Righteous Indignation is the weekly UK based podcast that aims to critically examine extraordinary claims and the people who surround them. These include ideas related to conspiracy, the paranormal, the occult and attempts to redefine the boundaries of science and current understanding.
Your hosts
Nuclear family
Hayley
Hayley Stevens
Hayley lives in Wiltshire and is a paranormal researcher and the founder of Wiltshire Phenomena Research. She began as a belief based researcher but soon began to have doubts and developed a more rational approach to her research. More can be found out about Hayley on her website.
Michael Marshall
Marsh
After years of ranting at friends on a range of skeptical topics, North-East born ‘Marsh’ decided to take action and set up the Merseyside Skeptics Society — co-founded with a couple of fellow Merseyside-based skeptics. He regularly blogs on the MSS website and can often be found making slightly outlandish drunk statements at the Skeptics in the Pub nights he runs in the city with his fellow society members.
Trystan Swale
Trystan
Marooned in Gloucestershire since birth, Trystan developed his skeptical streak after sitting through far too many ghost hunting and political television shows. Having spent four years as an increasingly critical paranormal investigator Trystan decided enough was enough and knocked it on head. Armed with his experiences he can be found as a guest speaker at various events offering opinion on the fields of ghost, UFO and Fortean investigations. He really ought to blog but he just doesn’t have the time.
Extended family
Gavin Schofield
Gavin
Born and bred in “one of the duskiest, smokiest holes” in the UK, Gavin learnt his skeptical chops by reading and re-reading Carl Sagan from age eight. After several years sparring with conspiracy theorists online and annoyed at a lack of local skeptical groups, he founded the Greater Manchester Skeptics and regularly attends Skeptics in the Pub nights in both Manchester and Liverpool. Gavin is both a Cancer and a Leo, which disproves astrology once and for all.
DR*T?
Dr*T
The good doctor is mastermind of the Thinking Is Dangerous blog. He could tell you more about himself, such as his name, but his political masters probably would not be too happy. Whoever said that skepticism and politics can work alongside each other?
Hayley you seem nice, Trystan you are a complete and utter attention seeking twat, good luck with that.
Awww! Thanks! I like to try my best!
Hi Rob, thank you for the compliment — It’s a shame I can’t return it, but honesty has always been the best policy.
your welcome, i agree with the honesty bit, hence the above. bye now
I have to say I’m interested to know why you have such an opinion of Trystan?
Is it purely from the podcast?
yea just from that
Trystan, can my nan have her tea cosy back?
Trystan is always stealing things.
I agree with your comment Rob, I once saw Trystan and Hayley together– Trystan was drop kicking puppies into a bag of superglue, Hayley on the other hand was providing good quality nursing care for the elderly and giving sweets to orphans.
Its amazing you could pick up what they’re like so accurately from the podcast, so well done for that, very perceptive.
Hey thanks for reading my comment on the podcast. Nice of you. just to clarify something you said on there. You seem to be under the impression that I am commenting because i am a beleiver and dont like skeptics. Im afraid this was not the source of my comments. I dont beleive in anything like that really. I think ghosts/psi are misunderstanding of natural occurences and the way our minds work, ufos are the same, and bigfoot etc dont exist. I dont beleive in Alien contact etc. I mention these beleifs because many proclaimed skeptics I have talked to slip in beleif in derek acorah etc ( who I also think is an attention seeking twat.)
So just to clarrify, not an attack on you as a skeptic, more a comment on your mannerism and the way you talk on the podcast. you seem to like being nasty and sarcastic about people, at a point when the cant reply or defend themselves.
But yes the politician raises a good point, I dont know you and Hayley at all. You may be a wonderfull person in real life. This has only been a comment on your podcast manner.
p.s Feel free to read this on your podcast again, or dont.
Bye now
Hey Rob, it’s no problem reading out your comments on the podcast. I welcome all feedback, whether it is good or bad. It’ll be the one that goes out a week Sunday and I’ll take the time to address your points.
Politican … how I laughed and laughed and laughed. Thank you for the funniest comments I have read in a very long time!
Who are you trying to kid, Trystan?
I remember meeting ‘The politician’ very well. It was the day that i broke my own personal target regarding the amount of orphans I helped. Remember? It was about midday, remember? Just before you dumped the bag of glue covered dogs into the river?
Just saying well done for taking apart the jade goody medium, that is the worst kind of exploitation, mediums who are not deluded are frauds who take advantage of greif and longing for their loved ones. I dont agree with you all on all points all the time, but felt the need to say well done. Fully deserving of all comments
Ah, thanks Rob — I think the hardest part of that Jade Goody piece was holding it back to as short as it was, I think I could have talked about it for twice as long and still not have expressed my level of disgust at it. And that’s not even with any access to the full 2-hour tape, which I can guarantee would have made my head explode.
I know, it really sickens me. The worst form of fraud, deception and cruelty is the work of the medium. Though some do genuinely beleive they are talking to the dead, they are just deluding themselves and causing greif and pain, making it harder for people to let go, and the knowing frauds are worse because they hurt people financially as well.
