Australian Skeptics
 
 
 
  
 

Bent Spoon Award

Nominations for 2007

 

The winner for 2007 was Marena Manzoufas, Head of Programming at the ABC for her sterling work in authorising the television show Psychic Investigators, made worse by putting it to air in the Catalyst timeslot.

The following nominations were received for the 2007 Bent Spoon Award.

Nominee: Professor Bruce Robinson
Nominated by: José García
Date: 24/10/2007

I nominate Professor Bruce Robinson, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney, for incorporating complementary therapies into its curriculum, including acupuncture.

URL: http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2007/10/12/1191696173816.html

Nominee: Prime Minister John Howard
Nominated by: Douglas Nichols
Date: 17/10/2007

I nominate the Prime Minister, John Howard, for suggesting quite seriously (in April 2007) that we pray for rain.

Nominee: Max Whisson and Phillip Adams
Nominated by: Ken Harvey
Date: 15/10/2007

I nominate Max Whisson (and Philip Adams for going along with it) for his idea, featured on Australia Story and New Inventors earlier this year, for economically extracting water from the atmosphere. Unfortunately for both of them, a little high school physics shows that his idea belongs more in a Harry Potter book than “Great Inventions of the 21st Century”.

URL: http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/windmills/default.htm

Nominee: McCallum Marketing
Nominated by: Kevin McDonald
Date: 7/10/2007

I nominate McCallum marketing, its CEO (John McCallum), and its many deluded followers for their National Rain Day hocus pocus, which took place on 8 May, 2007. See their website: www.nationalrainday.com

Not only did these people take credit for some rain which subsequently fell, they waxed eloquent about the country receiving the blessing of rain, and, furthermore, have threatened to do it again sometime.

What they didn't acknowledge was the super-abundant rain which fell on the Queens Birthday weekend resulted in the loss of several lives, and many millions of dollars in damage to thousands of homes, motor vehicles, and personal possessions. Indeed, these "Rain Day" people should be held to account for all this damage! They really should be sued for their mischievous conduct.

For those people who want to know more about what took place on National Rain Day where many "believers" held hands and stood bare-footed whilst "visualising" (see: "The Isaiah Effect", a book by Greg Braden), go to the website referred to, and read all about "Visualisation", which could help you no end in all sorts of other ways. (Shades of "The Secret" nonsense by Rhonda Byrne who is laughing all the way to the bank.)

URL: http://www.nationalrainday.com

Nominee: Boffins Bookstore
Nominated by: Geoff Cureton
Date: 30/09/2007

I nominate....

Boffins Bookstore in Perth, WA, for placing the book What the %#&$^# Do We Know!?, in the science section. This title is ultimately traceable back to some outfit called "Ramtha's School of Enlightenment", what I think could only be described as a New Age cult. The book, and the docu*cough*mentary flim on which it is based, contains a Deepak Chopra-inspired fusion of quantum mechanics with issues of consciousness and reality, and misappropriations of physics related jargon abounds. But enough about the book's content.

The book in question was labelled as "self-help/spirituality" (in small print under the barcode on the back), which would seem a fair description. So what was Boffins missing that the publisher didn't? Upon enquiring about the placement of the book, I was told that the bookstore couldn't make a new "hybrid" category for every book that came in. Funny, I thought they had a whole wall devoted to psuedoscientific claptrap (with plenty of Dr. Phil and Oprah for company). And I thought Boffins was a "technical" bookstore. Sorry, some greek symbols were insinuated into the book's cover art, it must be a physics textbook. My Bad.

Nominee: Kerry-Anne Kennelly
Nominated by: Regina Lee
Date: 20/09/2007

KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY
KERRY-ANNE KENNELLY  ad infinitum .........................

What an embarrassment this woman is !

Nominee: Siobhan Maiden - ABC Radio, Hobart
Nominated by: Malcolm Cluett
Date: 17/09/2007

I tuned into ABC Local Radio Tasmania tonight (17 Sept 2007), hoping to hear another dose of wisdom and entertainment from Annie Warburton. However Annie is away on holidays and the replacement evening presenter Siobhan Maiden spent a full thirty minutes interviewing Feng Shui consultant Wendy Bishop. In a way it was comical, but the ABC should not be supporting this nonsense just in case a listener might take it seriously.

Siobhan Maiden deserves a Bent Spoon, and a copy of a high-school Physics textbook so that she can learn what energy is.

I wonder what Annie would have thought …

Nominee: Natural Health and Vegetarian Living
Nominated by: Naomi Maltby
Date: 29/08/2007

I would like to nominate the magazine Natural Health and Vegetarian Living. This used to be a reasonable magazine when it was known simply as New Vegetarian, albeit with the odd kooky article about ‘natural remedies’ or the latest conspiracy theory. I am a long-term vego and enjoyed reading the magazine.

