Local Groups

As can be seen by the fine photograph, the "Head of Turin", Nigel’s ancient past has been registered upon the sacred plaster (just next to the less famous shroud) of the Turin Monastery for many years. How this image of a future techno junkie appeared on such ancient plaster 600 years ago is truly a mystery of the first order. With a head full of 70’s mumbo jumbo, it was with great relief he had a truly religious experience in the late teens and realised it was all bunkum crap, also of the first order. His mind has been described as “rational beyond the point of reason” and “what else would you expect from an Engineer?” his only redeeming feature may be to encourage others to drink more at the monthly skeptic meetings and keep a full table, till people retire with headaches and a sad outlook on life. Living proof that decades of reading only science and technology leads to someone who couldn’t win Trivial Pursuit in a pink fit (unless only green questions are allowed), Nigel represents the terrifying underworld of the future where too much technology is never enough.

Laurie is a person of wide expertise as he works as a Sheriff's Officer and is also a registered psychologist. It should come as no surprise therefore to find that his interests are just as diverse - Astrology through to Zoophilia. His principal interests are to do with religions, behavioural control and end-of-the-world scenarios.

Christian Frederick Vermaak (pronounced kRRRRRisti-un fRRRRRere-duh-RRRRRihk fiRRRRR-mark) is a humble man with much to be humble about. Whereas many of his fellow committee members were conceived with all their critical (and skeptical) faculties fully developed, the young Chris fell for (almost) every scam going - George Adamski (can you remember him?), Erich von Däniken (can you forget him?), Uri Geller, John Taylor, etc. Chris achieved brief but notable success as a psychic cloud-buster while in the army [yes - he has been trained to kill] and even tried his hand at dowsing. Well, those days are over. At first a university science education started to interfere with such superstitions. Then, in his first real encounter with Skepticism, The New Apocrypha by John Sladek pointed to alternative explanations for the supernatural. He now faces the world with a faith in Skepticism that is strong and vibrant. As treasurer, helping increase the fortune of Skeptics (SA) is a task he is looking forward to with enthusiasm and confidence; especially after having received an exceptionally valuable offer from a kindly and generous investor from Nigeria.

Editor of Skeptics SA’s newsletter Southern Skeptic, the readers of which are prepared to testify to his tunnel vision, limited intelligence, and his supercilious, snide, biased, arrogant, offensive subservience to Authority. Notwithstanding this, he is prepared to have at least one opinion on any of the subjects of alien life, conspiracies, Father Christmas, mythology, Nostradamus, post-structuralism, technophobia, and any other subject giving evidence on the absence of intelligent life on Earth.

B.Ap.Sc, MCM (Master of the Creative Misprint), and creator of the cults of Stanism and Santaism.

Born before UFOs arrived, so is one of the minority of this planet’s population guaranteed not to be the product of an alien breeding project.

This particular skeptic likes to confuse/amuse people by writing with both hands at the same time. Backwards, forwards or up-side-down - I can manage it all. In my spare time, I read profusely, enjoy gardening, and create my own web pages. Have a look at my handiwork at http://www.timeagain.com.au

Peter Carter spent most of his working life as a teacher, before escaping to do some technical writing and editing and other work. When not doing that, he may often be found at sea in a kayak.

Peter owes his apostasy to a creationist.