Topic: MonsterTalk - Skeptical Cryptozoology Podcast

[T.A.P.O.R.]

I want more Ken Feder.

Re-listened to both of his interviews this week.
Great stuff!

[DoctorAtlantis]

Im gonna take a guess that its supposed to be this video from his youtube.

Thanks!

[Caffiene]

New Episode - Hell Hath No Furry

Episode 50 of MonsterTalk takes us to a small English village in the 1570s where a morning church service is interrupted by a horrific storm which heralds, perhaps, the appearance of Satan himself in the form of a huge black hound. Join us as we talk with David Waldron (author of Shock! The Black Dog of Bungay) as he helps us discover the facts behind this creepy tale—a tale which influences paranormal literature even today.

Direct Link
Show Notes


Im glad this episode isnt about the furries I first thought of when I saw the episode title...

[DK]

I tweeted the link to the local Norfolk paper; you never know, you might get some more listeners that way.

@EveningNews is really worth following anyway. Really entertaining take on the local news (and Norfolk is a really rural area. UK doctors have a code 'NFN: Normal for Norfolk' due to the high level of inbreeding there).

Update: @EveningNews re-tweeted my tweet, so here's hoping. Their next tweet read:

Bungay's greatest claim to fame is longhand for depression. I am saying nothing.

[DoctorAtlantis]

I tweeted the link to the local Norfolk paper; you never know, you might get some more listeners that way.

@EveningNews is really worth following anyway. Really entertaining take on the local news (and Norfolk is a really rural area. UK doctors have a code 'NFN: Normal for Norfolk' due to the high level of inbreeding there).

Update: @EveningNews re-tweeted my tweet, so here's hoping. Their next tweet read:

Bungay's greatest claim to fame is longhand for depression. I am saying nothing.

Hilarious. 

[Johnny Slick]

I should point out here that Skeptics With a K pimped out this podcast all over the place in this week's episode (which is pretty funny in its own right). Cross-pollination FTW!

[Caffiene]

Oh, I forgot to say I got a pleasant surprise from this episode - local flavour!

The guest is from about 1 hour away from me, and his pig/bear story he says happened right around where I grew up. Im actually quite surprised... Ive never seen and never even really heard of wild pigs around here. Although I suppose it mightnt have been wild, since theres a few weird farms around.

He was a really good guest, too. I noticed the panel seemed a bit quieter than normal, like they were sort of hypnotised by him and just letting him ramble on with his stories.

[DoctorAtlantis]

He was a really good guest, too. I noticed the panel seemed a bit quieter than normal, like they were sort of hypnotised by him and just letting him ramble on with his stories.

Apparently so - I didn't notice it at the time.  We just had a good time - but then when I went to edit I was taken aback by how much we let him talk.  But one thing to keep in mind is that when we record a phone call, the way Skype works if we have questions and the phone person is talking they can't bloody well hear us!  So where we'd normally interject something and I'd edit out any over-talking, we couldn't do that here.  But there wasn't much of it regardless.

[DoctorAtlantis]

Direct Link to the Episode:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/skeptic/051_Monstertalk.mp3


Go read the show notes on this one - just in case we have to take down the photos.
http://www.skeptic.com/podcasts/monstertalk/12/03/28/

[Johnny Slick]

Why would you guys need to take down the photos? Isn't there some sort of fair use statute which allows you to use snippets of someone else's work for critical/educational purposes?

[Chew]

He explains it in the podcast.

[Caffiene]

Question: The photos in the show notes seem to be cropped and sized differently in different photos. Did you do that for the analysis, or is that how they were originally shown?

Anyway... I disagree about the analysis of the weirdly posed photo (that you refer to as the 3rd photo on the podcast, but is the 5th photo in the notes)... It doesnt look like its facing the camera to me. The "eyes" seem more like paradolia to me. (Noting of course that this is all speculation and paradolia anyway, so who really knows...)

• You noted that the paw is turned inward if its facing the camera, but to me it also strongly looks like the elbow/knee joint is facing in the same direction. The paw could be turned inward, but to have the knee turned in the same way would be very awkward, imo.
• Im not convinced that the supposed pose is as awkward as you claim. I dont think its likely, but Ive seen plenty of documentary footage of bear cubs tumbling which put themselves in quite similar poses.
• The "bear cub underneath" theory sounds good to me, but I think you then go looking for a new pose when it isnt needed. If the "head" underneath is explained as a cub, then the facing-away pose is no longer particularly awkward at all and doesnt need an alternate interpretation. It is simply facing away with its head not in view.

But either way... I found this episode pretty cool. And the photos are really interesting. The 20:32:05 photo in particular I can see how its probably a bear, but its really cool to see such an unusual body shape.

Looking forward to homunculi.

[Johnny Slick]

He explains it in the podcast.

Which I know now, having listened to it. I am truly gifted with the psychic condition.

[Caffiene]

New Episode - ThylaCinema and Nocturnal Submission

Join the hosts of MonsterTalk for an interview with Daniel Nettheim, director of a new film about a man hunting for thylacines. The Hunter stars Willem Dafoe as the eponymous character tasked with seeking out the last living thylacine in the wild. Also, Scott Sigler calls in to discuss his newest monster book, Nocturnal.

Direct Link
Show Notes


Scott Sigler again... dude is everywhere. Good thing I like his work
More local(ish) content for me on the Thylacines, as well. Sweet.

[Caffiene]

New Episode - Onan the Jar Burying

In modern science the homunculus refers to various models of the human mind, but in medieval times it was something quite different. Join us for a fascinating interview with professor William R. Newman, of Indiana University’s Department of History and Philosophy of Science. He is the author of seven books, including Promethean Ambitions: Alchemy and the Quest to Perfect Nature—a book which provides much insight into the seedy back-story of this strange creature.

This episode contains adult material and may be unsuitable for junior skeptics.

Direct Link
Show Notes