The Skeptic Zone #602 - 26 April 2020

Introduction

Richard Saunders & Pontus Böckman

http://theesp.eu

https://www.youtube.com/user/VoFTV

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

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

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.

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

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

Introduction

Richard Saunders & Celestia Ward

https://www.2headsstudios.com

https://squaringthestrange.libsyn.com

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

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.

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

The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham

Review of 'The Science of Miracles'

Tim gives us his thoughts on 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

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

Skepticon 2020

https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #600 - 12 April 2020

Introduction

Richard Saunders & Stefan Sojka

A Grain of Salt. With Eran Segev

Skeptics legal defence fund seeks volunteers

An international skeptics legal defence fund is in the process of being set up, following the successful defence of Britt Hermes, and it is calling for experienced and qualified volunteers with legal, marketing and fund-raising expertise to help out.

https://skepticslegaldefense.org

'Medical Intuitives' Promising to Protect Your DNA Against Coronavirus

Just before large gatherings were banned due to coronavirus, but after it hit the news, Gary Nunn attended a Mind, Body, Spirit convention in Sydney. As expected, it was full of clairvoyants and generalist psychics. But there were also a lot of people describing themselves as "medical intuitives". - Story by Gary Nunn

https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/y3mj3m/the-medical-intuitives-promising-to-protect-your-dna-against-coronavirus

Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma

This week Michelle looks at "The Argument from Ignorance".

Also known as “The appeal to ignorance”, this is when you assert something is true or could be true because no one has proved it to be false. This fallacy wrongly shifts the burden of proof away from the person making the claim.

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.

The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham

The Mighty Mitta Muster Water Divining Test - Part #3

A look at how Australian Skeptics test paranormal claims.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

Maynard's Spooky Action

This week Maynard reports from his international studios and gives us his tips, tricks and viewing recommendations for surviving the COVID-19 Lock Down. You have been warned.

http://maynard.com.au

Greetings from

3M Science of Safety Podcast

https://www.3m.com.au/sospodcast

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

Skepticon 2020

https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #599 - 5 April 2020

Introduction
Richard Saunders

Be Rationable - An interview with Abhijit Chanda from India

Are you curious? Are you always questioning things that you see around you? Are you looking for answers, but most of them just aren't convincing enough?

The Be Rationable podcast wants to know what works and what doesn't, and who's right and who's not. There's a problem though. A lot of what we find in this quest is either based on bad evidence, bad ideas, propaganda or just misinformation.

https://www.berationable.com/

COVID-19 and Quack Claims

At this time of a world-wide crisis, we see the best and the worst of humanity. While some people put their lives on the line in the fight agaist COVID-19, others keep spreading conspiracy theories and very bad health advice. We look at some examples of stupidity and wilful ignorance.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8184583/Anti-vaxxer-Meryl-Dorey-leader-calls-followers-storm-hospitals-coronavirus-lockdown.html

Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma

This week Michelle looks at "Begging the Question".

Also known as "Circular Reasoning", This is when the answer to the question is implied in the wording of the question itself. The premise of the question and the foregone conclusion support each other in a circular way without referring to any external actual evidence.

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.

Maynard's Spooky Action

This week Maynard interviews one of the original Skeptic Zone reporters, Dr Rachael Dunlop from "Dr Rachie Reports". We hear her take on the current COVID-19 situation from a medical science point of view.

I Think we need to THINK - With Susan Gerbic

COVID-19 life in California

Susan gives us her perspective of what 'the new normal' means for her, her town and for Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia (GSoW).

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

SitP Online

https://www.twitch.tv/sitp

Skepticon 2020

https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #598 - 29 March 2020

Introduction
Richard Saunders

Maynard's Spooky Action

Will comet ATLAS take our minds off COVID-19? We hope so and so does astronomer Kirsten Banks. Find out about this cosmic visitor, native astronomy and much more from one of Australia's up and coming leaders in science.

https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/

http://www.aboriginalastronomy.com.au

https://astrokirsten.com.au/podcast

Life is Wild. With Michelle Franklin

Michelle brings us news on how the Northern Territory in Australia is coping with COVID-19.

Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma

This week Michelle looks at "Post hoc, ergo, propter hoc".

