The Skeptic Volume 28 Number 2
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2008, Vol 28, No 2 Feature Articles 8. Vitalism Pt 2 34. A Fundamental Question Laurie Eddie John Stear 14. The Las Vegas Paranormal Conference 36. So Help Me God! Karen Stollznow Kevin McDonald 19. The Disappearing Dhow 39. Scientology Scandals Benjamin Radford Michael Wolloghan 19. The Paranormal Conference 41. Missionary Takes to the Hills Karen Stollznow Sten Bjerking 21. A Skeptic mong the Faithful 43. Review: Art and Science on Stage Helen Lawrence Barry Williams 25. Darwin Day in Africa 45. Review: Counterknowledge Leo Igwe Stephen Wilks 27. Dropping in on Aliens 46. Review: Doing God’s Work Mark Lawson Geoffrey Cowan 29. A Microanalyst’s Perspective on Fluoridation Nick Ware Regular Items Forum 4. Editorial — Change in the Air 48. Faith and Induction Barry Williams 51. Climate Change 6. Around the Traps 55. Circumcision Bunyip 60. Letters 65. Notices Cover art by Richard Saunders Editorial ISSN 0726-9897 Editor Barry Williams Change in Associate Editor Karen Stollznow Contributing Editors Tim Mendham Steve Roberts the Air Technology Consultants Richard Saunders Eran Segev his issue is a somewhat unusual running the organisation. I suddenly Chief Investigator Tone that marks an ending and a found myself with the grandiose title Ian Bryce beginning, but first a little personal of ‘National President’ of Australian and corporate history. Skeptics, and publisher of the All correspondence to: I first became aware of an organ- Skeptic. Tim Mendham, the treas- Australian Skeptics Inc ised skeptics movement in 1980, urer of the NSW branch and editor PO Box 268 when I saw Dick Smith on TV of a professional trade journal, Roseville NSW 2069 Australia commenting on a high profile UFO volunteered to edit the Skeptic. To (ABN 90 613 095 379 ) sighting in New Zealand. Dick said afford our officers some legal protec- that such cases needed an organisa- tion we became an incorporated Contact Details tion containing people with the association at this time. Tel: (02) 9417 2071 enthusiasm and the knowledge to By 1990, we had bought a compu- Fax: (02) 9417 7930 e-mail: [email protected] research such incidents and to offer ter and the Skeptic had evolved into the media and the public with a more professionally produced reasonable explanations, rather journal, while subscriber numbers Web Pages than irrational and often hysterical had increased to 1000. For personal Australian Skeptics claims. reasons, Tim found that he could no www.skeptics.com.au No Answers in Genesis™ That appealed to me, so I wrote to longer remain as editor, posing the http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/default.htm Dick, asking that if such a group problem of finding another one. He was set up, could I join. Within suggested that I take over the role, the Skeptic is a journal of fact and opinion, published weeks, I received a reply from Dick, and given that I had precisely no four times per year by Australian Skeptics Inc. Views telling me that a he and others had experience, I took that to be a and opinions expressed in articles and letters in the Skeptic are those of the authors, and are not necessar- founded a body called Australian ‘courageous’ suggestion. I agreed to ily those of Australian Skeptics Inc. Articles may be re- Skeptics, and asked if I was still do it for just one issue, Vol 10, No 2, printed with permission and with due acknowledgement interested. Of course I was and giving me time to find someone else to the Skeptic. joined immediately. At the time I who could do the job. But then Editorial consultants: couldn’t imagine what an effect that something strange happened — I decision would have on the rest of found that I liked editing a journal Dr Stephen Basser (medicine) Dr Trevor Case (psychology) my life. and so decided to stay on for a while. Dr Richard Gordon (medicine) Dr Pete Griffith (biochemistry/microbiology) Shortly afterwards the Melbourne Meanwhile, I found that I was Dr William Grey (philosophy) group, largely thanks to the Presi- spending most of my spare time on Prof Colin Groves (anthropology) Mr Martin Hadley (law) dent, Mark Plummer, produced a Skeptical matters — editing, organ- Dr Colin Keay (astronomy) four page newsletter, called the ising, appearing in the media — Dr Andrew Parle (physics) Prof Ian Plimer (geology) Skeptic. It had a few dozen subscrib- while also holding down a job so I Dr Stephen Moston (psychology) Dr Alex Ritchie (palaeontology) ers and became a somewhat larger could feed my family. Luckily I had Dr Steve Roberts (chemistry) publication over the next four years, an understanding employer. Mr Roland Seidel (mathematics) Dr Karen Stollznow (linguistics) with