The 60th Skeptic's Circle

In a flurry of activity, the blog has gone from completely empty to being set up for an elaborate presentation. A stage is set up with a podium just to the left of center. To the right of and behind it is a large screen, presumably for displaying highlighted posts for the current Skeptic's Circle. Soon enough, the lights dim and a spotlight appears, tracking Infophile as he walks to the podium.

Welcome one and all to the latest edition of the Skeptic's Circle, where we highlight the best posts from the last two weeks in critical thinking and in debunking pseudoscience, quackery, denialism, pseudohistory, and frauds. I am particularly honored to be able to host the 60th edition of this since, as many of you are likely aware, the number 60 is quite an interesting number.

The number 60 is the lowest number to be divisible by the first 5 natural numbers (and the 6th as a bonus). This leads it to having a plethora of divisors, making it the most relatively abundant number below 100. It's also notably a unitary perfect number and a semiperfect number.

For an instant, the shadows off to the side of the stage appear to be take on a human form, but it quickly fades. Probably just pareidolia.

Additionally, the number 60 and related numbers show up in numerous places in human culture. The most obvious would be that it's the number of seconds in a minute and the number of minutes in an hour. It's also the number of degrees in each angle of an equilateral triangle. Also, it's divisors sum up to 108, which shows up in many more places in religion and literature.

There's that human-like shadow again. Wait... if it were just irrelevent pareidolia, would it be pointed out in the post like this? Or maybe it's just a test of your skepticism.

But enough about the number 60, onto the circle. While I'd hoped I could get 60 posts for this, I wasn't quite that fortunate. Nevertheless, I doubt you'll be disappointed. Our first post comes from the organizer of the circle himself, Orac from Respectful insolence...

Infophile appears to be triggering a remote in his hand, likely to turn on the screen and start the slide show. The screen switches to show a "Loading..." display for a few moments, and then promptly switches to the dreaded Blue Screen of Death, stating that the system has performed an illegal operation and must be shut down.

Great, just great. I apologize for the inconvenience people, but this should only take a moment. I really should have made sure the company I hired to organize this had upgraded at least to Windows XP, but it's too late for that now. While waiting, why don't you talk amongst yourself. I'll even give you a subject: Why did it take so long for Microsoft to fix this problem.

Infophile strikes a key on the podium to commence the shutdown, and at that moment every electrical device in the room simultaneously shuts off, plunging the auditorium into darkness.

Okay, whose idea was it to run the entire room's electrical functions from the same computer, and not even install a backup? You can't tell me this hasn't happened before. Trust me, I'm going t...

Infophile is abruptly cut off, as if his speech were overwritten by silence. This is followed by a disturbing thud. After a few hectic seconds of worried audience members scrambling to get up to the stage and many others asking about what had happened, the lights switch back on.

Somehow, you managed to get pushed to front, and you can see that Infophile is now lying prone on the stage, showing no signs of life. Looking over his body, you see no obvious signs indicating what might have happened to him, but you're not a doctor (for the purposes of this story), so you can't be sure. While inspecting him, you also find a crumpled note which appears to be listing various websites - perhaps the list of posts submitted for this circle.

Call out, "Is anyone here a doctor?"

Flatten out the note and use the computer to check out the sites for the latest Skeptic's Circle. Yes, it's heartless, but you're a busy person, and this is all fictional anyways.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Fade to Black

Time is fast running out. The deadline for contributing to the next Skeptic's Circle is tomorrow at 9 PM Eastern time, so get your posts written and e-mail a link to TheInfophile {at} gmail {dot} com before time runs out.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Twilight

The blog is mysteriously empty, and Infophile is nowhere to be seen. The only sign of life is a single shred of black paper on the floor. Picking it up, you find the following message written on it in white ink:

I apologize for the inconvenience, but it would seem that Infophile is off preparing to host the next Skeptic's Circle. Can't say exactly what he has planned, but looking back through his blog, it actually appears that he left hints in a few places. Apparently whatever he's doing has been in the works for quite a while.

