syates59

I loved the idea of all the hosts wearing matching "grandpa sweaters"! We must make this happen! One thing that came to my mind a lot during this episode was the use of the word "fact". As a scientist I used to be very sure of what a fact was. The older I get, the more I wonder. Yesterday's facts are today's quaint old-fashioned, wrong-headed notions. In our fractured society where even "science" becomes "political" folks don't agree on many facts anymore. Maybe this would be a good topic for a future show. I love Kyle's "Carl" character aka Janeane's father. Check out his videos on youtube. Just search on Kyle Dunnigan and subscribe to his channel. David did a great diplomatic job of moving the discussion forward at a couple of points. I agree that Aaron is fitting in so well. He really is a co-host. It is not easy to lay back and then jump in without seeming awkward. And I have to say how much I love all the gang down in the hatch. And all the Blastronauts! Welp, that's been comment.

Just bumping this topic up for comments now that the episode has dropped. Thanks to pongo and Diggums. I did not see OhDavidHi's comments. Merry Christmas and peace and goodwill to all.

What an amazing evening! The Bell House in Brooklyn is a great venue and who would have thought there was a hatch there! Before the show, my beautiful daughter and I ordered drinks at the bar only to have them paid for by Dave Suntsberger! I went over to thank him and he was sitting with Megan Ramold (and her friend Ashley)! We immediately began geeking out on all things Blastoff! It was so much fun. I went to the bar to buy and round and when I got back to the group, who was chatting with them but DAVID HUNTSBERGER! Yes, Huntsy and Suntsy face-to-face! Mr. Cool Beer himself could not have been nicer and spent ten or fifteen minutes chatting with us. What a sweet guy. He is so funny and very generous to his fans. (Go get HUMANITIS!) We all sat in the third row and got to enjoy a Q&A with Tig before the show started. Of course I had to jump up and say hello to her and tell her how much I and all her fans love her and have shared her struggles in this terrible year. Her smile just lights up a room. What a gracious, funny lady!! Aaron, David and Kyle did a few minutes of stand-up and had the room roaring with laughter. These guys have such terrific energy. Then the theme music played and they did a free-form episode of the podcast with special guest IRA GLASS of This American Life! After the show, the gang signed autographs and greeted fans warmly. I got my daughter the commemorative poster signed by Tig, David, Kyle and Aaron. It was an amazing unforgettable night with some truly wonderful friends. Thank you to all the Blastronauts!

Kyle is the Voicemaster. Del LaRue! Punky! I can't believe that so many great Professor Blastoff podcasts were recorded in just a couple of days in NYC. Tig, David, Kyle and Aaron are so talented! And Lake Bell is a GREAT guest! Very knowledgeable and such a dear friend. Welp, that's been comment.

I can't stop imitating Kyle's native american guy saying "It warms her heart." Another great episode. Tons of Aaron-wrangling, great riddle, Trump, super guest (very knowledgeable). I just continue to love how Tig, Kyle, David and Aaron share their love and warmth and funny with us all. Such great friends. I am loving the NYC hatch! Buy all their albums for Christmas (or other holiday) gifts!!! Welp, that's been comment.

When Wyatt used the word "boogeyman", I was so waiting for Tig to say "or boogeywoman". Loved Kyle's sad Christmas song. And Abe vs. Elmo was awesome.

Another stellar episode of PBO. I really appreciated the kind words from Tig, Kyle, David and Aaron about my most recent appearance. I can't wait to see them live in NYC on Saturday!

https://twitter.com/StevenEYates/status/264004996687872002/photo/1 Here is a link to a picture of my 2004 Green Circle Award. I do not know why it is not reported on the CT DEEP website.

Brendan, well said. As a guest, I try, first and foremost, to let the stars shine. I am not the star. I am a guest. I try to respond with my OPINIONS when called upon in the course of this COMEDY PODCAST. (Of course there are other OPINIONS.) I love the humor most of all. TIg, Kyle, David and Aaron of super-talented, funny, witty, smart people. They are why we all listen. There are vast areas of this issue that were not touched upon. I encourage all who feel passionately to visit the websites of BOTH sides. Please keep an open mind. Be skeptical to ALL claims. DO NOT ACCEPT MY WORDS AS ABSOLUTE TRUTH. They are my OPINIONS. Viva science! Viva Professor Blastoff! Amen.

