January 17, 2011

Darwin Day February 12 2011

BARBECUE:
12 Noon to 4.30 pm

(NOTE CHANGE to PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED TIME)

An Invitation from the Atheists, Humanists, Rationalists & Skeptics to celebrate
Charles Darwin’s birthday
For details, go here: https://skeptics.cafe/events/darwin-day-barbecue-2011/

CELEBRATE DARWIN DAY IN YOUR CLASSROOM:
Here’s a suite of classroom exercises designed to mark Charles Darwin’s Birthday.
https://skeptics.cafe/for-sale/stuff-for-teachers-education-resources/darwin-day-february-12-classroom-suite-of-exercises/

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January 6, 2011

Psychic Predictions For 2011

Crystal BallIt’s a new year, and we here at Vic Skeptics would like to celebrate this (somewhat arbitrary) milestone in the traditional skeptical fashion.
We’re going to shake up the tea leaves, gaze into the crystal ball, yank out the goat entrails and check out some psychic predictions for 2011.
Then, most importantly of course, we’ll revisit them at the end of the year and see how they did!
But we don’t want any of those annoying predictions that are infuriatingly general and non-specific.
And we definitely don’t want any silly prophecies about celebrity relationships. (Brad and Angelina are going to have a rough time? Oh noes!)
No, what we want are specific dates and detailed events.
Enter Australia’s own John Gold. Mr Gold goes out on a huge number of very impressive limbs with his 2011 forecasts.
I’ve reproduced a choice selection below the fold, or you can read the whole jaw-dropping lot here.
View More Psychic Predictions For 2011

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January 5, 2011

Great Ocean Road Skeptics


The new Geelong-based Skeptics group, Great Ocean Road Skeptics In the Pub launched spectacularly on Saturday 5th February at 10 am at Bell’s Beach Torquay.
Regular meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month from 6.30 pm. For March 30, the venue is City Quarter Bar on Cunningham Pier Geelong. For further information, contact Carolyn Coulson.

CAROLCO(AT)BarwonHealth.org.au
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December 29, 2010

"Mixed Bag" January 2011 Answers

1. (a) Martin  (b) George  (c) Lennox  (d) Michael  (e) Cameron
2. Eleven times
3.  (a) 200 Dollars for passing “Go” in Monopoly
     (b) 101 Dalmatians in the Disney Movie
4. Sleeplessness
5.  100
6. (a) Monopoly   (b) Pictionary  (c) Cluedo  (d) Trivial Pursuit  (e) Snakes and Ladders
7. Michelangelo Buanorotti; Salvador Dali; Pablo Picasso; Claude Renoir; Rembrandt van Rijn
8. Frank McCort, Angela’s Ashes; Bryce Courtenay, The Power of One; Colleen McCulloch, The Thorn Birds;  Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses; Frank Hardy, Power Without Glory; Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
9. Sagittarius, Gemini, Scorpio
10. They are father, son and grandson

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December 23, 2010

The ACCC Moves on Power Balance

After the TGA Complaints Panel ruled on Power Balance bracelets last month, the promoters of Power Balance were asked to put up this disclaimer on their web sites.  To no one’s surprise, they didn’t.
Now stepping in to take on Power Balance is a regulatory body with a little more grunt, the ACCC. Unlike the TGA, the ACCC can force business to act responsibly if they won’t do it voluntarily.
Power Balance Australia has given the ACCC a number of undertakings that include:

– not make any further claims to the effect that the products will improve the user’s balance, strength and flexibility.
– not, in conjunction with the products, make claims that “Power Balance is Performance Technology” or use the phrase “Performance Technology”.
– not make claims that Power Balance products are “designed to work with the body’s natural energy field”.

The company has 14 days to comply View More The ACCC Moves on Power Balance

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December 20, 2010

George Hrab at the Clyde

I should really have put this post up weeks ago but, sorry I’ve been busy, with work, blah blah…. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it.  Anyway this post is a not-very-good attempt to re-live a great night, a bit of a pat on the back for the organizer, Catherine D and to show some nice photos.
And what a week TAM Australia Fringe was in Melbourne, with events on successive nights.   Beginning on Tuesday the 30th of November, George Hrab put on a great performance at the Clyde Hotel.
Self confessed “suit guy”, podcaster, composer and musician George Hrab was pleasantly surprised to find that he had so many fans in Melbourne. A crowd that numbered around 150, knew the words and joined in with enthusiasm.   What a fun night, lyrics that resonate with skeptics and rational thinkers, music and laughter – good stuff.
I recall talking to Terry Kelly after the event. He said:

That was great. I can’t believe it was a free event – I would have paid good money to see that!

(hint, Terry, don’t tell Catherine).
George played Far, I really didn’t View More George Hrab at the Clyde

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December 16, 2010

A Skeptic in Church

As you’ve probably gathered, Skeptics normally don’t go to church.

President, Terry Kelly

So it was unusual for Vic Skeptics president Terry Kelly to be invited to speak at one.
No, not just any church: the Unitarian Church in Melbourne is different.  Their motto is:

Seek the Truth and Serve Humanity

It’s a good motto. It assumes that the truth isn’t already written down in an ancient book or is impossible to find.
As far as I know, none of our members are regular attendees at the Unitarian Church; we and they are clearly distinct organizations.  I’ll leave it to the reader to investigate the Unitarian Church further.  However it was interesting that Terry was given a free rein to speak about the skeptics, current issues and who we are.  Here then, is the skeptical equivalent of a “fire and brimstone” from the pulpit.
(The sound has been edited only to remove long pauses and “ums” and “arrs”.  The sound file can be found on this file sharing site.)terry-kelly-uc-talk.mp3

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