If you've got posts to submit, send them along to TheInfophile (at) gmail (dot) com (you never know how advanced spammer technology may get; they could even be reading handwritten notes now). I don't know if he'll be checking his e-mail there, but I'll be sure check it for him just in case. His password shouldn't be that hard to crack. Hmm, I'll probably be able to check it around 9 PM Eastern time on Wednesday, May 9th, so if you get it in before then I should be able to get it up in some decent form. After that, well, maybe I'll tack on a link at the end for you.

Until then, I've got some work I need to get at. The museum's really gone into disrepair due to lack of funding, and if Infophile isn't going to be doing much around here, I might be able to find some surplus funds to spend on renovating it.

-Nate Black

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Your Turn

Okay, I can't really predict "whatever you want," so here's what you're going to do. Go open up a text-editing program, such as Notepad. Write in whatever the hell you want to finish off this dream. Once you're satisfied, drag the window over the big empty space below, and that's what you do.
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Okay, ready to wake up now.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Fact or Fiction

"So, you still think this is actually happening, eh?" Black says.

"Yes," you say. "Things just feel too real for me to say it's a dream."

"Well, what say we try something then?" he suggests. "I didn't come here unprepared to face off with woo myself, and one of my preparations just might help here."

Black goes off to the side of the stage and picks up what appears to be a gun. "What I have here is Occam's .44 Magnum. You may have heard of Occam's Razor, which says that the simplest explanation that fits the evidence is generally the best. Well, with all of the woo that's been popping up in recent years, it's often been found wanting. Thus, I came up with this. Instead of shaving off excesses, it simply blasts it away.

"So, here's what we're going to do. You get to represent the theory that this is actually happening and is part of a nefarious plot to undermine reality, while I'll represent the theory that this is simply a dream or hallucination. I'll try shooting each of us, and if one theory is excessively complicated, the gun should blow it out of our heads."

"Um... I'm not sure about this..." you say.

"You having second thoughts about your theory?" Black asks. "Well, let's see how mine holds up." Before you can react, he points the gun to his temple, pulls the trigger, and... *click* Nothing. "Guess mine isn't so bad. Your turn?"

"Um, maybe I'll just try waking up now..."

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

What Dreams May Come

"So, you agree this is probably a dream or hallucination of some sort," Black says. "Well, there's a simple way to get out of it then."

"What?" you ask.

"Try to wake up. I'll do it too, in case it's my dream. You ready?"

Try to wake up.

Wait... if this is a dream, then you can do whatever you want, right?

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Into the Night

You seriously think you can ever convince someone like this they're wrong, much less do it before reality is rended apart? As Jonathan Swift observed, "You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place." You've got no chance.

And yet you try. On and on your argument goes. Objectively, you're winning, but that doesn't really matter. Time goes on with no end to the argument. Before reality itself splits, you find yourself wishing there were some magical "Back" button you could press to go back in time and not start this argument...

Seriously, press the "Back" button on your browser.

What are you waiting for?

Fine, fine. You want to see what absolute chaos looks like? Here ya go.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Behe-ind the Madness

You're transported back to the auditorium where this all started. Nate Black is there, doing something on Infophile's computer. Noticing you, he says, "Ah, you're back. Find out anything that might help us?"

"Yes," you say. "I think I've figured out who's behind this all, though I don't know if we can do anything about it."

"Really? I've been doing some tests, and I have a theory on it myself. What did you come up with?"

"From what I've found out," you say, "it seems that Michael Behe and the Discovery Institue are behind this. They've loosed the boundaries of reality tonight to advance their goals of getting creationism accepted."

"Hmm, interesting. And how did they do it?"

"I can't say," you reply.

"Yes, that is a tough point. All of history up to tonight is perfectly consistent with our scientific understanding of reality. And then it diverges completely. Odd, to say the least. With everything we know, this absolutely should not be happening, Discovery Institute or not."

"You said you had a theory, though. What is it?" you ask.

