SKEPTICISM . SCIENCE . SOCIETY Vol. 31, No 2. June 2011 Chiropractors Creationists +AMAZING Encounters Skeptical ACTIVISM Australian Skeptics . www.skeptics.com.au Skeptic_Cover2_Jun11.indd 1 14/06/11 10:16 AM The Skeptic June 11 Skeptical Groups in Australia Australian Skeptics Inc – Eran Segev Queensland Skeptics Association Inc – Bob Bruce www.skeptics.com.au PO Box 3480, Norman Park QLD 4170 PO Box 20, Beecroft, NSW 2119 Tel: (07) 3255 0499 Mob: 0419 778 308 [email protected] Tel: 02 8094 1894; Mob: 0432 713 195; Fax: (02) 8088 4735 Hear Bob on 4BC Paranormal Panel - 9-10pm Tuesdays [email protected] Meeting with guest speaker on the last Monday of every month Sydney Skeptics in the Pub – 6pm first Thursday of each at the Red Brick Hotel, 81 Annerley Road, South Brisbane. Dinner month at the Macquarie Hotel, corner of Goulburn & Wentworth from 6pm, speaker at 7.30pm. King Streets in the city (meeting upstairs) Dinner meetings are held on a regular basis Next dinner: June 25 - guest speaker food auditor Gary Kennedy. Canberra Skeptics – Michael O’Rourke & Pierre Le Count Bookings online or contact [email protected] PO Box 555, Civic Square ACT 2608 http://www.canberraskeptics.org.au Tel: (02) 6275 9699 [email protected] (general inquiries), [email protected] (Canberra Skeptics in the Pub). Hunter Skeptics Inc – John Turner Tel: (02) 4959 6286 [email protected] Monthly talks usually take place on the 13th of each month at the Innovations Theatre at the ANU. Dates and topics are subject Meetings are held upstairs at The Cricketers Arms Hotel, Cooks to change. Canberra Skeptics in the Pub gather at 1pm on the Hill (Newcastle) on the first Monday of each even-numbered third Sunday of each month at King O’Malleys Pub in Civic. For month, commencing 7.00pm, with a guest speaker on an up-to-date details, visit our web site at: www.meetup.com/ interesting topic. Visitors welcome. For further information visit our SocialSkepticsCanberra/ website www.hunterskeptics.com.au or contact the secretary at: [email protected] Skeptics SA – Laurie Eddie 52B Miller St Unley, SA 5061 Australian Skeptics (Vic) Inc – Terry Kelly Tel: (08) 8272 5881 [email protected] GPO Box 5166, Melbourne VIC 3001 Thinking and Drinking - Skeptics in the Pub, on the third Friday Tel: 1 800 666 996 [email protected] of every month. Contact [email protected] Skeptics’ Café – Third Monday of every month, with guest www.meetup.com/Thinking-and-Drinking-Skeptics-in-the-Pub/ speaker. La Notte, 140 Lygon St. Meal from 6pm, speaker calendar/10205558 or http://tinyurl.com/loqdrt at 8pm sharp. More details on our web site www.skeptics.com.au/vic WA Skeptics – Dr John Happs PO Box 466, Subiaco, WA 6904 Tel: (08) 9448 8458 [email protected] Borderline Skeptics Inc – Russell Kelly All meetings start at 7:30 pm at Grace Vaughan House, PO Box 17, Mitta Mitta, Victoria 3701 227 Stubbs Terrace, Shenton Park Tel: (02) 6072 3632 [email protected] Further details of all our meetings and speakers are on our Meetings are held quarterly on second Tuesday at Albury/ website at www.undeceivingourselves.com Wodonga on pre-announced dates and venues. Australian Skeptics in Tasmania – Leyon Parker Gold Coast Skeptics – Lilian Derrick PO Box 582, North Hobart TAS 7002 PO Box 8348, GCMC Bundall, QLD 9726 Tel: 03 6238 2834 BH, 0418 128713 [email protected] Tel: (07) 5593 1882; Fax: (07) 5593 2776 Skeptics in the Pub - 2nd Monday each month, 6.30pm, Ball and [email protected] Chain restaurant, Salamanca Place, Hobart Contact Lilian to find out news of more events. Darwin Skeptics – Brian de Kretser Tel: (08) 8927 4533 [email protected] Volume 31 • No 2 • June 11 Contents REPOrtS 8 AVN under oath 7 Martin Hadley & Tim Mendham NHMRC on homeopathy 8 Rachael Dunlop 7 FEATURES 10 Campaign! 