What the #$%@ is this site about?

This site observes the absurdities of life...the bizarre, the strange, the illogical, the ironic, the ridiculous, the silly... but also appreciates life’s complexity, richness and beauty.

Let's stretch our minds, set off some mental light bulbs and think in new ways.

Much of this site is devoted to language...a sorely neglected yet integral area in skeptical thinking.

Many excellent thinkers, scientists and even hard core skeptics cast aside their critical thinking skills when it comes to language. Many people hold prejudices about words, accents, grammar, spelling and languages in general but you can become a cunning linguist!

People think of bad language as ‘four-letter words’ and the sort of things you ‘shouldn’t say’. Here...the phrase refers to bad thinking about language.

This site aims to bust some myths about language (about swearing, insults, pronunciation, writing, alien languages, speaking in tongues, weird theories and inventions, etc.) and to provide articles and general info about skepticism, all with the cunning linguist's tongue planted firmly in cheek...amongst other places...

Who the #$%@ am I?

I'm Associate Editor of the Skeptic, a quarterly journal published by the Australian Skeptics Inc. The publication has been around since 1981, printing articles about a range of subjects, from aliens to zombies.

I am a veteran investigator of the paranormal and pseudoscientific, and have investigated a range of phenomena, including mediums, hauntings, myths, legends, alternative medicine, conspiracy theories, bad ‘science’, psychics, religion and other cults. I’m a long-term committee member of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Skeptics. I've also written for many scientific magazines, including Australasian Science and the Skeptical Inquirer as published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. However, I delight in working with people with opposing views, and am a frequent contributer to Haunted America Tours and a member of H.P.I. Haunted and Paranormal Investigations of Northern California .

I am the US correspondent for The Skeptic TANK Podcast/Vodcast, interviewing skeptics, paranormal investigators, specialists, spiritualists and many more intriguing characters, from coast to coast.

Yes, I am also The Skepbitch .





I am a Doctor of Linguistics with interests in Lexical Semantics and Cultural Anthropology. My research specialties include skeptical linguistics, taboo language and language and discrimination.

I currently work as a Lecturer, Researcher and Consultant Linguist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Check out a recent article about my research here.

I am also a writer with interests in scriptwriting, articles, non-fiction, novels and travelogues. See here for a selection of articles, find other articles scattered around the site, and stick around for some more!

Update: An article in the Irish Independent recently bestowed upon me the dubious title of "authority on holy relics", in particular, the "Holy Prepuce, the foreskin of Jesus".

With thanks to…

Richard Saunders: Immediate past President of the Australian Skeptics, Magician, Web Designer and Programmer. Visit Richard's Mystery Investigators.

Mark Newbrook: Linguist extraordinaire and pioneer of Skeptical Linguistics. Mark's articles can be viewed here.

Phil Plait: The Bad Astronomer did a Good Turn in providing inspiration for Bad Language. Obviously, Bad Language was preferable to Bad Linguist!