Category: Announcements

November 16, 2010

TGA calls on Power Balance to withdraw claims and advertising

The promoters of Power Balance wrist bands are in trouble again. This time the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has ruled against them. 
In part the decision says:

In reaching this conclusion, the Panel noted that the claims made in the advertisements were extraordinary to such a degree that no reasonable retailer could publish them on the basis of assurances from the product sponsor, without requesting evidence that such claims could lawfully be made about the product.

The TGA are asking for the: Withdrawal of representations, Withdrawal of advertisement and the Publication of a retraction.
To re-cap;  Power Balance wrist bands are coloured silicone rings with two small plastic holograms glued on.  The popular silicone bands sell for about $60 (Aus).  A pendant version of the Power Balance sells for about $90 (Aus). The promoters of Power Balance claim View More TGA calls on Power Balance to withdraw claims and advertising

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November 14, 2010

The Science Talent Search and The Skeptics

How do you get people to think a little more critically? How do you encourage an appreciation of science? Those are questions that skeptics ponder.
However, there are such opportunities right under our noses – things that we’ve been doing for years that somehow don’t get much PR, yet generate huge good will. Victoria’s Science Talent Search is a great example.
Australian Skeptics Inc are major supporters of STS and have been involved since 2003. Vic Skeptics committee members are also represented in the organisation and judging.
The good will generated by STS is amazing. Kids get to exercise their passion for science, science teachers get to show off their best and brightest, and the parents are often there proudly supporting their kids; and most importantly of all, it’s the perfect event for Australian Skeptics to get behind and support.
Participants in the Science Talent search need to demonstrate originality, and the ability to meet a number of criteria specific to the category in which they enter. For example, students who perform an experiment must submit a report which contains an introduction, aims, materials used, the method followed, results, a discussion of the results, a conclusion, and a list of acknowledgements and references. On this criteria participants are judged and graded.
Look at this thank you letter from a Junior Primary age participant.

Surely the financial contribution from Australian Skeptics, together with the effort by those on the Victorian Skeptics committee is worthwhile – just for that one letter? But there View More The Science Talent Search and The Skeptics

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October 28, 2010

Special Event, Brian Dunning and Rebecca Watson

Excellent news: shortly after TAM Oz, two of the world’s most prominent Skeptics will be in Melbourne and have agreed to speak to us: Brian Dunning and Rebecca Watson.
For those who missed out on TAM Oz tickets, or simply couldn’t afford the time or money to travel to Sydney, this is an evening you shouldn’t miss.
Hopefully you already know of Brian and Rebecca; if that’s the case, why are you reading this?  Just skip to the end of this post, read the details and book in for the event.
For those who want to know something of Brian and Rebecca, read on.

Brian Dunning

Cast your mind back to our video night in 2009.  You may recall that Peter Bromley showed us a video called Here be Dragons.  It was an excellent 40 minute presentation of skeptical/critical thinking.  The writer and producer of that video was Brian Dunning.
I know there are many current and retired science teachers among the Vic Skeptics.  As you could probably gather from this video, Brian is one of the world’s best communicators when it comes to Critical Thinking.
Brian is a tireless producer of View More Special Event, Brian Dunning and Rebecca Watson

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October 6, 2010

George Hrab in Melbourne

 

Click the image for full details

 
Apparently skeptics are just a bunch of old-age naysayers with no religion, culture or art.  As such, don’t tell anyone about George Hrab and his upcoming gig in Melbourne, I wouldn’t want to burst anyone’s bubble.  I’d really hate for his gig to be spoilt by – you know – loads and loads of people turning up.
George is an active Pennsylvania based musician, composer, podcaster and skeptic.
George’s podcast; the Geologic Podcast, has a huge following and easily has the best sound quality of any skeptical podcast available.  The Geologic Podcast features segments such as “George talks to his mum” and “religious moron of the week”.
In a very bold move, George’s last album “Trebuchet” was released free, in its entirety, in one of his regular podcasts.  I first really began to appreciate George’s music when he produced the song “Far”, which became View More George Hrab in Melbourne

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October 3, 2010

Bigger blog


Suddenly the Vic Skeptics blog has got bigger, though you probably haven’t noticed.  We’ve gone from 80 posts to 220.  Our old “keypoint” site will eventually be shut down.  Ahead of that, rather than dump the old stuff, a big effort has gone into moving it from the old site to this one.
If you have a little spare time and feel like reading some re-born old posts try these:
How to make your own bed of nails
Homeopathy for Pets???
How to put together a class exercise on astrology, if you’re a teacher
Saddened by Channel Ten’s screening of Sensing Murder (from 2006)
Also on the same subject “Sensing Nothing” by Christopher Short.
Dr John Long spoke to the Victorian Skeptics in 2005
An embarrassing question on a psychology exam
View More Bigger blog

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September 4, 2010

Terry, RoyalAuto interview

Don’t toss out your RoyalAuto just yet. Victorian Skeptics president Terry Kelly featured in a RoyalAuto article this month.
Amongst the car safety reviews and suggested holiday destinations, a four page interview style article about Terry and things of interest to skeptics. I found the writing and photography to be excellent and it’s always nice to see a good positive story in the press.
You can read the September 2010 article on-line.

Mal.

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August 21, 2010

Scienceworks, find us there

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]

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August 4, 2010

Competition

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.

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August 3, 2010

Our submission on the Position Paper on the Promotion of Therapeutic Goods

Dr Ken Harvey

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

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