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[Nasikabatrachus]

Nice episode as usual. A few things:

1. the term nova comes from Tycho Brahe's treatise on a nova he observed in 1572. It has a long title but is typically called "De nova stella" http://www.kb.dk/tekster/DeNovaStella/
2. I second the recommendation of 'Parallax'. It is quite a good book and coincidentally one of the things Tycho Brahe tried to measure.
3. Can we get some links to Stu's photographic works? Are there any?
4. Can I get some kind of prize for guessing how many longswords long that asteroid is? I accept cash and meaningless pats on the back.

[astrostu]

Yes, that's where the term as applied to astronomy comes, but "nova" in Latin means "new," so "De nova stella" is effectively "On the New Star" (rough translation - I took Spanish in school).

My photo website is http://photos.sjrdesign.net .  It unfortunately has not been updated in a long time because I really need to just re-design it to make room for the hundreds of new photos that need to go up.

[seaotter]

Theme reminds me of the Munsters theme.

The Munsters theme song	DQ

[mindme]

4. Can I get some kind of prize for guessing how many longswords long that asteroid is? I accept cash and meaningless pats on the back.

Stuart, post show, suggested to me a long sword was about 1 m in length. So the math was pretty easy 1/4 km = 250 long swords. I included that in the show notes. Wiki suggests a long sword is 105 cm - 120 cm. So it's about 208.3 - 238.1 long swords. What the asteroid's armor class is is anyone's guess. AC0?

You certainly win an award for your efforts to detect a pattern in show releases. I'll say there is something in common with all shows in terms of the date/time stamp. Not sure if it comes through via iTunes.

[mindme]

Don't panic,  now. I'm back with a new Conspiracy Skeptic. Stuart returns to talk about claims about Apophis made by Michael Horn channeling for Swiss UFO dude Billy Meier.

[seaotter]

It's AYN Carl!

[seaotter]

astrostu very cool! Hope your hole turns out the way you want it to!

Wow the closing music takes me back to when mtv played (Get this kids) music videos.

[mindme]

New ep is up. Unplugged ep 12. Listener Ryan comes on to talk about the satanic panic of the 1980s and early 1990s. Great stuff. I loved how he actually emailed a couple proponents from the 1980s to get their opinions now. Interestingly enough, they still believe they were right despite 0 physical evidence.

[JoelWhy]

Great topic, looking forward to listening to it.  One of the guys at least partly behind the Satanic panic is a former FBI agent who is now a big 9/11 truther.  I guess if you're willing to believe in devil worshipping cults running the government, you're willing to believe just about any conspiracy theory.

Hail Satan!

[mindme]

Great topic, looking forward to listening to it.  One of the guys at least partly behind the Satanic panic is a former FBI agent who is now a big 9/11 truther.  I guess if you're willing to believe in devil worshipping cults running the government, you're willing to believe just about any conspiracy theory.

Hail Satan!

Ha yes. As my guest noted, one of the guys he investigated locally is now a birther. The tune changes but the song remains the same.

Crap, I forgot to link the FBI report on my show notes. It's the most sensible document probably to ever come out of government in history. I'll do that this weekend.

[astrostu]

Is it sad that when I heard the title (read the title) of the episode the first thing that came to mind was an early X-Files episode where there is "satanism" going on in a town due to two girls who seem possessed due to something weird in their astrology?  And Scully's main talking point was, "But the FBI showed there was no evidence to back up organized satanism across America!"

Anyway, I liked the interview though I found it mildly disturbing that Karl tried to call Ryan "Stuart" and kept talking about me ... it was an interview with Ryan, not me!   I've now friended him on Facebook, though.

Oh, and everyone on Facebook should become a Fan of the "Conspiracy Skeptic" podcast!  I joined early this morning and was #66.  Add another 6 on there and ... well, that's a story for a different podcast.

[DaveKidneys]

Anyway, I liked the interview though I found it mildly disturbing that Karl tried to call Ryan "Stuart" and kept talking about me ... it was an interview with Ryan, not me!   I've now friended him on Facebook, though.

When he starts calling you Hayley, then I'd start to worry.

[mindme]

Anyway, I liked the interview though I found it mildly disturbing that Karl tried to call Ryan "Stuart" and kept talking about me ... it was an interview with Ryan, not me!   I've now friended him on Facebook, though.

When he starts calling you Hayley, then I'd start to worry.

Too right.

[JoelWhy]

Great episode.  I grew up in the 80s and have fond memories of everything Satan.

I would like to make one clarification, however.  You guys kept referring to "Satanism".  I don't think that is the correct term.  "Satanic Panic" was concerning devil worshipping, which is not the same thing as Satanism.  Satanism is kind of like being a libertarian, but with magic.  Devil worshipping is where you get the baby sacrifices and orgies.  (You know, the fun stuff!)

[dcardani]

I grew up in the 80s and have fond memories of everything Satan.

Satanism is kind of like being a libertarian, but with magic. 

Devil worshipping is where you get the baby sacrifices and orgies.  (You know, the fun stuff!)

This post is full of quote awesomeness! I wanna party with you, Joel!