The Twentieth Meeting of the Skeptics Circle

The Twentieth Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle has been posted at The Uncredible Hallq. Take a break from the usual credulity of the blogosphere to appreciate bloggers who are trying to apply critical thinking and science to claims that desperately cry out for such treatment. Chris has done a fine job of lining up a variety of skeptical professors to teach at the College of Skepticism.

Next up on November 10 is Pooflingers Anonymous, an up-and-coming skeptical blog. I just hope that Matt has recovered from the epic task he took upon himself and recently completed. The task? Sitting through and then debunking 12 Kent Hovind videotapes about evolution, a task he calls The Hovind Files: Lying for Jesus. Such concentrated exposure to such an enormous amount of antiscientific creationist twaddle can tax even the most dedicated skeptic. On the other hand, Matt sure made a name for himself.

I have to give Matt a lot of credit, though. Having tried to listen to the InfidelGuy's interview with Kent Hovind (iTunes required), I realize just how big a bullet Matt took for the team, skeptically speaking. That was a .44 Magnum slug! I couldn't get through more than about 15 minutes of Hovind's blathering and asking if you "came from a rock" or "came from a monkey" before I couldn't stand it anymore and had to turn it off in order to preserve what little remains of my sanity. I could feel my neurons dying after just a brief exposure. Personally, if I'm going to kill off any of the neurons in my brain, I'd rather do it in a pleasurable fashion, perhaps by drinking some good beer, rather than listening to someone like Hovind. Matt must be made of sterner (or crazier) stuff.

Finally, as always, I'm looking for hosts. If you think you'd like to host a Skeptics' Circle, drop me a line at oracknows@gmail.com. The schedule and guidelines are here and here.

Reminder

Just a reminder: There's one week to go before the next edition of the Skeptics' Circle. It will be held on Thursday, October 27 at The Uncredible Hallq. Get your best skeptical blogging submitted to him before Wednesday night and join us for the festivities. I suspect that, with the legal proceedings going on in Dover these days, that there will be a lot to say about some of the more ridiculous statements emanating from the pro-ID side...

And, as always, Orac sez: If you're a blogger and want to host a future edition of the Circle, drop me a line at oracknows@gmail.com. The guidelines and schedule are here, with more detailed guidelines (for the hardcore) here.

The Nineteenth Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle

The Nineteenth Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle has been called to order at Time to Lean. Let's give Kelly a hand for overcoming great adversity to put together another fine collection of skeptical blogging, hosted by, well, I'll let Kelly tell the tale:

Hear ye, hear ye! Welcome, all you bums and rabblerowsers to the 19th Skeptic's Circle, hosted by me, carny and reformed convict, Bill "Leatherface" Jones, which features many skeptical acts all over the midway!


Says Leatherface, haggard, complete with the stench of vodka, "There was some grift over at Time to Lean, but I got something up my sleeve for those hooligans who did the crime: Cold, mean skepticism served with a wrinkled face and a furrowed brow. Step right up if you dare to compete, you marks....you townies! What are you...chicken?"

Kelly's right. Skepticism really is a dish best served up cold.

Before I rush off to the O.R., let me just mention that next up for the Twentieth Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle is The Uncredible Hallq. He'll be here in a fortnight with another collection of the best skepticism the blogosphere has to offer.

As always, the schedule of past and future Meetings of the Skeptics' Circle is here. If you have a blog and think you have what it takes to host, drop me a line at oracknows@gmail.com, and I'll see about getting you on the schedule.

Skepticism is a dish best served cold--like vengeance

Great news. Kelly is going to host this week's Skeptics' Circle after all. She has Time to Lean up and running again, albeit still missing many posts (kind of like the Enterprise running only on impulse power). It turns out her soon-to-be ex deleted her blog and messed with her e-mail accounts. I did not reveal this last night for privacy reasons, but now that she's mentioned it on her own blog I no longer feel constrained from openly wondering what kind of a petty little lame-ass would do something like that.

Fortunately, Kelly's a trooper and plans on continuing. Unfortunately, if you sent her an entry Monday night, she may not have gotten it. I've forwarded everything sent to me on to Kelly, but that doesn't necessarily mean she got it. So, if you sent in your submission last night or this morning, you might want to consider sending it again. Help her get up to warp speed again.

Skeptics' Circle emergency announcement

This week's host of the Skeptics' Circle, Kelly, has informed me that she is having serious technical difficulties with her blog, Time to Lean, which is presently inaccessible and may have even been deleted. More details will be forthcoming just as soon as I learn them, and there may come a need to change where the carnival is posted this week.

In the meantime, in the 45 hours or so remaining before the deadline, if you have not done so already, please send your entries to Kelly at kellyann0198@yahoo.com or to me at oracknows@gmail.com.

Under new management

Due to St. Nate's decision to depart from the blogosphere in July, the Skeptics' Circle is now under new management. My thoughts on how the Circle should be run from now on, which complement Nate's original guidelines, can be found here. Over the next few weeks, I will be revamping this page as I get the time. In the meantime, far more importantly, I'm on the lookout for hosts. If you're interested in hosting the Skeptics' Circle, contact me, Orac, at oracknows@gmail.com.

And check back here for updates and a schedule of past, present, and future Skeptics' Circles.