Black replies, "Quite simply, that this isn't happening. To be honest, the hypothesis that I'm hallucinating or having a very lucid dream seems a lot more likely than that reality has come unhinged."

"Well, I know I'm conscious here, so I can't just be part of your hallucination, can I?"

"I could say the same to you. Maybe you're just part of my dream saying you're conscious. It's impossible to make that distinction to be honest. Either way, what do you think? You still think this is actually a plot by the Discovery Institute?"

"Yes, it's probably them."

"It might be a dream..."

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Does Tom Cruise?

You're transported back to the auditorium where this all started. Nate Black is there, doing something on Infophile's computer. Noticing you, he says, "Ah, you're back. Find out anything that might help us?"

"Yes," you say. "I think I've figured out who's behind this all, though I don't know if we can do anything about it."

"Really? I've been doing some tests, and I have a theory on it myself. What did you come up with?"

"From what I've found out," you say, "it seems that Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology is behind this. They've loosed the boundaries of reality tonight to advance their goals of recruiting people into the church."

"Hmm, interesting. And how did they do it?"

"I can't say," you reply.

"Yes, that is a tough point. All of history up to tonight is perfectly consistent with our scientific understanding of reality. And then it diverges completely. Odd, to say the least. With everything we know, this absolutely should not be happening, Church of Scientology or not."

"You said you had a theory, though. What is it?" you ask.

Black replies, "Quite simply, that this isn't happening. To be honest, the hypothesis that I'm hallucinating or having a very lucid dream seems a lot more likely than that reality has come unhinged."

"Well, I know I'm conscious here, so I can't just be part of your hallucination, can I?"

"I could say the same to you. Maybe you're just part of my dream saying you're conscious. It's impossible to make that distinction to be honest. Either way, what do you think? You still think this is actually a plot by the Church of Scientology?"

"Yes, it's probably them."

"It might be a dream..."

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

If a test occurs in the woods and no one's around...

"Oh yeah, name one!" the student challenges you.

"How about the various tests of astrology?" you counter. "Astrology working goes against almost everything we know about physics, but it's been tested all the time, and it's found wanting every time. You could say the same thing for homeopathy."

"Bah, those tests were heavily flawed."

"I haven't even told you of any speciic tests and you're already assuming they're flawed? Just because they don't agree with what you think, eh? I could give you paper after paper, and you'd be hard pressed to manufacture flaws for all of them. At least for scientific claims we actually have papers; it seems all too often that we get obscure references to some poor evidence for some claim."

"If you'll excuse me," the professor says. "We actually have a guest speaker today (against all my recommendations), and I don't think security can hold him back any longer."

"Very well," you say, and take a seat.

The professor walks off stage and is promptly (and quite surprisingly) replaced by celebrity nutjob, Tom Cruise. After introducing himself, he starts off is speach, "How many of you have ever had a question that no one could answer?" Everyone in the class raises their hand.

"What if you were guaranteed that whatever you asked, you'd get an answer. What would be the best question you could ask? Well, tonight, I'm giving you the opportunity. Through the revelations of Scientology, I'm able to answer absolutely any question you might pose. So, shoot away."

Taking your chance, you shoot up your hand. Your enthusiasm is noted by Cruise, and he calls on you first. You ask, "I've noticed a lot of very strange events going on today, and I'm sure others have as well. What's causing all of this?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked," he replies. "Tonight is a project organized by the Church of Scientology in order to prove to people our validity. In order to do that, we've loosened the boundaries of reality, so a few extra things may slip in, but rest assured, we'll take charge of it all soon enough. Next question..."

Well, no reason doing anything else, you have your answer. Time to go back and report what's going on.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Vaguaries

"Why should we be the ones who have to do all the work to satisfy your testing?" the student asks. "If you want to find evidence, you figure out how to test it."

"We could do that," you reply, "but then you'll come back and say we didn't get your idea right. The only way we can be sure to get your theory is if you're the one who tells us how to test it."

"What's your hang-up with testing everything anyways?"

