Yeah... Nah!: Recent Episodes
NZ Skeptics
Yeah... Nah! is a fortnightly podcast from the New Zealand Skeptics focusing on the latest news of skeptical interest both locally and internationally.
We’re missing a member in this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast - Katrina has abandoned us. But have no fear, journalist Anke Richter has joined us in Katrina’s stead. Anke recently visited the US to attend the ICSA’s annual conference on cults, and tells us all about how it went - including the fact that she won an award for her work organising the Decult conference here in New Zealand. We also get some inside info on speakers for the second Decult, happening this October in Christchurch, and share our unvarnished opinions on the new Gloriavale documentary series.
About this episode Our guests: + Anke Richter * Useful links: + https://decult.net/ * Articles we talk about: + Devotion: Obedience or Betrayal - The most frustrating Gloriavale documentary + A 2026 Australasian cult and religion update * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-07-06*
It’s a little quieter on this week’s episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, with no guests to speak of, or to. Instead, Mark debriefs us all about his recent visit to a Christian who pretends to be an atheist so that his church audiences can learn how to challenge non-believers. Katrina talks about flow state, and how pseudoscience peddlers are happy to sell products to induce it, even though they have no evidence their products work. Mark dunks on Elon Musk, looking into the history of the HyperLoop concept, the Boring Company, the Urban Loop and the sad reality of what has been delivered so far in Las Vegas. And finally Bronwyn explains how a bunch of half-remembered facts from the 1980s have led to an online conspiracy theory - no, not the Mandela Effect, this one’s called the GATE program, and has people thinking that maybe they were being tested as kids to see if they could be a CIA psychic warrior.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + The G.A.T.E. Program: A conspiracy theory for elder millennials + The (Hyper)Loop: Monorail, Monorail, Monorail… + Flow State * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-06-22*
We’re almost outnumbered by guests in this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, with Lee Traynor joining us to tell us about his foundation’s offer of scholarships to attend the 2026 NZ Skeptics conference. We also have James Kerr on to talk about his article responding to Patrick Medlicott’s claims about degrowth. Then our regulars have their say, talking about Chris Ashenden and his AG1 supplement company, the wild goose chase to invent a reactionless drive, and the reality and disinformation around Kessler syndrome, where earth’s orbits may end up being filled with a cascade of debris.
About this episode Our Guests: + Lee Traynor + James Kerr * Articles we talk about: + Scholarships for students at the 2026 New Zealand Skeptics Conference, Christchurch + Degrowth is exactly the wrong solution to Climate Change + AG1: The Lazarus of supplements, part 2 + A Skeptical Reaction to Reactionless Drives + Kessler Syndrome * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-06-08*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, after advertising our annual conference we get stuck into talking about some weird and wonderful topics. Starting with our guest Dan Ryan, who has been looking into Highden Temple’s new cryptocurrency, Highden Coin, and how badly it’s been configured. Katrina talks about a new breakthrough in de-extinction, with the invention of artificial eggs. And Mark is unimpressed with Aires Tech and their pendants that supposedly protect you from “dangerous” EMF.
About this episode Our Guests: + Daniel Ryan * Articles we talk about: + Conference Update + A Spiritual Cryptocurrency from Highden Temple + Egg or Chicken + Aires Tech: not Tech, but definitely Airy-fairy * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-05-25*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, the team have found some very disparate topics to talk about. Firstly, Mark has some thoughts about Richard Dawkins’ recent article where he wonders out loud if Claude and other AI models may be conscious. Katrina has pulled on a thread she picked up in a sci-fi book, and has ended up trying to find out if there’s anything to the Buddhist idea of Tukdam - monks whose consciousness supposedly lives on in their bodies for days after they’ve died. Bronwyn has had enough of seeing AG1 adverts on YouTube and elsewhere, so has looked into the company’s founder and his shady past. And Mark covers all things looksmaxxing, focusing on the most popular looksmaxxer today, Clavicular, and the pseudoscientific beauty regime he puts himself through in the pursuit of physical perfection.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Clavicular: Looksmaxxing, Mogging and Bonesmashing + AG1: The Lazarus of supplements, part 1 + Tukdam + The continuing problem of AI Sycophancy * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-05-11*
In our shiny new episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, we’re all over the show. Mark starts by talking about Givealittle, and their lacklustre response to concerns he and Dan Ryan raised with them a couple of years ago. Then he transitions to talking about Iran’s issue with sycophancy and fake technological advances. Bronwyn looks into the Guinness World Records, and how the organisation has changed over the years - and not for the better. And finally Katrina has been pondering some recent Alzheimer’s Treatments in the context of both statistical and clinical significance.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Breaking the record for obsolescence? The history and controversies of Guinness World Records + Iran’s Potemkin Problem + Don’t say it don’t use it - Alzheimer’s treatments and the stats vs effect dilemma + When it’s not okay to Givealittle * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-04-28*
We’re back with a guest for this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, as Aaron joins us to talk about the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a recent pamphlet created by Lloyd Evans that can be handed to members, warning them about being misled. Mark talks about Scientology Runs, and whether trespassing on Scientology property is a good thing or not. Bronwyn talks about how one of Edmund Hillary’s later expeditions promised to look for the Yeti, and Katrina debunks yet another claim that NASA has found aliens.
About this episode Our Guests: + Aaron Davies * Articles we talk about: + Everything I know about Skepticism I learned from the Bible + Has NASA found alien technology in our skies? + Going on a Yeti hunt: Sir Edmund Hillary and the 1960 - 1961 Silver Hut Expedition + Speed Running Scientology * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-03-30 + 2026-04-13*
We start off this week’s episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast talking about a recent change in New Zealand legislation, removing the alcohol restrictions on religious holidays in bars and restaurants. As well as this small but meaningful change, Katrina looks into microplastics to see if they’re a ticking timebomb inside our bodies, Mark double checks whether sugar feeds cancer, and where this idea came from, and Bronwyn looks into the history of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a Christian mission organisation, and uncovers some interesting connections to New Zealand.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Should We Be Worried About Microplastics? + Sugar Feeds Cancer? + Youth with a Mission (YWAM) * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-03-30*
We’re joined on this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast by NZ Skeptics committee member Dan Ryan, who recently found that Falun Gong were being less than honest when running stalls at his local market. We also hear from Katrina about Louis Theroux’s new documentary on the “manosphere”, Mark about the Auckland Deep Thinkers group, who don’t appear to be thinking very deeply, and Bronwyn, who has been looking into the history of Friday the 13th and its superstitious beliefs.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Friday the 13th x 3: The mayhem, the meme, and some math + Inside the Manosphere – Louis Theroux + Auckland Shallow Thinkers + A Cult has infiltrated my Market * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-03-16*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, we start off with a short chat about Thomas Driver, followed by an extended amount of blathering from Mark, who fills us in on both his visiting Mormons and some emails the NZ Skeptics have been receiving recently asking if we can publish their articles on our website. Bronwyn has debunked one of Mark’s pet theories, the idea that there’s been an uptick in mushrooms being sold as complementary medicine recently because of companies who were planning to grow marijuana having to repurpose their equipment. And finally Katrina has found the curious case of a French academic who seems to have not only created a fake award to make himself look important, but also faked the existence of multiple organisations that are supposedly linked to the award.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Medical Marijuana and Mushroom Mania + My first Book of Mormon Stories + Philology Fictionology + Fragment 176–191: Poisoning AI Summaries? * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-03-02*
We’re all over the show in this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast. After an impromptu discussion about the UK’s Metropolitan Police and their decision to force members of secretive groups like the Masons to declare their memberships, we launch into several of the topics that were covered in last weekend’s newsletter. Starting with Jeffrey Epstein, Mark talks about several different ideas people have had that there may be secret codes embedded in the recently released email batches. Bronwyn has found an early Skeptic in New Zealand, and chronicles her deep dive into the adventures of Thomas Driver challenging psychics over a century ago. And finally Katrina has looked into the Uncanny Valley, to see what the science is behind this interesting phenomenon and what the kids of Tik Tok are doing with it.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Uncanny Valley + Hidden Messages in the Epstein Emails? + Dead Skeptics Society: Thomas William Driver, aka Professor Robert Kudarz, Part 1 + Dead Skeptics Society: Thomas William Driver, aka Professor Robert Kudarz, Part 2 * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-02-02 + 2026-02-17*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast we spend most of our time talking with Jared Brandon about his shiny new YouTube channel, Unholy Light. Jared is attempting to tackle some of the simple-sounding but tough topics related to Christianity, like defining the words they use such as “faith”. Mark also talks about Shawn Bolz, a “prophetic” teacher who has been shown to have most likely been using hot reading techniques to wow Christian congregations around the US, and Kristina Dines, a woman whose toes were supposedly magically restored years after they had been amputated, after she attended a faith healing church service.
