Podcast | Contact Us | About Us | Artwork
 

Subscribe to the Podcast:
Podcast RSS RSS 10 most recent episode
Podcast RSS RSS Full episode list
ITunes 10 most recent

Podcast Artwork
The Dumbass Media Empire

Friend of Amateur Skeptics
Rational Alchemy
The Dumbasses Guide to Knowledge
SSASS
Warning Radio
AgentOfDoubt
An Evening with an Atheist
Atheists For Humanity
A Skeptics Guide To Conspiracy

Up coming for the Amateur Skeptics
Calendar

Placebo Band – North America


7/16/2013

Duration: 00:52:58

Challenges ASPC 089


Download
Show Notes:


Colorado Secular Conference -Terrie

Taken from Matthew Baxter’s Facebook-

So, six months after the fact, we get an hate email from someone about debunking the Aliens Over Denver broadcast on Fox 31 News. Here is the email and my response to it:

Hi,

I'm amused by your "debunking" of the FOX News UFO sighting. Usually, paranormal research and UFO research are pretty related fields. If you want to be respected for having an opinion in a field of research, I suggest not having an obvious personal bias. Clearly you are against the entire UFO research field entirely, being that all you have done is "debunk" which any skeptic knows is an obvious nod to an apposing fixed belief. (The "crossed out alien" logo isn't helping!) It's truly laughable, being that the Paranormal research field yields a fraction of the evidence that the UFO field does and yet you spend countless money, effort and belief investigating that. Perhaps if you put your belief aside and spent the same energy and open mind on investigating the UFO phenomenon, then you would understand how silly it is to conduct attacks on the field in general. Finally, your attempts to disprove the video in question were futile. They did nothing to disprove the initial footage. Just because it 'could be a bug', does not mean that it for sure is, just as it is unknown from any other angle.

lol

Hi back,

Thank you so much for your input about our methods. You have shown us a great deal of insight about how people view us and that is very important to us. You have opened our eyes to where we have failed on several points but I will only address a few of them here.

First off, you have shown us that we did not take the time to define "debunk" with you. To debunk something is only to illustrate where it fails to show iron-clad evidence of whatever it is claiming to be. It is not an end-all-be-all defining statement. We were only showing that bugs are more likely a solution and would need to be definitively ruled out before jumping to other more unlikely conclusions.

Second, we failed to personally inform you that we are not "believers" of ghosts and "haters" of the UFO research field. We research claims of paranormal (outside normal) activity. This area includes ghosts, demons, cryptozoology, UFOs, aliens, alternative medicine, psychics, and other supernatural subjects.

Third, we oppose all fixed beliefs to some extent because that precludes an open mind. We actually approach our investigations with an open mind.

Forth, understand that we have no interest in convincing those that make the claims and the people with their own fixed beliefs about the claims. All we try to do is give a wider perspective to those on the sideline. It is not fair when people come forth with less than convincing evidence and proclaim it to be the smoking gun. We all need a bit more critical thought. Many people in the UFO field only reserve skepticism for our government, which quickly turns into fixed beliefs as well.

Understand also that we take all claims on their own merits. The crossed out alien logo was designed for a specific case that we worked on and does not apply to all aliens. I, myself, am married to an alien and would never want her crossed out.

Again, thank you. Your email demonstrated that the typical person that takes the time to write a hate email over six months after the subject was even news, shows that we need to be more aware and charitable to those with no ability to discern between magic land and reality.

Keep on keeping on,

Baxter

Looking for Conspiracies in all the wrong places:

Stonehenge Construction - 1954 - Ian

History of Stonehenge - Ian

The Black Knight (1954) - Ian

Google Doodle from Monday - Bryan

Condom Challenge:

http://condomchallenge.com/

Diet Coke and Mentos Challenge

Video 1Video 2

RED BULL AND MILK CHALLENGE!

Video 1

The Masturbation Challenge

The Masturbation Challenge? Are you up to do it?

Cinnamon Challenge :

Seasonforcunts Cinnamon Challenge

Glozell1 Cinnamon Challenge

SteveJoLo Cinnamon Challenge

Matthew Collins defeats the Cinnamon Challenge

What is the Cinnamon Challenge

http://www.cinnamonchallenge.com

Warning about Cinnamon challenge

Report Outlines Dangers of “Cinnamon Challenge”

American Association of Poison Control Centers

5 Reasons Not To Take The Cinnamon Challenge

The Cinnamon Challenge Lands Many Children In Hospital

Cinnamon Challenge: Doctors Issue Warning Against Dangerous Trend

EXTREME GHOST PEPPER CHALLENGE

EXTREME GHOST PEPPER CHALLENGE 12 Naga Bhut Jolokia Peppers ReactionResponseKing

Two Girls Eat a Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia Chile): Hottest Pepper in the World

Extreme Cayenne Pepper Challenge

Extreme Cayenne Pepper Challenge Fail! Plus Slow Mo

People eating Hot Peppers -Terrie

Johnny and June sing about pepper sprout

Salt and Ice challenge:

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/salt-and-ice-challenge

Salt and Ice Challenge ... W/ Lipstick on her teeth ... GloZell

Dangers

Kids hurting themselves by doing the salt and ice challenge

Experts: Don’t Try “Salt and Ice Challenge”

Salt and Ice Challenge
Why do they use salt to melt ice on the road in the winter?


Subscribe to the Podcast RSS

*