General Science

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The Nature of Nonsense: Dr. David Suzuki has got a whole new show

May 15, 2010 in General Science, Health & Medicine by askeptic | No comments

In 1960, the CBC launched the Nature of Things as a half-hour science series. It was a good idea. People wanted to hear about science and the Nature of Things gave it to them. It is currently Canada’s longest running documentary television series.

Notice the word science is gone.

That’s because the Nature of Things is not about science anymore, or at least, not just about science. Now it is equally about the increasingly flaky, pseudo-scientific nonsense promoted by the program’s star, Dr. David Suzuki. I remember when Dr. Suzuki first joined the program 30 years ago. He shattered the image of scientist as nerd and presented science in a way that I thought was magic. Read the rest of this entry »

Astrologists Getting Wise? I Don’t Think So.

December 14, 2009 in General Science by askeptic | No comments

The headline in the Friday December 11 edition of the Calgary Herald caught my attention. It read: Astrologists get WISE to cosmos and was accompanied with a nice picture of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) satellite.

I knew that WISE was soon to be launched but it came as a surprise that astrologists were taking such an interest. They’re not of course, claims of the Calgary Herald notwithstanding. Just how dumb do you have to be to print a headline like this? I wonder if anyone at the Calgary Herald even knows what’s wrong with it?

The story is a hacked up version of what is a very good piece of scientific journalism from a John Johnson Jr. of the Los Angeles Times. The story, as published in the Times, ran  about 1200 words and was entitled: The dark side of space about to be illuminated. As reprinted in the Herald, the piece ran less than a quarter of its original length and of course, there’s that headline.

For all my skeptical friends out there in Calgary (and beyond), read the original article in the Times just to get a feeling of what it is like to read a real newspaper. Oh yes, and rest assured that astrologists will not be working with data from WISE.

With Friends Like These . . .

October 27, 2009 in General Science, Health & Medicine, Skeptic News by askeptic | No comments

The king of quackery promotion comes out against pseudo science!  Meanwhile Alberta Health Services leadership proves it can’t use a calculator (no surprise there).

It was a great day for me. One of those days where everything just comes together.  I sank  in my favorite easy chair, poured myself a very nice Bordeaux that had been hiding in my cellar, and opened up the paper to take in the latest stories of the day. News stories always go better with Bordeaux. But even the wine couldn’t prepare me for what I read on page A13 of today’s Herald.

The king of quackery promotion rails against junk science.

In an opinion piece entitled, Beware of junk science, Gwyn Morgan, former CEO of Encana Corp. rails against junk science. In the article, Mr. Morgan argues persuasively against pesticide paranoia, fears surrounding chemical fertilizer, organic food worship and the borderline hysteria, especially in Europe, of genetically modified foods. Now normally, I would applaud such an effort. Not here though. Read the rest of this entry »

Strange ideas find friends in the media. Lies, on the other hand, find their way into the Calgary Herald

July 28, 2009 in General Science, Religion by askeptic | 2 comments

I’m no expert, but I think Susan Martinuk is going to hell

Well, I’m back from vacation. I needed a break. I like to kick back, drink too much tequila and play where it’s warm. Actually, I don’t know if I needed a break or not, but it sure felt good having one. (Note to alternative medicine flakes: there is a difference between something that makes you feel good and a medical cure. If not, I’ll have Alberta Health compensate me for my trip and my tequila. Really, I feel great.)

Speaking of breaks (from reality) I returned just in time to come across an article in the July 24, 2009 edition of my Calgary Herald (motto: Canada’s largest Christian daily) entitled: Strange ideas and friends in media, and Obama by Susan Martinuk. The focus of Susan’s piece is John Holden, Obama’s recent appointment as director of the Office of Science and Technology. Dr. Holden has come under a great deal of fire by conservatives concerning his co-authorship with Paul Elrichof of, Ecoscience: Population, Resources, Environment, published in 1977. Read the rest of this entry »

A Fossils Tail

September 18, 2006 in Evolution, General Science by admin | No comments

Has Anyone at the Herald Actually Passed a Science Course?

The Calgary Herald is at it again. The continuing campaign at the Herald to cast doubt on evolution hit a new low this month with an editorial entitled; ‘A fossils tail’.

The focus of the article is the recent conclusion by paleontologists that a recently found Chinese fossil was a forgery. The Herald editorial board, however, chose to ignore the obvious interpretation that science, as a self correcting practice, had discovered its mistake and admitted its error – to the embarrassment of many that were taken in by the fraud. Instead, the article presents the view that scientists were all too eager to accept the fossil as legitimate because they had forgotten that evolution is just a theory. Read the rest of this entry »

What the Bleep Do We Know?

January 23, 2005 in Education, General Science by admin | No comments

Hopefully More Than This or Why the Movies May Not the Best Place to Learn About Science

There is a new movie out generating all sorts of buzz, but unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. The film is entitled: “What the Bleep Do We Know?” and stars Marlee Matlan as Amanda, a photographer who is depressed and searching for the meaning of life, the universe and everything. Read the rest of this entry »

Darwin to Blame for Just About Everything

August 22, 2002 in Evolution, General Science by admin | 1 comment

Nigel Hannaford Discovers Source of Societal Moral Decay!

I had just spent a great weekend at the Edmonton Blues Festival — soaking up the sunshine, the music and a beer or two – only to return home and read the latest nonsense from the Calgary Herald. Once again, the Herald, in the form of columnist Nigel Hannaford, has decided to interpret the latest scientific advances for us, incorrectly of course, in an effort to prove that this evolution business is all wrong. Read the rest of this entry »