The Skeptic Zone

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The Skeptic Zone #610 - 21.June.2020 Jun 20, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:30 Maynard's Spooky Action This week Maynard in conversation with the one and only George Hrab from the Geologic Podcast. A wind ranging interview with the bonus of George singing the theme from the James Bond movie, Moonraker! http://www.geologicpodcast.com 0:24:14 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "non sequitur". The term "non sequitur" comes to us from Latin, and translates as "it does not follow." It is a statement or conclusion that doesn't logically follow from the previous statement or the main point of the argument. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:33:01 Australian Skeptics Newsletter #100 What's making news at Australian Skeptics? Find out with newsletter #100. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:40:50 The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham

Back to the Past (From the June 2020 issue of 'The Skeptic')

The History of Chiropractic, part #2 The Chiro Wars - Written by Dr Stephen Basser.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

Also Skepticon 2020 https://www.skepticon.org.au Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud Video talks with Susan Gerbic https://www.facebook.com/GSoWproject/

The Skeptic Zone #609 - 14.June.2020 Jun 13, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:37 Prof. Paul Willis on the hunt for Dinosaurs Palaeo Pictures is a new deal in documentary making. Their documentaries are made by the palaeontologists doing the research. They can take the audience into the field, get them in the dirt of the excavations and following all aspects of the research that brings ancient worlds back to life. And, along the way, they provide funding support for the research effort. http://palaeopictures.com/ Video of interview with Prof. Willis https://youtu.be/640zWWa2WzE 0:24:49 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "Moving the Goal Posts". Also known as "Raising the Bar" and "The Shifting Sands" this is when your opponent does not accept a successful answer to their challenge and insists on you answering more and more questions. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:32:54 The Coronavirus is a fraud?? We look at a bizarre flyer finding its way into letter boxes around Sydney. Is there a link to The Informed Medical Options Party (IMOP), the people against Vaccination and Fluoride? 0:44:00 The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham

Back to the Past (From the June 2020 issue of 'The Skeptic')

The History of Chiropractic, part #1 - Written by Dr Stephen Basser.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

Also Skepticon 2020 https://www.skepticon.org.au Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud

The Skeptic Zone #608 - 7.June.2020 Jun 06, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:50 Zapping Quack Machines Loretta Marron, aka The Jellybean Lady, tells us about her long campaign to expose medical zapping machines. These devices claim to scan your body with magical energy and zap parasites and viruses. https://www.scienceinmedicine.org.au 0:18:43 Psychic Sting Update Susan Gerbic returns with an update to the story we posted last week. Now the New Zealand media are interested in the psychic who claimed to have a preventative for COVID-19. https://thespinoff.co.nz/science/05-06-2020/nz-psychic-healer-promotes-dietary-supplement-as-covid-19-preventative/ https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/the-thomas-john-experience-buckle-up-hes-back/ 0:26:41 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "The False Equivalence Fallacy". This is when it is argued that two different things or points of view, that may have only passing or superficial similarities, are in fact logically equivalent. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:32:44 Australian Skeptics Newsletter #99 What's making news at Australian Skeptics? Find out with newsletter #99. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:36:45 Go Extinct! Stardust Catches the Carnivores An interview with Bailey Harris and Ariel Marcy. Go Extinct! Stardust Catches the Carnivores is a new special edition of the award-winning Go Extinct! tabletop card game, incorporating artwork and concepts from the Stardust series of science books for young readers. Players complete sets of animals based on actual genetic clades, working to collect the most sets by inferring the other player's cards and identifying common ancestors on the evolutionary tree. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stardustscience/stardust-edition-go-extinct-evolutionary-tree-board-game Also Skepticon 2020 https://www.skepticon.org.au Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud

The Skeptic Zone #607 - 31.May.2020 May 30, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:02:52 COVID-19. Homeopathy in India We are joined by Abhijit Chanda from the Be Rationable Podcast for his opinion on the use of Homeopathy to fight COVID-19 in India. https://www.berationable.com 0:17:24 I Think We Need To Think. With Susan Gerbic Susan gives us the scoop on yet another sting operation. This time an alleged psychic in New Zealand is in her sites. What bizarre and tangled conspiracy theories are woven into the mystical psychic thread? Can the psychic forsee the end of COVID-19? 0:34:46 A Random Rant! With Dr Paulie We talk to Dr Paulie about a very important announcement regarding this year's Skepticon, the Australian Skeptics National Convention on the Gold Coast, Queensland. https://www.skepticon.org.au 0:43:04 Pint of Science 2020 - Vaccination Myths From the Godfrey Laboratory Dept of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, immunology student Catriona Nguyen-Robertson covers some of the more common myths and misconceptions regarding vaccinations. https://pintofscience.com.au Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud Sydney Skeptics in the Pub - Online https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/AustSkeptics/events/hsfmrpybcjbgb/ Skepticon 2020 https://www.skepticon.org.au About Time - Belief in Psychics https://tinyurl.com/abouttime002