I agree with Rob Hayley seems well fit, love her voice, she is a receptacle worthy of any man’s porridge
She says she started off as a kind of believer? I would like to know what experiences she had that made her a believer in the first place!! lol
Trystan I feel is very scoffing, you can tell he is on the verge of laughing as he examines claims. A few times I have said out loud (maybe it was to angels lol) “Don’t break down, don’t laugh..they’re being serious!!”
I have not listened to enough episodes to say owt about Marsh!!
I do think that you guys seem too happy when someone fails at something lol
What I can not really get my head round is that most of this paranormal bollix clearly is for entertainment only by law, why do so many skeptics investigate what is really an element of the entertainment industry? Do a podcast on the power of Big Brother or how Eastenders catches our hearts and cures our minds by showing we are not alone in our struggles…there is a way out lol
I would pay to see a magician, a singer, a play…if people are stupid enough to pay to watch someone on a platform say…“Is there anyone here with a name beginning with G or H…hmmm might be K or A?” while listening to voices in his or her head…then let them. Since we got rid of the nut houses it is the only way to keep the nuts off of the streets!! lol
I am not sure how “skeptic” you guys really are in the original meaning of the word. This whole paranormal crud is polarised…I do not think there are any real skeptics anymore.…each side trying to prove its case…bit sad really…might be missing something…anyway better go, Arch Angel Gabriel and the guys are having a BBQ…and Metatron has a message that will save mankind…oh the divine, invisible world savers as they are…they just can’t cook on a BBQ!!
Hi Rob,
it is true that it can draw out the grieving process, hell I have been there enough. I have followed a some of this stuff and TBH I think in some cases maybe the belief is all people need? Maybe it is all a fraud, maybe some are real but only connect with a small percentage, I do not know. But when I have had bereavements in the past I have looked for answers and yes I have got as far as listening to Medium type persons. For me it was anything that helped me through a part of life, that I would have happily ended.
I do not take drugs of any sort and that was the first thing doctors throw at you. Counseling was a waste of time. So like Dawkins looking for a belief in God..I asked people of many faiths how they got past the death of a loved one. I think it occupied my mind from doing something stupid. I did get weird, my partner left but was no real support anyway lol
But what I did find was some people, especially the ladies mid aged and up, really seemed to struggle with their loss. There was comfort in a belief of an after life. I would also say that they would probably not question to much, this belief that they had. They believe and that is that…like any religion and belief…they need no proof…not even a 2,000 year old book written by dead guys lol
Believers will believe and the counter is also true. Having never contacted the dead I can’t say it can’t be done or can be done lol I think perhaps taking monies from people for telling them that “Silvia is at peace now.….and says you should go to Spain!!” is wrong.
But I have been there my friend…bereavement can be a very strange and nasty thing. Your judgment can be impaired and I think some may take advantage of that…and not just in the paranormal field. Relatives will for sure and quite a few hypnotists for starters. Heck I would argue that the church loves a good death..to get bums on seats lol
My dalliance with the spiritual got me though a time when I may have ended my days…my coping mechanisms had failed. I come out the other side now kind of fence sitting…are they all delusional and mad lol For sure there is a lot of subject matter to look at…almost as many loony ideas as there are people looking for them.
Have you ever been to Psychic / Holistic Fayres? lmao People throwing in titbits of quantum / String theory as ‘proof’ (hey I am not saying that at a quantum level something may be happening !!) that some loony idea works (usually poorly spelt lol). Colour your life or wear a bit of coloured quartz lol I say some guy DRAWING Aura? WTF? How do you know he is not just a fast sketch artist that has some watercolour pencils? lol Many comedy moments at those events lol
Anyhow I kind of feel, right now, that provided no money changes hands and it supports an afterlife belief system so what? People have their religons, I do not believe in God..but I would not deem to disprove it at a Mosque lol I think some people will never let go of loved ones, whether a meduim is there or not. A lot of homes become shrines…I know of elderly folk who still keep HIS chair by the fire and talk to him in the evening while reading the paper. Are they mad or are they trying to cope? Eventually real life does kick in..it is my belief that really, much of this afterlife concept is just a longer period of adjustment…adjusting to a death is different to everyone and on each loss. I lost someone who was a loved sibling everyday of their 30 years of life. Anyone who thinks I could have got over that in a few days with some sleeping tablets is fooling themselves. My “quest” kept me going.…and now I think I have learnt a lot about life…and beliefs in death. DO I accept an afterlife? Well I can’t prove a negative can I? For me it is whatever gets people though the day…if they believe that the redeemer is going to turn up at McDonalds at 7AM McDonalds Portsmouth on the 21st October…then if doesn’t harm me or them, then let them believe it…although I may suggest the redeemer gives the double sausage and egg McMuffin a miss lol
I’ve never been referred to as some sort of a breakfast bowl before… how odd. oh, and ew.
Hi Roger … thanks for your comments.
