1 00:00:09,110 --> 00:00:06,170 [Music] 2 00:00:11,890 --> 00:00:09,120 welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast 3 00:00:22,910 --> 00:00:11,900 from Australia for science and reason 4 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:22,920 [Music] 5 00:00:29,450 --> 00:00:25,450 yes it's the skeptic zone podcast 6 00:00:32,549 --> 00:00:29,460 episode number 542 for the 10th of March 7 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:32,559 2019 Richardson is here with you from 8 00:00:40,049 --> 00:00:35,489 Sydney Australia where it's been getting 9 00:00:43,619 --> 00:00:40,059 just that little bit cooler and a big 10 00:00:46,290 --> 00:00:43,629 THANK YOU to Maynard who stepped in at 11 00:00:49,740 --> 00:00:46,300 the last minute and hosted the show last 12 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:49,750 week at the time the time I needed to do 13 00:00:55,469 --> 00:00:51,850 the voice work for the introductions and 14 00:00:57,990 --> 00:00:55,479 so on I really couldn't talk and as 15 00:01:00,539 --> 00:00:58,000 you'll hear in this week's show recorded 16 00:01:01,799 --> 00:01:00,549 during the week I still sound a little 17 00:01:05,250 --> 00:01:01,809 bit under the weather but I'm nearly 18 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:05,260 better it's so frustrating and for those 19 00:01:09,690 --> 00:01:07,510 people who've recently had the flu or 20 00:01:11,359 --> 00:01:09,700 the cold or something like that I guess 21 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:11,369 one of the things that really really 22 00:01:18,719 --> 00:01:14,290 hits home is how frustrating it is not 23 00:01:20,820 --> 00:01:18,729 to be as active or active at all and not 24 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:20,830 to be productive because apart from 25 00:01:26,490 --> 00:01:22,810 anything else it's simply hard to think 26 00:01:29,789 --> 00:01:26,500 when you're very sick and you're 27 00:01:32,340 --> 00:01:29,799 miserable it's hard to read books it's 28 00:01:34,910 --> 00:01:32,350 hard to do any sort of work at all so 29 00:01:37,139 --> 00:01:34,920 thank you again a very much Maynard 30 00:01:40,550 --> 00:01:37,149 coming up later on in the show you'll 31 00:01:44,399 --> 00:01:40,560 hear about Maenads upcoming gig in 32 00:01:46,859 --> 00:01:44,409 Sydney our just under a week away and if 33 00:01:48,270 --> 00:01:46,869 you're a fan of the skeptic zone and 34 00:01:51,749 --> 00:01:48,280 Maynard's work or you're a fan of 35 00:01:53,730 --> 00:01:51,759 Maynard Maynard calm today you this is a 36 00:01:57,239 --> 00:01:53,740 great opportunity for you to go along 37 00:01:59,370 --> 00:01:57,249 and support maenad in person but coming 38 00:02:03,090 --> 00:01:59,380 up on this week's show we have New 39 00:02:04,620 --> 00:02:03,100 Zealand dowser dollars down the drain we 40 00:02:07,020 --> 00:02:04,630 interview the chair of New Zealand 41 00:02:10,830 --> 00:02:07,030 skeptics Craig Shearer about how 42 00:02:15,260 --> 00:02:10,840 Wellington ratepayers are funding water 43 00:02:18,150 --> 00:02:15,270 divining in the form of a contractor 44 00:02:21,059 --> 00:02:18,160 using divining rods as part of their job 45 00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:21,069 to find underground pipes just when we 46 00:02:25,170 --> 00:02:22,720 thought we'd never see water to finding 47 00:02:27,780 --> 00:02:25,180 a water dowsing again well you know what 48 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:27,790 I'm not too surprised I guess I mean 49 00:02:33,270 --> 00:02:30,210 it's something that's going to be around 50 00:02:35,670 --> 00:02:33,280 well I guess it's going to be around as 51 00:02:37,980 --> 00:02:35,680 long as people are around water divining 52 00:02:39,780 --> 00:02:37,990 and water dowsing following that it's a 53 00:02:42,390 --> 00:02:39,790 story from the Australian skeptics about 54 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:42,400 the late Mike Willis see the TV 55 00:02:48,030 --> 00:02:44,530 journalists the pioneering TV 56 00:02:52,140 --> 00:02:48,040 journalists who died a very short time 57 00:02:54,570 --> 00:02:52,150 ago at the age of 76 he was a very 58 00:02:57,630 --> 00:02:54,580 well-known face and name here in 59 00:02:59,610 --> 00:02:57,640 Australia for his TV journalism over 60 00:03:00,930 --> 00:02:59,620 many many years and for much of that 61 00:03:02,670 --> 00:03:00,940 time he had a very positive relationship 62 00:03:05,490 --> 00:03:02,680 with the Australian skeptics and 63 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:05,500 skepticism in general and then sort of 64 00:03:13,170 --> 00:03:09,250 went south a little bit when he well 65 00:03:15,510 --> 00:03:13,180 found God and suddenly his reports and 66 00:03:19,010 --> 00:03:15,520 so on were somewhat less than skeptical 67 00:03:22,290 --> 00:03:19,020 you'll find out why later on in the show 68 00:03:24,930 --> 00:03:22,300 then to round things up I head to Sydney 69 00:03:27,930 --> 00:03:24,940 skeptics in the pub where in fact I gave 70 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:27,940 a talk in the last week but we speak to 71 00:03:31,890 --> 00:03:30,610 pub goers about old folk remedies what 72 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:31,900 do they remember from when they were 73 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:34,450 kids this cue is that or if you've got a 74 00:03:39,180 --> 00:03:37,210 sore shoulder put this on it or if you 75 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:39,190 do this this will happen those sort of 76 00:03:45,420 --> 00:03:41,530 interesting old folk remedies do pubs 77 00:03:47,070 --> 00:03:45,430 have any from their past stay tuned at 78 00:03:49,530 --> 00:03:47,080 the end of the show for more 79 00:03:53,270 --> 00:03:49,540 announcements from me but now it's time 80 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:53,280 for me to run downstairs a bit more 81 00:03:59,970 --> 00:03:57,730 ginger and lemon tea a bit more ginger 82 00:04:01,890 --> 00:03:59,980 and lemon tea - just soothe the throat a 83 00:04:05,030 --> 00:04:01,900 little bit while I do that I hope you 84 00:04:12,310 --> 00:04:05,040 enjoy the skeptic zone 85 00:04:21,290 --> 00:04:12,320 [Music] 86 00:04:26,610 --> 00:04:24,600 and joining me now on the line all the 87 00:04:28,590 --> 00:04:26,620 way from Auckland in New Zealand it's 88 00:04:30,330 --> 00:04:28,600 the chair of the New Zealand skeptics 89 00:04:32,820 --> 00:04:30,340 Craig Shearer hello Craig 90 00:04:34,620 --> 00:04:32,830 how I Richard how you doing well just 91 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:34,630 getting over the dreaded cold but not 92 00:04:38,310 --> 00:04:35,890 doing too bad 93 00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:38,320 look there's a story just hit the 94 00:04:42,630 --> 00:04:41,110 interwebs about something which we 95 00:04:45,930 --> 00:04:42,640 thought we'd never see again 96 00:04:47,820 --> 00:04:45,940 you know really about water divining and 97 00:04:49,770 --> 00:04:47,830 water dowsing coming out of New Zealand 98 00:04:51,780 --> 00:04:49,780 before we get into that can you give our 99 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:51,790 audience a bit of a background for our 100 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:53,710 new listeners about the New Zealand 101 00:04:59,190 --> 00:04:57,490 skeptics yeah I guess we're very much 102 00:05:03,570 --> 00:04:59,200 like the Australian skeptics except 103 00:05:06,090 --> 00:05:03,580 smaller and and of course good things 104 00:05:09,510 --> 00:05:06,100 come in small packages so we've been 105 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:09,520 around since the late 80s which I guess 106 00:05:13,470 --> 00:05:11,050 is not quite as long as the Australian 107 00:05:17,010 --> 00:05:13,480 skeptics but but we do have quite a 108 00:05:19,380 --> 00:05:17,020 heritage and yeah over the years we've 109 00:05:23,060 --> 00:05:19,390 we've done some interesting and 110 00:05:25,770 --> 00:05:23,070 investigations as there's the kind of a 111 00:05:28,110 --> 00:05:25,780 sort of few unique things here in New 112 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:28,120 Zealand like there's you you probably 113 00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:31,170 know about our our mower bird that was 114 00:05:36,450 --> 00:05:34,720 killed off by the first inhabitants of 115 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:36,460 New Zealand back about six hundred years 116 00:05:40,740 --> 00:05:38,650 ago but there are people who claim that 117 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:40,750 mothers still exist well that's 118 00:05:44,340 --> 00:05:42,610 interesting it's sort of like in 119 00:05:46,740 --> 00:05:44,350 Australia we have the thylacine or the 120 00:05:50,370 --> 00:05:46,750 Tasmanian tiger which was hunted to 121 00:05:51,750 --> 00:05:50,380 extinction by the 1930s but every now 122 00:05:55,710 --> 00:05:51,760 and then somebody will come along and 123 00:05:57,900 --> 00:05:55,720 say I saw one I swear I saw one yeah 124 00:06:00,180 --> 00:05:57,910 indeed indeed one Australia's a big 125 00:06:02,670 --> 00:06:00,190 place surely one of the biggest land 126 00:06:04,740 --> 00:06:02,680 birds that's ever been known which was 127 00:06:06,180 --> 00:06:04,750 as you said became extinct but there are 128 00:06:09,330 --> 00:06:06,190 still people in New Zealand claiming 129 00:06:13,020 --> 00:06:09,340 that they've seen one huh yeah yeah what 130 00:06:14,550 --> 00:06:13,030 we've been drinking though and of course 131 00:06:16,980 --> 00:06:14,560 New Zealand skeptics like the Australian 132 00:06:19,890 --> 00:06:16,990 skeptics have regular meetings and 133 00:06:23,119 --> 00:06:19,900 conventions conferences yesterday yes we 134 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:23,129 had a one last year in 135 00:06:28,670 --> 00:06:27,090 and we had Ian Brice from your neck of 136 00:06:32,179 --> 00:06:28,680 the woods no everyone talked us he was 137 00:06:35,629 --> 00:06:32,189 very interesting and this year it will 138 00:06:38,029 --> 00:06:35,639 be somewhere in the South Ireland so you 139 00:06:40,879 --> 00:06:38,039 know that'll be fun 140 00:06:43,550 --> 00:06:40,889 well that's very enticing because three 