related_results_labels_thumbs({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-09-06T13:16:32.901-04:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Mad Skeptic"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"Straddling the line between ivory tower and blue collar.  \nThe notes, comments, and general ramblings of a Gen-X Scientist and Skeptic."},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/posts/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/-/media?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026max-results\u003d6"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/search/label/media"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/-/media/-/media?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026start-index\u003d7\u0026max-results\u003d6"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"30"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"6"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399.post-2521783559383577169"},"published":{"$t":"2010-07-28T23:04:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-07-28T23:08:42.773-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"website"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"internet"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"media"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Matt Drudge and the Right's Utilization of Terror Management Theory"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003eThe right is up to it again. \u0026nbsp;Tonight, after hearing the good news about the ruling against the Arizona immigration law (which is good for two primary reason:1) it's maintaining the sanctity of the Constitution and 2) limitations on the police-state mentality towards \"others\" is being restrained) I decided to see how Matt Drudge was going to portray this historic ruling.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWouldn't you know it, he threw up a picture of someone holding an American flag with the stars replaced by a\u0026nbsp;swastika. \u0026nbsp;Good to see you're as unbiased as ever Drudge....\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, in reading the links on the rest of the page, I realize the majority were anxiety provoking or just plain-old fear mongering and this got me thinking about \u003ca href\u003d\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_management_theory\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTerror Management Theory\u003c/a\u003e. \u0026nbsp;Basically, it states that we behave in certain ways when we are reminded of our mortality. \u0026nbsp;\u003ca href\u003d\"http://doubtreligion.blogspot.com/2009/09/episode-51-dont-fear-reaper.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eReasonable Doubts did an excellent podcast on this topic\u003c/a\u003e. \u0026nbsp;If one is presented with scary stories which contradict your world view you are, in a way, reminded of your own mortality -- or at least your lack of control and that might mean you'll up on the dead end of the stick. \u0026nbsp;This then elicits an emotional response. \u0026nbsp;The United States government -- especially under George W Bush -- has utilized this theory in a way that got us all kinds of great stuff. \u0026nbsp;Just think of the Patriot Act and how that was steam-rolled through Congress. \u0026nbsp;We are still living with that diabolical legislation because of fear. \u0026nbsp;Our fear and the fear of the members of Congress. \u0026nbsp;Bush, Cheney, and their lackies absolutely knew what they were doing with that legislation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorge Orwell certainly understood the premise behind Terror Management Theory even if the theory wouldn't be developed until well after his death. \u0026nbsp;One only needs to read \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452284236?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003d0452284236\"\u003eNineteen Eighty-Four\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src\u003d\"http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;l\u003das2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\u0026amp;a\u003d0452284236\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" /\u003e\u0026nbsp;and the constant fear placed in people's faces each day as Oceania battles both Eurasia and Eastasia and society's constant worry over spies and those who committed \"thought crime\". \u0026nbsp;Micheal Moore (who may know of Terror Management Theory) illustrated Bush and Cheney's usage of fear after 9/11 in his movie \"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005JNEI?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003dB00005JNEI\"\u003eFahrenheit 9/11\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src\u003d\"http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;l\u003das2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\u0026amp;a\u003dB00005JNEI\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" /\u003e\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith this knowledge in hand, I decided to analyze Drudge's page this evening. \u0026nbsp;The following graphic illustrates my examination:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/TFDnrtwwTLI/AAAAAAAACvE/AjHanJdkuag/drudgefear.png\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cimg src\u003d\"http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/TFDnrtwwTLI/AAAAAAAACvE/AjHanJdkuag/drudgefear.png\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"800\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eAs the legend indicates, red represents a scary story or what I consider would be scary to Drudge's base readership (ie Conservatives, etc.), blue represents media stories -- which is what Drudge, ostensibly, intended to originally cover, and green represents general interest stories. \u0026nbsp;There are a couple of stories which are not colored. \u0026nbsp;This lack of coloration is because I didn't know which way to label them or because they could be interpreted on more than one level. \u0026nbsp;Additionally, one story is purple because it is a scary media story. \u0026nbsp;Although a couple pictures were labeled, I did not consider them when I counted things up.