The authors of the entertaining 388-page Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies For Dummies make short work of debunking a bunch of popular tinfoil hat bugaboos, like Roswell, Area 51, underground government installations, chemtrails, faked moon landings, 911 truthers, Illuminati, etc. They also have a good section explaining why some people are attracted to conspiracy theories, and tips for being a good skeptic. The paperback version is just $8.42 and according to the decription, it was was required reading in a 2010 course on conspiracy at Harvard University. My kids are at the age when they are wondering about conspiracy theories, because it is a appealing but flawed filter for understanding a complicated world. I'm hoping they'll read it. I wish I had this book when I was a teenager.
Background image by Adamgasth - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
After an outbreak of measles at Disneyland, California lawmakers had enough and passed SB277, banning kids from attending the state's schools unless they were fully vaccinated, and eliminating the waiver that let parents put their kids and others' in danger by signing a form stating that "immunization is contrary to my beliefs."
“It’s an algorithm” was never a good excuse, but YouTube’s had plenty of time to fix this one, and they don’t even pretend to care anymore, even after media began to set quotes from anguished victims against those of smugly indifferent anonymous spokespeople. The Guardian: YouTube is promoting conspiracy theory videos claiming that the Las […]
Alex Jones is the self-described “performance artist” whose four-hour-per-day show mixes odious conspiracy theories (like the idea that Sandy Hook was a hoax and the grieving parents are paid actors) and aggressive pitches for foul-tasting, evidence-free “remedies” that are often just the same shit Gwenyth Paltrow sells through her Goop empire, repackaged for easily confused […]
Demand is high for IT professionals, but, as any expert will tell you, certifying your skills is almost mandatory for climbing the career ladder. While a host of certification options exist, they’re not all created equal. For those looking to break into the field, it’s essential to select a certification that’s recognized by the industry […]