141 00:06:47,089 --> 00:06:43,560 years ago I think it was in that general 142 00:06:49,580 --> 00:06:47,099 vicinity of time I was very very 143 00:06:51,679 --> 00:06:49,590 grateful to be invited to speak at the 144 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:51,689 New Zealand skeptics convention 145 00:06:55,820 --> 00:06:53,849 conference which was in Queenstown as 146 00:06:57,559 --> 00:06:55,830 far as I remember beautiful scenery and 147 00:07:01,070 --> 00:06:57,569 I was there with susan gerbic from 148 00:07:02,809 --> 00:07:01,080 guerrilla skepticism I know and Susan's 149 00:07:05,559 --> 00:07:02,819 had a lot of success over the past week 150 00:07:08,899 --> 00:07:05,569 hasn't she she said yeah she certainly 151 00:07:10,519 --> 00:07:08,909 psychic care with with Mark Edward oh my 152 00:07:13,100 --> 00:07:10,529 goodness me and that then that is an 153 00:07:16,519 --> 00:07:13,110 ongoing story and I'm sure we'll be 154 00:07:18,379 --> 00:07:16,529 hearing about more more goings-on with 155 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:18,389 that and other adventures in the 156 00:07:22,279 --> 00:07:20,430 not-too-distant future anyway let's have 157 00:07:24,260 --> 00:07:22,289 a look at this interesting story coming 158 00:07:26,809 --> 00:07:24,270 out of New Zealand now water divining 159 00:07:30,019 --> 00:07:26,819 has long been a fascinating topic for me 160 00:07:31,399 --> 00:07:30,029 personally and it's very dear to the 161 00:07:33,439 --> 00:07:31,409 heart of Australian skeptics because 162 00:07:35,659 --> 00:07:33,449 it's one of the reasons the skeptical 163 00:07:37,159 --> 00:07:35,669 movement started in Australia look what 164 00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:37,169 I think I'll do Craig I think I will 165 00:07:42,079 --> 00:07:39,870 read now the story the report has 166 00:07:43,610 --> 00:07:42,089 published on the newsroom website New 167 00:07:50,790 --> 00:07:43,620 Zealand and then I'll come back to you 168 00:07:58,649 --> 00:07:53,879 this is from the newsroom website 169 00:08:02,909 --> 00:07:58,659 newsroom Co God NZ published on the 6th 170 00:08:08,149 --> 00:08:02,919 of March by farah hancock wellington 171 00:08:12,749 --> 00:08:10,290 wellington ratepayers are funding a 172 00:08:15,510 --> 00:08:12,759 pseudo scientific method to find buried 173 00:08:18,629 --> 00:08:15,520 water pipes the contractor downer and 174 00:08:20,189 --> 00:08:18,639 the Wellington City Council are not 175 00:08:21,899 --> 00:08:20,199 concerned at the public's perception 176 00:08:24,300 --> 00:08:21,909 that their money has been spent on 177 00:08:25,980 --> 00:08:24,310 disproved science rather than use 178 00:08:28,439 --> 00:08:25,990 electronic equipment are down a 179 00:08:32,069 --> 00:08:28,449 contractor working on a Wellington City 180 00:08:34,980 --> 00:08:32,079 Council project used two copper rods to 181 00:08:37,589 --> 00:08:34,990 tell him where pipes lay the method 182 00:08:40,110 --> 00:08:37,599 known as dowsing has been scientifically 183 00:08:42,509 --> 00:08:40,120 proven to give results no better than 184 00:08:45,090 --> 00:08:42,519 random chance sometimes called water 185 00:08:48,449 --> 00:08:45,100 divining or water witching it involves 186 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:48,459 rods or a forked stick when water is 187 00:08:54,660 --> 00:08:51,970 present the rods will stick is said to 188 00:08:57,060 --> 00:08:54,670 move in the dowsers hands some 189 00:08:59,940 --> 00:08:57,070 practitioners believe this is because of 190 00:09:02,699 --> 00:08:59,950 a power of the rods others think water 191 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:02,709 can send energy through the ground which 192 00:09:09,900 --> 00:09:06,970 the dowser senses gold who goes by that 193 00:09:11,639 --> 00:09:09,910 name was returning from lunch in January 194 00:09:13,949 --> 00:09:11,649 and walking down Willow Street in 195 00:09:16,769 --> 00:09:13,959 central Wellington when he witnessed the 196 00:09:19,470 --> 00:09:16,779 dowsing there was this guy in a high-vis 197 00:09:21,630 --> 00:09:19,480 vest using dowsing rods he was stepping 198 00:09:24,329 --> 00:09:21,640 out onto the road until they crossed 199 00:09:27,269 --> 00:09:24,339 over each other and then bent over and 200 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:27,279 painted an X on the ground I was shocked 201 00:09:31,980 --> 00:09:29,170 to see dowsing rods being used I 202 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:31,990 actually asked him who was contracting 203 00:09:36,530 --> 00:09:34,690 this work and what they were doing he 204 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:36,540 said it was the Wellington City Council 205 00:09:41,550 --> 00:09:39,250 Gould said three or four other down of 206 00:09:43,949 --> 00:09:41,560 staff were present any of them would 207 00:09:46,620 --> 00:09:43,959 have seen him doing this and nobody was 208 00:09:47,220 --> 00:09:46,630 looking at him sideways going what are 209 00:09:49,380 --> 00:09:47,230 they doing 210 00:09:51,930 --> 00:09:49,390 don't be so embarrassing or anything 211 00:09:55,319 --> 00:09:51,940 like that dowsing rods represent another 212 00:09:58,530 --> 00:09:55,329 tool in the tool bag according to down a 213 00:10:00,960 --> 00:09:58,540 management New Zealand skeptics chair 214 00:10:02,579 --> 00:10:00,970 Craig Shira contacted the company when 215 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:02,589 he was made aware of the dowsing 216 00:10:06,990 --> 00:10:04,690 he said initially the company 217 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:07,000 and aware staff were using it but said 218 00:10:13,950 --> 00:10:09,930 checking confirmed it was used daily 219 00:10:16,650 --> 00:10:13,960 down at ol Shira the method is safe and 220 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:16,660 it has no plan to ban staff from using 221 00:10:22,380 --> 00:10:19,810 it the choice to use it was up to the 222 00:10:24,140 --> 00:10:22,390 individual employees we sort of made the 223 00:10:27,210 --> 00:10:24,150 point to them that this is a 224 00:10:28,410 --> 00:10:27,220 pseudoscience and in the modern age we 225 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:28,420 didn't think companies should be 226 00:10:33,990 --> 00:10:30,730 promoting this particularly when public 227 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:34,000 money is being spent said Shira he asked 228 00:10:39,450 --> 00:10:36,490 Donna if records of accuracy were kept 229 00:10:41,730 --> 00:10:39,460 and was told they weren't I think 230 00:10:44,460 --> 00:10:41,740 probably what's going on is that the 231 00:10:46,620 --> 00:10:44,470 employee is using intuition and past 232 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:46,630 experience to come up with an idea about 233 00:10:50,730 --> 00:10:49,090 where things might be located down as 234 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:50,740 general management of business and 235 00:10:55,890 --> 00:10:53,530 excellence and reputation Brook Dahlberg 236 00:10:58,530 --> 00:10:55,900 confirmed to newsroom downer doesn't 237 00:11:00,660 --> 00:10:58,540 keep records of accuracy we do not 238 00:11:03,330 --> 00:11:00,670 actively promote this practice dowsing 239 00:11:06,510 --> 00:11:03,340 however from time to time our teams may 240 00:11:08,550 --> 00:11:06,520 use this practice if it is safe there is 241 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:08,560 no additional cost to the customer and 242 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:11,050 when used in conjunction with technology 243 00:11:15,330 --> 00:11:12,610 and service plans 244 00:11:16,980 --> 00:11:15,340 when asked if Donna was concerned about 245 00:11:19,950 --> 00:11:16,990 the public perception of rate payer 246 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:19,960 money being used on a technique 247 00:11:24,570 --> 00:11:21,490 considered pseudoscience 248 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:24,580 she said no Wellington City Council 249 00:11:29,790 --> 00:11:27,610 which is responsible for the use of its 250 00:11:31,830 --> 00:11:29,800 rate payers money was contacted by 251 00:11:34,140 --> 00:11:31,840 newsroom and asked whether it had 252 00:11:36,150 --> 00:11:34,150 discussed the issue with Donna's how it 253 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:36,160 felt about rate payer money being used 254 00:11:41,070 --> 00:11:39,310 for pseudoscience and if any mechanism 255 00:11:43,410 --> 00:11:41,080 was going to be put in place to stop it 256 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:43,420 happening in the future its response was 257 00:11:47,940 --> 00:11:46,210 we have spoken with Donna and we are 258 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:47,950 happy with the response they have given 259 00:11:52,620 --> 00:11:50,410 you when pressed for its response rather 260 00:11:55,020 --> 00:11:52,630 than Downers it said it hadn't no 261 00:11:57,329 --> 00:11:55,030 further comment to make other councils 262 00:11:59,790 --> 00:11:57,339 do not use dowsing when Auckland's water 263 00:12:01,800 --> 00:11:59,800 care was asked several questions in 2017 264 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:01,810 through an official informations Act 265 00:12:06,900 --> 00:12:05,050 request a curt twelve word response was 266 00:12:09,870 --> 00:12:06,910 given water Care does not use this 267 00:12:11,250 --> 00:12:09,880 technique the company uses sophisticated 268 00:12:13,829 --> 00:12:11,260 electronic devices 269 00:12:16,260 --> 00:12:13,839 yesterday Water K confirmed to newsroom 270 00:12:18,390 --> 00:12:16,270 this was still the case several other 271 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:18,400 Official Information Act 272 00:12:23,430 --> 00:12:20,770 were made in 2017 about the use of 273 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:23,440 dowsing to various councils through the 274 00:12:30,510 --> 00:12:27,730 fYI website responses ranged from no to 275 00:12:32,670 --> 00:12:30,520 not being aware if it had been used few 276 00:12:34,890 --> 00:12:32,680 councils said in the past it may have 277 00:12:37,590 --> 00:12:34,900 been used scientists think the movement 278 00:12:39,510 --> 00:12:37,600 of the dowsing rods or sticks is