a few of those extra pounds that you’ve put on over the Christmas holidays? According to David Colquhoun’s article, which is essentially a glowing book review of Gary Taube’s ‘The Diet Delusion’, Taube claims that there is more to dieting than all of that simple advice that you’ve known and ignored for as long as you can remember. But he is not pushing a line of scientific sounding pills or any other voodoo. Rather, Colquhoun reports that Taube is advocating the use of randomised trials to establish causality between diet, weight and biology, with some surprising conclusions.

[Via DC’s Improbable Science]

For those of you who are interested in the truth behind nutritionists and the pills and advice that they push, I highly recommend Ben Goldacre’s book, ‘Bad Science’, which also examines a range of interesting pseudoscientific topics, scientifically.

Gallup Poll: Americans Are Becoming Less Religious

As we leave behind the turn of the decade I can’t help that notice that we haven’t all got flying cars, everything isn’t dominated by Velcro and religion hasn’t been wiped out. We are making headway though. It has been the case for a while now that the number of those who do not identify with a religion is increasing in both the UK and the US. A recent poll showed that only half of Britons identify with Christianity, and recent polls conducted by Gallup conclude that Americans are cottoning on too.

[Via Friendly Atheist and Derren Brown Blog]

Interestingly, if somewhat predictably, the majority of believers, no matter the sample group in question, are women. Read about the theories currently offered as an explanation for this phenomenon here.

[Via 3quarksdaily]

Brand Skeptic

A recent article by Steve Cuno particularly resonated with me. The article addresses the negative connotations that are typically associated with the term ‘sceptic’ in common parlance. This was/is to be the subject of my first personal blog post (coming soon!). Cuno and I are in agreement that to abandon the term would be impractical, and so instead both of our articles suggest methods for rehabilitating the word. His however, focuses on what the individual can do to this end; while mine will discuss the steps that can be taken by the movement as a whole. Cuno’s suggestions are excellent, and seem to be perfectly fitted to become a personal list of New Year’s resolutions for any skeptic.

[Via James Randi Educational Foundation]

Official Vatican Newspaper Under Fire For Endorsing ‘The Simpsons’

I wouldn’t be so cruel as to deprive you of your weekly fix of FOX now would I? What monumental feat of journalistic brilliance have they accomplished this week, I hear you ask. Well they’ve managed to dig up some baby-faced Pope wannabe to tell us that one of his guilty pleasures, ‘The Simpsons’, is essentially “not good for American culture”. I’d argue that it’s actually one of the best things that American culture has come up with so far.

Watch the video here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

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Well that’s the last Weekly Roundup of the decade. I hope you enjoyed it. Here’s wishing you a happy New Year from everyone at Skeptic. Don’t do anything Jesus wouldn’t do.

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 that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

The Santa Situation

Christmas can be a confusing time for some sceptic parents. While some are happy to participate with the festivities, others are understandably reluctant. The latest Skepticality podcast addresses ‘the Santa situation’. Should parents tell their kids the truth or is that robbing them of the magic? Hear what a seven-year-old sceptic and his mother have to say on the matter.  

[Via Skeptic]

The Ladybird Book of Chiropractic Treatment and English Libel Law

The Simon Singh/British Chiropractic Association case is the hot topic of the moment, but for those of you who might have missed out on its unfolding development, Crispian Jago has created a wonderful summary that is suitable for all ages.  

[Via Science, Reason and Critical Thinking]

War on Christmas, Continued

It never gets old. The war on Christmas is of course, back, and once again Bill O’reilly is angry and unafraid to show it. This year he is not alone in publicly expressing his disgust for those with no religious inclination. Illinois comptroller candidate William Kelly took it upon himself to vandalise an Atheist sign that stated that “Religion is but myth and superstition”. Fortunately his ‘what would Jesus do?’ shirt was in the wash that day.

 [Via Friendly Atheist]

Pope Knocked Down by Woman at Christmas Mass

A woman, described as “mentally unstable”, this morning knocked over Pope Benedict on his way to Christmas mass at the Vatican. The Pope is reported to be unharmed, if a little shaken. The woman, who attempted a similar stunt last year, was detained by security staff and later arrested.

Read the BBC’s coverage of the story here.

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I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got for you this week. I’m sure there’s something more important going on today. So what are you still doing here? Go and spend time with your loved ones.

Merry Christmas!

If you come across something that you think our readers would enjoy, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

Jesus Would Buy the Acer Notebook

Are you stuck for Christmas present ideas? Well you need look no further. Forget Jamie Oliver, Mr. T and all those other has-beens; the Acer Notebook comes with an extra special endorsement this Christmas.

