Allison_Balfour

Also, Santa is not real and Annika pokes Christmas trees

The Ockham Awards have been announced, ESA helps a Chinese rover and the Belgian Skeptics, SKEPP, finally wins against a SLAPP^*) suit filed by a multimillionaire. In TWISH we hear of the gruesome death of a Scottish witch and then we dig into the news:

• INTERNATIONAL: Time magazine names vaccine scientists Heroes of the Year 2021
• FRANCE: Swedish artist Anna von Hausswolff harassed by Catholic fundamentalists
• INTERNATIONAL: Tackling COVID disinformation with empathy and conversation
• SIBERIA: WMO confirms highest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic: 38C
• ITALY: Noto’s bishop tells children Santa doesn’t exist
• INTERNATIONAL: Buying guide for christmas trees?

The German “Corona Ausschuss” spreads dangerous nonsense about the vaccine and pandemic and gets today’s award for being Really Wrong.
Enjoy!

^*)SLAPP = Strategic lawsuit against public participation

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Wrong; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes;
 
0:00:27 INTRO

0:00:53 GREETINGS

• The Ockham Awards 2021
  • The Skeptic (UK): https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2021/12/dr-elisabeth-bik-wins-skeptical-activism-ockham-award/
• ESA orbiter helps out Chinese rover on Mars
  • ESA: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/12/ESA_Mars_Express_relays_data_from_CNSA_Zhurong_rover
• Belgian Skeptics wins lawsuit (also see ep 243)
  • SKEPP: https://skepp.be/nl/psychologie-hrm-coaching/human-resource-management/gewonnen-hof-verklaart-hoger-beroep-ongegrond
  • The ESP: https://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/theesp-ep-243.html
• Olaf Scholz does not swear by God
  • Bild: https://www.bild.de/politik/inland/politik-inland/so-lief-der-machtwechsel-tag-wer-beim-eid-auf-die-gottesformel-verzichtete-78486582.bild.html

0:14:00 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 16th December 1594, death of Scottish witch Allison Balfour
  • Orkney Jar: http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/witchcraft/balfour.htm

0:21:43 NEWS

• INTERNATIONAL: Time magazine names vaccine scientists Heroes of the Year 2021
  • Time: https://time.com/heroes-of-the-year-2021-vaccine-scientists/
• FRANCE: Swedish artist Anna von Hausswolff harassed by Catholic fundamentalists
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59605233
  • DN: https://www.dn.se/kultur/svenska-anna-von-hausswolff-anklagad-for-satanism-i-frankrike/
• INTERNATIONAL: Tackling COVID disinformation with empathy and conversation
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/tackling-covid-disinformation-with-empathy-and-conversation-173013
• SIBERIA: WMO confirms highest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic: 38C
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59649066
• ITALY: Noto’s bishop tells children Santa doesn’t exist
  • Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/ap/2021/12/13/bah-humbug-italy-bishop-tells-children-santa-doesnt-exist/
• INTERNATIONAL: Buying guide for christmas trees?
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/sustainable-christmas-trees-an-ecologists-buying-guide-173383

0:45:11 REALLY WRONG

• REALLY WRONG: Germany: The ‘Corona Committee’ spreads endless misinformation
  • Tages Spiegel: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/themen/reportage/luegen-und-hetze-im-berliner-corona-ausschuss-im-impfstoff-sind-so-etwas-wie-lebendige-kraken/27670234.html
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2021/12/the-corona-committee-in-berlin-there-are-live-octopuses-in-the-vaccines/

0:51:11 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“So, mathematical truth prefers simple words since the language of truth is itself simple.”
/ Tycho Brahe (14 December 1546 – 24 October 1601) born February 1984), Danish astronomer, known for his accurate and comprehensive astronomical observations. /

0:53:24 OUTRO

0:54:39 OUT-TAKES