TheESP – Ep. #384 – Bishops out!

…and someone is quacking in Latvia
This week we start by commenting on the strange developments in Russia and the Titan submersible. We call for speaker at QED SkeptiCamp recommend the work of Skeptical Science. And if anyone wants to meet up with András in the Baltic states, get in touch! In TWISH we hear about the Tunguska event and then as usual Pontus has some news about the Catholic Church. After that, we dig into the news:

• UK: House of Commons to debate presence of bishops in House of Lords
• SWITZERLAND: New cases of conspiracy theories as part of treatments
• GERMANY: Investigations ongoing against Heilpraktikers who helped issued false covid vaccination certificates (and more)
• LATVIA: Plagiarism scandal blows up in domestic science circles
• EU: EU’s new ways of securing the online space from disinformation – starting with Twitter
• INTERNATIONAL: Deforestation is also worsening (not only carbon dioxide emissions)
• SWEDEN: Macchiarini jail sentence increased to 2.5 years

The European Commission get a Really Right Award and then Jānis Pļaviņš from Latvia is the topic for this week’s “Who’s Quacking?”

Enjoy!

Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; Pontus Pokes The Pope; News; Really Right; Who’S Quacking?; Quote And Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes
 
0:00:27 INTRO

0:00:51 GREETINGS

• Wagner Group’s attempted coup and all the disinformation involved
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/failed-wagner-group-coup-leaves-putin-humiliated-and-belarus-dictator-lukashenko-more-secure-for-now-208492
• The Titan incident
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65994181
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65998914
  • Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/titanic-submersible-elon-musks-satellites/
• Call to register to talk at QED SkeptiCamp
  • Sitp.Online: https://sitp.online/skepticamp/
• Bärbel Winkler to give a speech at International Conference on Climate Justice
  • Skeptical Science: https://skepticalscience.com/v-international-conference-on-climate-justice.html
• Anyone wants to meet up in any of the Baltic States in August?
  • Andras@theESP.eu: mailto:andras@theesp.eu

0:18:33 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 30 June 1908: The Tunguska event
  • Space.com: https://www.space.com/250-russian-alien-spaceship-claims-raise-eyebrows-skepticism.html
  • Earth Sky: https://earthsky.org/space/what-is-the-tunguska-explosion/

0:27:25 PONTUS POKES THE POPE

• Turning your back to the congregation
  • Crux: https://cruxnow.com/church-in-asia/2023/06/prelate-threatens-sanctions-in-catholic-worlds-nastiest-liturgical-dispute
• Cardinal Pell definitely knew about Ridsdale
  • DN: https://www.dn.se/varlden/fore-detta-prast-erkanner-begatt-overgrepp-pa-72-barn/

0:34:22 NEWS

• UK: House of Commons to debate presence of bishops in House of Lords
  • Humanists UK: https://humanists.uk/2023/06/23/131796/
• SWITZERLAND: New cases of conspiracy theories as part of treatments
  • Muslim Times: https://themuslimtimes.info/2023/06/21/satanic-panic-on-the-rise-in-parts-of-switzerland/
  • Swiss Info: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/swiss-clinic-peddled–mind-control–conspiracy-theories/48106604
  • NAU: https://www.nau.ch/news/schweiz/rituelle-gewalt-kliniken-therapieren-mit-verschworungstheorie-66180680
• GERMANY: Investigations ongoing against Heilpraktikers who helped issued false covid vaccination certificates (and more)
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2023/06/arrests-in-germany-for-healthcare-professionals-who-issued-fake-covid-certificates/
• LATVIA: Plagiarism scandal blows up in domestic science circles
  • Restraction Watch: https://retractionwatch.com/2023/06/23/plagiarism-scandal-engulfs-high-profile-academic-in-latvia/
• EU: EU’s new ways of securing the online space from disinformation – starting with Twitter
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jun/23/twitter-agrees-to-comply-with-tough-eu-disinformation-laws
• INTERNATIONAL: Deforestation is also worsening (not only carbon dioxide emissions)
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66013854
• SWEDEN: Macchiarini jail sentence increased to 2.5 years
  • Domstol: https://www.domstol.se/svea-hovratt/nyheter/2023/06/svea-hovratt-meddelar-dom-i-mal-om-grov-misshandel-pa-karolinska-sjukhuset-i-huddinge-och-solna-vid-tre-tillfallen-aren-2011-och-2012/
  • Omni: https://omni.se/macchiarini-kommenterar-domen-lite-chockad/a/GMXBBJ

0:56:13 REALLY RIGHT

• Really Right: EU to bring political advertisement under strict control to keep disinformation at bay
  • the Conversation: https://theconversation.com/fake-news-eu-targets-political-social-media-ads-with-tough-new-regulation-proposal-208132

0:59:53 WHO’S QUACKING?

• LATVIA: Conspiracy theorist and snake-oil salesman Jānis Pļaviņš
  • ReBaltica: https://en.rebaltica.lv/2021/12/who-are-the-main-disinformation-spreaders-in-latvia-and-how-do-they-support-themselves/

1:04:53 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“The widest cause of secularization may be the steady change of thinking so that there is the expectation that reason and a consideration of cause and effect will help with explanations. Supernatural power began to be removed from explanations of the process of life or society in the seventeenth century, and although there may be a nod towards astrology or the crossed finger today, superstition is not seriously used in decision making. […]
Scientific thinking, which similarly developed in the seventeenth century, has been influential in bringing this change. We now see that tornadoes and earthquakes have rational explanations in terms of climatology and seismology rather than as divine punishments. Most people when deciding whether to take a new job, embark on a divorce, or simply plan a holiday will not seek divine guidance, but rather discuss with themselves or others the issues of cause and effect.”
/ Jim Herrick (August 1944 – 20 June 2023), British humanist and secularist. The quote is from his book ‘Humanism: An Introduction’. /

1:07:08 OUTRO

1:08:23 OUT-TAKES