Episode #412

Episode #412

News Items

• Star Trek Review

Who's That Noisy

• Answer to last week: J.Z. Knight

Interview with Joshie Berger

• http://forward.com/articles/174081/are-new-york-hospitals-hiding-herpes-from-metzitza/

Science or Fiction [ Show Answers ]

• Item #1 Science

  To not allow people to get caught up in modernity and shallowness and to always remind Jews that we are still in mourning, religious Jews, when building a new house, leave a portion of one of the walls unfinished, generally opposite the entrance, exposing the exterior rustic brick wall to remind us every time we walk in the door of the temple that was destroyed and how we are in constant mourning over it.

• Item #2 Science

  Even during the most happy of occasions, like weddings, religious Jews feel the need to temper the mood and, once again, remind us that things aren’t all that good and we should take it down a notch. This is accomplished by the groom, after exchanging vows, smashing a glass under his feet to halt the jubilation and to symbolize loss and misery.

• Item #3 Fiction

  Every year religious Jews set aside 3 days known as the 3 days of repentance. These days are to be carried out in misery and do not allow for any joy whatsoever. The list of requirements for these days include (but are not limited to): not eating meats, not drinking alcohol, not listening to any music, not wearing freshly laundered clothes, not showering or bathing and not engaging in any other activities which provide joy or comfort.

Skeptical Quote of the Week.

“It takes a fearless, unflinching love and deep humility to accept the universe as it is. The most effective way he knew to accomplish that, the most powerful tool at his disposal, was the scientific method, which over time winnows out deception. It can’t give you absolute truth because science is a permanent revolution, always subject to revision, but it can give you successive approximations of reality.” – Ann Druyan