Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
New Bengal Kitten
Here she is! I know this has nothing to do with the usual content of this blog, but she was too cute not to show to the few who read this blog. She is a Bengal Breed. I won't have her home for another month or so but by then she'll be litter box trained and eating solid food. She is a month old right now and still getting use to this world. I saw her and her three siblings (two males, another female). The female is the only one not officially taken. If you want to inquire about her, let me know and I'll get your message to the seller. I have some photos of them at a week old on my deviant page: Osyris' Gallery. Not sure which one's are which in these. I will likely be posted more of them that I shot about a week before. Still can't really tell her from the others, though I am getting better at it. Not sure when the new pics will be up but hopefully soon. When she gets home, or just before, I'll have her into the vet for shots and the like. Once she is a little older, I'll get her fixed. This seems a bit out of character for me since I am one who wants to adopt cats, but this will be my one kitten I'll buy and it allows me to have a "pure breed". Won't know what to name her for a while more but she's my little darling. More info about Bengals, you can check out these websites: Bengal cats & kittens - The International Bengal Cat Society (TIBCS), Marechal Bengal Cats, Bengal Cats of Adventure Beach, The International Bengal Cat Connection - Bengals Illustrated Magazine.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Why Skeptics Should NOT Hoax
So I was listening to SasquatchWatch Radio on my iPod and the 25 May 2009 edition talked about hoaxing and who people do it. It is a mildly informative episode certainly worth taking a listen to. (Yes, I am a fan of the show. What!? A skeptic can't enjoy a Bigfoot radio show!?) Anyway, the topic of skeptics (or others) preforming hoaxes, usually for the purposes of proving that humans, or specifically believers, can easily be fooled. One of the more well known and recent examples if the Pen and Teller stunt for their HBO show Bullshit!. (I believe it was highlighted on the first episode of season 4 entitled "Cryptozoology".) The discussion of the topic in general and of this example in particular gave me cause to pause.
Why do skeptics hoax?
If it was back in the day (whenever that is) before such stunts were preformed and the goal was demonstrating that people can be fooled, it might make sense. However, most sensible people already realize the limitations of human perception and if anyone says they cannot be fooled, skeptic or believer, then they are primary target for just chuck a fooling. Still, we are in the here and now and unless you are trying to provide a point that a certain event can be reproduced though trickery, that is one thing and certainly NOT hoaxing. Hoaxing, remember, is (often) a deliberate act to deceive, usually with personal benefits to the hoaxer. (Doesn't sound too dissimilar to lying, does it?) We could argue specifics but let us keep to a base straightforward scenario for this definition.
Should skeptic hoax?
What hoaxing (by anyone) does is expose the limitations on a given piece of evidence, whether that is eye-witness testimony, photo or video images, or even physical signs, items, or features. Beyond that, it does little to reveal anything that most honest believers and skeptics alike don't already know. Most believer in Bigfoot should/do admit the limits of their evidence, but they insist that there is nonetheless evidence. More skeptics should be aware of this and not offhandedly dismiss the topic entirely. If the common skeptical logic is correct and there is (likely) no Bigfoot, then how does one expect to persuade believers if all you do is insult and isolate them from your cause? If the believer is right and there are Bigfoot, then acknowledging the limitations of the current evidence, even if it is more compelling than mainstream science is willing to admit, is key to focusing on new and better lines of evidence.
Answer?
Bottom line here is that skeptics should NOT hoax because there is no point and if anything it further isolates your potential audience of believers and only degrading your stance by insulting those who truly believe something is out there. This, of course, applies to all areas of pseudo-science and cryptozoology. If anything, Bullshit! should have attempted to take up the challenge of a specific person or group that claimed immunity to being duped or could (easily) discern a hoax. Here, a point can easily be made. In its current incarnation, the Bullshit! Bigfoot video is unproductive at best and counterproductive at worse because of its redundant nature and undefined criteria for new net results. This negative effect can also extend into those on the fence or the general public, who will view such repetitive antics as silly or even vindictive, if not dumb and pointless.
Why do skeptics hoax?
If it was back in the day (whenever that is) before such stunts were preformed and the goal was demonstrating that people can be fooled, it might make sense. However, most sensible people already realize the limitations of human perception and if anyone says they cannot be fooled, skeptic or believer, then they are primary target for just chuck a fooling. Still, we are in the here and now and unless you are trying to provide a point that a certain event can be reproduced though trickery, that is one thing and certainly NOT hoaxing. Hoaxing, remember, is (often) a deliberate act to deceive, usually with personal benefits to the hoaxer. (Doesn't sound too dissimilar to lying, does it?) We could argue specifics but let us keep to a base straightforward scenario for this definition.
Should skeptic hoax?
What hoaxing (by anyone) does is expose the limitations on a given piece of evidence, whether that is eye-witness testimony, photo or video images, or even physical signs, items, or features. Beyond that, it does little to reveal anything that most honest believers and skeptics alike don't already know. Most believer in Bigfoot should/do admit the limits of their evidence, but they insist that there is nonetheless evidence. More skeptics should be aware of this and not offhandedly dismiss the topic entirely. If the common skeptical logic is correct and there is (likely) no Bigfoot, then how does one expect to persuade believers if all you do is insult and isolate them from your cause? If the believer is right and there are Bigfoot, then acknowledging the limitations of the current evidence, even if it is more compelling than mainstream science is willing to admit, is key to focusing on new and better lines of evidence.
Answer?
Bottom line here is that skeptics should NOT hoax because there is no point and if anything it further isolates your potential audience of believers and only degrading your stance by insulting those who truly believe something is out there. This, of course, applies to all areas of pseudo-science and cryptozoology. If anything, Bullshit! should have attempted to take up the challenge of a specific person or group that claimed immunity to being duped or could (easily) discern a hoax. Here, a point can easily be made. In its current incarnation, the Bullshit! Bigfoot video is unproductive at best and counterproductive at worse because of its redundant nature and undefined criteria for new net results. This negative effect can also extend into those on the fence or the general public, who will view such repetitive antics as silly or even vindictive, if not dumb and pointless.
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