The Skeptic Zone #606 - 24.May.2020 May 23, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:34 The THINK TANK After a gap of almost 2 years, the Think Tank is back, only this time Instead of meeting at the club at the end of the street, we meet virtually online. We discuss quack medical devices, secret messages in money and why more people are going to psychics in these troubled times. With Michelle Franklin in the Northern Territory - Heidi Robertson in Northern NSW - Eran Segev in Sydney - Michelle Bijkersma in Melbourne - Trish Hann in Sydney - Dr Paulie on the Gold Coast - Mandy-Lee Noble in Brisbane - Richard Saunders in Sydney. Short-lived Anti Quackery Committe 2002 - Video https://youtu.be/7pXs4Gwy3o0 https://ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/quackerycommittee.htm https://www.tga.gov.au/bioresonance 0:43:54 About Time! Updates with Susan Gerbic From now on all the assorted science activism projects that Susan had been working on for years will be under the umbrella title About Time Project. This will simplify administration tasks, freeing up time allowing them to do more science activism and less time fussing. They are now a non-profit 501(3)c as About Time https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/plandemic-asks-questions-but-wont-answer-them/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/GSoWproject/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWm1ELCsYTQw53ljcCpSedw https://abouttimeproject.wordpress.com Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud Maynard MADD Club LIVE https://www.facebook.com/Maynardcomau Skepticon 2020 https://www.skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #605 - 17.May.2020 May 16, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:00 Investigating the Paranormal... and Boobs? Former Australian Skeptics committee member and one of the founders of the 'Mystery Investigators' show for schools, Alynda Brown tells us of her investigations of "Psychics" and strange medical claims of the early 2000s, including undergoing hypnosis to increase her bust size! Testing Mr. Sen. (page 40) https://www.skeptics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/magazine/The%20Skeptic%20Volume%2022%20(2002)%20No%204.pdf Testing Ms Maree Teychenne (page 37) https://www.skeptics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/magazine/The%20Skeptic%20Volume%2023%20(2003)%20No%203.pdf Full Fact Book of Cold Reading https://www.coldreadingsuccess.com/books 0:29:43 Plandemic conspiracy video plays cat-and-mouse with platforms The anti-vaccine conspiratorial "documentary" Plandemic, which makes a range of misleading claims about COVID-19, has been playing a cat-and-mouse game with social media platforms since it was launched across a range of sites. It was initially published on May 4 (US time) on video sites Vimeo and YouTube, and quickly followed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even the business 'match-up' site LinkedIn. - Tim Mendham https://www.skeptics.com.au/2020/05/12/plandemic-conspiracy-video-plays-cat-and-mouse-with-platforms/ 0:40:09 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "The Slippery Slope". Also known as "The thin edge of the wedge" or "The domino fallacy", this is where it is asserted that a relatively small step or action in a certain direction will inevitably lead to a chain of events with a larger and negative result. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:49:47 Good News / Bonkers News The Good: A church in Australia, selling bleach as a coronavirus treatment, is fined $151,200. The Bonkers: Hundreds of conspiracy theory protesters on the streets of Melbourne and Sydney. https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/mms-australia-fined-151200-alleged-unlawful-advertising https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-13/church-in-australia-selling-bleach-coronavirus-treatment-fined/12242150 Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud Maynard MADD Club LIVE https://www.facebook.com/Maynardcomau Skepticon 2020 https://www.skepticon.org.au

