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[Music]

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welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast

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from Australia for science and reason

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[Music]

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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hello and welcome to the skeptic zone

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episode number 437 for the fifth of

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March 2017 Richard Saunders here with

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you from rain-soaked Sydney Australia in

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fact we've had quite a lot of rainfall

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lately the Ducks are happy as my

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grandfather used to say it's good

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weather for ducks and speaking of things

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that go quack hmm news this week of our

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david wolfe david avocado Wolfe as he's

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known we're going to catch up with our

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friend and reporter Heidi Robertson the

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raw skeptic in the raw skeptic report

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who is going to fill us in on the latest

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information about his Australian tour

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and plus some news items from Jane

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Hansen who we often quote on the skeptic

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zone that's coming up at the top of the

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show after that we're going to be

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looking at the story as written at

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skeptics comdata you the Australian

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skeptics website about our friends in

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Victoria at the Victorian skeptics

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tumbling rumbling discovering some

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dangerous products or potentially

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dangerous products being sold in a

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Melbourne Hospital and homeopathy rears

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its ridiculous head once more also this

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week we have brouhaha from Australia

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science TV and it's kelly wang telling

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us about science and the Academy Awards

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the Oscars then to round off the show a

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special report with some scientists this

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is where the haha the theme of the show

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the skeptics own science and reason this

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is the science part restore and renew

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main odds going to be chatting to some

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scientists here in Sydney about gene

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technology when it comes to botany a

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really interesting series of interviews

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from Maynard gene technology and botany

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the genetics of plants and don't forget

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to check out Maynard's website at

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maynard com delay you for his podcasts

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and events now in the past couple of

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weeks I've started a new radio segment

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here in Australia

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just about skeptical issues and I'll add

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a link to that in the show notes if

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you're living in Australia yeah the

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segment goes out on weekends early

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morning I don't think that's a

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particular time it sort of slaughtered

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into the schedule with an old friend of

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mine Mike Williams man currently he's

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based here in Sydney working out of 2gb

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but the show is syndicated but if you go

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to the skeptic zone skeptics and TV the

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website there I will add a link in the

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show notes where you can listen to or

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download my radio segments the first

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week was about general skepticism and

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the one that's just gone out is about

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predicting the future can psychics

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predict the future longtime skeptic zone

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listeners will know that about once a

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year we mark the homework of Australia's

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greatest psychics and seers and see how

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their prediction stack up to reality a

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new project I'm undertaking with the

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Australian skeptics at the moment we're

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marking were colliding we have collated

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400 predictions over 12 years made by

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Australian psychics and we're going

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through to do a comprehensive

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investigation into their accuracy more

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news on that as there as we progress and

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if you're in the sydney area you might

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want to check out stranger things down

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under it's a Facebook group just go to

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facebook.com slash stranger things down

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under one word and I notice they have an

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event coming up on the first of April

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where they're off to spend a day with

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some UFO believers this will be the

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right Eastwood's leagues club and it

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goes from 1pm to 5pm so it should be a

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quite an interesting afternoon if you're

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interested in joining the stranger

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things down under group going along to

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these things then head for the website

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at facebook link in the show notes and

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finally if you head for the Facebook

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side of the skeptic zone link on the

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show notes I have put their a

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high-resolution down

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loadable printable picture of the P the

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flying pig i created for james randi the

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origami flying pig Pegasus and it's made

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out of a Mongolian banknote if you code

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here click the link download the I

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reserved photograph of Pegasus and if

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you want to whack it on the wall if you

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do that by the way why don't you post a

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picture of figgis's institute on our

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facebook page arm that would be

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fantastic that's enough for me at the

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moment I'm going to run downstairs go

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into the cupboard above the fridge

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behind the soda water get out some

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popcorn microwave popcorn pop some

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popcorn I think we all need a lot of pop

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on lately with the world events what's

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going on well I munch that popcorn I

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as published in The Daily Telegraph on

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februari the 26th by Jane Hansen david

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wolfe flat earther brings anti-vaxxers

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to australia renowned international

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wellness guru and anti-vaccination

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proponent david avocado Wolfe has raised

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the hackles of health experts and

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parents in the Byron Shire regarding his

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upcoming visit on March the 16th in

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byron bay critics say the event which

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promises wolf will give quote Byron Bay

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the latest download on how the world

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really works and quote will provide a

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platform to mislead parents on the issue

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of vaccination the shire is renowned for

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the lowest vaccination rates in the

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country only forty-six percent of

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five-year-olds in mulund mimbi and 61

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percent of Byron Bay children are fully

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vaccinated compared to the national

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average of ninety-two percent Alison

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Gaylord co-founder of the Northern

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Rivers vaccination supporters group

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based in mulund mimbi said the area was

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a magnet for conspiracy theories and

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anti-vaccination advocates who are

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embraced by a community that prides

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itself on being alternative if not

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misinformed quote he is a well-known and

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evac sir and among his inspirational

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memes thousands share on Facebook he

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also posts miss information about

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vaccination and people like wolford

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drawn to this area for that reason they

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find the echo chamber they need in quote

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ms Gaylord said two babies including

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Dana McCaffrey lost their lives to

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whooping cough during the 2009 2012

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epidemic in the region which researchers

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pinpointed as the epicenter due to the

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low vaccination rates in the area David

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Wolfe who refers to himself as quote the

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rockstar and Indiana Jones of superfoods

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and longevity universe in quote and

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boasts quote the world's top CEOs

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ambassadors celebrities athletes artists

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and real superheroes of the planet mums

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all took to David for expert advice in

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health beauty herbalism and chocolate

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end quote he incorrectly states on his

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website that a quote growing body of

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evidence indicates that vaccines are not

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safe and that they can injure

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permanently maim or even kill you or a

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family member in quote there is no such

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body of evidence ms gala and the

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Northern Rivers of vaccination

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supporters has sent an open letter to

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the host of the upcoming seminar Jing

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organics requesting they not provide a

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venue for Miss information quote hosting

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anti-vaccination activists in this area

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does nothing to help accurately inform

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the community about vaccines but it does

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place them at risk by exposing them to

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falsehoods that could easily lead them

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to stop vaccinating themselves and their

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children we see this as a public health

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issue and ask you to support us in our

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efforts to prevent the spread of Miss

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information like that which mr. wolf has

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spoken about in the past and quote the

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letter reads local pediatrician dr.

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Chris Engel said hosting such people

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just creates further confusion and

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misleads people quote we see a high

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prevalence of vaccine preventable

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illnesses here that takes a real toll on

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children and parents these people like

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wolf land up here with all the

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ill-informed views which may change the

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minds of some people and that can have a

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ripple effect which puts families at

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risk and quote dr. Engel said on

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Thursday Sydney vitamin company mr.

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vitamins cancelled a sponsored david

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wolfe appearance in chatswood after a

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social media backlash against the

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company owner of Jing organics David

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Kingsley said he did not care about the

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concerns of people and how

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david wolfe would spread the

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anti-vaccine message quote I'm

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anti-vaccine and publicly open about it

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just because stuff is peer-reviewed

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doesn't mean it's true David Wolfe is a

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world health expert in quote mr.

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Kingsley said David Wolfe calls himself

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a nutritionist believes that the world

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is flat and claims gravity is a hoax mr.

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Kingsley claimed vaccines cause autism

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because he is in the health industry he

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makes sauerkraut and fermented foods and

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sells organic products and he speaks to

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mothers whose children have autism there

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are over a hundred international studies

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that have debunked the link first put

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forward by struck-off dr. andrew

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wakefield and that story comes to us

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from jane hansen published at the Daily

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Telegraph Daily Telegraph comdata you on

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the 26 of februari it's the raw skeptic

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report with Heidi Robertson and joining

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me now on the line all the way from the

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north coast of New South Wales the far

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north coast it's the raw skeptic herself

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Heidi Robertson hello Heidi hello hello

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I'm well and so good to catch up with

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you we don't actually chat often do we I

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know it's usually usually by a text

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message about something skeptical that's

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going on yeah it really is and i must

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say thank you for your reports over the

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last couple of years the raw skeptic

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report is certainly one of the

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highlights of of the skeptic zone well

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i'm looking forward to doing more soon

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it's been a little bit hectic lately oh

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yes well life gets in the way sometime

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now we just heard about this guy this

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david wolfe avocado Wolfe who is heading

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your way up to your neck of the woods

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and I think you were partly responsible

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for an open letter about about this what

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can you tell me about that yeah so David

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avocado is coming to Australia for an

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Australian tour of most skeptical

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listeners would probably have heard of

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him before he speaks on a range of

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issues and we're not really concerned

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with any of any of the stuff that he

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talks about apart from his views on

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vaccination which which are misinformed

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and to do with vaccinations so we're not

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that happy that he might be coming to

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this region where as everyone knows our

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vaccination rates are abysmal enough as

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it is and we're concerned that if he

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does get a platform by a venue hosting

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him in this region that he will sway

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even more people who might be hesitant

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and and not really sure what they think

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on the whole vaccination topic you might

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you might scare them into not

275
00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:23,450
vaccinating so that's the last thing we

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00:13:30,220 --> 00:13:27,050
need in this region I mean Byron Bay

277
00:13:32,260 --> 00:13:30,230
where where he's going to be speaking

278
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just up the road at the gold coast where

279
00:13:38,770 --> 00:13:35,200
he'll be appearing the following night

280
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these are hot spots for tourism as well

281
00:13:44,410 --> 00:13:41,480
like having Byron Bay alone gets I think

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2 million visitors every year oh sure

283
00:13:51,370 --> 00:13:48,080
yeah it's a very popular place as is the

284
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gold coast for overseas visitors and I

285
00:13:57,420 --> 00:13:55,130
overseas visitors that might come from

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countries where measles and

287
00:14:03,100 --> 00:13:59,960
whooping-cough and diphtheria and all

288
00:14:05,110 --> 00:14:03,110
these things might still be endemic they

289
00:14:09,010 --> 00:14:05,120
bring them over here unknowingly and

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then staying in regions with low

291
00:14:13,060 --> 00:14:10,850
vaccination uptake like the northern

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00:14:16,270 --> 00:14:13,070
rivers and gold coast as well as low

293
00:14:20,470 --> 00:14:16,280
vaccination rates it's just asking for

294
00:14:24,100 --> 00:14:20,480
an outbreak to occur so the efforts that

295
00:14:26,530 --> 00:14:24,110
we're trying to to put into increasing

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vaccination uptake here I'm not going to

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00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:28,670
be helped by having someone like mr.

