Shows
What's The Mate?#50: The Episode With How Money Works and East Side SapIn this episode we are joined by the talented Tina Marie Serra, Salim Fadhley, Zhenya Armazov and Johanna Gustin, at Podfest Berlin with a live studio audience!The nightmare story of someone's morning routine, the phanton rain from trees in Berlin and the time Zhenya swindled a child for a game of Jenga are turned into hilarious improv skits with the sisters Hildie and Hilda, two sneaky sorceresses, a new improv podcast called What The Aphid and the turbulant tale of a family and their prized collection of boardgames. This episode is brought to you by...
2023-06-1553 min
salimfadhleySanal Edamaruku on Catholic MiraclesThe Catholic Church is famous for it’s preposterous fabricated miracles. The church has an interest in promoting innumerable bones of saints with allegedly curative properties, mystical shrouds and apparitions of the blessed virgin mary - they confer a sense of spiritual authority upon the church and help raise funds.
While the Church in Europe is not quite as money-grubbing as it once was - it’s evolved into a sort of anti-women’s rights orgaization that mostly disapproves of child sexual abuse. The Indian catholic church seems to find miracles just about everywhere.
Sanal Edamuruku, president of the Indian Ration...
2012-04-2511 minsalimfadhleyGlyn Moody on Open StandardsIn 2011 our government issued a policy document which outlined a clear preference that all newly procured software systems should be based on open standards. That means if the government invests in a new database, telephone system or document management system, these systems should be able to inter-operate with databases, telephones and document management systems provided by other vendors without any technical or patent-licensing restrictions.
We all accept that free, open-standards are good. For example, the standard British power socket fits any appliance you can buy in the shop. It’s guaranteed to work and John Lewis does not need to pa...
2012-04-2408 minThe Pod DelusionGlyn Moody on Open StandardsIn 2011 our government issued a policy document which outlined a clear preference that all newly procured software systems should be based on open standards. That means if the government invests in a new database, telephone system or document management system, these systems should be able to inter-operate with databases, telephones and document management systems provided by other vendors without any technical or patent-licensing restrictions.
We all accept that free, open-standards are good. For example, the standard British power socket fits any appliance you can buy in the shop. It’s guaranteed to work and John Lewis does not need to pa...
2012-04-2408 minsalimfadhleyRobert M. Price on Redefining MarriageSome conservative christians are angry about the recent consultation into marriage equality. I recently received an email from the British Christianist pressure group, Christian Voice. They urged me to give them money so that they could stand up to “fatally undermine marriage as biblically defined by Jesus himself”
This gives an sort of impression of marriage as an institution which has been defined once and for all by the Christian new-testament. Christian concern might accuse the government of redefining marriage, but who defined it in the first place?
I had a chance to speak with new-testament scholar, fellow of the cent...
2012-04-0410 min
salimfadhleyPut Alan Turing on the £10 noteLink for the show-notes:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31659
Alan Turing is the man most-credited with the invention of the modern computer. The mathematical theorems he developed underpin almost every electronic device, help us understand the limits of what is computable and even provide insights into the nature of intelligence.
During the 2nd world war he helped design machines which cracked German secret codes at Bletchley Park, arguably shortening the war by years - saving millions of lives. I cannot think of another single individual who’s contribution made this much difference.
And yet despite his achievements he’s larg...
2012-03-2806 min
salimfadhleyMy Little Brony with Coder BronyLink for the show notes: Brony Herd Census by Coder Brony
Brony - the word is a contraction of Bro and Pony, it’s the name that male fans of the hit TV series My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic have taken for themselves. The series which is aimed at pre-teen girls has a huge male fan-base, and I confess - I’m one of them.
A new survey conducted by the anymous Coder Brony, aims to anser critical sociological questions such as who the bronies are, why they love My Little Pony - and i got a chance to ask...
2012-01-1708 min
salimfadhleyDave Thompson: Actor, Comedian, Novelist and TelletubbyImportant note for James & Liz - please include this link in the show-notes:
The Sex Life of a Comedian
One of the most controversial TV shows of the 1990s featured four child-like aliens, apparently marooned on Earth with only a high-tech vacuum cleaner to look after them. I’m talking about The TelleTubbies.
Since it was first broadcast in the spring of 2007 it’s been the subject of bizarre stories: The Times Educational supplement linked the show with student drug culture. Most notoriously, the tabloid press claimed that Tinky Winky, the biggest of the Tubbies was in fact a gay icon...
2012-01-1611 min
salimfadhleyChristian Nightmares with the Christian Nightmares guy...Links:
Merrill Womach:
http://christiannightmares.tumblr.com/post/236341102/christiannightmares
"20 Minutes to go"
http://christiannightmares.tumblr.com/post/1602005708/20-minutes-to-go-possibly-the-most-amazing
If like me, you are a connoisseur of the bizarre you might just have seen Christian Nightmares, the anonymous video blog that collects the world’s strangest religious videos. This site features some of the most freakish, creepy and often unintentionally hilarious videos I’ve ever seen. I was able to speak with the blog’s creator and ask him what inspired him to set up a blog dedicated to religious absuridty...