Yes, I can be quite damning but not without reason. First and foremost I am interested in evidence and its quality. Almost invariably evidence tends to be an inconvenience for some people or what they do offer is exceptionally poor. If they come up with good evidence that is scientifically collected and I’ll take note. Otherwise…
As for skepticism and the paranormal entertainment industry, the problem arises when viewers and customers accept it uncritically as real, no matter what any disclaimer says. I know it’s rubbish as do you, but not everyone else is the same. If everyone shared our outlook then psychics and the overwhelming majority of ghost hunting times, UFOlogists and paranormal themed authors would be out of business.
Anyhow, time to skiffle around the breakfast table.
LOL @ Hayley…doubtless you are more than a breakfast bowl!!!
I dunno, I think the Devil was in me that day.…film @ 11 hehe
Trystan;
As life goes on I swing both ways hehe
I have been the laughing scoffing type chappy and then a bit of a weakness and now erm.…
I know I have had moments / experiences that my rational noggin cannot fathom. I read the other day about Hayley seeing that little ghost chap type thing. People are very quick (believers anyway) to jump up and say “Ghost!!.…there is an afterlife!!”. There could be other explanations but in truth only the witnesses to such occurrences know what they believe they may have seen ( wait a mo…can you know something that you just believe?).
Perhaps the ghost hunting brigade are right, maybe the advocates of pan dimensional beings are right…or maybe it is just a faulty bit of wiring in the old noggin instigated by infra sound or something.… lol
These days I kind of see the whole thing as like watching a magician after Penn and Teller …and that Masked Magician bloke…tore the fantasies down.….well those fantasies hehe
I have been to these “Psychic” fayre things and find it amusing that some of these people are cock a hoop at the thought that skeptics would have nothing to do if it were not for them!! “They need us more than we need them!!” lol
But I am not totally scoffing, maybe somewhere out there, there is the “one” but my lungs are not that big enough to hold my breath that long.
Yes what we need is empirical, peer reviewed evidence from the believers..and some spelling lessons from what I can make out lol
Right must dash.…got to head to Wiltshire and trample on some crops…not sure of a design yet.…but I am going to leave an inverter, an accumulator and an old LG microwave oven in the middle…get them thinking about the microwave pulses again!! hehe
rob @#34, you’re welcome. Not your welcome. Twit.
LOL @ Twit.
Roger, the ‘little boy’ I saw was quite odd indeed, however, i haven’t ever said that it was a ghost. I wouldn’t jump to such a conclusion — it’s just one of those things that has always left me wondering.
Out of interest, where did you read about it?
Comment moved to episode 18 notes page by Admin.
Dear Trystan/ Hayley/ Marsh
Just a message to say that I apologise for calling Trystan names. It was uncalled for and on the whole I prefer people with opnions to people without them (wishy washy, agnostic, could be, maybe i dunno types)
My question of the day is how likely do you think it will be that you could get some of the psi researchers who are thought to be scientific on the show, to show completly their evidence ( perhaps dean radin or rupert sheldrake).
second question is really your opinion on the skeptic / belevier war in parapsychology? I used to be a beleiver, then A non beleiver, now I am just tired of it all. It all just seems to be accusations and counter accusations. I bet if it all ceased we could answer whether psi exists within a year , choose people who dont give a toss one or another to run some tests, for a year. With neither beleiver of skeptic interfering. and see what happens (i think nothing at all but then im a skeptic) I think maybe a test where 100 people focus all their psi to move a single sand grain would be a good test. Because if 100 people cant move something as small as a sand grain, in a vacuum, then there would be no point in looking into it, even if it did exist.
What do you guys think of this?
Rob
Lol! No problems as no offence was taken anyway. I have been called far worse than that! In regards to controversial ESP researchers check the ‘future guests’ page, as we have an interview in the bag…
Sheldrake.…sweet this should be good. He has claimed the inability to offer evidence to skeptics, so let him present his evidence, or afterwards he will be saying ” they just dont want to listen to the evidence”
Cheers
The most common criticism of RI seems to be the sarcastic manner or childish giggling of the hosts — especially when interviewing their guests. Isn’t that kind of the point?? Most of the guests expound beliefs in a 2000 year old zombie, ghost hunters and alien abductees. Who wouldn’t laugh? These people should be laughed at MORE! Anyway, I laugh when I read that Pope Benedict is fast tracking the Nazi sympathising Pope Pius XII to sainthood. I laugh when people mistake rockets for alien UFO’s and I laugh when people call me a hypocrite for celebrating Christmas even though they haven’t attended church EVER yet still feel they have the right to appropriate Christmas as a Christian festivalwhile getting drunk and feeling up their workmates at the works party. Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas everyone!
Hurray, I’m a real person now! Thanks Trystan (& Big Pharma).
So Gav, were you just a figment of mine and the rest of our friends collective imagination?
Explains the psychic stuff anyway.
Greetings from Ireland to all the Righteous Indignation team. Love the weekly podcasts. Think ye have a great balance of personalities. Hayley sounds so cute and cuddly yet knowledgeable and authoritative. As regards Episode 34, thought Marsh spoke very well on the radio show especially considering the bias shown by the knob-end host. Despicable lack of impartiality on his part. Trystan, ur a funny guy!:-)
Keep up the good work, guys!