The Skeptic Zone

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The Skeptic Zone #590 -2.February.2020 Feb 01, 2020

Show notes

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:27 Not talking to the dead in Las Vegas We are joined by Celestia Ward from the Squaring the Strange podcast to discuss a report on yet another performer who claims to talk with the dead. https://www.facebook.com/LasVegasSocietyofSkeptics/posts/133563078123270?__tn__=-R 0:19:25 The Bondi Healing Festival of 1989 In 1989 Murray Finch attended a healing festival in Sydney. This report details some of the strange and bizarre modalities on offer. We learn that little has changed in over 30 years. https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine/ 0:36:06 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week, Highlights from the annual dinner, part #4 Mal Vickers Guy Nolch Les Oates Also Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

The Skeptic Zone #589 -26.January.2020 Jan 25, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders live from Portland, Oregon 0:02:14 The Think Tank... or The Hot Tub of Truth This week the Think Tank comes to your from a Hot Tub, surrounded by snow, in the city of Bend, Oregon. Joining us in the tub to discuss if science can "save humanity" are... Dr Erika Anderson Dr Jean-Marc Roch PhD Prof. Wendi Wampler Brian Dunning Susan Picard Lisa Dunning Richard Saunders https://svahausa.com 0:34:00 The Skeptic Zone Recomends In Season 2 of "The Dream", Jane Marie, an alum of This American Life, and Dann Gallucci, look at a world just as shady and mysterious as MLMs, but one whose promises are at times even more bombastic and unfathomable: WELLNESS. What is it? Who sells it? And will it bring you eternal happiness and, perhaps, eternal life? https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/the-dream 0:44:23 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week, highlights from the annual dinner, part #3 Jo Benhamu is a Senior Clinical Research Nurse with almost twenty years of experience in clinical nursing. She has a Masters in Bioethics and teaches ethics to medical students at Monash University. She is a founding member of Stop the AVN and has co-authored several papers challenging anti-vaccination papers in the scientific literature. She is Vice President of Australian Skeptics Inc. You can find her on Twitter: @jobenhamu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Immortal_Life_of_Henrietta_Lacks Also Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Canberra Skeptics https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/SocialSkepticsCanberra

The Skeptic Zone #588 -19.January.2020 Jan 18, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders and Brian Dunning 0:03:06 Strange Colours in Sweden Pontus Bockman from the European Skeptic Podcast tells of how Swedes were fooled by one of the biggest scientific bluffs of our time. "Surrounded by Idiots" has had a major impact on how Swedish people talk to each other about psychology and discuss the behaviour of those around them. Indeed, Thomas Erikson has undoubtedly had the greatest influence on the public's interest in psychology in a generation. https://www.vof.se/how-swedes-were-fooled-by-one-of-the-biggest-scientific-bluffs-of-our-time 0:19:11 The Diet Skeptic... With Mandy-Lee Noble The hCG Diet Mandy-Lee unpacks the claims made by a so-called miraculous offering - the hCG diet - originally formulated in 1954 but currently prescribed by both unregulated and regulate health practitioners in Australia. 0:31:29 Life is Wild... with Michelle Franklin Rock Stacking Theres something undeniably beautiful about a massive rock, perfectly balanced on top of another rock, defying millions of years of weather, seismic activity, and who knows what human or animal activity may have occurred over that time. And in the tradition of the royal society for putting things on top of other things, people of course like to copy this. But what's the harm? 0:44:05 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week, Highlights from the annual dinner, part #2 Dr Steve Novella Jay Novella Lara Benham Dr Lee Murray https://www.mq.edu.au/research/research-centres-groups-and-facilities/healthy-people/centres/centre-for-language-sciences-clas/australian-voices Also Strange Energies. An evening with Richard Saunders, Portland, Oregon https://www.meetup.com/Oregonians-for-Science-and-Reason-Portland/events/267828306/ Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII https://tinyurl.com/SkepticampVIII

The Skeptic Zone #587 -12.January.2020 Jan 11, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:27 Skepticamp Monterey, California 2020 Join us for not only Skepticamp Monterey, but also for the pub meet and greet the night before and dinner after the event. With Bud Miller, Susan Gerbic and others. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/monterey-county-skeptics-and-humanist-association-of-monterey-bay-area-12224475493 0:16:47 VAXXED Bus creeps into Monterey That rolling blight on society, the VAXXED Bus, turns up in like a very bad penny into Monterey, California. Susan Gerbic was on the scene and reports for the Skeptic Zone. https://kion546.com/news/monterey-county/2020/01/09/parents-protest-vaccinations-in-monterey/ https://www.ksbw.com/article/small-group-of-anti-vaxxers-promote-film-in-monterey/30462328 0:31:28 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week, Highlights from the annual dinner, part #1 Dr Vyom Sharma Magician Prue Spencer Science Teacher Sarah Webb Magician Prue Spencer https://youtu.be/4zW1uWX5ShE Also Strange Energies. An evening with Richard Saunders, Portland, Oregon https://www.meetup.com/Oregonians-for-Science-and-Reason-Portland/events/267828306/ Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Cabberra BBQ https://www.meetup.com/SocialSkepticsCanberra/ Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII https://tinyurl.com/SkepticampVIII Prue Spencer Skeptic Zone Promo .wav - 30 sec. Download Here

