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  "How ridiculous to make evolution the enemy of God. What could be more elegant, more simple, more brilliant, more economical, more creative, indeed more divine than a planet with millions of life forms, distinct and yet interactive, all ultimately derived from accumulated variations in a single double-stranded molecule, pliable and fecund enough to give us mollusks and mice, Newton and Einstein? Even if it did give us the Kansas State Board of Education, too."
           -- Charles Krauthammer
              Washington Post, November 18, 2005

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Three articles: "Remembering Dr. Barry Beyerstein," "Religion and Skepticism" by Yves Barbero, and "Cosmetic Acupuncture: I’ve Got Youth Under My Skin" by Paul DesOrmeaux.
   Posted February 22, 2008
New

Three articles and a book review: "Oscar, the Hospice Cat -- Or Kitty Kevorkian?" by John R. Cole, BAS Board, “I want to believe”: A Skeptics Appraisal to the book: “I want to believe”: A Skeptics Appraisal to the book: “UFO Abductions: A Dangerous Game” by Philip J Klass, Aromatherapy: Does It Pass the Smell Test? by Paul DesOrmeaux, and "Musings on Magic" by Yves Barbero
   Posted October21, 2007
New

More Articles

Bob Steiner Talks About Astrology

Long-time Bay Area Skeptics activist Bob Steiner, a past president of The Society of American Magicians, talks about astrology, science, and the influence of heavenly bodies, on Bay Area radio station KFOG's morning show.

Click to listen in to the 16 minute segment (in MP3 format).

Prepared for Bay Area Skeptics' website by Dan Dugan Sound Design.

Used with the kind permission of KFOG

Four Videos About Ben Stein's Expelled

The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) has produced its first short video series, which you will find at our site debunking the awful Ben Stein movie, "Expelled", or on Youtube:

First: youtube.com/watch?v=sQacQy1KJ9M This is the story of Chris Comer, the science supervisor in Texas who was forced to resign over creationism. We are quite excited that it has received >200,000 hits (it's been up the longest).

Second: youtube.com/watch?v=6GqNxAzaWBo This is about NCSE's efforts to "put out the brushfires". If you haven't seen our funky office, you will here. Also Carrie, if you are quick!

Third: youtube.com/watch?v=fOtP7HEuDYA This one we are promoting this week. It is a "straight science" video showing how complex structures can indeed evolve.

Fourth: youtube.com/watch?v=GUB8Mv1SaKQ This one discusses the roots of "intelligent design" in creationism.

If you are interested in the Ben Stein movie, check out our site at www.expelledexposed.com

Bob Steiner Talks About Ghosts

Long-time Bay Area Skeptics activist Bob Steiner, a past president of The Society of American Magicians, talks about ghosts, and things that go bump in the night on Bay Area radio station KFOG's morning show.

Click to listen in to the 14 minute segment (in MP3 format).

Prepared for Bay Area Skeptics' website by Dan Dugan Sound Design.

Used with the kind permission of KFOG



blank
Hot News
Biologist Expelled from Expelled
(posted May 7, 2007)

Worth a look...
(These are off-site links. They do not necessarily
reflect the views of Bay Area Skeptics)

Not in our Classrooms
Not in Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design
is Wrong for Our Schools

edited by Eugenie C. Scott and Glenn Branch

"If you're concerned about scientific literacy, read this book. The authors of Not in Our Classrooms are authorities on the various battles fought over the teaching of evolution--biology's fundamental discovery."
-- Bill Nye the Science Guy

Click for details

BAS Luminary in the Forefront
Evolution vs. Creationism : An Introduction by Eugenie C. Scott, member of the Board of Directors of Bay Area Skeptics, is now in print and can be ordered at http://tinyurl.com/25tcf

We are always pleased to plug books by BAS members, and after reading an extended exerpt published in BASIS, I predict that Dr. Scott's book will become an important reference work on the debate. By buying it through the above link, you insure that the National Center for Science Education, of which Dr. Scott is also Executive Director, gets a percentage of the sale. -- Webmaster

Dr. Scott's Book is also available in paperback



SYMPTOMS OF PATHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

by Irving Langmuir

  1. The maximum effect that is observed is produced by causative agent of barely detectable intensity, and the magnitude of the effect is substantially independent of the intensity of the cause.

  2. The effect is of a magnitude that remains close to the limit of detectability; or, many measurements are necessary because of the vary low statistical significance of the results.

  3. [There are] claims of great accuracy.

  4. Fantastic theories contrary to experience.

  5. Criticisms are met with ad hoc excuses thought up on the spur of the moment.

  6. Ratio of supporters to critics rises up to somewhere near 50% and then gradually to oblivion.

This above was written by Irving Langmuir in 1953 and quoted by Martin Gardner in his "Quantum Theory and Quack Theory" New York Review of Books, May 17 1979. The above was re-published in the December, 1983 issue of BASIS



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Bay Area Skeptics is looking for some reporters who can send us articles
and news notes for possible publication in our newsletter, BASIS (Bay
Area Skeptics Information Sheet). If you see a newspaper or magazine
article about pseudoscience or even an interesting science article that you
think BAS members should know about, clip it and send it to. . .

Eugenie C. Scott
420 40th Street, Ste. 2
Oakland, CA 94609-2509

. . . or send us an e-mail .

You may also send us submissions of articles for publication to BASIS, by
e-mail or diskette (PC only, Word, WordPerfect or ASCII, please) for
consideration. We are always looking for interesting articles to help
educate Bay Area citizens of the nature of science and the problems with
pseudoscience.




If you would like to be informed by e-mail of upcoming events,
contact the webmaster by e-mail.

Just put in Bay Area Skeptics Notify in the subject box so his filter doesn't mistake you as spam.
This list will not be given out to anyone else.
.



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