August 3, 2017

SPECIAL EVENT: Artificial Intelligence / Human Possibilities

Thursday 17 August 2017: 

Assessing emerging risks and opportunities in machine cognition.

Ben Goertzel, Marcus Hutter, Peter Cheeseman and Joscha Bach – experts in the field of artificial intelligence – will discuss the human impact of artificial intelligence.

Doors open at 6:15pm for a 7:00pm start; Tentative end time is 10:00pm.
Ibis Melbourne Hotel, 15-21 Therry Street, Melbourne.

Book for the event through either Meetup or TryBooking.
https://www.meetup.com/Science-Technology-and-the-Future/events/242163071/
https://www.trybooking.com/RIYT

CONTACT DETAILS: 1800 666 996 vic@skeptics.com.au

This is a free public session of the 10th Artificial General Intelligence Conference sponsored by the Australian Skeptics Victorian Branch.

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July 31, 2017

Puzzles for August 2017

Our August 2017 Skeptical Crossword is about Telling the Future.

or

84 Aug 2017 Crossword (Telling the future) [pdf version].

Our

AUGUST 2017 LOGIC & MATHS PROBLEMS [HTML version]
Logic and Maths Puzzles 61 August 2017 [pdf version] is the 61st such monthly set of ten puzzles with solutions that we’ve published.

Seven new Picture Puzzles and twenty “Mixed Bag” trivia / general knowledge questions are at the top of the Puzzles Page

Enjoy!

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June 30, 2017

Staying Rational in a World of Tweets, Fake News, Alternative Facts and Sound Bites

by William P. Hall
william-hall@bigpond.com
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net 

( based on a presentation at Vic Skeptics Café, 19 June 2017 at the Clyde Hotel, Carlton, Vic)

Today we are living in a world of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and blogs where anyone (even President Trump) can instantly post their ideas to the world for essentially no cost. We are also living in dangerous times where exploding human populations and technologies are affecting the planet’s climate and natural resources where extreme concentrations of wealth and power, warfare, epidemics, climate extremes, ecological collapses and famine threaten humanity’s survival. Unsurprisingly there are often conflicts between vested interests seeking wealth, power and control versus those concerned with the futures of our descendents and of humanity in general. Both are heavy users of the new media. View More Staying Rational in a World of Tweets, Fake News, Alternative Facts and Sound Bites

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June 30, 2017

Dr Ken Harvey receives the AM

Prominent Vic Skeptic Dr Ken Harvey has been awarded the AM (Member of the Order of Australia) in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Read all about it HERE

More on Dr Ken Harvey
https://skeptics.cafe/2015/09/13/dr-ken-harvey-on-the-radio-chiropractic-advertising/
https://skeptics.cafe/videos/dr-ken-harvey-chiropractors-abcrn-10915/
https://skeptics.cafe/2012/04/02/dr-ken-harvey-awarded-choice-consumer-champion/
https://skeptics.cafe/2012/03/06/tga-dr-ken-harvey-and-sensaslim-news/
https://skeptics.cafe/2011/06/11/the-sensaslim-libel-action-against-dr-ken-harvey-how-did-it-happen/
https://skeptics.cafe/2010/06/26/dr-ken-harvey/

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June 30, 2017

Death of Eric Fiesley

We are saddened to report that Eric Fiesley died earlier this month, several weeks after a road accident in Mildura.

A retired TAFE teacher, Eric was well-known to the Skeptical community, as a good friend and as contributor to and administrator of on-line Skeptical and social chat groups, and an enthusiastic supporter of campaigns. We also remember his devotion to caring for his sick wife Pam over many years.

Eric played euphonium with the Mildura and District Brass Band. He was also an administrator of both the Ulysses Social Club (for motorcyclists over the age of 40) , and the Mildura Working Man’s Club.

He will be missed.

 

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June 25, 2017

“Mixed Bag” Questions October 2017 – Answers

1. A small hotel or boarding house

2. Accept Morris Mini OR Mini Cooper

3. Bugsy

4. Ladybird/ladybug

5. To Kill a Mockingbird

6. Two (Freshwater and Saltwater)

7. Dame Judy Dench

8. The Goon Show

9. Rolls Royce Merlin

10. 10CC

HARDER:

11. Had its genome (DNA) mapped

12. Canoe / Kayak

13. Kenneth Williams

14. The Wise Men visiting the baby Jesus

15. D. They hanged him anyway

16. Burning

17. Sweden

18. Whitney Houston

19. Taff

20. Clouds

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June 25, 2017

“Mixed Bag” Questions August 2017 – Answers

1. Two hours (108 minutes)

2. Moonies

3. Perspective

4. Sting a.k.a. Gordon Sumner

5. Over eyes, bridge of nose, etc (they are eyeglasses that sit on your nose)

6. False. He was actually once a criminal on the FBI Ten Most Wanted List.

7. Beauty and the Beast

8. Halley’s Comet

9. Marni Nixon

10. 50%

HARDER:

11. 1937

12. Timor Sea

13. Pride

14. Ogee

15. Toni Collette. The film was Spotswood

16. Little cords

17. Portmanteau words: (Two or more previously existing words run together)

18. Dusty Springfield

19. Guinea-Bissau, Nauru, Peru, Tuvalu, Palau, Vanuatu

20. Regina

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