Also known as "assuming the cause", the "faulty causal assumption" or just "post hoc", this is when two events occur in succession and it is believed that the first event must have caused the second event. Or to put it another way, the second event is a result of the first event.

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.

The Raw Skeptic Report. With Heidi Robertson

It's a strange world for a mum of two school kids and things are getting stranger by the day. Heidi and her new life indoors with the family to help beat COVID-19.

The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham

The Mighty Mitta Muster Water Divining Test - Part #2

A look at how Australian Skeptics test paranormal claims.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

Skepticon 2020

https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #597 - 22 March 2020

Message from reporter Michelle Bijkersma

Logical Fallacies and COVID-19

Introduction

Richard Saunders

Brian Dunning - Skeptoid Podcast Back Catalogue For Free

We chat to Brian about his efforts to keep us informed and entertained during this time of crisis. Also we learn of some COVID-19 conspiracy theories.

http://www.skeptoid.com

Homeopaths in the UK - Unproven COVID-19 Tests in Australia

In the UK, Good Thinking's Judicial Review concluded with strict conditions placed on the Society of Homeopaths.

In Australia, questionable health advice regarding the current virus emergency is emerging from alternative medicine. We look at claims being made by a practitioner of Applied Kinesiology and of Homeopathy.

https://goodthinkingsociety.org

https://quackwatch.org/related/Tests/ak/

Applied Kinesiology video (not a satire)
https://youtu.be/kWJgnX-AhRQ

The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham

The Mighty Mitta Muster Water Divining Test - Part #1

A look at how Australian Skeptics test paranormal claims.

http://www.skeptics.com.au

Maynard's Spooky Action...

Interviews from Skepticon 2019.
This week, Sunday interviews, part #4
https://www.conspiracyofonesolo.com

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

Skepticon 2020

https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #596 - 15 March 2020

Introduction
Richard Saunders

New Age pseudoscience is no match for COVID-19

In a break with a decades-long tradition, members of Australian Skeptics will not be attending this weekend's Mind Body Spirit exhibition in Sydney's Darling Harbour due to the dangers of the spread of COVID-19 and the ignorant attitudes of some exhibitors.

https://www.skeptics.com.au/2020/03/12/new-age-pseudoscience-is-no-match-for-covid-19/

Maynard's Spooky Action...

Interviews from Australian Skeptics' dinner meeting
This week climate change with,

Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma

This week Michelle looks at "Straw Man".

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.

I Think we need to Think - With Susan Gerbic

Susan gives us an update on some recent additions and revisions to Wiki pages.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Mandatory_Vaccination

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalom_House

http://www.gsowteam.org/

Life is Wild - With Michelle Franklin

Wild Horses. Michelle talks about invasive species. The whole world is full of invasive animal and plant species, and we've seen the argument that it doesn't matter anymore, that we should just accept that the world is all mixed together now, and boundaries are arbitrary, and this is just how it is.

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar

Skepticon 2020

https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020

The Skeptic Zone #595 - 8 March 2020

Introduction
Richard Saunders

Surf Coast Summer Skepticamp VIII

We head to the beautiful 'Surf Coast', a couple of hours south-west of Melbourne, to attend the local Skepticamp. It was also a chance for us to test the 'Premium Wine Card', a device that the makers claim can change the taste of wine and water.

http://premiumwinecard.com

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/amino-neuro-frequency-just-more-embedded-frequencies-silliness/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/skepticgroupsofvictoria/

Maynard's Spooky Action...

Interviews from Australian Skeptics' dinner meeting
This week climate change with,

Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma

This week Michelle looks at "The Appeal to Popularity".

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.

The Raw Skeptic Report. With Heidi Robertson

Coronavirus Update

Dr Sue Page AM is a past President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia and current Board member of Future Health Leaders, North Coast GP Training, and RACGP Rural. As Associate Professor with the University of Sydney she links to the Northern Rivers University Centre for Rural Health, a collaboration between that university and the University of Southern Cross for the delivery of multidisciplinary health professional education in Australia.

https://info.flutracking.net

https://www.worldometers.info

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au

Maynard's 2020 Calendar

http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar