TheESP – Ep. #314 – Meta says and Meta does

Also, Benedict works in mysterious ways

We talk about the great new CFI fellows announced, wonder what happens to Ukraine (please note that we recorded this episode one day before the invasion…) and welcome the fact that the Philippines plan to roll out production of Golden Rice. In TWISH we hear about Gutenberg and his bible that was published this week way back in 1455. Pontus pokes both popes and then we look at the news:

• FRANCE: Djokovic keeps being wrong…
• GERMANY: Association of Catholic Doctors and homeopathic conversion therapy
• INTERNATIONAL: Scientists call for science collaboration to be put before politics
• INTERNATIONAL: New study: The Einstein Effect – how people believe weird shit if they think it was said by scientists
• EUROPE: Black death not as devastating all over Europe as previously thought?
• UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK: Great response to call for skeptical translators! Join them!

Meta gets today’s Really Wrong Award for keep saying that they don’t allow misinformation when in fact they promote it, and the Swedish authorities gets a Really Right for regulating health claims on supplements and food.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; Pontus Pokes The Popes; News; Really Wrong / Really Right; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes;
 
0:00:26 INTRO

0:00:53 GREETINGS

• New fellows of CFI from Europe
  • Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/committee-for-skeptical-inquiry-elects-14-new-fellows-from-six-countries/
• Ukraine – WTF?
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/ukraine-whats-really-behind-putins-deployment-of-peacekeeping-troops-experts-explain-177585
• PHILIPPINES: Massive production of ‘Golden Rice’ seeds to start this year
  • Gov.ph: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1166915

0:12:23 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• First publication of the Gutenberg Bible (23 Feb 1455)
  • CDN: https://cdn.watch.aetnd.com/sites/2/2020/03/TDIH-GutenbergBible-02.23.1455.pdf

0:18:25 PONTUS POKES THE POPES

• Francis charms the media and Benedict apologizes for being innocent
  • Catholic News: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250312/pope-francis-makes-first-tv-talk-show-appearance/
  • Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/ap/2022/02/08/retired-pope-asks-pardon-for-abuse-but-admits-no-wrongdoing/

0:24:17 NEWS

• FRANCE: Djokovic keeps being wrong…
  • Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/ap/2022/02/15/unvaccinated-djokovic-could-skip-french-open-wimbledon/
• GERMANY: Association of Catholic Doctors and homeopathic conversion therapy
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/02/the-association-of-catholic-doctors-and-homeopathic-conversion-therapy/
• INTERNATIONAL: Scientists call for science collaboration to be put before politics
  • Stick to Science: https://stick-to-science.eu
• INTERNATIONAL: New study: The Einstein Effect – how people believe weird shit if they think it was said by scientists
  • Science Alert: https://www.sciencealert.com/the-einstein-effect-people-trust-nonsense-from-scientists-more-than-spiritual-gurus
• EUROPE: Black death not as devastating all over Europe as previously thought?
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/the-black-death-was-not-as-widespread-or-catastrophic-as-long-thought-new-study-175461
• UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK: Great response to call for skeptical translators! Join them!
  • Skeptical Science: https://skepticalscience.com/join-the-skeptical-science-translator-community.html

0:47:07 REALLY WRONG / REALLY RIGHT

• Really Wrong: There is no relation between what Meta says and what Meta does when it comes to stop misinformation
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/14/french-anti-vaxxers-buying-fake-covid-passes-online
  • SVD: https://www.svd.se/unga-lockas-till-riskabel-handel–via-lyxliv-pa-instagram
• Really Right: Sweden finally puts a stop to misleading health claims on supplements
  • SVD: https://www.svd.se/stopp-for-ogrundade-halsopastaenden/i/senaste

0:54:55 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“It is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streams. Through it, God will spread His Word. A spring of truth shall flow from it: like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a light heretofore unknown to shine amongst men.”
/ Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1400 – 3 February 1468), German inventor, printer, publisher, and goldsmith who introduced printing to Europe with his mechanical movable-type printing press. /

0:57:32 OUTRO

0:58:47 OUT-TAKES