This week András is back and we start by philosophizing a bit about what a new decade really means and look forward to a few nice skeptics meetings coming up in the near future. We also talk about the future for Golden Rice and why it is so important despite what Greenpeace and EU politicians think.
From history we hear about the so-called ‘psychic’ Doris Stokes who was born this week in 1920 and Pontus Pokes the Pope for telling others to show restraint while he himself lost his temper just a few days ago. Should he be the one who negotiate peace in the Middle East? We think not.
In the News this week: MedWatch.de turns into full online magazine, the people behind the Manifesto Against Pseudotherapies are getting sued by homeopaths and Prince William starts the ‘Earthshot Prize’ to fight the climate crisis. We look back on a decade of Edzard Ernst, praise Hayley Stevens for continuing to spread light over ghost hunting and look forward to Natalie Grams’ new book coming out in February. Also, the ‘El Esceptico’ magazine has recently examined the pharmaceutical industry in an excellent way.
We end by handing another Really Right to the Daily Mail (!), this time for taking a critical look at the New Year’s diet recommendations.
Enjoy!
Segments:
Intro; Greetings; This Week; Pontus Pokes the Pope; News; Really Right; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takes
Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe
0:00:28 INTRO
0:00:51 GREETINGS
A decade is always a decade, no matter when you start counting. Lots of good things coming up in the skeptical calendar: German Skeptic Norbert Aust will go to Prague to talk about the ‘Informationsnetzwerk Homöopathie‘ and in Lund, Sweden, there will be a real life Ig Nobel winner next week. Also, GMO is not inherently good or bad, but very safe if used correctly. The Philippines understands this and has just as the first country in Asia approved Golden Rice. If only the EU and Greenpeace would get a rational and balanced view on this lifesaving and important technology.
0:16:15 THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICISM
Psychic and ‘claireaudient’ Doris Stokes was born on 6 January 1920.
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- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Stokes
- Doris Stokes vinyl record, ‘Welcome to my World’ (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTbfve2bw2Y
0:21:11 PONTUS POKES THE POPE
Blessed is the Peace Maker (But Don’t Make Him Angry)
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- Crux (1): https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/01/after-soleimani-assassination-pope-warns-war-brings-only-death-and-destruction/
- Crux (2): https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2020/01/forget-the-swiss-how-about-the-vatican-to-broker-us-iran-relations/
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2020/jan/01/indignant-pope-francis-slaps-womans-hand-to-free-himself-at-new-years-eve-gathering-video
- Patheos: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefreethinker/2020/01/lawsuit-claims-mother-teresa-shielded-a-predatory-priest/
0:27:35 NEWS
- GERMANY: MedWatch.de Becomes an Online Magazine
- SPAIN: APETP is Being Sued by Homeopaths
- UK: Prince William’s ‘Earthshot Prize’ to Tackle Climate Crises
- UK: Edzard Ernst’s Decade in So-Called Alternative Medicine
- Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2019/12/2010-2019-a-decade-in-so-called-alternative-medicine-scam/
- Smallwood Report (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallwood_Report
- UK: Baketan Reiseki-Kai Ghost Rock Nonsense
- Hayley Stevens: https://hayleyisaghost.co.uk/ghost-rock-revolutionise/
- GERMANY: Natalie Grams’ new book ‘What Really Works’
- SPAIN: Spotlight on the Pharmaceutical Industry in El Esceptico
- El Esceptico: http://www.escepticos.es/node/7015
0:47:09 REALLY RIGHT
Daily Mail Debunks Stupid Diets
0:49:56 QUOTE AND FAREWELL
“To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact.”
/ Charles Darwin, (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882), English naturalist, geologist and biologist /
0:50:53 OUTRO
0:52:08 OUT-TAKES