For the last few years though, the magazine has been a joint production with the Natural Health Society and 90% of the articles read like advertorials for various ‘alternative’ health theories; most of which contradict each other, and an alarming number of articles are on the same pages as paid ads for the therapy/gadget in question, which makes the authors look rather hypocritical when they bleat on about the commercial nature of modern medicine.

Nominee: Queensland Training Authority
Nominated by: Bill Larkin
Date: 28/08/2007

I would like to nominate the Queensland State Training Authority for approving qualifications up to Advanced Diploma in Breathwork/Rebirthing. This "modality" helps "open the heart chakra and increases the ability to love and to forgive". Is that all? What about bringing about world peace? According to www.breathconnection.com.au "no-one has died from breathwork so far" yet it describes a "tragic accident" in Colorado where a child died and which led to the therapy being made illegal in that state.

I have no problem with people believing this nonsense, but when it is recognised as a formal qualification (which attracts government funding) a line has been crossed. What next, a Bachelor of Clairvoyancy? (Please dont tell me this exists in Australia.....)

Nominee: Simonne Lee
Nominated by: Ken Harvey
Date: 27/08/2007

I nominate Simonne Lee who, on Enough Rope on 20th August, had me in stitches when telling Andrew Denton that she conducted conversations with animals. To quote her, “…..I’m able to communicate through, with them telepathically so it’s an exchange of thoughts, feelings, words, emotions.”

URL: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s2010241.htm

Nominee: Pfizer
Nominated by: Graham Donald
Date: 4/08/2007

I'd like to nominate Pfizer for peddling a pill that 'may' boost the immune system. This sort of thing used to in the realm of Alternate Medicine pushers and in reality has no more effect than Anti-Lion tablets.

Nominee: Tim Flannery
Nominated by: Pasha Ponomarenko
Date: 28/07/2007

I think our recent Australian of the Year fits well into that definition with a number of his interviews and statements. See for example this one to decide for yourself whether it has anything to do with science

URL: http://www.wwf.org.au/articles/interview-with-tim-flannery

Nominee: The pharmacies of Australia
Nominated by: Graham Donald
Date: 11/07/2007

I would like to nominate the pharmacies of Australia for the Bent Spoon award for their continuing promotion of quackery such as Iridology and Naturopathy on their premises, firstly in the form of 'free' consultations, at which the person having the consultation will be told to purchase all manner of nostrums which are, of course, available at the pharmacy and secondly through the display of 'New Age' magazines at their entrances.

Editor's comment: Last year's winners would have to do something spectacular to win for a second year in a row. Of course, the spectacular thing we would like them to do is to stop selling rubbish.

Nominee: Steorn with their Orbo
Nominated by: Nial Francis
Date: 7/07/2007

Another free-energy, perpetual motion machine

URL: http://www.steorn.com

Editor's comment: The award is only open for work in Australia, so nominations for Irish woowoo can only be accepted on March 17.

Nominee: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Nominated by: John Chartres
Date: 29/06/2007

I would like to nominate the “Australian Bureau of Statistics” for their misleading 2006 census question on religion.  This was a loaded and politically designed question that intended to produce intentionally skewed results.  From the phrasing of the question (“What is the person’s religion?”) it assumes we all have a religion to begin with.  And unlike other Census questions, which place the negative option at the top of the list, "No religion" is placed at the bottom (http://www.cpa.org.au/garchve06/1283census.html).  From communications with a Census Publications Team Member on this question, I received this response:

In the lead-up to the 2006 Census, the ABS tested repositioning of the "No religion" mark box to the top of the list of responses for the religion question. However, outcomes from this testing indicated that the relocation of the mark box would be detrimental in terms of the quality of data obtained from the question in relation to its primary purpose.

Detrimental !?!  This doesn’t sound like something any statistician would say.  They are meant to be scientists aren’t they?

The question makes no attempt to define exactly what it means to be religious (ie. Church attendance, number of confessions in a year, dealings with the devil!).  It’s a known fact that people usually list their parents religion despite not actually attending church in years.  I received this explanation for the “purpose” of this question:

The primary purpose of the religion question is to measure a person's religious affiliation rather than their belief, so that church and religious organisations can obtain data on the potential need for services such as schools, hospitals, community services and homes for the elderly.

This sounds reasonable enough, however on this logic, shouldn’t the question be: “what charitable services do you make use of?”  The census results recently came out and apparently only 1 in 5 Australian’s are “not religious”.  Does that mean these 1 in 5 Australians don’t have access to these religious based community services?  Or does that mean that 1 in 5 Australian’s aren’t “community minded” and are all going to hell?

