The skeptic goes to Malaysia

My dear Skeptophiles,

This will be my last post for a couple of weeks... by this time tomorrow morning, I will be on my way to the lovely country of Malaysia for a hiking and birdwatching trip that I've been planning for months.  Some things I will be experiencing:

• amazing natural beauty, including six days in Taman Negara, one of the largest pristine stands of rain forest in Southeast Asia
• an opportunity to see over 300 species of birds, almost all of which will be new to me, and including one called the "Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler," which I swear I'm not making up
• fantastic local cuisine, including several different kind of curries and a fruit called a "durian" that allegedly smells like a combination of garlic, wet dog, skunk, and sweat socks
• the experience of having my biological clock try to keep track of being twelve hours different from my home time zone

I will be largely incommunicado while I'm there -- although I've been told that a couple of the places I'll be will have WiFi, I'm not counting on having anything like frequent access to the internet.  So I will bid you a fond farewell for a couple of weeks, with the solemn promise that when I get back I will resume my battle with the woo-woos.  Look for the next Skeptophilia post on Monday, August 27.

Until then, there are a few things you can do to keep your appetite for critical thinking sated.  First, you can buy my book, if you haven't already done so.  It has the creative title Skeptophilia, is a bargain at only $3.99, and is a collection of 120 of my essays on science, skepticism, critical thinking, and woo-woo-ism.  You can get it for Kindle (here) or Nook (here).   If you do decide to buy it, many thanks -- and please leave a review.

This is also a chance for you to check out some other skeptical blogs and webpages, so here are a few of my favorites:

Science, Reason, and Critical Thinking
James Randi Educational Foundation
Pharyngula
SkepChick
The Skeptic's Dictionary
The Call of Troythulu
The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason
Friendly Atheist
Quackwatch
Bad Archaeology
Bad Astronomy


That should be enough to keep you occupied while I'm gone, don't you think?


In any case, I should return refreshed and re-energized, and hopefully without any loathsome tropical diseases, the last week of August.  Until then, keep hoisting the banner of logic!