… and Bad Astronomy, apparently, is one of them. BA was listed as one of the mind-freeing websites at techPersona, an interesting blog about tech and other such things (one entry on mapping tools was for a site I hadn’t heard of called Atlas). BA was listed with Randi’s site, CSICOP, and other top-notch critical thinking hubs. Cool!
If you went to BadAstronomy.com and found yourself here, never fear: the BA Blog has moved to its new home at Discover Blogs. The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking and all that) is still online, too.
Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
Contact me: The Bad Astronomer "at" gmail "dot" com
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| Bad Astronomy is a Wikio Top Blog! Clearly, Wikio has excellent taste. | |
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 | Bad Astronomy was chosen as one of Time.com's Best Blogs of 2009. |
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"Reading this book is like getting punched in the face by Carl Sagan. Frightening, but oddly exhilarating."
-- Daniel H. Wilson, author of How to Survive a Robot Uprising
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April 15th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Confession: I just can’t get into Randi. I’m as big a skeptic as he is, but there’s something about him that rubs me the wrong way. Can’t put my finger on it. It’s just one of those things. Any ideas?
April 15th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
To Quiet_Desperation: Could it be because he does everything to appear as a grumpy old man?
Maybe he is, I don’t know, doesn’t bother me though.
The fact that all anti-science people see him as a thorn in their eye, has only convinced me that he is doing something right.
April 15th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Anyone notice that the Talkorigins.org website has not been updated since October?
April 15th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
When the author of that website says “I’d love to see more such reviews…” I heartily agree. Any plans, Phil, especially for the latest “Sunshine”? I expect that one would be particularly good fodder for the BA’s review.
April 15th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
“there’s something about him that rubs me the wrong way.”
Maybe it’s cuz he beheaded Alice Cooper repeatedly.
April 15th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
>>> Could it be because he does everything to
>>> appear as a grumpy old man?
I don’t think so. I *was* a grumpy old man by the age of 22. Mentally, at least.
April 16th, 2007 at 12:23 am
To Quiet Desperation: That explains it then, grumpy old men don’t like other grumpy old men
April 16th, 2007 at 5:08 am
There should be more Randis around, maybe we would be more on our way to banishing pseudo-sceince where it belongs. In the rubbish bin of history.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:35 am
Quiet D: Possibly the phrase “crusty curmudgeon” should spring to mind. I’ve always liked that as a web site name, as in THE CRUSTY CURMUDGEON, or ALL YOUSE GUYS ARE WOO WOOS,,,but I seriously doubt Randi is THAT crusty. He’s just a smart, rational and somewhat intransigent guy who knows he’s right and has had many bellys full of disgust over the lack of thinking ability of the species. There’s a fine line between arrogant and self confident, self assurance. When confronted by such a one, we may feel we’re under the micro scope and THAT may be the source of your unease.
Personally, I think he’s pretty cool.
GAry 7
April 17th, 2007 at 8:10 am
The only time I saw Randi in action was at Larry King Live, about the most recent Sylvia Browne affair. To me, he came across as a bit of a bully. Now this may have been a one-off, but it makes me share Quiet-Desperation’s reservations.
April 18th, 2007 at 6:38 am
PK, the problem with media circuses like Larry King Live is that if the skeptic doesn’t act like a bully, he gets drowned out by the believer and the “open-minded” host. Randi has found through experience the need to keep the message simple and on point, and to fight for the attention to control the direction of the interview/debate. Ask Phil about being drowned out (i.e. Joe Rogan).
Sometimes Randi comes off a bit harsh or extreme in my opinion, but I appreciate what he does and most of what he has to say.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Sure, Irishman, but if that means you act like a bully you throw away the baby with the bath water. Remember, a public discussion is a form of seduction (not rape
).