due to 279 00:12:41,910 --> 00:12:39,520 what's called the ideomotor response 280 00:12:44,370 --> 00:12:41,920 where people's subconscious minds 281 00:12:46,500 --> 00:12:44,380 influence their bodies to move without 282 00:12:48,300 --> 00:12:46,510 them consciously realizing it's 283 00:12:50,670 --> 00:12:48,310 happening this is similar to how 284 00:12:53,250 --> 00:12:50,680 scientists explain how we G boards 285 00:12:54,690 --> 00:12:53,260 appear to work several studies have been 286 00:12:59,490 --> 00:12:54,700 completed to test where the dowsing 287 00:13:03,330 --> 00:12:59,500 works amongst them a 1948 New Zealand 288 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:03,340 study tested 75 douses none had results 289 00:13:09,450 --> 00:13:06,310 more reliable than chance in 1991 a 290 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:09,460 German study offered a u.s. $10,000 291 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:12,610 prize 30 dowsers were tested for their 292 00:13:17,370 --> 00:13:14,410 ability to find pipes with running water 293 00:13:18,870 --> 00:13:17,380 buried under a field their results were 294 00:13:23,130 --> 00:13:18,880 no better than chance and the prize was 295 00:13:25,260 --> 00:13:23,140 never given out in 1990 a study of $500 296 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:25,270 found six of the test subjects had a 297 00:13:30,060 --> 00:13:27,610 high rate of success finding water pipes 298 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:30,070 however these statistical methods of the 299 00:13:35,610 --> 00:13:33,130 study have since generated criticism and 300 00:13:38,610 --> 00:13:35,620 as an aside of course I'll mention that 301 00:13:40,740 --> 00:13:38,620 in 1980 there was a major test of water 302 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:40,750 diviners here in Australia headed up by 303 00:13:45,390 --> 00:13:43,450 James Randi and since then there have 304 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:45,400 been other water divining tests here in 305 00:13:51,870 --> 00:13:48,130 Australia with many many water diviners 306 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:51,880 the results coming to chance alone we 307 00:13:57,270 --> 00:13:54,490 read on professional dowsers do operate 308 00:14:02,190 --> 00:13:57,280 in New Zealand grand virtual says he has 309 00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:02,200 a 99.9 percent success rate and can find 310 00:14:07,830 --> 00:14:05,710 hot or cold water he offers his services 311 00:14:10,590 --> 00:14:07,840 in New Zealand and abroad and says he 312 00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:10,600 can even doubt from a helicopter he 313 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:14,110 describes his ability as a gift which 314 00:14:19,770 --> 00:14:17,530 came to him late in life I am connected 315 00:14:22,050 --> 00:14:19,780 with the magnetic field the North and 316 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:22,060 the South Pole I can go onto a property 317 00:14:26,550 --> 00:14:24,130 that doesn't matter what size it is I 318 00:14:29,130 --> 00:14:26,560 will find every bit of water on that 319 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:29,140 property I can decipher if it's hot or 320 00:14:34,590 --> 00:14:32,170 cold and how deep it is to get to it 321 00:14:37,740 --> 00:14:34,600 he said he had no problems finding water 322 00:14:41,550 --> 00:14:37,750 in pipes gold who witnessed the Downers 323 00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:41,560 dowser in action said he's since in the 324 00:14:45,420 --> 00:14:43,360 footpath and part of the road was 325 00:14:48,540 --> 00:14:45,430 excavated close to where the downer 326 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:48,550 contractor marked the spot he doesn't 327 00:14:53,250 --> 00:14:51,130 know if a water pipe was found if that 328 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:53,260 pipe wasn't there the extra effort 329 00:14:58,170 --> 00:14:56,290 needed to dig up and discover it wasn't 330 00:15:01,710 --> 00:14:58,180 there that's a cost of using dowsing 331 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:01,720 rods New Zealand skeptics chair Shira 332 00:15:06,930 --> 00:15:04,450 says he's speaking with the media now 333 00:15:08,820 --> 00:15:06,940 after giving down a time to respond to 334 00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:08,830 emails regarding the January incident 335 00:15:13,260 --> 00:15:10,720 and talking internally without the New 336 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:13,270 Zealand skeptic members he said he 337 00:15:18,030 --> 00:15:15,130 received lengthy responses back from 338 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:18,040 downer which stressed safety and oddly 339 00:15:22,590 --> 00:15:20,050 included two paragraphs about Dallas 340 00:15:24,090 --> 00:15:22,600 health and safety strategy we are 341 00:15:26,460 --> 00:15:24,100 pleased they got back to us with a 342 00:15:28,500 --> 00:15:26,470 serious response I think it would be 343 00:15:30,630 --> 00:15:28,510 good if they took our concerns more 344 00:15:33,390 --> 00:15:30,640 seriously and looked into the practice 345 00:15:41,090 --> 00:15:33,400 and realized that it actually provided 346 00:15:46,230 --> 00:15:43,800 so there's the story Craig there's a 347 00:15:48,030 --> 00:15:46,240 story as reported and it's good that 348 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:48,040 gold and yourself get to make some 349 00:15:52,610 --> 00:15:50,530 comments this must have taken you a bit 350 00:15:55,230 --> 00:15:52,620 by surprise to have all this happening 351 00:15:57,750 --> 00:15:55,240 yeah well yeah well gold was the guy who 352 00:16:01,740 --> 00:15:57,760 actually spotted it and in for reference 353 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:01,750 gold is actually passed chairpersons 354 00:16:06,660 --> 00:16:04,930 Iran skeptics so but he lives down in 355 00:16:10,470 --> 00:16:06,670 Wellington and he happened to be walking 356 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:10,480 to work one day and spotted an employee 357 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:12,970 or a company called downer and I believe 358 00:16:16,590 --> 00:16:14,410 they're actually an Australian company 359 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:16,600 but they were a New Zealand as well 360 00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:20,710 right and they are basically sort of 361 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:24,160 contractors to City Council's and other 362 00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:26,890 stuff here so and I believe they were 363 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:29,710 contracted to do some digging up of 364 00:16:35,670 --> 00:16:33,010 footpath as in order to replace water 365 00:16:37,770 --> 00:16:35,680 pipes underneath and so gold happened to 366 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:37,780 be walking to work and he spotted this 367 00:16:43,230 --> 00:16:40,330 guy using a pair of divining rods and 368 00:16:44,650 --> 00:16:43,240 you know as you imagine they were the 369 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:44,660 crossing and then yes 370 00:16:50,380 --> 00:16:47,090 we got somebody to spray spray the 371 00:16:53,350 --> 00:16:50,390 footpath where they crossed and so gold 372 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:53,360 was a little ingredient that's like oh 373 00:17:00,100 --> 00:16:56,210 my goodness we've got a water divider 374 00:17:03,850 --> 00:17:00,110 here so yes he tweeted that out and and 375 00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:03,860 one of our committee members popped up 376 00:17:08,050 --> 00:17:06,500 the air and and she actually made 377 00:17:11,079 --> 00:17:08,060 contact with the Wellington City Council 378 00:17:13,660 --> 00:17:11,089 and said hey what's going on and and 379 00:17:14,710 --> 00:17:13,670 they were kind of the city oh well you 380 00:17:16,630 --> 00:17:14,720 know you should go and talk to downer 381 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:16,640 because they are actually our 382 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:20,810 contractors and so yeah so she rang them 383 00:17:25,030 --> 00:17:22,850 and yes that was indeed what happened 384 00:17:26,949 --> 00:17:25,040 and and so but they didn't wanted me to 385 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:26,959 make any further comments so we decided 386 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:28,850 that we would actually contact downer 387 00:17:34,900 --> 00:17:31,610 and ask them a few questions about this 388 00:17:36,610 --> 00:17:34,910 and in with her what we actually saw 389 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:36,620 happen actually did happen and and 390 00:17:41,140 --> 00:17:38,210 weather was a common practice and all 391 00:17:43,450 --> 00:17:41,150 that sort of thing and and and it really 392 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:43,460 just the the response kind of astounded 393 00:17:49,450 --> 00:17:47,450 me in that it was it was really all 394 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:49,460 about saying well this is a safe 395 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:51,770 practice well yes yes that's that's 396 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:53,930 interesting because as we just heard in 397 00:17:58,720 --> 00:17:56,170 in the the reading of the other story 398 00:18:01,450 --> 00:17:58,730 they seem to be obsessed with health and 399 00:18:03,580 --> 00:18:01,460 safety which is good is admirable and 400 00:18:06,780 --> 00:18:03,590 they certainly please they are but I 401 00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:06,790 think they're missing the point somewhat 402 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:09,710 and we and and it's really interesting 403 00:18:15,970 --> 00:18:13,250 to to read the the conversation we have 404 00:18:19,060 --> 00:18:15,980 with them which is not all was not all 405 00:18:20,590 --> 00:18:19,070 published but we really did sort of bend 406 00:18:23,670 --> 00:18:20,600 over backwards to say hey look this