This is obviously a powerful, emotional and significant question.  It provides for government funding and allocation of resources to religious organisations and more importantly it helps define how we perceive our existence as “Australians”.  For me personally, I would hate to think our society is pursuing the same religious path as America.  I would much rather like to believe that Australia is leading the world in scientifically based rational thinking.

Nominee: The Rangertell Examiner
Nominated by: Gary McCutcheon
Date: 26/06/2007

I came across this Australian made unit while looking for metal detectors on eBay(au) and think it would make a worthy nomination.

The  Rangertell Examiner   (See eBay listing here)

For a look inside this amazing device go here   The inductively coupled calculator for fine tuning is a nice touch and all for the bargin price of $ 1,192.00 !!  

URL: http://www.rangertell.com

Nominee: ABC Television
Nominated by: Greg McPherson
Date: 30/05/2007

ABC Radio National’s Rachael Kohn, who uses ‘The Spirit of Things’ to showcase an endless parade of new-age frauds and charlatans eager to flog their latest pseudoscientific books on (see http://www.abc.net.au/rn/spiritofthings/stories/2007/1905495.htm#transcript) . Also, the closely aligned and clearly inspirational ‘New Dimensions’ show on Radio National, which is imported from the US and (much of the time, at least) an even more insidious promoter of garbage for the mind.

Why do Australian taxpayers have to pay for the promotion and circulation of ridiculous ideas?

Nominee: Clean Coal
Nominated by: John Pickard
Date: 21/05/2007

My nomination for the Bent Spoon is for "clean coal" technology. This is nothing more than a con-job being perpetrated on us by the Howard government, big coal and a bunch of scientists who should know better. Basically it is a snappy name for burning the black stuff and then disposing of the carbon dioxide in some (yet-to-be-found) way to sequester it. The coal is NOT "clean", neither is the method of using it. The concept is little more than a justification for business-as-usual. But I wish I'd thought of the name!

Nominee: iDetox Ion Cleanse
Nominated by: Elaine Cummings
Date: 10/05/2007

After seeing the other Bent Spoon Nomination this year and last year we were interested to see for ourselves. Once again they were exhibiting at a local expo so off we trotted.   L@@K at all the toxins in the water they said that is all being pulled out through the hundreds of pores in your feet. Prove it we said, could they a big FAT NO they just palmed us off with a load of rubbish and then expected that we would fork out a couple of thousand dollars for their system. Not only that they charged us $30 for this nonsense   So www.idetox.com.au TRUTH or FICTION back up your claims with some hard fact and evidence.

URL: http://www.idetox.com.au

Nominee: Dr Richard Gordon
Nominated by: Jodie Miers
Date: 10/05/2007

I wish to nominate Richard Gordon for the 2007 Bent Spoon Award for condemning parents who have witnessed their children die or regress into autism following vaccination and for so venomously defending the products made by pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline. Ribena has 4 times the vitamin C content of oranges and vaccines are safe. Fool you Richard.  

Editor's comment: Should this nomination be extended to all members of the NSW committee of Australian Skeptics? There is no evidence of a link between vaccination and autism and much evidence that there is no link, despite what the people rightly termed "anti-vaccination liars" might have to say. Dr Gordon does not "condemn" parents who have been deceived into believing that their children's autism is caused by vaccination, he condemns the liars who have done the deceiving.

Nominee: Australia Post
Nominated by: Albert Brakel
Date: 4/05/2007

The issuing of a set of astrology stamps that purport to give personality traits of the 12 star signs, such as "curious", "indecisive", "attention-seeking", "nurturing", etc. The blurb on the collector pack talks about cusps that "bear the influence of both signs", and has the artist saying "I'm intrigued by how often people just happen to fit the personality type of their sun sign".

Nominee: ABC Television
Nominated by: Alan Needham
Date: 2/05/2007

On Thursday 12th April the ABC aired a programme called "Thanks for the Memories". It promoted the programme with the following:

"Is it possible that in receiving a transplanted organ, a patient could also inherit some of their donor's memories and tastes as well?

“In recent years several heart transplant recipients have reported unexpected side effects including memories, habits, desires and new talents they never had before."

The bizarre suggestion that the nervous tissue in transplanted hearts could be responsible for all this was never seriously scrutinised. It could have easily been debunked, but no, we were insulted with half-truths, pseudoscience and irrelevancies. The mysterious statement that the heart sends more information to the brain than does the brain to the heart (so what?) was a good example of the last. In any case, just how a transplanted heart with all its neural connections severed could possibly be sending any informatio n to the brain was never considered. And why the heart? Why is it more special than kidneys, livers and lungs? Could it be that kidneys don't have quite the same mythical links to romance and emotions? Come to think of it, to offer a lover the key to one's kidney might lack a little dramatic impact.

As with "Psychic Investigators" the ABC is wasting its money on promoting populist rubbish. Furthermore, the timeslot proximity to "Catalyst" does that (mostly) worthy programme a grave disservice.