the numbers slowly increasing Then, in 1994, we were informed to a couple of hundred. This was in that Australian Skeptics was a Branch correspondents: the days when the term ‘cut and beneficiary of the will of Mr Stanley ACT: Mr Michael O’Rourke paste’ required scissors and a pot of Whalley, of Nambour in Queensland. Gold Coast: Mr John Stear glue. Mr Whalley, who had never been a Hunter: Dr Colin Keay Qld: Mr Bob Bruce In 1985 Mark decided to take up a subscriber, had heard about us, SA: Mr Allan Lang position overseas and asked me if decided we were doing something Tas: Mr Fred Thornett Vic: Mr Ken Greatorex the NSW branch would take over useful and included us in his will. As WA: Dr Geoffrey Dean Page 4 - the Skeptic, Winter 2008 the bequest amounted to consider- woman. But she was very persistent Skeptics Around Australia ably more than a million dollars, and keen on the work of the Skep- this gave the Skeptics the opportu- tics, so she asked if there was nity to do a lot of things that had anything else she could do for us. We New South Wales hitherto been curtailed by lack of found he some tasks and were Australian Skeptics Inc money. delighted with the enthusiasm and PO Box 268, Roseville NSW 2069 We purchased new computer maturity with which she carried Tel: (02) 9417 2071 Fax: (02) 9417 7930 equipment, gave money to each of them out. As a result, we asked [email protected] the interstate branches and advised Karen Stollznow to join the Austral- Hunter Skeptics them, for legal protection reasons, to ian Skeptics committee, a role she PO Box 166 , Waratah NSW 2298 become separately incorporated fulfilled with distinction. Tel: (02) 4957 8666. Fax: (02) 4952 6442 bodies under their state laws. Thus During the past few years, Karen the existing loosely organised has managed to distinguish herself Victoria Australian Skeptics, became a de in her academic studies, culmination Australian Skeptics (Vic) Inc facto confederation of like-minded in the recent award of a doctorate in GPO Box 5166AA, Melbourne VIC 3001 autonomous bodies with similar linguistics, while also becoming one Tel: 1 800 666 996 aims. It remains so to this day. of our most respected and regular [email protected] The bulk of the Whalley bequest was contributors. All who know Karen invested with a new body, the through her Skeptical associations Borderline Skeptics Australian Skeptics Science and are very proud of her accomplish- PO Box 17 , Mitta Mitta VIC 3701 Education Foundation, with a ments, which go to demonstrate that Tel:(02)60723632 charter to provide funding for the Skepticism is not the sole preroga- [email protected] confederated state bodies and tive of ‘old blokes with beards’. Queensland sponsorship for worthwhile projects. Which brings me to the point of Queensland Skeptics Assn Inc In 1996, the work involved in this editorial. Time stands still for PO Box 6454 , Fairfield Gardens QLD 4103 producing the Skeptic and organis- no one, not even a Skeptic, so I Tel (07) 3255 0499 ing a the increasing subscribership, decided some months ago that the [email protected] made it difficult to continue operat- time had come to retire from my full- ing as a part-time activity, so the time positions and for new blood to Gold Coast Skeptics committee resolved to institute a full take up the reins. This will happen PO Box 8348, GCMC Bundall QLD 9726 time position for an Executive at the end of 2008, with my 76th Tel: (07) 5593 1882 Fax: (07) 5593 2776 Officer and Editor, which I was issue as Editor (75 more than my [email protected] fortunate enough to be offered. original intention). In the meantime, the Skeptic has Further, I am delighted to report ACT Canberra Skeptics continued to evolve, now ranking that the Skeptics committee has PO Box 555, Civic Square ACT 2608 among the leading three Skeptical decided that my successor as both (02) 6121 4483 journals in the world. The copy you Executive Officer of Australian [email protected] are reading is a far cry from our first Skeptics and Editor of the Skeptic stumbling efforts, both in appear- will be Dr Karen Stollznow. I have South Australia ance and in the quality of the absolutely no doubt that Karen, with Skeptics SA contributors and contributions it her intelligence, wit, enthusiasm 52B Miller St Unley SA 5061 attracts, and our subscriber num- and common sense, will add consid- Tel: (08) 8272 5881 bers continue to grow steadily. This erable lustre to roles that have been [email protected] constant improvement is a result of my passion for half my adult life. I the efforts of a lot of Skeptics, who hope it will bring her both the Western Australia have been generous with their time, satisfaction and the enjoyment it WA Skeptics expertise and advice.