is 407 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:23,680 pseudoscience we really don't want to 408 00:18:31,210 --> 00:18:25,910 take this to the media and make you a 409 00:18:32,740 --> 00:18:31,220 laughing story have to and then they 410 00:18:34,060 --> 00:18:32,750 basically came back and said look no 411 00:18:37,540 --> 00:18:34,070 we're not going to tell her employees 412 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:37,550 they can't do this so and yeah we had a 413 00:18:42,610 --> 00:18:40,730 media spokesperson who was a mediator 414 00:18:45,580 --> 00:18:42,620 journalist who was quite interested in 415 00:18:47,170 --> 00:18:45,590 the story so she she wrote it up and 416 00:18:50,050 --> 00:18:47,180 yeah does seem to have a bit of traction 417 00:18:51,790 --> 00:18:50,060 and I go contacted this morning by 418 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:51,800 another media outlet who are interested 419 00:18:56,380 --> 00:18:54,530 taking it up as well so it could be that 420 00:18:58,120 --> 00:18:56,390 this is going to get a quite a bit of 421 00:19:01,900 --> 00:18:58,130 traction and 422 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:01,910 that really will sort of force the City 423 00:19:07,290 --> 00:19:05,450 Council I think and down there to to at 424 00:19:09,070 --> 00:19:07,300 least make some sort of a comment and 425 00:19:10,990 --> 00:19:09,080 figure out what they're going to do 426 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:11,000 about it and one would hope that they're 427 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:14,690 going to actually stop using this 428 00:19:19,390 --> 00:19:16,250 practice and one of the things I told 429 00:19:21,370 --> 00:19:19,400 the the journalist was that well look 430 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:21,380 this is really this has been tested and 431 00:19:26,860 --> 00:19:24,770 and I actually told them all about the 432 00:19:29,740 --> 00:19:26,870 experience that the Australian epics 433 00:19:32,530 --> 00:19:29,750 back in 1980 with eddakath James Randi 434 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:32,540 when you guys you would have been you 435 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:33,650 would have been in short pants then 436 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:38,690 Richard Lee was yeah we made actually 437 00:19:43,090 --> 00:19:41,450 did the challenge with all those people 438 00:19:46,090 --> 00:19:43,100 who thought that they actually could do 439 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:46,100 dowsing and be successful and it turned 440 00:19:50,890 --> 00:19:47,690 out that their results were just no 441 00:19:53,260 --> 00:19:50,900 better than chance and yes it's been 442 00:19:54,970 --> 00:19:53,270 it's been shown to be pseudoscience it's 443 00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:54,980 been shown that it doesn't work we know 444 00:20:00,250 --> 00:19:57,370 how it works is the ideomotor effect and 445 00:20:02,470 --> 00:20:00,260 yeah to have it have it happening in the 446 00:20:05,350 --> 00:20:02,480 21st century geena's rather astounding 447 00:20:08,020 --> 00:20:05,360 well I think what's good about it is 448 00:20:09,970 --> 00:20:08,030 that if from the point of view of gold 449 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:09,980 is not only did he happen to see it that 450 00:20:13,660 --> 00:20:11,330 he's actually done something about it 451 00:20:15,820 --> 00:20:13,670 he's reported it he's made a fuss and 452 00:20:18,820 --> 00:20:15,830 I'm behooves us all to keep our eyes and 453 00:20:22,810 --> 00:20:18,830 our ears open and who knows it might 454 00:20:24,550 --> 00:20:22,820 even result in a a media event where you 455 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:24,560 can actually publicly test some water 456 00:20:28,660 --> 00:20:27,170 diviners I mean yeah it has worked in 457 00:20:30,220 --> 00:20:28,670 this country before we've got some 458 00:20:33,370 --> 00:20:30,230 traction out of doing it and it's an 459 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:33,380 interesting day yeah it is in the one 460 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:35,690 good thing about this is there's I can't 461 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:37,730 see there's anything anything political 462 00:20:45,390 --> 00:20:40,250 or controversial about this yes it's not 463 00:20:47,530 --> 00:20:45,400 like nothing like like global warming or 464 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:47,540 intelligent design of creationism or 465 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:49,910 evolution that's it's just just does 466 00:20:53,710 --> 00:20:51,650 water divining work or not 467 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:53,720 yeah yeah it's it's it's what we call 468 00:21:00,760 --> 00:20:55,730 one of the good old-fashioned good old 469 00:21:04,180 --> 00:21:00,770 faithful topic skeptic topics you know 470 00:21:06,700 --> 00:21:04,190 it make warms the heart we think about 471 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:06,710 these great topics or Craig or power to 472 00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:08,210 you if there are going to be any further 473 00:21:12,230 --> 00:21:10,470 developments please keep me in the loop 474 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:12,240 in the loop and especially if it looks 475 00:21:16,070 --> 00:21:14,490 like there's going to be a test a water 476 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:16,080 divining test in the offing I'm more 477 00:21:21,830 --> 00:21:19,770 than happy to um you know aid you with 478 00:21:23,210 --> 00:21:21,840 my experience in any way I can now how 479 00:21:25,310 --> 00:21:23,220 can people around the world and 480 00:21:26,510 --> 00:21:25,320 especially in New Zealand catch up with 481 00:21:29,539 --> 00:21:26,520 what's going on with the New Zealand 482 00:21:32,270 --> 00:21:29,549 skeptics well we have a bunch of outlets 483 00:21:35,110 --> 00:21:32,280 sexually the probably the most active of 484 00:21:37,970 --> 00:21:35,120 us ours is just on Facebook we've got a 485 00:21:40,070 --> 00:21:37,980 page or a New Zealand skeptics page on 486 00:21:42,980 --> 00:21:40,080 Facebook and we're also on on Twitter 487 00:21:45,740 --> 00:21:42,990 where we're very active we also got a 488 00:21:48,980 --> 00:21:45,750 website which we struggle to keep up to 489 00:21:51,110 --> 00:21:48,990 date as many organizations do but if you 490 00:21:55,070 --> 00:21:51,120 want to check us out we're at skeptics 491 00:21:56,779 --> 00:21:55,080 indeed alright so there's the word folks 492 00:22:00,080 --> 00:21:56,789 that got linked it all that in the show 493 00:22:02,990 --> 00:22:00,090 notes and please keep me up to date as 494 00:22:06,740 --> 00:22:03,000 to the Canora convention your conference 495 00:22:09,140 --> 00:22:06,750 later on yeah yeah we would we just love 496 00:22:11,299 --> 00:22:09,150 having Australians come over and attend 497 00:22:13,610 --> 00:22:11,309 the conference because it's just eisah 498 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:13,620 it's usually a nice little intimate 499 00:22:18,260 --> 00:22:15,510 conference there's not too many people 500 00:22:19,970 --> 00:22:18,270 and it's really great to be able to talk 501 00:22:21,799 --> 00:22:19,980 was like-minded people from across the 502 00:22:23,539 --> 00:22:21,809 Tasman it certainly is well maybe if we 503 00:22:26,930 --> 00:22:23,549 talk it up we can get it to be a bigger 504 00:22:29,779 --> 00:22:26,940 conference excellent any excuse to go to 505 00:22:45,690 --> 00:22:29,789 New Zealand but for now for now Craig 506 00:22:51,190 --> 00:22:49,030 hey fellow skeptics in Medford here with 507 00:22:53,140 --> 00:22:51,200 Celeste reward your friendly host of 508 00:22:55,090 --> 00:22:53,150 squaring the strange a podcast that 509 00:22:57,460 --> 00:22:55,100 looks at topics ranging from Legends 510 00:22:59,680 --> 00:22:57,470 panics and cryptids beauty myths 511 00:23:01,750 --> 00:22:59,690 psychology and folklore breaking things 512 00:23:03,850 --> 00:23:01,760 down and picking things apart as we 513 00:23:06,190 --> 00:23:03,860 skeptics do we bring a few different 514 00:23:08,620 --> 00:23:06,200 perspectives on things cluster for 515 00:23:09,730 --> 00:23:08,630 example is a witty cartoonist and Ben is 516 00:23:11,980 --> 00:23:09,740 a brilliant writer and longtime 517 00:23:14,410 --> 00:23:11,990 skeptical investigator we don't always 518 00:23:16,450 --> 00:23:14,420 agree but we have fun trying and we 519 00:23:19,300 --> 00:23:16,460 learn new things join us for new topics 520 00:23:21,580 --> 00:23:19,310 every week or two or browse our backlog 521 00:23:24,190 --> 00:23:21,590 of evergreen episodes available on 522 00:23:26,650 --> 00:23:24,200 iTunes and all your podcast feeding 523 00:23:31,950 --> 00:23:26,660 troughs swearing the strange take care 524 00:23:45,580 --> 00:23:42,660 [Music] 525 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:45,590 now in the last week we learned of the 526 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:48,850 death of famous Australian TV journalist 527 00:23:56,830 --> 00:23:54,050 Michael Willis II my Quilici now he was 528 00:23:58,960 --> 00:23:56,840 a real giant in the Australian media 529 00:24:01,930 --> 00:23:58,970 scene especially with a television 530 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:01,940 journalism now he is very well 531 00:24:07,630 --> 00:24:05,090 remembered for a 1993 interview he 532 00:24:10,470 --> 00:24:07,640 conducted with the then leader of the 533 00:24:12,790 --> 00:24:10,480 Federal Opposition dr. John Hewson and 534 00:24:14,710 --> 00:24:12,800 his party the Liberal Party were 535 00:24:17,860 --> 00:24:14,720 considering bringing in a goods and 536 00:24:20,110 --> 00:24:17,870 services tax and during a TV interview 537 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:20,120 Willis he asked Hewson a very simple 538 00:24:25,420 --> 00:24:22,610 question if I buy a birthday cake from a 539 00:24:27,930 --> 00:24:25,430 cake shop and GST is in place do I pay 540 00:24:31,780 --> 00:24:27,940 more or less for that birthday cake and 541 00:24:34,120 --> 00:24:31,790 dr. Hewson tied himself in knots