Nominee: Dr David van Gend
Nominated by: Dan Carmody
Date: 1/05/2007

For his tireless efforts in promoting pseudoscientific nonsense about embryonic stem cell research, misleading the public about the nature of the scientific method, and advancing the sophism that homosexuality is a 'disease' which can be 'cured'.

Nominee: Christopher Pine M.H.R.
Nominated by: Colin Barnes
Date: 30/04/2007

His bigoted unreasoning anti-intellectual response to euthanasia as displayed on "Insight" recemtly. His attitude that politicians know best and that any scientific info had nothing to do with the problem.

Nominee: Channel 9 - Mornings with Kerri-Anne Kennelly
Nominated by: John Wriedt
Date: 26/04/2007

I saw this on Channel 9 today, 26/4/2007 and was truly astounded.

A viewer sent in a photocopy of both her palms.

A "Palm Reader" then took a call from the viewer, and proceeded to give a "reading" on air.

The first question was " my boyfriend is going to Iraq soon, will he return and will we get married ?"

I was speechless !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nominee: iDetox Ion Cleanse
Nominated by: John Sanderson
Date: 23/04/2007

For the utter garbage that they depict in this so called foot basin, toxins my bum.

I have spoken to other people selling these systems and some who shall be nameless do not spout the rubbish this company does.

The moral of this nomination is know your product and not be in it to make a buck.

URL: http://www.idetox.com.au

Nominee: The ABC (again)
Nominated by: Marius Vanderlubbe
Date: 11/04/2007

Just when you thought it was safe to tune into our national broadcaster on a Thursday night, the good ol' boys and gals at the alpha bravo charlie have done it again. A show devoted to the recipients of donor organs who claim to have developed strange new habits and tastes. Obviously this is the personality of the donor organ. Yeah, right.To be honest, I am making this nomination the day before this programme is due to air. I will be watching it and I know I will end up smashing my telly in a fit of skeptical rage. So will you. The ABC deserve it.

Nominee: Victorian government "Better Health Channel"
Nominated by: Trevor Dainton
Date: 9/04/2007

For claiming to give "quality assured" and "reliable" information while icluding on the website sections about homeopathy, reiki, and other BS. A government site should be warning people away from this drivel, not giving their deluded practitioners a leg up at the tax payer's expense.

Nominee: Trish Mc Cagh
Nominated by: Jacinta
Date: 1/04/2007

This animal psychic / communicator is ripping off gullible people and charging an extortion.

URL: http://www.animaltalk.com.au

Nominee: Unless they're from "The Chaser", all those who pay to see John Edwards. If that can't be accepted, then John Edwards himself.
Nominated by: Angela
Date: 22/03/2007

He's a fake or a lunatic (or both); but at least he's gotten rich on it.

Those helping him be rich have no such excuse - just lunatic (to put it kindly).

Nominee: 2DayFM (John Edward)
Nominated by: Corey Watts
Date: 21/03/2007

"Crossing Over with John Edward
World renown psychic medium and TV sensation John Edward joins the Kyle and Jackie O Show exclusively every Wednesday. If you'd like John to cross over and talk to someone you know, please register below."
http://www.2dayfm.com.au/shows/kyleandjackieo/show_features /johnedward

That's right! All you need to do is provide all your details,
INCLUDING RELATIONSHIP TO THE DECEASED
and John Edward will 'cross over'.

What? Can't he even be bothered Cold Reading anymore?

URL: http://www.2dayfm.com.au/shows/kyleandjackieo/show_features/johnedward

Nominee: SMS Name Compatibility Ratings
Nominated by: Guy Curtis
Date: 20/03/2007

Over the last few months in Australia I have see TV ads for 2 different services that claim to be able to give very accurate percentage compatability ratings for couples. To use these services all you have to do is SMS your first name and your (potential) partner's first name to a number and you will receive a compatibility rating (e.g., 86%). As you can imagine, first names don't tell us much. For example, Janette and John Howard may be compatibile, but Janette Howard and John Safran wouldn't be - there's no way these services would know which John and Janette someone intended on their SMS. These services claim to use psychology, numerology, and astrology in estimating compatibility from names. This is provided for about $5 per message. Having looked at as much peer-reviewed published psychology research as I could regarding names and compatibility, I have concluded that these services' claims are bogus. There is no way you could accurately estimate romantic compati bility to within a few percent just from first names. As such, I would like to nominate them for the 2007 Bent Spoon.

Nominee: The purveyors of Himalayan Goji Berry Juice
Nominated by: Geoff Andrews
Date: 20/03/2007

I would like to second the nomination of this cure all juice and add to it Noni juice and all the other juices peddled as cures for everything, and also "magic water" which is, er, just water.

