dimland radio 1-4-20 show notes

Happy New Year!

 

I recapped my Pedantic Moment from the last show about whether or not we are in a new decade. Well, we are and we aren't. We are out of the 2010's and into the 2020's, but the second decade of the 21st century still has a year to go.

 

As far as I'm concerned either way you look at it is fine by me.

 

I also touched on New Year's resolutions.

Pedantic Moment: George Hrab Is Wrong

The awesome George Hrab.

George Hrab, host of the Geologic Podcast, was talking abut this whole decade thing. He was right when he asked, "Who gives a crap?"

 

However, when he said, "When you turn 30, you haven't finished your 30th year, but you say you are in your 30s," he was wrong. Think of it as a year of your life being a trip around the sun, which it is. When you are born you start your first trip, when you make it to your first birthday, you complete a trip around the sun and turn one year old.

 

So, when someone turns 30 they have completed their 30th trip around the sun. They have completed their 30th year.

 

Sorry, Geo, but you're wrong.

Cool Thing #1: MN Skeptics And TPT2

 

 

Back in August, I told my listener that a production crew from the local public television station, TPT2, came out to get video of a meet-up of the MN Skeptics. The MN Skeptics were to be a part of a series of short videos profiling local social groups. It's part of a series called Minnesota Niche.

Well, the fruits of their labors are available to be seen. Our group's profile is here.

The MN Skeptics aren't the only group profiled. There are several, but there is one group that is in strong contrast to us. The Twin Cities UFO Research Group might not want to book their next meet-up at the same place and time as our group. Although it would be interesting.

 

I addressed an assertion made about skeptics in the UFO group's profile. I gave some of the skeptics' reasons for reluctance in accepting visitation by some kind of alien species. But, hey, they could be right.

 

Cool Thing #2: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise Of Skywalker

 

I took my wife and our son to see the final installment of the third trilogy of the Star Wars saga. I loved it! Especially when taken in context with the rest of the films. I think Disney should be commended for producing such an entertaining and enjoyable series.

 

I discovered a series of YouTube videos by CinemaWins. The videos list everything that is great about a given movie. The series is a counterbalance to the CinemaSins YouTube channel that makes videos listing everything wrong with a given movie.

 

I think CinemaWins' take on the Star Wars films is pretty good. It even has me rethinking my stance on the Prequels. Check out their take on one of the more controversial of the newer Star Wars films.

 

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: Ram by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: Take It Away by Paul McCartney & Rattlesnake by The Replacements

Second ad break bumpers: All Those Years Ago by George Harrison & Voices Carry by Til Tuesday

Closing song: Angler's Treble Hook by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

Please subscribe on iTunes! Just search for Dimland Radio in the podcast section. And if you could leave a good rating and a positive review it would be awesome.

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

Images used under Fair Use.

dimland radio 7-18-15 show notes

They Can Hear! They Can Hear!

It's been a struggle going on for the last few years. My parents have been hard of hearing and their kids (myself included) have tried to get them to consider getting hearing aids. Mom has pretty much always been willing, but Dad wouldn't hear of it (pun!). So, Mom would suffer, because it didn't make sense for her to get them when she'd have to turn them off whenever Dad watched TV with the volume at 100. And Dad watches a lot of TV.

But, when I stopped by earlier in the week, I was in for a big surprise. They had both gotten hearing aids. I don't know what got Dad to change his mind, but Mom had finally had enough and told Dad she was getting hearing aids and he was taking her in to get them.

Now we'll have to be careful about our side comments in their presence.

Pedantic Moment: Selective Service PSA & Nissan Altima Ad

Despite repeated attempts, I was not able to find the audio of one particular radio Public Service Annoucement (PSA) for the Selective Service. If I had, it would have made this Pedantic Moment more impactful and satisfying. You'll just have to take my word for it.

This PSA spends virtually the entire time trying to appeal to young men's sense of patriotism, love of home and family, to get them to sign up, but at the very end it states it's the law, so the young fellows really have no choice.

The Nissan Altima TV ad has a father and son in the Altima racing a school bus to school. The Altima wins! No shit as the bus has to make frequent stops along a daily route. The Altima had better beat the bus.

And it barely beats the bus at that!

Amy Tan Believes In Ghosts

Chipotle restaurants try to be different in their image. Their employees wear t-shirts with interesting sayings printed on them and their bags and cups have interesting essays written by famous people. I noticed one the other day written by Amy Tan about ghosts. She says she's one of the 42% of Americans who believe in ghosts. She does not site her source for the statistic, but it's probably about right.

She does admit that even if 100% of Americans believed in the ethereal beings that still wouldn't mean they exist. She has that bit right. She says her husband didn't believe until he heard one whistle at him in the shower. Now he sort of believes.

Tan makes a few claims in the essay: Her mother comes to her as a ghost and offers gifts of coincidences. And one of her ghosts, apparently Amy is visited by more than one, named his murderer and that person was sentenced to life in prison. That's quite a claim for which she offers no evidence.

I'm sure she's committing some fallacies in logic, but I'm not very good at spotting them, so I sent this on to the folks at the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe podcast. I'll let you know if they respond. 

WIVB News & MUFON

My Facebook friend Cassidy is part of MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) and she and the group were featured in a three part series on a local news show in New York. Most of the time, local news shows are more interested in the mystery of such things than in plausible explanations, but MUFON was pretty good about keeping the stories grounded in reality.

MUFON may not be the most scientifically sound organization out there, but they do make a concerted effort to find prosaic explanations for UFO sightings. And they are not shy in calling out hoaxes.

The first part of the series dealt with two separate sighting events by locals. I give credit to MUFON as they were able to give plausible earthly explanations for the sightings. One explanation given after the report was sky lanterns. Cassidy gave me the explanation for the other sighting as being most likely a laser pointer.

The second part dealt with hoaxes. MUFON gets lots of them. The report tells us MUFON has identified over 3000 claimed sightings with evidence as hoaxes, with 2600 of them in the States. I speculated the the remaining 400 must have been from Billy Meier the notorious Swiss UFO sighter or hoaxer depending on how you look at it.

The third part dealt with the big question: Are we alone in the universe? To which the answer is a resounding - "We don't know!" And MUFON, to their credit, said as much in the report.

Overall, I thought the reports were pretty good and grounded. I would have liked more input from scientists, however. 

Movie Recommendations: None

 

I ran out of time this week, so you can watch whatever you like. 

 

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'The Beat(en) Generation' by The The & 'Beating My Head' by Red Lorry Yellow Lorry

Second ad break bumpers: 'Beating Of Hearts' By XTC & 'Beatle Boots' by Love Tractor

Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here