trying 542 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:34,130 to answer this simple question 543 00:24:40,420 --> 00:24:36,770 it was replayed and replayed and 544 00:24:42,310 --> 00:24:40,430 replayed and it's considered by some to 545 00:24:44,740 --> 00:24:42,320 be a turning point in that year's 546 00:24:47,170 --> 00:24:44,750 federal election that party went on to 547 00:24:50,890 --> 00:24:47,180 lose the election now the reason I'm 548 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:50,900 bringing up my Quilici is that he was 549 00:24:56,950 --> 00:24:54,530 the recipient of a skeptics award for 550 00:24:58,960 --> 00:24:56,960 his journalism and some years later he 551 00:25:01,990 --> 00:24:58,970 was the recipient of another skeptics 552 00:25:03,490 --> 00:25:02,000 award that being the bent spoon award so 553 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:03,500 we go to the website of Australian 554 00:25:07,630 --> 00:25:06,050 skeptics skeptics Comte you a story 555 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:07,640 written by Tim Mendham published on the 556 00:25:13,420 --> 00:25:10,810 1st of March 2019 my Quilici 557 00:25:15,270 --> 00:25:13,430 trailblazing journalist skeptics winner 558 00:25:18,479 --> 00:25:15,280 and loser 559 00:25:22,449 --> 00:25:20,889 Australian journalist Mike Willacy has 560 00:25:26,469 --> 00:25:22,459 died after a long battle with throat 561 00:25:28,539 --> 00:25:26,479 cancer as the ABC relates Willis he 562 00:25:31,149 --> 00:25:28,549 became a household name after fronting 563 00:25:34,089 --> 00:25:31,159 the ABCs four corners program for two 564 00:25:36,789 --> 00:25:34,099 years from 1969 and was described as a 565 00:25:38,949 --> 00:25:36,799 trailblazer of Australian journalism he 566 00:25:42,339 --> 00:25:38,959 then left the ABC joining channel nine 567 00:25:43,209 --> 00:25:42,349 in 1971 for his own nightly programme a 568 00:25:46,479 --> 00:25:43,219 Current Affair 569 00:25:49,329 --> 00:25:46,489 but he is also noted as the only person 570 00:25:51,669 --> 00:25:49,339 to win both positive and negative Awards 571 00:25:54,099 --> 00:25:51,679 from Australian skeptics he had a long 572 00:25:56,619 --> 00:25:54,109 largely positive relationship with the 573 00:25:59,709 --> 00:25:56,629 sceptics during the 1980s but less 574 00:26:01,329 --> 00:25:59,719 positive during the 1990s through the 575 00:26:04,179 --> 00:26:01,339 two channel nine current affairs 576 00:26:05,139 --> 00:26:04,189 programs he produced and/or hosted a 577 00:26:07,599 --> 00:26:05,149 Current Affair 578 00:26:09,849 --> 00:26:07,609 and later Willacy he was in on the 579 00:26:13,419 --> 00:26:09,859 ground floor of the skeptical movement 580 00:26:15,699 --> 00:26:13,429 in Australia in 1980 the Willacy program 581 00:26:17,949 --> 00:26:15,709 ran a short piece on the water divining 582 00:26:20,919 --> 00:26:17,959 tests featuring James Randi and dick 583 00:26:22,659 --> 00:26:20,929 Smith it was this programme and the way 584 00:26:24,819 --> 00:26:22,669 the tests were carried out and then 585 00:26:26,889 --> 00:26:24,829 exposed to the public that was the 586 00:26:29,819 --> 00:26:26,899 inspiration for the launch of Australian 587 00:26:32,889 --> 00:26:29,829 skeptics in Melbourne and Sydney in 1981 588 00:26:36,999 --> 00:26:32,899 later programs which involved sceptics 589 00:26:38,859 --> 00:26:37,009 included 1984 the skeptics exposed the 590 00:26:41,729 --> 00:26:38,869 Melbourne and metropolitan Board of 591 00:26:45,579 --> 00:26:41,739 Works which used an American psychic 592 00:26:47,859 --> 00:26:45,589 archaeologist and diviner Karen hunt to 593 00:26:51,539 --> 00:26:47,869 conduct a survey along demolished 594 00:26:54,459 --> 00:26:51,549 buildings that left and quote 595 00:26:57,879 --> 00:26:54,469 electromagnetic photo field in quote 596 00:27:00,369 --> 00:26:57,889 which she could detect with divining 597 00:27:02,619 --> 00:27:00,379 rods hunt used her rods to draw an 598 00:27:05,859 --> 00:27:02,629 alleged reconstruction of the former 599 00:27:08,499 --> 00:27:05,869 farm at the works Historic Park at Point 600 00:27:11,109 --> 00:27:08,509 Cook a reconstruction resembled an 601 00:27:14,349 --> 00:27:11,119 American Midwestern farm of last century 602 00:27:16,449 --> 00:27:14,359 the general manager of the works said 603 00:27:18,189 --> 00:27:16,459 that she was delighted with her findings 604 00:27:20,409 --> 00:27:18,199 Willacy arrange for a satellite 605 00:27:22,509 --> 00:27:20,419 television interview between James siran 606 00:27:24,909 --> 00:27:22,519 the then Secretary of Australian 607 00:27:28,059 --> 00:27:24,919 skeptics and Miss hunt the works was 608 00:27:30,340 --> 00:27:28,069 awarded the bent spoon in 1985 the 609 00:27:34,419 --> 00:27:30,350 Zoological world was stunned by the 610 00:27:37,029 --> 00:27:34,429 discovery of a flat a flying rabbit in 611 00:27:39,460 --> 00:27:37,039 the outer suburbs of Sydney the fine 612 00:27:41,650 --> 00:27:39,470 removed murder and mayhem from the front 613 00:27:43,570 --> 00:27:41,660 pages of Sydney papers and it was also 614 00:27:46,090 --> 00:27:43,580 the lead story on the current affairs 615 00:27:47,919 --> 00:27:46,100 programs hosted by Willacy who went on 616 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:47,929 to call it one of his stories of the 617 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:50,090 year it should be added that his 618 00:27:56,049 --> 00:27:52,210 coverage was totally tongue-in-cheek 619 00:27:58,390 --> 00:27:56,059 also in 1985 five Queensland academics 620 00:28:00,669 --> 00:27:58,400 took the lid off creation science at a 621 00:28:03,490 --> 00:28:00,679 seminar held at the University of 622 00:28:05,289 --> 00:28:03,500 Queensland the seminar was organised by 623 00:28:07,210 --> 00:28:05,299 the Queensland branch of the Australian 624 00:28:10,390 --> 00:28:07,220 skeptics and covered by the Willacy 625 00:28:12,580 --> 00:28:10,400 programme amongst others in 1986 626 00:28:13,810 --> 00:28:12,590 Australia was honoured with a visit by 627 00:28:16,779 --> 00:28:13,820 the Reverend brother 628 00:28:20,140 --> 00:28:16,789 Willard fuller a psychic dentist from 629 00:28:21,789 --> 00:28:20,150 America according to Fuller's wife the 630 00:28:24,430 --> 00:28:21,799 visit brought lots of media attention 631 00:28:27,340 --> 00:28:24,440 the commentary about our healing work 632 00:28:29,020 --> 00:28:27,350 was done by a news program comparable to 633 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:29,030 the 60 minutes program here in the 634 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:29,450 States 635 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:32,330 meaning Willa seemed close viewing of 636 00:28:36,460 --> 00:28:34,010 the Willacy broadcasts revealed that the 637 00:28:39,220 --> 00:28:36,470 reverence teeth were not exactly in 638 00:28:41,860 --> 00:28:39,230 pristine condition the Findhorn festival 639 00:28:45,430 --> 00:28:41,870 group one knee bent spoon for sponsoring 640 00:28:47,950 --> 00:28:45,440 Fuller's visit in 1987 the Willacy 641 00:28:51,070 --> 00:28:47,960 program conducted tests on racing car 642 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:51,080 driver Peter Brock's polarizer which was 643 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:53,210 a small box that attached to the fuel 644 00:28:57,970 --> 00:28:55,370 pipe of a car to make it run more 645 00:29:00,730 --> 00:28:57,980 efficiently they used a car that had 646 00:29:02,950 --> 00:29:00,740 travelled 40,000 kilometers after a 647 00:29:06,100 --> 00:29:02,960 polarizer had been personally fitted to 648 00:29:08,409 --> 00:29:06,110 it by Brock neither the car owner nor 649 00:29:11,230 --> 00:29:08,419 the motoring journalist Paul vital and 650 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:11,240 David Morley could detect any difference 651 00:29:16,180 --> 00:29:13,370 in the performance between the car when 652 00:29:18,340 --> 00:29:16,190 fitted with the polarizer or a day later 653 00:29:21,870 --> 00:29:18,350 after the polarizer had been removed 654 00:29:24,370 --> 00:29:21,880 Roque went on to win the bent spoon in 655 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:24,380 1987 Willis's company trans media 656 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:27,530 productions won The Skeptical Journalism 657 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:30,890 Award for a program on arugula the show 658 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:33,770 consisted of a confrontation between uri 659 00:29:37,090 --> 00:29:34,250 geller 660 00:29:40,060 --> 00:29:37,100 and Ben Harris a magician and member of 661 00:29:43,980 --> 00:29:40,070 Australian skeptics Ben Harris report on 662 00:29:47,490 --> 00:29:43,990 the event appeared in the skeptic vol 7 663 00:29:49,470 --> 00:29:47,500 number one in 1988 the experience of the 664 00:29:52,740 --> 00:29:49,480 Knowles family in which they were 665 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:52,750 driving across the Nullarbor and as an 666 00:29:57,780 --> 00:29:55,450 aside that is a vast area of desert in 667 00:30:00,600 --> 00:29:57,790 Australia driving across the nullabor 668 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:00,610 when a UFO supposedly attacked their 669 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:03,490 vehicle and lifted it off the ground was 670 00:30:08,190 --> 00:30:05,770 initially only discussed with the police 671 00:30:09,810 --> 00:30:08,200 but the story leaked to the media the 672 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:09,820 family were intercepted on their way to 673 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:13,090 Adelaide by channel 7 Adelaide producer 674 00:30:18,510 --> 00:30:16,090 Frank pang gelo for the Hinch current 675 00:30:20,790 --> 00:30:18,520 affairs programme pang gelo reportedly 676 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:20,800 offered the family five thousand dollars 677 00:30:24,540 --> 00:30:22,690 for an interview on condition they do 678 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:24,550 not discuss the story with any other 679 00:30:28,710 --> 00:30:26,410 media group for three months 680 00:30:31,110 --> 00:30:28,720 pang gelo was later reported to have 681 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:31,120 