"If you can't test it, how do you know it's real? For instance, take the suggestion that while a man was unconscious, he went up and spent an hour and a half in heaven. There's absolutely no way we can go back and see if it was just a dream of his, or whether he actually did go to heaven. If we just accept everything anyone says, we'll be led into chaos. We need some filter to determine what's true, and scientific testing is the best we have."

"Heh, you'll see," the student says.

"And what do you mean by that," you ask.

"Well, what would you say if God came down from heaven and told you Himself that, for instance, he'd created the world and all the creatures in it?"

"I'd say it's still an untestable claim, and we only have his word for it."

"So you wouldn't accept the word of God Himself about reality?" he asks.

"If I'm a priori convinced it's God and he wouldn't lie, then maybe I would. But you'll have to clear that hurdle first."

"Well, let's just see. I have good word, directly from Michael Behe of the Discovery Institute, that you should be seeing something like this very soon." This statement is met with laughter from the majority of the class, but given what you've seen tonight...

Head back to report that Behe and the Discovery Institute might be behind this.

Stay here and continue the debate until you reach some resolution.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

High Learning

How you ended up there you can't quite describe, but you find yourself seated in a large auditorium, with class currently in progress. The professor has a large runestone on display, and is explaining to the class:

"I have here the Kensington Runestone, one famous example of hoaxed history. It was found in 1898 near Kensington, Minnesota. The text on it suggests that Scandinavian explorers reached the middle of North America sometime around the 14th century, but there are significant doubts as to its validity. Now, let's see if you've done your homework. Can anyone tell me what one of the reasons for doubting its authenticity is?"

A student raises her hand, and when the professor calls on her she speaks up, "Didn't the couple who found it admit that it was a hoax?"

"Oh, no, you're getting it mixed up with the Ica stones," the professor replies. "Those were the stone carvings of humans mingling with dinosaurs that have been touted by creationists as evidence that humans and dinosaurs once lived together. Of course, as you mentioned, they were admitted to be a hoax."

"But that doesn't prove they really were a hoax!" another student speaks up.

"Really?" the professor says. "An admission of guilt won't do it for you?"

"It could have been coerced, or they could have been lying because they didn't like the conclusion it led to," the student says.

You decide to speak up, "If an admission won't do it, even in addition to the fact that the fossil record supports the view that humans and dinosaurs never coexisted, then what evidence would you need to believe it's a hoax?"

"More than you've provided," the student says. "Besides, can we really trust all this evidence coming from so-called experts? Science has a long record of ignoring possible avenues of research just because they don't fit in with their pre-conceived ideas, so how can we expect them to be right? And it's not like they can answer the really important questions anyways."

You glance to the professor, but he seems to be alright with allowing this discussion to continue amongst the students. In the time you spared doing this, another student speaks up, "That's right! I still haven't seen scientists testing out the role of various types of vibration in mediating the body's overall wellness!"

Explain that before science can test a proposition, it needs to be made specific enough and be falsifiable. Vague notions of "Wellness" are untestable.

Explain that scientific tests of notions that go against the popular consensus occur all the time. They're just ignored because they don't coincide with what woos want to believe.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Reprieve

As you arrive at your next destination, a feeling of relief comes across you. Where is this...? Ah, it's a Newsweek office. No major credulity here recently, and didn't they also publish an interesting article about statistics recently?

You're about to request a trip off to another locale - the atmosphere here is nice, but you have work to do - when a reporter rushes in shouting, "Mr. Jameson! Breaking news!"

A gruff man at a nearby desk spins around in his chair and asks, "Yeah? What is it? I haven't got all day, you know!"

"Uh, sir, it seems that Scientologists are starting to claim that Tom Cruise has been imbued with the reincarnated soul of L. Ron Hubbard."

"So? Why should I care what those nutjobs are up to?"

"Because they've somehow hijacked multiple TV networks to broadcast this message," the reporter explains.

"What!?" Jameson exclaims. He motions to you. "You, whats-yer-name, turn on the TV!"

