Welcome Back from the 19th Century
Published in: Other Claims In Question by Ted Goas | Discuss
I recently stumbled upon the website for New Mexicans for Science and Reason. Thanks to Kylie Sturgess over at PodBlack Blog for bringing this to our attention. For more background information you may refer to this article on USA Today’s website.
I was able to find a page called Best and Worst of the Year Awards, a compilation of outrageous claims and blunders, many of which have been publicly debunked by skeptics. After taking a gallop through the 2007 list, I thought it might be amusing to throw up a personal highlight reel from NMSR’s list.
- The “Welcome Back from the 19th Century” Award goes to Kansas, which finally restored evolution science to state school standards. (February)
- The “If It Sounds True, It IS” Award goes to PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility), who at the very end of 2006 reported that “Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees.” Although this claim was quickly debunked by several sources, including Michael Shermer, it was never corrected by PEER, and went on to be memorialized in a Doonesbury cartoon strip. (January)
- The “Thanks, Chaps, for Helping the US Not To Look TOO Ridiculous” Award goes to Canadian and British Defence Ministers. The Brit official was found to have hired psychics to find Osama Bin Laden, while the Canadian minister called on governments worldwide to
reverse-engineer the Roswell alien ship in an effort to stem global warming. (February) - The “Remind Me To Avoid Nepal Air” Award goes to Nepal’s
state-run airline, which “sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft.” - The “Masters of (Creation) Science Education” Award goes to the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), whose move to Texas was part of a plan to win Texas accreditation for a
creation-based MS in Science Education degree. (December)
Wait a minute! Is that last one really, umm, real??? I remember needing EVIDENCE to defend my thesis!
Here’s the tally so far in Australia. Anyone can write in for nominations to the list: http://skeptics.com.au/spoon/spoon.htm
Written by Podblack on April 23rd, 2008I’ll have to think of a worthy submission for the Bent Spoon Awards, though I think Wikipedia should be nominated every year…
Written by Ted Goas on April 24th, 2008As per that last bullet about the ICR proposing a masters degree, pharyngula reports that Texas has voted against approving this application. Thank goodness!
Written by Ted Goas on April 24th, 2008Good morning, Mr. Goas. I followed your link from AvC. Wow, your site looks great! No, really! I’m impressed with the layout, and I assume you did it yourself, so kudos! (If not, just pretend, awright?)
Also I just found out that you are a fellow Arizonan, so howdy, neighbor! I live in Green Valley, just S. of Tucson, and it surprised me that, with AvC being quite cosmopolitan in flavor, that two people from the same vicinity would be there, the internet and all that entails, notwithstanding. I’m hoping to move back to Chicago before the end of the year though, mainly because I am feeling a bit guilty for drinking and using water that isn’t from here. I know, kinda weird reason, but I’m retired now, and recently divorced, amicably, so no ties here.
Anyhoo, I’ll make it a point to visit when I can. Good luck in all your endeavors. tom rogers
Written by trog69 on April 24th, 2008