Science


These articles of mine address the poor state of science education, the persistent intellectual tyranny of religion, and the consequent lack of critical thinking in our country.

Aug. 27, 2006
They Stood at the Foot of the Mount
My family witnesses the ill effect of group-think on hundreds of Disneyland tourists.



Nov. 7, 2006
Silicon Valley Loves Richard Dawkins
Hear the evolutionary scientist's comments to a Who's Who gathering of techno-stars.

Oct 8, 2009
Praying with Richard to the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Richard Dawkins returns to the Valley to raise funds for Reason and Science, and to sign books at Keplers.


Aug. 5, 2006
Blink: The Nonsense of "Thinking Without Thinking"
A less-than-generous book review of the allegedly non-fiction bestseller, why Goerge Bush likely read this book, and suggested alternative reading.





April 19, 2006
CREATED BY A SCHOOL TEACHER!
Read how a scamming couple turns Airborne, a thoroughly untested medical remedy, into a $100m blockbuster product.

Dec 21, 2006
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: Airborne Baloney!
Science mag features my blog.

March 6, 2008
Science prevails! Company loses $23 million verdict in deceptive advertising lawsuit.





A 16 year-old with ADHD busts myths about the mental health epidemic.




October 17, 2010
Magic by Numbers

TV celeb Daniel Gilbert asserts in a NYTimes op-ed that our attraction to certain numbers distorts medical regimens. But his evidence is so shoddy and his thinking so sloppy, that even though my left hand was disabled with carpal tunnel, I had to poke out a one-handed rebuttal...


February 20, 2011
Transcendent Man
This is my review of controversial documentary about the life of uber-inventor Ray Kurzweil, who projects human immortality and the arrival of the Singularity. It was originally published by MIT Technology Review.









October 9, 2008
Militant Avamparists Are So Annoying!
How can you be so sure that vampires and easter bunnies don't exist? Are you really so dogmatic?





January 27, 2008
Con man cashes in on bizarre consipracy theories, and another explains how.




March 26, 2006
Bullshit
Profile of magician Penn Jilette--prompted by my encounter with the celebrity atheist in Vegas--and his expose of bottled drinking water.





July 18, 2007
Dinner with Dawkins and Hitchens
Recap of Dawkins' encore visit to Kepler's and our dinner with Christopher Hitchens.




January 20, 2007
7-Year Old Critical Thinker
What happens when we encourage children to think for themselves?





Dec. 11, 2005
Limits of Rationality: Beware the Paralimbic Cortex
My college roommate, a behavioral economist at Harvard, illustrates how brain structure distorts human calculus of short term versus long term tradeoffs.





Aug. 28, 2005
A "Natural Cure" for the Author's Debts
Confidence artist tops the bestseller list by playing on people's mistrust of corporations.



Oct. 7, 2008
Skeptics Sellout to Christians
Leonard Susskind, Mr. Deity, and a Christian walk into a bar... My notes from a Skepctics Society conference at CalTech.



Aug. 16, 2005
The United States of Almighty-God
What does it say about our country when Time Magazine ignores standards of journalism, pandering to Christians with alleged news on mythological characters?





Feb. 10, 2007
Alyssa Milano: Net Neutrality is Like So Cool
A storm of regulation brews, whipped up by vapid sound bites from anti-experts.



















Jan. 14, 2007
Cheating Death
Geniuses in Singapore and Sirtris show God who's boss.









































March 11, 2007












Reading lists for skeptical grownups and kids.



























Oct 27, 2006
Religion: Even Stevphens
Rabbi sends me Daliy Show video featuring Islam v. Christinaity face-off.



Oct. 27, 2006
Richard Dawkins Coming to Kepler's
Profile of evolutionary scientist Richard Dawkins, prior to his standing-room-only book signing at Kepler's Bookstore.



Sept 5, 2006
Shermer Coming to Kepler's
Profile of Skeptic/Professor/Author/Editor/Producer Michael Shermer, prior to his book signing of Why Darwin Matters.



June 20, 2006
China Pulls Ahead
While US Rep. Westmoreland campaigns on the Colbert Report to post the Ten Commandments in Congress, China invites Stephen Hawking to its Great Hall to lead a debate on physics.



Nov. 22, 2005

Kansas School Board More Religious Than Vatican
Vatican Astronomer rips intelligent design theory.


Nov. 2, 2005
Maybe Harriet Wasn't So Bad
Bush nominates devout Catholic Samuel Alito. Children, learn your prayers.