"Uh, yes sir," you say, and turn on a nearby television. True to the reporter's word, Tom Cruise is on TV broadcasting his message.

This could be bad, you think to yourself. We can't let the Scientologists get any more dupes. Could this night be their plan to do exactly that? But wait, didn't Behe act like he had something to do with it as well?

It's probably Behe behind all of this...

It's probably Cruise behind all of this...

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Time running out

You arrive in what looks like some sort of office. Judging by the displays on the walls, it appears to be for Time magazine. Nearby, you see an incensed Richard Dawkins acting just like a militant atheist - arguing passionately with an employee.

Approaching the pair, you politely interrupt and ask what the problem is. Dawkins explains, "Time recently selected me as one of their hundred most influential people, and while I appreciate their selection of me, their choice of profiler for me was nothing more than an insult."

"Why? Who did they choose?"

"Michael Behe," he replies, disgust barely veiled behind his polite demeanor.

"Wait, you mean the same Behe who disagrees with virtually everything you stand for, in both evolution and religion?"

"The same."

You turn to the employee Dawkins was arguing with and start yelling at him yourself. When you've calmed down enough to hear a reply, the employee explains to you that, "There was nothing we could do! The Discovery Institute threatened to sue us if we didn't provide a balanced perspective, and letting Behe profile Dawkins was the only thing they'd accept."

"What? They can't sue you over a matter like that; you're entitled to free speech."

"That's what I thought," the employee says, "but apparently things have changed. Have you looked at the constitution recently? The first amendment has disappeared from it. Something really doesn't want us to have free speech if it disagrees with their view."

"Hmm, there's no way the Discovery Institute has the political clout to pull off something like that," Dawkins comments.

Unless they attack reality directly, and force out the belief in free speech, you think to yourself. But what about Cruise's comments earlier? He seemed suspicious as well...

It's probably Behe behind all of this...

It's probably Cruise behind all of this...

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

An Impossible Foe

As you finish explaining the state of cancer research to the woman, you hear a rude snort from off to the side. Looking over, you see a man who's risen to fame by using his scientific credentials to undermine legitimate scientific pursuit: Michael Behe.

"You've got to be kidding me!" he says. "Of course they're just in it for the money. And it's not just them, it's the entire scientific institution. Do you think they actually care about finding reality? It's all just reinforcing their own dogma and covering up for each other's mistakes, while coming up with new revelations every day to distract us."

"Are you suggesting that multiple lines of independant research all coming to consistent conclusions is evidence of a cover-up?" you ask him.

"No, if you want evidence of a cover-up, you have to follow the money. How much money do you see going to fund people who express disbelief in evolution?"

"That's because people who don't believe in evolution are showing immense ignorance of science or they're showing that they'll always put their religious beliefs ahead of the pursuit of truth, neither of which makes a good scientist."

"Truth!?" he says. "Heh, after tonight, I doubt you'll look at 'truth' the same way again..."

Filing that odd comment away for future consideration, you switch to a different subject and ask him, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm here to promote my new book," he says.

"You mean they're actually giving publicity to that piece of crap?"

"At least read it before calling it a piece of crap, if you don't mind."

"Fine, but I doubt I'll change my mind. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a busy night ahead of me," you tell him.

Could Behe or the Discovery Institute be behind what's going on tonight? Better return and report on your suspicions.

Other media outlets are likely in danger as well, best to check them out first.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Outside the Norm

The woman snorts at you. "I know what happened to me. The doctor was wrong. Are you saying that my experiences aren't a good indicator of what happens in reality? Isn't that the entire basis of science?"

"Not always," you reply. "Science recognizes that individual observations can be off, and compensates for this by making many many measurements. Once something is confirmed over and over again we can be pretty certain it's right, though never entirely certain - there's always the possibility our method of observation was flawed, or we just got a really rare set of data. Nevertheless, it's the best method we have, and it's led to immense progress..."

"Oh give it up already!" you're interrupted by a voice from behind you. "Science is nothing more than another system of belief."

