Some of us never evolved
A Moment in Reason is, for lack of a better description, a short skeptical and rational rant. Topic subjects vary but, with few exceptions, every episode of A Moment in Reason is a brief comment on that subject.
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Green Hypocrisy - Comments on the cognitive dissidence and hypocrisy of
the climate change ideology.
Something to Consider - A historical speech that I found interesting.
Christmas 2008 - A thank you to listeners, my view of and celebration of
Christmas and a holiday parody song.
Original Crackpot Index -
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/crackpot.html
A simple method
for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to medicine.
Start with a -5 point starting credit. Any positive rating will indicate
the level of crackpot you are most likely dealing with.
1 point for
every statement that is widely agreed on to be false.
2 points for
every statement that is clearly vacuous.
3 points for
every statement that is logically inconsistent.
5 points for
each such statement that is adhered to despite careful correction.
5 points for
using a thought experiment that contradicts the results of a widely
accepted real experiment.
5 points for
each word in all capital letters (except for those with defective
keyboards).
5 points for
each mention of "Big Pharma", "The Cancer Industry", "The HIV
Industry" or claims that imply such.
10 points for
each claim that modern medicine is fundamentally misguided (without
good evidence).
10 points for
pointing out that you have gone to school, as if this were evidence
of sanity.
10 points for
pointing out that you belong to selective organizations whose
membership is determined by a high IQ.
10 points for
claiming that some form of alternative medicine cured you when
conventional medical treatment failed. (10 more for emphasizing that
you cured it on your own.)
10 points for
claiming you have a revolutionary cure for a disease or diseases but
giving no concrete, testable or verifiable sources of a legitimate
nature.
10 points for
claiming that any legitimate medical treatment with a similar
sounding name, containing terms similar or procedures similar to the
alternative medicine you support is support for the claims of your
alternative medicine.
10 points for
claiming to be more an authority in medicine than anyone questioning
your claims even though you are not a doctor or similarly skilled
physician.
10 points for
arguing that a current well-established theory is "only a theory",
as if this were somehow a point against it.
10 points for
arguing that while a current well-established theory predicts
phenomena correctly, it doesn't explain "why" they occur, or fails
to provide a "mechanism".
10 points for
claiming that your work is on the cutting edge of a "paradigm shift"
or of such worth that it has been stolen from you by others. (10
more points if they became millionaires from such a theft.)
20 points for
emailing me and complaining about the crackpot index. (E.g., saying
that it "suppresses original thinkers" or saying that I am working
for “Big Pharma”.)
20 points for
claiming that the FDA has declared “war” on your particular form of
alternative medicine. (10 more point for also claiming the FDA is
actively spreading “disinformation” about your particular form of
alternative medicine.)
20 points for
every use of science fiction works, medical myths or medically
erroneous claims as if they were fact.
20 points for
defending yourself by bringing up (real or imagined) ridicule
accorded to your past theories.
20 points for
naming a prominent person in the medical or biotech fields or
research who supports your claims. (10 more if the same person is
claimed by you to have once had their alternative medical researched
stopped by the FDA, AMA, Big Pharma, etc.)
20 points for
talking about how great your favorite alternative medicine is, but
never actually supporting it by verifiable research from a
legitimate source.
30 points for
comparing those who argue against your alternative medicine claims
to Stormtroopers, Brownshirts or Nazis.
30 points for
claiming that if a person agrees with someone else who disagrees
with your alternative medical claims that the person in question is
a sockpuppet. Thanks goes out to TheDoc from the
forums at Physorg.com for that one.
30 points for
claiming that the "medical establishment" is engaged in a
"conspiracy" to prevent your particular form of alternative medicine
from gaining its well-deserved fame or similar recognition.
40 points for
claiming that when your particular form of alternative medicine is
finally appreciated, present-day medicine, pharmaceuticals, the FDA,
the AMA, and similar organizations will be seen for the sham it
truly is. (30 more points for fantasizing about show trials in which
doctors, scientists and the like who mocked your claims or people
who questioned your claims will be forced to recant.)
50 points for
going to research sites or support site for diseases and chronic
ailments and suggesting people so afflicted should use a certain
type of alternative medicine. (10 more if it is a form of
alternative medicine that you yourself use).
50 points for
causing more harm to a person by recommending your particular form
of alternative medicine.
1000 if you kill someone
due to such a recommendation. Thanks goes out
to Occidnetal also from the
forums at Physorg.com for that
suggestion.
Crackpot Index: Alternative Medicine Version - A list of common claims
from the supporters of alternative medicine and related snake oil and a way to
rate them.
Religious Win in the 2008 Elections - How religion won big in the 2008
elections.
