Lunney unleashed
Citing media “intolerance and bigotry”, anti-science Canadian MP James Lunney has quit the government caucus to sit as an independent. Among Lunney’s claim to the crown as Canada’s least scientifically…
Scepticism
Got DNA evidence of Bigfoot? Don’t peer review, write a book!
Science Editor Jonathan Leake skewered Bryan Sykes in The Sunday Times today over bigfoot claims. Sykes is publishing a new book in which he’ll present the DNA evidence he claims…
Edmonton Journal grants space to debunked anti-WiFi conspiracies
Some parents in Alberta are trying to get schools to ban wi-fi on baseless fears and scare-mongering. The kicker: these same parents are fine with wifi in their house. It’s…
I get email – Human rights and Climate change
Recently, I wrote about a ruling against APEGA, Alberta’s professional association for engineers, by the province’s Human Rights Tribunal. Low and behold, the defendant in the case, Ladislav Mihaly, emailed…
Woo and health charities
Charities and non-profits operate under tough conditions. There is never enough funding, staff, or expertise to achieve perfection and the demands from clients, donors, and funders often force the charity…
Brits and the Devil
Since moving to England, I haven’t been able to participate in Angus Reid surveys (their site only allows Canadian IPs to participate), so instead I’ve been getting my polling participation…
Important Issues, Sound Science, Real Change
I was asked at a talk I gave at Leeds Skeptics in the Pub on Monday what lesson I would import to the UK from Canadian skepticism. My answer was…
Skeptic with an Eh?
Seeing a gap in the Leed’s Skeptics in the Pub event for September, I volunteer to give a talk on the skeptical movement in Canada. Here are the details if…
A pox on (some of) your houses
Recently, numerous allegations have flown throughout the blogosphere (at least, the portion that I read), identifying numerous high-profile skeptics/atheists/scientists as varying degrees of creepy to rapist. Others have jumped to…
A note on “Skepticism and Gypsy Stereotypes”
Hopefully you took the time to read the article I just posted entitled “Skepticism and Gypsy Stereotypes.” I want to give some backstory to this piece, separate from the article…
Skepticism and Gypsy Stereotypes
By Ian Bushfield and Edwin Hodge At a recent skeptics conference and during a discussion of the sorts of charlatans and frauds that are best known for peddling woo, a…
California Rejects GMO Labeling, and why I approve
You may have missed it, but Barack Obama won re-election Tuesday in what the media wrongly called a very close race. While Mitt Romney was able to score over 70%…
I get email
I don’t get much email (perhaps luckily) but I still get the occasional crank. Floride is poison to ingest and bath in.What part of” fresh, clean water” do they not…
Announcing Bad Science Watch
The promoters of science-based policy in Canada have a new defender. Bad Science Watch, a new Canadian science advocacy group, has issued a challenge to the Canadian government: stick to…
Vancouver’s Freethought Movement Grows
Today was a very good day. This morning the trend of increasingly successful BCHA meetings continued, with just over thirty humanists gathering at the Oakridge Seniors’ Centre for a discussion…
Quacks invade Richmond City Council
Richmond’s city council recently approved a motion to ban genetically-modified crops from being planted in their municipality. Richmond is likely the largest municipality in BC to pass such a ban…
No, I don’t
Look at this photo. What do you see? I see the moon, some clouds, a tree, and an over-exposed light post in the foreground. The Calgary Herald wants to know…
Teach safe sex
I was sent this neat info-graphic that discusses the need for comprehensive sex ed in the USA. We can be a bit more smug here in Canada, but we must…
Canada is screwed in the long term
I’m not found of believing in miracles, but imagine for a second that one happens and after 2015 we have either a NDP or Liberal majority, or even some coalition…
Brand politics
Dan Gardner’s latest article compares the success of the Conservatives and failure of the Liberals in terms of their basic branding message. He argues that one of the keys to…