BeliefWatch : The Dumb Zone

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15173461/site/newsweek/

So, according to Newsweek "Forty-two percent in the [survey] said the souls protect the living by acting as guardian angels or spirit guides. "

Now, as an engineer I would take this to mean that 42% of the people in this survey are dangerously stupid.  But if I read the whole article, I'll find this wonderful counterpoint:

Deborah Blum, professor of science journalism at the University of Wisconsin, suggests that science might do better to try to explain paranormal activity rather than dismiss it. "We should never be so arrogant as to assume that one group knows everything," she cautions. "I don't think this interest [in talking to the dead] is ever going away."

Now, as an engineer I would take this to mean that Deborah Blum should not be identified as a professor of anything related to science.  Maybe Debbie Dumb should take a glance at the James Randi Educational Foundation : An Educational Resource on the Paranormal, Pseudoscientific, and the Supernatural.  http://www.randi.org/  This is an organization that does a good job of explaining paranormal activity vis a vis the scientific process.  Unfortunately, it all boils down to this:  Stupid people WANT to believe.  That's it.  Debbie Blum, however, is associated with Journalism.  This means she has no choice but to live in a reality created by her own delusions; and this probably includes Guardian Angels, Ghosts, and the occasional Undead Vice President...