November 9, 2011
Do “Skeptics” really consider Cryptomundo “worse” than Conservapedia, but not as bad as 911truth.org?
Correspondent Joe writes that “some random bloke* on the internet” damns us with faint praise: “Cryptomundo only ranks as #8 on our list because, let’s face it, cryptozoology is not exactly the most harmful of pseudosciences.”
Here is their full description on their “Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Websites”:
#8 Cryptomundo
cryptomundo.com
Alexa ranked #41,800
Google PageRank 5
Run by cryptozoologists Loren Coleman, Craig Woolheater, John Kirk, and Rick Noll, Cryptomundo promotes virtually every mythical beast as being a real living animal. Cryptozoology may be a fun and illustrious hobby for some, but its method of beginning with your desired conclusion and working backwards to find anecdotes that might support it is pretty much the opposite of the scientific method. Cryptomundo only ranks as #8 on our list because, let’s face it, cryptozoology is not exactly the most harmful of pseudosciences. It’s more of a weekend lark for enthusiasts of the strange.
Cryptomundo’s forum moderators have something of a notorious reputation for editing comments posted by site visitors, and for deleting comments that express skeptical points of view. Some skeptical commenters have reported even being banned completely from the forums, not for spamming or trolling, but just being consistently skeptical.
Of course, just saying that we are “anti-science” does not make it a reality or factual. We respectfully disagree, but I guess we are honored with the “faint praise.”
BTW, regarding getting your data right, Rick Noll hasn’t been associated with the blog for years, and John Kirk is only an infrequent blogger here, due to family issues. Many other individuals write postings found here more routinely, but then, if these “skeptics” really knew anything about the site, they would have more correctly framed their “award” with the facts.
The author of this “worst list” is Brian Dunning, who says of himself:
By profession I am a computer scientist, both as a Silicon Valley CTO and as a consulting engineer. My only academic credential that bears any scrutiny is in Writing for Film and Television from University of California, Los Angeles. I also have a credential that doesn’t bear any scrutiny — and you’ll find it at Thunderwood College. I’m also a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
I’ve written a few books and numerous technical articles. I decided to put this experience to good use, and created the Skeptoid podcast. I’m also one of the featured bloggers on SkepticBlog, the official blog of the prospective TV series The Skeptologists which I host.
I have a great wife, two terrific kids who are smarter than me, a cat who’s dumber than me, and some assorted koi who haven’t yet been evaluated. We all live happily on the beautiful and sunny southern California coast.
Below is an image of Mr. Dunning made freely available for the media. I assume that is not a Sea Serpent behind him, but a rock:
Thanks for the tip from Joe.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
Filed under Breaking News, Cryptomundo Exclusive, CryptoZoo News, Cryptozoologists, Cryptozoology, Skeptical Discussions