About this episode Our Guests: + Jared Brandon * Useful Links: + Unholy Light * Articles we talk about: + Christian Hot Readings + Show me the Toes! * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-02-02*
We’re back after a hiatus over the Christmas break, with a look into all things skeptical. The team starts off talking about Megalag’s latest videos covering the Honey browser extension debacle. Bronwyn has been looking into the new season of The Telepathy Tapes, and also checking out whether a recent umbrella review of alternative treatments for autism has found anything positive (spoiler: it hasn’t). Katrina is currently being spammed with adverts for “natural” menopause treatments, and has checked out whether any of them have any merit (spoiler: they don’t). And finally Mark has been looking into a relatively new aerospace startup called Reflect Orbital, to see if their business model of shining sunlight onto solar farms at night makes financial sense (spoiler: it doesn’t).
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Menopause Supplements + Wham, Bam, Autism scams and a grand slam: Telepathy Tapes, Autistic Barbie, and a systematic review. + Reflect Orbital: Engineering marvel or just smoke and mirrors? * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2026-01-20*
In our last Yeah… Nah! episode of 2025, we have an odd mix of topics to cover - but that doesn’t stop Bronwyn from being able to connect them somehow, as well as tie them in with the theme of Christmas. After some housekeeping, Mark talks about his foray into nature documentaries, dissecting a scene from the 1970s movie “Animals are Beautiful People” and questioning whether any of it is real. Katrina has a dream that one day she might be able to walk into her kitchen and ask a 3D printer to make her a meal, but it turns out that that day is probably a long way off. And Bronwyn has found out (shock horror) that a Netflix documentary series about a claimed UFO abduction plays fast and loose with the truth.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Doomsday Comedy reaches New Zealand + 2025 AGM Chair’s Report + Give me 3D printed dinners (please) + Can Elephants Hold Their Drink? + Review: The Manhattan Alien Abduction * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-12-08 + 2025-12-22*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, our team of intrepid podcasters reveal that the NZ Skeptics’ fundraising offer is just $50 shy of our $2,000 target. Mark then launches into an impassioned monologue about climate change and some of the correspondence he’s received recently. In the aftermath of the recent failed rapture predictions, Bronwyn has been keeping an eye on Tik Tok and has found the Next Big Thing for outraged Christians, a demon-possessed alarm clock. Katrina’s read a parenting book, Hunt, Gather, Parent, and has tried out some of its suggestions - although she remains skeptical about just how scientific the advice is. And finally the team talk about the second season of John Campbell’s documentary series on Destiny church, titled Under His Command, and wonder whether there’s scope for a more thorough look into the church and its finances.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Donate to Siouxsie and double your money + Why aren’t we skeptical about climate change? + Please don’t offer me opinion disguised as fact + How low do we want the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere? + Hunt, Gather, Parent - Book Review + The ghost in the machine: Are Hatch alarm clocks the highway to hell? + Review: Under His Command, Season 2 * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-11-10 + 2025-11-24*
In this special episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, we talk with longtime skeptic Siouxsie Wiles about taking her employer, Auckland University, to employment court over their lack of support for her science communication work. We get to hear some of the inside scoop about the court case, and try to figure out why the university chose to go down the legal path rather than making a few simple changes to their policies.
About this episode Links to resources we talk about: + Period People Aotearoa: https://www.toiaria.org/our-projects/period-people-aotearoa/ + Period People donations: https://support.auckland.ac.nz/ppa + Spinoff piece about why Siouxsie’s crowdfunding: https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-11-2025/siouxsie-wiles-why-im-crowdfunding-despite-winning-my-legal-battle*
We’ve covered some serious topics in this week’s podcast, and some that are thankfully a little more light-hearted. Mark talks about a media request the NZ Skeptics have received to answer questions about UFOs, hoping to make it abundantly clear that despite a number of UFO articles on our website, we don’t actually believe that little green men are visiting us. Bronwyn has delved into our project to collate events of skeptical interest, and looks at what skeptical events happened this fortnight in history. Katrina tackles a more serious topic, of Parental Alienation, asking whether this “syndrome” is even real. And finally Mark continues in this serious vein by looking into New Zealand’s main Men’s Rights website, wondering why the site’s members seem to spend most of their time denigrating women and posting pseudoscientific nonsense.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Interview Request for Student Magazine Project + This fortnight in skeptical history - October 28th to November 9th + The Problem with Family Court Social Science + MENZ vs Reality * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-10-28*
We have more topics than usual on this week’s Yeah… Nah! podcast episode, with Bronwyn talking about Zholia Alemi and RFK Jr’s circumcision claims, Mark talking about the new book The War on Science and Avi Loeb’s doom and gloom predictions that aliens are coming to kill us, and finally Katrina talking about Gerson Therapy and another sad case of someone foregoing proper medical treatment, with dire consequences. Plus we have an update of sorts on the (non)Rapture of 2025.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Wham, Bam, Autism scams: Circumcisions and Autism + The Actual War on Science + Gerson Therapy strikes again + More bad medicine: Updates on the Zholia Alemi case + Avi Loeb Strikes Again * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-10-13*
Katrina’s back and in top form for this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, updating us on the latest research into keto diets, and recent experiments in mice. Mark has an up-date on the failed Rapture prediction, with a new date being suggested of the 7th of October, and a hand-waving excuse as to why it didn’t happen on the 24th. And there was no way Bronwyn wasn’t going to cover the recent claims by Trump and RFK Jr in the US that paracetamol use in pregnancy is the cause of autism.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + The 2025 Keto Mice Update + Why was the Rapture predicted for September the 24th? And why didn’t it happen? + Wham, Bam, Autism scams: Paracetamol. * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-09-29*
Quick, you only have a few days left before the Antichrist turns up for the end of the world - make sure your room’s tidy, and say goodbye to any Christians in your life before they’re whisked away. In this week’s episode, Mark talks about an Official Information Act request warning the government that the Rapture is happening on Wednesday the 24th of September, 2025, and breaks down what all the mentions of conspiracy theories are in the request. Bronwyn has found a worrying trend on social media of using scare tactics to stop women taking the contraceptive pill. Finally, Bronwyn and Tim talk about a recent talk given by Devamrita Swami to Vic Uni students who were lured in with the promise of free (vegan) food.
About this episode Our Guests: + Tim Atkin * Articles we talk about: + Birth Control Blues: TikTok is pushing contraceptive skepticism, but are influencers getting the science right? + The End of the World as we know it: September 24th * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-09-15*
This week in the Yeah… Nah! podcast, there’s a smorgasbord of skeptical topics for you to gorge yourself on. Bronwyn has updates to her previous articles on Cryonics, the Warrens, the Campbells and ISTA, while Katrina has concerns about how poor numeracy can have detrimental health outcomes. And Mark has been patiently waiting for a new game, Silksong, to be released, and has found an interesting parallel to how conspiracy theorists behave amongst the many people hyped up about the game’s long-awaited release.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Skeptical Updates + Numeracy and Health Outcomes + Silkposting and Rabbit Holes * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-09-01*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast there’s just one topic on all of our minds - The Telepathy Tapes. Bronwyn, Mark and Katrina talk to Janyce Boynton from the US about the world of Facilitated Communication (FC). Janyce is not only hugely knowledgeable about the world of FC, but was also once a practitioner herself. The conversation ranges from the 1990s through to today, covering not only FC but also RPM, S2C, telepathy, false abuse accusations, the complicity of higher education, copyright strikes, and a whole lot more.
