Category: Announcements

July 8, 2010

New Simon Taylor show

Many active skeptics will have seen Simon Taylor before, so you’ll already know how good and entertaining he is.

click for full size

For those of you who haven’t seen him before let me tell you that he is very good and very entertaining.
He was a big hit at the Global Atheists’ Convention Dinner and more than held his own with other high profile entertainers.
We, (the Victorian Skeptics via Australian Skeptics) supported his two week show at Melbourne Uni’s Guild Theatre last year and it was a great show and with some nights being sold out.
Simon just seems to be getting better and better and so the show, at Darebin Arts Centre on 27th of August, promises to be a great night. Recommended for skeptics and non skeptics alike. Take your family and friends. If they don’t get the skeptical message (and there is one) they’ll at least have a good time and the show won’t end at the final curtain because there will be lingering conversations along the lines of “How did he do that?” …or even “I think I can work out how he did that one…” usually you can’t.
Cheers,
Terry

Simon Taylor’s web site

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June 18, 2010

TAM Australia Nov 26-28


As previously reported, The Amazing Meeting Australia will be held at the Sydney Masonic Centre, November 26-28.
The offical website has been launched at tamaustralia.org, and a raft of guests have been confirmed.
The guest list is a who’s-who of internationally-renowned skeptics and freethinkers, including (the Amazing) James Randi, JREF president D.J. Grothe, the entire cast of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com, musician George Hrab, Dr Eugenie Scott, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, previous Vic Skeptics guest Dr Simon Singh, winner of the inaugural Shorty Award for health Dr Rachael Dunlop, and many many more.
Members of the James Randi Educational Foundation and subscribers to “The Skeptic” will be able to buy early-bird tickets from 9am on Sunday June 20. That’s this weekend!
Tickets for the general public will be available from July 5.
This is going to be a major event in the 2010 skeptical calendar, and tickets will sell fast. Don’t miss out!

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May 25, 2010

Vale Martin Gardner


As James Randi so magnificently wrote:  “My World is a little darker… Martin Gardner has died.”  James knew Martin personally; I only dearly wish I did…
I became aware of Martin Gardner when I was a brand new Mathematics teacher at Irymple Technical School in 1974.  I quickly befriended the Physics teacher and it was he who showed me some of Martin’s books.  Those which I still have are Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions, More Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions and The Annotated Alice.  I have read these books many, many times over the years.
I would now credit Martin as being the main character in giving me my attitude to mathematics – in that it is my favourite hobby and has been since the mid 70’s.
I’m pleased he lived as long as he did.  It still pains me that he is no more.  He will live on through his prolific published works and I will treasure what he gave me – and he didn’t even know me.  This last sentiment reminds me of how many times over the years I have yearned to meet him – ah well, I’m still so very grateful.
Eric Fiesley

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May 21, 2010

From The Vault

What's So Funny? Last week’s trivia night featured the excellent Alternative Handicap 2010.
We’ve been scouring the vaults and found … the Alternative Handicap 2008!
This one features Oujia Board, Creationist, Feng Shui and lots of others.
The original wax cylinder it was recorded on has been been dusted off and the audio polished up. The sound quality isn’t the best, but I think you’ll agree the comedy quality more than makes up for it.
Thanks, once again, to Ken for his sterling work.

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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 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 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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March 30, 2010

Skeptics at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Charles and Catherine after the show

The Victorian Skeptics stepped out on Friday 26th March to support one of our former speakers the well known comedienne and journalist Catherine Deveny. With a show titled: ‘God is Bullshit: and that’s the good news’ Catherine put it out there in her real in-your-face style. There was certainly an attraction to Skeptics, Atheist and most of the thinking population to attend. How could we not go. We were not let down.
View More Skeptics at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

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March 29, 2010

TAM Australia

The 2010 Australian Skeptics National Convention will be held in Sydney in the last weekend of November.
You’ll want to mark it in your diaries guys, because it’s shaping up to be a corker.
This year the event will be known as TAM Australia, continuing the fine tradition of “The Amazing Meeting” held annually in Las Vegas by the James Randi Educational Foundation.
And TAM Australia will be boasting a stellar line-up of guests.
Those currently confirmed are JREF president D.J. Grothe, Australia’s own Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, the cast of the incredibly popular podcast Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, Brian Dunning of Skeptoid.com, skeptical musician extraordinaire George Hrab, the NCSE’s Dr Eugenie Scott and of course the man himself, The AmazingTM James Randi.
Tickets for the event will go on sale sometime in June.
Watch this space for further updates.
…Matt

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