Category: Skepticism

  • Context is Key

    Context is Key

    One of the most important things to consider when evaluating the legitimacy of information found on the internet is context. The original context of a piece of information includes vital details about its creation or distribution, such as who created it, and why. It’s common for information on the internet to be distributed without its…

  • The End is not Nigh

    The End is not Nigh

    The End is Nigh, at least if you believe Harold Camping. Camping, a former engineer and Christian broadcaster, used numerological principles to calculate the date of the Rapture , in which “the Elect” are taking up to heaven, and non-believers are left behind. The date that Camping chose for the rapture was May 21st, 2011, based…

  • Lies, Damn Lies and Photoshop – Update

    Lies, Damn Lies and Photoshop – Update

    I decided to post a follow up to my previous post on the Occupy Wall Street photoshopped image, to clarify a couple of details and dispel some of the rumours going around. Firstly, the origins of the image itself. The original photoshopped image was produced by digital artist Scott Lickstein, who intended it to represent a…

  • Lies, Damn Lies and Photoshop

    Lies, Damn Lies and Photoshop

    I’ve posted a follow-up post to this article to clarify a few details and put to rest a few rumours. A fellow skeptic (President of the Granite State Skeptics Travis Roy) recently posted a request on the Skeptoid mailing list regarding an image that has been making the rounds on Facebook. The image is an…

  • Answering The 15 “Unanswerable” Questions for Evolutionists

    Answering The 15 “Unanswerable” Questions for Evolutionists

    After my post a couple of weeks ago about Not Being a Dick, I got into a spirited debate with a colleague on Facebook with regards to skepticism and evolution. He challenged me to answer these 15 “unanswerable” questions for evolutionists which were devised by the Creation Ministries International website. I was unable to devote…

  • In the News

    In the News

    A selection of stories on medicine, skepticism and religion in the media from the last couple of weeks. Alternative medicines in Australia not receiving proper testing and approval by TGA – “A report released last week by the Australian National Audit Office found that up to 90 per cent of alternate medicines on sale in this…

  • Try not to be a dick

    Try not to be a dick

    Phil Plait gave this talk at The Amazing Meeting 8 in Las Vegas on July 8th, 2010. The talk attracted a lot of criticism from members of the skeptical community. Some ironically called it a dick-​​move on Phil’s part, due mostly to the fact that he did not provide specific examples of dickish behaviour, despite his claim…