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eHere's the analysis:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eOn Drudge's page this evening, he had links to 59 stories (excluding the video link because I viewed it as part and parcel of the Kagan story). \u0026nbsp;Of those 59 stories, 35 or approximately 59% are scary stories. \u0026nbsp;Eleven or about 20% are media stories. \u0026nbsp;There are 7 or approximately 12% general interest stories. \u0026nbsp;The remaining 6 stories represent about 10% of the total. \u0026nbsp;I should point out that I counted my purple story twice -- once for the scary category and once for the media category.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eWhat does this say about Drudge? What can you say beyond that he is a fear monger when more than half of his page is about fear. \u0026nbsp;Could be one of two things as far as I see. \u0026nbsp;My first inclination is that he is attempting to utilize Terror Management Theory on the behalf of his Conservative political agenda. \u0026nbsp;Breitbart has been using it. \u0026nbsp;Bush or Cheney (who ever was really running the show) adeptly used it. \u0026nbsp;Could he be trying to cement the Conservative base and make sure no ideological weaknesses develop? \u0026nbsp;Possibly. \u0026nbsp;My second thought is that Matt Drudge is a scared man. \u0026nbsp;He looks for these stories to feed some kind of a confirmation bias turned profitable web portal. \u0026nbsp;Is he frightened, proverbially cowering in some corner somewhere? \u0026nbsp;He certainly isn't a terribly public person and while that does nothing to suggest he's afraid of everyone else, it does nothing to disprove it either. \u0026nbsp;My belief is that the truth is both\u0026nbsp;possibilities. \u0026nbsp;While Drudge may not fully understand Terror Management, he is good at manipulating emotions by way of the stories he chooses to link to. \u0026nbsp;In doing so, he helps feed the fear out there about those who are different, about change, about political views contrary to his own. \u0026nbsp;Yes he's scared but he wants us all to be scared as well.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4977309212311534399-2521783559383577169?l\u003dwww.themadskeptic.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/2521783559383577169/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d4977309212311534399\u0026postID\u003d2521783559383577169\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/2521783559383577169"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/2521783559383577169"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/2010/07/matt-drudge-and-right-utilization-of.html","title":"Matt Drudge and the Right\u0026#39;s Utilization of Terror Management Theory"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"17303909186244852468"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399.post-8867113889915907623"},"published":{"$t":"2010-07-27T21:52:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-07-27T21:55:00.912-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"media"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"free speech"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"outreach"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Preserving the Holy Racial Sanctity of Our Country"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003eDue to the recent attention being paid by the *ahem* mainstream media to Zionist association with the Illuminati and their hideous plans to take over the world, I thought I'd blow the lid off what those nasty, smelly, hooked-nosed sub-humans are really planning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot only are the Jews all about \u003ca href\u003d\"http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/oliver-stone-controversy/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003emaking Hitler look bad\u003c/a\u003e *shudder*, they already control the World's money and they are probably in bed with the Bilderberg Group. \u0026nbsp;Of course, everyone already knows that Israel called up all the Jews who worked in the World Trade Towers and commanded them not to go to work that day. \u0026nbsp;And, in a vain attempt to garner sympathy from the gullible populace, they are even \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/07/27/Maryland-synagogue-defaced-with-swastikas/UPI-60261280251077/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003espray painting\u0026nbsp;swastikas\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;on their own synagogues. \u0026nbsp;At least that's what the bastion of truth, \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.stormfront.org/forum/t729043/\" target\u003d\"_blank\" rel\u003d\"nofollow\"\u003eStormfront.org\u003c/a\u003e is saying. \u0026nbsp;Well, here it is people, here's the big deal:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Jews are getting us to eat their fiendishly\u0026nbsp;delicious bagels! \u0026nbsp;Did you know that when you eat one of those soft and squishy yet crispy on the outside pastries, you are single-handedly supporting the Zionist occupied world government? \u0026nbsp;I'm surprised Glenn Beck hasn't brought this up yet. \u0026nbsp;It's true!\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf we don't do something soon to protect the sanctity of our country's pure snow white soul, we will be doomed forever! \u0026nbsp;It's already too late on many fronts. \u0026nbsp;Those ape-people from Mexico are planning an invasion and their burritos are already in freezers across this great country of ours. \u0026nbsp;Take a look at history and you'll see the after effects of these invasions of the mud people. \u0026nbsp;Polish sausage can be bought at the local supermarket and those fanatical communist Chinese bastards have set up businesses all across our beloved homeland and are serving up delicious wonton and fried rice? \u0026nbsp;Don't even mention \"french\" fries!