The Skeptic Zone

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders with Maynard at Sydney Skeptics in tne Pub 0:02:00 Free Homeopthy Booklet... worth every cent We take a look at the information found in the free Boiron Homepathy information booklet on offer in American supermarkets and pharmacies. What can we learn from the Q&A section? With help from Heidi Robertson. 0:34:08 Good Thinking takes Homeopthy to court Good Thinking's legal challenge to accreditation of Society of Homeopaths in the UK to be heard March 18th-19th. The Judicial Review challenging the accreditation of the Society of Homeopaths to be heard by the High Court. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/gts-cease-psa/ 0:38:09 Maynard's Spooky Action... Interviews from Sydney Skeptics in the Pub February 2020 Gary Kennedy graduated from the School of Food Technology at UNSW in 1984. He has worked in hospitals and meatworks, and as a food safety trainer and food safety auditor. He currently is the Managing Director of Correct Food Systems, a f

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

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 Res

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

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/4zW1uWX5

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

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-magazin

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

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

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.

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/

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:45 Skeptical Adventures with Dick Smith Australian Skeptics patron Dick Smith tells of the time he flew out James Randi to take part in Australia's largest water divining challenge. Also other investigations and adventures over the years. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsudGI1mVCMP3D-YedfDUFzgEvtc_UfgA 0:27:05 Good Thinking Society takes on Ear Candles The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit has upheld a Good Thinking Society complaint against "Claudia tries... Ear Candling", a short video which appeared on the Glasgow based digital platform, The Social. They were concerned that the video gave the misleading impression that ear candling is both effective and safe. https://goodthinkingsociety.org/bbc-upholds-our-complaint-against-claudia-tries-ear-candling 0:34:00 Bailey Harris visits Ark Encounter What better way to spend Easter weekend than to take a tour of the Ark Encounter and expose the anti-science that it bleeds from e

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:02:49 Anti-Vax Zealot in Medical Centre The bizarre story of a conspiracy theorist bluffing his way into a medical centre to get them to remove pro-vaccination posters from the walls. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/anti-vaxxer-impersonated-official-demanded-clinic-pull-health-posters-20191114-p53am5.html https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/impersonation-commonwealth-public-officials https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwH13-sneXs 0:13:08 Skeptical Investigations As part of a record of the history of Australian Skeptics, Ian Bryce tells of some of the early investigations into amazing claims in the 1980s. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsudGI1mVCMP3D-YedfDUFzgEvtc_UfgA 0:25:38 Bent Spoon Nominations for 2019 At a recent Sydney Skeptics in the Pub event, Richard Saunders told the audience of some of some of the nominations for this year's Australian Skeptics Bent Spoon award for the most preposterous piece of par

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:24 CSICon 2019 Interviews - Part #3 Rob Palmer, aka the well known skeptic, with part #3 of his interview series from CSIcon 2019 in Las Vegas. This week paranormal investigator Kenny Biddle, from Point of Inquiry Kavin Senapathy, GSoW editor Brandi and Aedan, and local Las Vegas student Daniel Spangler. https://www.facebook.com/TWKSkeptic/ https://skepticalinquirer.org/authors/rob-palmer/ 0:17:48 M 209 Cipher Machine Dr Steve Roberts, expert on codes and ciphers, talks about the M 209 Cipher Machine from WWII. https://simonsingh.net/books/the-code-book 0:29:55 The Hole in the Pole - Part #1 Virtually every religion refers to a subterranean world which is variously an afterlife (hell, purgatory, or Elysian Fields) or a secret place where other civilisations do their business. The Greeks had Hades, the Jews Sheol, the Tibetan Buddhists have Shamballa, the Nordic people have Svartalfaheimr, the Hindu Patala. And, of course, the Chris

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:09 Another strike against Homeopathy The head of the NHS launches an outspoken attack on the homeopathy industry for peddling deadly anti- vaccine myths. Simon Stevens accuses practitioners of spreading toxic 'misinformation' about jabs, which poses 'a significant danger to human health'. We get the background on the story from Michael Marshall from the Good Thinking Society. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7619805/NHS-chief-blasts-homeopathy-dangerous-blames-industry-fuelling-antivaxx-myths.html 0:14:16 CSIcon 2019 Interviews - Part #2 Guest reporter Rob Palmer talks to Elizabeth Loftus about false memories, Jim Underdownabout investigating paranormal claims, Janyce Boynton about Facilitated communication and Joe Schwarcz about demystifying science. 0:33:16 Geeks, Gamers, Nerds & Kids Tim Mendham, editor (and EO) of 'The Skeptic' magazine from Australian Skeptics, reads an item from Vol. 39 No.1. What is the cross-over