The Skeptic Zone #604 - 10.May.2020 May 09, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:14 Conspiracy updates with Ben Radford Ben is a writer, investigator, and skeptic. He has authored, co-authored or contributed to over twenty books and written over a thousand articles and columns on a wide variety of topics including urban legends, unexplained mysteries, the paranormal, critical thinking, mass hysteria, and media literacy. https://squaringthestrange.libsyn.com/ 0:27:08 The Diet Skeptic. With Mandy-Lee Noble An update to the story on Pete Evans who has parted with the Ch.7 TV network. We hear about some more of his antics and links to bizarre conspiracies. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/australian-celebrity-chef-pete-evans-under-fire-for-sharing-views-of-uk-conspiracy-theorist-david-icke https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/pete-evans-and-channel-7-part-ways-after-tv-chef-was-fined-25000-by-tga/news-story/2881a77a153405e068df9ca49dfea5e1 0:35:23 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "The Middle Ground". Also known as "False Compromise" and the "Argument to moderation", this is when it's asserted that the truth of the matter lies between two extremes and casts doubt on a well reasoned and evidence based conclusion. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:40:03 Australian Skeptics Newsletter #97 Skepticon 2020 update - Paleo Pete hit with TGA fine - Anti-vax political party changes name despite objections - David Icke kicked off Facebook - Supermarkets scrap dangerous conspiracy magazine. https://www.skeptics.com.au Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud Maynard MADD Club LIVE https://www.facebook.com/Maynardcomau Skepticon 2020 https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #603 - 3.May.2020 May 02, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:39 What Doctors Don't Tell You In the last week of April 2020, the conspiracy theorist magazine "What Doctors Don't Tell You"was yanked from the sheveles of two Australian Supermarkets after action by Prof. Darren Saunders and radio host Ben Fordham. https://www.2gb.com/exclusive-supermarkets-selling-dangerous-conspiracy-magazines https://www.2gb.com/anti-vaccination-magazine-lashes-out-at-ben-fordham https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/what-doctors-dont-tell-you-magazine-pulled-from-supermarket-shelves/news-story/45b5c8f45ca878859e1424cdaa49eb5f 0:23:38 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "The False Dilemma". Also known as "the false dichotomy", "the either/or", and "the false choice", this is when an argument is framed as having only two options or conclusions, when there are in fact other logical alternatives. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:30:54 The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham Please to Remember (From Vol. 36 No. 3 of 'The Skeptic') Tim looks at some of the ideas and theories about Stonehenge. http://www.skeptics.com.au https://www.lynnekelly.com.au/the-memory-code/ 0:39:25 Saunders on the radio... 2002 A very young Richard Saunders appeared on Sydney community radio in 2002 to talk about the role and aims of Australian Skeptics Inc. It's 18 years later and how much has changed? Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud Maynard MADD Club LIVE https://www.facebook.com/Maynardcomau Skepticon 2020 https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #602 - 26.April.2020 Apr 25, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders & Pontus Böckman http://theesp.eu https://www.youtube.com/user/VoFTV 0:11:54 Down the Rabbit Hole with Mick West As COVID-19 makes its way around the world, more and more people are turning to the perceived comfort found in conspiracy theories. Mick tells of some of the old conspiracies doing the rounds and some of the newer ones with the roll out of the 5G network. https://www.tftrh.com https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Escaping-the-Rabbit-Hole/West-Mick/9781510735811 0:32:40 The Diet Skeptic. With Mandy-Lee Noble The COVID-19 pandemic has for many of us brought significant change to our lives and even to how we think and what we value. And in these times you may have come to expect that in a Post-COVID world where health professionals and scientists are considered heroes the place for pseudoscience in health would have significantly diminished but unfortunately that is not the case. https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/pete-evans-company-fined-alleged-covid-19-advertising-breaches 0:45:40 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This time Michelle looks at "The Appeal To Nature". This is the false, somewhat romantic idea that just because something comes from nature, it must therefore be pure, wholesome, beneficial and healthy. Basically good for you. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:53:02 CFI Newsletter - Snake Oil Salesmen It's time to stop giving snake oil salesmen the benefit of the doubt. Homeopathy is perhaps the most obviously phony form of alternative medicine, and we simply can't assume that those who manufacture and market it are acting in good faith, any more than we assume positive intent from a fraud psychic who fleeces clients out of their life savings to remove a curse. https://centerforinquiry.org/coronavirus Also Corona Conspiracy - Upload Images https://coronaconspiracy.cloud

Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Skepticon 2020 https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #601 - 19.April.2020 Apr 19, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders & Celestia Ward https://www.2headsstudios.com https://squaringthestrange.libsyn.com 0:09:24

Homeopaths Caught Out.... Again! Michael Marshall from the Good Thinking Society Marsh talks about the philosophy behind his podcast, 'Be Reasonable' that invites believers to have their say. Also the investigations of the Good Thinking Society into the claims being made by UK Homeopaths about treatment for COVID-19. Also Skeptics in the Pub online. http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/podcasts

https://www.twitch.tv/sitp

0:30:19 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "Special Pleading". This is when instead of admitting your point of view or argument is wrong, you try and find a loop-hole that gives you an 'out' and saves you from defeat. It is also when a person makes an exception to a universal principle because they are holding on tight to a belief that doesn't align with that principle. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:36:53 Past Bent Spoon winners vie for the dishonour in 2020 In the 38 years of the Australian Skeptics' Bent Spoon Award, issued to the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudoscientific piffle, we have never had the need to award this dishonour to the same person twice. However, with the current COVID-19 situation impacting on the whole world, some of the Bent Spoon winners from past years have suddenly and dramatically thrown their hats into the ring for 2020. - Story by Richard Saunders and Tim Mendham https://www.skeptics.com.au/2020/04/16/past-bent-spoon-winners-vie-for-the-dishonour-in-2020 0:44:21 The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham Review of 'The Science of Miracles' Tim gives us his thoughts of this book by lenganady investigator of all this paranormal, Joe Nickell. Tim pays special attention to Joe's look at the 'Miracle of Fátima' from 1917. http://www.skeptics.com.au Also

Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Skepticon 2020 https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

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