Month: April 2010

April 30, 2010

Brain train or another's gain?


A recent study, “Putting brain training to the test” by Owen, A.M. et al. has received advanced online publication in Nature. The largest trial of its type to date it presents findings into the efficacy of “brain training” computer games.

“Bang Goes The Theory” is a BBC science programme. Researchers and the BBC Lab UK website retained a respectable 11,430 subjects from an initial 52,617 viewers of “Bang Goes The Theory” who had registered to complete the online study.
Subjects were aged between 18-60 and over six weeks completed a benchmark assessment and at least two full training sessions, with a mean of 24.47 training sessions. Participants were divided into three groups. A general non-reasoning group practiced tasks available with commercial brain training devices: memory, mathematics, visuospatial processing and attention…. View More Brain train or another's gain?

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April 25, 2010

The Skeptical Voter


Does my local politician make decisions based on evidence?  Or does he/she try to suppress and ignore evidence in decision making?
I’d really like to know!
I’m somewhat envious that in the UK, voters can now go on-line to find out how their local polly is doing in relation to science and critical thinking.
Keen polly watchers in the UK can contribute to the site by finding those gems in Hansard and public speeches that are of interest to Skeptics; the good, the bad and the “I can’t believe he/she said that”.
IMHO such a site is urgently needed here.  The Skeptical Voter
Mal

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April 19, 2010

The Skeptic's Guide to Tarot

This article first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded here: http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/
or by clicking on the “Useful Info” link at the top of this page.

The appeal of Tarot as a method of fortune telling seems inextricably linked to the exotic nature and large number of cards which make up the deck; they seem so ancient and unfamiliar to people used to the standard, modern, boring 53 card deck of four suits plus joker that their origins must surely be mystical. View More The Skeptic's Guide to Tarot

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April 18, 2010

Homeopath’s own studies show – it doesn’t work

A new review by Prof Edzard Ernst inclusive of studies by Homeopaths, fails to yield positive results.

Announcing a new review of Homeopathy to be published in the Medical Journal of Australia, the review is authored by Prof Edzard Ernst.  A press release by the MJA follows this short introduction.
The introduction to Homeopathy is by Dr Ken Harvey who will be speaking to the Victorian Skeptics on the 21st of June, 2010. [Now a past event.]
Homeopathy has been in the news of late. Earlier this year, a homeopath and his wife were found guilty of manslaughter after their baby daughter died when they treated her severe eczema with homeopathic remedies rather than conventional medicines.  In the United Kingdom, View More Homeopath’s own studies show – it doesn’t work

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April 16, 2010

British Chiropractic Association Withdraws Libel Action.

Simon Singh

There has been a major development in the Simon Singh case. The libel action against Dr Singh has collapsed.
You may recall Simon spoke to the Victorian Skeptics at a special dinner last year. The proceeds of that function were donated to the Sense About Science campaign.
Simon Says:

It still staggers me that the British Chiropractic Association and half the chiropractors in the UK were making unsubstantiated claims. It still baffles me that the BCA then dared to sue me for libel and put me through two years of hell before I was vindicated.  And it still makes me angry that our libel laws not only tolerate but also encourage such ludicrous libel suits. My victory does not mean that our libel laws are okay, because I won despite the libel laws. We still have the most notoriously anti-free speech libel laws in the free world.

Here is a link to the BBC announcement of the news. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8621880.stm
For those who are new to the Simon Singh Saga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Singh
Ken

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April 12, 2010

General Information (Originally posted at our old site)

We are the Victorian branch of the Australian Skeptics, a science-based organisation run by volunteers.
http://www.keypoint.com.au/~skeptics/skepbits/australia.gif The Skeptics encourage people to be careful about what they believe. Things that sound “too good to be true” – usually aren’t true! Science has revealed many amazing things, but amazing claims are also used to deceive and to rip-off innocent people.
The Skeptics also encourage thoughtful, rational exploration of the world around us, especially in matters considered ‘paranormal‘. To this end, the Skeptics are keen to promote scientific education and a sense of wonder in the natural world.
http://www.keypoint.com.au/~skeptics/skepbits/prism_sm.jpeg

Weird and Wonderful – Read about all manner of supernatural and scientific matters on our Articles page including these popular topics
Creation v Evolution – Sensing Murder – Bed of Nails – Murders and Clairvoyants – Homeopathy
(Yes, “sceptical” & “sceptics” are the correct spellings but we’re so clever we spell them with a k instead. 🙂

April 11, 2010

Sixth Annual Skeptics Trivia Extravaganza

Take Your Partners for the Sixth Annual Vic Skeptics Trivia Extravaganza

La Notte Restaurant

140 Lygon Street Carlton

Monday 17th May 2010

at the special time of 7.30 pm .

or join us for the traditional Third Monday meal at 6pm.

Previous Trivia Nights have been among our most popular events; – this year, get your team organised early , and if you’re having a meal at the restaurant before the Trivia, please arrive and order early.

If you can’t come equipped with a ready-made team, don’t stay home and mope! We can organise consortia of suitable intellects on the evening.

Lotsa individual and team prizes!

A donation is requested from each participant.

April 10, 2010

A Skeptics Guide to Homeopathy

Homeopathy Week is upon us! To celebrate, here is our view on Homeopathy. (This and many other discussion topics can be found at our  “Useful Info” link).

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Homeopathy is an “alternative medicine” invented in the early 19th century by German doctor Samuel Hahnemann. Despite numerous experiments showing homeopathy to have no effect, it has become a multi-million dollar international industry with its own special rules in advertising law.
View More A Skeptics Guide to Homeopathy

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April 8, 2010

April Bulletin


Current and upcoming activities and news from the Victorian Branch of the Australian Skeptics.  Please see our latest April Bulletin [PDF].

News Group

Vic Skeptics has an email news group. We send about one bulletin per month, listing and describing our upcoming events and activities, as well as supplying contact information for similar organisations. To join this group, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vic_skeptics_news/
Ken

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