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Wolfe speaking and perhaps on

299
00:14:38,170 --> 00:14:35,750
vaccination what do you think is behind

300
00:14:40,390 --> 00:14:38,180
his popularity among certain circles is

301
00:14:42,580 --> 00:14:40,400
it because he just comes out without

302
00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:42,590
rageous conspiracy theories or is it

303
00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:44,530
because people see him as some sort of

304
00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:48,650
crusader for the truth I'm not sure I

305
00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:51,170
mean I'm not a follower myself of him on

306
00:14:58,890 --> 00:14:54,290
facebook so i don't know but from what

307
00:15:02,260 --> 00:14:58,900
i've heard he and i know that other

308
00:15:04,630 --> 00:15:02,270
successful sites do this as well they

309
00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:04,640
post there's really nice and

310
00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:07,730
inspirational memes and there's nothing

311
00:15:12,190 --> 00:15:10,610
we wish or anything about them they're

312
00:15:13,540 --> 00:15:12,200
quite reasonable and they're nice and

313
00:15:17,530 --> 00:15:13,550
they make you feel all warm and fluffy

314
00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:17,540
inside but okay and you know speaking to

315
00:15:23,230 --> 00:15:19,490
a lot of people who do follow him a lot

316
00:15:25,690 --> 00:15:23,240
of them don't know about his more wacky

317
00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:25,700
beliefs like chocolate being an octave

318
00:15:29,580 --> 00:15:27,650
of the Sun and gravity being a hoax and

319
00:15:32,830 --> 00:15:29,590
mushrooms being from outer space and

320
00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:32,840
people don't know about those beliefs

321
00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:36,170
that he had he has they they they like

322
00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:38,690
him on Facebook because of the warm and

323
00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:42,410
fluffy inspirational memes hmm I wish

324
00:15:48,690 --> 00:15:43,930
gravity was a hoax

325
00:15:50,970 --> 00:15:48,700
I wish wouldn't that be fun but you are

326
00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:50,980
you wrote an open letter about about

327
00:15:58,079 --> 00:15:54,970
this character huh yeah yes so we wrote

328
00:16:00,420 --> 00:15:58,089
an open letter on our Northern Rivers

329
00:16:04,170 --> 00:16:00,430
vaccination supporters Facebook page and

330
00:16:08,610 --> 00:16:04,180
we addressed it to Jing organics which

331
00:16:12,889 --> 00:16:08,620
is the the venue that has agreed to host

332
00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:12,899
him in byron bay also to the local

333
00:16:21,019 --> 00:16:16,810
newspaper the Northern Star and we also

334
00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:21,029
addressed it to ABC north coast so

335
00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:24,490
within about three minutes of me posting

336
00:16:29,970 --> 00:16:27,910
it up on our site and journalists from

337
00:16:36,030 --> 00:16:29,980
the Northern Star gone into contact with

338
00:16:38,790 --> 00:16:36,040
us and published a piece on it and our

339
00:16:41,490 --> 00:16:38,800
friend Jane hats and also got in touch

340
00:16:44,460 --> 00:16:41,500
and did a piece on it for The Sunday

341
00:16:47,579 --> 00:16:44,470
Telegraph which came out yesterday in

342
00:16:50,790 --> 00:16:47,589
preet and much more comprehensive paste

343
00:16:53,730 --> 00:16:50,800
online well Heidi for the benefit of our

344
00:17:00,900 --> 00:16:53,740
listeners let's have you now read out

345
00:17:04,049 --> 00:17:00,910
that open letter an open letter to Jing

346
00:17:07,020 --> 00:17:04,059
organics ABC north coast and the

347
00:17:10,380 --> 00:17:07,030
Northern Star to also be posted on their

348
00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:10,390
respective Facebook pages we wish to

349
00:17:15,270 --> 00:17:12,250
bring your attention to the upcoming

350
00:17:18,569 --> 00:17:15,280
talk that David avocado Wolfe has been

351
00:17:20,730 --> 00:17:18,579
booked for in byron bay we have concerns

352
00:17:22,949 --> 00:17:20,740
that in this region of already

353
00:17:26,579 --> 00:17:22,959
dangerously low vaccination rates a

354
00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:26,589
known anti-vaccination activist will be

355
00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:28,329
given a platform to spread his

356
00:17:33,870 --> 00:17:30,490
misinformation surrounding the safety

357
00:17:35,610 --> 00:17:33,880
and efficacy of vaccination as you're

358
00:17:37,950 --> 00:17:35,620
aware the northern rivers and in

359
00:17:40,610 --> 00:17:37,960
particular byron bay is visited by

360
00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:40,620
almost two million tourists annually

361
00:17:45,150 --> 00:17:43,330
this puts the region at an increased

362
00:17:46,530 --> 00:17:45,160
risk of travelers coming in from

363
00:17:49,350 --> 00:17:46,540
countries where vaccine-preventable

364
00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:49,360
diseases like measles and diphtheria are

365
00:17:54,990 --> 00:17:52,450
endemic if a traveler comes in already

366
00:17:56,540 --> 00:17:55,000
infected and stays in an area of low

367
00:17:58,730 --> 00:17:56,550
vaccination update

368
00:18:01,130 --> 00:17:58,740
it is placing the whole community at

369
00:18:03,470 --> 00:18:01,140
risk of an outbreak at the Northern

370
00:18:05,150 --> 00:18:03,480
Rivers vaccination supporters we are

371
00:18:06,620 --> 00:18:05,160
committed to providing the community

372
00:18:08,870 --> 00:18:06,630
with accurate information about

373
00:18:11,750 --> 00:18:08,880
vaccination and correcting

374
00:18:13,790 --> 00:18:11,760
misinformation where we see it in fact

375
00:18:15,340 --> 00:18:13,800
we have recently been endorsed in this

376
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:15,350
capacity by the World Health

377
00:18:19,430 --> 00:18:17,850
Organization and now appear on their

378
00:18:21,170 --> 00:18:19,440
website as a trusted source of

379
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:21,180
information on the safety and efficacy

380
00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:25,110
of vaccination hosting anti-vaccination

381
00:18:29,060 --> 00:18:27,450
activists in this area does nothing to

382
00:18:32,210 --> 00:18:29,070
help accurately inform the community

383
00:18:34,730 --> 00:18:32,220
about vaccines but it does place them at

384
00:18:36,380 --> 00:18:34,740
risk by exposing them to falsehoods that

385
00:18:38,150 --> 00:18:36,390
could easily lead them to stop

386
00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:38,160
vaccinating themselves and their

387
00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:41,130
children we see this as a public health

388
00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:43,530
issue and ask that you support us in our

389
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:44,970
efforts to prevent the spread of

390
00:18:50,930 --> 00:18:47,730
misinformation like that which mr. Wolfe

391
00:18:53,270 --> 00:18:50,940
has spoken about in the past we would

392
00:18:56,060 --> 00:18:53,280
like the venue booked and indeed any

393
00:18:57,740 --> 00:18:56,070
other potential venues to reconsider

394
00:19:01,940 --> 00:18:57,750
hosting mr. Wolfe with his

395
00:19:03,950 --> 00:19:01,950
conspiratorial dangerous ideas we will

396
00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:03,960
be accused of trying to suppress free

397
00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:07,170
speech however mr. Wolfe's free speech

398
00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:09,510
is hardly being suppressed when he still

399
00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:11,490
has plenty of other outlets on which to

400
00:19:15,890 --> 00:19:13,710
publish his opinions such as his

401
00:19:18,860 --> 00:19:15,900
facebook page which has over 10 million

402
00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:18,870
followers we believe that as a community

403
00:19:22,460 --> 00:19:20,610
group we have the right to ask that

404
00:19:24,380 --> 00:19:22,470
venues in our region do not further

405
00:19:27,050 --> 00:19:24,390
assist him by providing him with a

406
00:19:29,770 --> 00:19:27,060
platform here directly at odds with what

407
00:19:32,870 --> 00:19:29,780
we have been working so hard to achieve

408
00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:32,880
sincerely Northern Rivers vaccination

409
00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:44,150
so Heidi what do you think listeners at

410
00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:46,230
the skeptic zone especially the ones in

411
00:19:53,150 --> 00:19:49,650
your area could do about this uh I think

412
00:19:55,820 --> 00:19:53,160
just well first of all it doesn't hurt

413
00:19:58,190 --> 00:19:55,830
to get in touch with their new owners I

414
00:20:00,770 --> 00:19:58,200
mean we know in the past that when venue

415
00:20:03,470 --> 00:20:00,780
owners have been made aware of the

416
00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:03,480
nature of some of these talks they've

417
00:20:10,550 --> 00:20:06,810
decided to to not to not host the

418
00:20:15,110 --> 00:20:10,560
speaker however having said that in this

419
00:20:17,810 --> 00:20:15,120
case the speaker that the venue host has

420
00:20:20,660 --> 00:20:17,820
been contacted and is pretty unrepentant

421
00:20:23,030 --> 00:20:20,670
in fact he's a staunch anti-vaccination

422
00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:23,040
advocate himself so mm-hmm that's

423
00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:24,690
probably not going to work in this case

424
00:20:32,180 --> 00:20:28,710
and I would just encourage two people to

425
00:20:38,990 --> 00:20:32,190
tell their friends and family about mr.

