Comments on: Skeptic Zone interview http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Thu, 24 May 2012 23:11:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Monkey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-305272 Monkey Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:33:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-305272 @Kylie That was a better response than rotten vegetables anf fruit tossed my way!! I am sorry for denouncing those podcasts on a third party blog, my intent was not to send you a message via the third party, but just to add to the commentary of the post. If you would like, I would enjoy sharing my thoughts with you personally. Can do! Just to add - I am very .... very ... positive about the function of podcasts and very appreciative of all the effort of all those involved. So, with that in mind....dont stop. @Kylie

That was a better response than rotten vegetables anf fruit tossed my way!! I am sorry for denouncing those podcasts on a third party blog, my intent was not to send you a message via the third party, but just to add to the commentary of the post. If you would like, I would enjoy sharing my thoughts with you personally. Can do! Just to add – I am very …. very … positive about the function of podcasts and very appreciative of all the effort of all those involved. So, with that in mind….dont stop.

]]> By: Kylie Sturgess http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-305268 Kylie Sturgess Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:14:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-305268 As a teacher, Monkey, and as a member of the Skeptic Zone podcast (you won't have heard me on the recent episodes - in fact, the last Skeptic Zone episode you would have heard me do an interview is episode #89 , where I interviewed Dr Pamela Gay) - this is useful feedback. Perhaps you can suggest in more detail what you would find useful in terms of content as a fellow teacher by writing into us? Putting a comment on someone else's blog (even though it is Plait's) isn't the most direct way of getting our attention! :) I don't know what you think of my podcast, Token Skeptic, either - but I'd appreciate any feedback on that if you have it, too. Thanks. As a teacher, Monkey, and as a member of the Skeptic Zone podcast (you won’t have heard me on the recent episodes – in fact, the last Skeptic Zone episode you would have heard me do an interview is episode #89 , where I interviewed Dr Pamela Gay) – this is useful feedback. Perhaps you can suggest in more detail what you would find useful in terms of content as a fellow teacher by writing into us? Putting a comment on someone else’s blog (even though it is Plait’s) isn’t the most direct way of getting our attention! :)

I don’t know what you think of my podcast, Token Skeptic, either – but I’d appreciate any feedback on that if you have it, too. Thanks.

]]> By: Monkey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-305250 Monkey Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:53:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-305250 @Jeremy The show was a pilot, and there are, I believe, no more at this time waiting to air until the reviews/numbers are in. @Jeremy

The show was a pilot, and there are, I believe, no more at this time waiting to air until the reviews/numbers are in.

]]> By: Monkey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-304923 Monkey Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:31:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-304923 Im going to be rash and harsh - I am not really a huge fan of The Skeptic Zone. I think they take on great topics and have suitable guests and put some time into the production of it, but there is something missing. I think "too goofy" is maybe what I would sum it up as. Following that, The Unbelievers out of NZ is an OK podcast but lacks the same authority. I know R Saunders is a smart person and an acute friend to have in the skeptic world...but I simply stopped downloading their podcast recently. I go through about 15 podcasts a week or two when I am running, biking to work and cooking etc. There are so many out there, but some are just not cutting it for me. Me. My personal opinion. On a similar stance, I stopped listening to the Science Magazine podcast....and am on my way to limiting Point of Inquiry and For Good Reason. Too many magicians, they....speak....way....too....slow.... and the Science Magazine Podcast is simply a bore. Compare it to Nature Magazine, SGU, Scientific American Podcast, Guardian Science Weekly, Radiolab, Science Friday, Quirks and Quarks (CBC) and so many more. all I am saying is that I listen to podcasts for 70% their content, 20% their production/pedagogical acuity and 10% pure entertainment. As a teacher I know that a learner needs to be entertained, not in a "make you laugh" manner, but as a link to their attention. It is a simply function of helping others learn, and if that is our collective goal, we should allay this to podcasts. I appreciate everyone who works hard to put science out there, but places like POI, FGR, and others are losing my curiosity. *dodging thrown rotten fruit* Thats my panny and a half of thinking for today... Im going to be rash and harsh – I am not really a huge fan of The Skeptic Zone. I think they take on great topics and have suitable guests and put some time into the production of it, but there is something missing. I think “too goofy” is maybe what I would sum it up as. Following that, The Unbelievers out of NZ is an OK podcast but lacks the same authority. I know R Saunders is a smart person and an acute friend to have in the skeptic world…but I simply stopped downloading their podcast recently. I go through about 15 podcasts a week or two when I am running, biking to work and cooking etc. There are so many out there, but some are just not cutting it for me. Me. My personal opinion.

On a similar stance, I stopped listening to the Science Magazine podcast….and am on my way to limiting Point of Inquiry and For Good Reason. Too many magicians, they….speak….way….too….slow…. and the Science Magazine Podcast is simply a bore. Compare it to Nature Magazine, SGU, Scientific American Podcast, Guardian Science Weekly, Radiolab, Science Friday, Quirks and Quarks (CBC) and so many more.

all I am saying is that I listen to podcasts for 70% their content, 20% their production/pedagogical acuity and 10% pure entertainment. As a teacher I know that a learner needs to be entertained, not in a “make you laugh” manner, but as a link to their attention. It is a simply function of helping others learn, and if that is our collective goal, we should allay this to podcasts.

I appreciate everyone who works hard to put science out there, but places like POI, FGR, and others are losing my curiosity.

*dodging thrown rotten fruit*

Thats my panny and a half of thinking for today…

]]> By: shane http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-304858 shane Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:51:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-304858 @Steve I hear you man. My partner says the same thing - and also about Brian Cox. It's always "Your boyfriend Brian is on the tele" or "What is your boyfriend Phil up to?" But she digs the tv shows they're both on as much as I do. @Steve

I hear you man. My partner says the same thing – and also about Brian Cox. It’s always “Your boyfriend Brian is on the tele” or “What is your boyfriend Phil up to?”
But she digs the tv shows they’re both on as much as I do.

]]> By: Steve http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-304808 Steve Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:55:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-304808 I listened to the interview this morning. Great show, I really like The Skeptic Zone. BTW, my wife says I have a man crush on you...LOL... I listened to the interview this morning. Great show, I really like The Skeptic Zone. BTW, my wife says I have a man crush on you…LOL…

]]> By: Chris http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-304806 Chris Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:43:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-304806 Where are the pictures? I heard on the podcast there would be pictures. Where are the pictures? I heard on the podcast there would be pictures.

]]> By: Jeremy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/14/skeptic-zone-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-304793 Jeremy Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:55:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=20743#comment-304793 Phil, here's a question that may have already been asked but I didn't see (google reader is of course commentless) I was arranging my season pass manager on my DVR the other day, and I noticed a (0) next to your show. I thought this was a series, but you only have 1 episode out and apparently no more for at least the next 2 weeks. What's going on and when will I get my astronomy fix again? Phil, here’s a question that may have already been asked but I didn’t see (google reader is of course commentless)

I was arranging my season pass manager on my DVR the other day, and I noticed a (0) next to your show. I thought this was a series, but you only have 1 episode out and apparently no more for at least the next 2 weeks. What’s going on and when will I get my astronomy fix again?

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