\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen will this terror end? \u0026nbsp;I fear for our children because they may never know the bland, vanilla-white world we all grew up in. \u0026nbsp;Pretty soon, we will no longer be able to find white bread in the supermarkets!\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src\u003d\"http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/TE-LTPEk3MI/AAAAAAAACuw/Rlpi5dFv-NA/nazi%20news.png\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"800\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSounds ridiculous doesn't it. \u0026nbsp;Well, it is and those beliefs of the race baiters and racists out their like the Klan or Breitbart are just as ridiculous. \u0026nbsp;It's high time people started making fun of these morons.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4977309212311534399-8867113889915907623?l\u003dwww.themadskeptic.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/8867113889915907623/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d4977309212311534399\u0026postID\u003d8867113889915907623\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/8867113889915907623"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/8867113889915907623"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/2010/07/preserving-holy-racial-sanctity-of-our.html","title":"Preserving the Holy Racial Sanctity of Our Country"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"17303909186244852468"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399.post-1589539828220147366"},"published":{"$t":"2010-07-23T11:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-07-23T22:00:56.307-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"misinformation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"internet"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"government"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"media"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"What the Media and the Obama Administration Could Learn from Skeptics"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"float: right;\" title\u003d\"Burning-cross2.jpg\" src\u003d\"http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/TEmt8yChmRI/AAAAAAAACuI/iOStJ8K8Agc/Burning-cross2.jpg\" alt\u003d\"Burning-cross2.jpg\" width\u003d\"420\" height\u003d\"340\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnless you have been living under a rock, camping, coming out of coma, or read the Drudge Report or watch Fox News, you are almost certainly aware of the \u003ca class\u003d\"vt-p\" href\u003d\"http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2010/07/21/shirley-sherrod-and-the-right-a-day-that-will-live-in-infamy/\"\u003esmear job done on Shirley Sherrod by Andrew Breitbart\u003c/a\u003e. \u0026nbsp;A more flagrant example of deliberate racist\u0026nbsp;propaganda\u0026nbsp;has not been perpetrated on the National psyche (at least to my knowledge which, honestly, is somewhat limited) in a very long time. \u0026nbsp;Essentially, Breitbart wanted to get back at the NAACP for their observation that the Tea Party harbors blatant racists. \u0026nbsp;Now, this is a fact which is irrefutable. \u0026nbsp;Evidence has been collected by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and they write about it on their blog, \u003ca class\u003d\"vt-p\" href\u003d\"http://www.splcenter.org/blog/\"\u003eHatewatch\u003c/a\u003e. \u0026nbsp;Now, don't expect this blog to be only about the Tea Party -- they only play a partial role. \u0026nbsp;SPLC equally covers all hate groups and their associations and I strongly recommend anyone reading my blog to take some time out of their day to read an article or two. \u0026nbsp;You will be disgusted at the level of ignorance still present in the United States of America.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI really don't want to write about Breitbart. \u0026nbsp;He has been called the \"Goebbels of the Right\" for is usage of misinformation, editing, rumors, and lies. \u0026nbsp;All of which are intended to benefit his\u0026nbsp;Conservative\u0026nbsp;political agenda. \u0026nbsp;Unfortunately, Fox News eagerly laps up whatever he is serving and then vomits it back out to a larger audience. \u0026nbsp;Fox News, like Breitbart is garbage in my opinion. \u0026nbsp;I don't care how glossy they are and certainly don't care how loud they yell on television they cater to the basest and disgusting of human fears. \u0026nbsp;They and Breitbart are part of the same agenda-driven machine. \u0026nbsp;\u003ca class\u003d\"vt-p\" href\u003d\"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#38372844\"\u003eAs Rachael Maddow recently put it -- it's no surprise the Fox News does what Fox News does\u003c/a\u003e. \u0026nbsp;It is nothing new. \u0026nbsp;And, like Rachael Maddow, I find what is most unsettling is that the Obama administration took this misinformation seriously.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Skeptics, we are well aware of one's ability to self-deceive and it implications upon behavior. \u0026nbsp;We are also well aware of the many, many ways data can be misrepresented, falsified, or fabricated. \u0026nbsp;Had the Obama administration been even remotely skeptical of information coming from a profoundly questionable source, I doubt Shirley Sherrod would have been fired. \u0026nbsp;This is something Skeptics can teach the world -- follow your sources, question everything, and never accept anything on face value. \u0026nbsp;Oh yeah -- think for yourself.