February 2013 Crossword – Solution
Darwin Day 2013
Charles Darwin’s birthday, February 12 is the subject of an annual celebration by freethinkers around the world.
As usual, we invite you to celebrate with us in two ways.
(1) If you’re a teacher, or know a teacher, we have our suite of Darwin Day Classroom Exercises. You can download them from http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/ These exercises cater to a wide range of student ages.
(2) There’s the usual Darwin Day Barbecue for Melbourne people. HOWEVER, this year the venue has changed.
Go to our EVENTS page for details.
An On-Air mixture of Whiplash, Acupuncture and Anecdote
By Mal Vickers
An interesting discussion took place on radio whilst James Randi was in Australia. It happened on Friday the 30th of November during The Conversation Hour, a kind of group interview session with popular radio host Jon Faine, (ABC Local Melbourne Radio 774). The particular exchange I’d like to highlight took place at the very end of the program.
Being a skeptic, of course I’m an admirer of the work of James Randi however, being a Melburnian I also regularly listen to ABC 774 and think highly of Jon Faine.
Many times I’ve heard Jon Faine ask some excellent, insightful questions of politicians. He’s sharp, knowledgeable and in my humble opinion, Melbourne’s best talkback radio host.
Jon Faine was, I think, the only media commentator willing to strongly criticise self proclaimed US psychic John Edwards when he came to Australia. The stoush between the two made the national media at the time.
Getting back to the 30th November Conversation Hour broadcast, with James Randi, comedian Stella Young and psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist; whilst discussing the topic of psychics, Faine said the following:
They [psychics] take away the fundamental and unavoidable importance of us being responsible for our own destiny. And that’s a fraud on every individual, that’s a fraud on all of us.
I think most skeptics would View More An On-Air mixture of Whiplash, Acupuncture and Anecdote
Psychic Challenge 2012 – The Results
Greetings all.
Well, the year has come to an end. We survived the Mayan Apocalypse and time has marched on into the 14th Mayan B’ak’tun and the 2013th year of our Common Era.
That means it’s time to look back, reflect and review just how well the Psychic Predictions for the year turned out.
12 months ago we put out the call for a psychic to provide predictions for the year ahead. We then pit that psychic’s predictions against those from three skeptics, to see who would prove the most prescient.
And the results are now in!
For a full commentary and all the scores, check out the Psychic Challenge 2012 page.
January Puzzles
The JANUARY 2013 CROSSWORD is our largest ever. (We couldn’t think of a specific theme, so it covers most of the Skeptical bases.)
January’s Picture Puzzles are at the top of our PUZZLES page, closely followed by January’s “Mixed Bag” Quiz.
You’ll find January’s Maths & Logic Questions HERE
All of our previous monthly puzzles going back to August 2010 can be found here:
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 1 (AUGUST 2010 to APRIL 2011)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 2 (MAY 2011 to SEPTEMBER 2011)
PUZZLES ARCHIVE 3 (OCTOBER 2011 to NOVEMBER 2012)
Logic & Maths Puzzles January 2013 Solutions
1. (a) 1 in 6 or 5 to 1 ; (b) 1 in 36 or 35 to 1; (c) 1 in 9 or 8 to 1
2. c. The blue area is larger than the green area
3. a. 8, 13 ; b. U, N (Uranus, Neptune)
4. a. 1 in 6 or 5:1 b. zero chance
5. 2 hours
6. 9 pm
7. Charlie guessed right with 29
8. 4 ducks
9. $470
10. Sam is 40 and his son is 12
“Mixed Bag”Questions January 2013 – Answers
1.
The first Golf game was telecast in 1947.
Peter Thompson won his first British Open in 1954.
Alan Shepard hit a six-iron on the moon in 1971.
European Players were admitted to The Ryder Cup in 1979.
The graphite shaft for golf clubs was introduced in 1973.
The World’s first mini- Golf course opened in 1916.
The word “birdie” was first used for a hole in one in 1898.
Royal and Ancient St Andrews Golf club was founded in 1754.
2. A. Chelsea, B. Aston Villa, C. Southampton, D. West Ham United
3. When the Full Moon is bright
4. A. 50%
5. Boston
6. False. The old flag did, but the current flag does not.
7. Othello
8. Derringer
9. True
10. Crimson Tide
March 2013 Picture Puzzles – Answers
1. Pride goes before a fall
2. introduce
3. incognito
4. No one’s perfect
5. Back to basics
6. For Your eyes only
7. peninsula
February 2013 Picture Puzzles – Answers
1. Pyramid sellers
2. Moth Bawls
3. Nicholas Nickleby
4. Turn a blind eye
5. Pair of over alls
6. Few and Far Between
7. Hang on a minute
January 2013 Picture Puzzles – Answers
1. Holden back the tears
2. Contemplates
3. Inexhaustable
4. Long in the tooth
5. Uninspiring
6. Once in a blue moon
7. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush