dimland radio 8-4-18 show notes

Zero Plus 0.5

 

Last week, I named Penn Jillette a Dimland Radio Science Zero for giving a platform for some very dubious food and diet claims made by people whose scientific reputation isn't great. I was disappointed to do it, but I felt he'd let down skepticism and critical thought.

 

Well, he responded. Oh, not to what I did. He has no idea who I am. But many of the fans of his podcast had voiced their disappointment. He was also responded to Orac (Dr. David Groski) who posted a lengthy blog reviewing Penn's interview of Dr. Michael Klaper. A doctor who made a few claims that just didn't sit right with science.

 

Penn started poorly by setting up a Straw Man. I talk about that Straw Man, what I think the actual skeptical objections were, and I did give him half a point. So, he's a Dimland Radio Science Zero Plus 0.5.

 

You can listen to his response here and see what you think. I mentioned an InFact video by Brian Dunning about the Big Mac Diet. I was wrong. It was not an InFact video, it was a recent Skeptoid podcast by Brian. 

A Pair Of Movie Tropes That Bug Me

The first is a trope that goes back almost as far back as the first action films. It when a character is shown falling or sliding rapidly toward a cliff or rooftop and they catch themselves at the last second. Just how strong does Hollywood think people's hand are?

 

The second is a more recent development: Showing characters vomit. It's becoming rather ubiquitous. The props departments must have improved the pea soup formula used for vomit and really want to use it.

I Think Stanley Kubrick's Last Film Is...

...excruciatingly dull!

 

Oh, the first time I saw Eyes Wide Shut (1999) I was impressed with the cinematography and the naked ladies and a naked Nicole Kidman, but I thought it was... rather... de...liber...ate...ly... paced.

 

When I saw it a second time, it was sooooo god damn booooooring! No amount of seeing Kidman's butt could make it bearable. Well, maybe it made it a little bearable. 

Three Movies Far Better Than Eyes Wide Shut

 

12 Angry Men (1957) Sidney Lumet's jury room drama focusing on 12 men in one room for virtually the entire movie talking, debating, arguing over the guilt or innocence of a young man tried for murder with the death penalty hanging over his head, is so much more interesting than Eyes Wide Shut and none of the fellows get naked.

 

 

Room (2015) Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay (so damn impressive as he was only eight when he played the part of Jack) both put in powerful performances in this drama in which the first half of the movie takes place in one room. They do escape "room" and have to adjusted to the world. That first half in one room is so much more fascinating than Eyes Wide Shut.

 

Locke (2013) Starring Tom Hardy, this tension filled drama focuses on Ivan Locke. He's driving to London to deal with a pressing matter that takes precedent over and adds complications to his job, his marriage, and his relationship with his children. The entire film, presented in real time, is one man, in a car, talking on his phone, and it blows Eyes Wide Shut away.

Three Cool Things

1) My son Hayden turned 15 this week. (Astrologers put your charts away!) Jinkies! Where does the .

2) I hadn't noticed it in all the times I've watched 12 Angry Men, but the scene of the fellows entering the jury room, having quick conversations, and then taking their places is all done in one take. Have a look.

3) And I finally watched the Carpool Karaoke with Late, Late Show host, James Corden, and Paul McCartney. Sure, much of it was staged, but I'm sure the patrons at the pub had no idea what was about to happen. Pretty damn cool.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'Only You' by Yaz & 'Almost With You' by The Church

Second ad break bumpers: 'Rapture' by Blondie & 'Kissfolk' by 54-40

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 7-7-18 show notes

Driving A Deathtrap

 

This is the passenger side.

 

 

 

This is the driver's side.

 

The pictures show just how rusted out a couple pretty important parts of our van's suspension system are. I took in it for an oil change and brought it home to junk it.

Yikes!

Iffy Sponsors Of Podcasts

If you listen to podcasts as often (or more) than I do, you are undoubtedly familiar with the products and services that are advertised. They are pretty common across most podcasts. I first talked about a couple older ones: Work From Home, which was actually Herbalife, a multi-level marketing scam, and Lumosity, a brain training game scam.

Now there are two more iffy sponsors: Care Of, a subscription vitamin service that tailors its vitamin packs just for you. All you have to do is fill out an online survey about your diet, health, and lifestyle. Um, wouldn't a visit to an actual doctor be the most important part of determining if you require a vitamin supplement? (Hint: The answer is YES!!!)

The other is Lunyas Restore Sleepwear. This sponsor claims that their Restore Sleepwear has some mineral mixture that re-energizes your body as you sleep. (Sleep also re-energizes your body when you sleep.) They even claim the this sleepwear increases your oxygen level. Huh? How?

Sniff. Sniff. Sniff.

Do you smell that? It smells like bullshit.

Dimland Radio will never accept a paid sponsor that peddles nonsense. (Of course, with my download numbers, my show having a paid sponsor is highly unlikely.)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Is...

...my favorite of all the Star Wars movies! I liked it from the first time I saw it and I didn't understand why so many "fans" hated it so much. Recently I've gained an even deeper appreciation for just how layered and significant this film is for the franchise. The outrage fans be damned!