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBreitbart edited a real video to make is appear as if Sherrod is a racist when, in fact, she was explaining how she wasn't and the thought process she went through. \u0026nbsp;While the rest of the world is examining this obfuscation what are Breitbart, Drudge, and Fox News trying to do? \u0026nbsp;They're trying to frame Obama as a racist because someone in his administration acted too quickly in firing an employee. \u0026nbsp;Yes that is wrong but I seriously doubt Obama is a racist. \u0026nbsp;The Breitbart, Drudge, Fox information chain has already proven itself unreliable and it continues to do so in their attempt at maintaining some race-based power structure. \u0026nbsp;Fox and Friends still has not run a correction about the Sherrod story. \u0026nbsp;Drudge is only running with the \"Obama race troubles\" line and Breitbart is continuing to be a cock sucker. \u0026nbsp;As of the writing of this article, he hasn't apologized or run a correction. \u0026nbsp;Instead, he's tried to pass the buck, posted the full video, and then re-doubled his efforts to smear Obama. \u0026nbsp;Sounds like a true-believer to me and we all know that true believers are immune to reality.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo here's my message to the Obama administration and the mainstream media -- start reading some Skeptic blogs and websites. \u0026nbsp;Learn about the Scientific Method and the concept of testing a hypothesis. \u0026nbsp;Hopefully, you will learn something and won't be snookered by these agenda-driven con-artists the next time.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWell, I can hope can't I?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4977309212311534399-1589539828220147366?l\u003dwww.themadskeptic.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/1589539828220147366/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d4977309212311534399\u0026postID\u003d1589539828220147366\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/1589539828220147366"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/1589539828220147366"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/2010/07/what-media-and-obama-administration.html","title":"What the Media and the Obama Administration Could Learn from Skeptics"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"17303909186244852468"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399.post-6739720436997301981"},"published":{"$t":"2010-07-15T22:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-07-15T22:05:31.243-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"parenting"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"media"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Children's Entertainment -- Busytown Mysteries"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001L1CNIY?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003dB001L1CNIY\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"float: right;\" src\u003d\"http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/TD-9gs6dnkI/AAAAAAAACso/rt31fuW2_NQ/51mqGVsKcaL._SL500_AA300_.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"300\" height\u003d\"300\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eLooking for something to help teach your child critical thinking skills at an early age? \u0026nbsp;Good luck. \u0026nbsp;There really isn't a lot of stuff on the television that goes out of it's way to demonstrate cause and effect, the scientific method, or critical thinking. \u0026nbsp;What's on t.v. tends to be aimed at other skill sets, is just fluff (i.e. Sponge Bob -- even if it is really funny), or downright awful (i.e. Veggie Tales -- which seeks to brainwash your kids into being good christian minions).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI'm really not familiar with a lot of the different shows out there mainly due to the fact I don't have television in the apartment. \u0026nbsp;I gave up cable to save money and I don't get any reception inside (thick stone walls). \u0026nbsp;Consequently, I can't take credit for this 'discovery'. \u0026nbsp;My daughter picked out \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001L1CNIY?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003dB001L1CNIY\"\u003eHurray for Huckle: Zooming Around Busytown\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src\u003d\"http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;l\u003das2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\u0026amp;a\u003dB001L1CNIY\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" /\u003e\u0026nbsp;when we were returning some Redbox DVDs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusytown Mysteries follows around a group of friends who are led by a cat named Huckle. \u0026nbsp;These characters might be familiar to many as the show is based on the books by \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;location\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fentity%2FRichard-Scarry%2FB000AQ3290%3Fie%3DUTF8%26ref_%3Dsr%5Ftc%5F2%5F0%26qid%3D1279245838%26sr%3D8-2-ent\u0026amp;tag\u003dalbanygoths-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003dur2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\"\u003eRichard Scarry\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src\u003d\"https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dalbanygoths-20\u0026amp;l\u003dur2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" /\u003e. \u0026nbsp;Each episode has some kind of a mystery that is solved at the end by the friends. \u0026nbsp;What make's the show really good is they show the characters coming up with ideas and then testing them. \u0026nbsp;As each hypothesis fails, they modify their thinking until the answer is found. \u0026nbsp;Sound familiar? \u0026nbsp;It's the scientific method for toddlers!\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy daughter gave the show rave reviews which -- in 3 year old terms -- means she sat still and was adsorbed in this cartoon. \u0026nbsp;When the show was over, there were a lot of questions and that is always a good thing. \u0026nbsp;I make a habit of watching whatever I'm letting my daughter watch so I can attest to the fact that she loved this cartoon. \u0026nbsp;I wouldn't be surprized if the insipid \"Barbie and the Nutcracker\" is forgotten forever (a father can dream).