[Via Friendly Atheist]

BCA vs. Singh: Making Legal History

Last week saw the formal launch of the Libel Reform Campaign. Now the case of British Chiropractic Association against Simon Singh looks set to become a landmark case, with the panel confirmed to consist of England’s two most senior appeal judges. Jack of Kent explains that this development can give no indication of the eventual outcome, but will increase its historic significance. Why not pop to Ladbrookes now and then do your bit to sway the odds in your favour by signing up to the campaign?

[Via Jack of Kent]

Genetic Breakthrough Hails New Cancer Research Era

According to an article in the Telegraph, scientists from a world leading research centre in Cambridge are describing their latest findings as a “transforming moment” in the search for preventions, treatments and cures for lung and skin cancer. It is always difficult for the layperson to gauge the extent to which a story like this may have been overhyped, but one thing is for sure: this can only be good news.

[Via Richard Dawkins]

Atheists Banned From Public Office in Seven State Constitutions

Would you Adam and Eve it? It is against the state constitutions of seven of the United States for a non-believer to hold public office. Fortunately, a little-known document called the US Constitution, clearly states that “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. So there.” Still, Cecil Bothwell’s critics are targeting his Atheism in an attempt to remove him from his position as City Counsellor of Asheville, North Carolina.   

Watch The Rachel Maddow Show’s coverage of the story here.

[Via Atheist Media Blog]

Say it ain’t so, Randi

It appears that even Gods are fallible. James Randi has recently written, rather uncharacteristically, that “the Petition Project [denying man-made climate change] may be valid.” It is not his conclusion that is disappointing, so much as his reasoning towards it. His view that “I believe we simply cannot formulate an equation into which we enter variables and come up with an answer,” seems to give credence to common sense above scientific evidence in a way that is analogous to the argument commonly spouted by creationists that “the human eye is so complicated that I just can’t believe that it happened by coincidence.” In all fairness to Randi, he was careful to express his limited understanding of the relevant scientific theory and has since written a follow-up blog article. Nonetheless, PZ Myers was not impressed. We still love you Randi.

[Via Pharyngula]

Pokémon Pastor

As the Harry Potter series has come to an end, one pastor has decided that he needs another irrelevant craze to frighten children out of. Try to keep a straight face when Jigglypuff makes an appearance.

Watch the video here.

[Via Friendly Atheist]  

Twiggy’s Olay Ad Banned Over Airbrushing

Over 700 complaints have been issued against an Olay advert that featured Twiggy alongside her testimonial “Olay is my secret for drop dead gorgeous eyes”, due to the allegation that the model’s image had been airbrushed. The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld the complaint, forcing Proctor & Gamble to replace the image with one that had not been doctored.

The Advertising Standards Authority examines every case for which even a single complaint is registered, so if you see a company making claims that you do not believe can be substantiated by evidence, let them know.

The Perpetual Motion Machine: Genuine or Hoax?

Hold the front page! Every construction project ever built is liable to collapse; every engine is at risk of explosion; and the very laws of thermodynamics are open to ridicule. Either that or some company you’ve never heard of has just unveiled its latest hoax. Steorn, the company in question, claims to have found a loophole in the way magnetic fields work, which they have used to make a machine that they claim produces more energy than it takes in. Were this to be the case it would violate the First Law of Thermodynamics and turn science on its head, which I’m sure is why you’re hearing about it here rather than on any of the major news channels. Clearly the government has been repressing this research and that of the car that can be powered by dreams, because they want your carbon taxes.

Watch the official promotional video here.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

Uganda Bans Female Genital Mutilation

Ugandan politics has had a mixed bag recently. On the one hand, MPs have voted to outlaw female circumcision, with anyone found conducting such an atrocity to face a ten year, or life sentence, depending on whether or not the victim should die. On the other, the “Anti-Homosexuality Bill”, if passed, will imprison homosexuals for life and subject HIV positive homosexuals to the death penalty. It is difficult to ignore the role that religion has played in both instances.

[Via Derren Brown Blog]

The True Story of Christmas

No, it’s not all about Ruldoph’s ostracism and Santa’s chimney escapades. It turns out that Christmas has a far deeper story behind it, but you might find that your local church is only telling the abridged version. This website explains some of the fascinating origins of the rituals through which we now rejoice. Beware though; some of it is post watershed material.  

[Via Friendly Atheist]

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Well that’s it for another 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, send a tip my way at will [at] skeptic [dot] org [dot] uk.

• 

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.