426
00:20:41,180 --> 00:20:39,000
avocados belief and and and have how the

427
00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:41,190
message the anti-vaccination message

428
00:20:46,700 --> 00:20:43,830
that he spreads is is dangerous and and

429
00:20:50,690 --> 00:20:46,710
not helpful and to maybe think twice

430
00:20:52,790 --> 00:20:50,700
about um about sharing his his posts on

431
00:20:56,150 --> 00:20:52,800
Facebook there's actually a hashtag as

432
00:20:59,180 --> 00:20:56,160
well call the hashtag don't cry wolf on

433
00:21:03,830 --> 00:20:59,190
on so this you know there's a whole

434
00:21:07,010 --> 00:21:03,840
trending hashtag that people can follow

435
00:21:09,590 --> 00:21:07,020
as well well Heidi thank you again for

436
00:21:11,570 --> 00:21:09,600
your efforts this wolf character seems

437
00:21:12,950 --> 00:21:11,580
to be quite a character indeed with some

438
00:21:16,190 --> 00:21:12,960
of these bizarre beliefs but yes

439
00:21:18,070 --> 00:21:16,200
ultimately if the convinces parents of

440
00:21:22,340 --> 00:21:18,080
some of the nonsense it could lead to

441
00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:22,350
two very undesirable consequences but

442
00:21:27,620 --> 00:21:24,690
I'm glad you're there and my kind

443
00:21:28,580 --> 00:21:27,630
regards to Alison too and all the crew

444
00:21:31,370 --> 00:21:28,590
there at the northern rivers

445
00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:31,380
vaccinations supporters who continue to

446
00:21:37,580 --> 00:21:33,930
do a marvelous job after all these years

447
00:21:41,390 --> 00:21:37,590
huh the years are starting to go by yes

448
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:41,400
okay well we very much appreciate all

449
00:21:46,850 --> 00:21:44,850
the support that you and members give us

450
00:21:48,950 --> 00:21:46,860
couldn't do it without you okay Heidi

451
00:21:51,950 --> 00:21:48,960
for now goodbye but we'll keep our

452
00:21:55,019 --> 00:21:51,960
listeners up to date on this issue okay

453
00:22:01,029 --> 00:21:58,000
hold the phone hold the press hold your

454
00:22:04,299 --> 00:22:01,039
horses some late-breaking news on this

455
00:22:07,779 --> 00:22:04,309
story once again from Jane Hansen who

456
00:22:11,380 --> 00:22:07,789
writes in The Sunday Telegraph and for

457
00:22:14,799 --> 00:22:11,390
anti vax wolf by Jane Hansen Sydney's

458
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:14,809
International Convention Center ICC has

459
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:17,690
ignored community outrage and refused to

460
00:22:24,730 --> 00:22:20,690
cancel an event with anti-vaccination

461
00:22:28,149 --> 00:22:24,740
spooker david avocado Wolfe however

462
00:22:31,029 --> 00:22:28,159
wolf's quote raw cacao dance party and

463
00:22:33,610 --> 00:22:31,039
quote at marrickville Town Hall last

464
00:22:36,519 --> 00:22:33,620
night was canceled by the inner west

465
00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:36,529
council now after it was contacted by

466
00:22:42,460 --> 00:22:40,130
The Sunday Telegraph quote council

467
00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:42,470
decided to cancel the event after

468
00:22:47,919 --> 00:22:44,570
numerous complaints and quote administer

469
00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:47,929
Richard Pearson said code it is clear

470
00:22:52,690 --> 00:22:50,690
our community feels extremely strongly

471
00:22:55,630 --> 00:22:52,700
about mr. wolf and his highly

472
00:22:58,600 --> 00:22:55,640
unconventional views particularly around

473
00:23:01,840 --> 00:22:58,610
the issue of vaccinations they have made

474
00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:01,850
it clear they feel hosting mr. wolf in a

475
00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:04,850
council-owned venue is a validation and

476
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:07,250
endorsement of his anti immunization

477
00:23:13,299 --> 00:23:09,890
stance and quote mr. Pearson said but

478
00:23:16,419 --> 00:23:13,309
the ICC is happy to host its four

479
00:23:18,940 --> 00:23:16,429
hundred and forty dollar ahead seminar

480
00:23:22,060 --> 00:23:18,950
with wolf who believes gravity stock

481
00:23:25,779 --> 00:23:22,070
cick the earth is flat and vaccines

482
00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:25,789
cause cancer many of the sponsors are

483
00:23:30,909 --> 00:23:27,850
alternative health advocates with

484
00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:30,919
anti-vaccination views main sponsor

485
00:23:36,190 --> 00:23:34,130
super feast is owned by Mason Taylor who

486
00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:36,200
has publicly criticised campaigns like

487
00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:40,250
no jab no play and suggests a mushroom

488
00:23:45,970 --> 00:23:43,730
strain called Rishi has been shown to be

489
00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:45,980
just as effective quote there should be

490
00:23:52,889 --> 00:23:49,130
a no Rishi no play campaign end quote he

491
00:23:55,930 --> 00:23:52,899
said another sponsor one group is run by

492
00:23:58,330 --> 00:23:55,940
anti-vaccine activist Norrell Chenery

493
00:24:01,210 --> 00:23:58,340
who was president of the vaccine

494
00:24:02,919 --> 00:24:01,220
information service she has given our

495
00:24:05,660 --> 00:24:02,929
advice online that children with

496
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:05,670
whooping cough should be treated with

497
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:09,810
herbal tea and Rescue Remedy opposition

498
00:24:15,140 --> 00:24:12,210
health spokesman Walt Secord said wolf

499
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:15,150
had quote a vicious opposition to

500
00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:17,730
life-saving vaccinations end quote and

501
00:24:21,730 --> 00:24:19,530
his claim that they were linked to

502
00:24:25,610 --> 00:24:21,740
autism and cancer was a ridiculous

503
00:24:30,140 --> 00:24:25,620
Samantha glass spokeswoman for icc said

504
00:24:32,300 --> 00:24:30,150
health activism events quote assured icc

505
00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:32,310
sydney that the content of this

506
00:24:37,430 --> 00:24:35,250
weekend's event is specific to nutrition

507
00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:37,440
and healthy foods they have confirmed

508
00:24:42,860 --> 00:24:40,170
that david wolfe is not there to and is

509
00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:42,870
never going to discuss the topic of

510
00:24:48,170 --> 00:24:45,690
vaccination the venue manager recognizes

511
00:24:50,900 --> 00:24:48,180
the diverse views and beliefs of the

512
00:24:53,150 --> 00:24:50,910
community in which it operates however

513
00:24:55,790 --> 00:24:53,160
it is not its role to determine which of

514
00:24:59,720 --> 00:24:55,800
those views can or cannot be represented

515
00:25:02,360 --> 00:24:59,730
at events at icc sydney unless safety or

516
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:02,370
legality is compromised and quote she

517
00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:04,410
said when that story comes to us from

518
00:25:20,890 --> 00:25:06,090
jane hansen in the sunday telegraph

519
00:25:24,470 --> 00:25:20,900
published on the fifth of march 2017 and

520
00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:24,480
now direct from the cafe at australia's

521
00:25:29,350 --> 00:25:28,410
science channel its brouhaha with kelly

522
00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:29,360
wang

523
00:25:34,930 --> 00:25:32,170
[Music]

524
00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:34,940
I'm so excited to be here honoring

525
00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:38,330
science at a 20-17 oscars at the

526
00:25:43,870 --> 00:25:41,210
ceremony african american nasa physicist

527
00:25:45,910 --> 00:25:43,880
and mathematician Katherine Johnson the

528
00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:45,920
inspiration behind the hit movie hidden

529
00:25:50,470 --> 00:25:47,930
figures was invited on stage two

530
00:25:52,780 --> 00:25:50,480
standing ovations and if that didn't

531
00:25:56,620 --> 00:25:52,790
bring a tear to your eye well nothing

532
00:25:58,930 --> 00:25:56,630
will and to Iranian Americans engineer

533
00:26:01,210 --> 00:25:58,940
and wells fest self-funded astronaut and

534
00:26:03,940 --> 00:26:01,220
no Cheyenne sorry and former NASA

535
00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:03,950
scientists furrows naderi accepted the

536
00:26:09,090 --> 00:26:06,290
best foreign language Oscar on behalf of

537
00:26:12,070 --> 00:26:09,100
Iranian film director as car for hottie

538
00:26:14,490 --> 00:26:12,080
then of course this is scientific and

539
00:26:16,630 --> 00:26:14,500
technical awards held two weeks ago

540
00:26:18,460 --> 00:26:16,640
everything from advances in camera

541
00:26:20,650 --> 00:26:18,470
senses to development of new facial

542
00:26:23,170 --> 00:26:20,660
tracking technologies where monks there

543
00:26:26,170 --> 00:26:23,180
is recognized as you so without further

544
00:26:37,170 --> 00:26:26,180
ado the most accurate depiction of

545
00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:37,180
science in a film goes to lala land oh