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo, if you have a little one -- probably second grade and younger -- I strongly recommend renting or buying this DVD or any from \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;location\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26x%3D0%26ref_%3Dnb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%26fsc%3D9%26ih%3D9%5F2%5F3%5F0%5F0%5F1%5F3%5F0%5F0%5F1.69%5F140%26y%3D0%26field-keywords%3Dbusytown%2520mysteries%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003dur2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\"\u003ethe series\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src\u003d\"https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;l\u003dur2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" /\u003e. \u0026nbsp;It is well written, geared toward a little kid's attention span, is brightly colored, and it really teaches critical thinking. \u0026nbsp;One weird thing though; the kids in the cartoon drive cars. \u0026nbsp;I hope my little one doesn't get any wise ideas.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4977309212311534399-6739720436997301981?l\u003dwww.themadskeptic.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/6739720436997301981/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d4977309212311534399\u0026postID\u003d6739720436997301981\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/6739720436997301981"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/6739720436997301981"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/2010/07/children-entertainment-busytown.html","title":"Children\u0026#39;s Entertainment -- Busytown Mysteries"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"17303909186244852468"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399.post-1329149864207215557"},"published":{"$t":"2010-07-04T16:59:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-07-04T17:14:55.900-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"law"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"civics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"government"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"media"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"free speech"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"politics"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Happy Fourth of July! The USA and BP are Fucking Over Your Rights"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ci\u003eCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or \u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003eabridging the freedom of speech, or of the press\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/b\u003e; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e--First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cimg src\u003d\"http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/TDDwdtFFvsI/AAAAAAAACTE/zky4eRcqfh0/4c30ef6c28fea.png\" align\u003d\"right\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"@ebertchicago\"\u003eFUCK the Government and their corporate financiers.  On the very day the United States of America celebrates it's INDEPENDENCE from the British monarchy, I find this little nugget from @ebertchicago (seriously, if you haven't followed him yet, you are missing out):\u003cp\u003eBeing a supporter of the first amendment, i went to the link and now embed it below. You can feel Anderson Cooper's indignation through the screen:\u003c/p\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cobject width\u003d\"480\" height\u003d\"385\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"movie\" value\u003d\"http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/uXsmLMV1CrM\u0026amp;hl\u003den_US\u0026amp;fs\u003d1?rel\u003d0\u0026amp;color1\u003d0x3a3a3a\u0026amp;color2\u003d0x999999\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"allowFullScreen\" value\u003d\"true\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"allowscriptaccess\" value\u003d\"always\"\u003e\u003cembed src\u003d\"http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/uXsmLMV1CrM\u0026amp;hl\u003den_US\u0026amp;fs\u003d1?rel\u003d0\u0026amp;color1\u003d0x3a3a3a\u0026amp;color2\u003d0x999999\" type\u003d\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" allowscriptaccess\u003d\"always\" allowfullscreen\u003d\"true\" width\u003d\"480\" height\u003d\"385\"\u003e\u003c/embed\u003e\u003c/object\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003eThis behavior is absolutely unforgivable.  Now is the time to raise our voices and let the Government know that this sort of action is inappropriate.  I am not an alarmist by any stretch of the imagination but it does follow the series of event which were outlined in \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452284236?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003d0452284236\"\u003eGeorge Orwell's 1984\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg src\u003d\"http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;l\u003das2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\u0026amp;a\u003d0452284236\" width\u003d\"1\" height\u003d\"1\" border\u003d\"0\" alt\u003d\"\" style\u003d\"border:none !important; margin:0px !important;\"\u003e.  It's simple, use a tragedy to secure more power for the state.\u003cp\u003eI don't like this precedent.  While I have no love for CNN or most broadcast networks, they are the press in today's modern society and the Government is taking a giant shit on them -- especially when there is not enough coverage of just how fucked up Louisiana is thanks to BP.  I sincerely hope the media outlets put aside their partisan and competitive bickering and file a lawsuit against Obama and the Coast Guard post haste.