TRC #383: Lardass Autocorrect Kardashian? + Name That: Internet 2015 Edition + Last Year’s Fave Segments + 2016 Predictions

Posted on 9 January, 2016 by Pat

mind-readingWe like big facts and we cannot lie. The TRC crew reunite to kick off the New Year with a fun-filled show! Cristina butts in first with a story that was all over the internet recently: does typing ‘lardass’ into an iPhone autocorrect to ‘Kardashian’? Then the gang share their favourite, funniest, and most surprising segments from 2015. Pat hosts an Internet 2015 edition of Name That. Finally, Adam takes over to revisit last year’s “predictions” and asks the panel to set aside logic yet again to make predictions for 2016.

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TRC #382: Dunning-Kruger Effect + Deep Learning + Do The British Have Bad Teeth?

Posted on 2 January, 2016 by Pat

bbobsMerry New Year, Checkers!  This week, Adam takes the night off while Darren and honorary TRC’er Dallas Card join the Toronto crew in the flesh for another fun and informative show. Darren kicks off the festivities by revisiting the sometimes misunderstood cognitive bias called the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Dallas delves into deep artificial neural networks and debunks some myths around machine learning. Finally, Cristina examines whether the British really deserve the rep of having bad teeth.

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TRC #381: The 5th Annual Holiday Parody Spectacular + Dr. Ken Milne’s SGEM vs SPIDES

Posted on 26 December, 2015 by Pat

PatandCristinaWith the Festivus upon us, Darren and Adam hand the reins of the sleigh over to Pat and Cristina for the fifth annual holiday show. The duo share the inside scoop behind this year’s parodies plus other highlights including the panel’s recommendations of stuff to watch, read or listen to. (See the show notes!) Extra bonus in your stocking is an excerpt from Dr. Ken Milne’s Skeptic’s Guide to Emergency Medicine Podcast. After recently guesting on TRC where he mentions the Spinach, Popeye, Iron and Decimal Error Story (SPIDES), Ken gets an interesting email from listener Bob Edmonds who he then invites on his podcast to help set the record straight. A huge thank you to all the ‘Checkers out there for listening every week. Have a safe and happy holiday!

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TRC #380: Starbucks Hates X-mas? + When Is A Cold Contagious? + Kubrick Admits To Faking Moon Landings?

Posted on 19 December, 2015 by Pat

coldOn this week’s show we have lots of questions!   First Cristina looks into a viral video claiming that Starbucks hates Christmas.  Next Darren wonders when the common cold is contagious.  Lastly Adam examines a second viral video, claiming to be an interview with Stanley Kubrick where he admits to faking moon landings.

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TRC #379: Charitable Giving + Premium vs Regular Gas + Elf On The Shelf

Posted on 12 December, 2015 by Pat

jamminOn this week’s show, tis the season for Darren to revisit charitable giving and effective donations. Pat fills us in on an email from a TRC’er who asks us to break down premium vs regular gas. Finally, Adam channels his inner Elf to enlighten us on Santa’s not-so-secret spy.

 

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TRC #378: Ethical Automated Cars? + Adult Colouring Books + The Halitosis Influence

Posted on 5 December, 2015 by Pat

for-a-story-on-colouring-books-for-adultsTRC is in the house! This week, Darren takes us for a spin to explore the ethical dilemma of self-driving cars. Adam takes a peek into the growing trend of Adult Colouring Books and their potential health benefits. (No, not that kind of adult colouring book.) Finally, Cristina mouths off about how clever marketing made bad breath sound like a medical condition.

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TRC #377: Unethical Experiments Proven Useful + Game That + Photographs and Smiling

Posted on 28 November, 2015 by Pat

MonaSelfieNot even a power failure can stop the TRC crew!  First Cristina examines unethical experiments that ended up changing medicine.  Next, Pat runs the crew through a game of “Name That” where the goal is to “game it.”   Lastly, Adam wonders why people didn’t smile in old photographs.

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TRC #376: Are Religious Children Less Altruistic + Are There Pets in Pet Food?

Posted on 20 November, 2015 by Pat

42-18125044TRC do it live!  This week’s show was recording in front of a live audience at Skepticamp Ottawa.  First Darren takes a look at recent headlines suggesting that a study has found religious children are less altruistic than their nonreligious counterparts.   Next Adam bites into claims that euthanized dogs and cats are showing up in commercial pet foods.

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TRC #375: Supporting TRC + Immortality + Bloodletting

Posted on 14 November, 2015 by Pat

CL 62 Silver Barber Pole-600x600Pat kicks off this week’s show by reflecting on TRC listeners, future projects and ways to support the show.   Next, Darren brings us one of his trademark philosophical segments with an exploration of immortality.   Lastly Cristina takes a look at bloodletting.  Is that still a thing?

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TRC #374: Conversion Therapy + Did Booze Influence The Australian Accent? + Vampires Drunk On Blood?

Posted on 7 November, 2015 by Pat

kangarooG’day TRC’ers!  On this week’s show, Pat takes a look at a recent U.S. government report to give us an update on Conversion Therapy. Cristina goes down under to investigate whether the Australian accent was influenced by their drunk forefathers. Finally, Adam applies the scientific method to see if vampires could get drunk from drinking a drunk person’s blood.

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