A Year Ago Tonight: Interview with a Caller into C2C's Interview with Mike Bara

astroguy · November 10, 2011, 03:20:04 AM

A year ago tonight, on November 10, 2010, George "interviewed" Mike Bara, author of "The Choice" and Hoagland's co-author on "Dark Mission." There was a caller into the program that night who challenged Bara on one of the minor claims he made, and George cut him off, and he and Bara proceeded to talk about how Bara has "haters" out there.

I tracked down that caller and interviewed him for an episode of my podcast and I had him react to his call and George's and Bara's reactions with a year hindsight. We talk about Bara's claims of science and early NASA history, a bit about Hoagland, and some about George's interview techniques and policy for callers and guests. Here's the link to my podcast episode (this is to the shownotes, there's a direct link to the MP3 from that page).

Let me know what you folks think, if you give it a listen. The episode is 42.5 minutes long, the interview being all but about 1 minute on the beginning and 2 on the end.

HAL 9000 · November 10, 2011, 03:32:40 AM

The link to your podcast is severely malformed - your link as posted is:

Code Select

http://"http//podcast.sjrdesign.net/shownotes_010.php"

I'm sure you meant:

http://podcast.sjrdesign.net/shownotes_010.php

http://podcast.sjrdesign.net/media/podcasts/PseudoAstro_010.mp3

astroguy · November 10, 2011, 03:34:26 AM

Quote from: HAL 9000 on November 10, 2011, 03:32:40 AM
The link to your podcast is severely malformed - your link as posted is:

Code Select Expand
http://"http//podcast.sjrdesign.net/shownotes_010.php"

I'm sure you meant:

http://podcast.sjrdesign.net/shownotes_010.php

http://podcast.sjrdesign.net/media/podcasts/PseudoAstro_010.mp3

Quite. But now for some reason I can't edit my post.

HAL 9000 · November 10, 2011, 04:02:45 AM

Quote from: astroguyQuite. But now for some reason I can't edit my post.

It's long been a pet peeve of mine that posts cannot be edited - I believe the time limit is 5 minutes after you post here @CG - barely enough time to realize any mistakes/misspellings etc. Personally, I would allow unlimited time editing, as this would allow me/us to correct grammar/spelling, as well as update links, or to also edit posts that, after time, I would've used different terms, or been more "diplomatic."

I don't expect things to change, so just live with it. In my ideal world though, unlimited editing would be a reality. I belong to two large computer forums; one I joined in 2003, one in 2006. Both allow, and always have allowed unlimited editing, and never encountered any any confusion - in fact, both forums also do not display a "last edited" message which I also find quite refreshing.

I hadn't logged in to one of the sites for 3 years (forgot username AND email) until I stumbled in again recently by guessing my username - and was happy to see nothing had changed - including unlimited editing.

So I respect a forums owner to design to their liking - though I would like to see freedom to edit without having to contact an Admin (seems a waste of time and is cumbersome) especially when there is so little to lose, but our freedoms to "re-express" ourselves (either formally or by eliminating ill-mannered or otherwise regretful thought) would far outweigh any potential detriment.

Got way more off-topic than intended, but I naturally tend to be loquacious - so back on topic... I'll give a listen to your guest; ought to be interesting

astroguy · November 11, 2011, 01:37:03 AM

Rather than making another post and looking like a spammer, I thought I'd just add in here that I have written a long post on Bara's interview a year ago tonight. I go into some detail about his claims on pendulums, astrology, ellipses, and other things.

Tara · November 12, 2011, 12:46:49 PM

Listened to and enjoyed your interview of "ex-pat." I know only the basics of physics but RCH always appeared to be a snake oil salesman. The question I have and invite anyone to post their opinion, is whether RCH and Mike Bara REALLY believe their pseudo science, or is it a money making scam.

I'm also curious as to what is their motivation for pushing this NASA/Egyptian theory. How and why did RCH come up with this nonsense? Why not ancient Greek or Druid religion? I believe that RCH is really just about playing with people's minds and enjoying their stupidity.

astroguy · November 12, 2011, 01:21:03 PM

Quote from: Tara on November 12, 2011, 12:46:49 PM
Listened to and enjoyed your interview of "ex-pat." I know only the basics of physics but RCH always appeared to be a snake oil salesman. The question I have and invite anyone to post their opinion, is whether RCH and Mike Bara REALLY believe their pseudo science, or is it a money making scam.

I'm also curious as to what is their motivation for pushing this NASA/Egyptian theory. How and why did RCH come up with this nonsense? Why not ancient Greek or Druid religion? I believe that RCH is really just about playing with people's minds and enjoying their stupidity.

I've toyed around with your first question for a few years. I'm still in the "I'm not sure" phase. I've spoken with a few professional astronomers who think he knows he's full of it. In the end, I say that I don't know, but it doesn't matter -- people believe him, so it's worth addressing. As for Bara, I do think he's completely down the rabbit hole.

On your second question, I think it's because ancient Egyptians are probably the most well-known of ancient civilizations that seem to have significant mystery still associated with them (namely in how the pyramids were built). Druids and Greeks -- fairly plain or not as widely known. Same with Mayans, Chinese, Sumerians, etc. But that's just a guess.

expat · November 13, 2011, 05:55:21 PM

I have a theory about why Hoagland latched onto Egyptian Gods and NASA. I speculate that at some point he clashed with Farouk El-Baz, who is Egyptian by birth, and was known to the Apollo astronauts as King Farouk. He was responsible, along with others, for teaching them some geology and his specific role in Apollo was chairing the landing site selection committee. It's not much of an exaggeration to say that El-Baz picked the Apollo landing sites.

What is an exaggeration, however, is what Hoagland and Bara wrote: "Dr El-Baz was the most powerful single individual in the American space program." (Dark Mission p.286.) He was not even the most powerful figure in Apollo, let alone in the entire space program.

In my speculative scenario, Hoagland clashed with El-Baz at some point, and formed in his twisted and very unscientific mind the idea that Dr El-Baz had corrupted NASA's entire decision-making process.

Digitech · November 13, 2011, 06:36:04 PM

What a strange coincidence...

Expat, I happened upon your blog through astroguy's posts. I had just been reading earlier one of your posts which mentioned Farouk El-Baz. It turns out that he is a graduate of my university, and yesterday he was here as part of a distinguished alumni event.

I wanted to make the event anyway, but didn't have time. It would have been interesting to ask him about Hoagland though, haha.

stevesh · November 16, 2011, 05:21:07 AM

Quote from: Tara on November 12, 2011, 12:46:49 PM
Listened to and enjoyed your interview of "ex-pat." I know only the basics of physics but RCH always appeared to be a snake oil salesman. The question I have and invite anyone to post their opinion, is whether RCH and Mike Bara REALLY believe their pseudo science, or is it a money making scam.

Neither, I don't think. I've always thought that RCH (whose appearances om C2C I enjoy) is just really needy for attention, and presents his lunacy as a way of getting some. I just mentally put "Wouldn't it be cool if ..." in front of every thing he says.