About this episode Our Guests: + Janyce Boynton * Articles we talk about: + Wham, Bam, Autism scams: The Telepathy Tapes Part 1 + Wham, Bam, Autism scams: The Telepathy Tapes Part 2 + Quantum communication in telepathy + The Talk Tracks + The Telepathy Tapes Talk Tracks Two: Back for More * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-08-04 + 2025-08-18*
Despite the fact that all our podcast hosts wrote about the same topic for our newsletter this week, we’ve still ended up with a variety of discussions for the podcast. Bronwyn and Mark not only talk about The Telepathy Tapes, but also about their visit to see a talk given by Brother Guy Consolmagno, the head Vatican Astronomer. Katrina thoroughly debunks the idea that quantum entanglement could explain telepathy between individuals who have been in close proximity to each other, and Mark laments the end of his regular Skeptical Activism evenings in Wellington.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Wham, Bam, Autism scams: The Telepathy Tapes Part 1 + Quantum communication in telepathy + The Talk Tracks + Goodbye Activism * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-08-04*
Katrina’s back from her holiday, so we’re back to full strength for this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast. Mark and Bronwyn visited a faith healing night, and they recount their experiences and their thoughts on whether God was present on the night. Katrina’s been trying to figure out whether a mixture of nootropics and neuroplasticity can rewire your brain. Mark’s been looking into a “cult” that’s so new the paint’s not even dry yet. And Bronwyn wonders whether the latest event related to Ed and Lorraine Warren might be different to all the others, or if it’s just more of the same nonsense.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Neuroplasticity and nootropics + Pioneer Ministry’s Revival Night + Possessed doll strikes again? + Children of the Waning Star * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-07-21*
Katrina’s been away on holiday, so we’ve replaced her in this episode with Aaron, an ex Jehovah’s Witness who’s spent some time on the NZ Skeptics committee. Mark and Aaron talk about Aaron’s attempt to prove Mark wrong about Diet Coke, and the lessons learned from this test about blind testing. Bronwyn completes her series on cryonics with a grab-bag of interesting facts she’s learned. And Mark seems to have got more than he bargained for when he looked into a silly idea about how you’re supposed to “implant” seeds so that they can better serve your needs.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Diet Coke Blind Test + Over-confidence and Cola + Seed Imprinting and Anastasia’s Ringing Cedars + Ringing Cedars in New Zealand? + A brief history of immortality: 80 years of Cryonics Part 3 * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-06-09 + 2025-07-07*
We figured there was a lot more life in the idea of people trying to live forever, so all three of our podcast hosts this week - Bronwyn, Katrina and Mark - have picked a topic related to human lifespans. Katrina lets us know how long we can expect people to live, and how both the average life expectancy and upper age limit of living people have changed over time. Mark has been looking into the people who try to use science to extend their lifespan for as long as possible, with some hoping to live forever - although they seem to be trusting more in pseudoscience than evidence-backed treatments. And Bronwyn has compared and contrasted the most well-known cryonics companies, as well as looking into a curious early attempt to bring cryonics to New Zealand.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + A brief history of immortality: 80 years of Cryonics Part 2 + Radical Life Extension + How long can humans live? * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-06-23*
Having been a week late with the last episode, we’re following up with an on-time episode, meaning you can listen to Yeah… Nah! two weeks in a row. This week Katrina wonders whether Trump’s Golden Dome idea of a missile defence shield around the US has any merit, and Bronwyn talks about the history of cryonics (not cryogenics). We also chat about our plan to cover the Telepathy Tapes, and suggest that some of our more intrepid listeners might want to try to listen to that podcast before we start talking about it - but beware, it’s horrifically pseudoscientific and intellectually painful to listen to.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + The Golden Dome + A brief history of immortality: 80 years of Cryonics, Part 1 * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-06-09*
As Bronwyn’s been on holiday overseas and come back suffering from food poisoning, we’ve recorded this episode a little late - but we’re sure it’s worth the wait! Mark gives his thoughts on John Campbell’s recent documentary series Under His Command, about the controversial Destiny Church and its leader, “Apostle” Brian Tamaki. Katrina looks into the scientific evidence for and against the idea of Mansplaining as a phenomenon, Bronwyn gives us an update on recent bad behaviour by members of the secretive Two by Twos church, and Mark’s been seeing some worrying trends when it comes to what Google’s search AI chooses to answer or refuse to answer.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Update on the Two by Twos + Review: Under His Command + Is ‘mansplaining’ a thing? + Better a Skeptic than Two Geese * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-05-26*
We’re all over the show with our new episode of Yeah… Nah!, starting with Mark talking about his recent visit to another Creationist talk - and this one was as inspiring as it was factual. Katrina’s been concerning herself with the question of whether octopuses are going to take over the world, and Bronwyn’s managed to dig up some archive material about a small church in Lower Hutt that appears to have had more than its fair share of controversy and bad behaviour during its lifetime.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + How Creationism Hurts My Brain + Could Octopodes take over the world? + Commonwealth Covenant Church: A forgotten NZ sect * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-05-12 * Mentioned* in this episode: + Dr Kemp’s Petition + Decult Film Night
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, the team ponder an email sent in by Barry Lennox, who knows a little more about EMF than the people selling EMF Rocks. Katrina finishes off her series on Sovereign Citizens, looking at how the courts have dealt with the madness, and Bronwyn and Mark both have some weird and wonderful stories about the Catholic church, just in time for the Conclave.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Catholic Conspiracies + Holy Weed and Holy Forgeries + SoulCore - Catholic Yoga + EMF WooWoo + Sovereign Citizens: Part Three - the Courts * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-04-28*
Scams, scams, scams in this episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, with Mark talking about his activism dealing with an NZ Post text-based scam, Bronwyn looking into vastly-overpriced bags of rocks that are supposed to protect you from harmful Electromagnetic radiation, and Katrina documenting how some Sovereign Citizens in New Zealand have been trying to scam Justices of the Peace into signing copies of their sham legal documents.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + NZ Post Scams: A little bit of Activism + Sovereign Citizens: Part Two – Justices of the Peace + EMF can't hurt you if you're dead: A new nadir for the electrosensitivity industry * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-04-14*
In this episode of the only official podcast of the NZ Skeptics ever to have existed, Bronwyn is concerned that skeptical slapdowns aren’t enough to keep a good bullshit peddler down, Mark is dismayed at people contacting the NZ Skeptics who want us to try to trick search engines into increasing our ranking, and Katrina starts a very long journey in the first of a multi-part look into the history of sovereign citizens, and what they’re up to in New Zealand.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + SEO Shenanigans: A story in four emails + SEO Silliness + Wham, Bam, Autism Scams: Wasting resources, and having conflicts of interest, in a White House that claims to want neither + Sovereign Citizens: Part One - Intro, Police and Councils * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-03-03 + 2025-04-03*
In this episode of the Yeah... Nah! podcast, hosts Bronwyn Rideout, Mark Honeychurch and Katrina Borthwick explore the ethical implications of using AI tools when making content for the NZ Skeptics. They discuss recent weather-related scams surrounding Cyclone Alfred, the latest strange trend on TikTok involving telekinesis, and the dubious intellectual claims of Christopher Langan - with a detailed critique of how scammers often leverage high IQ claims.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + TikTok Telekinesis: Fun or Foily + Cyclone Alfred Nonsense + Chris Langan - Smartest Man in the World? * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-03-17*
