Skeptic Zone – Episode One
Presented for your listening pleasure, on Friday 26th September, 2008.
Mark Roberts (left) and Dr Mark Henn (right)
Introduction by Richard and Stefan.
Update on what we have been up to during the break – Dragon*Con 2008!
Today’s episode – 9/11 conspiracy theory debunker, Mark Roberts and ‘The Think Tank’; the first part of the live show we did for the SkepTrack at Dragon*Con (with Dr Ginger Campbell and Dr Phil Plait to follow later).
The TANK past episodes are still all online (but look better on podcast…).
But first, our show at Dragon*Con 2008 – the Skeptic Zone is launched at Dragon*Con! Richard Saunders, Dr Karen Stollznow and Kylie Sturgess present – the first time together!
Richard fills us in on the history of Skeptic Tank / The TANK and the new name of ‘Skeptic Zone’ (‘Albert’ wasn’t on the cards, nor was ‘Token Skeptics’ *urgh!*).
The team already can’t stand each other – so we’re off to a great start! The TANK episodes are archived on www.tankvodcast.wordpress.com.
We do a summary of our memorable shows – the equipment we used, how we got footage back to Richard for the show. Highlights include Anonymous reports (Sydney and San Fran), paranormalists, religious views and bikini girls!
We like to hear everyone’s opinions and beliefs – because giving ‘enough rope’ can sometimes produce a great story!
Filming equipment and what suggestions we have for people interested in vodcasting.
Kylie talks about what inspires and interests her – theatre superstitions, sports superstitions and Tim Minchin! Richard recalls his interview on SkeptiCamp and how everyone can contribute to skepticism (‘It’s fantabulous!‘).
The longevity of the YouTube video and mp3s online – videos taken of the 2008 Dragon*Con can be found on podblackcom at YouTube.
Advertisement for the Australian Skeptic Journal – the ‘third best’ amongst many great skeptic magazines!
Karen is congratulated again on her new role – the Editor of the Australian Skeptic and Executive Officer of the Australian Skeptics.
** Advertisement by Brian Dunning for Skeptoid and Here Be Dragons – Check Them Out! **
Kylie Sturgess introduces Mark ‘Gravy’ Roberts and Dr Mark Henn, on 9/11 Conspiracy Theories
** Advertisement for the Australian Skeptics National Convention 11-12th October in Adelaide **
Drinking Skeptically – In The Think Tank – with Dr Rachael Dunlop, Michael Wolloghan and Richard Saunders.
Panthers, UFOs, Politics, Robbie Williams’ Stargazing, Pink and Scientology and free beer appears! We love Andrew Denton and his documentary ‘God On My Side‘. Pan Pharmaceuticals and ‘big Pharma conspiracies’ and the Jim Salim story.
Central Africa has witchcraft-wrought deaths at a football match; What’s The Harm site. Vegetarianism is ‘bad for your brain’ – ’six times likely to shrink your brain’ due to low levels of B12. Which leads us to try for the meat tray raffle.
** Advertisement for the Brain Science Podcast – by Dr Ginger Campbell – Check it out and get it discovered by NPR! **
We’re so into the Zone – we registered the domain name! Lots of interviews linked up – Dr Eugenie Scott and more!
Sydney listeners – there’s a new skeptics group at Macquarie University – Richard will be presenting there!
Thanks for listening and catch our future shows!
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")
OMG!!!11!!!ONE!!!
U have fallen for the LIES, SHEEPLE! WAKE UP! Th’ar be demolitions and missles flying around that day. A friend of a friend’s daughter best friends pen pal confirmed it! UR SO GULLIBLE!
Yeah, all kidding aside, great podcast. Listener here all the way from Newfoundland, so I’ve come a long way or you’ve gone pretty far.
I have been debunking these things for some time now to “truthers” on various blogs and sites. Never seems to help, but the important part is the journey, not the destination.
Azmodan Kijur
September 25, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Already can’t wait for next year!
Derek Colanduno
September 25, 2008 at 4:15 pm
So amazing seeing this officially up. Love all the work you all have put into this, am so proud of you. Cheers mates ~t
Mr. Blue Bubbles
September 25, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Hi there. Just wanted to say I really enjoyed your first podcast, especially the interview with Mark Roberts. I have watched (from the sidelines, mostly) the 9-11 conspiracies grow to epidemic proportions, and then watched Mr. Roberts come along and singlehandedly take on every one of their so-called experts and put them to shame. It’s nice to see him get the credit he deserves. I hope you’ll do more of these “ordinary person steps up and swings the clue bat” profiles.
@ Azmodan: haven’t you learned that you cannot exaggerate how ridiculous these people are? They are parody-proof!
best regards,
Tom
p.s. Just one criticism: the audio quality and volume was very uneven.
Tom Mickens
September 25, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Just finished listening. I concur with the decision to go mostly audio ( I know you were awaiting my approval). I loved the Tank vodcasts but I found it hard getting around to watching them.
I like the format especially the skeptical drinking. Boags is nice, especially when it’s free. I did fear momentarily for your safety – fearing that some moon worshipping loon might have spiked you drinks. Keep up the good work!
Sean the Blogonaut
September 26, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Great episode guys.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Keep up the good work.
Hyperviolet
September 27, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Hi Tom Mickens! Entirely my fault regarding the NYC ‘Gravy’ interview – I was actually taping it for the vodcast and sent in an mp3 rather than the tape, so it’d get to Richard on time (I posted home the footage rather than carry it with me to Dragon*Con). The vodcast should be better quality, although I did have a nasty creaky tripod with me. :/ But was pleased to get it an audience regardless.
podblack
September 27, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Great show! Those two Marks are awesome…you should have them on every week!
In the Conspiracy Theories forum at the JREF site there’s a hilarious/sad thread about this podcast, in which truthers display all the qualities they say I’m wrong about accusing them of having.
While some were trying to argue that I placed too much emphasis on anti-Semitism amongst truther leaders, truther leader William Rodriguez, who I discuss in the podcast, stepped up in defense of some notorious anti-Semites.
As a defense against my accusation that the truth movement is based on faith, not evidence, a truther who accused me of getting everything wrong said, “To point out what you’ve gotten wrong would require me to care enough about what you have written so as to spend time reading it.”
As noted above, these people are a parody of themselves.
I had a great time with Kylie and Mark, though. Next time we meet, let’s make it all beer and no truthers!
Mark Roberts
September 28, 2008 at 8:26 pm