546
00:26:47,850 --> 00:26:42,530
wait a second guys thank you oh this is

547
00:26:59,060 --> 00:26:51,220
for more brouhaha and Australian science

548
00:27:08,580 --> 00:27:03,590
[Music]

549
00:27:12,690 --> 00:27:08,590
from the Glasgow skeptics homeopathy in

550
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:12,700
the UK with Michael Marshall now this is

551
00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:14,890
happening on the twenty-seventh of march

552
00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:20,710
from 7pm the Admiral bar 72 a waterloo

553
00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:25,570
street in glasgow homeopathy is one of

554
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:27,610
the most widely debunked forms of

555
00:27:32,670 --> 00:27:30,130
alternative medicine yet homeopathic

556
00:27:35,460 --> 00:27:32,680
remedies adorn the shelves of respected

557
00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:35,470
pharmacies and are funded by taxpayers

558
00:27:41,370 --> 00:27:39,370
on the NHS how big of a problem is this

559
00:27:44,370 --> 00:27:41,380
using information and personal

560
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:44,380
experiences gathered during his last six

561
00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:46,530
years of campaigning against homeopathy

562
00:27:52,290 --> 00:27:49,930
Michael Marshall will highlight how much

563
00:27:54,540 --> 00:27:52,300
money is spent on homeopathic remedies

564
00:27:57,330 --> 00:27:54,550
and how this gives undeserved

565
00:27:59,730 --> 00:27:57,340
credibility to homeopathy how such

566
00:28:03,270 --> 00:27:59,740
remedies can lead to genuine harm and

567
00:28:05,490 --> 00:28:03,280
what you can do to help this event is

568
00:28:07,470 --> 00:28:05,500
free to attend although they will be

569
00:28:09,210 --> 00:28:07,480
asking for donations at the end of the

570
00:28:11,910 --> 00:28:09,220
talk but you are under no obligation

571
00:28:15,660 --> 00:28:11,920
whatsoever to donate maybe you can

572
00:28:17,940 --> 00:28:15,670
donate homeopathic Lee hmm however any

573
00:28:20,220 --> 00:28:17,950
money that is donated is used to fund

574
00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:20,230
the overhead costs and travel and

575
00:28:25,170 --> 00:28:23,110
accommodation for speakers so that's

576
00:28:28,950 --> 00:28:25,180
homeopathy in the UK with Michael

577
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:28,960
Marshall the 27th of March at 7pm the

578
00:28:35,010 --> 00:28:32,650
Admiral bar 72 a waterloo street in

579
00:28:37,290 --> 00:28:35,020
glasgow for more information check out

580
00:28:40,110 --> 00:28:37,300
the facebook page of the glasgow

581
00:28:42,740 --> 00:28:40,120
skeptics or just follow the links from

582
00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:42,750
this week's show knows

583
00:29:05,899 --> 00:29:03,190
[Music]

584
00:29:08,299 --> 00:29:05,909
in all the years of Australian skeptics

585
00:29:11,570 --> 00:29:08,309
had seen our skeptics in Australia

586
00:29:14,389 --> 00:29:11,580
kicked off in 1980-81 around that time

587
00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:14,399
the Victorian skeptics based in

588
00:29:18,350 --> 00:29:15,690
Melbourne have been one of the more

589
00:29:21,830 --> 00:29:18,360
active groups it's good to see they're

590
00:29:23,989 --> 00:29:21,840
keeping up this tradition as we read a

591
00:29:26,690 --> 00:29:23,999
report from skeptics comdata you

592
00:29:30,590 --> 00:29:26,700
published on the 17th of every item

593
00:29:35,169 --> 00:29:30,600
mendham vic skeptics reveal dangerous

594
00:29:37,399 --> 00:29:35,179
products on sale at no burn hospital

595
00:29:39,139 --> 00:29:37,409
Victorian skeptics committee member

596
00:29:41,419 --> 00:29:39,149
Peter Hogan and president Chris guest

597
00:29:43,580 --> 00:29:41,429
have revealed that a dangerous

598
00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:43,590
homeopathic teething product was

599
00:29:48,350 --> 00:29:46,110
available at melvins Royal Children's

600
00:29:51,109 --> 00:29:48,360
Hospital the product Highlands baby

601
00:29:55,070 --> 00:29:51,119
teething tablets had earlier been found

602
00:29:57,109 --> 00:29:55,080
by the US FDA to contain inconsistent

603
00:29:59,629 --> 00:29:57,119
amounts of the toxic substance

604
00:30:02,840 --> 00:29:59,639
belladonna and posed a risk to children

605
00:30:04,489 --> 00:30:02,850
vic skeptics member Peter Hogan has been

606
00:30:06,470 --> 00:30:04,499
investigating the sale of Highlands

607
00:30:09,499 --> 00:30:06,480
Teeling products in Australia he told

608
00:30:11,930 --> 00:30:09,509
Fairfax Media that quote I was quite

609
00:30:13,909 --> 00:30:11,940
shocked that the pharmacy at the Royal

610
00:30:17,299 --> 00:30:13,919
Children's Hospital was selling the

611
00:30:19,430 --> 00:30:17,309
stuff I'm concerned parents may be

612
00:30:22,460 --> 00:30:19,440
gambling with their baby's health end

613
00:30:25,009 --> 00:30:22,470
quote the FDA investigated the products

614
00:30:27,950 --> 00:30:25,019
links to the deaths of ten babies in

615
00:30:29,749 --> 00:30:27,960
America it urged parents to dispose of

616
00:30:32,299 --> 00:30:29,759
the tablets and seek medical care

617
00:30:34,789 --> 00:30:32,309
immediately if children experience

618
00:30:37,639 --> 00:30:34,799
symptoms including seizures difficulty

619
00:30:40,129 --> 00:30:37,649
breathing or agitation it requested the

620
00:30:42,409 --> 00:30:40,139
manufacturer standard homeopathic

621
00:30:45,590 --> 00:30:42,419
company to recall the products but the

622
00:30:48,580 --> 00:30:45,600
company refused late last year however a

623
00:30:52,009 --> 00:30:48,590
Highlands media release said it was

624
00:30:54,619 --> 00:30:52,019
discontinuing the distribution of its

625
00:30:56,630 --> 00:30:54,629
teething products in the US with quote

626
00:30:58,960 --> 00:30:56,640
much sadness and

627
00:31:01,070 --> 00:30:58,970
it after the FDA's safety warning

628
00:31:04,430 --> 00:31:01,080
australia's Therapeutic Goods

629
00:31:06,860 --> 00:31:04,440
Administration investigated hyland's

630
00:31:09,710 --> 00:31:06,870
teething and tablets and gel after the

631
00:31:12,170 --> 00:31:09,720
FDA issued its safety alert but it

632
00:31:15,170 --> 00:31:12,180
apparently found no quality issues and

633
00:31:17,630 --> 00:31:15,180
said no action would be taken Hogan

634
00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:17,640
questioned whether more testing was

635
00:31:22,460 --> 00:31:20,010
required considering the FDA's finding

636
00:31:25,460 --> 00:31:22,470
of inconsistent levels of belladonna

637
00:31:27,410 --> 00:31:25,470
between batches concerns about the

638
00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:27,420
ingredients of teething gels go back

639
00:31:33,740 --> 00:31:30,530
some years in Britain the ingredient

640
00:31:36,650 --> 00:31:33,750
solicited was removed from bonjela

641
00:31:39,170 --> 00:31:36,660
teething gel are free 2002 study by the

642
00:31:41,540 --> 00:31:39,180
commission on human medicines revealed

643
00:31:43,250 --> 00:31:41,550
it to be hazardous the study published

644
00:31:45,260 --> 00:31:43,260
in the medical journal of Australia

645
00:31:47,540 --> 00:31:45,270
found that chronic solicited

646
00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:47,550
intoxication could occur in children

647
00:31:53,500 --> 00:31:50,130
using these over-the-counter teething

648
00:31:55,910 --> 00:31:53,510
Jol's even at close to recommended doses

649
00:31:58,630 --> 00:31:55,920
symptoms of teething gel related

650
00:32:02,120 --> 00:31:58,640
poisonings include gastrointestinal

651
00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:02,130
problems hyperventilation tremor and

652
00:32:08,300 --> 00:32:05,090
memory lapses and the risk of death a

653
00:32:10,940 --> 00:32:08,310
TGA spokeswoman told Fairfax Media that

654
00:32:13,100 --> 00:32:10,950
samples had been tested from two batches

655
00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:13,110
of the tablets and no problems were

656
00:32:18,380 --> 00:32:15,690
identified she said one batch of the

657
00:32:20,540 --> 00:32:18,390
teething gel was tested and the level of

658
00:32:23,630 --> 00:32:20,550
belladonna did not warrant safety

659
00:32:25,670 --> 00:32:23,640
regulatory action quote however based on

660
00:32:28,100 --> 00:32:25,680
the information from the FDA we are

661
00:32:30,460 --> 00:32:28,110
considering where their testing of more

662
00:32:32,780 --> 00:32:30,470
samples will be useful in quote she said

663
00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:32,790
Highlands website lists numerous

664
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:34,290
pharmacies that stock it's teething

665
00:32:39,350 --> 00:32:36,690
products in Australia Fairfax Media

666
00:32:41,300 --> 00:32:39,360
found it for sale at drew would pharmacy

667
00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:41,310
at the Royal Children's Hospital on

668
00:32:45,260 --> 00:32:43,650
Thursday vic skeptics president chris

669
00:32:48,260 --> 00:32:45,270
guest had earlier written to the

670
00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:48,270
pharmacy with the skeptics concerns but