In this episode of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, extra special guest James Kerr joins the crew for a conversation about how a fundamental misunderstanding of how government works can lead people to believe in grand conspiracies. Bronwyn gives an update on ISTA, who are currently in a little hot water. And Katrina has found a handy online game called Bad News that teaches people about online disinformation.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Mulder would be QAnon: The deep roots of a modern conspiracy + Keep it real online + ISTA (International School of the Temple Arts) and Highden make actual headlines * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-03-03*
In the latest episode of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, your hosts lament the latest nonsense stunt pulled by Destiny Church. Mark reports back from the recent Wellington anti-fluoride meeting, featuring American fluoride activist Michael Connett. Everyone has watched the new Netflix show about cancer quacks, Apple Cider Vinegar, so we get a breakdown of the show from Katrina, and an investigation into the real history of one of the main characters from Bronwyn.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Michael Connett's Wellington Talk + Apple Cider Vinegar + Issues logical and lexical: A scavenger hunt through Jessica Ainscough's digital detritus * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-02-18*
In this episode, we first ponder Mark and Bronwyn’s upcoming trip to Auckland, and then get down to business sharing our thoughts on the movie Heretic. Katrina has some worrying news about an asteroid coming our way in a little under a decade, and Mark looks at the recent scandal with PayPal’s Honey browser extension, drawing parallels to an older scandal that happened much closer to home in skeptical circles.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Movie Review: Heretic + Incoming Asteroid just might hit earth + Honey: Kessler's Flying Circus on Steroids * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-02-03*
It’s an episode of looking back this week, with both Bronwyn and Mark revisiting old stories. Bronwyn gives us an update on cult member and soon-to-be US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, while Mark has been keeping his eye on the resurrection of the Global Flourishing group in Auckland. Katrina has been learning all about hacking and social engineering, and kept track of all the media stories over Christmas involving people falling prey to internet scams. And Mark gives everyone a heads up that Michael Connett, son of anti-fluoride activist Paul Connett, will be in New Zealand soon giving talks around the country.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Skeptical Updates + Global Flourishing is Back + The Six weeks of Scamming * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-01-21*
We’re back after a well-deserved Christmas break, and we have more aliens to talk about. After hearing about Mark’s job as Best Man at a wedding where the guests were mostly either Jehovah’s Witnesses or Salvation Army members, Katrina keeps us updated on the latest proposed addition to the Drake Equation, bringing estimates of the number of alien civilisations in our galaxy down even further. Then Bronwyn and Mark talk about both their visits to Share International, and the history of the group under the leadership of Benjamin Creme.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Revisiting Drake + Visiting Share International + The History of Share International * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2025-01-06*
CONTENT WARNING: This episode involves Mark describing his colonic irrigation in excruciating detail, and includes audio samples of his ordeal. As well as this horrendous segment, Bronwyn talks about how December in NZ is connected with UFOs and aliens, and Brad has tried to answer a question about playing a piano on Mars, a thought experiment that turns out to have more depth to it than you might think.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + How would a piano sound on Mars? + Ring around Uranus: My Colonic, part 1 * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-12-23*
The Yeah… Nah! crew are preparing for Christmas, and for Mark this means getting ready for his upcoming colonic irrigation. Bronwyn has spent the last month annoying Mark by sending him AI videos of buff and chubby cats, and then decided to try to figure out what’s motivating the people who have been making them. Brad has noticed a relatively new trend that vocalists are using, and wonders if it’s a case of form above function. Katrina has found some pretty obscure local cryptids, although it appears that all of them have likely rational explanations. And finally Mark has been watching sermons given by Jonathan Ayling, the CEO of the Free Speech Union, and wonders whether his love of free speech hides an ulterior motive.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Chubby the AI cat: Another image scan, Elsagate 2024, or a bit of both? + Hip-singing and vocal fry; why do I hate them so much? + Cryptids of New Zealand: Part 1 + Cryptids of New Zealand: Part 2 + Jonathan Ayling - a wolf in sheep’s clothing * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-11-25 + 2024-12-09 + 2025-01-21*
The team are back from the NZ Skeptics’ annual conference and ready to give you their honest thoughts on how the event went, along with a low-down of each of the speakers’ talks. And, as if that isn’t enough to fill an entire episode, we also hear from Bronwyn about claims that lasers can cure autism, and from Mark who has now watched three out of five Christian apologist movies in the God’s Not Dead series from Pureflix, and has failed to solve a mystery.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Post Conference Thoughts + Wham, Bam, Autism Scam: Pew pew Autism lasers + God's Not Dead 3: A Light in Darkness * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-11-25*
We’re at the NZ Skeptics’ annual conference for this special live recording of Yeah… Nah! We reveal our Bent Spoon, Bravo and Skeptic of the Year winners, trash talk the Go Green Expo (and LifeWave in particular) and try to convince our live audience that going on a ghost hunting tour is a really fun thing to do.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Go Green Garbage + X39 Patches, brought to you by LifeWave + There's a patch for that: LifeWave moves into New Zealand + Ghost Hunting for Skeptics + Post Conference Thoughts * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-11-11 + 2024-11-25*
Mark and Bronwyn are back from the DeCult conference, and have some thoughts about their experiences while they were there, and some of the suggestions that had been floated about how to deal with the issue of cults. Mark comes full-circle on the idea of a weirdly shaped straw, Katrina wants to be a super-hero, but is disappointed in the lack of progress science is making to realise her dreams. And Brad gets horsey again, trying to figure out why some of his friends and colleagues pay good money for ineffective equine treatments.
Warning: This episode has brief mentions of abuse during the cult segment.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Decompressing from DeCult + Anti-Ageing Straws + Superhero science IRL + Equine Touch * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-10-29*
Another fortnight, another episode of your favourite podcast, Yeah… Nah! This time round the block, we’re all over the place, starting with Katrina talking about the history of Halloween traditions. Mark has been farming his children for content again, and has learned about Aura Points. Bronwyn’s found yet another dodgy piece of autism research, and Brad’s been considering the importance of choosing your words carefully.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + All Hallows Eve + Aura Points + Wham, Bam, Autism Scams: Reversing Autism through diet and therapy + Weaponising Words * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-10-14*
Brad’s just had surgery, but that’s not stopping him from coming onto the podcast this week, where the team talk about his operation, as well as a brain drink he was given by a well-meaning client. Katrina talks about multivariate data analysis, and Mark considers whether sticking your tongue against the roof of your mouth is going to give you a chiselled jaw and perfect teeth.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + More variables please (with sprinkles on top) + Mewing + Ārepa: great minds drink alike? Or a storm in a drink bottle? * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-09-30*
In this VERY special episode, Mark and Bronwyn talk with Anke, a journalist with a long-standing interest in cult groups who is organising a weekend conference in Christchurch in October that focuses on all things culty. We talk about cult survivors, cult experts, the difficulties of organising a large event, and Anke’s hopes for the future.
We’ve not scared Katrina or Brad away yet, so the Yeah… Nah! team are marching on, to pastures new. Both Mark and Bronwyn have been poking around astrology software, trying to figure out what, and who, makes it tick. Brad has tried to make sense of the impossible - homeopathy - and its use in treating horses. And Katrina looks into creative ways to get high both legally and for free.