I gained this deeper understanding by watching Maj0r Lee's thoughtful, if a little overlong, video reviewing the film and disputing the outraged reactions. It's 48 minutes long (Maj0r Lee could have trimmed some of the outraged "fan" clips), but it just might get you to appreciate the way it got me to.

Watch it here. Warning! There are spoilers (duh!) and plenty of F-bombs.

And since Star Wars: The Last Jedi is streaming on Netflix (not for free), I'll make it my movie recommendation.

Three Cool Things

 

Chomp!

3) The classic 1975 horror/action/adventure/thriller Jaws has become a tradition of mine to watch it on the 4th of July. The images (above) show how the Alex Kinter attack scene was originally intended to show the shark, but the mechanical shark didn't work very well and the scene would have been a reveal too early in the film. I also mentioned a YouTube video that shows the storyboards for the title sequence and attack on Christie scene (it also has the storyboards for the Alex Kinter attack). So cool!

A Dimland Radio Pedantic Moment: This Little Needle Through The Shark's Skin Scene

Since, I was already talking about Jaws, I figured I might as well discuss a moment of pedantry I have with the scene that has Quint doubting the little needle of a syringe loaded with poison would penetrate the shark's thick skin. Hooper said it wouldn't, so he would have to get it in its mouth or eye. Here's the scene, you should be able to spot my pedantry.

 

"Cor! Blimey! Blink and you'll miss me!"

2) I returned to the Three Cool Things segment with something I had just learned about my beloved HBO series Band Of Brothers. I have watched this series at least once a year for many years and I never knew Tom Hanks, who was an executive producer and directed one episode, made two cameos in the series. One was as a British soldier (see above) in episode five Crossroads, which Hanks directed. And, in episode nine Why We Fight as a French officer who summarily executes three German soldiers (see below).

 

Yep. That's Hanks.

1) Brian Dunning, of the Skeptoid podcast, also has a YouTube video series called InFact. His most recent is about how the collapse of Building 7 on 9/11 really doesn't look and sound like a controlled demolition.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'He Stopped Loving Her Today' by George Jones & 'A Pagan Place' by The Waterboys

Second ad break bumpers: 'Telegram Sam' by Bauhaus & 'Blue Bell Knoll' by Cocteau Twins

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 12-2-17 show notes

More Mad Mike

I named Mad Mike Hughes a Dimland Radio Science Zero last week and talked about his intention to jump a California ghost town in a steam-powered rocket he made himself. But! The government stepped in and told him he needs to get the proper permits to perform his stunt. Mad Mike thought he had a new way to get around the permit problem by changing his launch and landing area to private land, but the Bureau of Land Management told him he still needs the proper permits.

 

As of this writing, the stunt has still not been performed. Stay tuned.

 

Dimland Radio Science Zero: A Few UK Water Companies

I had another Dimland Radio Science Zero to bestow this week. Two weeks in a row? Yep.

 

This Zero was too good not to do. In the UK there are some water utility companies that have engineers using dowsing techniques to find water mains. That's right. Dowsing.

 

Sigh.

 

Pedantic Moment: Yeti DNA Used To Find Bigfoot?

 
One of the Minnesota Skeptics shared an article about scientists testing material claimed to be yeti DNA. Not surprisingly the DNA does not show those creatures are real. The pedantry was raised by how the headline was written:

 

"Scientists DNA tested nine 'yeti' samples. They didn't find Bigfoot."

 

Can you guess what I got pedantic about with that headline?

 

A Dimland Radio ARGH!

Of the non-skeptical, non-scientific ideas in the world few get my goat more than the anti-vax notion. Anti-vaxxers believe vaccines cause autism. They don't. Just try to convince an anti-vaxxer though.

 

Well, I spotted an image on Facebook indicating that as the number of vaccinations increased over the years, the number of autism diagnoses increased. They are making the correlation the vaccines are causing autism. Correlation does not necessarily mean causation.

 

 

I decided to add a little something to that image and get that out on the internets. Please feel free to share it. 

 

OK, It May Not Be All Men, But Lately It Sure Seems Like It

 

I dove into this whole rash of sexual harassment and assault claims against famous men of power. I hope I didn't get in over my head, but I did voice my concerns over the lack of due process. I'm troubled by the way an accusation seems to be all that's needed to prove guilt. People's careers and lives are being turned upside down on the basis of accusations.

 

I brought up Pres. Bill Clinton and Justice Clarence Thomas, comparing the public's reactions to those accusations to today's accused fellows. I noted that at least one defender of Bill Clinton twenty years ago is today thinking that President maybe shouldn't have been defended and should have been forced to resign. 

 

It's a mess, but I remain hopeful that we as a society will come out of this being a better society.

The Artist Versus The Art

 

I talked about the difficulty of appreciating art by very flawed artists. I'm not certain I could give up the art of some of these artists. I even talk about the likelihood of not giving up the art of my favorite artist, Pete Townshend.

 

It's difficult.

Top Three Cool Things Of The Week

Here are the Top Three Cool Things from this week.

