This week we celebrate our 200th episode and that we continue our journey into our fifth year!
We re-unite with our first ever guest, Gábor Hraskó (president of the Hungarian Skeptics) to philosophize a little about Skepticism and what has changed over time. And throughout the show we hear fantastic congratulation greetings from dear friends from across the world!
We go on to bring up the eradication of Smallpox and Pontus Pokes the Pope to examine a potential $4 billion threat to the Catholic Church. And a Catholic Minecraft server sounds intriguing as well…
In the news we talk about reliable climate change models, Etiopathy, the measles epidemic both globally and in Samoa. Polio is still a threat to consider and we revisit the topic of Assisted Death and the Manifesto Against Pseudoscientific Therapies.
Finally, András does his very best Master Yoda impression to celebrate that we have lasted this far!
Enjoy!
Segments:
Intro; Welcome with Gábor Hraskó; Greetings from friends 1; This Week; Greetings from friends (2); Pontus Pokes the Pope; Greetings from friends 3; News; Greetings from friends 4; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-takes
Events Calendar: https://theesp.eu/events_in_europe
0:00:52 Intro
0:01:15 Welcome, with Gábor Hraskó
Gábor Hraskó remembers warning us regarding us starting a new podcast back in 2015. Well, we are happy that we ignored him! We talk about skepticism in general and the difficulties of communicating skepticism to the public and remember highlights from the past.
- Hungarian Skeptics: https://www.szkeptikustarsasag.hu/
0:18:34 Greetings From Friends 1:
Annika and Scotty Harrison, the Skeptics Guide to the Universe crew and Eran Segev of the Australian Skeptics
0:19:52 This Week in Skepticism – the Eradication of Smallpox
On December 9, 1979, the Global Commission for the Certification of Smallpox Eradication signed their names to the statement that “smallpox has been eradicated from the world.” It was a milestone in that it was the first time a disease was eradicated by human effort.
- The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/the-last-smallpox-patient-on-earth/282169/
0:22:55 Greetings From Friends 2:
Susan Gerbic from Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, Sean Slater of the Edinburgh Skeptics and Heidi Roberston of Northern Rivers Vaccination Supporters
0:24:13 Pontus Pokes the Pope – A New Threat for an Old Pope. Plus: Holy Minecraft
New laws in in the US have opened up a whole new industry for lawyers who are now advertising to find more abuse victims. Frankie is preparing his 50 anniversary as priest and a Father Roberts has created a Vatican Minecraft server to ‘foster a less toxic community’ on-line.
- Associated Press: https://apnews.com/f3ecf1d627204907a82120f10bec7768
- Crux: https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/12/usccb-president-urges-special-prayers-for-popes-50-years-as-a-priest/
- Ubergizmo: https://www.ubergizmo.com/2019/12/vatican-priest-launches-minecraft-server/
0:28:00 Greetings From Friends 3:
DJ Maynard, Claire Kroulik-Klingenberg of ECSO and Sisyfos (Czech Skeptics) and Trish Hann of the Skeptic Zone
0:29:09 News
INTERNATIONAL: Climate Models Have Accurately Predicted Global Warming
- Science Magazine: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/12/even-50-year-old-climate-models-correctly-predicted-global-warming
- UNFCCC: https://unfccc.int/cop25
WORLD: Etiopathy – A SCAM Like So Many Others
INTERNATIONAL: Measles Update – 2019 Three Times as Bad as Last Year, plus Samoa Follow-up
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/05/142000-died-from-measles-last-year-who-estimates
- RNZ: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/405119/samoa-s-measles-death-toll-rises-to-70
- Samoa Government Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/samoagovt/posts/2797327686964902
- BBC (1): https://www.bbc.com/news/health-50659893
- BBC (2): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-50625680
- NPR: https://www.npr.org/2019/12/06/785487606/samoa-arrests-anti-vaccination-activist-as-measles-death-toll-rises
INTERNATIONAL: Update on the Global Polio Situation and Implications for the EU/EEA
- ECDC: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/update-global-polio-situation-and-implications-eueea
- WHO: https://www.who.int/features/qa/64/en/
- Polio Eradication: http://polioeradication.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/english-polio-endgame-strategy.pdf
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTprFOmIjIg
BELGIUM: Euthanasia – The Champion Who Picked a Date to Die
- New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/05/sports/euthanasia-athlete.html
- Marieke Vervoort on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marieke_Vervoort
INTERNATIONAL: The End of Placebos is in Sight
EUROPE (Spain): Manifesto Against Pseudoscientific Therapies – latest update
0:53:40 Greetings From Friends 4:
Skeptics with a K crew from Merseyside Skeptics, Brian Eggo of Glasgow Skeptics and Mandy-Lee Noble of the Skeptic Zone
0:54:45 Quote and Farewell
“Do! Or do not! There is no try!”
/ Master Yoda /
0:57:29 Outro
0:58:44 Out-takes