About this episode Articles we talk about:
+ A steaming pile of Horse Homeopathy
+ The
It’s our first episode with new co-hosts Katrina Borthwick and Brad MacClure, so the Yeah… Nah! squad 2.0 get to work tackling some topical issues. Bronwyn, Katrina and Mark have all suffered through watching the entire season of spiritual healing reality TV show Lost Resort, and have a lot to say about it. Katrina has looked into a dubious chiropractic company who caused a New Zealand scientific paper to be retracted. Brad complains about a fellow old-white-man who’s been complaining about the Olympics. And Mark points out the clinical ineffectiveness of the Throckmorton Sign in radiology.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Skeptical AV Club: Lost Resort (American Reality Series, 2020) + NZ Researcher Silenced + Richard Dawkins is officially a curmudgeon + The Throckmorton Sign * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-09-02*
It’s the end of an era for the Yeah… Nah! podcast as we bid Craig farewell. After we recover from the shock of his departure, we get down to business. Brian Paavo joins us from his helicopter to tell us about his recent visit to Scientology in Honolulu, Bronwyn snakes her way through Spiritualist history, from the enactment of the Spiritualist Church of New Zealand Act 1924 through to Red Seal Toothpaste, and Mark dunks on a couple of new personal AI devices.
About this episode Our Guest + Brian Paavo * Articles we talk about: + Scientological Visit + Mobile AI, over-promising and under-delivering + The Spiritualist Church of New Zealand Act 1924 * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-08-19*
Craig is back and as busy as ever, so you might be listening to this podcast on a day that is not Thursday. This week we are chewing the fat about intuitive eating, The Divine Light Mission, and bad batteries.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + The Child Lord of the Universe: Prem Rawat and the Divine Light Mission, Part 1 + The child god grows up: Prem Rawat and the Divine Light Mission, Part 2 + Intuitive Eating + The Calm after the Steorn * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-08-05 + 2024-07-22*
Craig is away again this week, and again we’ve had to call on two committee members to do the job of one. Returning guests Dan Ryan and Katrina Borthwick try not to get bogged down by bad data, either historical or contemporary; Mark takes transubstantiation to its logical extreme; and Dan needs tech support for a sentient laptop monitor.
About this episode Our Guests: + Katrina Borthwick + Dan Ryan * Articles we talk about: + Bogged Down by Mistakes: Tracking two hundred years of Irish Misinformation + Paper mills + 900 ft. Jesus? * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-07-22*
Craig is away this episode and singing his heart out at the World Choir Games, leaving Bronwyn and Mark to fill the hole he’s left in their hearts (at least for the next two weeks). Fortunately, they’ve been able to replace him twice over with TWO special guests! Committee member Brad MacClure returns to discuss placebos, and Hamish Dickson makes his podcast debut to share his visit to the Dunedin Spiritual Expo. Bronwyn is back on her Colin Amery nonsense, and Mark talks about everything. If you are in Auckland next week, be sure to stay listening for our Membership corner, for a special Skeptics in the Pub announcement.
About this episode Our Guests: + Brad MacClure + Hamish Dickson * Articles we talk about: + Stop crediting the placebo effect, it doesn’t make you better! + The Dunedin Spiritual Expo + Tarotmancer: A brief biography of Colin Amery + Jim Ring, Nelson + YouTube Update + Souls of the dead tracking across the sky * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-07-08*
“Yeah…Nah!” says hell yeah to another episode with a smorgasbord of features. Craig tags along to a Matariki celebration; Bronwyn wonders if her sugar-free electrolytes are illegal, and Mark keeps himself busy as always; getting the NZ Skeptics out of the YouTube naughty corner, attending a creationist “education” session.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Are sugar-free electrolyte drinks actually illegal in New Zealand? + In the YouTube Naughty Corner + Matariki 2024 + Eyelashes on an Ichthyosaur * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-06-24*
Your faithful podcasters are testing the limits of the NZ Skeptics’ insurance policy in this episode. Craig laments on Michael Shermer’s turn towards the unskeptical; Mark reads Sue Nicholson’s memoir, so you don’t have to; and Bronwyn examines the life of a former global Skeptics challenge contender, Colin Amery. Heads up for mentions of suicide and child death.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + A Call from the Other Side + Tarotmancer: A brief biography of Colin Amery + Michael Shermer used to be a good skeptic * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-06-10 + 2024-05-13*
Buckle in for a wild yet contemplative ride. We’re talking about the fast-tracked ‘gamer’ saint and Jason Scamoa. Craig may be onto a winner with an astrology-based betting system, and Bronwyn and Mark try to beat Wellington on a not-great day by checking out the School of Practical Philosophy.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + Don the Astrologer + A Visit to the School of Practical Philosophy + Get schooled: A practical history of the School of Practical Philosophy + Jason Momoa: From Aquaman to Aquascam * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-05-27*
With the news that Reality Check Radio met their fundraising goals, the “Yeah… Nah!” team are back to their old tricks: tapping into the New Zealand zeitgeist, and maybe signing our own deals with the devil. This week, we expound on the science of the Aurora Australis, the portrayal of skeptics on film, Marsden Point, and the recent sale of ex-Centrepoint site Kawai Purapura.
About this episode Articles we talk about: + A Beautiful Display + Movie Review: Late Night with the Devil + Marsden Pointless * Newsletter issues these articles appear in: + 2024-05-13*
Our upcoming Events Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub: + Auckland + Wellington + Dunedin * Meet online at Skeptics in Cyberspace + Connect with us on Zoom * Join us at our 2024 annual Conference: + In Auckland, from the 15th to 17th of November*
Help us out NZ Skeptical History project + Submit a date of interest * Give yourself the gift of skepticism + Register* to become a member
Get help from us Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity? + Apply for a small grant * Need some skeptical advice, or have something to tell us? + Email podcast@skeptics.nz * Want to learn more? + Sign up* for our biweekly newsletter
Yeah… Nah!’s ascent to the bottom rung of the NZ news ladder is on hold as Reality Check Radio scrambles for donations. Bronwyn explores an MLM that seems to have it all: misuse of real science, pseudoscientific practices, and talking olive trees. Mark makes the mistake of visiting Australia, and after weeks of badgering, Craig finally watches the new Gloriavale documentary Escaping Utopia.
- Articles we talk about:
- Conspiracy loons update
- The state of the Mo-nation: MLM Monat in turmoil in the US
- Oliveda/The Olive Tree People: $15,000 for what???!!
- Trans-Tasman Troublemaking
- Newsletters:
- 2024-04-29
- Events:
- Save the date: November 15th-17th for the NZ Skeptics and NZARH Joint Conference at Fickling Convention Centre, Auckland. Visit conference.skeptics.nz for details and updates as they become available
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Another week, another NZ news outlet bites the dust. Will Yeah…Nah continue it’s slow rise to the top of the NZ media mountain on pure attrition? It sure feels like it! Join us as Craig potentially eulogises Reality Check Radio. Bronwyn makes a case for archiving all sorts of sundry websites, and Mark investigates an audio mystery.
- Articles we talk about:
- RCR gets a reality check?
- Ghosts of futures’ past: The fragility of digital archives
- Time Travelling Song Lyrics
- Newsletters:
- 2024-04-15
- Events:
- Save the date: November 15th-17th for the NZ Skeptics and NZARH Joint Conference at Fickling Convention Centre, Auckland. Visit conference.skeptics.nz for details and updates as they become available
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
It’s a smorgasbord of topics on the podcast for the week after holy week. Mark has some very definitive things to say about the resurrection and the Sex.Life podcast; Craig considers a future as a bible salesman; and Bronwyn goes to extremes with a mini update on Raman Pascha.
- Articles we talk about:
- Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?
- Bibles for sale!
- Sex.Life.Nonsense
- Channelling cash with Raman Pascha
- Newsletters:
- 2024-04-02
- Events:
- Save the date: November 15th-17th for the NZ Skeptics and NZARH Joint Conference at Fickling Convention Centre, Auckland. More details to come.
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
In this week’s episode, Craig, Bronwyn and Mark are back with some weird and wonderful topics. Mark has been visited by Mormon sister missionaries, again. Bronwyn has responded to a request for comment about a psychic cafe in Katikati, Craig has been on a field trip to an Effective Altruism meeting at Rationalist House, and Mark has spent the last two months rolling one side of his face with a jade roller.
