Pitcairn Island — paradise or hell? Probably more of the latter, as Kathy Marks, The Independent’s Asia-Pac correspondent, relays in this scary tale of abuse, corruption and justice pursued. Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club, July 27, 6pm onwards. Tickets $50 including dinner. … Read on »
News
AltMed linked to poor cancer outcomes
The alternative medicine researcher, Edzard Ernst, has brought to our attention a recent study in South Korea of higher mortality rates of cancer patients who use alternative medicines. Yun YH et al evaluated the influence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the survival and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of terminal cancer patients. In a 15 month study of … Read on »
World Homeopathic Awareness Week
April 10th marks the 258th birthday of the Samuel Hahnemann the progenitor of Homeopathy. Fittingly it is also the beginning of World Homeopathic Awareness Week which has been celebrated internationally since 2005. The theme for the 2013 Awareness Week is “Homeopathy for Trauma & Disasters”. In a colourful and cheery brochure, the organisers extol the role of homeopathic … Read on »
Sydney: April 6 — Sex and the Troll
[ Saturday, April 6, 2013; 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ] Want to know how dangerous sex is? And is anonymity possible in the age of ‘questioning everything’? Dr Brooke Magnanti, forensic pathologist, genetic epidemiologist, author of The Sex Myth and, under the name “Belle de Jour”, author of The Secret Diary of a Call Girl, takes on the issues of ‘safe spaces’, online trolling, the … Read on »
Queensland’s anti-fluoride councils: a health or wealth decision
In the last few months, a number of Queensland local councils have voted to end water fluoridation from drinking water. At the time of writing, these are Cairns, Bundaberg, the Fraser Coast, Cloncurry, Burdekin Shire, North and South Burnett Councils, Domadgee Aboriginal Council and Tablelands Regional Council. These councils cover approximately 500,000 people. Fluoridation of water supplies … Read on »
Measles Madness
A book promoting measles as a child-friendly disease has been soundly criticised around the world, in both mainstream and social media, as a “misleading” danger to children and their parents. Originally self-published a year ago by Queensland-based anti-vaccination campaigner Stephanie Messenger, Melanie’s Marvellous Measles was republished in January of this year by independent publishing service, Trafford Publishing, … Read on »
Calling all diviners
Australian Skeptics are again organising a major test of water divining, repeating an exercise last undertaken 11 years ago at the Mighty Mitta Muster in Mitta Mitta, northern Victoria. Organised by the Borderline Skeptics with input from Australian Skeptics Inc and the Victorian Skeptics, diviners putting themselves up for the test will, depending on their results, be in … Read on »
AVN — new name, new president
Meryl Dorey, the founder and long-term president of the Australian [anti]Vaccination Network, has announced that she has relinquished her position as president of the organisation, effective January 1. Her replacement is Queensland-based AVN board member, Greg Beattie. Beattie, whom the AVN describes as a “long-time vaccine researcher”, is the author of two anti-vaccination books — Vaccination: A Parent’s Dilemma, … Read on »
Cold fusion at energy conference
Cold fusion was the subject of a presentation at the All-Energy Conference held in Melbourne in October, but with a twist. Ian Bryce, chief investigator for Australian Skeptics, was invited to present on his research into the Italian Andrea Rossi’s development of what he claims is cold fusion technology that can be used from domestic to industrial … Read on »
2012 Bent Spoon Award
On the night of the 1st of December, at a glittering dinner at the Melbourne Arts Centre for the Australian Skeptics National Convention, the annual Skeptics awards were announced. These cover both positive and negative awards for good works and,at the other end of the scale, the Bent Spoon for the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudoscientific piffle. And … Read on »
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