Category: Announcements

January 20, 2012

Darwin Day Barbecue 2012

You are invited to join us in celebrating  Charles Darwin’s birthday with a Barbeque on Sunday, 12th February 2012  from about noon till ??? on the banks of the Yarra at Alexandra Avenue Melbourne.

Melways, 2G D11 Just west from the Morell Bridge and Anderson Street. Next to the Botanic Gardens.

All Welcome

Free BBQ facilities available

BYO food and drinks.

Since the early 1990s, Darwin Day has been celebrated around the world including in Melbourne. Every year we’ve said  “this year’s celebrations will be the biggest party so far”, and we’ve been pretty much right. Come along and enjoy a summer BBQ by the Yarra.

TEACHERS: for our suite of Darwin Day Classroom Exercises, go here: https://skeptics.cafe/for-sale/stuff-for-teachers-education-resources/darwin-day-february-12-classroom-suite-of-exercises/

For a brief article about Charles Darwin, go here: https://skeptics.cafe/2007/11/27/about-charles-darwin/

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November 29, 2011

Skeptics presenting at STAVCON 2011

By Don Hyatt
The Victorian Skeptics were out in force again this year at the Science Teachers’ Association annual conference STAVCON.

The display attracted a steady stream of interested teachers including, in one case, a former student. Teachers weren’t just attracted by the free Stuff for Teachers DVD or the Skeptics pens, although the new 2012 Skeptics Calendar was a highly prized item. Clearly debunking Kinesiology and the effect of the placebo power wrist band was popular as were fielding the range of “What do you think about ….” questions expertly and wisely addressed by the Vic Skeptics assistants.

The Skeptics also presented a workshop on Real Science for the Real World. Ken Greatorex designed and conducted a unique double blind dowsing experiment, the statists of which matched that of guesswork rather than an ability to dowse. Participants had to ‘dowse’ 5 hidden jars containing water or gravel after ‘calibrating’ their dowsing rod. None of the teachers got all correct, so the $110,000 challenge is still safe! Don Hyatt also covered topics such as homeopathy, power wrist bands, the AVN and SensaSlim. It is fair to say that there was a fair bit of interest in the topics raised.
Don demystifies the trick of Kinesiology to a STAVCON participant. The placebo power wrist band is exposed as a fraud.

View More Skeptics presenting at STAVCON 2011

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November 9, 2011

The Sixtieth Science Talent Search

by Ken Greatorex

Victoria’s mainstream media have pulled off a remarkable feat! It was the Diamond Anniversary of an annual Good News event involving thousands of intelligent, motivated Victorian children, staged in a city which thrives on Major Events; and yet, the Media still pretty much managed to keep it quiet!

The Science Talent Search celebrated its 60th birthday this year with the theme “React to Chemistry“. Students entered original projects in categories of creative writing, experimental research, inventions, working models, photography, posters, games, computer programs and video productions. The adjudged cream of Victoria’s budding young scientists made the annual pilgrimage to Latrobe University to receive cash bursaries and other rewards from prominent local scientists.

Terry Kelly and I attended Exhibition Day on behalf of Australian Skeptics Science and Education Foundation. ASSEF funded more than seventy bursaries this year along with other major sponsors including The Department of Early Childhood Development, Swinburne and Latrobe Universities,  the Catholic Education Office, The Royal Society of Victoria, Rio Tinto, CSIRO and BHP Billiton. It was impossible for us to meet all of the hundreds of bursary winners; however we were able to interview a small cross-section whose contributions intrigued and impressed us. View More The Sixtieth Science Talent Search

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October 20, 2011

Giving the Tiger Some Teeth – A Forum

It’s no secret that this site has been heavily involved in Alt Med issues recently – partly due to circumstance, and partly because we’ve taken some initiatives.

A great source of frustration is that statutory regulatory bodies like the Therapeutic Goods Administration can’t (or won’t) provide real consumer protection in ensuring that alternative medical products live up to their claims.

Vic Skeptics have arranged a forum to investigate this issue, on Wednesday evening 16th November at La Notte Restaurant in Carlton, featuring a distinguished panel:

Dr Stephen Basser

 Dr Ken Harvey

Dr Michael Vagg

Loretta Marron 

Further details, including how to book: HERE

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October 8, 2011

Skeptics In the Pubs – How are We Travelling?

You’d have to say “very well”.