You can find links to some selected highlights from Christian Nightm...
2012-01-1108 minThe Pod DelusionChristian Nightmares with the Christian Nightmares guy...Links:
Merrill Womach:
http://christiannightmares.tumblr.com/post/236341102/christiannightmares
"20 Minutes to go"
http://christiannightmares.tumblr.com/post/1602005708/20-minutes-to-go-possibly-the-most-amazing
If like me, you are a connoisseur of the bizarre you might just have seen Christian Nightmares, the anonymous video blog that collects the world’s strangest religious videos. This site features some of the most freakish, creepy and often unintentionally hilarious videos I’ve ever seen. I was able to speak with the blog’s creator and ask him what inspired him to set up a blog dedicated to religious absuridty...
You can find links to some selected highlights from Christian Nightm...
2012-01-1108 min
salimfadhleyProfessor Steve Furber on the BBC Micro's Legacy (Show Edition)30 years ago a small British company called Acorn Computers launched the BBC Micro. This computer was nothing much by today’s standards. It had 32 kilobytes of main-memory and a 2Mhz processor. In every way this computer was many thousands of times less capable than the phone in your pocket. And yet without the team that built this odd-looking machine, you probably wouldn’t have that phone - many of the inventions which are critical to today’s digital consumer technologies are the legacy of the BBC Micro project and the team that originally built it.
I’m joined by Steve Furber w...
2011-12-1407 min
salimfadhleyProfessor Steve Furber on the BBC Micro's Legacy (Extra Edition)30 years ago a small British company called Acorn Computers launched the BBC Micro. This computer was nothing much by today’s standards. It had 32 kilobytes of main-memory and a 2Mhz processor. In every way this computer was many thousands of times less capable than the phone in your pocket. And yet without the team that built this odd-looking machine, you probably wouldn't have that phone - many of the inventions which are critical to today’s digital consumer technologies are the legacy of the BBC Micro project and the team that originally built it.
I’m joined by Steve Furber who is...
2011-12-1413 minThe Pod DelusionProfessor Steve Furber on the BBC Micro's Legacy (Extra Edition)30 years ago a small British company called Acorn Computers launched the BBC Micro. This computer was nothing much by today’s standards. It had 32 kilobytes of main-memory and a 2Mhz processor. In every way this computer was many thousands of times less capable than the phone in your pocket. And yet without the team that built this odd-looking machine, you probably wouldn't have that phone - many of the inventions which are critical to today’s digital consumer technologies are the legacy of the BBC Micro project and the team that originally built it.
I’m joined by Steve Furber who is...
2011-12-1413 min
salimfadhleyThe Darknet Projectthe network should be an indiscriminate carrier of information regardless of the source, destination or nature of the information being transmitted.
Some newly proposed legislation threatens to undermine: In America the Protect IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act propose to regulate the internet by blocking so-called "rogue web-sites". Internet activists have compared this regulation to the great firewall of china - in that if built it will be the the most radical and extensive form of censorship ever divised.
There's already a great deal of opposition to this policy, however some activists have decided to view censorship as...
2011-11-2307 minThe Pod DelusionThe Darknet Projectthe network should be an indiscriminate carrier of information regardless of the source, destination or nature of the information being transmitted.
Some newly proposed legislation threatens to undermine: In America the Protect IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act propose to regulate the internet by blocking so-called "rogue web-sites". Internet activists have compared this regulation to the great firewall of china - in that if built it will be the the most radical and extensive form of censorship ever divised.
There's already a great deal of opposition to this policy, however some activists have decided to view censorship as...
2011-11-2307 min
salimfadhleyRobert M Price on The Christ Myth TheoryFor the show notes:
http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/ - Robet M Price's blog
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We try to do interesting interviews for people with very short spans of attention. Our listeners are intelligent but mostly will not have any previous interest or inclination towards this topic. I really want them to understand why this topic is fascinating - my goal is to inspire them to check out your work. Some of my questions will be intentionally dumb - that’s only that your own brilliance will be more perfectly contrasted.
No need to mention web-pages and such, we will link to...
2011-11-1608 minThe Pod DelusionRobert M Price on The Christ Myth TheoryFor the show notes:
http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/ - Robet M Price's blog
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We try to do interesting interviews for people with very short spans of attention. Our listeners are intelligent but mostly will not have any previous interest or inclination towards this topic. I really want them to understand why this topic is fascinating - my goal is to inspire them to check out your work. Some of my questions will be intentionally dumb - that’s only that your own brilliance will be more perfectly contrasted.
