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[magra178]

on a whole different note than the sexism issue, does anyone else feel left out by all the TAM discussions?  When they talk about things that happened at TAM (in all cases, not just this), I feel like they're discussing some sort of elite (sorry for sounding like a republican from the 2008 election) club, that listeners just get little crumbs about what went on?   I personally enjoyed the interview, and the interviews with TAM speakers; but I don't really like all the TAM talk in general.  For those of us who can't afford or have the time to go, it seems like I'm not in the "skeptical club" and even if I did go, I'd have doubts, because I haven't been before and it seems like summer camp where people all know each other and are friends, and would I even be able to socialize?  Does anyone else get that feeling

[Evil Eye]

Almost seems like a paranoid delusion.

More people listen to Rebbeca, Swoopy, Pamela Gay & Kiki Sanford, than would ever listen to me.

And they are smarter.

[rev_matt_y]

on a whole different note than the sexism issue, does anyone else feel left out by all the TAM discussions?

Yea, much of this month has been like that with the podcasts and blogs.  Between ComicCon, DragonCon, TAM, Black Hat, and Defcon I feel completely left out the past month or so.  But I live vicariously through those who did attend.

[Mark7300]

I just talk back at my ipod about the great night I had in the pub. I'm hoping the astral energy waves will carry my words to the SGU head quarters.

[snowy]

Just listened to the podcast today. The "4 minute" exercise thing caught my ear because it sounds very similar to the "Tabata" high intensity interval training technique that's popular in Crossfit (which is the latest exercise craze).

A Tabata is 4 minutes long consists of 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 8 sets. The sort of claims you'll find about its effectiveness are along these lines:

Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided documented evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity intermittent training. After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity in his subjects, along with a 14% increase in their ability to consume oxygen (V02Max). These results were witnessed in already physically fit athletes. The conclusion was that just four minutes of Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise.

What do you guys think? To be fair to Crossfit, Tabata is rarely used on its own but as part of a longer exercise session.

[Mad_Scientist_Working]

  I am sure I'm guilty of sexism from ignorance so I do understand what you are saying.

No you don't because my point flew over your head like an eagle flying in the wind.   There is a difference between sexism from ignorance and sexism from just a complete and utter inability to relate to other people.  Your talking to a person whose mother had to stop from taking books to a freaking playdate.  Which is why my initial reaction to their discussion is how many scientists do they actually know? 

[Paperclip.]

I apologise if that is how you took my post, I in no way meant to brush aside your comments.  I agree with your point that there is a difference between being unable to relate to anyone be that male or female due to a lack of social awareness and having a 'men are superior' mindset and throwing that at any woman that comes within 10ft of you, I totally agree. 

My main point to ponder is where and how do we draw that line?  Would the line that I might draw be the same as the line that a woman would draw, and then who would be right?  If we assume in this case that nothing that happened at TAM was deliberately sexist, (just assume) should anyone be held accountable for the hurt caused and if so to what extent?  What then if we assume that what happened at TAM was deliberate?  Does this warrant more severe disciplinary action if in both cases the same events unfolded but were motivated in one case by ignorance and the other male chauvinism?  Because in the end the women in the audience receive the same message.

I guess you have to decide what sexism is, that seems to me to be the hard part when sexism has become for want of a better word, habitual.  (This might not be an valid train of thought but), I can tell my mate from footy to "get me a f&#king beer".  That's just how we talk and it's not as crude as it may come across.  But I wouldn't say that to my grandma, she'd be quite offended.  Same comment, but received differently.  It seems to me that sexism may have some of the same components, the way comments are perceived by the individual makes all the difference.  Ie; a comment may be sexist if heard by woman (a) but not if heard by woman (b), in this case is the comment sexist?  An obvious rule of thumb may be if it offends a woman it was a sexist comment.  But I heard from at least 1 woman who did not have issue with anything at TAM, so are the comments now not sexist?  Obviously not but you can see how easily mistakes can be made.

On a side note, I can't believe this wasn't mentioned in this weeks podcast.  We didn't hear a lot of the other panelists thoughts last week and I was really hoping that this week we would. Strange

[GodSlayer]

On a side note, I can't believe this wasn't mentioned in this weeks podcast.  We didn't hear a lot of the other panelists thoughts last week and I was really hoping that this week we would. Strange

clearly there was just far too much going on in skepticism this week - planet-finding, methane on mars, immune-system, blindness...

Skepticality, too, lately... these shows seem to have turned into science podcasts, rather than skepticism. (though I mind it less with SGU, where they uphold a weekly schedule of 80 minute shows. Skepticality seem to have less reason for such filler, given their unpredicable schedule)

[Paperclip.]

Yes, can't complain too much.  I do hope to see some writing or something at some stage in the future though.  It is interesting to see how easily arguments break down (both sides) when the facts are not logical and clear cut but based largely on values and value judgments.  I don't know that skepticism alone can resolve this particular issue and I'd like to hear what the panel has to say to all the forum activity the interview generated.

[Lukas]

Just listened to the podcast today. The "4 minute" exercise thing caught my ear because it sounds very similar to the "Tabata" high intensity interval training technique that's popular in Crossfit (which is the latest exercise craze).

A Tabata is 4 minutes long consists of 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 8 sets. The sort of claims you'll find about its effectiveness are along these lines:

Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided documented evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity intermittent training. After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity in his subjects, along with a 14% increase in their ability to consume oxygen (V02Max). These results were witnessed in already physically fit athletes. The conclusion was that just four minutes of Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise.

What do you guys think? To be fair to Crossfit, Tabata is rarely used on its own but as part of a longer exercise session.

I would be skeptical that only doing these 4 minute exercises would have the effect of one hour endurance exercise, especially if this is the only thing you do. If people are already "fit athletes", they probably have an active lifestyle or engage in other workouts, and then I can see that these high-intensity interval exercises are beneficial, maybe more than standard cardio stuff. Also, what hasn't been mentioned on the podcast and gets conveniently swept under the carpet by the marketing guys, the injury risk is much higher for these types of exercises, and I would never recommend it for people who just start to get fit. (CrossFit seems to be kind of proud that people get injured doing it, maybe that's part of the macho image associated to it...)

[snowy]

I would be skeptical

Kind of goes without saying

Curious about what people think of the actual study (Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.) and its conclusions, for those who who are able to access it. It's behind a paywall so I can only view the abstract.

[kem]

I would be skeptical

Kind of goes without saying

Curious about what people think of the actual study (Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.) and its conclusions, for those who who are able to access it. It's behind a paywall so I can only view the abstract.

Study... who needs a study.  Show me a rider on the "Tour" that does't do interval training.

[Mad_Scientist_Working]

I apologise if that is how you took my post, I in no way meant to brush aside your comments.  I agree with your point that there is a difference between being unable to relate to anyone be that male or female due to a lack of social awareness and having a 'men are superior' mindset and throwing that at any woman that comes within 10ft of you, I totally agree. 

Don't worry about it. I rely on people telling me if I said something stupid or come off as an attitude.  Sometimes I don't mean it but it just comes off that way.   This is why I don't really relate to it as sexism as more than someone who says something stupid and then the next step is to progress into sexism. 

[mazeedt]

I don't think I ever mentioned this (have only made like one entry in the forums before) but I used to be catholic before I listened to this podcast... it went a good way to help me become an atheist so I'd like to thank you guys for that...
(you probably do not read this but whatever)