Nominee: The purveyors of Himalayan Goji Berry Juice
Nominated by: Mark Koen
Date: 18/03/2007

Yet another natural product which is able to make you feel better - buts its not a drug! Oh no! Its a food. Not just a food, but a lucrative business opportunity as well if you decide to distribute the product. 4 x 1L bottles of juice delivered to your home for only $200. This product has it all - including books written by a Dr whose PhD came from a dodgy US university.

Nominee: Discovery Science Channel
Nominated by: Stephen Ridgway
Date: 17/03/2007

For presenting Psychic Detectives as documentaries on a science channel!

Nominee: John "I see dead people" Edwards
Nominated by: Victoria Laing-Short
Date: 11/03/2007

Yee ha, he's coming to Australia again so I can legitimately nominate him. The "World's Leading Psychic" (and I'm sure they have some way to quantify that statement)in on his way to our Antipodean shores. Bless his heart for reaching out and bringing hope and messages of love to the grieving ones left behind ( at the bargain price of $110).

Nominee: Peter Garrett
Nominated by: Paul Prociv
Date: 4/03/2007

For glibly talking about "the need to get clean coal technology" up and running as soon as possible. This is truly a pie-in-the-sky, and potentially extremely dangerous, technology - far more noxious to human and other life than even global warming, which it is meant to avert. Peter Garrett, of all people, should be aware of this - after all, he (and the ALP) is our last great hope for reversing the accelerating production of greenhouse gases in this country.
[This same complaint could be extended to all high-profile greenies, including Al Gore and Tim Flannery; should I nominate them too? Clean coal is wishful thinking in the Santa Claus category.]

Nominee: Wikipedia
Nominated by: Archie
Date: 4/03/2007

What could be worse than a psuedo-encyclopedia?

Incomplete too! No mention of Dr. Bob in article on Aust. Skeptics.

URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Skeptics

Editor's comment: The Bent Spoon is supposed to be restricted to Australian nonsense, but as there is an entry about Australian Skeptics it will be allowed on a technicality.

Nominee: Rhonda Byrne
Nominated by: Graham
Date: 28/02/2007

For promoting magical thinking in her self-help book/video 'The Secret' which claims you merely have to wish for something and it will appear.

URL: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1573136,00.html

Nominee: Channel 10 Programming Department
Nominated by: Rhys Needham
Date: 14/02/2007

For showing the programme, Medium in prime-time, and at all, which promotes those purveyors of loads of codswallop otherwise known as 'Psychics', and for it being a crap show.

Nominee: Australian Psychic Expo, Townsville
Nominated by: Liz Tynan
Date: 12/02/2007

I am nominating this event not just for the obvious reason, but for an advertisement that appears in The Townsville Bulletin of 12 February stating the following: "Wanted, Three experienced psychics. Owing to recent weather conditions three of our psychics are unable to attend this week's Australian Psychic Expo at the Townsville Plaza Hotel from Feb 14 to Feb 20. If you would like to take their place, phone Konnie after 7pm (0409) 499 782 or e-mail kongold@bigpond.com"

The natural rejoinder to all this is, of course, why the organisers didn't forsee the bad weather and make their plans accordingly. It seems amazing that a "psychic expo", of all events, should run short of participants in this way. Doesn't augur very well for a successful expo. Oh, and the TV ad for this occasion is truly appalling.

Nominee: David Miles, Aquiess
Nominated by: Susan Tyrrell
Date: 8/02/2007

This man claims he can modify the weather using electromagnetic pulses. He is making money by taking advantage of the desperation felt by drought stricken farmers. His claims are completely bogus.

Nominee: Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos
Nominated by: David Taylor
Date: 31/01/2007

For denying the existence, diagnosis and method of spread of HIV/AIDS. Described as "a very considerable embarrassment to Australian science" by Gustav Nossel. (See news report below)



HIV sceptic backs unprotected sex

Jeremy Roberts and Elizabeth Gosch
January 31, 2007

A MEDICAL physicist at Royal Perth Hospital has declared that she would have unprotected sex with an HIV-positive man, believing she would not be at risk of infection.
Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos was giving testimony at the Supreme Court of South Australia during an appeal by a man convicted of exposing three women to HIV.
She was asked by prosecutor Sandi McDonald whether "you would have unprotected vaginal sex with a HIV-positive man".

"Any time," replied Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos.

The admission came on the last day of Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos's cross-examination. She is the lead expert witness for Andre Chad Parenzee, 35, who was convicted in February last year on three counts of endangering life. A jury found Parenzee had unprotected sex with three women despite knowing he was HIV-positive. He infected one of them.

He remains in custody awaiting sentencing. His mother, Jeanette Thumlert, has spent $250,000 on her son's defence. Some of that money has gone to flying two expert witnesses from Perth on three occasions since October last year.