My point was that saying that CO2 causes global warming because “everybody says so”, isn’t very scientific. There was once a general consensus that the sun revolved around the earth, the sound barrier was unbreakable and that the atom could not be split. It turned out that the facts were more powerful than the consensus. If the general circulation models could accurately predict global temperature based on CO2 concentration, that would be scientific. There are many, many respected scientists who do not believe in CO2/GW causation and many others who do. I’m not sure anyone has any accurate tally. It is the nature of science that it is never “settled”. Progress is only made by challenging “settled science” and the “consensus”. An open, skeptical mind is a valuable scientific tool. Peace.

Not Erik, thank you for demonstrating the divide that pervades this discussion. There are two sides to this question, each cherry-picking its facts to back up its own "truth". I am sure I am not immune to this phenomena. Please allow me to clarify my mystifying statement. Anti-automobile and anti-corporate viewpoints are often espoused by global warming alarmists. Citing "nearly universal consensus" is another technique used to argue the point without addressing the science. And you need only look at the GW skeptic sites to find huge numbers of non-oil company-funded scientists and engineers who don't think GW is influenced in any significant way by anthropogenic CO2. Most of the weather/climate sources I know of recognize that temperatures went down during the periods from 1875-1910, 1946-1976 and 1998-2010 despite steadily increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. And the 0.01% increase in CO2 as part of the atmosphere is a fact I have never heard disputed. I recommend wattsupwiththat.com as a site that provides the skeptic view. There are lots of alarmist sites too. Again, the point is that what should be science has become politics. Don't take my word for anything. Everyone should think for themselves. The beauty of science is that one man (or woman) armed with scientific truth beats "nearly universal consensus" every time. Enjoy the inter-glacial!

Hey fellow Blastronauts! Thanks for the kind words above. To address Gym's point, I'm not sure I really addressed the question of whether mankind has made the world less or more ugly. It can be a deep philosophical point about whether nature is supreme beauty and is mankind part of nature. I would only say that back before human civilization the human lifespan was short and brutal, but everything was "more natural" and therefore perhaps more beautiful. Mankind seem to me to be getting better at minimizing impact of certain industrial activities and creating more sustainability in certain activities. And we have undone a lot of the damage we had done with respect to air pollution. As far as the point about an increase in biomass being more related to an increase in acres farmed than atmospheric CO2 concentration, I would think that when one considers oceanic biomass like phytoplankton and natural plantlife versus the decreasing (in some areas) acreage farmed due to increased crop yields, I might be correct, but I would certainly listen to someone armed with hard numbers. Once again, I love Professor Blastoff and Tig, Kyle, David and Aaron. It is a tremendous thrill for me to be a guest on the show and I appreciate the positive feedback. Yes, I am angling to get yet another appearance. It is that much fun! Love to all. Welp, that's been comment!

I had to post this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX-xToQI34I&feature=youtu.be If you can watch this without a tear, you are tougher than me. There are no limits. Impossible is nothing. Miracles happen every day.

Great job, Aaron! I can't think of a more daunting challenge. It is great that the gang let Aaron have an episode to himself. And I love what he did. As I have listened to myself on two Blastoff podcasts, I cringed with every "uh" and "um" and, yes, "gulp". The pros make it sound so effortless and they make you think that anyone can do it as well as they can. There is a real skill and talent to talking, making sense and sounding natural doing it. And to be funny on top of that is beyond beyond. I have dealt with Aaron a few times via email and he has always been supportive of me, even thought it's obvious I am just a fan who loves the show and is trying to hang with the cool kids. I envy Aaron for taking the risk to follow his dream and for the great job he does with his comedy, on the podcast and in handling the joshing with good nature. Having said all that, I couldn't help thinking of Tig, Kyle and David replaying this episode to comment on Aaron's performance. Love to all the #PBOparty people (Eva and Megan, especially). Everyone should check out the #PBOparty twitter feed to see the funny and sweet comments they made about this episode. And join the #PBOparty! Welp (gulp), that's been comment.