Victoria has adopted the “Skeptics In The Pub” idea with enthusiasm. If you turn to the back page of your latest Skeptic magazine , you’ll see that of the eight new Australian regional groups listed, six are in Victoria.

We’ve discussed Skeptics in the Pubs before;

Your Very Own Skeptics In the Pub

Great Ocean Road Skeptics

New Skeptics in the Pubs

Here’s a brief look at each group in alphabetical order.

View More Skeptics In the Pubs – How are We Travelling?

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August 21, 2011

Leo Igwe in Melbourne

Humanist Leo Igwe, currently touring Australia will be in Melbourne from Thursday 25th  to Saturday 27th of August. Leo is a tireless campaigner against witch-hunting and other superstitions in his native Nigeria.

Subscribers to The Skeptic Magazine will be familiar with Leo through his frequent Reports From Nigeria

  • Listen to ABC Local Radio 774’s Drive Time program at 4:30 pm on Thursday for a live interview between Leo and host Lindy Burns.
  • There are still a few limited spaces available for Thursday evening’s Dinner with Leo Igwe at La Notte Restaurant, Carlton. You must book by ‘phoning 9378 4414 or emailing vic@skeptics.com.au. It’s La Notte’s famous Smorgasbord at $50 per head.
  • Leo Igwe will speak again at a public meeting on Saturday. The Humanist Society of Victoria is joining Vic Skeptics in staging this event. It’s at 2pm at Victorian Trades Hall New Council Chambers at 54 Victoria Street Carlton South. $10 at the door, ($5 concession). Refreshments will be available.

Leo has undertaken that his Thursday and Saturday presentations will be different in content.

For information about Leo Igwe, please see

http://newhumanist.org.uk/2548/witch-hunt-saboteurs?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dcaeb01c8d28212,0

and our previous posts

https://skeptics.cafe/2011/04/02/leo-igwe-tour/

https://skeptics.cafe/2010/07/14/support-for-leo-igwe

3 Comments
July 4, 2011

SensaSlim Backdown

Dr Ken Harvey at Skeptics of Vic
Dr Ken Harvey

The libel case brought by SensaSlim against Dr Ken Harvey is almost over, with SensaSlim eventually backing down.  The only remaining issue is one of costs.

Dr Ken Harvey says:

Subsequent to the ACCC freezing SensaSlim’s Australian bank account, their lawyers (Kennedys) have withdrawn from the case; an external administrator / liquidator was appointed to take over the company on 30/06/2011; a revised statement of claim was not submitted by the final date allowed by the court (July 1, 2011) and my lawyers will now apply to have the case finally stuck out (and costs awarded) at the next sitting of the defamation list judge on July 11, 2011.

However, this is likely to be a pyrrhic victory as it is very doubtful if any money from the liquidator will be available to pay the costs awarded!

The case has highlighted some fundamental flaws in Australian regulation concerning complementary medicines and the promotion of therapeutic goods which have been the subject of many submissions to recent government enquires. Hopefully, some reforms will emerge.

Cheers

Ken

In further news, the SensaSlim case has made news in the UK.  Dr Capehorn gives his thoughts as to what happened, here.

Dr Ken Harvey
Dr Ken can now take the gag off.
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June 28, 2011

Simon Singh Supports Dr Ken Harvey

Simon Singh
Dr Simon Singh

Simon Singh, the UK based science writer well known to Skeptics everywhere for having successfully defended himself in a libel case involving the British Chiropractic Association, has been in touch with Vic Skeptics.

Simon made the following statement in support of Dr Ken Harvey:

Having been sued for libel in London, I had admired the libel reforms in Australia, which seemed to offer you the free speech that we all deserve. However, I am now astonished and saddened that a respected Australian medical expert has been silenced by a defamation action by SensaSlim. This seems like a disgraceful state of affairs – for speaking out on a matter of public interest, Dr Ken Harvey has been forced to endure the massive personal and financial pressure of a potentially lengthy legal case. In the meantime, the Australian public is not informed about an apparently infective slimming treatment.

Simon Singh

28th of June 2011

Pledge Your Support

At present, the personal cost to Dr Ken Harvey for legal expenses is not known.  We’re not asking for direct financial assistance at this time.  However, you can show your support by making a pledge. Write to supportken@skeptics.com.au, with your name, phone number, and how much you are pledging.

Mal.

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