TheESP – Ep. #340 – Ivermectin is a cult

– speaking of cults, Mother Teresa wasn’t much of a saint

Turns out the “hunger stone” found in Elbe is not a photo from this year. It’s almost like you cannot trust the internet any more… Climate change is here to stay, regardless. In TWISH (This Week in Skeptical History) we hear about Mother Teresa, probably the best known modern saints of all, and we learn that she was in fact pretty mean and cruel. The guy who made her a saint (Francis) gets a poking for messing with the on-going “trial of the century” when he suddenly makes up with the main suspect Cardinal Becciu – or did he? Not even the Vatican seems to know. Also, Pontus predicts that Kirill may back out of meeting with Frankie. (BREAKING NEWS! Confirmed by orthodox official the day after the recording). Then it’s time for the skeptical news:

• INTERNATIONAL: The cult of Ivermectin refuses to die
• SWEDEN: More science denial from Sweden Democrats
• UK: NHS Fund looking for Reiki healers
• RUSSIA / UK: The assassination of Darya Dugina: Which conspiracy theory to believe?

The Hungarian government is at it again and their Innovation minister, Laszlo Palkovics, gets a Really Wrong Award for sacking weather chief over a storm that didn’t happen.

Enjoy!

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

0:00:51 GREETINGS

• “Hunger stone” emerging from the river Elbe
  • Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/08/18/hunger-stones-drought/

0:06:52 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 26 August 1910: Birth of Mother Teresa
  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa

0:11:49 PONTUS POKES THE POPE

• Cardinal Becciu claims he has been reinstated by Pope Francis (WTF?) – Vatican says they are not so sure.
  In other news, Frankie likely wants to meet with Kirill, but is Kirill willing to play along?
  • Crux: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2022/08/invite-for-accused-cardinal-doesnt-necessarily-imply-rehabilitation-vatican-source-says
  • Crux: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2022/08/cardinal-at-center-of-vatican-trail-claims-he-has-been-reinstated-by-pope
  • Crux: https://cruxnow.com/cns/2022/08/path-of-peace-shadow-of-war-looms-over-popes-kazakhstan-visit
  • BREAKING NEWS: Kirill did indeed back out of the meeting. AP News: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-pope-francis-kazakhstan-government-and-politics-fc009c313745ecf9af5cfe7ea17318b3

0:19:57 NEWS

• INTERNATIONAL: The cult of Ivermectin refuses to die
  • NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/ivermectin-myths-make-covid-vaccine-test-psas-harder-sell-rcna22901
• SWEDEN: More science denial from Sweden Democrats
  • DN: https://www.dn.se/sverige/sds-forslag-om-samhallstjanst-for-nioaringar-doms-ut/
  • SvD: https://www.svd.se/a/476Va9/jimmie-akesson-i-utfragningen-ingen-klimatkris-an
• UK: NHS Fund looking for Reiki healers
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/08/the-nhs-is-looking-for-a-reiki-healer-to-treat-clients-using-energy-principles-and-activating-the-healing-process/
• RUSSIA / UK: The assassination of Darya Dugina: Which conspiracy theory to believe?
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/22/russian-security-service-fsb-claim-to-have-identified-killer-of-darya-dugina-lacks-credibility

0:37:57 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Hungarian Innovation minister Laszlo Palkovics for sacking weather chief over wrong forecast
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62640051
• Reaction of the leaders of the National Weather Service (open letter):
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orszagosmeteorologiaiszolgalat/posts/pfbid02FVovc1jjcTB4FdNXLekgzhcnwgp7ykd38gwQLUwqDdHakT6TEc3S5nTAySknfe4Ql

0:42:07 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“Although this may seem a paradox, all exact science is dominated by the idea of approximation.”
/ Simon Singh, (19 September 1964 – ), British popular science author, theoretical and particle physicist. /

0:44:18 OUTRO

0:45:33 OUT-TAKES