I just listened to “Tig Notaro – Live”. It was the most amazing half hour of comedy ever. I will now use up all the adjectives I own. It was brave, funny, poignant, thoughtful, insightful, defiant, human, graceful, witty, and brilliant and an honor to listen to. All Blastronauts already know the subtext and background of this performance, so I won’t recapitulate it. I will just advise you to go to www.louisck.net and spend $5 to have an unforgettable experience. Tig is a powerhouse of a person and to hear her share like this is a rare experience. To think that she wrote this extraordinary half hour of comedy in just a few days prior to the performance is unbelievable. Buy her CD “Good One”. Go see her when the opportunity presents itself. Buy this download. Check out all her YouTube stuff. Tell all your friends to do likewise. She is a blessing to all of us and I pray for her to continue to entertain and educate and inspire us for many years to come. Tig Notaro, live!

Hey Blastronauts, if you love Lead Researcher Dr. Aaron Burrell, you can get a double-dose of him on his new comedy release “Calculated”. It is very quick and easy to order and download. And what were you going to do with that $5 anyway, huh? That’s what I thought. You are way better off plunking it down for Aaron’s low-key, off-beat, quirky comedy. Yes, there is a classic Aaron mis-speak on “Calculated”. You can almost hear Tig making the “sproing-oing” noise. Yes, there is classic Aaron Mormon humor on “Calculated”. Yes, he sings on “Calculated”. It’s all there and he’s completely UNWRANGLED!!! How many times have you finished listening to Professor Blastoff and said to yourself, “Gee, there was not enough Aaron in that for me.” Or, “That Aaron was great, but he was just too wrangled for my tastes.” Well, then “Calculated” is for you! Aaron is super-funny and his low-key delivery sneaks up on you in a weird way. Maybe it’s all that time he spends in the hatch with Tig, Kyle and David. You can order it at www.aaronburrellcomedy.com and pay through PayPal or with a credit card. It is $5 well spent for some great comedy. Support Aaron with a purchase and download and then post your review! I did!

So overjoyed to hear Tig saying that she is cancer-free and that her prognosis is excellent. I will continue to pray for her just because she is such a sweetie. At one point during the episode I pictured Tig as the Terminator that just kept taking such a beating and kept coming and never stopped. But in a sweet, wonderful way. Sounds corny, but she is an inspiration to us all. I got a kick out of picturing TIg going to her doctor, telling the doctor that she had cancer and the doctor drawing her a prescription of a rocket ship. I could see Tig taking it to the pharmacy and the druggist handing Tig a bag with a giant rocket ship in it. Glad to know Kyle is in NYC. I have to get in and see him perform! Everyone in the area should! Regarding anticipation, I think it is tied into optimism and pessimism. I don’t think I can help but try to envision how various endeavors will go. I don’t like to be unprepared. Surprises are generally not welcome. When my dad passed away, we could see it coming due to his long, debilitating illness. Shortly thereafter, an uncle died suddenly. I can’t say that the anticipation made the loss easier or harder to take as compared with the sudden shock of losing my uncle. Thanks to those who have wished me well in my pursuit of the NYC assistant gig with Tig and Kyle. If I don’t get it, maybe my daughter will! Welp, that’s been comment.

Congrats to Lukas Holmes on the PBO name-check! Good on you, brother! Loved this ep! Loved Kyle's extra-terrestrial letter! Thanks for saving us all!!! Yes, I am applying for the intern position!! (if my wife lets me) Wish me luck!

I thought it was an amazing appearance. I was so glad to hear Tig's prognosis I almost cried. It really seemed that Conan and Andy were feeling love for Tig. And Tig was hilarious, sweet, open and unique. I can only imagine that her following is growing. And I could not be happier for her!