671
00:32:53,420 --> 00:32:51,210
had not heard back belladonna also known

672
00:32:55,580 --> 00:32:53,430
as deadly nightshade as a plant that has

673
00:32:57,860 --> 00:32:55,590
been used in cosmetics and herbal

674
00:33:00,650 --> 00:32:57,870
medicine since the Middle Ages it is

675
00:33:04,390 --> 00:33:00,660
also used as a recreational drug because

676
00:33:07,070 --> 00:33:04,400
of the hallucinations it can produce and

677
00:33:10,610 --> 00:33:07,080
that story comes to us from skeptics

678
00:33:12,260 --> 00:33:10,620
comte you and good on the Victorians

679
00:33:16,190 --> 00:33:12,270
sheptock for keeping up the pressure on

680
00:33:19,970 --> 00:33:16,200
all manner of Wu and quackery as the

681
00:33:23,510 --> 00:33:19,980
years drag on this fight against

682
00:33:27,110 --> 00:33:23,520
nonsense never ends and again and again

683
00:33:29,870 --> 00:33:27,120
we read about the real dangers of the

684
00:33:44,940 --> 00:33:29,880
Attic quackery known as homeopathy

685
00:33:48,940 --> 00:33:47,530
today this is dr. Karl Karl Christmas he

686
00:33:51,190 --> 00:33:48,950
proud to be a skeptic and you can find

687
00:33:56,180 --> 00:33:51,200
out more about me at dr. Karl calm and

688
00:33:56,190 --> 00:34:03,770
[Music]

689
00:34:11,700 --> 00:34:08,430
here's my not spooky action at a

690
00:34:16,240 --> 00:34:14,470
i'm here at sydney botanical gardens

691
00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:16,250
today to speak to four remarkable people

692
00:34:21,550 --> 00:34:18,650
who are working on the restore and renew

693
00:34:24,430 --> 00:34:21,560
project which is gene sequencing at

694
00:34:27,580 --> 00:34:24,440
least 200 species of australian native

695
00:34:30,580 --> 00:34:27,590
plants in areas that have been damaged

696
00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:30,590
either by just urban urban encroachment

697
00:34:35,350 --> 00:34:33,050
or the land has been cleared or it's

698
00:34:37,060 --> 00:34:35,360
been an open cut mining site that sort

699
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:37,070
of thing it's a big task ahead of them

700
00:34:42,250 --> 00:34:39,530
we're going to meet dr. Jason Bragg the

701
00:34:44,410 --> 00:34:42,260
scientific officer Dr Marlin vandamm

702
00:34:46,720 --> 00:34:44,420
earth of biodiversity research officer

703
00:34:48,310 --> 00:34:46,730
going to have a chat to dr. Moritz your

704
00:34:51,070 --> 00:34:48,320
asset oh he's the senior principal

705
00:34:53,470 --> 00:34:51,080
research scientist on restoring who knew

706
00:34:56,710 --> 00:34:53,480
and dr. Hannah McPherson she's in charge

707
00:34:57,730 --> 00:34:56,720
the biodiversity genetics so basically

708
00:35:01,290 --> 00:34:57,740
we're talking to for people that are a

709
00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:01,300
lot smarter than me so wish me luck

710
00:35:05,860 --> 00:35:04,970
Jason come on in look hey look now now

711
00:35:07,810 --> 00:35:05,870
I'm talking about someone who knows

712
00:35:11,260 --> 00:35:07,820
what's going on stock to Jason Bragg the

713
00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:11,270
scientific officer and your I think your

714
00:35:13,810 --> 00:35:12,770
thing could be big data wouldn't it

715
00:35:16,060 --> 00:35:13,820
you're in charge of getting all this

716
00:35:18,370 --> 00:35:16,070
information of the genetic sequencing in

717
00:35:19,990 --> 00:35:18,380
and recording it in what way what are

718
00:35:21,340 --> 00:35:20,000
you doing other than just recording it

719
00:35:22,930 --> 00:35:21,350
what are you doing with your code that

720
00:35:25,630 --> 00:35:22,940
you're writing for it so I'm doing

721
00:35:29,380 --> 00:35:25,640
analysis of the data I'm I'm taking the

722
00:35:32,140 --> 00:35:29,390
data as it comes in as it arrives to us

723
00:35:36,340 --> 00:35:32,150
and I'm trying to turn that into

724
00:35:38,050 --> 00:35:36,350
information that is more accessible to

725
00:35:40,090 --> 00:35:38,060
people trying to make decisions about

726
00:35:42,370 --> 00:35:40,100
where to get their seeds from how much

727
00:35:44,050 --> 00:35:42,380
information would be coming to you in an

728
00:35:45,820 --> 00:35:44,060
in physical form you tell me you're

729
00:35:47,350 --> 00:35:45,830
talking you're talking Petter flops of

730
00:35:49,300 --> 00:35:47,360
information how much you got coming your

731
00:35:51,070 --> 00:35:49,310
way but the data that we're using most

732
00:35:53,020 --> 00:35:51,080
of the time is already arriving in a

733
00:35:56,650 --> 00:35:53,030
fairly condensed form actually so where

734
00:36:00,700 --> 00:35:56,660
it's arriving to me in in quite a

735
00:36:03,220 --> 00:36:00,710
condensed form that is gigabytes certain

736
00:36:05,350 --> 00:36:03,230
certainly rather than terabytes yeah so

737
00:36:07,030 --> 00:36:05,360
let me get this straight you've got 200

738
00:36:10,810 --> 00:36:07,040
species of plants you're looking at an

739
00:36:12,370 --> 00:36:10,820
HBCU plant there's 20,000 genetic

740
00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:12,380
markers at least is that the kind of

741
00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:14,090
information looking for exactly yep

742
00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:16,010
that's precisely and all you got to do

743
00:36:20,380 --> 00:36:17,690
is just record that correctly in a form

744
00:36:23,359 --> 00:36:20,390
that people can understand well yeah so

745
00:36:26,569 --> 00:36:23,369
and it arrives it to me and as you

746
00:36:29,269 --> 00:36:26,579
say it's 20,000 genetic markers so 20

747
00:36:31,220 --> 00:36:29,279
place 20 thousand places in the genome

748
00:36:33,859 --> 00:36:31,230
where the different plants have a

749
00:36:36,859 --> 00:36:33,869
different base a different ACG or tea

750
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:36,869
and then I try to refine it further than

751
00:36:43,309 --> 00:36:40,890
that I try to do analyses of it to turn

752
00:36:46,789 --> 00:36:43,319
it into a description for each of the

753
00:36:49,970 --> 00:36:46,799
species about how much genetic change

754
00:36:52,460 --> 00:36:49,980
there is among individual plants in that

755
00:36:55,190 --> 00:36:52,470
species when when you go from place to

756
00:36:57,859 --> 00:36:55,200
place so if you go 100 kilometers down

757
00:36:59,480 --> 00:36:57,869
the road or 200 kilometers down the road

758
00:37:01,460 --> 00:36:59,490
from where you're standing how

759
00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:01,470
genetically different to the different

760
00:37:06,380 --> 00:37:04,170
individuals of this plant species get so

761
00:37:09,220 --> 00:37:06,390
you're recording in a digital way the

762
00:37:12,620 --> 00:37:09,230
diversity of a species precisely yep yep

763
00:37:14,420 --> 00:37:12,630
tell me do plants have as much junk DNA

764
00:37:16,789 --> 00:37:14,430
as humans do is there such a thing as

765
00:37:19,789 --> 00:37:16,799
junk DNA in plants it's enormously

766
00:37:22,339 --> 00:37:19,799
variable in fact so there's a species

767
00:37:24,950 --> 00:37:22,349
that occurs in Australia utricularia

768
00:37:29,900 --> 00:37:24,960
Gibbard that has one of the smallest

769
00:37:32,390 --> 00:37:29,910
genomes among flowering plants and if I

770
00:37:34,759 --> 00:37:32,400
recall it was remarkable in that it had

771
00:37:38,299 --> 00:37:34,769
very very little of what we would refer

772
00:37:40,930 --> 00:37:38,309
to as junk DNA on the other hand there

773
00:37:43,729 --> 00:37:40,940
are lots of plant species that have

774
00:37:45,410 --> 00:37:43,739
enormous genome so if the human genome I

775
00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:45,420
can't remember how big the the human

776
00:37:49,039 --> 00:37:47,130
genome is I don't have to that's not

777
00:37:51,319 --> 00:37:49,049
your area no I think it's on the order

778
00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:51,329
of three Giga bases or something like

779
00:37:55,609 --> 00:37:53,130
that but there are pine trees that that

780
00:37:57,470 --> 00:37:55,619
easily have 20 so so they really run the

781
00:38:00,589 --> 00:37:57,480
gamut yeah plants are extraordinarily

782
00:38:02,690 --> 00:38:00,599
diverse yeah I was going to ask us like

783
00:38:04,039 --> 00:38:02,700
we have to get into a few anomalous

784
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:04,049
theory see what are you reckon about

785
00:38:08,660 --> 00:38:07,170
when the ABC the alien big cats people

786
00:38:10,940 --> 00:38:08,670
every once in a while they seem to see a

787
00:38:12,319 --> 00:38:10,950
large cat that they reckon is is in the

788
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:12,329
bush land of Australia do you think we

789
00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:14,450
actually that could be an escaped

790
00:38:18,470 --> 00:38:16,170
non-natural one what do you think we've

791
00:38:19,729 --> 00:38:18,480
got an undocumented large cat wandering

792
00:38:22,279 --> 00:38:19,739
around out there people keep reckoning

793
00:38:26,420 --> 00:38:22,289
they see me once in a while well that's

794
00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:26,430
a great question i guess some i guess