claimed that the my Quilici program was 682 00:30:35,700 --> 00:30:33,130 not far behind him and the nulls might 683 00:30:38,790 --> 00:30:35,710 have collected $20,000 had they been 684 00:30:41,910 --> 00:30:38,800 more patient 1988 this was the year of 685 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:41,920 the Carlos hoax in which James Randi in 686 00:30:46,919 --> 00:30:44,290 the 60 minutes program set up the media 687 00:30:50,310 --> 00:30:46,929 in Australia with a phony psychic an 688 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:50,320 oxymoron named Carlos but actually 689 00:30:55,860 --> 00:30:52,510 played by Randy's partner who went by 690 00:30:57,330 --> 00:30:55,870 the name of Jose Alvarez the most 691 00:30:59,910 --> 00:30:57,340 dramatic turn of events however 692 00:31:01,799 --> 00:30:59,920 concerned my Quilici and the channel 9 693 00:31:04,169 --> 00:31:01,809 the head of current affairs Peter Macon 694 00:31:06,630 --> 00:31:04,179 who was also employed by Willis E's 695 00:31:09,660 --> 00:31:06,640 transmedia production company apparently 696 00:31:12,210 --> 00:31:09,670 Macon was in on the scam but did not 697 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:12,220 inform Willacy who was thus led to make 698 00:31:18,810 --> 00:31:15,490 statements later found to be untrue such 699 00:31:20,820 --> 00:31:18,820 as saying that Carlos was big in the 700 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:20,830 United States Willis who was in the u.s. 701 00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:22,690 at the same time the program went to air 702 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:25,510 and was hosting only because normal 703 00:31:31,020 --> 00:31:29,050 hosts Yan event was ill therefore he was 704 00:31:32,850 --> 00:31:31,030 being fed his information from Sydney 705 00:31:35,820 --> 00:31:32,860 which was then transmitted back to 706 00:31:38,310 --> 00:31:35,830 Australia as the skeptics were involved 707 00:31:40,350 --> 00:31:38,320 only on the periphery of the scam it was 708 00:31:43,410 --> 00:31:40,360 felt that the relationship with Willacy 709 00:31:47,190 --> 00:31:43,420 might have been soured due to his being 710 00:31:49,799 --> 00:31:47,200 caught out also in 1988 the Willacy 711 00:31:52,710 --> 00:31:49,809 program was runner-up in the skeptics 712 00:31:53,250 --> 00:31:52,720 journalism award for an expose on a New 713 00:31:57,130 --> 00:31:53,260 Zealand 714 00:31:59,620 --> 00:31:57,140 Colour therapist the Ben spoon 715 00:32:02,500 --> 00:31:59,630 despite the ups and downs of the 716 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:02,510 relationship it was generally felt that 717 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:04,370 Willacy had helped the skeptics spread 718 00:32:10,650 --> 00:32:06,890 the word about the failings and outright 719 00:32:14,020 --> 00:32:10,660 cons of the paranormal world it was 720 00:32:16,270 --> 00:32:14,030 disappointing then to see Willacy later 721 00:32:19,210 --> 00:32:16,280 abandoning his own skepticism and 722 00:32:21,940 --> 00:32:19,220 endorsing miraculous apparitions and 723 00:32:26,620 --> 00:32:21,950 manifestations such as the Shroud of 724 00:32:28,630 --> 00:32:26,630 Turin and stigmata in 1999 Willacy was 725 00:32:32,020 --> 00:32:28,640 given the bent spoon award for the 726 00:32:34,299 --> 00:32:32,030 documentary signs from God the program 727 00:32:36,669 --> 00:32:34,309 rehashed a plethora of bleeding and 728 00:32:39,940 --> 00:32:36,679 weeping statues stigmata and other 729 00:32:43,210 --> 00:32:39,950 pseudo religious claptrap as the award 730 00:32:46,060 --> 00:32:43,220 citation read it sought to give this 731 00:32:48,370 --> 00:32:46,070 nonsense a patina of respectability by 732 00:32:50,289 --> 00:32:48,380 consulting various scientists and 733 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:50,299 theologians only to ignore the 734 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:52,730 contributions in favor of sensationalism 735 00:32:57,580 --> 00:32:55,010 despite its claims of skeptical 736 00:32:59,409 --> 00:32:57,590 investigation this show differed in no 737 00:33:03,159 --> 00:32:59,419 significant way to the rash of other 738 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:03,169 nasty millennial doom crying tripe being 739 00:33:08,950 --> 00:33:05,210 pushed down our throats by TV channels 740 00:33:11,110 --> 00:33:08,960 as the calendar rolls along - mm playing 741 00:33:13,419 --> 00:33:11,120 on people's fears might be good for 742 00:33:15,430 --> 00:33:13,429 ratings but it ignores the real harm 743 00:33:17,980 --> 00:33:15,440 that it can do to vulnerable people 744 00:33:20,530 --> 00:33:17,990 whose grasp on reality is in some way 745 00:33:22,810 --> 00:33:20,540 under attack as too often happens after 746 00:33:25,180 --> 00:33:22,820 one of these irresponsible pieces has 747 00:33:27,610 --> 00:33:25,190 been to err Australian skeptics was 748 00:33:29,860 --> 00:33:27,620 contacted by a seriously distressed 749 00:33:31,630 --> 00:33:29,870 woman who had been so disturbed by what 750 00:33:34,270 --> 00:33:31,640 she had seen that she feared for her 751 00:33:37,750 --> 00:33:34,280 sanity we could only tell her that such 752 00:33:41,409 --> 00:33:37,760 programs were junk TV and were designed 753 00:33:44,220 --> 00:33:41,419 to rate and not to inform it was a sad 754 00:33:48,669 --> 00:33:44,230 end to a once productive relationship 755 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:48,679 now in the mid-2000s around 2006 my 756 00:33:53,770 --> 00:33:51,290 Quilici appeared on a Australian chat 757 00:33:55,750 --> 00:33:53,780 show with Andrew Denton the show was 758 00:33:58,960 --> 00:33:55,760 called enough rope and many Australian 759 00:34:00,760 --> 00:33:58,970 listeners will well remember that series 760 00:34:04,060 --> 00:34:00,770 of interviews for its high standard and 761 00:34:08,889 --> 00:34:04,070 the probing questions asked by Andrew 762 00:34:10,579 --> 00:34:08,899 Denton and this short excerpt from the 763 00:34:13,839 --> 00:34:10,589 program I think illest 764 00:34:17,389 --> 00:34:13,849 Red's part of mic Willis's character 765 00:34:19,940 --> 00:34:17,399 after his religious conversion happened 766 00:34:23,479 --> 00:34:19,950 with a praying to God to save him from 767 00:34:25,039 --> 00:34:23,489 an impending plane crash and then he 768 00:34:27,139 --> 00:34:25,049 went on to do these documentaries about 769 00:34:28,519 --> 00:34:27,149 stigmata and weeping statues and the 770 00:34:31,729 --> 00:34:28,529 shout of train and so on 771 00:34:33,129 --> 00:34:31,739 so here's this short excerpt I think 772 00:34:35,049 --> 00:34:33,139 it's admirable 773 00:34:36,979 --> 00:34:35,059 absolutely what you're trying to 774 00:34:39,950 --> 00:34:36,989 discover for yourself and for other 775 00:34:41,930 --> 00:34:39,960 people I wondered though which is why is 776 00:34:43,729 --> 00:34:41,940 asking about you'll favor bind your 777 00:34:45,889 --> 00:34:43,739 desire to believe why in these 778 00:34:47,569 --> 00:34:45,899 circumstances with the stigmata for 779 00:34:49,190 --> 00:34:47,579 instance with Cartier which you 780 00:34:51,259 --> 00:34:49,200 absolutely believed to be real and and 781 00:34:55,430 --> 00:34:51,269 you've overseen the verification of it 782 00:34:57,969 --> 00:34:55,440 why not hand that over entirely to 783 00:35:00,079 --> 00:34:57,979 people that are carrying any of the 784 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:00,089 religious or psychological baggage 785 00:35:03,529 --> 00:35:02,130 you're carrying why not hand it over 786 00:35:05,509 --> 00:35:03,539 entirely I know that the American 787 00:35:08,029 --> 00:35:05,519 skeptic James Randi has a standing 788 00:35:10,910 --> 00:35:08,039 million dollar offer to anyone that can 789 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:10,920 prove stigmata why not hand it over to I 790 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:12,930 don't know a Swiss research and a German 791 00:35:19,700 --> 00:35:15,450 and a American research GRU there's 792 00:35:21,529 --> 00:35:19,710 Randi is a phony I mean he forgets that 793 00:35:24,140 --> 00:35:21,539 he once named me investigative 794 00:35:26,779 --> 00:35:24,150 journalist of the year and sent me a 795 00:35:29,059 --> 00:35:26,789 trophy yeah fortunately I threw it away 796 00:35:31,190 --> 00:35:29,069 I didn't take it seriously but okay put 797 00:35:32,529 --> 00:35:31,200 aside James Randi why not give it to 798 00:35:36,049 --> 00:35:32,539 somebody that's not carrying any 799 00:35:37,910 --> 00:35:36,059 religious strong religious belief - 800 00:35:40,219 --> 00:35:37,920 absolutely no what I was ready to do 801 00:35:43,549 --> 00:35:40,229 that but all the people who criticized 802 00:35:45,529 --> 00:35:43,559 us not one person asked to see the 803 00:35:47,150 --> 00:35:45,539 footage including all the footage they 804 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:47,160 didn't get away and of course it was the 805 00:35:50,989 --> 00:35:49,410 the skeptics who awarded will see not 806 00:35:53,450 --> 00:35:50,999 James Randi but I think it gives you an 807 00:35:56,180 --> 00:35:53,460 idea of his change of mind now the 808 00:35:59,150 --> 00:35:56,190 program he produced and hosted about 809 00:36:01,160 --> 00:35:59,160 signs from God is available on YouTube I 810 00:36:03,229 --> 00:36:01,170 will link to that in the show notes but 811 00:36:05,359 --> 00:36:03,239 farewell my Quilici you will be 812 00:36:07,850 --> 00:36:05,369 remembered in the history of Australian 813 00:36:28,269 --> 00:36:07,860 journalism 814 00:36:35,959 --> 00:36:34,370 - okay colas masala Paola the Dallaire 815 00:36:38,959 --> 00:36:35,969 Moses with other Buenos Aires in 816 00:36:40,819 --> 00:36:38,969 Argentina when the Kucha most podcasts 817 00:36:44,029 --> 00:36:40,829 cochamo mimic a Kucha todo el mundo 818 00:36:46,670 --> 00:36:44,039 cover the skeptic zone ojala pueden 819 00:36:48,469 --> 00:36:46,680 madeira VC Thomas algun dia hace para mo 820 00:36:56,599 --> 00:36:48,479 con nuestra Ricky Sima comida locally 821 00:36:58,489 --> 00:36:56,609 yes Monsieur on tango mientras tanto sig 822 00:37:00,130 --> 00:36:58,499 and if Rotondo de su dosa same analogy 823 00:37:08,170 --> 00:37:00,140 NCI Pentimento resonance 824 00:37:08,180 --> 