- Articles we talk about:
- Katikati Psychic Cafe
- Effective Altruism at University
- They See Me (Jade) Rollin'
- Newsletters:
- 2024-03-18
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Yeah…Nah is back to definitely not bring you the 6pm news from your local cranks, and those around the world. The gang talks about their surprise at receiving actual mail; Special guest Louise chats about King Charles’ magical thinking; Bronwyn is dismayed by developments from Alabama; Craig gives an early post-mortem of New Zealand journalism; and Mark is still on a wicket about cheaters, fakers, and plagiarists.
- Articles we talk about:
- How to shoot yourself in the foot: Alabama, rights of the Embryo
- Majestic magical thinking
- Queen Pwnzalot
- News on the news
- Newsletters:
- 2024-03-04
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Craig broke himself at the gym, but valiantly rallied so that he could avoid postponing this episode! Katrina is back to give a low down on the repeal of the Therapeutic Products Act, Mark has a movie review for us, Craig is inspired by individuals who hold multiple crank ideas at once, and Bronwyn discusses the Christchurch phenomenon that is Yasmeen Clark and Raman Pascha.
- Articles we talk about:
- Repeal of the Therapeutic Products Act 2023 – What does this mean?
- Response to a member’s concern
- Movie Review: The Mandela Effect
- Crank Magnetism
- Crossed Lines: Ascended Masters and the Kiwis who channel them: Yasmeen Clark and Raman Pascha, Part 1
- Newsletters:
- 2024-02-19
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Business Shout-out: Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe (Facebook)
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Welcome back for another rundown on skeptical topics, old and new, that make the world go round. Craig gives an update on Neuralink; Mark sets us straight on historical myths and reverse idioms; and Bronwyn talks about Alice A. Bailey, the grandmother of the New Age, and what she has to do with New Zealand.
- Articles we talk about:
- New Neuralink News
- Crossed Lines: Ascended Masters and the Kiwis who channel them (3 parts)
- Skepticism away from the Coal Face
- Newsletters:
- 2024-02-05
- 2024-01-08
- 2023-12-23
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Business Shout-out: Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe (Facebook)
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Another fortnight, another podcast. Bronwyn gives us some news hot off the internet, and exposes Craig for having a very expensive EMF Meter. Mark is sent in circles by Circling, and Craig gives a literal armchair critique of a YouTube debate between Evolutionary Biologist/Christian Apologist Dr. Zach Ardern and Stephen Woodward of the YouTube channel Rationality Rules.
- Articles we talk about:
- Yet another ISTA update
- A very human update on the “living man”, Roger Blake
- Dr Zach vs Rationality Rules
- Circle-jerk-ing
- Newsletters:
- 2024-01-23
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Help us out:
- Nominate usfor the Listener Choice Award at the New Zealand Podcast Awards
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Need a present for the office’s Secret Sagan exchange? Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
No more tears! Yeah… Nah! is back for 2024 with a recent addition to our guest host retinue, new NZ Skeptics committee member Louise Richardson. We expel a bit of hot air over the books we’ve read during the hiatus, before delving into our favourite topics from the last couple of editions of the newsletter; Mark is scouted by a predatory journal, and Louise gives us two solid topics: Jim Humble’s tumble off the mortal coil, and being kinder when engaging skeptically online.
- Articles we talk about:
- Some predatory journals have no sense
- Book Review: How Minds Change
- Shadow Worlds: A History of the Occult and Esoteric in New Zealand - A review
- Jim Humble and the MMS Pantomime
- Newsletters:
- 2024-01-08
- 2023-12-25
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Help us out:
- Nominate usfor the Listener Choice Award at the New Zealand Podcast Awards
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Need a present for the office’s Secret Sagan exchange? Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
The truth can be strange, but the ways that people can and do twist it can oftentimes be stranger. In this installment of the Yeah… Nah! podcast, we talk about the Mother Of All Revelations (MOAR) and find debunkers in unexpected places. Mark breaks down 15 Minute Cities, and the inevitable conspiracy theories that had risen from them, and Bronwyn pulls another one from the archives and chats about Tabaash, one of several millennia-old deities that have chosen kiwis to be their vessels of choice.
- Articles we talk about:
- Barry Young and the data dump
- 15 minute cities
- Crossed Lines: Ascended Masters and the Kiwis who channel them
- Newsletters:
- 2023-12-11
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Help us out:
- Nominate usfor the Listener Choice Award at the New Zealand Podcast Awards
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Need a present for the office’s Secret Sagan exchange? Give the gift of Skepticism to someone who really needs it by signing them up to Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Recorded live in front of a skeptical audience. We talk about our annual awards, the media Bravos, Skeptic of the Year, and a very surprising winner of the Bent Spoon. We also have our own bugbears to share: Craig talks about the emerging scandal that is the Twin Flames universe, Mark describes his attempt to entrap an online scammer named Agent Patrick Smith, and Bronwyn picks apart the myth of Blue Zones.
- Articles we talk about:
- Our 2023 Awards
- Twin Flames: Twin Documentaries
- Are blue zones bogus
- Would the real Judy Eliassen please stand up
- Running out of Steam: The fake Judy scam, part 2
- Newsletters:
- 2023-11-27
- 2023-11-20
- 2023-11-13
- 2023-10-30
- Events:
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Help us out:
- Nominate usfor the Listener Choice Award at the New Zealand Podcast Awards
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Apologies for the unexpected break. We’ve all been struck down with some form of old age (Craig), covid (Mark), and an otherwise unspecified cold (Bronwyn). But never fear, we have things to say about the past three weeks! Craig gives us a rundown of Arepa’s recent fall from grace, Bronwyn talks about the lengths people go to not celebrate Halloween, and Mark reveals that his house is becoming a proving ground for Mormon missionaries.
- Articles we talk about:
- Ārepa
- Hell Houses, Trunk-or-Treats, and Light Parties: How Hallowe’en alternative spread the gospel during the spooky season
- Sisters are doing it for… a creepy old man
- Newsletters:
- 2023-11-06
- 2023-10-30
- Events:
- Conference: November 24th-26th, 2003 at Toitῡ - Otago Settlers Museum.
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- Nominate usfor the Listener Choice Award at the New Zealand Podcast Awards
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
The gang is back this week with a bit of election talk, and a morbid curiosity about how the minority parties fared. Craig gives us a non-EV topic, debunking fears about spontaneously combusting lithium ion batteries, while Mark, still chasing that Eastern Lightning high, gets embroiled in more online scams. Bronwyn closes out the episode with three cases of fraudulent medical practice, either by New Zealanders, or with a Kiwi connection.
- Articles we talk about:
- A week in NZ Skeptical History - October 16th - 22th
- CleverTap Scam: Work From Home, make thousands
- CleverTap Scam: Can I Scam the Scammers?
- EV Fires
- Newsletters:
- 2023-10-16
- 2023-04-03
- Links:
- 'Almost killed me': The fire risk lurking in almost every home
- 2023 General Election - Preliminary Count
- Fake Middlemore Hospital doctor Yuvaraj Krishnan with ‘Walter Mitty view of life’ sentenced to jail
- Events:
- Conference: November 24th-26th, 2003 at Toitῡ - Otago Settlers Museum.
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
This week, our guest Tim Price tells Mark why he should say Yeah… Nah! to VPNs; Craig engages in one-sided email fisticuffs about gender; and Bronwyn gets grumpy about New Zealand’s role in the distribution of GcMAF, a fake cancer and Autism treatment.
- Our Guests:
- Tim Price
- Articles we talk about:
- VPN companies and their claims
- Wham, Bam, Autism Scams - The bad actors and bad science behind the most egregious claims about the causes and cure for Autism
- Newsletters:
- 2023-10-02
- Links:
- https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-science-of-biological-sex/
- Events:
- Conference: November 24th-26th, 2003 at Toitῡ - Otago Settlers Museum.
