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Ask the Outlaw Skeptic
Skeptical Inquirer Volume 33.6, November / December 2009
Online Extra
What is a "skeptoid" anyway?
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Does Subliminal Persuasion Work? It Depends on Your Motivation and Awareness.
Skeptical Inquirer Volume 33.5, September / October 2009
Feature
Recent psychological research provides more answers about why and when subliminal information can influence...
The British Centre for Science Education (BCSE)
December 11, 2006
The British Centre for Science Education is a newly formed organisation with the primary purpose of stopping the teaching of...
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
A Sweedish Professorship in Parapsychology
Skeptical Inquirer Volume 30.4, July / August 2006
News & Comment
When the Danish margarine manufacturer Poul Thorsen died in 1962, he had recently bequeathed a large sum of money for...
Available in the Print Edition. Subscribe Here.
Palm Readers, Stargazers, and Scientists: A Critique of Futurism
Skeptical Inquirer Volume 29.5, September / October 2005
Feature
Scientific Futurism is not that different from psychic futurism. It serves many of the same purposes and is subject to many...
Touch Wood
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
"Touch wood" or "knock on wood" is a popular saying to reverse any bad luck that might come your way, due to a recent action...
Rabbit’s Foot
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Rabbits and hares were considered very lucky animals as they were associated with spring and the return of flowers and other...
Wishbones
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Wishbones have become a common tradition at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners. The general rule is that the wishbone...
Umbrellas
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
An umbrella, according to popular superstition, should never be open indoors or you will bring bad luck on all the people...
Spiders
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Apparently the superstition surrounding spiders dates back to Egyptian times when spiders were associated with riches.
Spilt Salt
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Salt was once considered a very precious commodity; as important as money has grown to be. Because it was so valued...
Sailors
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Sailors have attributed superstitions to almost all aspects of their work and life on the sea. One of the common traits of...
Spilt Milk
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Many food and beverages that were valued had superstitions associated with them to deter the waste of such commodities.
Hats
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Many superstitions are associated with hats, several now being modified into rules for manners and etiquette.
Definitions of Superstition
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Superstitions are beliefs in ideas or practices based on the supernatural as opposed to laws of science. People look for...
Cracks
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Ill-fortune is said to be the result from stepping on a crack in the pavement. Present day society usually associates...
Lucky Charms
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
A charm can be almost any object, as shown by the countless examples of charms or amulets that have been said to ward off...
Actors and Actresses
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
The superstitions surrounding actors and actresses were more prevalent in the Middle Ages, when performances would...
Horseshoes
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
The horseshoe is considered very lucky and used to be hung in many homes to protect and attract good fortune for the family...
Pennies
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Lots of superstitions center around money. Almost all forms of currency have at least one superstition associated with them.
Four-Leaf Clovers
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
The superstition of the four-leaf clover is thought to originate with the Druids. Apparently they believed the shamrock...
Mirrors
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
Breaking a mirror can even make a skeptic shudder for a brief moment!
Black Cats
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
There are many superstitions associated with cats, partly because the cat has lived alongside humans for many millennia.
Walking Under Ladders
Superstition Bash
January 13, 2004
People will go to great lengths to avoid walking under ladders. Many origins for the superstition have been surfaced...