"Science isn't a belief system," you explain. "It's a method of obtaining knowledge, not a set of knowledge which we already believe with no doubt." As you turn around to approach the newcomer, you face a visage you've seen highlighted in the media all too often: Scientology's unofficial celebrity spokesman, Tom Cruise.

"Now you're just playing word games," he says. "It's not like it matters anyways; you're already too late to stop us."

"'Us'?"

"Never you mind; I've got work to do," Cruise says as he turns and walks off.

"Um, excuse me?" The lady you'd been talking to says. "What was all of that about?"

"I'm not entirely sure," you reply. "But I think I have an idea who might be behind this..."

Return to report your suspicions.

Head on to a different media outlet.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Media Madness

You couldn't explain the process if you tried, but you're transported to a bustling newsroom. Nearby, you can hear a woman telling her story to an executive. Apparently, she'd been told by a doctor that she and her husband would never be able to conceive. Nevertheless, they were able to do so, and this proved the doctor wrong, exposing the flaws in the modern medical establishment.

She then continues with her pet conspiracy theory: That Big Pharma doesn't want to cure cancer because it would be bad for business. After all, we've been fighting cancer for decades now, and have only been able to cure the more minor types.

Explain to her that a single anecdote doesn't disprove the validity of the medical profession. They're still right more far more often then they're wrong, even though there are always extreme cases.

Explain to her that there has indeed been significant progress made in the fight against cancer. The fact that it hasn't been won only shows how difficult a foe cancer is, not that medical researchers would rather let people die than run out of work.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

Nightfall

"Is anyone here a doctor?" you call out.

You hear a few affirmations, one of which manages to push his way to the front. He comes up and gives Infophile a cursory examination before proclaiming to the room, "This man... has been shot!" Consistent with the laws of narration, a bolt of lightning can be seen and heard striking outside immediately after this statement.

"Um, that wasn't much of an examination. I don't even see a bullet wound on him. Are you sure you're a real doctor?" you ask.

"Of course I am!" the man replies indignately. "I'm Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, also known as the father of homeopathy. And this makes me particularly well-qualified to examine this individual as he's not only been shot - he's been homeopathically shot. That is, he's been shot by no bullets at all!" Another bolt of lightning.

"We really have to start screening these things, at least to get rid of the obvious psychos," a fellow skeptic comments. "A modern woo is bad enough, but here's someone who thinks he's a woo who's been dead for over 150 years."

"Hmph, crazy am I?" Hahnemann says. "If you're so certain who the crazy one is, then how about you take a look outside?"

Another skeptic rolls her eyes and replies, "Fine, fine. But do you mind telling us in advance what you expect us to see? If you don't make a prediction beforehand, you can come back and claim later that anything odd we see was what you'd expected."

"Just look," he says. "Trust me, it'll be enough to assuage your doubts."

"Um, I think we have a problem here..." you hear from a skeptic who'd gone off to check outside during the previous exchange.

"What is it?" you ask.

"I think it's Bigfoot... and he's being abducted by aliens."

You're about to rush out to confirm for yourself (a claim like this just has to be confirmed firsthand), but when Hahnemann starts to speak, you just have to stop to hear whatever he has to say next: "So you see! It's already too late. When your eyes were distracted from the actual world, we staged a coup. It now works according to our rules!" Hahnemann breaks into a maniacal laugh as his body fades away. As it vanishes, a ghost-like apparition breaks out of it and disappears through a wall.

"...Okay, did anyone else just see his body disappear and a ghost rush out?" you ask timidly. You hear grumbled assent from the rest of the skeptics assembled. "...Right. So, what next?"

"Well, do we really have to do anything?" one skeptic asks. "If homeopathy actually works, couldn't that be a good thing?"

"Sure," another replies, "until someone uses its principles to kill someone by shooting them with no bullets."

"Okay, well what about other alternative medicine? What if stuff like 'Traditional Chinese Medicine' actually works?"

"Okay, that might not be so bad, but we're going to get some of the negative claims of alties along with it. Now you can expect that everyone who had mercury-containing vaccines will actually become autistic, or that morning-after pills will actually do nothing."

