Saturday 11 October 2008

A Challenge to The Skeptic Zone

I've been listening to The Skeptic Zone. (I also was the first person to digg the site, but do I get credit for that? No...)

It's an excellent podcast (at least at the moment).

However, I've got a bone to pick with them.

It has to do with their theme song.

You can download it from the link above.

It has to do with the lyrics:

"The Skeptic Zone,
a miracle of technology.
A universe of reason,
the Skeptic Zone"
Now my problem is the bolded bit. I'm skeptical of that if you will.

I want them, and I feel quite confident that someone who has something to do with it will find their way here, maybe from the JREF forum.

Prove to me that The Skeptic Zone is indeed a miracle of technology.

Honestly. How do we know that there wasn't some other schmo out there who wanted to start a podcast called "The Skeptic Zone" and was beaten by you guys.

I can put money on it if you want but then I'll have to create some criteria.

I'm thinking something along the lines of "prove beyond a reasonable doubt that The Skeptic Zone is indeed a miracle and that nothing else could have created it".

And if you do you can win 1,168.46 dollars*. To be paid to you in person when you were last in Adelaide.1

I await your response.2

By the way, to other people who still haven't figured out what I am going on about, go to The Skeptic Zone page and find out.

For once there is a podcast where the Australians (i.e. all the main people) all sound normal compared to the Yanks.

*By dollars I mean Zimbabwe dollars and by 1,168.46, I mean 10 Australian. This is the current exchange rate from here at 2008.10.10 14:02:22 UTC.

1And if you are wondering, yes. I did choose my "criteria" from here

2If you haven't figured it out by now, this is a joke. Just listen to the damn podcast...

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You know, you might be right! I think however the 'miracle' here is about as real as all the other 'miracles' in the history of the world all put together.

Richard Saunders
Producer
The Skeptic Zone

Anonymous said...

:) I purposely gathered together the team whilst we were in Adelaide (or at least, a half of the team, compromising of nearly all the women) for a photo that I intended to have 'photoshopped'. I thought perhaps having sparks, laser-beams and glitter shooting from our hands and eyes (and maybe hair) would help convince you, perhaps in a rather daft fashion, of our 'miraculous technological nature'!

That photo is here: http://tinyurl.com/3osh3a

But seriously, the lyrics are by our co-host Stefan. In reflection upon them, I think of how even less than a decade ago, the likelihood of all of us being able to join together to create a 'radio show' (let alone a podcast) would have been incredibly slim to none. Dr Karen's distant residence in the USA; my home in WA; Jayson in Qld and even the team in Sydney being able to coordinate and produce on a regular basis in the quality that we have... I'd like to flatter the notion as rather 'miraculous'.

In the meantime, I think we'll be keeping the lyrics, as it is no more absurd than one of my fave composers - Thomas Dolby - crying about how 'she blinded me with science' as a tune about enjoying what technology can bring us. ;)

Kylie Sturgess
One Of The Other Voices / Jet-Setting Nearly As Much As Dr Karen Stollznow And Once Flattered To Be Confused With Her By DJ Grothe After Dragon*Con Despite Being Significantly Shorter And More Gaiman's Death Than Pre-Raphaelite Madonna In Looks
The Skeptic Zone
www.podblack.com

Jude Wagner said...

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