00:37:22,160 [Music] 825 00:37:26,580 --> 00:37:24,450 skeptics in the pub no main art tonight 826 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:26,590 unfortunately and no Trisha either and 827 00:37:32,220 --> 00:37:30,490 we're just here setting up before I got 828 00:37:33,450 --> 00:37:32,230 Tim minimally editor of the skeptic 829 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:33,460 magazine Tim tonight's question 830 00:37:38,310 --> 00:37:35,530 tonight's question is about folk 831 00:37:41,460 --> 00:37:38,320 remedies the old things he used to hear 832 00:37:43,859 --> 00:37:41,470 because of my the hopefully fast 833 00:37:45,780 --> 00:37:43,869 disappearing cold have you heard any 834 00:37:49,500 --> 00:37:45,790 good old-fashioned folk remedies in this 835 00:37:51,990 --> 00:37:49,510 vein well of course yeah being of a 836 00:37:53,370 --> 00:37:52,000 certain age and having a mother you 837 00:37:54,810 --> 00:37:53,380 always heard about folk remedies my 838 00:37:56,940 --> 00:37:54,820 favorite is of course she never used it 839 00:37:58,230 --> 00:37:56,950 but yeah rubbing a toad on your warts 840 00:38:01,260 --> 00:37:58,240 it's always a good thing if she get rid 841 00:38:03,690 --> 00:38:01,270 of warts rub rubbing a toad on your on 842 00:38:04,859 --> 00:38:03,700 your wart yes yeah yes 843 00:38:06,060 --> 00:38:04,869 oh it's guaranteed to work you should 844 00:38:09,060 --> 00:38:06,070 try it in fact I have it down here 845 00:38:10,980 --> 00:38:09,070 actually part on that I'm just trying to 846 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:10,990 think ashy yeah I guess the classic is 847 00:38:14,370 --> 00:38:12,850 what take vitamin C before getting a 848 00:38:16,230 --> 00:38:14,380 cold and you won't get to call the so if 849 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:16,240 you've got a cold take vitamin C a 850 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:19,690 minute and that still generally believed 851 00:38:22,530 --> 00:38:21,490 by many people I think absolutely I 852 00:38:24,270 --> 00:38:22,540 think a lot of people still believe it 853 00:38:25,770 --> 00:38:24,280 though Linus Pauling was not who was a 854 00:38:27,870 --> 00:38:25,780 guy who was pronoun promoting matter a 855 00:38:29,670 --> 00:38:27,880 long time ago did some good work on 856 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:29,680 population issues then did some bad work 857 00:38:35,250 --> 00:38:32,650 on promoting vitamin C good yeah what 858 00:38:39,060 --> 00:38:35,260 else to say sucking an orange before you 859 00:38:40,500 --> 00:38:39,070 drink milk of magnesia what what you 860 00:38:42,450 --> 00:38:40,510 Toby fight remedies mate you got to go 861 00:38:44,340 --> 00:38:42,460 back to the folk right never had milk of 862 00:38:46,590 --> 00:38:44,350 magnesia milk of magnesia was this thing 863 00:38:48,599 --> 00:38:46,600 you used to drink and it would show up 864 00:38:50,580 --> 00:38:48,609 your stomach in the next ray it was 865 00:38:52,020 --> 00:38:50,590 absolutely appalling things would make 866 00:38:53,099 --> 00:38:52,030 you throw up all the time so sucking 867 00:38:55,020 --> 00:38:53,109 gontar into would try and ameliorate 868 00:38:57,780 --> 00:38:55,030 stop you throwing up all over the x-ray 869 00:38:59,370 --> 00:38:57,790 machine I see so we've combined that 870 00:39:02,699 --> 00:38:59,380 with a toad and we're on a winner it was 871 00:39:07,449 --> 00:39:06,039 all right we'll just let me go through 872 00:39:10,359 --> 00:39:07,459 the crowded pub there's only two other 873 00:39:13,630 --> 00:39:10,369 people here folk remedies things from 874 00:39:16,299 --> 00:39:13,640 days of yore that people once we're at 875 00:39:18,069 --> 00:39:16,309 or on what do you think well my dad 876 00:39:22,539 --> 00:39:18,079 always told me when I had a cold to suck 877 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:22,549 on a lemon yeah zero yeah vitamin C and 878 00:39:25,870 --> 00:39:24,650 I had a teacher once that told me if I 879 00:39:27,729 --> 00:39:25,880 had warts that I didn't want I could 880 00:39:31,959 --> 00:39:27,739 sell them to someone and that would work 881 00:39:35,919 --> 00:39:31,969 I haven't thought of that one definite 882 00:39:38,499 --> 00:39:35,929 thank you very much for your insights so 883 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:38,509 yes we are here early it skeptics in the 884 00:39:43,329 --> 00:39:40,729 pub's first Thursday of the month here 885 00:39:47,289 --> 00:39:43,339 at the Occidental hotel in Sydney and 886 00:39:51,819 --> 00:39:47,299 well soon I'm sure the crowds will will 887 00:39:55,479 --> 00:39:51,829 pile in it's a bit later on in the 888 00:39:57,309 --> 00:39:55,489 evening lots of people turning up so far 889 00:39:59,289 --> 00:39:57,319 Tim you're complaining you want to 890 00:40:01,029 --> 00:39:59,299 change your answer yeah I do actually I 891 00:40:03,759 --> 00:40:01,039 think I think I had consulted with my 892 00:40:06,309 --> 00:40:03,769 scientific people right and they have 893 00:40:07,900 --> 00:40:06,319 told me that I'm an idiot well and 894 00:40:09,999 --> 00:40:07,910 what's what's here 895 00:40:12,370 --> 00:40:10,009 yeah so I'd like to withdraw my earlier 896 00:40:14,799 --> 00:40:12,380 recommendation apparently you can't rub 897 00:40:16,660 --> 00:40:14,809 a toad on a wart to get rid of it you 898 00:40:17,199 --> 00:40:16,670 rubber toad on your finger to give you a 899 00:40:19,150 --> 00:40:17,209 wart 900 00:40:20,140 --> 00:40:19,160 well I thought that was the case but I 901 00:40:22,689 --> 00:40:20,150 thought you could were coming up with 902 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:22,699 this amazing bit of folk wisdom I didn't 903 00:40:32,799 --> 00:40:30,890 know believe in alternative folk well 904 00:40:35,599 --> 00:40:32,809 I'll leave it at there thank you very 905 00:40:38,479 --> 00:40:35,609 much - no go back into my cage 906 00:40:40,819 --> 00:40:38,489 and this week's question is what old 907 00:40:42,650 --> 00:40:40,829 folk remedies do you remember from when 908 00:40:44,569 --> 00:40:42,660 you were younger that maybe your 909 00:40:47,089 --> 00:40:44,579 grandparents too told you would work 910 00:40:49,579 --> 00:40:47,099 mom you supposed to get ear aches a lot 911 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:49,589 and mom used to heat the olive oil and 912 00:40:54,709 --> 00:40:52,650 tip it into my ear hot olive oil in the 913 00:40:57,380 --> 00:40:54,719 year just to heat it heat it on a 914 00:40:59,749 --> 00:40:57,390 teaspoon and tip it into my ear and then 915 00:41:02,029 --> 00:40:59,759 plug it up and then I'd go to sleep and 916 00:41:05,420 --> 00:41:02,039 hopefully whatever it was in there would 917 00:41:06,529 --> 00:41:05,430 come out oh that's that's an odd one I 918 00:41:07,549 --> 00:41:06,539 haven't heard that one before do you 919 00:41:08,839 --> 00:41:07,559 remember if it worked 920 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:08,849 I don't know but I'm pretty sure I 921 00:41:15,739 --> 00:41:12,450 probably needed grommets you know but we 922 00:41:17,779 --> 00:41:15,749 never went to the doctor back then it 923 00:41:20,539 --> 00:41:17,789 wasn't affordable it exists pre-medicare 924 00:41:22,359 --> 00:41:20,549 oh so we just didn't go the doctor and 925 00:41:24,499 --> 00:41:22,369 there were that's what we did instead 926 00:41:28,219 --> 00:41:24,509 that's a new one on me thank you very 927 00:41:28,959 --> 00:41:28,229 much yeah this is a bit less funny all 928 00:41:33,380 --> 00:41:28,969 right 929 00:41:35,089 --> 00:41:33,390 apparently in Indonesia some people 930 00:41:38,150 --> 00:41:35,099 believe that the electric shocks that 931 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:38,160 you can get from a railroad track can 932 00:41:42,439 --> 00:41:40,650 have curative properties so it says 933 00:41:44,479 --> 00:41:42,449 Indonesians with ailments ranging from a 934 00:41:46,980 --> 00:41:44,489 cold or flu to cancer can be seen laying 935 00:41:49,950 --> 00:41:46,990 on railroad tracks to get the shots 936 00:41:54,460 --> 00:41:49,960 yeah I know I told you it was less funny 937 00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:54,470 well that's a new one on me here's what 938 00:41:58,000 --> 00:41:55,970 we haven't heard before Lara what have 939 00:42:01,480 --> 00:41:58,010 you discovered there so apparently if 940 00:42:03,130 --> 00:42:01,490 you have a stomach ulcer what you should 941 00:42:05,230 --> 00:42:03,140 do before you put your socks and your 942 00:42:06,730 --> 00:42:05,240 shoes on in the morning you swab the 943 00:42:11,740 --> 00:42:06,740 soles of your feet with apple cider 944 00:42:13,900 --> 00:42:11,750 vinegar let it dry then you put your 945 00:42:17,530 --> 00:42:13,910 Ware on and then you repeat the process 946 00:42:18,610 --> 00:42:17,540 before dinner and your feet smell 947 00:42:23,350 --> 00:42:18,620 wonderful 948 00:42:25,180 --> 00:42:23,360 maybe vinegar now this is the best one 949 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:25,190 I've heard all night what was that oh my 950 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:27,410 dad also said in addition to or separate 951 00:42:31,540 --> 00:42:29,570 from sucking on a lemon but when you 952 00:42:33,550 --> 00:42:31,550 have a bad cold or flu you would goggle 953 00:42:35,590 --> 00:42:33,560 some scotch and I would just kill the 954 00:42:45,190 --> 00:42:35,600 cold in your I'm gonna try this tonight 955 00:42:50,870 --> 00:42:47,780 good evening good evening now tonight's 956 00:42:52,910 --> 00:42:50,880 question is what folk remedies do you 957 00:42:54,799 --> 00:42:52,920 remember from when you were young this 958 00:42:58,609 --> 00:42:54,809 is a cure for this take this 959 00:43:00,730 --> 00:42:58,619 this can help for this try to cast my 960 00:43:05,599 --> 00:43:00,740 mind back I'm sure my mother had the odd 961 00:43:08,990 --> 00:43:05,609 the odd remedy I remember when I had the 962 00:43:11,480 --> 00:43:09,000 measles yeah it wasn't exactly a folk 963 00:43:14,660 --> 00:43:11,490 remedy it was a symptomatic remedy my 964 00:43:17,109 --> 00:43:14,670 mother set with me for hours on end as I 965 00:43:20,059 --> 00:43:17,119 was in that darkened room rubbing 966 00:43:23,270 --> 00:43:20,069 calamine lotion or something of that 967 