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
Welcome back to another instalment of the Yeah…Nah Podcast. Craig has some thoughts about a recent RNZ interview on Near Death Experiences; Bronwyn looks at the New Zealand connection to Miracle Mineral Supplement, and the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing; Super special guest Katrina is back with a post mortem of sorts on the Therapeutic Products Act; and Mark shares his experience of being catfished.
- Our guests:
- Katrina Borthwick
- Articles we talk about:
- Wham, Bam, Autism Scams - The bad actors and bad science behind the most egregious claims about the causes and cure for Autism
- Catfish Noodles
- A Second Helping of Catfish Noodles
- Therapeutic Products Act analysis
- RNZ Expert Feature: Near death experiences
- Relevant Newsletters:
- 2023-09-18
- 2023-09-11
- 2023-09-04
- Events:
- Conference: November 24th-26th, 2003 at Toitῡ - Otago Settlers Museum.
- Come and meet us at Skeptics in the Pub:
- Wellington
- Auckland
- Dunedin
- Help us out:
- NZ Skeptical History project: Submit a date of interest
- Become a member of the NZ Skeptics
- Need financial assistance for a skeptical activity?
- Apply for a small grant from the NZ Skeptics.
The team at Yeah… Nah! revel in their atheism this week. We try to answer Nic Blackie’s 5 questions for non-Christians; Bronwyn ponders Naisi Chen’s hosting gig as Prayers @ Parliament’s parliamentary host; and Craig gives his mea culpa about John Dee, and talks random climate data on random substacks.
In this special episode, we talk to Melanie Trecek-King, one of this year’s conference speakers who will be joining us all the way from the United States. As well as working as an associate professor, Melanie runs Thinking is Power, an organisation whose mission is to teach critical thinking skills to both students and everyone… Continue reading 2023-08-26: Melanie Trecek-King
Bronwyn kicks off the episode with some spicy MLM drama, courtesy of Stampin’ Up. Mark peers down the rabbit hole of Liz Gunn and her connection to the Fabian Society and, in a similar vein, Craig investigates Voices for Freedom’s claims that the COVID vaccine is causing an additional 90 deaths per week. To close… Continue reading 2023-08-23: Stampin’ Gunn Excess Mass
In honour of the documentary Ms. Information being screened as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival, Siouxsie Wiles and Director Gwen Isaac join us for a rather fun episode. Craig gets skeptical about Thermography, an alternative breast cancer screening tool; having been kicked out of Eastern Lightning, Mark is a man with time… Continue reading 2023-08-09: Ms. GoFlo Thermography by Two
Craig is back in the saddle, although still a little rusty on the mic – but we forgive him (because we need him to edit the podcast). Mark reveals the ignoble end of his time with Eastern Lightning. Recurring guests Tim Atkin and Alexander Maxwell return, as we recollect on Julian Batchelor’s most recent attempt… Continue reading 2023-07-24: American Lightning Co-Governance
Craig is back on NZ soil in body, but not quite in mind, so while he gets over his jet lag Bronwyn, Mark and Katrina have invited fellow committee member Brad McClure to the party. Brad enlightens us that if our hearts did beat at 432 Hz, cancer wouldn’t be a problem because we’d be… Continue reading 2023-07-12: 432 Binaural Pain Poll
Craig is still AWOL at his secret MLM conference so Bronwyn and Mark keep calling in some blood debts. Long-suffering skeptic James Kerr finally humours us with his presence, and gives the team an education on Universal Basic Income. Bronwyn talks about what put the zing in ZAP (Zenith Applied Philosophy). Mark talks about that… Continue reading 2023-06-28: UBI UFO ZAP Myths
Craig has abandoned us, so Bronwyn and Mark abandon any sense of brevity in revolt. Mark gives an update on the wind down of his time with Eastern Lightning, and Bronwyn talks about Frank Turnbull, David Mayo and the early history of Scientology in New Zealand. Return guests Katrina and Daniel carry the rest of… Continue reading 2023-06-14: Scientology Mermaid Chip Freedoms
Long time listener, but definitely not first time caller, Susan Shearer joins the crew this week to train the most problematic (and only) member of her downline. Bronwyn gives an update on the various travails of Highden Temple and the International School of the Temple Arts, and Craig offers a tongue in cheek eulogy to… Continue reading 2023-05-31: Disinformation Temple Upline
Craig is back with us and having a breather before his future travels to Utah, so we are making him work twice as hard. We debunk the rise of mercury in retrograde in the current newscycle; devour a very interesting Official Information Act Request; despair that claiming allodial title doesn’t preclude you from paying taxes;… Continue reading 2023-05-17: Da Allodial Sleepdrop Retrograde
When the chair entity is away, the committee members really struggle to keep to any agenda. While Craig is off galavanting in cafes on the other side of the ditch, Bronwyn and Mark call in reinforcements in the form of Katrina and Alistair, both of whom have provided variety in our past two newsletters. Al… Continue reading 2023-05-03: Adytum Junk Prophets
Craig joins us on a high after he spent the evening stumping the comedians on the show 7 Days, and talks about magical Gummy Bears. Mark travels down a rabbit hole of woo that goes from Buddha stones, to ghosts, to wishing plates, and back again, and Bronwyn brings the show to an end with… Continue reading 2023-04-19: Jolly Keto Buddha
Hell is empty, and the heathens are recording on a sunny Good Friday. Mark bemoans the fact that he is aging, and rants about being upsold on bluelight filters at SpecSavers. Craig is salty at Bronwyn’s trolling, yet nevertheless answers the call to talk about the recent EV fire on the Auckland motorway. We discuss… Continue reading 2023-04-07: $100,000 Easter Bluelight Comfort Fire
Mark has found a failing of ChatGPT, but it’s not what you think. Bronwyn and Mark talk about their recent experience making an oral submission for the Therapeutic Products Bill. Finally, the team talks to Stuart Landsborough; lifelong skeptic, recent retiree, and the founder of Puzzling World and the NZ $100,000 Psychic Challenge.
We are a smaller contingent this week, but not by much. Dan Ryan returns to share how his and Mark’s investigation into the Chinese sect Eastern Lightning is progressing. Census day was March 7th, and we wonder whether the recent deluge of Star Wars content will impact the Jedi population. We also talk about Drag… Continue reading 2022-03-08: Eastern Drag Census
One, two, three, four, five… five committee members on the Yeah…Nah! podcast, Buckle in for a bit of a longer episode this week, as we sit in front of our microphones and talk about all and sundry. Craig practically had a private audience with Destiny Church acolyte Lincoln Russ; Bronwyn discusses one of the most… Continue reading 2023-02-21: Above Russ Hacking Bill
This episode is a cracker. We pour one out for Darwin, Craig’s very good boy who recently crossed the rainbow bridge. Guest host Katrina talks about Henry the 8th and the Herbalists Charter of 1542, while Bronwyn talks about all things Bill Gothard.