"And what about woo that contradicts other woo? What's going to happen in those cases?"

"I'll tell you what's going to happen," a new voice says, as a figure steps out of the shadows on stage. "Reality will be torn apart, until there no longer is such a thing as an objective reality. It's how many of them already see the world, and soon enough it will be the case. By my estimates, we have only tonight to fix things. After that, it'll be too late."

"Wait a second... you're Infophile!" a nearby skeptic exclaims at the newcomer.

"Heh, not quite. I'm his alter ego, Nate Black. Back in January, Infophile received word of an attempted coup by the other faction, so he set up plans to counter it, the primary of which being me. I was created for this very moment, such that even if Infophile were taken out of the picture, someone would be around who knew what was happening.

"So, here's the situation. Woos have struck at the foundation of reality, and it's now determined by the popularity of ideas. Simply put, the argument from popularity actually works now. Many like-minded woos have grouped together so that in certain areas, their beliefs will take form."

"Wait, hold on," one skeptic says. "You're going to have to excuse me if I'm a bit skeptical of all of this. Woo taking over the world in one night? Seems very far-fetched, even taking into account the Bigfoot abduction sighting and the ghost of Hahnemann."

"Perfect. Keep up that attitude and we might have a chance. The firmer your grasp on reality, the better you'll be able to fight back. But just remember, now isn't the time to get stuck in an Ivory Tower of skepticism. Tonight, we have to fight.

"Now, there's a ton of varied woo out there that we're going to have to fight, so we're going to have to split up to take on the woo we're each best capable of fighting. Don't worry about traveling; I've got 'connections.' You're probably best at predicting where the woos are going to start to group, so you tell me where you think you'll need to go."

They could be going after the media...

They're going to be trying to take over education.

Proceed with your information binge...

Too much information!

A Crumpled Note

Flattening out the note found in Infophile's hand, it turns out to indeed be a list of contributors for the Skeptic's Circle. But what about the big plans he said he had, and don't you care about the fact that he appears to have just been shot? Well, you could go back and try to figure that out, or you could just go on and read the list of sites for this Skeptic's Circle if you're short on time... cheater.

Submitted Posts

Aardvarchaeology: Swedish Study of the Kensington Rune Stones
Action Skeptics: Mr. Bigfoot Goes To...Wherever The Capital of Canada Is
The Bronze Blog: Doggerel #78: Vibration
The Bronze Blog: Doggerel #79: Wellness
The Bronze Blog: Doggerel #80: "What's the Harm?"
The Bronze Blog: Doggerel #81: "[Evil Guy] believed in [Theory]"
The Bronze Blog: Why versus Why
Conspiracy Factory: An anecdote about anecdotes
Denialism.com: Selectivity from FRC
Fearless Philosophy For Free Minds: The Mysterious Ica Stones
Holford Watch: Food For The Brain: What Is the Evidence for Allergy or Intolerance Testing in Children
Hot Dogs, Pretzels, and Perplexing Questions: Perplexing Question #1: Paradox of the Question
Junkfood Science: Seeing only fat
Junkfood Science: When you feel scared and worried...
NeuroLogica Blog: I'm Certain You're Going to Love This One
News from Hawkhill Acres: I'm an Agnostic and So Are You
Pooflingers Anonymous: Comedic Value
Providentia: Making An Impression
Science After Sunclipse: Newsweek on Sex-Ed and Statistics
Science After Sunclipse: The Edge of Evolution
Science After Sunclipse: Time: You're On Notice!
Science and Progress: Systematic review of nutritional supplement for the treatment of allergic rhinitis
The Second Sight: It's Not What It Looks Like! I Was Only Raising My Ch'i!
Wandering Primate: Traditional Chinese Medicine: A History Revealed (Part 1, Part 2)

Next Time

Date: May 24th
Location: Memoirs of a Skepchick
Contact: skepchick [at] skepchick [dot] org

Proceed with your information binge...

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