No need to mention web-pages and such, we will link to...
2011-11-1608 min
salimfadhleyAnnie-Laurie Gaylor from the Freedom from Religion foundation: God's tax-evadersConsider the statement "I can be good without god" - This statement is simply an affirmation that religious people do not hold a monopoly on good behavior.
This statement was printed on a recent poster campoaign organized by the Freedom from Religion foundation - an organization intended to preserve the separation of Chruch and Sstate in America. The adverts featured photos of local members of the foundation alongside their simple statements like the one I just mentioned.
I spoke with Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom from Religion foundation - I begin by asking her to explain how a...
2011-10-2407 minThe Pod DelusionAnnie-Laurie Gaylor from the Freedom from Religion foundation: God's tax-evadersConsider the statement "I can be good without god" - This statement is simply an affirmation that religious people do not hold a monopoly on good behavior.
This statement was printed on a recent poster campoaign organized by the Freedom from Religion foundation - an organization intended to preserve the separation of Chruch and Sstate in America. The adverts featured photos of local members of the foundation alongside their simple statements like the one I just mentioned.
I spoke with Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom from Religion foundation - I begin by asking her to explain how a...
2011-10-2407 min
salimfadhleyBill Johnston on Translating Stanislaw Lem's SolarisSolaris by Stanislaw lem is arguably one of the most admired works of science-fiction in any language. Originally written in Polish in 1961 it's been made into 2 feature films. The book has been translated into many other languages with the notable exception of English.
It's taken more than 50 years since the text was originally published - but now we English speakers have an accurate translation. I spoke with the book's translator - Bill Johnston who is a professor of comparitive literature at Indiana University. I began by asking Bill why it took so long to get a decent translation of this...
2011-10-1808 minThe Pod DelusionBill Johnston on Translating Stanislaw Lem's SolarisSolaris by Stanislaw lem is arguably one of the most admired works of science-fiction in any language. Originally written in Polish in 1961 it's been made into 2 feature films. The book has been translated into many other languages with the notable exception of English.
It's taken more than 50 years since the text was originally published - but now we English speakers have an accurate translation. I spoke with the book's translator - Bill Johnston who is a professor of comparitive literature at Indiana University. I began by asking Bill why it took so long to get a decent translation of this...
2011-10-1808 min
salimfadhleyDo violent games cause violent crime?Some of the most famous studies into the risks associated with video games have studied playing games under laborotory conditions, in order to observe a number of markers for agression or violence. From reports of these studies the popular media has inferred that video games cause violence in society.
The most famous example of this were the two boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who were allegedly inspired massacre their classmates after playing the video game Doom. Could it be that allowing kids and young adults to play violent games increases the amount of violence on in society?
I spoke...
2011-10-1108 minThe Pod DelusionDo violent games cause violent crime?Some of the most famous studies into the risks associated with video games have studied playing games under laborotory conditions, in order to observe a number of markers for agression or violence. From reports of these studies the popular media has inferred that video games cause violence in society.
The most famous example of this were the two boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who were allegedly inspired massacre their classmates after playing the video game Doom. Could it be that allowing kids and young adults to play violent games increases the amount of violence on in society?
I spoke...
2011-10-1108 min2011-10-0112 min2011-10-0112 min
The Pod DelusionTeaching kids to code with Emma MulqueenyLinks:
http://youngrewiredstate.org/ - Young Rewired State
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/15081 - Emma's Downing St Petition
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By the age of 9 (year 5), any child following the UK's national curriculum for ICT, will hopefully be familiar with some very common computing activities such as searching the Internet, and using everyday office software such as spreadsheets and word-processors. It's basic stuff, and it seems somewhat dissapointing. Are we condemning the next generation of kids to technological illiteracy by setting low expectations.
IT education campaigner Emma Mulqueeny certainly thinks so. In addition to running events intended to inspire the next...
2011-09-2007 minsalimfadhleyTeaching kids to code with Emma MulqueenyLinks:
http://youngrewiredstate.org/ - Young Rewired State
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/15081 - Emma's Downing St Petition
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By the age of 9 (year 5), any child following the UK's national curriculum for ICT, will hopefully be familiar with some very common computing activities such as searching the Internet, and using everyday office software such as spreadsheets and word-processors. It's basic stuff, and it seems somewhat dissapointing. Are we condemning the next generation of kids to technological illiteracy by setting low expectations.
IT education campaigner Emma Mulqueeny certainly thinks so. In addition to running events intended to inspire the next...
2011-09-2007 min
salimfadhleyTessa Kendal of the NSS on the Girl Guides' PromiseThe British girl guides association sees promoting a certain kind of spirituality as one of it's core missions. Maddie Willet, a non-religious seven year old girl felt that she couldnt join her friends in the brownies because the organization requires it's members to say a pledge promising to "love god".
