Episode 108 - Dangers and Consequences of Ghost Hunting
Squaring the Strange
We are joined by Kenny Biddle, east coast paranormal investigator and skeptic, to discuss the darker side of ghost hunting. Not a demonic dark side, but real-world consequences. Things like trespassing dangers, costs to historical sites, loss of life and limb, and the mangling of personal histories and reputations. Ben and Kenny bring examples from their previous investigations, and Kenny shares some info he dug up on the "witch" behind the Conjuring house hauntings, from the Ed and Lorraine Warrenverse.
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Episode 107 - Crystal Skullduggery
Squaring the Strange
Fresh from a caricature convention, heads full of pareidolia, Ben and Celestia discuss a few recent things and then dig into crystal skulls. Can we trust what Dan Ayrkroyd tells us on his vodka bottle? Are there really 13 of these ancient and powerful relics? What is the Skull of Doom, and does it baffle scientists? These skulls provide a fascinating look into rewritten histories and the power of priming. We even look at a lawsuit against Steven Spielberg involving Indiana Jones' cinematic crystal skulls.
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Episode 106 - Leo Igwe on Modern Witchcraft Accusations
Squaring the Strange
Dr. Leo Igwe joins us to discuss the dangers posed by so-called "witch hunters" in Africa today: from the entrenched nature of magical beliefs to the complicated power structure that props up those who accuse others of witchcraft. Islam and Christianity now mix with traditional beliefs; witch hunters are often pastors or church leaders. Victims are typically the elderly, disabled, or children. Dr. Igwe also talks of the challenges of getting the message to international agencies such as the UN.
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Episode 105 - Pop Culture and Music in the Shadow of the Satanic Panic
Squaring the Strange
The Satanic Panic is rife with skeptical angles, and for this episode we limit ourselves to a look back at the cultural feel of the 80s and early 90s and some seminal court cases that brought musicians to court to defend their craft. Along the way we reminisce about D&D, Geraldo, and Sony walkmans. The panic led to theatrical bands embracing demonic imagery further, sometimes seriously. Today, Satanic metal is almost a quaint cliché and real-life Satanists resemble Shriners more than they do boogeymen.
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Episode 104 - A Brief History of Clown Panics
Squaring the Strange
Just in time for Halloween, when scary clowns abound, Ben takes us on a tour of the modern clown panic phenomenon . . . from bands of phantom clowns in white vans showing up in the 1980s to the "Great Clown Panic of 2016" that went worldwide, to more recent fears about effects of homicidal clowns in our media. Clown panics touch on quite a few currents of fear, from unknown assailants to viral copycats to public outrage and urban legends about tainted Halloween candy.
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Episode 103 - Mysterious Animal Deaths and the Great Elk Murder Conspiracy
Squaring the Strange
First, we look into an outrage-inspiring headline about a woman arrested for being topless at her home. Then we dive into why dead animals have unnerved us throughout history. Hailed by Biblical prophecies as a portent of doom, or blamed on aliens, cryptids, Satanists, or (more realistically) corporate polluters, mysterious animal deaths have a long history in the library of the strange. We unravel a few cases, including the Great Elk Murder Conspiracy, in New Mexico, which Ben got to cover as it unfolded.
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Episode 102 - Alienstock, Joker Fears, Homicidal Dwarves, and the Ica Stones
Squaring the Strange
First, in a longer-than-usual opening segment: Ben recounts his latest chupacabra-related TV appearance; AlienStock happened, or tried to; two unsettling clown movies open this weekend--one of them contains Ben; and we look at a story that mirrors the film Orphan. Finally, Ben tells us about the Ica Stones, a hoax wrapped in a riddle tucked into a little Peruvian museum. Are these little tchotchkes proof of aliens, or a Biblical young earth, or both? One man's obsession holds many skeptical lessons.
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Episode 101 - Vaccines with Dr. Hans House and Academic Snake Oil with Kenny Biddle
Squaring the Strange
First up, Dr. Hans House schools us on infectious diseases, especially some little-known facets of ebola, measles and the flu. He explains public health efforts and how we can do our part to save lives. Then we chat with Kenny Biddle about his recent investigations into diploma mills and paranormal credential fakery. Ben shares a personal experience, which goes down some unexpected paths as he tells us the surprising discoveries he made while researching a college professor's background some years ago.
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Episode 100 - "Alienstock" and Numerology
Squaring the Strange
It's our 100th episode! We begin with a discussion of "Alienstock," the planned alien-themed music festival being imposed upon Rachel, NV, in the coming weeks. Then for our main topic we look at numerology and the mystical-seeming quality of numbers from a few different angles involving Pythagoras, power chords, and ocean waves, as well as the arbitrary decoder-ring version of fortune-telling that is numerology today and how its applied to everything from client names to historical dates to the Bible.
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Episode 99 - Movie Curses with Erik Kristopher Myers
Squaring the Strange
Join us for a deep dive into some popular movies of the past few decades and their associated curses . . . some that are due to genuinely tragic or strangely coincidental circumstances, others that have been a bit cultivated by those wishing to market the movie or just tell a good yarn years after its release. Filmmaker and friend of the show Erik Kristopher Myers joins Ben and Celestia to look at several horror films and a couple of superhero movies that have been rumored to have curses attached to them.
info_outlineFresh from a convention of caricature artists and with heads full of pareidolia, Ben and Celestia discuss a few topics of the day and then dig into crystal skulls. Can we trust what Dan Ayrkroyd tells us on his fancy vodka bottle? Are there really thirteen of these ancient and powerful relics? What is the Skull of Doom, and does it have strange properties that baffle scientists? These skulls provide a fascinating look into rewritten histories and the power of priming. We even look at an ill-conceived lawsuit against Steven Spielberg involving the crystal skulls featured in the latest Indiana Jones installment.