the Skeptic Contents Vol 24, No 4 Summer 2004 ISSN 0726-9897 Regulars Editor ♦ 3 – Editorial — Reflections on a Phenomenon— Barry Williams Barry Williams ♦ 4 – Around the Traps — Bunyip ♦ 61 – Letters Contributing Editors ♦ 66 - Notices Tim Mendham Steve Roberts Technology Consultant Richard Saunders Chief Investigator Features Ian Bryce ♦ 6 - Convention Round-up — Barry Williams ♦ 10 - World Skeptic Congress — Lynne Kelly All correspondence to: ♦ 15 - The Paranormal Strikes Back — Martin Bridgstock Australian Skeptics Inc ♦ PO Box 268 18 - Fractured Fundamentalists — Brian Baxter Roseville NSW 2069 ♦ 22 - The False Bits from Humbug — Jef & Theo Clark Australia ♦ 28 - The Psychic Skeptic — Karen Stollznow (ABN 90 613 095 379 ) ♦ 32 - Nutrition Myth: Cellulite — Glenn Cardwell ♦ 35 - If it Sounds Like a Duck — Peter Bowditch Contact Details ♦ Tel: (02) 9417 2071 40 - Interview: Skeptical, Comical and Rational — Richard Cadena Fax: (02) 9417 7930 ♦ 44 - Interview: Confronting Creationism — Richard Saunders new e-mail: [email protected] ♦ 47 - The Good Word — Mark Newbrook ♦ 50 - The Science of Religion — John Warren Web Pages ♦ 52 - Review: The Unreal State of Real Estate — Michael Lucht Australian Skeptics ♦ www.skeptics.com.au 55 - Notice: A Plea from Nigeria — Leo Igwe No Answers in Genesis ♦ 56 - Review: Out of the Mouths of Babes — Rob Hardy http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/default.htm ♦ 58 - Review: Thoughts of Freethinkers — James Gerrand ♦ 56 - Forum: Two Cheers for Alternative Medicine — Jon Jermey the Skeptic is a journal of fact and opinion, published four times per year by Australian Skeptics Inc. Views and opinions expressed in articles and letters in the Skeptic are those of the authors, and are not necessarily Photo Credits:Eran Segev, Lynne Kelly, Richard Saunders, Peter Hogan those of Australian Skeptics Inc. Articles may Cover art by Charles Rose of Cogency be reprinted with permission and with due acknowledgement to the Skeptic. Skeptics around Australia Editorial consultants: Dr Stephen Basser (medicine) New South Wales Queensland Western Australia Dr Richard Gordon (medicine) Australian Skeptics Inc Australian Skeptics (Qld) WA Skeptics Dr William Grey (philosophy) PO Box 268 PO Box 6454 22 Esperance Street Prof Colin Groves (anthropology) Roseville NSW 2069 Fairfield Gardens QLD 4103 East Victoria Park WA 6101 Tel: (02) 9417 2071 Tel: (07) 3255 0499 Tel: (08) 9448 8458 Mr Martin Hadley (law) Fax: (02) 9417 7930 [email protected] [email protected] Dr Colin Keay (astronomy) [email protected] Qskeptics eGroup Dr Mark Newbrook (linguistics) (To subscribe send blank message to: Tasmania Australian Skeptics in Tasmania Dr Andrew Parle (physics) Hunter Skeptics [email protected]) PO Box 166 PO Box 582 Prof Ian Plimer (geology) Waratah NSW 2298 Gold Coast Skeptics North Hobart TAS 7000. Dr Stephen Moston (psychology) Tel: (02) 4957 8666. PO Box 8348 Tel: (03) 6234 1458 Dr Alex Ritchie (palaeontology) Fax: (02) 4952 6442 GCMC Bundall QLD 4217 [email protected] Tel: (07) 5593 1882 Dr Steve Roberts (chemistry) Victoria Fax: (07) 5593 2776 Northern Territory Mr Roland Seidel (mathematics) Australian Skeptics (Vic) Inc [email protected] Darwin Skeptics Branch correspondents: GPO Box 5166AA PO Box 809 Sanderson NT 0812 ACT: Mr Peter Barrett Melbourne VIC 3001 South Australia Tel: 1 800 666 996 Skeptics SA Tel: (08) 8932 2194 Gold Coast: Mr John Stear Fax: 03 9531 6705 PO Box 377 Fax: (08) 8932 7553 Hunter: Mr Michael Creech [email protected] Rundle Mall SA 5000 [email protected] Qld: Dr Linda Shields Tel: (08) 8272 5881 ACT Fax: (08) 8272 5881 Borderline Skeptics SA: Mr Allan Lang Canberra Skeptics [email protected] PO Box 17 Tas: Mr Fred Thornett PO Box 555 Mitta Mitta VIC 3701 Vic: Mr Grant Stevenson Civic Square ACT 2608 Tel: (02) 6072 3632 [email protected] WA: Dr John Happs [email protected] Editorial Reflections on a Phenomenon This issue represents the culmi- method. To a large extent, we of a video on water divining, has nation of 24 years of publishing have resisted that temptation raised our profile around the the Skeptic and it is probably a and, as was emphasised by the globe, leading to sales of our good time for a bit of reflection inclusion of comedians at the work in many countries. about our journal and about Aus- recent convention, Skeptics enjoy A further indication of the im- tralian Skeptics in general. The a good laugh in a good cause. A pact achieved by an advocacy Skeptic began as a four page humorous approach can often group (as the Skeptics is) the broadsheet, but with the second help in getting a serious message amount of media attention it at- edition it emerged as a 16 page across, or as H L Mencken