Science, Reason & Critical Thinking: Best of 2009

On a dull October lunchtime in 2008 I decided I couldn’t be arsed to leave my desk and go to the gym, so I started a blog instead. I hadn’t planned to start a blog and had no idea what to call it, so when I was presented with the prompt “Enter the name of your blog:” I just entered “Science, Reason & Critical Thinking” as the first thing that came to mind. Perhaps with a little more planning I might have thought of something a bit more catchy like er... um… well, maybe not.

I wrote a few random thoughts on life the Universe and Everything, which I found quite therapeutic. Of course no one read a word of it, but it kept me off the cross trainer.

Things continued in much the same way for 6 months or so. Although my text never troubled the browsers of any other people, at least when someone at Skeptics in the Pub asked me the inevitable question, “What’s your blog called”, I didn’t have to confess to not writing a blog.

Much of what I wrote was merely a reworking of thoughts that had been expressed much more succinctly or eruditely by other bloggers than I could possibly accomplish with my seemingly limited grasp of my own language.

Then shortly after the preliminary hearing of the Singh BCA trial back in May, I was listening to the SGU podcast on my way to work. On an unrelated topic, Jay Novella happened to mention the Monty Python Witch Trial sketch, which just seemed to be screaming out to be re-written as “We have found a scientist, may we sue him?” Since buggering about with old Python sketches was far more fun than trying to write serious posts, I settled on a new style for my blog.

I didn’t think making silly comments and parodying existing stuff had a name, but at this year’s 9 Lessons and Carols a fellow skeptic introduced me to one of his friends as “sceptical satirist”. My wife who was in earshot sniggered to herself and later told me that she thought I was just being a silly twat, not a satirist.

Anyway, since attempting satire my blog has received a few more hits, so based on the number of visits according to Google Analytics here are my 10 most popular posts from 2009.


Simpsons Top Trumps: Skeptics Edition (62,055)
A blatant plagiarisation of Christina Martin’s excellent God Trumps, but with well known sceptics and rendered as Simpsons characters on account f the fact I can’t draw and I just happened to find a website that converts people into Simpsons characters.
Follow Up Post: A Full Deck of Simpsonized Skeptics (6,633)

Skeptic Park (20,626)
A South Park comic featuring Richard Dawkins, Ben Goldacre, Tim Minchin, Simon Singh and Carl Sagan
Follow Up Post: Skeptic Park 2 with Derren Brown (4,299)

The Ladybird book of Chiropractic Treatment & English Libel Law (13,636)
An easy to understand summary of the Singh BCA case for younger readers
Follow Up Post: The Ladybird Book of Atheist Buses (4,430)

If Homeopathy Works I’ll Drink My Own Piss (13,111)
A short video of me making a homeopathic remedy out of my own piss
Follow Up Post: Can I Get A Homeopathic Remedy Instead of A Malaria Inoculation? (4,467)

Python Plagiarising For Singh (8,319)
A rewrite of the Monty Python witch trial sketch featuring the suing of a scientist
Follow Up Post: Python Plagiarising For Singh Part 2 (412)

Skeptics Tarot Cards (3,579)
A new deck of Tarot Cards featuring a bunch of silly twats
Related Posts: Your Daily Shitoscope reading (609)

Celebrity Quack Trumps (2,737)
More Top Trump milking this time with some celebrity CAM believers
Follow Up Post: Celebrity Quack Trumps Part 2 (839)

The Homeopathy Sketch (2,086)
Is this the right room for some homeopathy?
Follow Up Post: Python In Boots (528)

God Was Never On Your Side (1,896)
My video to accompany this Motorhead classic
Follow Up Post: The Benny Hinn Show (377)

BULLSHIT By Jenny McCarthy (1,723)
A pungent stench of Bullshit from Jenny
Related Post: Reason By Richard Dawkins (1,587)


Whether or not you consider these posts to be satire or twatage, I must confess that compiling a 2009 best of may well be considered akin to John and Edward (Pointless UK TV Karaoke Eraserheads who recently enjoyed their 15 mins), releasing a Greatest Hits album.

Oh, and talking of albums, here's my best albums of 2009, and the best albums of the Noughties

Anyway that's more than enough lists, hope you’ve all had a super 2009 and all the best for 2010.