00:43:26,299 --> 00:43:23,280 sort on me and it simply made the 968 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:26,309 painless although I suspect that my in 969 00:43:30,079 --> 00:43:28,290 the presence of my mother with me had a 970 00:43:31,789 --> 00:43:30,089 lot to do with it yeah and I think 971 00:43:36,049 --> 00:43:31,799 that's that's been used for years 972 00:43:41,329 --> 00:43:36,059 calamine lotion I think yeah it's a nice 973 00:43:44,329 --> 00:43:41,339 memory thank you so apparently if you 974 00:43:47,599 --> 00:43:44,339 put a urine on acne it gets rid of the 975 00:43:50,240 --> 00:43:47,609 acne or any infection people are putting 976 00:43:52,970 --> 00:43:50,250 in their eye and they they seem to think 977 00:43:54,260 --> 00:43:52,980 that the more aged it is the better and 978 00:43:55,430 --> 00:43:54,270 then other people on Facebook are 979 00:43:56,720 --> 00:43:55,440 telling them no that's probably 980 00:43:59,630 --> 00:43:56,730 something you need to get checked out by 981 00:44:02,829 --> 00:43:59,640 the doctor it's like making it worse the 982 00:44:05,270 --> 00:44:02,839 skeptic zone podcast is not recommended 983 00:44:07,940 --> 00:44:05,280 no don't put urine on anything 984 00:44:10,690 --> 00:44:07,950 no what about jellyfish sting the zero 985 00:44:13,870 --> 00:44:10,700 and work for jellyfish stings 986 00:44:15,220 --> 00:44:13,880 I heard vinegar but that and now I've 987 00:44:22,540 --> 00:44:15,230 heard that you don't put vinegar on 988 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:22,550 jellies and fish stinks I need to go 989 00:44:29,860 --> 00:44:24,170 swimming with vinegar you probably the 990 00:44:31,210 --> 00:44:29,870 same yourself no actually no the 991 00:44:32,950 --> 00:44:31,220 challenge coordinator from the state's 992 00:44:37,170 --> 00:44:32,960 get busy and Bryce not do you remember 993 00:44:39,490 --> 00:44:37,180 from long time ago folk remedies in such 994 00:44:42,460 --> 00:44:39,500 okay well in our family I don't think we 995 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:42,470 had too many folk remedies at least if 996 00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:44,690 we were suspected of having a bowel 997 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:48,170 problem we were given castor oil is that 998 00:44:54,250 --> 00:44:50,330 a fact remedy is that legitimate it 999 00:44:56,650 --> 00:44:54,260 certainly worked anyways well maybe it's 1000 00:44:58,450 --> 00:44:56,660 a bit of both I've heard of castor oil 1001 00:45:01,510 --> 00:44:58,460 and I've never had it and from what I 1002 00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:01,520 understand it's vile yes it is very 1003 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:04,850 unpleasant to swallow yes so I'm not 1004 00:45:09,940 --> 00:45:07,130 sure that I can qualify with the folk 1005 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:09,950 remedy there maybe it is and maybe it 1006 00:45:12,660 --> 00:45:11,330 isn't that's interesting Thank You Ian 1007 00:45:22,070 --> 00:45:12,670 thanks 1008 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:22,080 [Music] 1009 00:45:26,460 --> 00:45:24,970 are you tired of going out and not being 1010 00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:26,470 able to find the kind of music that you 1011 00:45:32,130 --> 00:45:30,370 like to dance to like that well you need 1012 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:32,140 to comes with Maynard's Love Shack 1013 00:45:37,290 --> 00:45:34,210 next Saturday night at the red bar 1014 00:45:39,420 --> 00:45:37,300 upstairs at 36 lead Point Road in bleep 1015 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:39,430 in Sydney we'll be going crazy there 1016 00:45:43,290 --> 00:45:41,410 I'll be supported by the legendary Lance 1017 00:45:54,900 --> 00:45:43,300 Leppard as I play the kind of music you 1018 00:45:58,650 --> 00:45:56,460 but if you want to you can always dance 1019 00:46:00,269 --> 00:45:58,660 the card stuff you like actually might 1020 00:46:01,980 --> 00:46:00,279 play that to Nick said that it's not too 1021 00:46:04,170 --> 00:46:01,990 bad then innit 1022 00:46:06,450 --> 00:46:04,180 that's main arms Love Shack more details 1023 00:46:09,420 --> 00:46:06,460 on the very very front page of main and 1024 00:46:11,789 --> 00:46:09,430 calm dodo you see their next that day 1025 00:46:13,440 --> 00:46:11,799 can skip the extents another can drink 1026 00:46:15,029 --> 00:46:13,450 well can skeptics dance 1027 00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:15,039 I don't know I'm full of incertitude 1028 00:46:20,490 --> 00:46:17,650 what's that mean its orders right that 1029 00:46:22,410 --> 00:46:20,500 in certitude except slightly rude man 1030 00:46:25,499 --> 00:46:22,420 that's Love Shack next said there 9h 1031 00:46:27,690 --> 00:46:25,509 midnight 36 upstairs at the red bar 1032 00:46:33,900 --> 00:46:27,700 bleep on trading grave see you there and 1033 00:46:33,910 --> 00:46:41,319 [Music] 1034 00:46:47,180 --> 00:46:43,789 thank you for listening to the skeptic 1035 00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:47,190 zone now if you are in Berkeley in 1036 00:46:53,989 --> 00:46:50,930 California next week on the fourteenth 1037 00:46:56,630 --> 00:46:53,999 Thursday the 14th maybe you can come 1038 00:46:58,519 --> 00:46:56,640 along and see my talk which is the talk 1039 00:47:01,999 --> 00:46:58,529 I gave here in Sydney at skeptics in the 1040 00:47:04,309 --> 00:47:02,009 pub Australia's psychic detectives just 1041 00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:04,319 how many crimes have so-called psychic 1042 00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:06,690 detectives solved in Australia how do 1043 00:47:11,359 --> 00:47:09,210 their claims stack up to results do 1044 00:47:13,489 --> 00:47:11,369 police really call upon the paranormal 1045 00:47:16,370 --> 00:47:13,499 to find missing people join Australian 1046 00:47:18,859 --> 00:47:16,380 sceptic Richard Saunders as he examines 1047 00:47:21,650 --> 00:47:18,869 some famous crimes and the alleged 1048 00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:21,660 supernatural connection also Richard 1049 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:23,249 will give an overview of the world's 1050 00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:25,890 most comprehensive study into psychic 1051 00:47:33,140 --> 00:47:28,170 predictions for more information just 1052 00:47:35,359 --> 00:47:33,150 head to be a skeptics dot org and that 1053 00:47:37,609 --> 00:47:35,369 means that next week's show and shows 1054 00:47:40,789 --> 00:47:37,619 coming out for a few weeks after that 1055 00:47:43,969 --> 00:47:40,799 will be from California always good to 1056 00:47:46,190 --> 00:47:43,979 catch up with people like dr. eugenie 1057 00:47:48,769 --> 00:47:46,200 Scott and my friend Marielle who works 1058 00:47:50,690 --> 00:47:48,779 at Wikimedia thank you to all those 1059 00:47:53,359 --> 00:47:50,700 people who continue to support the show 1060 00:47:57,079 --> 00:47:53,369 financially at skeptic zone TV via 1061 00:47:59,839 --> 00:47:57,089 patreon or PayPal and once again don't 1062 00:48:02,719 --> 00:47:59,849 forget if you're in Sydney next Saturday 1063 00:48:05,059 --> 00:48:02,729 to go along to see Maynard's gig and 1064 00:48:06,529 --> 00:48:05,069 glebe and I'm very sorry I won't be 1065 00:48:08,509 --> 00:48:06,539 there simply because I'll be on the 1066 00:48:10,549 --> 00:48:08,519 other side of the planet but for this 1067 00:48:17,150 --> 00:48:10,559 week this is Richard Saunders signing 1068 00:48:19,219 --> 00:48:17,160 off from Sydney Australia you've been 1069 00:48:23,120 --> 00:48:19,229 listening to the sceptic Zone podcast 1070 00:48:27,049 --> 00:48:23,130 please visit our website at WWF Tech's 1071 00:48:29,029 --> 00:48:27,059 on TV for show notes contacts and to 1072 00:48:33,079 --> 00:48:29,039 access the back catalogue of episodes 1073 00:48:35,019 --> 00:48:33,089 going back to 2008 you can follow the 1074 00:48:38,599 --> 00:48:35,029 skeptic zone podcast on twitter at 1075 00:48:40,980 --> 00:48:38,609 skeptic zone visit our facebook page or 1076 00:48:43,260 --> 00:48:40,990 leave a review on itunes 1077 00:48:45,690 --> 00:48:43,270 you can also support the sceptic zone 1078 00:48:47,880 --> 00:48:45,700 via patreon or PayPal 1079 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:47,890 the sceptic zone podcast is an 1080 00:48:52,349 --> 00:48:50,530 independent production reviews and 1081 00:48:54,599 --> 00:48:52,359 opinions expressed on the sceptic zone 1082 00:48:57,150 --> 00:48:54,609 are not necessarily those of Australian 1083 00:48:58,010 --> 00:48:57,160 skeptics or any other skeptical 1084 00:49:08,660 --> 00:48:58,020 organization 1085 00:49:12,630 --> 00:49:10,980 hello our people who listen after the 1086 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:12,640 music haven't done this for a week or 1087 00:49:18,359 --> 00:49:15,130 two I think don't think mi anyway you 1088 00:49:20,250 --> 00:49:18,369 react inside a die we're going to roll 1089 00:49:20,930 --> 00:49:20,260 it three times for those people new to 1090 00:49:24,839 --> 00:49:20,940 this 1091 00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:24,849 it's a psychic test it's a bit of fun 1092 00:49:27,900 --> 00:49:26,290 that's what it is but you know you can 1093 00:49:30,329 --> 00:49:27,910 pretend it's a test of your psychic 1094 00:49:33,180 --> 00:49:30,339 ability I wonder if there's anybody out 1095 00:49:34,950 --> 00:49:33,190 there over though I guess almost a year 1096 00:49:36,390 --> 00:49:34,960 I've been doing this on and off then I 1097 00:49:39,660 --> 00:49:36,400 forgot all three numbers 1098 00:49:42,359 --> 00:49:39,670 I guess that's possible unlikely but 1099 00:49:42,870 --> 00:49:42,369 possible let's go I'm gonna roll this 1100 00:49:45,180 --> 00:49:42,880 dive 1101 00:49:50,339 --> 00:49:45,190 use your psychic powers it's a number 1102 00:49:56,990 --> 00:49:50,349 from one to ten here we go first number 1103 00:50:02,370 --> 00:49:57,000 is one first number is one 1104 00:50:10,770 --> 00:50:02,380 write that down one second number here 1105 00:50:16,910 --> 00:50:10,780 we go seven one and seven one seven and 1106 00:50:21,450 --> 00:50:16,920 the last number what's that number six