795
00:38:30,499 --> 00:38:28,890
the geneticist in me is probably a

796
00:38:35,390 --> 00:38:30,509
little bit skeptical about that because

797
00:38:36,769 --> 00:38:35,400
it would probably would prefer okay not

798
00:38:39,979 --> 00:38:36,779
saying anything controversial here i

799
00:38:42,769 --> 00:38:39,989
shall proceed know that i think it would

800
00:38:47,380 --> 00:38:42,779
take quite a quite a large you know a

801
00:38:50,479 --> 00:38:47,390
reasonable population to to sustain a

802
00:38:53,299 --> 00:38:50,489
species of large cats especially over

803
00:38:55,900 --> 00:38:53,309
the time scales that we've over which

804
00:38:58,670 --> 00:38:55,910
they've been reported and it seems like

805
00:39:00,349 --> 00:38:58,680
it would be hard to sustain that that

806
00:39:02,319 --> 00:39:00,359
they'd be quite conspicuous if there

807
00:39:06,559 --> 00:39:02,329
were enough of them to have a viable

808
00:39:10,130 --> 00:39:06,569
population out there yeah so I guess I

809
00:39:12,079 --> 00:39:10,140
don't put a lot of stock in the alien do

810
00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:12,089
you think there might be a tasmanian

811
00:39:15,950 --> 00:39:14,249
tiger a very very very tiny population

812
00:39:17,870 --> 00:39:15,960
of them hanging out somewhere in

813
00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:17,880
Tasmania because it gets pretty remote

814
00:39:23,690 --> 00:39:21,450
there it does get remote there I I don't

815
00:39:27,170 --> 00:39:23,700
have a strong opinion on that but again

816
00:39:30,829 --> 00:39:27,180
that I'm sufficiently convinced that the

817
00:39:32,690 --> 00:39:30,839
Tasmanian tiger is extinct that it's an

818
00:39:36,049 --> 00:39:32,700
important reminder that that once it's

819
00:39:37,579 --> 00:39:36,059
gone it's gone and so I feel like I'm

820
00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:37,589
sufficiently convinced that it is

821
00:39:44,359 --> 00:39:40,890
extinct to to use it as a cautionary

822
00:39:47,599 --> 00:39:44,369
note and as an indication to us that we

823
00:39:50,089 --> 00:39:47,609
need to be careful with them the these

824
00:39:52,190 --> 00:39:50,099
amazing species that share Australia

825
00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:52,200
with us well look up welcome here to the

826
00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:54,210
skeptics am getting really sciency here

827
00:39:57,529 --> 00:39:55,410
I'm talking to someone who really knows

828
00:39:59,749 --> 00:39:57,539
their stuff I'm talking to a little

829
00:40:01,279 --> 00:39:59,759
doctor murdered co-receptor oh you

830
00:40:03,650 --> 00:40:01,289
southern on ordinate tell him what are

831
00:40:05,420 --> 00:40:03,660
you I'm central Italian from roms oh wow

832
00:40:07,910 --> 00:40:05,430
no mucking about they're making about

833
00:40:09,349 --> 00:40:07,920
yeah well actually before we go any

834
00:40:10,910 --> 00:40:09,359
further what is your favorite Italian

835
00:40:13,519 --> 00:40:10,920
dish because every Italian has feels

836
00:40:15,829 --> 00:40:13,529
very you almost have a fanaticism about

837
00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:15,839
food to keep the traditional asset pizza

838
00:40:20,839 --> 00:40:18,690
yeah italian-style pizza ah which means

839
00:40:22,819 --> 00:40:20,849
done properly done properly yes none

840
00:40:26,989 --> 00:40:22,829
that Chicago style stuff none of it

841
00:40:28,819 --> 00:40:26,999
pineapple now what drew you to getting

842
00:40:30,259 --> 00:40:28,829
your doctorate in what you did

843
00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:30,269
originally why did you decide to

844
00:40:35,390 --> 00:40:32,130
specialize in that because it's a lot of

845
00:40:37,789 --> 00:40:35,400
user uni well I was also interested in

846
00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:37,799
in plant conservation and at the time

847
00:40:43,579 --> 00:40:40,650
when I was doing my doctorate genetics

848
00:40:45,740 --> 00:40:43,589
which is a study of DNA was really

849
00:40:48,710 --> 00:40:45,750
coming to the fore and there was no one

850
00:40:50,930 --> 00:40:48,720
very few people doing what we know now

851
00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:50,940
is conservation genetics that is look at

852
00:40:55,790 --> 00:40:52,530
the distribution of genetic diversity

853
00:41:00,110 --> 00:40:55,800
across at that time rare species I was

854
00:41:02,300 --> 00:41:00,120
working with rare species and I can

855
00:41:03,890 --> 00:41:02,310
appreciate it there and then that it was

856
00:41:05,810 --> 00:41:03,900
really critical information because we

857
00:41:07,430 --> 00:41:05,820
can learn a lot from the from the DNA of

858
00:41:10,100 --> 00:41:07,440
species we can learn about the dynamics

859
00:41:13,190 --> 00:41:10,110
we can learn about the history we can

860
00:41:16,610 --> 00:41:13,200
see how much they really are threatened

861
00:41:18,740 --> 00:41:16,620
because their evolutionary background

862
00:41:21,590 --> 00:41:18,750
has been eroded so much that really they

863
00:41:23,510 --> 00:41:21,600
are much more susceptible to change and

864
00:41:25,130 --> 00:41:23,520
with the area you're dealing with which

865
00:41:27,290 --> 00:41:25,140
is at New South Wales of Australia what

866
00:41:28,820 --> 00:41:27,300
is one of the rare plant species that

867
00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:28,830
you would be glad to come across will

868
00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:32,130
find here well the one that we've done

869
00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:34,110
quite a bit of work with and it's been

870
00:41:38,330 --> 00:41:36,410
fun to work with is the wall I'm a pine

871
00:41:41,810 --> 00:41:38,340
the one I'm apart is particularly

872
00:41:44,780 --> 00:41:41,820
interesting because we initially thought

873
00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:44,790
that there was no genetic diversity at

874
00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:47,370
all across the four remaining

875
00:41:54,620 --> 00:41:50,450
populations but using some of the most

876
00:41:56,900 --> 00:41:54,630
modern and advanced DNA technologies we

877
00:41:59,330 --> 00:41:56,910
were actually able to find some genetic

878
00:42:03,080 --> 00:41:59,340
diversity now that doesn't might not

879
00:42:05,870 --> 00:42:03,090
seem as very important but we are now

880
00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:05,880
moving to the next phase where we are

881
00:42:11,090 --> 00:42:08,610
going to look at the single genes the

882
00:42:13,820 --> 00:42:11,100
single genes of these species and that

883
00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:13,830
will kinda tell us it's not not only so

884
00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:15,330
much maybe about looking at what's

885
00:42:19,670 --> 00:42:17,490
missing but maybe looking at what makes

886
00:42:21,740 --> 00:42:19,680
these species with such a low genetic

887
00:42:24,170 --> 00:42:21,750
background evolution background still

888
00:42:25,880 --> 00:42:24,180
survive do you think it's sort of

889
00:42:27,170 --> 00:42:25,890
evolutions got it to the point where it

890
00:42:28,730 --> 00:42:27,180
doesn't need a lot of diversity because

891
00:42:31,430 --> 00:42:28,740
it's almost perfected itself in its

892
00:42:35,690 --> 00:42:31,440
environment and there can be some of

893
00:42:37,940 --> 00:42:35,700
that and an example of that are what we

894
00:42:40,850 --> 00:42:37,950
know in evolutionary terms as Island

895
00:42:43,970 --> 00:42:40,860
radiation so when a small number of

896
00:42:46,130 --> 00:42:43,980
individuals end up on an island this

897
00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:46,140
valve on that island and then they

898
00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:50,010
speciated so different species all ready

899
00:42:54,070 --> 00:42:52,530
for them to be able to survive on that

900
00:42:56,660 --> 00:42:54,080
island as a small number of individuals

901
00:42:59,599 --> 00:42:56,670
it means that there

902
00:43:02,859 --> 00:42:59,609
particularly fit so in a way it may be

903
00:43:05,870 --> 00:43:02,869
more than having all sorts of different

904
00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:05,880
options of it to them more importantly

905
00:43:12,049 --> 00:43:07,890
it means that they have very few of

906
00:43:14,150 --> 00:43:12,059
those nasty alleles there could cause

907
00:43:16,220 --> 00:43:14,160
reduce your fitness like inbreeding we

908
00:43:18,140 --> 00:43:16,230
know we know what happens when you know

909
00:43:19,579 --> 00:43:18,150
there's a village with everybody's

910
00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:19,589
related to each other everybody's got

911
00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:21,450
the same surname anna is not a very good

912
00:43:25,579 --> 00:43:23,970
thing right but in some cases just

913
00:43:27,410 --> 00:43:25,589
happen at those few individuals get to

914
00:43:29,650 --> 00:43:27,420
the island didn't have any of those

915
00:43:32,930 --> 00:43:29,660
nasty genes and so they can survive

916
00:43:34,579 --> 00:43:32,940
accumulate diversity with time and then

917
00:43:37,549 --> 00:43:34,589
radiate into different species in

918
00:43:40,789 --> 00:43:37,559
different forms often when we put the

919
00:43:44,210 --> 00:43:40,799
two words plant and DNA together GMOs

920
00:43:46,579 --> 00:43:44,220
come to mind and Franken plant and Frank

921
00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:46,589
analytical Frank Reagan Bush people

