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Does anyone else get the feeling that Travis will argue just about anything?

Stephen Hawking: How to build a time machine

Daily Mail: Article

In this artice Steven Hawking explains his ideas regarding time travel. It is pretty much the same content as the TV series on Discovery Channel called 'Stephen Hawking's Universe', if you prefer to watch instead of read.

Ian Morison: It's About Time

Fora TV: Lecture

Or if you choose to listen to Ian Morison, traveling back in time is possible. We're not sure if he's taken into consideration all the things that Stevie H. has, but even if he is correct we're still not able to travel back to a time before the time machine, or wormhole was created. Thus we're all doomed to live with our mistakes. You girls know who you are!

Movie: Back to the Future Trilogy

IMDB

Hello? Hello? Anybody home? Huh? Think, McFly. Think! Oh, Back to the Future what fond memories we have of you. It really is one of the few movies that has stood the test of time. If you've never seen this movie you really NEED to watch it, if you have...watch it again.

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I (Jeff) admit I am a huge costume nerd, which is one of the reasons why I spent 5 years of my life working as a make-up FX artist. It's also one of the reasons why I spend WAY too much time collecting movie props and gear. I'm almost embarrased at how many years I've spent trying to choose the perfect Indiana Jones fedora and jacket. Agonizing over every detail to make sure it was as accurate as possible. For those of you out there who collect similar things, you'll definitely relate to Evan on this page.

IndyGear

Website

For you Indiana Jones fans out there, this website is one of the best resources for finding the most accurate gear possible. The forum is an amazing community of people always willing to help with any questions you might have. Definately check it out if you're a fan of ol' Henry Jones Jr.

Your Props

Website

This website has a huge collection of screen used and replica props. While this website doesn't sell props, you can contact the owners if you are interested. If any of you want to buy me the a screen used Indiana Jones fedora for my birthday, it will probably set you back a couple of grand, but I'll be REALLY happy.

Win a copy of Flim Flam by James Randi.

The contest rules are easy. Just send us 5 (five) movie references we have used in pages 1 to 5. There are more than 5, but some are not easy to spot. Once you think you have found them, submit your answers to our contact form on the website.

Contact Form

You have two weeks starting today (June 5th, 2010). We will randomly choose an entry on June 19th, 2010. If you're the lucky winner, and your answers are correct, we'll send you the book.

Good Luck

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First of all, thank you to everyone who has checked out the comic so far. Secondly, sorry for the delay this week.

We're still trying to figure out where the line is between quality / detail and time needed to produce these pages. For those who are interested, this page alone was a combined effort of well over 100 hours. Some of you may think we're nuts for putting in that much effort, but we would like to think it's this attention to detail and quality that will continue to bring you back each week.

Anyway, now that it's finally up we hope you enjoy it.

The Skeptics Guide To The Universe

iTunes Podcast

If you're new to the skeptics community then you will definitely want to check out this Podcast as it is arguably one of the best out there.

The Reality Check: By Ottawa Skeptics

iTunes Podcast

The Reality Check is a Canadian based Podcast that has a lighter tone than the one posted above. For those of you looking to ease into things, this show will give you that perfect mix of humour and information.

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Well gang, this is where it all starts! With all the welcomes and procrastinating out of the way, it's now it's time for you to meet some of the characters. This is the first (somewhat) appearance for Travis and Jordan. You might start to get a sense of what Travis is all about. Jordan on the other hand, trust us, don't let the hotness fool you. A special thanks to NH Baritone (Lawrence) for his help writing this page.

A Christian and an Atheist

Website

Emery Wong (Atheist) and Scott Barger (Christian) host this awesome podcast which tackles a wide range of religious topics in a respectful and interesting way.

Also, check out the comic written by Emery and drawn by The Placebo Effect in the Exclusive Content section of this website / iPhone App.

Thunderfoot

YouTube Channel

Well known on the Youtubes, Thunderfoot has a series of videos where he tackles some of the common creationist arguments using science, reason, and a bit of humour.

Birds, Bees, and Moths Drive Flower Evolution

UCSB Press Release

Originally pubished in Nature magazine, this article explains how insects are driving plant evolution. You can also read more in Richard Dawkins latest book, "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution."

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Black holes are right up there among the most amazing and fascinating things. For us they fit right between Oatmeal flavoured Teddy Grahams and Dinosaurs. There is tons of science on dinosaurs and black holes, but where are the scientists that are trying to explain why the Oatmeal flavoured Teddy Grahams are so much better than chocolate? All logic points to chocolate being the go to flavour. This is not so in the world of Teddy Grahams.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson - Death By Black Hole

YouTube Video

Getting sucked into a black hole seems like one of the coolest, yet most horrible ways to die. Neil DeGrasse Tyson describes what would happen if you decided to float yourself a little to close to a black hole. Also, check out his book of the same name for more awesome astronomy.

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The introduction continues with growing limbs back using faith, saving polar bears, running from a T-Rex, and a brief glimpse at a future project currently in the works from the Placebo Effect.

Faith healing - James Randi

Youtube Video

Why is it, that all these gods, with their vast powers and compassion only seem to heal people of joint and muscle pain? Do you not think that there are people out there, totally dedicated to their faith that could use a hand...literally?

TED - Bill Gates

TED.com

Now you Apple fanboys, just because this video features ol' Billy G, doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it! In all honesty, we need more people getting excited and serious about the future of our planet. No, I don't mean wearing double breasted hemp suits, or brushing your teeth in organic tomato juice, I mean doing whatever you can realistically and consistently.

Tiny T. Rex Ancestors

National Geographic

Are you like me in that you simply can't wrap your head around this whole feather thing? I mean I get it, the evidence is stacking up, but ever since I was a little kid, Dinosaurs looked like Dinosaurs! Still, I'm still as amazed today as I was as a kid when they discover something amazing!

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The time has finally come that we had to, as my dad so colourfully says "crap or get off the pot!" Well that's what we did! We took a giant steamer, and slapped a fresh coat of vector colouring on it. All fun and crude fatherly advice aside, this marks the first of many pages by The Placebo Effect. We hope it's something you come to look forward to every week.

H1N1 Update

Neurologica Blog

Can we go outside yet? Remember when Swine Flu was going to be bigger than Lady Gaga? What ever happened with that? I know people who had it, and I might have even caught a case of it myself. However it didn't seem to hit as hard as the media made it seem like it was going to. Take a look at Neurologica Blog for an update on the situation. We know you still care!

The Science of Star Trek

Live Science - Article

It's always fun to see if the science fiction could ever be science fact. For those of you who saw me colouring this page at the Calgary Comic Expo, this is how it turned out.

Derren Brown - Cold Reading

YouTube Video

It still amazes me that people still fall for this technique. If you watch it being done it seems so blatently obvious it's almost laughable. Yet, there are millions of people, giving away millions of dollars to these quacks. In this video Darren Brown shows how easy it is to use this technique on normal everyday people.