Month: June 2016

June 20, 2016

A Skeptic’s Guide to Dowsing

This article first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet and again here in 2010.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded from our  USEFUL INFO page.

Dowsing, (also known as Divining) is widely practised in Australia. Dowsers claim the ability to detect useful substances in the ground using processes which are not able to be explained by current scientific principles.

The most frequently dowsed substance in drought-prone Australia is water. Many Australians can claim a friend or relative who is a water-diviner.

Australian Skeptics have long been interested in dowsing. It clearly lies within the range of paranormal activities which come under scrutiny. Australian Skeptics offer a sum of money, (currently $100,000) to anyone who can demonstrate paranormal ability of any kind. Our only stipulation is that candidates must pass a proper scientific test, the protocols of which have been agreed upon by all parties before the test commences. Most acceptors of this challenge have been water-diviners; probably because they are genuine people who believe in their abilities, and are as interested in being tested as we are to test them.

View More A Skeptic’s Guide to Dowsing

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June 17, 2016

“Mixed Bag” Questions September 2016 – Answers

1. the gums

2. Brazil

3. The major daily Russian newspaper during the Communist era. It means “Truth”.

4. A solitaire-like card game

5. Jack Ruby

6. Locally known as “greenstone”, but we’ll accept jade.

7. the nose

8. Egypt

9. Barry Sheen

10. South Africa; it ignored international sanctions regarding its hiring of overseas celebrity performers during the Apartheid era.

HARDER:

11. The Boston Strangler

12. Caraway

13. Raymond Chandler

14. 601 / 602

15. Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse, Alice, White Rabbit (briefly)

16. 0872

17. (a) Jack Kelly, James Garner, Roger Moore; (b) Warner Brothers; (c) Mel Gibson

18. The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V

19. 1907

20. Random Access Memory

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June 17, 2016

“Mixed Bag” Questions August 2016 – Answers

1. the mouth

2. North America

3. Rod Laver beat Tony Roche

4. bombardier

5. 1972

6. two

7. Japan

8. Adelaide

9. Tom Watson

10. five: Robert Menzies, Harold Holt, John McEwen, John Gorton, William McMahon

HARDER:

11. Its primary meaning is “of the West wind”, but we’d accept secondary meanings of “mild” or “gentle”.

12. Rani

13. 2012

14. Her husband died building the Great Wall

15. Jerry Garcia

16. cockroach racing

17. 1935

18. Katy Manning

19. Number of consecutive bounces on a pogo stick (88,047)

20. World Quizzing Championship

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June 17, 2016

“Mixed Bag” Questions July 2016 – Answers

1. an inn

2. TNT

3. The Ewings

4. stick

5. Brian Epstein

6. Cliff Richard

7. suicide

8. South America

9. Nancy Kulp

10. Jon Cleary

HARDER:

11. castrato singer

12. It crossed the Atlantic Ocean

13. ice and snow

14. Lion – taming celebrities Siegfried & Roy

15. Last place of several hundred people listed in the official line of succession to the British crown

16. Nuclear weapons (code names)

17. Barbara Windsor

18. Exxon Valdez

19. spaghetti

20. capital city

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June 1, 2016

2016 Convention latest

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AUSTRALIAN SKEPTICS NATIONAL CONVENTION 2016 will be hosted in Melbourne at The Carrillo Gantner Theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Centre, University of Melbourne from 25-27 November, with the annual Dinner at The Leopard Lodge, Melbourne Zoo on Saturday evening 26 November.

Early-bird ticket sales commence on-line from the Convention website,

http://convention.skeptics.com.au/

on Saturday 4th June.

Early-bird ticket purchasers will receive a discount and will be able to reserve seats close to the stage.

We can confirm that speakers at the convention will include Lawrence Krauss, Edzard Ernst, Harriet Hall, Michael Marshall, Katie Mack and Mel Thomson, with more great speakers to be announced soon. Nicholas J. Johnson is our M.C. for the annual Dinner. Information about our speakers is available from the Convention website.

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