Today's newspaper (that I usually avoid and usually wouldn't get an alert for, unless it mentions matters of a pseudoscientific or paranormal nature) - well, how about some UFOs about 20km (12 miles) from the city?In Darlington... up in the hills... and about 20km south of the flight-paths that takes you to the cities in the East, from my little bit of research.Apparently there's hundreds of UFOs out in that area.Hundreds.You'd hope that the airlines would be doing a little more … [Read more...]
Jabbed: Love, Fear And Vaccines – On Australian SBS, 26th May
April 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The interview I previously conducted with director Sonya Pemberton can be found on the Token Skeptic podcast, but you may also enjoy this teaser from the full transcript over on the Curiouser and Curiouser column for the CSI website: Kylie: Your next production, Jabbed, you've said that you have been seeking out voices to add to the investigation of vaccination claims?Sonya Pemberton: Yeah. Well, it is not an investigation of anti‑vaccination. I should be really clear. I started out last yea … [Read more...]
Little Kitten – Conspiracy Road Trip – UFOs
March 31, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Are we alone in the universe or have we been visited by aliens? If the answer to the last question is yes, have the world's governments been covering up this incredible 'truth'?Comedian Andrew Maxwell is a logical guy and he is going to tackle these big questions on an American road trip from Los Angeles to Area 51. He is taking five UFO believers who claim to have witnessed spacecraft from other galaxies, been attacked by UFOs, had close encounters with ETs and believe an alien attack is … [Read more...]
The Checkout – Skepticism And Consumer Rights On ABC Australia (Video)
March 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
For those of you who may have missed it, or can't see it due to being outside of Australia? You're welcome:Julian Morrow and Craig Reucassel from The Chaser team reinvent consumer affairs TV in a new show that will inform, entertain and empower ordinary consumers.This is particularly for Digital Cuttlefish, who needs something to enjoy after all the hard work they've been doing - and to Gerry, who I really appreciate for keeping in touch. I owe you both emails!![EDIT - sorry, fixed … [Read more...]
Links Du Jour And Sunday Morning Survey – Tim Minchin On Broadway, More Henrietta Lacks, Support Baba Brinkman & Conference Feedback (Adria Richards)
March 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
There's a number of links flying about, here's a few that have caught my eye this Sunday morning: No one knows what we may someday learn about Lacks’s great-grandchildren from her genome, but we know this: the view we have today of genomes is like a world map, but Google Street View is coming very soon. One of the best books I read the year it was released - Rebecca Skloot writes in the New York Times, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Sequel".I know I've been doing a lot of "s … [Read more...]
Reason Stick’s Venn Diagram of Irrational Nonsense
March 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Looks like Crispian Jago has got a new name for his blog, and a little redesign to spruce up his posts - and there's a little diagram making the rounds that is very amusing: The curiously revered world of irrational nonsense has seeped into almost every aspect of modern society and is both complex and multifarious. Therefore rather than attempt a comprehensive taxonomy, I have opted instead for a gross oversimplification and a rather pretty Venn Diagram. Some of the comments are debating … [Read more...]
Now Out At CSI – Curiouser And Curiouser Interview With Ben Goldacre!
February 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I wrote this before I left for radio camp and as soon as it posts... there it is! Bad Pharma – Interview with Ben Goldacre. Dr. Ben Goldacre is a best-selling author, broadcaster, medical doctor and academic who specialises in unpicking dodgy scientific claims from drug companies, newspapers, government reports, PR people and quacks. As of 2012, he is a Wellcome research fellow in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.His first book, Bad Science, sold over 400,000 c … [Read more...]
Why Anti-Fluoride Activists In Perth Should Find Something Better To Do With Their Time
February 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I was handed a flyer while walking through the Cultural Centre (the whole area is currently chocked-full with circus-style tents; a double-decker bus parked on the esplanade advertising ticket sales; men pushing huge steam-punk styled machinery about) - and discovered that there's a certain sub-section of the Perth population who really should be doing something better with their time.Such as attending events at the Fringe World festival. Just a thought.This particular group were handing out … [Read more...]
Atheists Aren’t Guaranteed Skeptics… And Other Links
February 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
How many atheists do you know who aren't skeptics? Some years back I attended a talk at the Perth Atheists, which was presented by a conspiracy theorist who thought that Einstein had "corrupted science". The poor organiser was mortified that he'd let a conspiracy theorist present, but as I said then (and now), the talk was by an atheist, as the Meetup advertised... just not by a skeptic.Since then, I've been a little wary of people who assume atheists = skeptics automatically.Anyway, this is … [Read more...]
Kylie Sturgess is a Philosophy teacher, media and psychology student, blogger at Patheos and podcaster at 
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