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:30 Banned Naturopath in Cook Islands The naturopath whose Cook Islands disciples continue to practice her prohibited remedies says she is the victim of a Nazi-style propaganda campaign. http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/item/74612-ban-on-healer-who-offered-cancer-cure-to-dying-cook-islands-man http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/health/item/74641-banned-healer-breaks-silence-to-protest-her-innocence/74641-banned-healer-breaks-silence-to-protest-her-innocence 0:14:17 CSIcon 2019 Interviews - Part #1 Guest reporter Rob Palmer chats to Seth Shostak about the search for alien life, Paula from Argentina, Mentalist Mark Edward and Natalia and Carlos from Brazil. 0:34:14 Fighting Words - Part #2 Tim Mendham, editor (and EO) of 'The Skeptic' magazine from Australian Skeptics, reads a feature from Vol. 39 No. 2. A look at the history and meaning of "Free Speech". https://www.skeptics.com.au Also Skepticon 2019 https://sk

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:30 Mind Body Wallet time again Join Richard Saunders, Peter "Ratbags" Bowditch and Lara Benham as they, once again, descend into the pit of woo that is Mind Body Spirit in Sydney. https://ratbags.com/ 0:17:30 Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia in action Barbara O'Neill is an Australian naturopath and lecturer on health issues who, in 2019, was banned for life by the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) from providing free or paid health services. We look at the new Wiki page regarding her case. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_O%27Neill https://www.skepdoc.info/videos-2 0:27:00 Fighting Words - Part #1 Tim Mendham, editor (and EO) of 'The Skeptic' magazine from Australian Skeptics, reads a feature from Vol. 39 No. 2. A look at the history and meaning of "Free Speech". https://www.skeptics.com.au 0:37:35 Tricks of the Trade Australian Skeptics co-founder Phillip Adams recalls the time James Randi fooled

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:03:00 CHOICE Shonkys Far too many people lose money or suffer impacts to their health and wellbeing due to products that are overpriced, ineffective or downright dangerous. We all deserve better. The Skeptic Zone Podcast reports from the annual Shonkys Awards. http://www.choice.com.au 0:21:04 Trish & Chips! With Trish Hann Trish is interviewed by Maynard at Sydney Skeptics in the Pub where she talks about the latest science in the treatment of strokes. 0:31:00 I Think We Need To Think... with Susan Gerbic Susan updates us on more of the work going on at Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia. https://abouttimeproject.wordpress.com/ 0:36:52 Dr Fiona Fidler for Skepticon 2019 Dr Fidler is a psychologist with a PhD in history and philosophy of science, who has worked in conservation science for roughly the last decade. She is generally interested in how scientists and experts make and communicate decisions. In this interview, Dr Fidler

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:25 NZ Skeptics vs. Jeanette Wilson NZ-based, self-described "spiritual medium" Jeanette Wilson has started touring the country with her Psychic Surgery show. New Zealand Skeptics are running a campaign to try to disrupt this by contacting the venues and making them aware of the sort of thing they're hosting. We talk to NZ Skeptics Chairperson, Craig Shearer. https://skeptics.nz https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018715951 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12273065 0:24:22 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson Naturopath O'Neill banned for life The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission has given a life ban to naturopath Barbara O'Neill. The order permanently prohibits O'Neill from "providing any health service, whether on a paid or voluntary basis, to any person". The term "health service" includes "health education services", which were a feature of the northern NSW Misty Mounta

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:55 Area 51 - No Aliens Set Free We chat to noted paranormal expert Ben Redford about the fiasco at area 51. A good day for those who like to dance, but alas no aliens were set free to travel back to their home planet. https://squaringthestrange.wordpress.com 0:13:56 The Wallaby Award Australian Skeptics Inc is once again offering an annual award for the best piece of skeptical journalism. The Barry Williams Award for Skeptical Journalism recognises the best piece of journalism (in any medium) that takes a critical and skeptical approach to a topic that falls within our remit, which is the scientific investigation of pseudoscience and the paranormal. https://www.skeptics.com.au/2019/09/26/australian-skeptics-calls-for-nominations-for-media-prize 0:19:10 The Raw Skeptic Report... With Heidi Robertson A Queensland chiropractor-turned-alternative healer sold bottled water as a vaccine for the deadly Hendra virus. - By Warren Barnsley