3) A YouTuber named Swede Mason has made a quite disturbing, but nonetheless cool, video mash-up of Talking Heads and Pres. Trump.

 

 

2) Dimland Radio's Facebook page was up to 189, now 190 as I write this.

 

1) Brian Dunning of the Skeptoid podcast is spearheading a crowd funding project to finance a documentary to expose how the media abuses and misrepresents science in the pursuit of ratings. If you have the means, I suggest you give this project your financial support.

 

Movie Recommendation: None

 

I ran out of time, so you are on your own this week.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'Tape Your Wife To The Ceiling' by The Suburbs & 'Heat Of The Moment' by Asia

Second ad break bumpers: 'Epic' by Faith No More & 'Public Highway' by Luxuria

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.

dimland radio 12-5-15 show notes

Dimland Radio War On Christmas

Each holiday season the Salvation Army bell-ringers take up residence at the entrances of various retailers throughout town. And each holiday season I feel that twinge of guilt because I don't drop any money in the bucket. Sure, the Salvation Army might be helping feed, clothe, and house the poor, but it's all done with a heaping helping of Jesus.

 

As an atheist, I just can't throw in a buck. I'll give to a different charity that doesn't proselytize as part of the bargain.

 

But, recently having successfully dodged the bell-ringers, I found I had another obstacle that I really couldn't avoid. The cashier at the grocery store asked if I wanted to round up the total to give the extra money to... the Salvation Army!

 

I just serpentined my way past the bucket brigade outside! Now I have to declare to the cashier that I do not want to give money to the Salvation Army. What's a poor atheist to do?

 

I said, "No."

 

Internet Awesomeness

Back in the mid-80s I became a regular at the legendary Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue & the 7th Street Entry. Every Tuesday night my friend John and I could be found there enjoying DJ Kevin Cole's Club Degenerate. Cole played the coolest alternative tunes of the day and the past, along with whatever else hit his fancy. Those nights were almost always great fun and we rarely missed a Tuesday night at First Avenue.

 

Occasionally, there would be a live performance on those nights. A local band would play a few songs and then the night would move on. One such band was the Fuckin' Shit Biscuits. The Biscuits could best be described as a noise band whose members barely knew how to play their instruments.

 

But, it didn't matter. They were just plain fun. They would give out free tap beer at the start of their set which led to audience members dousing the band in the free beer. So much fun.

 

Well, the other day, I posted a link on the Dimland Radio Facebook page to a Skeptoid episode on black mold. A comment appeared telling me that link was fair payment for all that beer given away at Club Degenerate.

 

What? Could it be? Yes, it could.

The poster was a member of the band! How cool is the internet?!

 

Internet Not-So-Awesomeness

 

Well, hold on there, pardner! Before we get too excited about internet awesomeness. There's this guy.

 

 

 

Joshua Feuerstein is a YouTube evangelist. Not only does he think evolution is a lie and that atheists are fools; the dumbass insists on doing virtually all of his videos in the portrait format. And you know how much I hate that.

 

Well, last July, Josh took a break from displaying his scientific ignorance to talk about Cecil the lion. He couldn't help but compare the death of that lion to the millions of babies killed through abortion. He remarked on how the dentist who killed Cecil had to going into hiding, fearing for his life.

 

Josh upped the ante and told his fairly sizable audience that it was time that abortion doctors should have to fear for their lives.

 

Cut to just a couple weeks ago when a domestic terrorist, anti-abortion nut went into a Planned Parenthood clinic and began pulling the trigger.

 

Josh removed his post, but through the awesomeness of the internet there were people out there who thwarted Mr. Feuerstein's efforts. Thanks to Hemant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist.

 

I don't know that the gunman was a follower of Feuerstein's, but it's obvious Josh doesn't want the association to be made.

 

Josh also posted a video (This time in landscape! All hail to His Noodly Appendages!) in which he gave his theory as to why all these mass shooting events have been happening in America. It's because we kicked God out of our country. This kind of thing didn't happen back in the days when there was prayer in school.

 

I gave a list of things that did happen in our country back in the good old days of prayer in school: Turning a blind eye to wife and child abuse, institutionalized racism, closeted LGBT folks, and let's not forget lynchings and, in the really good old days, slavery. Mr. Mehta also pointed some of those items out. I added that Sweden, a country that could be said to have also "kicked God out," doesn't seem to have the mass shooting incident rate that we have in the States.

 

And Speaking Of Mass Shootings

   

Two more have occurred since I last did a show. It's really frustrating the apparent frequency at which these shootings are happening. They are still very rare, but that doesn't make them less impactful.

 

There are always the demands for more gun laws, but would that work? If there were 14 gun laws broken by the shooters in Colorado and California, would a 15th law have stopped them? Maybe. I don't know.

 

I don't know the answer to all this.

 

And it's damned frustrating.

 

Movie Recommendation: None

Ran out of time, so you're on your own this week.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'Cows' by The Suburbs & 'Brass Monkey' by Beastie Boys

Second ad break bumpers: 'Bull Rider' by Johnny Cash &  'Crocodiles' by Echo & the Bunnymen

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.