The witnesses, Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos and emergency doctor Val Turner, represent the Perth Group.

The group's key claim is that HIV has never been isolated and identified as a retrovirus. HIV is the result of the misinterpretation of laboratory phenomena and experiments, the group says.

Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos says AIDS is a disease that results from the oxidising of the inside of the body from repeated exposure to semen resulting from passive anal intercourse. It is not a "virus" and cannot be "transmitted" from one person to another during sex.

Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos's views are largely ignored by mainstream scientific journals.

She has a bachelor of science and is a medical physicist at Royal Perth Hospital, with Perth Group member David Causer, the head of clinical physics.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said neither worked with AIDS patients or in HIV research. "Their views are not consistent with the hospital's views on HIV-AIDS," she said.

Despite the Perth Group's marginal position, its evidence in the Parenzee appeal has spurred up to seven eminent HIV-AIDS scientists to give rebuttal testimony. The prosecution has told the court that Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos has misrepresented scientific papers and will call some of the papers' authors to set the record straight.

Renowned immunologist and World Health Organisation public health expert Gustav Nossal is preparing to give written evidence or appear in person debunking the testimony. He has called the HIV sceptics "a very considerable embarrassment to Australian science".

Yesterday, Ms Papadopulos-Eleopulos continued her strident defence of her claims.

She was asked to consider the good record of anti-retroviral drugs in extending the lives of HIV-AIDS patients.

Judge John Sulan asked: "Is it your evidence that it is a waste of resources to give anti-retrovirals to pregnant women?"

"Yes," she said.

The case continues.

Nominee: Bio-Natural Australia Pty Ltd
Nominated by: Les Yemm
Date: 20/01/2007

Their Himalayan Salt. The blurb lists all of the 'essential' 84 trace elements this '250 million year old pollution free salt' contains. Unfortunately, some of the elements in their list do not occur in nature, being man-made in nuclear reactors. It looks like they have simply taken a list of known elements and cut and pasted this list to their product label.

Nominee: ABC Television - Psychic Investigators
Nominated by: Ross Corkrey
Date: 19/01/2007

I also complained about this program to the ABC. Their responding email matches the response received by other nominees. In short and paraphrasing, the ABC said:

a. They regret I'm unhappy. But the series documents actual police investigations. [Did it? What I saw seemed to show activities on the fringes of police activity or indirectly related to them, not forming the core of plice investigation.]

b. Police were initially sceptical. [And then they presumably saw the light? Why not talk to police more generally rather than a few with a story to tell? Since the series has the word "investigation" in the title then it might seem reasonable that the producers knew something about how to do research! ]

c The cases covered in the series took place in the UK and North America and cover a range of crimes. [I'm baffled by this one. Not sure why this was worth mentioning.]

d The 8:00pm timeslot on Thursday evenings is not a dedicated science timeslot... [Okay. Fine. Now let's follow with some other series of similar length in the same timeslot with a critical examination of the perpetuation of nonsense by the media!]

e. The ABC has an obligation to appeal to a diverse range of tastes. [I think it should also report where a program promulgates falsehoods. ]

Nominee: David R. Hawkins
Nominated by: Phoenix Potter
Date: 16/01/2007

David Hawkins uses the pseudoscience "applied kinesiology" (muscle testing) as an absolute way of determining the truth or falsity of anything in the universe. He has stated that he experiences omniscience. He "calibrates" (using his wife's arm) Jesus Christ and Buddha at 1,000, the highest level possible in Hawkins' system. By contrast, Hitler is at 50. Hawkins calibrates his own book at 999.8! 0.2 away from perfection! He is an MD, a psychiatrist, though his PhD is from the unaccredited correspondence school that has since been closed by court order, Columbia Pacific University! Please give him the Bent Spoon Award!

URL: http://www.cults.co.nz/h.php#hawkinsdr

Editor's comment: The original article at Wikipedia about David Hawkins has been "modified" by his lawyers, so a new link has been substituted.

Nominee: Victorian Dept of Industry, Innovation and Regional Development
Nominated by: Tony Ellis
Date: 13/01/2007

Alright - I know the ABC deserves the award but there really should be a runner up... There's also mentions in the "Wellness Plan" of chiropractic, biodynamic and healing foods and other mumbo jumbo.

From the Department's newsletter to staff:

Naturopath Consultations - Iridology
We are kicking off DIIRD's Corporate Health and Well-being Program for 2007 with Naturopath Consultations. The 20 minute consultation will include an iridology test analysed by a highly qualified naturopath. The iridology test gives a snapshot of your health.

