TheESP – Ep. #389 – Playing footsie with the King

…might get you pregnant?

Another record with July being the hottest month ever. It may not matter since AI is here to finish us off before the climate crisis does… But the show must go on and in TWISH we hear about Alexander Fleming who was born this week in 1881, Pope Frankie is in Portugal for his own Woodstock, hoping that no one talks too much about sex. Then it’s time for then news:

• RUSSIA / GERMANY: ‘Heil Zelenskiy’: Russian actors identified in purported German video against Ukraine aid
• DENMARK / SWEDEN: Burning holy books: Denmark considers law change
• UK: Humanists UK releases concerning info on faith schools
• UK: Sense About Science and UK parliament holds Evidence Week 2023
• UK: King Charles’ holistic fertility course
• NETHERLANDS: Ferry on fire
• INTERNATIONAL: So, will the Gulf Stream collapse?
• POLAND: PiS party pushes through ‘Russian influence law’ – EU says it can be used to ban political opposition

GB News presenter Neil Oliver gets this week’s Award for being Really Wrong due to his baseless claims about the BBC falsifying heat wave temperatures.

Enjoy!

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

0:00:52 GREETINGS

• Climate crisis: July hottest month on record
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66322608
• AI: Max Tegmark says we’re all fucked because of AI
  • DN: https://www.dn.se/kultur/jorn-spolander-ai-forskaren-max-tegmark-tror-att-manskligheten-dor-ungefar-samtidigt-som-han-sjalv/

0:07:26 TWISH – THIS WEEK IN SKEPTICAL HISTORY

• 6 August 1881: Birth of Sir Alexander Fleming
  • PBS: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/the-real-story-behind-the-worlds-first-antibiotic
  • The Churchill Project: https://winstonchurchill.hillsdale.edu/alexander-fleming-saved-churchill/

0:12:39 PONTUS POKES THE POPE

• World Youth Day – Victims hope Frankie’s Portugal visit will put focus on clerical abuse
  • Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/victims-hope-popes-portugal-visit-shine-spotlight-clerical-abuse-2023-08-01/

0:16:41 NEWS

• RUSSIA / GERMANY: ‘Heil Zelenskiy’: Russian actors identified in purported German video against Ukraine aid
  • Radio Free Europe: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-german-video-ukraine-aid-actors-disinformation/32522921.html
• DENMARK / SWEDEN: Burning holy books: Denmark considers law change
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66356350
  • Nyheder: https://nyheder.tv2.dk/live/samfund/2023-08-01-seneste-nyt-om-koranafbraendinger-i-danmark
  • SVT: https://www.svt.se/nyheter/utrikes/uppgifter-svenska-konsulatet-i-turkiet-attackerat
• UK: Humanists UK releases concerning info on faith schools
  • Humanists UK: https://humanists.uk/2023/07/27/six-facts-about-faith-schools-you-need-to-know/
• UK: Sense About Science and UK parliament holds Evidence Week 2023
  • Sense About Science: https://senseaboutscience.org/what-is-evidence-week/evidence-week-2023/
• UK: King Charles’ holistic fertility course
  • Edzard Ernst: https://edzardernst.com/2023/07/king-charles-reflexology-to-help-women-getting-pregnant/
  • the Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12327495/King-Charles-helps-40-women-pregnant-dont-worry-Camilla-Royal-Health-Service-holistic-fertility-course.html
• NETHERLANDS: Ferry on fire
  • the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/26/cargo-ship-fire-off-dutch-coast
• INTERNATIONAL: So, will the Gulf Stream collapse?
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66289494
• POLAND: PiS party pushes through ‘Russian influence law’ – EU says it can be used to ban political opposition
  • Notes From Poland: https://notesfrompoland.com/2023/07/28/parliament-approves-changes-to-russian-influence-law-despite-venice-commission-call-to-scrap-it/

0:50:17 REALLY WRONG

• Really Wrong: Neil Oliver, GB News presenter, claims BBC is driving fear and reporting exaggerated temperatures from the heat wave
  • BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66314338

0:56:06 QUOTE AND FAREWELL

“If we want to make education more inclusive, the best tools we have are solidarity, understanding and love.”
/ Jason Arday (1985 – ), British sociologist, writer and fundraiser best known for his research on race and racism. /

0:58:32 OUTRO

0:59:47 OUT-TAKES