SGU Episode 242

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SGU Episode 242
March 3rd 2010
Darwinius-masillae-1.jpg
(brief caption for the episode icon)

SGU 241                      SGU 243

Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella

B: Bob Novella

R: Rebecca Watson

J: Jay Novella

E: Evan Bernstein

Quote of the Week

'Large skepticism leads to large understanding. Small skepticism leads to small understanding. No skepticism leads to no understanding.'

Xi Zhi

Links
Download Podcast
Show Notes
Forum Discussion


Introduction[edit]

You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

News Items ()[edit]

Chile Earthquake Shortens Day ()[edit]

Darwinius Revisited ()[edit]

Raining Fish ()[edit]

Acupuncture for Depression ()[edit]

Haunted Hotels ()[edit]

Who's That Noisy ()[edit]

  • Answer to last week: an elephant

Questions and E-mails ()[edit]

Question #1- Skeptic vs Contrarion ()[edit]

skeptics/contrarian What is the difference? I am really interested in improving my awareness. The rhetorical techniques used by others to manipulate the unknowing and gullible, are my call to arms. Can you and will you give me some assist? Russell Bell Houston, Texas

Question #2 - Personality Tests ()[edit]

Hi Guys! Love the show, changed my life, etc. I experienced something interesting recently that I do not believe that you have discussed on the show. I work for a healthcare organization that required us employees to go through a series of 'Enneagram' workshops. These workshops delved into our enneagram personality type and how our personality type shapes our social interactions and outlook on life. My wife is a staff member at the local University and she had to take the True Colors personality test and attend similar workshops. Many of my friends have also been required to take similar tests for their workplaces, such as the Myers-Briggs test. Two questions: -What do you guys think of these 'professional' personality tests? I felt that my personality typing was fairly accurate (considering it's a self reporting questionnaire), but then my type was over extrapolated with implications and sounds eerily similar to a generalized astrology reading. -What do you think these personality tests being used in the workplace? This seems like a bad path to start down... The specific enneagram I took was in a book, but http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/ is a good example of the 'theory'. There is also a wikipedia entry on the subject. My wife's test is http://www.truecolorstest.com/True_Colors_Test.shtml With snowy regards here in Denver, Joe P

Science or Fiction ()[edit]

Item # 1: Fluorescent lighting in supermarkets enhances nutrient levels of spinach. Item #2: Artificial marijuana is becoming increasingly popular with teens in the US. It is made of common dried herbs and sprayed with a potent psychotropic drug. Item #3: HCFCs which have been used for years as a replacement for ozone destroying CFCs, slowly damage the ozone layer once a critical threshold amount has been released in the atmosphere.

Quote of the Week ()[edit]

'Large skepticism leads to large understanding. Small skepticism leads to small understanding. No skepticism leads to no understanding.' - Xi Zhi

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by the New England Skeptical Society in association with the James Randi Educational Foundation and skepchick.org. For more information on this and other episodes, please visit our website at www.theskepticsguide.org. For questions, suggestions, and other feedback, please use the "Contact Us" form on the website, or send an email to info@theskepticsguide.org. If you enjoyed this episode, then please help us spread the word by voting for us on Digg, or leaving us a review on iTunes. You can find links to these sites and others through our homepage. 'Theorem' is produced by Kineto, and is used with permission.

References[edit]


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