I spoke with Tessa Kendal, the Senior Senior Campaigns Officer for the National Secular Society. I began by asking Tessa whether she felt this young girl was right to to feel excluded?
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After the interview Tessa drew my attention to the fact that in the 1920s Lord Baden-Powel, (the...
2011-09-0106 minThe Pod DelusionTessa Kendal of the NSS on the Girl Guides' PromiseThe British girl guides association sees promoting a certain kind of spirituality as one of it's core missions. Maddie Willet, a non-religious seven year old girl felt that she couldnt join her friends in the brownies because the organization requires it's members to say a pledge promising to "love god".
I spoke with Tessa Kendal, the Senior Senior Campaigns Officer for the National Secular Society. I began by asking Tessa whether she felt this young girl was right to to feel excluded?
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After the interview Tessa drew my attention to the fact that in the 1920s Lord Baden-Powel, (the...
2011-09-0106 min
salimfadhleyMarc Leeds on Kurt Vonnegut's Slaugherhouse FiveA Missori State university professor of management has fought and won a one-man battle to have certain books banned from the public schools in the city of Republic, Missouri.
It's not uncommon for American school-boards to ban books for ideological reasons. Many of the greatest American novels such as Twain's Huckelberry Finn banned by school-boards, ironically in Misouri - the state where he was born.
... actually I could go on for the whole show listing the numerous great American novels which were banned by small-minded public servants, however today I'd rather talk with Mark Leeds, a personal friend of the...
2011-08-1608 minThe Pod DelusionMarc Leeds on Kurt Vonnegut's Slaugherhouse FiveA Missori State university professor of management has fought and won a one-man battle to have certain books banned from the public schools in the city of Republic, Missouri.
It's not uncommon for American school-boards to ban books for ideological reasons. Many of the greatest American novels such as Twain's Huckelberry Finn banned by school-boards, ironically in Misouri - the state where he was born.
... actually I could go on for the whole show listing the numerous great American novels which were banned by small-minded public servants, however today I'd rather talk with Mark Leeds, a personal friend of the...
2011-08-1608 min
salimfadhleyFrank Key on London RiotsIn among much blather about the riots, one friend of mine made the definitively sensible comment: “I think the rioters just need to calm down and listen to some Soft Machine”. He was thinking specificallt of the song Hibou, Anemone and Bear from the dazzling second album, the lyrics of which are as follows:
In the spring, I think of sex and means to ends
Summertime, I like to sit upon the grass
Autumn nights I go to parties with my friends
Winter time is when I think about the past
But of course I do all those things all year...
2011-08-1104 minThe Pod DelusionFrank Key on London RiotsIn among much blather about the riots, one friend of mine made the definitively sensible comment: “I think the rioters just need to calm down and listen to some Soft Machine”. He was thinking specificallt of the song Hibou, Anemone and Bear from the dazzling second album, the lyrics of which are as follows:
In the spring, I think of sex and means to ends
Summertime, I like to sit upon the grass
Autumn nights I go to parties with my friends
Winter time is when I think about the past
But of course I do all those things all year...
2011-08-1104 min
salimfadhleyRichy thompson on faith schoolsIn Pod Delusion 92 I covered the story of a school in Malton, North Yorkshire which may soon be taken over by the Church of England. I spoke with Richy Thompson who manages the British Humanist Association's Education campaign. I began by asking Richy why it is that schools can now be taken over by a church.
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As it stands, the acadamies act allows any sufficiently organized group to irreversably take-over a school. Simply obtain a majority on the school's board of governors and then use that to permanently change the school's appointment policy to exclude any non-members of your...
2011-08-0308 minThe Pod DelusionRichy thompson on faith schoolsIn Pod Delusion 92 I covered the story of a school in Malton, North Yorkshire which may soon be taken over by the Church of England. I spoke with Richy Thompson who manages the British Humanist Association's Education campaign. I began by asking Richy why it is that schools can now be taken over by a church.
--
As it stands, the acadamies act allows any sufficiently organized group to irreversably take-over a school. Simply obtain a majority on the school's board of governors and then use that to permanently change the school's appointment policy to exclude any non-members of your...
2011-08-0308 min
2011-08-0202 min
salimfadhleyCasio by Meadow HouseThis audio was originally featured in Series 2, Episode 6 of Resonance FM's Epistaxis Time. Music is composed & performed by Dan Wilson, (a.k.a. Meadow House).
2011-07-1602 min
salimfadhleySharing audio from TapeMachine Pro to SoundCloudSoundCloudSharing audio from TapeMachine Pro to SoundCloudSoundCloud by salimfadhley
2011-03-1000 minsalimfadhleyA rant about over-long contractsThese are some audio segments I submitted to the Phones Show Chat podcast.
2011-01-0500 min