TheESP – Ep. #355 – Live from down unda!

– with the Bent Spoon Award & a happy birthday to VoF!

We start by exploring the anthroposophic connections of the Griffins, the founders of Canberra, then move on to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Swedish skeptical organisation Vetenskap och Folkbildning.

Then Pontus Pokes the Pope for all the mess his minions like Becciu have caused in the Vatican Bank before we turn to the news:

GERMANY: Court prohibits homeopathic manufacturer from advertising product with false health claims
RUSSIA: The Duma passes law banning ‘LGBT propaganda’ among adults
INTERNATIONAL: Witchcraft beliefs in Europe (and around the world) surprisingly high
UK: Graham Hancock rages war against the whole field of archaeology
INTERNATIONAL: With Twitter’s end of enforcing policy against misinformation, EU raises prospect of big fines or ban
INTERNATIONAL: Measles is ‘imminent threat’ globally, WHO and CDC warn

This week’s Really Wrong prize goes to the NHS in the UK for supporting quackery in midwifery.

Finally, you can listen to two of the interviews conducted at the convention with Executive Officer of Australian Skeptics Inc. Tim Mendham and chief organiser of SkeptiCon 2022 Kevin Davies.

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; Pontus Pokes The Pope; News; Really Wrong; Quote; Interviews; Farewell; Outro

0:00:37 INTRO

0:01:02 GREETINGS

• The Griffins (founders of Canberra) – Did they base their plans on anthroposophy?
  • https://www.nca.gov.au/education/canberras-history/walter-burley-griffin

0:06:05 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 4 December 1982 – VoF was founded! Happy 40th birthday!
  • https://www.vof.se/historia/

0:07:49 PONTUS POKES THE POPE

• ‘Trial of the century’: the prosecution messes up again
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/11/30/angelo-becciu-pope-francis-recording/

0:13:55 NEWS

• GERMANY: Court prohibits homeopathic manufacturer from advertising product with false health claims
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/11/german-court-prohibits-homeopathic-manufacturer-from-advertising-with-false-health-claims/
• RUSSIA: The Duma passes law banning ‘LGBT propaganda’ among adults
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/24/russia-passes-law-banning-lgbt-propaganda-adults
  • Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/24/russia-lgbtq-duma-laws/
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/29/us-same-sex-marriage-law-senate-passes
• INTERNATIONAL: Witchcraft beliefs in Europe (and around the world) surprisingly high
  • GWUP: https://blog.gwup.net/2022/11/26/hexenglaube-richtet-in-vielen-laendern-der-erde-schaden-an-medien-in-deutschland-sind-dagegen-von-hexen-fasziniert/
  • Science Daily: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221123193702.htm
• UK: Graham Hancock rages war against the whole field of archaeology
  • The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/with-netflixs-ancient-apocalypse-graham-hancock-has-declared-war-on-archaeologists-194881
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/nov/23/ancient-apocalypse-is-the-most-dangerous-show-on-netflix
• INTERNATIONAL: With Twitter’s end of enforcing policy against misinformation, EU raises prospect of big fines or ban
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/30/eu-raises-prospect-of-big-fine-or-ban-if-twitter-fails-to-follow-new-legislation
  • The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/29/twitter-covid-misinformation-policy-enforcement-elon-musk
• INTERNATIONAL: Measles is ‘imminent threat’ globally, WHO and CDC warn
  • Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/24/measles-threat-vaccine-who-cdc/

0:35:34 REALLY WRONG

• NHS for offering quackery-ridden services by midwives
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2022/11/obstetric-quackery-on-the-nhs/

0:39:00 QUOTE

“You cannot oppose reasoning to pride, the principal of all the vices, since, by its very nature, the proud man refuses to listen to it.”

/Jules Verne, French author, 1828-1905/

0:39:46 INTERVIEW with Tim Mendham

Website of Australian Skeptics Inc.: https://www.skeptics.com.au/

0:53:18 INTERVIEW with Kevin Davies

Website of SkeptiCon 2022: https://skepticon.org.au/

0:58:05 FAREWELL

0:58:50 OUTRO