The Virtual Skeptics

This week on the “Virtual Skeptics”…

- Bob brings us a pretty corny story;
- Eve channels Mrs Jesus;
- Sharon wonders, “What IS it with Siberia?”
- and Tim…well, we love Tim.

The panel:

• Brian Gregory – Host and creator of Virtual Drinking Skeptically
• Eve Siebert – Editor and blogger at Skeptical Humanities
• Bob Blaskiewicz – Committee for Skeptical Inquiry’s Conspiracy Guy web columnist, JREF Swift Blog contributor, and blogger for Skeptical Humanities
• Sharon Hill – Editor of Doubtful News and author of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry’s Sounds Sciencey web column
• Tim Farley – JREF Fellow, creator of whatstheharm.net and skeptools.com

Bob’s Links

• The original GMO “study”:http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm
• Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/french-scientists-question-safety-of-gm-corn/2012/09/19/d2ed52e4-027c-11e2-8102-ebee9c66e190_blog.html
• Mike Adam’s characteristically level-headed response: http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html
• CRIIGEN (Committee for Research and Independent Information on Genetic Engineering) website: http://www.criigen.org/SiteEn/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=52&Itemid=103
• Science Media Centre criticisms of the study: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/pages/press_releases/12-09-19_gm_maize_rats_tumours.htm
• European Food Safety Agency: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/gmo070628.htm
• Forbes’s report: http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/09/20/monsantos-gm-corn-and-cancer-in-rats-real-scientists-deeply-unimpressed-politics-not-science-perhaps/
• Bloomberg Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-25/russia-suspends-import-of-monsanto-corn-on-health-concerns

Eve’s Links

• Karen L. King, ‘“Jesus said to them, “My wife…”’: A New Coptic Gospel Papyrus’ forthcoming in Harvard Theological Review 106:1, Jan. 2013 http://news.hds.harvard.edu/files/King_JesusSaidToThem_draft_0917.pdf
• James ossuary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ossuary
• Jordan lead codices: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Lead_Codices
• Jesus’s wife fragment assembled from text taken from Gospel of Thomas: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/21/gospel-jesus-wife-forgery
• “Harvard claim of Jesus’ wife papyrus scrutinized”: http://news.yahoo.com/harvard-claim-jesus-wife-papyrus-scrutinized-115436251.html
• “Doubts about Jesus’ wife papyrus”: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/under-god/post/doubts-about-jesus-wife-papyrus/2012/09/23/74515ef0-05e3-11e2-a10c-fa5a255a9258_blog.html
• “Harvard journal: Jesus’ ‘wife’ papyrus unverified: http://news.yahoo.com/harvard-journal-jesus-wife-papyrus-unverified-003651763.html
• “Christian Scholars Not Fazed by ‘Gospel of Jesus’ Wife”: http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-scholars-not-fazed-by-gospel-of-jesus-wife-81974/

Sharon’s Links

• Interview for CSICon http://www.csiconference.org/more-interview-hill.php
• Russian alien hoax http://news.discovery.com/space/russian-alien-ufo-video-surfaces-110421.html
• Russian Mammoth hoax http://doubtfulnews.com/2012/02/mammoth-video-hoax-original-film-revealed/
• American Scientists Hoodwinked by Russian Yeti event http://doubtfulnews.com/2011/10/american-bigfoot-scientists-and-researchers-felt-hoodwinked-by-russian-yeti-event/
• Petroglyph hoax http://doubtfulnews.com/2012/09/vandalized-petroglyph-story-from-alberta-a-hoax/

Tim’s Links

• Foundation Beyond Belief, Camp Quest & Secular Student Alliance got Chase funds! http://foundationbeyondbelief.org/node/1419
• UwingU also met their funding goal: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/180221
• FourMatch software: http://www.fourandsix.com/fourmatch/
• Read about FishBarrel here:
• http://skeptools.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/skeptical-activism-fishbarrel-asa-trading-standards-complaints-chrome/
• Contact Simon Perry and tell him he needs to update: https://twitter.com/Simon_Perry

Brian’s Links

• Ice Cream Koan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dan

The Virtual Skeptics is an independent production of Doubtful News, WhatsTheHarm.net, Skeptical Humanities, and Brian Gregory. Our logo was designed by Sara Mayhew at SaraMayhew.com. Our theme music is by Tremor and is used with permission.