The Skeptic Zone #586 - 5.January.2020 Jan 04, 2020

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders, live from Skepticamp 2020 Monterey, USA 0:01:54 Talking to the Dead at RSL Clubs Tim Mendham and Richard Saunders report on Australian Skeptics' investigations into those performers who claim to contact the dead at venues dedicated to the memory of those fallen in war. - Read by Richard Saunders. https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine/ 0:32:06 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week... SGU Book Sales Bob Novella from SGU Deligate Sam Ross Balch from Brisbane Mark Edward Nightmare Alley - Movie https://youtu.be/4zW1uWX5ShE Also Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII https://tinyurl.com/SkepticampVIII

The Skeptic Zone #585 - 29.December.2019 Dec 28, 2019

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:14 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week... Thomas Westbrook - Holy Koolaid LLC is an anti-cult, educational organization that promotes scientific skepticism and free thought and is at the helm of the secular, pro-science movement. Founded in 2015 by Thomas Westbrook, Holy Koolaid's online show has garnering millions of views with tens of thousands of subscribers and dozens of media appearances/collaborations. https://holykoolaid.com 0:21:19 Dr Euginie Scott and SkeptiCal 2020 Dr Scott tells us about the next SkeptiCal one day convention in the San Francisco Bay Area. Also we discover a rare book by James Bond! https://www.bibliomania.ws 0:30:32 The Book of Tim. With Tim Mendham This week Tim looks at those giants from the history of science who were just everyday people. How important is Citizen Science to the world? This report comes from an article called 'People Power'. https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine Also Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII https://tinyurl.com/SkepticampVIII SkeptiCamp Monterey 2020 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skepticamp-monterey-2020-tickets-86152659925

The Skeptic Zone #584 - 22.December.2019 Dec 21, 2019

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:08 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week... Jamie Lopez Steve Roberts Jessica Singer Mandy-Lee Noble Heidi Robertson 0:30:50 The Book of Tim... with Tim Mendham What goes around. Speaking Spirits and Psychic Surgery. Tim follows the circular path and ends up at the begining in an endless loop of the paranormal. https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine Also Maynard's 2020 Calendar - FREE http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII https://tinyurl.com/SkepticampVIII SkeptiCamp Monterey 2020 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skepticamp-monterey-2020-tickets-86152659925

The Skeptic Zone #583 - 15.December.2019 Dec 13, 2019

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders and Maynard 0:03:37 The Raw Skeptic Report... With Heidi Robertson Heidi reports on the recent deadly measles outbreak in Samoa. We also play the audio of her presentation at Skepticon 2019. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/aussie-health-experts-in-samoa-measles-epidemic-like-a-war-zone/news-story/b210fd48eeebc8cc1f459c87461a943b https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Samoa_measles_outbreak https://nrvs.info 0:16:26 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Skepticon 2019. This week... Michelle Bijkersma Jo Thornely Dr Paulie Nathan Eggins Nathleigh https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/zealot/id1245635983 http://www.gcskeptics.com https://www.conspiracyofonesolo.com https://www.youtube.com/user/nathleigh 0:39:05 The Book of Tim... with Tim Mendham A look at the history of skeptical organisations around the world. https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine

The Skeptic Zone #582 - 8.December.2019 Dec 07, 2019

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders and Maynard 0:03:05 Skeptical Road Trip Join Maynard and Richard Saunders as they drive from Sydney to Melbourne to go to Skepticon 2019. Along the way they take photographs with of the Bent Spoon at various landmarks and try to beat the boredom of 10 hours on the road. 0:11:29 Maynard's Spooky Action... In the first of a long series of interviews from Skepticon 2019, Maynard talks to.. Mark Edward Susan Gerbic Les Oates Jay Novella All'antico means 'the traditional way' and in the spirit of a classic Trattoria, the meals echo true home style cooking from Nonna's Southern Italian kitchen. http://www.allantico.com.au 0:39:14 Geo Engineering with Tim Mendham Once again Tim Mendham reads from the pages of 'The Skeptic' magazine, the journal from Australian Skeptics. https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine 0:50:38 Australian Skeptics Annual Awards All the winners and from this year's ASI awards, held at Skepticon 2019.

The Skeptic Zone #581 - 1.December.2019 Nov 30, 2019

Show notes

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:25 Skeptical Activism We hit the street outside the State Theatre in Sydney to hand out skeptical information flyers to the crowd lining up to see the "talking to the dead" performer John Edward. Thanks to Trish Hann and Lara Benham. https://www.skeptics.com.au/psychics-questions-to-ask 0:21:13 The Book of Tim Pint Sized Fun Tim Mendham looks at the history of Skeptics in the Pub. From the pages of 'The Skeptic' magazine from Australian Skeptics. Vol. 37 No. 4 https://www.skeptics.com.au/the-magazine

0:32:18

A Dive into a TROVE

The Bent Spoon Award through the years A look back via online archives at the some of the press reports on the Australian Skeptics Bent Spoon Award over the decades. 1994, 12 March - The Canberra Times 1987, 19 April - The Canberra Times 1985, 31 August - The Canberra Times 1989, 26 March - The Canberra Times 2009, 3 December - Discovery Magazine https://trove.nla.gov.au/ https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/australian-skeptics-jeer-meryl-dorey https://www.skeptics.com.au/features/bent-spoon Also Skepticon 2019 https://skepticon.org.au

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