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 cake and eat it when it comes to bad actors in the science community and other communities, and finishes with a spirited four-way discussion about ChatGPT and other recent AI tools, and whether they’re reasoning or just particularly capable fakes.

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 more insight into her university studies and exploding batteries in electric vehicles. Craig is in awe about a recent US discovery about nuclear fusion, and Bronwyn talks about a recent media request regarding growth in the tarot card market.

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 reason (and no longer the voice for freedom).  Anke then steals the show from right under us with her insights about the work of FACT Aotearoa, and the abuses that underpin the cults that she writes about in her recently released book Cult Trip.

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 at the Wellington Franklin Graham God Loves You tour event, and we end the podcast by talking about the winners of our annual Bent Spoon, Bravo and Skeptic of the Year awards.

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 is the docuseries Europa. This time? Accusations against the authenticity of Anne Frank’s diary. Skip to the end to hear Craig’s progress through No Nut November.

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 off an interesting debate about the No Oil protests.

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.

It’s a full house on this week’s podcast. Tim Atkin 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 on an email sent to us that clued us into Fonterra’s new dubious venture, blue-light blocking supplements.

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 the old Centrepoint location, a brief stop at Destiny church and a gawk at Highden Temple from afar. We also despair over the pro-conspiracy signs we saw on the road between Wellington and Auckland.

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 Highden Temple/International School of the Temple Arts, and both Mark and Bronwyn successfully peer pressure Craig into checking out the Hamilton Mormon Temple with them next week.