Nominee: Marena Manzoufas, Head of Programming at the ABC
Nominated by: Frank Collins
Date: 12/01/2007

Although I read about this travesty by the ABC on the JREF Swift two weeks ago, I did not realise how appaling a load of nonsense it is until I chanced upon it last night (11/1).
Apparently, the dead man was attempting to direct the 'psycho' (sic) to where his body was dumped. Even though he conversed with the psycho and even grabbed the steering wheel of her car, he seemed incapable of saying "turn left or right" to actually get her there.
A complete load of uncritical crap that is a total waste of money. Its presentation in a documentary format shows how lacking in discrimination the ABC has become.

Nominee: Southern Cross University
Nominated by: Alan Martin
Date: 10/01/2007

For running a naturopathy clinic. For claiming on this web page: http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/ncm/index.php?page_id=23&menu=2_29 that homeopathy is "effective" without mentioning anywhere on their website that a majority of qualified medical practitioners and scientists think it is quackery. Quote from their clinic's Director: "We want the Clinic to be an educational service as well as a health service for the community."

I think that medical misinformation is more dangerous and misleading if it is promoted with the academic authority of a university.

Also they specifically encourage people to bring their children to the clinic for assessment and treatment.

Nominee: ABC Television - Psychic Investigators
Nominated by: Geoffrey Cowan
Date: 9/01/2007

As a professional in the Law Enforcement community, I have undertaken both under and post graduate training, short and long courses, conducted and managed investigations and intelligence operations into organised crime and murders in correctional centres, but it appears that something was missing in all the evidence, interviews and confessions - A Psychic ! I have seen what these people have done at Search & Rescue operations, contact families of missing kids and attempt to impress with their insight into crime. Please get this show off TV ABC !

Nominee: Foxtel
Nominated by: Bill Larkin
Date: 8/01/2007

For showing "Loose Change 2" on the History Channel. This conspiracy theorists' wet dream concludes September 11 was organised by the US government. All preposterous "facts" reported by this nonsense have been widely debunked. Putting it on the "History" Channel adds insult to injury

Nominee: Dr Helen Caldicott
Nominated by: Ian Macdonald
Date: 8/01/2007

For perpetrating myths and pseudo-science to scare ill-informed about the dangers of nuclear power

URL: http://www.helencaldicott.com

Nominee: ABC Television - Psychic Investigators
Nominated by: Steven Rasmussen
Date: 5/01/2007

I understand that most of you, being the good little Skeptics that you are, will have lodged your complaint with the ABC re the appalling Psychic Investigators and received the same reply from Mr. Simon Melkman, attempting to justify this rubbish, as did I. However I cannot let the reply pass without comment. Just a few bits that caught my attention (I wouldn't bore you with the lot):
1) The ABC regrets that you are unhappy about the decision to broadcast this series.
Unhappy! Unhappy! I am not unhappy, I am bloody furious. What a waste of my money!

2) Many of the police involved state that they were initially sceptical that a psychic would be of any help and that they were astounded by the information they learned.
I'll bet they were. In the few instances where I forced myself to watch a few minutes I was astounded at the rubbish they were trying to make us believe was factual evidence.

3)Documentary programs broadcast on the ABC fall within the 'factual' category within the ABC's Editorial Policies and Code of Practice... blah, blah, blah....
Aha! Must be some new meaning of the word "factual" of which I have hitherto been unaware.

4)The 8:00pm timeslot on Thursday evenings is not a dedicated science timeslot; in fact, last year over the summer period the ABC broadcast Creature Comforts and Nigel's Place in France in this timeslot.

True, true, and many of us get enjoyment from such simple things as Creature Comforts, for they are exactly what they pretend to be - light entertainment.

So good on you Marena Manzoufas, Simon Melkman et al, I hope you enjoy your wooden spoon, as it has well and truly been earned. (I cannot see another nominee coming close.)

Nominee: Robyn McSweeney, Liberal MLC, Western Australia
Nominated by: Ian Pavey
Date: 27/12/2006

For her unwavering support of the curtain-fading brigade who trot out hysteria and nonsense about daylight saving.

This is what Ms McSweeney said in the WA Parliament:

" . . . The effect daylight saving will have on our circadian rhythms, which is the 24-hour cycle in the physiological process of living beings. When our circadian rhythm is upset, it puts us out of sorts. I do not want my circadian rhythm upset because I do not like being out of sorts".

No wonder the usefulness of our second tier of government is questioned from time to time.

Nominee: Simple Savings website
Nominated by: Jess
Date: 17/12/2006

Although I can't generally fault the budgeting advice on this site, they do have a "Homeopathy Corner" in their monthly newsletter. Apparently, homeopathy saves you money by "balancing" your overall health so that you don't need to spend money on expensive medicines.

Your wallet would be better served by not purchasing this quackery!