Ben Stein's Hypocrisy - Expelled, Ben Stein's hypocrisy and the new
Intelligent Design and Creation Science push.
Politics, Polarization & Religion - The use of religion by and the
deification of Obama and the irrational and stereotypical theistic reactions of
his supporters.
End of Summer - Getting the podcasts back up and running, a change to
one podcast and the launch of a new one.
The Negative Impact of the Americans With Disabilities Act -
The negative impact of the Americans With Disabilities Act, litigious abuses,
unreasonable demands and the eventual and desired effect on the Internet.
Web 2.0 Arrogance - Misunderstanding of what Web 2.0 is
and arrogance from both users and professionals using the web.
The Hatred of Ron Paul - The seeming conditioned hatred of
Ron Paul by Republicans and Democrats.
Delays, Setbacks and Corrections...
- Podcast delays and a correction.
The Christian Battle Against Islam
- In their battle against fundamentalist Islam, Christians risk
becoming just as great a threat.
So This Is Kwanzaa
- Details surrounding the creator of Kwanzaa and its violent
roots.
Who Defines Atheism
- The archaic strawman definition of atheism versus the reality
of how atheists see themselves.
Respecting the Troops
- The disparity between the respect the politically left claim to
have for our men and women of the military and what is illustrated by their
actions.
Applying Affirmative Action to History
- Misrepresenting the accomplishments of black
inventors and scientists at the risk of tarnishing the reputation of all black
inventors and scientists.
The Police State - Just a few common sense questions
regarding the violations of freedom by police that we accept and a few sites
that track police abusing their authority and civilians.
PETA - Recent trial of PETA employees killing and dumping
animals, PETA's lies about animal shelters and PETA's record of killing
most of the animals they take in.
TSGP September Update - An update regarding changes to the
Shallow Gene Pool podcasts and website and the launch of a new podcast,
Rejection Letter Audio.
Conflict Over Climate Change -
Comments on the emotional and
political ideology of climate change, the equating of skeptics to holocaust
deniers and legitimate questions from a skeptic.
Scientology - A commentary about the people who attack the Church
of Scientology.
Supernatural World - What type of world do you think you live in?
Torture, Cruelty and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Are you are a victim of torture and you don't even know it?
Free Speech and Civility Part 2
- Political speech, civil debate and hatred.
Secular Islamic Summit
- Comments on the
recent Secular Islamic Summit and C.A.I.R.
TSGP Website update & podcast lecture
- An update of the
Shallow Gene Pool website and a quick informative course regarding podcasting
and some misconceptions.
What Comes Around
- Democrats afraid of comedians? Why?
Uncomfortable Questions - Was the Death Star Attack an Inside Job?
The Latest Addiction - Cutting edge research into the addictive nature of
tanning.
Justifiable Crimes - Justifiable Crimes and the "heroes" who
commit them.
Mexico’s Migra - Mexico’s Migra and Immigrant Hypocrisy.
Bioprospecting - Bioprospecting in national parks for
beneficial use in agriculture, medicine or for general commercial use and the
environmentalists that want to stop it completely.
RIAA’s New Deal - RIAA's new plans to persecute more
frightened teenagers, the recently departed and you. Gizmodo.com's
RIAA boycott.
Free Speech For Only The Proper Type Of Speech -
Speech code censorship, the Fairness Doctrine and its effect on the internet and
podcasting.
Why Are You Worried About Wal-Mart? - Hypocrisy of
those who stand against Wal-Mart and supporting your local businesses.
A Commentary About Atheists - A few simple facts
regarding atheist, how society sees them and there actions in comparison to the
"moral" theists in our society.
Paganism The Other Other Religion - The reality of
this alternative "religion".
Kill Your Children The Vegan Way - The
negative ramifications of vegan and vegetarian diets upon children and adults.
God Save Me From Your Faithful - One of the most
insulting phrases uttered by Christians.
The God Jehovah Wants Your Penis - The reason behind
medically sanctioned genital mutilation.
Mars Anomaly Research - Skulls and other anomalies
found on Mars.
Follow the Peace Loving Religion of Islam or Die.
Concarvinores - Militant Vegetarians.
What Christians Believe - What Christians believe as
viewed through Kent Hovind logic.
Violent Arab Religions - The violent religions of
Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the modern secular nature of the latter two and
the need to secularize the first.
Unrestricted Marriage - ‘Nuff said?
A Virginia Atheist in King George's Court - Our
President’s faith and actions, the secular left’s similar actions. So what
is the difference?
9/11 Conspiracy Theory Special - 9/11 Conspiracy
Theory, two special “tuthers” and the movie 9/11 Eyewitness.
Free Speech and Civility - The Bush
assassination movie, political speech & civil debate.
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