922
00:43:49,490 --> 00:43:48,210
worry about Frank and bush Frank and

923
00:43:50,660 --> 00:43:49,500
bush and all this kind of thing no

924
00:43:53,030 --> 00:43:50,670
that's not that's not what we're about

925
00:43:54,980 --> 00:43:53,040
really about about obtaining the

926
00:43:56,920 --> 00:43:54,990
information interpret it and then making

927
00:43:59,180 --> 00:43:56,930
it available to the general public

928
00:44:01,720 --> 00:43:59,190
shawnee why do you think people get so

929
00:44:03,770 --> 00:44:01,730
alarmed about that as even actual

930
00:44:05,450 --> 00:44:03,780
manipulation like is being done is

931
00:44:10,690 --> 00:44:05,460
pretty much what happens naturally

932
00:44:12,530 --> 00:44:10,700
anyway it is I I think I think most of

933
00:44:14,750 --> 00:44:12,540
Industry and age people that do

934
00:44:19,250 --> 00:44:14,760
understand about this natural evolution

935
00:44:21,410 --> 00:44:19,260
process or the standard ways of breeding

936
00:44:23,660 --> 00:44:21,420
did you understand that the issue is not

937
00:44:27,020 --> 00:44:23,670
with with the genetic manipulation but

938
00:44:30,079 --> 00:44:27,030
it tends to me be more with that the

939
00:44:32,630 --> 00:44:30,089
companies that said manipulate the

940
00:44:35,420 --> 00:44:32,640
plants for their own benefits or they

941
00:44:38,660 --> 00:44:35,430
make it resistant to a specific beside

942
00:44:39,890 --> 00:44:38,670
that they produce yeah so look again it

943
00:44:41,870 --> 00:44:39,900
seems to be people don't have a problem

944
00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:41,880
with the science it's more like the the

945
00:44:47,390 --> 00:44:44,130
business end of it yeah I think that's

946
00:44:49,190 --> 00:44:47,400
that's that's what it is okay well I'm

947
00:44:51,470 --> 00:44:49,200
here with the the last two members of

948
00:44:54,799 --> 00:44:51,480
the restore and renew project Matalin

949
00:44:56,450 --> 00:44:54,809
for nomera and Hannah McPherson now what

950
00:44:57,770 --> 00:44:56,460
are your air is the project you're

951
00:45:00,349 --> 00:44:57,780
dealing with what what are you doing for

952
00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:00,359
the project I mainly look at species

953
00:45:05,870 --> 00:45:02,970
distributions and try to work on way to

954
00:45:08,150 --> 00:45:05,880
collect from and how to and what each

955
00:45:09,100 --> 00:45:08,160
species sort of interesting facts about

956
00:45:11,530 --> 00:45:09,110
it and they

957
00:45:14,950 --> 00:45:11,540
once we have all the information the

958
00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:14,960
genetic information I try to interpret

959
00:45:20,980 --> 00:45:16,970
the genetic information nation with this

960
00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:20,990
other information along with it mmm okay

961
00:45:26,350 --> 00:45:22,690
and what what's your part of the project

962
00:45:28,900 --> 00:45:26,360
I guess I come in at various points as a

963
00:45:31,750 --> 00:45:28,910
bit of other logistics kind of helper so

964
00:45:35,950 --> 00:45:31,760
trying to help deal with all the samples

965
00:45:38,290 --> 00:45:35,960
that we have coming in and and some of

966
00:45:40,180 --> 00:45:38,300
the processes to keep information and

967
00:45:42,280 --> 00:45:40,190
samples tracking together through the

968
00:45:44,110 --> 00:45:42,290
whole process you know you're dealing

969
00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:44,120
with 200 plants to start with what's the

970
00:45:47,650 --> 00:45:45,650
most obscure when you're dealing whether

971
00:45:50,770 --> 00:45:47,660
you think the most obscure the 200

972
00:45:52,840 --> 00:45:50,780
currently we've just got information for

973
00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:52,850
a plant called plectranthus parva

974
00:45:57,910 --> 00:45:55,370
florists don't cool name but what's it

975
00:45:59,500 --> 00:45:57,920
what's it do well we didn't know what it

976
00:46:02,140 --> 00:45:59,510
was doing until we got the information

977
00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:02,150
the genetic data and we realized this

978
00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:05,810
plant cell fertilizes oh so does that

979
00:46:09,700 --> 00:46:07,850
mean hanging that mean it's a sexual

980
00:46:13,390 --> 00:46:09,710
heavy-headed we describe it yeah test

981
00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:13,400
sex with itself okay oh okay but and so

982
00:46:17,350 --> 00:46:15,410
why don't we see a lot of it then if it

983
00:46:20,100 --> 00:46:17,360
doesn't need an extra 1-2 yeah it should

984
00:46:24,580 --> 00:46:20,110
you be going off like nuts I don't like

985
00:46:27,370 --> 00:46:24,590
it's it still go it's still out crosses

986
00:46:29,890 --> 00:46:27,380
as well but much less than we thought so

987
00:46:32,050 --> 00:46:29,900
we do see a lot of this plant it's very

988
00:46:34,720 --> 00:46:32,060
common it's not something particularly

989
00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:34,730
pretty it does make her beautiful blue

990
00:46:40,060 --> 00:46:37,370
and purple flowers perfect blue is kind

991
00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:40,070
of rare yeah the blue is kind of nice as

992
00:46:44,470 --> 00:46:42,890
well but the blue nyan they hired a bit

993
00:46:45,910 --> 00:46:44,480
so I guess I said so what sort of

994
00:46:47,470 --> 00:46:45,920
environment do they like they're like

995
00:46:50,110 --> 00:46:47,480
sort of under rocks they like shade

996
00:46:52,240 --> 00:46:50,120
where do they get into rocky rocky

997
00:46:55,060 --> 00:46:52,250
shades along kuraki shades along creeks

998
00:46:59,020 --> 00:46:55,070
um often you actually find them along

999
00:47:00,850 --> 00:46:59,030
roads yeah it also clone it makes clones

1000
00:47:02,920 --> 00:47:00,860
of itself in addition to sell

1001
00:47:04,720 --> 00:47:02,930
fertilizing you can also just break a

1002
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:04,730
bit off and plant it on me and it will

1003
00:47:12,070 --> 00:47:08,930
grow I'm so it's very commonly used in

1004
00:47:13,570 --> 00:47:12,080
restoration work and we still wonder why

1005
00:47:16,660 --> 00:47:13,580
does it still make these pretty flowers

1006
00:47:18,700 --> 00:47:16,670
if itself fertilizers so there's

1007
00:47:19,990 --> 00:47:18,710
something more to it still then what we

1008
00:47:21,700 --> 00:47:20,000
know at the moment it's still only

1009
00:47:22,250 --> 00:47:21,710
halfway along its evolutionary journey

1010
00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:22,260
like it

1011
00:47:26,930 --> 00:47:23,610
figured to get rid of the flowers yet

1012
00:47:28,040 --> 00:47:26,940
maybe maybe yeah I think it's um that's

1013
00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:28,050
one of the interesting things about

1014
00:47:30,950 --> 00:47:29,490
restore and renew is that we have to

1015
00:47:33,170 --> 00:47:30,960
sort of bring together all these

1016
00:47:35,570 --> 00:47:33,180
different bits of information like what

1017
00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:35,580
what fertilizes this thing how is it

1018
00:47:39,920 --> 00:47:37,770
pollinated all these different things or

1019
00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:39,930
is it even or does it what does it do

1020
00:47:44,570 --> 00:47:42,210
with itself like it's all these

1021
00:47:46,040 --> 00:47:44,580
different biological processes that we

1022
00:47:48,170 --> 00:47:46,050
have to consider when we're also looking

1023
00:47:49,340 --> 00:47:48,180
at the DNA and trying to try and

1024
00:47:51,710 --> 00:47:49,350
understand the patterns that we see

1025
00:47:52,790 --> 00:47:51,720
across the landscape we have a lot of

1026
00:47:54,740 --> 00:47:52,800
listeners to the show that are in

1027
00:47:56,420 --> 00:47:54,750
tertiary education are about to go into

1028
00:47:58,730 --> 00:47:56,430
tertiary education why would you

1029
00:48:00,440 --> 00:47:58,740
recommend your particular field of study

1030
00:48:02,540 --> 00:48:00,450
to someone who is going into uni rather

1031
00:48:04,580 --> 00:48:02,550
than another field why do you recommend

1032
00:48:07,030 --> 00:48:04,590
it what attracted you to it and why do

1033
00:48:09,500 --> 00:48:07,040
you think it's a good one to study

1034
00:48:11,570 --> 00:48:09,510
plants are really important we can't

1035
00:48:15,470 --> 00:48:11,580
live without them they clean the air

1036
00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:15,480
they make food and they beautiful and

1037
00:48:19,520 --> 00:48:17,850
every God has an interesting story I

1038
00:48:21,590 --> 00:48:19,530
look upset I've said on the show before

1039
00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:21,600
big family Western Australian pitcher

1040
00:48:25,250 --> 00:48:24,090
plant it's a coniferous plant stop love

1041
00:48:26,870 --> 00:48:25,260
it I've never been able to grow one

1042
00:48:28,490 --> 00:48:26,880
because the soil here is nothing like

1043
00:48:30,470 --> 00:48:28,500
Western Australia and it like swampy

1044
00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:30,480
soil I can't do that but what's your

1045
00:48:34,790 --> 00:48:33,210
favorite plant I don't have a favorite

1046
00:48:36,380 --> 00:48:34,800
player that's good see that's a

1047
00:48:37,670 --> 00:48:36,390
politically a good answer to make you

1048
00:48:40,820 --> 00:48:37,680
done with other plants will be ringing

1049
00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:40,830
up and getting upset we've got over 200