URL: http://www.simplesavings.com.au

Nominee: ABC Television - Psychic Investigators
Nominated by: Liz Tynan
Date: 15/12/2006

This organisation will be much-nominated for the 2007 award, but I feel I have to add to the chorus. It breaks my heart to do so because I worked there years ago and it is by far my preferred broadcast network. But Psychic Investigators is not on. I suffered through the first episode and was going to watch the second but in the end just couldn't. The show is a disgrace and the ABC should be given a clear signal that perpetrating this kind of claptrap is simply unacceptable. Reducing the sum total of credulous nonsense should surely be the goal, not adding to it. So the gong should go to whichever genius booked Psychic Investigators.

Nominee: Channel 9 - Mornings with Kerri-Anne Kennelly
Nominated by: Joost den Haan
Date: 15/12/2006

Editorial advertisements for pennington cosmetics patches. "Everyday we absorb toxins from the environment, the food we consume and synthetic products.
a build up of heavy toxins can cause fatigue, anxiety, headaches, diminished memory,
skin complaints, joint pain, obesity and infertility."

"Cleansing foot patches adopt the science of reflexology, based on the principle that all organs of the
body are represented reflexively on the feet."

That's why they are called heavy toxins, they drop down to your feet. Wonderful news, I was under the misguided impression that heavy metals like mercury accumulated in my body! IP address: 203.166.241.125

URL: http://www.penningtoncosmetics.com

Nominee: The Australian Skeptics' Bent spoon awards
Nominated by: Michael Fitzpatrick
Date: 5/12/2006

Reason being the falure of this usually flawless organization to award the Bent Spoon to the very deserving, the honerable member for Bradfield,Brendan Nelson. Whats the point of having a system of nomination if your going to ignore it anyway.17 nominations to 1.(Harrisons pharmacies).Not a hanging chad in sight.Democracy in inaction.Sure,they probably deserved a spoon,but it could be argued that every other nominee did as well.Why else were they here.With his lofty government position as a potential lawmaker,Nelson needs this small measure of scorn for his no-brain comments on I.D.

Editor's comment: Nominations are not votes.

Dr Nelson made a silly comment which he regretted and later recanted. Far more damage is being done to the country by pharmacists selling snake oil than could ever be done by a politician's off-the-cuff thoughtless remark which resulted in no change of any policy. Dr Nelson's replacement in the porfolio has made it quite clear that ID is getting nowhere near any science classroom, so nothing would have been achieved by giving the prize to someone who no longer had anything to do with the issue.

Nominee: ABC Television - Psychic Investigators
Nominated by: Alan Needham
Date: 4/12/2006

My reasons are outlined in an email I have just fired off to dear old Aunty, who is showing clear signs of senile dementia:

Dear Aunty,

I endured last Thursday's episode of Psychic Investigators, thinking it was one-off, but I have now discovered that it was the beginning of a series, and I would like to let you know how I feel about this programme.

I watch the ABC (and little else) because I am rational, well educated and discriminating. Documentaries broadcast by the ABC are largely informative, analytical and interesting. From a national broadcaster whose charter includes a requirement to perform "with maximum benefit to the people of Australia" I would expect nothing less, and am usually not disappointed.

However, what I observed in Psychic Investigators last week was a documentary which presented a psychic, of all people, as a credible and useful source of information in a missing person investigation. The programme was clearly bia ssed in favour of the claims of the psychic, which were at no point critically evaluated. The rest of the series seems likely to follow suit.

I find it difficult to believe that the ABC has bought, with public money, a series of programmes which uncritically promote the claims of charlatans. The emotional and financial damage done by so-called "psychics" in giving false hope to vulnerable and grieving people cannot be reconciled with the decision by ABC programmers to broadcast this series. It is inimical to the Corporation's requirement to act in the public interest.

I am concerned, also, that the reputation of the ABC is suffering through its increasingly uncritical presentation of pseudoscience. Last year's series on "alternative" medicine, Second Opinion, is a good example.

Please don't respond by saying that these programmes are justified by the levels of acceptance within the community of charlatans of this type. In the absence of any scientif ic evidence that anyone has paranormal abilities, the ABC should not be spending its money on programmes that encourage irrational acceptance of such extraordinary claims.

Nominee: Marena Manzoufas, Head of Programming at the ABC
Nominated by: James Burkill
Date: 4/12/2006

I hate to be unoriginal but I don't believe there is a more worthy candidate. This is a most appauling example of mismanagement of my tax dollars.

Nominee: ABC Television - Psychic Investigators
Nominated by: Bruce Wallace
Date: 3/12/2006

For showing Psychic Detectives at 8pm on Thursday nights which is in the science time slot. The first show was absolute rubbish with the Psychic coming up with nothing new that the police did not already know.

Nominee: Marena Manzoufas, Head of Programming at the ABC
Nominated by: Steve Roberts
Date: 1/12/2006

The Bent Spoon nominations for 2007 have just opened, but it will be a shoo-in to award this dubious honour …

See the rest of Dr Bob's nomination here.

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