I love the "old Jewish man" chorus of high-pitched squeals. "May the turning of the earth not make your loved ones dizzy." "Who's got the ham NOW?" is my new catch-phrase. I noticed an absence of Aaron-wrangling in this episode. I loved Jen Kirkman's Boston-accented memories of her family's attitude toward the end times. It was weird to hear a pre-cancer episode. I was happy to hear Tig sounding so great and upbeat, but I am very emotionally invested in her "here and now" hoping and praying for her to beat this thing. We all love Tig so much! I also noticed the many fragments of various bit's and pieces of science that get tossed around. Polar reversal, asteroid collision avoidance, dinosaur apocalypse, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, transmission of virus vs. bacteria. It seems like there is a comic pessimism that pervades the hatch, but I love it nonetheless. Welp, that's been comment.

I don't disagree with Matt Miller above. Cody sounds sincere and I am not going to poop on his belief that he may be achieving some special spiritual progress. By definition faith is unprovable. It would be nice if the same open-mindedness in discussions could extend to traditional religions. Not singling out the PBO gang, but often these days it seems non-traditional stuff gets the benefit of the doubt and respect whereas faith of the Judeo-Christian variety gets a lot of ridicule (invisible guy-in-the-sky, pulling strings). I'd love to see an educated, Christian or Jewish church spokesman (or woman) discuss their faith with the gang. Granted lots of bad has been done in the name of religion over the centuries and lots of bad people have cloaked themselves in religion to get away with wrong-doing, but true faith and belief are not evil or stupid and help many people every day. My two cents. Flame away if you wish.

Aaron took a beating, but hung tough. (Gulp!) I am so looking forward to the all-Aaron episode!!!! So great to hear all the love flowing to Tig (and her teats)! Banananutmuffin65 is my favorite twitter person. Nice to hear #PBOparty mention!! @TigFansUnite getting a name-check!!! Go Eva! Welp, that's been comment.

I thought Sascha did a great job as a guest! As an old fart who was raised in another time and place, I won't embarrass myself trying to sound knowledgeable on this topic. I am for equal pay for equal work. I agree with Dan Engler (above) that Tig was searching for the word "sustainable". Am I wrong to feel the tiniest twinge since I was the guest on the "Sustainability" episode? I continue to be blown away by Tig's grace and courage in sharing her thoughts and feelings at this time. I pray for her every day and urge others to do likewise (or send out good thoughts and vibes). Kyle sounds like the best friend a girl (or guy) could have. No disrespect to David and Aaron. Love to all in the hatch. Welp, that's been comment.

Another great episode. Amy is a terrific guest and a super-funny stand-up!! It's interesting to hear all the different aspects of projection. I think everyone does it all the time. I love hearing a roomful of funny, supportive friends interacting. It warms my heart to hear all the love they have for each other and especially for Tig. I am excited that Amy, Tig and Kyle will be in NYC soon. I can't wait to see them all performing live! I am very excited to see Tig with huge "porn boobs". I wonder if, in addition to shaving their heads in support, Kyle, David and Aaron will get implants as well. I am seriously blown away by the courage Tig is showing in continuing to do the podcasts and continuing to be funny and upbeat. She is an inspiration to us all. I continue to pray for her every day and ask all Blastronauts to do likewise or to send good thoughts, love, and positive energy her way. I wish we could do more. Welp, that's been comment.

1. Sending more love and prayers for the beautiful, brave, funny, amazing Tig. 2. Thank you to all my Twitter buds for sharing the #PBOparty experience. I love sharing listening to the podcast with you all. I love the funny, sweet, loving comments. It enhances the experience. I was so happy that Evita (@TigFansUnite) and Megan (@megan_ramold) got shout outs (shouts out?) They are great fans of PBO!!!! 3. I am excited that Tig and Kyle are moving to NYC. Hey, east coasters, let's pack their first club appearance with bodies and love!!! 4. I encourage everyone to go to ProfessorBlastoff.com and leave Tig a message of love and support. One line is all it takes. 5. Again, if you pray, please pray for Tig. If you don't then send good thoughts, vibes, energy. She is a doll and we can make a difference. Well, that's been comment!