put it tracts. By that token, Australian A4 sized magazine. Since then it in his famous phrase, “One good Skeptics must rank among the has evolved through many mani- horse laugh is worth a thousand most successful of such bodies in festations and, with the aid of syllogisms”. the world. It is a rare week in improved computer technology, During the life of Australian which a Skeptic does not appear, grown into the familiar journal Skeptics we have held an annual is quoted, or has provided some you are now reading. convention every year since 1985, useful information in the media. In that time we have broad- most of which have been highly That is not at all common among ened the scope of our activities successful, with the most recent our colleagues overseas. We get a away from a rather narrow focus one in Sydney counting among pretty fair run in the media be- on common paranormal claims, the successes. We even managed cause we are available and reli- into a skeptical coverage of many to hold a World Skeptics Conven- able and diverse matters that have tion in 2000 which, reports sug- Many people have been in- interested our readers. We have gest, has not been bettered as a volved in our success, as commit- also attracted a wider selection of function by any of the other tee members, as contributors, as contributors, from a wider range World Conventions. It was a lot of subscribers and supporters — all of expertise, who have assisted in hard work, as conventions always part of the Skeptics network. Our broadening our horizons and im- are, but success makes it worth- thanks are due to every one of proving our understanding. while you, as are our very best wishes One of our aims has been to do Another advance we have as another year comes to an end. something that is not necessarily made, and I believe we are We hope you will all be back in a priority of all similar journals unique among Skeptics groups the new year, and if you notice a or organisations, that is, to main- world-wide in this, is to capture portly chap with a white beard tain a sense of humour — to tem- all our back issues in electronic wandering around a shopping per advocacy with wit. Many format, first with the Great Skep- centre, please don’t attack him as groups with a serious purpose tic CD and then with the updated a symbol of superstitious exploi- succumb to a grave temptation to Great Skeptic CD2, containing 23 tation of the young. It might just take themselves far too seriously years of output and much more be ... — to confuse purpose with besides. This, plus our production Barry Williams the Skeptic, Summer 2004 - Page 3 News and Views Around the Traps Seeing stars In passing During his recent It has been a sad quar- highly successful visit ter since our last issue to Australia as a spe- for some of those with cial guest of the Aus- whom Skeptics have tralian Skeptics and had fundamental disa- keynote Speaker at the greements. Convention, “Bad As- In early October, Prof tronomer” Phil Plait John Mack, the was taken on a tour of Harvard psychiatrist astronomy and space who famously gave cre- exploration landmarks dence to alien abduction in Australia. stories, was knocked Among the sites he down by a car on a visit visited were to London and died as a Tidbinbilla Tracking result. Station and the ruins Possibly the most fa- of Mt Stromlo Observa- mous ‘abductee’ of all, tory in the ACT, as a Phil Plait flanked by Neil Mason and Cliff Smith Betty Hill, whose claim guest of the Canberra to have been abducted Skeptics. by a UFO in 1961 started the whole Fittingly, there were two special Then, under the tender care of improbable field, died in her 80s at guests in the audience, Neil “Fox” Alynda, Peter Rodgers and Eran Segev her home in the USA. Also passing Mason and Cliff Smith. On the night from the NSW Committee, he went to from the scene was Joyce Jillson, of July 21 1969, working under the Siding Spring where he was treated who became famous as one of the supervision of John Bolton, Mason was to a tour of the telescope sites and a astrologers who allegedly advised the telescope driver and Smith was in light aircraft flight around the area by Nancy Reagan on auspicious dates charge of maintenance (including Skeptic subscriber and astrophysicist, for meetings for her husband, the making sure there was enough petrol Andre Phillips. President. in the generator’s tank). Phil was pho- From there, he went to Parkes, Finally, the French chemist, tographed with the two guests at a where he gave his “Moon Landing Jacques Benveniste, whose claims mock-up of the telescope control panel Hoax” talk to members of the Central about ‘memory’ being retained by made especially for the film, The Dish.