The team sticks to the basics this week. We voice our concerns about the Therapeutic Products Bill, and whether there is too much wiggle room for natural health products (aka NHPs). Mark goes on a rant about advertising on podcasts (and has a weirdly specific hate for mattresses), Bronwyn gets to briefly mention Chris Butler… Continue reading 2023-01-24: Natural Mattress Cult
This week, with the sad absence of Bronwyn, regulars Craig and Mark are joined by recurring guest Alexander Maxwell, as well as Peter Harrison, former head of the Association of Rationalists and Humanists. The show starts off with a discussion about unethical advertising of diet plans, progresses to talk about whether we can have our… Continue reading 2023-01-11: Slim Scots Bot
Mark returns, Bronwyn’s multitasking needs work, Craig tries to convince himself that everything is fine and Robyn Ramsden is our guest this week, on Yeah…Nah! Mark kicks off the festivities with a modern urban legend about boiling disposable batteries to recharge them. Keeping with the topic of the danger of batteries, Robyn Ramsden gives us… Continue reading 2022-12-20: Battery Powered Tarot Fire
Due to puzzling circumstances, Mark sat this episode out – but the show must go on. Freelance journalist Anke Richter joins us from the South Island as we talk unvaccinated blood, shake our heads (again!) in (deepening) dismay about Sue Grey and Liz Gunn, and express our shock at Sean Plunket being the voice of… Continue reading 2022-12-13: Sue Grey and Richter’s Scale
Bronwyn, Craig and Mark are live at the 2022 NZ Skeptics Conference, talking to the audience about their recent skeptical encounters. Craig has been arguing with people on Twitter about Electric Vehicles (EVs) and whether they’re environmentally friendly, while Bronwyn has been researching the conservative fad that is Trad Wives. Mark talks about his time… Continue reading 2022-11-27: Electric Trad Conference Crusade
Bronwyn, Craig and Mark commiserate about the Go (not so) Green Expo, while special guest Alistair Blenney tells us more about pineal gland activator Caeayaron (Kyron) and their earthbound human voicemail, Suzanna Emmanuel. Bronwyn discusses the importance of being vigilant about scientific fraud in the West, while Mark continues to sift through the garbage that… Continue reading 2022-11-15: Green Caeayaron Frank Fraud
We continue to dangle the carrot of becoming a permanent co-host in front of Alexander Maxwell, and this time we have been rewarded with his thoughts on phrenology, activism and Dr. Kellog. Mark talks about No Nut November, Bronwyn tries to segue everything so that she can chat about ISTA and Highden, and Craig kicks… Continue reading 2022-11-01: Celibate Climate Cranium Cult
What do esoteric soap labels, schadenfreude, and dearly departed celebrities have in common? Not much; and while Bronwyn, Craig, and Mark don’t subscribe to apophenia in any form, they sure as hell are going to try to build clever segues between them. Events: The NZ Skeptics Conference will be held in Wellington on November 25th-27th,… Continue reading 2022-10-18: 27 Bronner Jones
It’s a full house on this week’s podcast. Tim Atkins joins us to talk about his recent submission to the newsletter, and Mark tries to determine if teledildonics had a role in US Grandmaster Hans Niemann’s cheating scandal. Craig shares that the Auckland Skeptics in the Pub had its first regular meeting, and everyone speculates… Continue reading 2022-10-05: BioKodeLab Chinese Chess
It’s been a fun-filled weekend for all three of us, with a skeptic themed road trip to Craig in Auckland for Bronwyn and Mark. As well as talking about our fascinating tour of the Mormon Temple, we also chat about our evening at Auckland Skeptics in the Pub, our cacao ceremony breakfast, a visit to… Continue reading 2022-09-20: Mormon Cacao Destiny Temple
Former NZ Skeptics committee member Lisa Ryan is our special guest this episode, giving us the rundown on the aftermath of the ARISE Pathfinding report. Craig demurs to tell us exactly why the christian pseudo-cult (or is that Pseudo-Christian cult…) Human Condition plagues his social media sidebar, Bronwyn talks about her current special interest of… Continue reading 2022-09-06: ISTA Arise Human Condition
Join Craig as he lives vicariously through Bronwyn and Mark’s stories from the Freedom and Rights Coalition’s March and People’s Court. The day was thankfully anti-climatic, but the legacy of Destiny’s original, anti-civil union “Enough is Enough” march loomed large with the official launch of a still unformed, Tamaki-driven, coalition party. Events: The NZ Skeptics… Continue reading 2022-08-23: A FARCing Special Episode
The hosts of the Yeah…Nah podcast are big fans of documentaries. Everyone saw Stuff Circuit’s Fire & Fury investigation into the current distributors of misinformation in New Zealand, and reminisced about the ghosts of cranks past. Daniel Ryan joins the team to discuss acupuncture, and also joins in on our chat about the new Gloriavale… Continue reading 2022-08-16: Gloriavale Acupuncture Furry
Oh no, the Yeah…Nah podcast returns. Mark talks about a poorly researched, racist documentary that he’s watching so that you don’t have to. Bronwyn and Mark chat about their recent pieces on high IQ societies, and Craig issues a correction about his article about endangered plankton. We also talk a little bit about fluoride, and… Continue reading 2022-08-02: Churchill Plankton IQ
Another week, another instalment of the Yeah…Nah podcast. We have some listener feedback from our previous episode, and Mark talks about the scam that is Moon Crystal Healing Bracelets. The group then laments the destruction of the Georgia Guidestones, and with it the conspiracies it inspired. Bronwyn closes out the show with some literal ancient… Continue reading 2022-07-19: Hippocratic Georgia Moon Crystal
Yeah…Nah returns, and you might get whiplash from this week’s topics. It’s Craig’s turn to be on the receiving end of critical feedback, for his use of inclusive language in his Roe vs Wade article. Bronwyn and Mark discuss their recent foray into kiwi Christian culture, with their field trip to Prayer@Parliament. Mark also examines… Continue reading 2022-07-05: Genderbread Charity Bones
Yeah…Nah is back as promised. We have shifted our fortnightly recordings by a week for the foreseeable future, but you, dear listeners, won’t miss out. In this installment, the team try to stay on topic as Mark debates whether the Google AI is actually sentient or was asked leading questions, Craig discusses the newest pivot… Continue reading 2022-06-21: Sentient ACE Voices
Two weeks of Yeah…Nah in a row? It’s the gift you never knew you wanted, but it’s exactly what you need. And it’s a bumper of an episode too, with Deanne the barrister answering all of our questions about defamation and shady practitioners. We also talk about the unexpected delay in this week’s newsletter release,… Continue reading 2022-06-07: Mailchimp Cancel Culture Lawyer
May has come to a close, and the Yeah…Nah! Podcast brings you the first podcast for June. SPECIAL GUEST STAR Alexander Maxwell returns to discuss how “white dielectric material” humanises the Cosmic Microwave Background. Mark attended the Counterspin Roadshow during its stop in Wellington, and shares his insights on the post-protest movement (and also confirms… Continue reading 2022-05-31: Political Birdshit Counterspin Gun
Mark is out of home isolation, and the team are back in top form for another Yeah…Nah episode. Craig and Bronwyn talk about an enzyme that could predict vulnerability of Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy, and the media misrepresentation of this study. Mark talks about the quack treatment that is RIFE therapy, and about Ken… Continue reading 2022-05-17: Ring Rife SIDS
It’s the Yeah… Nah! Podcast, COVID Edition, as Mark joins us from home lockdown. Or should we say Markdown? No? Nevermind… The Occupation of Parliament is the gift that keeps on giving, as your dedicated podcasters take in the ongoing aftermath with updates on the sovereign citizen sheriffs at an ANZAC day ceremony, former MPs… Continue reading 2022-05-03: COVID Trespass Zinga
The Yeah… Nah! Podcast is coming in hot with another fortnightly installment of skeptical news from New Zealand and beyond. The team keeps it biblical by taking in the ongoing aftermath of David Farrier’s expose of Arise, while dissecting fears around Mātauranga Māori being a slippery slope towards the teaching of creationism in science (when… Continue reading 2022-04-19: Mātauranga Psychogenic Homeopathy
The Yeah… Nah! Podcast is giving you your regular skeptical fix. Special guest Alexander Maxwell, Associate Professor of History at Victoria University, is joining us to talk about the role of Russian propaganda in the War in the Ukraine. Craig muses on the abysmal quality of the nuremberg.nz website, Mark gets deep with David Farrier’s… Continue reading 2022-04-05: Arise Mary Kay Putin
The team is at it again for the next instalment of the Yeah… Nah! Podcast. Craig contemplates the political implication of deepfakes, Mark is on a mission to educate Mormon missionaries, and Bronwyn considers the con that is buying souvenir plots in Scotland. Check out our last two newsletters for details on these stories and… Continue reading 2022-03-23: Deepfake Mormon Lairds
In this special episode, Bronwyn and Mark interview Colin Woodhouse, and learn more about his advocacy for non-religious pastoral care.