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 basic proposition of Western Astrology is that your personality and fate are influenced by the apparent positions and motions of heavenly bodies. View More Australian Skeptic's Guide to Astrology
The Victorian Skeptics are at Scienceworks this weekend, helping out and showing our support for science week. It’s always interesting to experience first hand public reaction to us. Perhaps the people that come to Scienceworks are a biased sample, but I generally find people are quite supportive and interested in what we do.
Illusionist Simon Tayor is also giving us great support by putting on regular shows in the theater within Scienceworks.
And now I have the perfect excuse to show you the bed of nails video, our great crowd puller is back once again.
Mal.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXj24tYimOI]
Don Hyatt gave us a great talk last Monday titled “The Problem with Education”. Luckily for those that couldn’t come along, the talk was recorded.
Listen:
[Direct link to the MP3]
Did you like that? Give us some feedback, do you want us to record future talks?
I’d also like to thank Ben, the wiz audio guy, for making the technology work.
Don has also made available the presentation slides from his talk in PDF form.
Slides 1-7
Slides 8 -23
Slides 24 – 33
Slides 34 – 83
Mal
It appears that some dubious marketing tools are being employed in the sale of the Power Balance wrist band.
First is the use of celebrity endorsement. This practice is unfortunately all too common. Celebrities don’t appear to be any better at critical thinking than your average Joe (or Jo) in the street.
The second dubious practice is the use of physical tests that aren’t objective. The method of pressing down on someone’s arm to test muscle strength can easily be manipulated (either deliberately or mistakenly) by the person doing the pressing. This methodology has been around for quite some time and is known as “Applied Kinesiology”. This is rather difficult to describe in writing. Fortunately Richard Saunders has put together an excellent video that shows you everything you need to know.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piu75P8sxTo]
Now, check out this uncritical video review of the Power Balance wrist band. In this video a View More Video fest: the Power Balance wrist band and the arm press
If you like to keep up with Skeptical news, either locally or around the world, I think podcasts are a great. I know not all Skeptics like to listen to podcasts. The main complaint I hear is, “Oh… I don’t have time for that”. You might have more time to listen than you think: maybe you haven’t considered all that time you spend commuting every day.
Are you the same as me? Do you spend two hours a day in a car or on public transport, as part of your daily grind? That adds up to 10 hours a week of being totally bored on a tram whilst maintaining your poker-face mask, or being assaulted by the nonsense of commercial radio in your car. Yes you could listen to your favourite music; I’m not suggesting you must listen to podcasts all the time. Try mixing it up perhaps. Surely The Best of ABBA is wearing a bit thin by now? How about trying something new? Listen to something worthwhile instead, something with skeptical content by critical thinkers like yourself.
How to get and play podcasts? It’s very easy, but perhaps I should do a more detailed description View More Skeptical Podcast Review
For the month of August, we are featuring a competition. We’re looking for the best original articles, reviews, cartoons, puzzles, photographs etc that we receive for publication on this website.
We have a copy of Tony Robinson’s The Unexplained DVD to give to each of the winners. We’re happy to promote this DVD on the basis of favourable reviews it received from our local Skeptics community, including that of Steve Roberts: http://skeptics.cafe/2010/06/23/unexplained/. Please send your contributions to vic@skeptics.com.au. Put “WEBSITE COMPETITION” in the subject line.
Here’s your skeptically-oriented crossword for August 2010. View More August Crossword
When Dr Ken Harvey spoke to Vic Skeptics earlier this year, a lot of us came away feeling that the Therapeutic Goods Administration was not serious about its role in ensuring that Australians have good information about and acess to reliable and safe over-the-counter medicines and therapeutic devices. An opportunity has since arisen for us to have our “two bob’s worth” before the Federal Government looks at revamping the TGA. Our first of two scheduled submissions is included here.
It has been sent primarily to The Hon Mark Butler in his capacity as Parliamentary Secretary for Health.
The Hon Mark Butler MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Health
Dear Mr Butler,
Australian Skeptics: Submission on the Position Paper on the Promotion of Therapeutic Goods
The Victorian Branch of the Australian Skeptics is part of a loose confederation of groups across Australia that investigates and debates pseudo-scientific and paranormal claims from a responsible scientific viewpoint. The Australian Skeptics publish a quarterly magazine entitled The Skeptic and host an annual national convention which includes prominent scientists, researchers and authors amongst the keynote speakers. View More Our submission on the Position Paper on the Promotion of Therapeutic Goods