Orac is the nom de blog of a humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued 
Sometimes being a skeptic can be a real bitch. And no one knows that better than the host of the latest installment of a blog carnival that has, believe it or not, been running over three years now, the ever-popular Skepbitch. She's served up a heaping helping of the best skeptical bitching from the last two weeks. Head on over and enjoy!
Next up to host is Action Skeptics on May 22. If you're a blogger, start getting your best skeptical posts ready to submit for the next Skeptics' Circle.
Finally, as always, if you're interested in hosting, check out the schedule and guidelines, as well as the guidelines for hosts, and then drop me a line. I'll check out your blog to make sure that you at least sometimes post skeptical content using critical thinking and that you don't have a secret crush on Sylvia Browne, and then get you on the schedule.
Comments
Skepticism? Where have you noticed skepticism springing up? All I can see is pressure to conform to a rigid form of pop materialism and not a very rigorous kind, at that. Nothing skeptical about it.
Enjoyed this trip into your blog, Orac. Learned a lot, just not what was intended. Not planning on being back soon.
Posted by: Anthony McCarthy | May 9, 2008 11:20 AM
Your pseudoskepticism and tsunami of dubious arguments were educational as well, just not in the way you intended. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, if you know what I mean.
Posted by: Orac | May 9, 2008 11:24 AM
Friend told me you finally deigned to address me, Orac. Real skepticism of this kind died with Marcello Truzzi, what you're doing is a phony intellectual pose among post-doc frat boys.
Posted by: Anthony McCarthy | May 10, 2008 7:52 AM
Sure he did. As I always say after anyone leaves in a huff, they almost always come back at least once.
I'm not impressed. Your apparent "skepticism" seems to consist of attacking straw men, playing an "above it all" pseudo-objectivity in which you declare "a pox on both your houses" more because it makes you feel intellectually superior than because it's a legitimate pose, and perseveration in the same lame arguments after my readers demolish them time and time again. The reason I never "deigned" to address you is two-fold: (1) I've seen your ilk many times before, both on Usenet and in the blogosphere, and (2) you bore me.
Posted by: Orac | May 10, 2008 10:57 AM
"All I can see is pressure to conform to a rigid form of pop materialism and not a very rigorous kind, at that."
Have you actually looked at the linked post, Anthony?
Posted by: Dan S. | May 10, 2008 12:13 PM
I went back and looked at some of Mr. McCarthy's postings. I had essentially stopped reading the comments when they are long and the arguments are circular, and especially when someone starts using the word "scientism" (which was highlighted in the spellcheck). That is when I start thinking about this paper:
http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf
Posted by: HCN | May 10, 2008 2:53 PM