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Politics Skepticism/critical thinking

Oops, he did it again

Just yesterday, I commented about an article that analyzed President Bush’s penchant for using rather artless straw man fallacies when answering his critics. By an almost amazing coincidence, that very day he was busily engaged in doing more of the same in a press conference. For example, when asked about the terrorist surveillance program in […]

Categories
Politics Skepticism/critical thinking

President Straw Man

Now here’s something you don’t see every day: a news analysis article pointing out a politician’s love of a logical fallacy: WASHINGTON – “Some look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude that the war is lost and not worth another dime or another day,” President Bush said recently. Another time he said, “Some say […]

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Complementary and alternative medicine Intelligent design/creationism Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

The Pooflinger muscling in on my territory?

It’s good to see the Pooflinger back in action. It really is. I don’t even mind that he’s starting to muscle in on my territory, because, as he points out, alties need poo-love too. In the process He’s unearthed a “gem” of altie wackiness that even I had never encountered before. Better still, he’s returned […]

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Paranormal Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking

Project Jason: Psychics and missing people

As a skeptic, when discussing psychics and how there is zero scientific evidence for the existence of psychic powers, I often come up against the attitude that says, “What’s the harm if people believe in psychics?” What’s the harm indeed? Have your palm read, and it’s kind of fun, but you generally don’t take it […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

The Geiers go dumpster-diving yet again

Mark and David Geier, the père et fils duo of antivaccine pseudoscientists once again go dumpster diving in the VAERS database, using it for purposes for which it was not intended to “prove” vaccines cause autism.