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI said it before but it bares repeating again: It's the Fourth of July!  If there wasn't a prime opportunity for the fantasy-prone out their to start cooking up conspiracy theories about cover up -- this is as sure as my (present) existence going to provide the conditions.  The difference is that there may actually be a cover up.  Time will tell.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the mean time, write your Senators, and Representatives and demand that this foolishness stop and the American People be allowed to see just how BP has ruined one of our National treasures and just how badly the Federal Government has failed in its response.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4977309212311534399-1329149864207215557?l\u003dwww.themadskeptic.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/1329149864207215557/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d4977309212311534399\u0026postID\u003d1329149864207215557\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/1329149864207215557"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/1329149864207215557"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/2010/07/happy-fourth-of-july-usa-and-bp-are.html","title":"Happy Fourth of July! The USA and BP are Fucking Over Your Rights"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"17303909186244852468"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"},"georss$point":{"$t":"29.84064389983441 -87.890625"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4977309212311534399.post-4951092528097650432"},"published":{"$t":"2010-05-21T21:49:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-05-21T21:49:39.036-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"books"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"media"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"woo"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Review:  Joe Nickell's Real Life X-Files"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d'margin-bottom: 0in'\u003e\u003ca href\u003d'http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813122104?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003d0813122104'\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d'float: right; width: 200px; height: 305px; ' src\u003d'http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PqiPgKVm1uI/S_c3XPMWbjI/AAAAAAAABTI/0DvPh-U7drc/4195FR4KY9L._SL160_.jpg' border\u003d'0'/\u003e\u003c/a\u003eI recently finished reading Joe Nickell's \u003ca href\u003d'http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813122104?ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;tag\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003das2\u0026amp;camp\u003d1789\u0026amp;creative\u003d390957\u0026amp;creativeASIN\u003d0813122104'\u003eReal-Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal\u003c/a\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' style\u003d'border:none !important; margin:0px !important;' src\u003d'http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t\u003dthemadskeptic-20\u0026amp;l\u003das2\u0026amp;o\u003d1\u0026amp;a\u003d0813122104' height\u003d'1' border\u003d'0' alt\u003d''/\u003e . While I did find it an entertaining read, I don't think I'm Joe's audience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d'margin-bottom: 0in'\u003eJoe's style is pretty easy going and there really wasn't too much cerebral activity going on in my head as I read. Again, I don't think I'm the target audience and I read his posts in Skeptical Inquirer. I really believe this book is meant for the potential skeptic, the uninitiated doubter, or the woo-woo leaning but open minded individual. If that is the Joe's audience, I think he hit the nail on the head. Each chapter is a different investigation and provides a brief synopsis of the background, investigation and conclusion. Personally, I would have enjoyed the book more if he had really gone into depth but I think this synopsis style would work for those who are skepticurious.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d'margin-bottom: 0in'\u003eAbout those skepticurious folk...while I appreciate what Joe is doing by providing his references within the text (i.e. “Getman, 2010\"), it could prove distracting to the reader unfamiliar with in-text references. I felt the flow was broken up a little and the book would have been better served with end notes. But, hey, that's only my opinion. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I've been messing around with both forms of referencing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d'margin-bottom: 0in'\u003eIf you are a hard-nosed, research-driven skeptic, this book may not be for you. Having said that, I do like to live vicariously through Joe's writings and this book really does make you wish you had his job. At the same time, I think this book would make a superb gift for anyone who is undecided about things like ghosts, various lake monsters, and the like. I'm pretty certain they will enjoy it.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4977309212311534399-4951092528097650432?l\u003dwww.themadskeptic.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/feeds/4951092528097650432/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d4977309212311534399\u0026postID\u003d4951092528097650432\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/4951092528097650432"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4977309212311534399/posts/default/4951092528097650432"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.themadskeptic.com/2010/05/review-joe-nickell-real-life-x-files.html","title":"Review:  Joe Nickell\u0026#39;s Real Life X-Files"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Baron Army"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/07476349695309049940"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"17303909186244852468"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});