1050
00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:42,810
species and they restored a new species

1051
00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:44,850
list and I can't pick one I like them

1052
00:48:50,030 --> 00:48:47,370
all i also like many of the plants not

1053
00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:50,040
on the list as well oh okay if so how in

1054
00:48:54,590 --> 00:48:52,050
the field you preserve the DNA quickly

1055
00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:54,600
is it a freeze drying process do you do

1056
00:48:57,680 --> 00:48:56,370
yeah just free thought you're all you

1057
00:49:00,170 --> 00:48:57,690
actually physically freeze them what you

1058
00:49:02,150 --> 00:49:00,180
do so we take it s keys with ice and and

1059
00:49:04,130 --> 00:49:02,160
as soon as we pluck the leaves we put

1060
00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:04,140
them on ice and then we race back to

1061
00:49:10,070 --> 00:49:07,530
work and or if we're out in the field we

1062
00:49:13,400 --> 00:49:10,080
express post them back and then freeze

1063
00:49:15,140 --> 00:49:13,410
dry them and then once they're free

1064
00:49:19,370 --> 00:49:15,150
stride we could store them with silica

1065
00:49:21,140 --> 00:49:19,380
gel so they stay dry and like the final

1066
00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:21,150
questions here I'd like to ask you both

1067
00:49:24,350 --> 00:49:22,530
because you like getting out in the bush

1068
00:49:25,760 --> 00:49:24,360
I'd like recommended spots where people

1069
00:49:27,380 --> 00:49:25,770
can go that they don't normally get to

1070
00:49:28,580 --> 00:49:27,390
have you got a spot you'd recommend for

1071
00:49:31,310 --> 00:49:28,590
people to have a look at the amount of

1072
00:49:33,980 --> 00:49:31,320
thought going to I think close to Sydney

1073
00:49:35,470 --> 00:49:33,990
people could go up to the Blue Mountains

1074
00:49:37,690 --> 00:49:35,480
National Park Glee

1075
00:49:40,810 --> 00:49:37,700
brooke entrance there's a beautiful

1076
00:49:42,580 --> 00:49:40,820
swimming pool the Kelly pool pool and it

1077
00:49:45,490 --> 00:49:42,590
wonderful place to go never swim that's

1078
00:49:48,130 --> 00:49:45,500
good and you out and about it just last

1079
00:49:49,810 --> 00:49:48,140
weekend what would you recommend i just

1080
00:49:51,970 --> 00:49:49,820
went camping at wollondilly river and it

1081
00:49:54,400 --> 00:49:51,980
was just magic and so close to Sydney

1082
00:49:56,140 --> 00:49:54,410
really good okay well people listen to

1083
00:49:58,570 --> 00:49:56,150
keep an ear on eye on this and look

1084
00:50:00,070 --> 00:49:58,580
online for the restore and renew project

1085
00:50:01,420 --> 00:50:00,080
it's going to go for at least four years

1086
00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:01,430
but I think you got a lot more work

1087
00:50:09,490 --> 00:50:18,719
[Music]

1088
00:50:25,689 --> 00:50:22,149
and now a special note for fans of

1089
00:50:29,309 --> 00:50:25,699
maynard at maynard calm today you you

1090
00:50:31,899 --> 00:50:29,319
can download your FREE maynard calendar

1091
00:50:35,649 --> 00:50:31,909
download print out whack on the wall

1092
00:50:38,079 --> 00:50:35,659
spend 2017 with me not for your free

1093
00:50:39,880 --> 00:50:38,089
calendar no strings attached well you'll

1094
00:50:45,610 --> 00:50:39,890
have to attach some strings to put it on

1095
00:51:03,230 --> 00:50:45,620
the wall head for WWE not calm a you

1096
00:51:07,740 --> 00:51:05,789
thank you for listening to the skeptic

1097
00:51:10,440 --> 00:51:07,750
zone on next week's show a special

1098
00:51:13,349 --> 00:51:10,450
report from Maynard at skeptics in the

1099
00:51:14,910 --> 00:51:13,359
pub which we had the other night here in

1100
00:51:18,990 --> 00:51:14,920
Sydney where may not ask the big

1101
00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:19,000
question about pub goers he finds out he

1102
00:51:24,779 --> 00:51:22,450
asks what do you know about witches and

1103
00:51:26,700 --> 00:51:24,789
witchcraft because last week on the show

1104
00:51:29,130 --> 00:51:26,710
we had the reading of a magic spell

1105
00:51:30,779 --> 00:51:29,140
against Donald Trump I noticed Donald

1106
00:51:33,059 --> 00:51:30,789
Trump still there so I guess the magic

1107
00:51:35,599 --> 00:51:33,069
spell didn't work I didn't think it

1108
00:51:38,220 --> 00:51:35,609
would but anyway Maynard wants to know

1109
00:51:39,539 --> 00:51:38,230
what do people think about witches or

1110
00:51:42,690 --> 00:51:39,549
more importantly what is their

1111
00:51:45,420 --> 00:51:42,700
understanding of witches and witchcraft

1112
00:51:48,870 --> 00:51:45,430
is at all comic stuff do they ride

1113
00:51:50,910 --> 00:51:48,880
broomsticks to have familiars we'll find

1114
00:51:53,430 --> 00:51:50,920
out what Sydney pub goers think next

1115
00:51:55,470 --> 00:51:53,440
week a big thank you to all those people

1116
00:51:58,170 --> 00:51:55,480
who helped make the show possible and

1117
00:52:01,529 --> 00:51:58,180
not only my show but main art as well at

1118
00:52:05,789 --> 00:52:01,539
Maynard com delay you by chipping in for

1119
00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:05,799
patreon more paypal it it makes all the

1120
00:52:10,319 --> 00:52:08,170
difference it simply is the difference

1121
00:52:13,589 --> 00:52:10,329
between having a show or not having a

1122
00:52:16,529 --> 00:52:13,599
show so if you enjoy the skeptic zone if

1123
00:52:18,930 --> 00:52:16,539
you enjoy these other podcasts too then

1124
00:52:21,390 --> 00:52:18,940
why not give back a little bit chip in

1125
00:52:23,789 --> 00:52:21,400
it can be as little as a dollar a week

1126
00:52:25,650 --> 00:52:23,799
or even less or five dollars a week you

1127
00:52:29,329 --> 00:52:25,660
won't notice that money gone at all it's

1128
00:52:32,940 --> 00:52:29,339
a couple of cups of coffee at most but

1129
00:52:36,029 --> 00:52:32,950
collectively it means that shows like

1130
00:52:38,759 --> 00:52:36,039
the skeptics owned and maynards podcast

1131
00:52:41,039 --> 00:52:38,769
keep going it's as simple as that and we

1132
00:52:43,049 --> 00:52:41,049
thank you but for this week with the

1133
00:52:46,049 --> 00:52:43,059
rain once again falling down outside my

1134
00:52:51,410 --> 00:52:46,059
window this is Richard Saunders signing

1135
00:52:57,600 --> 00:52:53,850
you've been listening to the skeptics

1136
00:53:00,510 --> 00:52:57,610
own podcast visit our website at wwc a

1137
00:53:03,960 --> 00:53:00,520
petting zoo TV for contacts an archive

1138
00:53:06,660 --> 00:53:03,970
of all episodes since 2008 and our

1139
00:53:08,570 --> 00:53:06,670
online store please support the skeptic

1140
00:53:11,730 --> 00:53:08,580
zone by following us on twitter at

1141
00:53:15,359 --> 00:53:11,740
skeptic zone liking us on facebook and

1142
00:53:17,550 --> 00:53:15,369
leaving a review on iTunes you can also

1143
00:53:20,720 --> 00:53:17,560
show your support by subscribing via

1144
00:53:23,490 --> 00:53:20,730
paypal for as little as 99 cents a week

1145
00:53:25,140 --> 00:53:23,500
the skeptic zone is an independent

1146
00:53:27,570 --> 00:53:25,150
production the views and opinions

1147
00:53:29,190 --> 00:53:27,580
expressed on the skeptic zone and not

1148
00:53:32,040 --> 00:53:29,200
necessarily those of australian

1149
00:53:54,720 --> 00:53:32,050
skeptical or any other skeptical

1150
00:53:57,570 --> 00:53:54,730
organization hello hi hello hello hell

1151
00:54:01,080 --> 00:53:57,580
yeah I'm not too bad today and just have

1152
00:54:05,180 --> 00:54:01,090
to fiddle the levels here with this can

1153
00:54:11,210 --> 00:54:05,190
you just say count to 10 for me please I

1154
00:54:22,200 --> 00:54:11,220
don't know if I can do that 10 9 8 7 6

1155
00:54:25,770 --> 00:54:22,210
50 to 100 close enough you like me to

1156
00:54:27,420 --> 00:54:25,780
shut up no I just have to fiddle the

1157
00:54:30,630 --> 00:54:27,430
levels here you're coming through very

1158
00:54:33,660 --> 00:54:30,640
loud and clear alright so yes so we'll

1159
00:54:38,220 --> 00:54:33,670
just we'll just see how it goes in okie

1160
00:54:45,030 --> 00:54:38,230
dokie yeah only the listeners knew what

1161
00:54:47,609 --> 00:54:45,040
goes on when we're recording behind the

1162
00:54:49,440 --> 00:54:47,619
scenes alright are you ready up there um

1163
00:54:50,920 --> 00:54:49,450
hang on let me just have a sip of tea

1164
00:54:57,400 --> 00:54:50,930
alright

1165
00:55:04,430 --> 00:55:02,720
do you mainly all right whole class and