science scams and superstition

Science, Scams and Superstition

The following articles of mine (starting with the most recent) address

the poor state of science education, the ascending intellectual

tyranny of religion, and the consequent lack of critical thinking in

our country.

Aug. 27, 2006

They Stood at the Foot of the Mount

My family witnesses the ill effect of group-think on hundreds of

Disneyland tourists.

Nov. 7, 2006

Silicon Valley Loves Richard Dawkins

Hear the evolutionary scientist's comments to a Who's Who gathering of

techno-stars.

Aug. 5, 2006

Blink: The Nonsense of "Thinking Without Thinking"

A less-than-generous book review of the allegedly non-fiction

bestseller, why Goerge Bush likely read this book, and suggested

alternative reading.

April 19, 2006

CREATED BY A SCHOOL TEACHER!

Read how a scamming couple turns Airborne, a thoroughly untested

medical remedy, into a $100m blockbuster product.

Dec 21, 2006

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: Airborne Baloney!

Science mag features my blog.

March 26, 2006

Bullshit

Profile of magician Penn Jilette--prompted by my encounter with the

celebrity atheist in Vegas--and his expose of bottled drinking water.

July 18, 2007

Dinner with Dawkins and Hitchens

Recap of Dawkins' encore visit to Kepler's and our dinner with

Christopher Hitchens.

January 20, 2007

7-Year Old Critical Thinker

What happens when we encourage children to think for themselves?

Dec. 11, 2005

Limits of Rationality: Beware the Paralimbic Cortex

My college roommate, a behavioral economist at Harvard, illustrates

how brain structure distorts human calculus of short term versus long

term tradeoffs.

Aug. 28, 2005

A "Natural Cure" for the Author's Debts

Confidence artist tops the bestseller list by playing on people's

mistrust of corporations.

Aug. 16, 2005

The United States of Almighty-God

What does it say about our country when Time Magazine ignores

standards of journalism, pandering to Christians with alleged news on

mythological characters?

Feb. 10, 2007

Alyssa Milano: Net Neutrality is Like So Cool

A storm of regulation brews, whipped up by vapid sound bites from

anti-experts.

Jan. 14, 2007

Cheating Death

Geniuses in Singapore and Sirtris show God who's boss.

March 11, 2007

Reading Resources for Raising Children Without God

Reading lists for skeptical grownups and kids.

Oct 27, 2006

Religion: Even Stevphens

Rabbi sends me Daliy Show video featuring Islam v. Christinaity

face-off.

Oct. 27, 2006

Richard Dawkins Coming to Kepler's

Profile of evolutionary scientist Richard Dawkins, prior to his

standing-room-only book signing at Kepler's Bookstore.

Sept 5, 2006

Shermer Coming to Kepler's

Profile of Skeptic/Professor/Author/Editor/Producer Michael Shermer,

prior to his book signing of Why Darwin Matters.

June 20, 2006

China Pulls Ahead

While US Rep. Westmoreland campaigns on the Colbert Report to post the

Ten Commandments in Congress, China invites Stephen Hawking to its

Great Hall to lead a debate on physics.

Nov. 22, 2005

Kansas School Board More Religious Than Vatican

Vatican Astronomer rips intelligent design theory.

Nov. 2, 2005

Maybe Harriet Wasn't So Bad

Bush nominates devout Catholic Samuel Alito. Children, learn your

prayers.

atheism science scams superstition prayer alternativemedicine airborne

dawkins shermergoddelusion pennjilette bullshit groupthink blink

rationality disneyland timemagazine colbert

// posted by David Cowan @ 12:00 AM

Comments:

Sometimes, very similar events happen so close together in time that

one has to question if coincidence is nothing more than a form of

quantum entanglement.

Last week I was in a Panera Bread, and reading this post.

Specifically, the "They Stood at the Foot of the Mount" section. Now

everyone has had similar experiences, but I didn't realize one was

going to occur shortly.

I decided that the rush had subsided sufficiently to go get a bagel

and OJ. Two lines 6 feet apart were in operation, with the closest

having two people in it; the furthest, six. I got into the nearest

line, and waited only a few seconds to place my order. Meanwhile,

there were still the same six people in the other line, and three

others had come in and decided to stand in that line.

By the time I received my order (90 seconds or so), no one was behind

me in my line, and there were nine people in the other. I moved aside

and watched as the employee announced that she could help the next