10 Loretta Marron Friends and woo 14 17 Brian Dunning Winding the wingnuts 17 Michael Edmonds 20 Standing up for science 20 Geoff Cowan 24 14 32 art ICLES Battle of the chiros 24 Mick Vagg Organic, manic 27 28 Steve Roberrts An amazing encounter 28 27 Chris Higgins Easter bunnies 32 36 Mark Lawson The curiosity shock 36 50 Tim Mendham Beyond belief 48 48 Krissy Wilson Looking for Leprechauns 50 Michael Wolloghan Rocks in their heads 52 Stephen Moreton REGULARS Editorial 4 55 Around the Traps 5 Puzzles page 9 46 Astrology column 23 The logical place 35 What goes around 46 Book reviews 55 Letters 61 EDITORIAL From the Editor Make yourself heard he responses to the Judgement campaigners, and here I’m thinking of TDay debacle – both before and Loretta Marron or the Stop the AVN after – were pretty predictable. The network (both of whom have received non-believers, which means most of the Skeptic of the Year award). There are the world, had a good chuckle, felt many others, of course, who undertake ISSN 0726-9897 sorry for the would-be rapturers, had activism with dignity, a modicum Quarterly Journal of mock celebration parties (in all senses of of mockery, but most importantly Australian Skeptics Inc the word ‘mock’), offered to ‘help’ the persistence and more persistence. (ABN 90 613 095 379) followers by looking after their pets and At the recent TAM Australia conf- Editor taking unwanted worldly goods off their erence, a session devoted to Activism Tim Mendham hands and perhaps make a quick buck 101 covered all of these aspects (except out of it, or just generally were bemused the ‘quiet harrumph and back to your Editorial Board as to why people could be so gullible. newspaper’ approach). While there Steve Roberts The American Atheists hosted rapture was no bomb-throwing suggested, the Eran Segev parties around their country but, as session covered a gamut of approaches Martin Hadley reported by AFP, also warned of the and media and, especially considering Barry Williams danger of following Harold Camping’s the average age of the attendees, the predictions. internet and social media – Facebook, Design Services “We’re going to poke fun at these Twitter, Meet-Up, blogs, podcasts, Nova Consulting P/L people, but in the end we need to keep vodcasts etc etc – cropped up regularly All correspondence to: in mind that there are people being hurt as positive and effective ways to get the Australian Skeptics Inc here,” said David Silverman, president message across. PO Box 20 of the US-based group. Do these media only preach to the Beecroft NSW 2119 And isn’t that the dual-edged sword converted? To a certain extent. But Australia of the relation between skeptics and as I can personally attest as the ‘shop ‘them’? front’ of Australian Skeptics Inc and the Contact details What do you do when confronted recipient of much correspondence from Tel: +61 (0)2 8094 1894 with woo? You might just grin and bear skeptics and non-skeptics alike, there Mob: +61 (0)432 713 195 it and shake your head at the silliness of is nonetheless still interaction with the Fax: +61 (0)2 8088 4735 the world. Or you might write a letter to broader community through [email protected] the paper or contact a radio/TV station those avenues. www.skeptics.com.au to express your concern and disapproval. Likewise for activism and the activists Or you might try to win friends and themselves, whether it’s debunking, The Skeptic is published four times influence people by correcting their mis- gentle persuasion, mockery, attacks, per year by Australian Skeptics Inc. representations and misunderstandings, going through ‘official channels’ or using Views and opinions expressed in articles but as we all know from various family the media. There are inevitable set-backs, and letters in The Skeptic are those of gatherings and friendly get-togethers but there are also successes, and it’s the the authors, and are not necessarily round the barbecue, that is also often a latter, as occasional or few as they might those of Australian Skeptics Inc. way to lose friends and upset people. be, that raise the spirits and encourage Articles may be reprinted with Or you might go out there into the all of us to continue to be active. permission and with due acknowledge- wider world and fight the good fight. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass ment to The Skeptic. In the previous issue I mentioned in without promoting the TAM Oz DVD, All effort is made to ensure correct this column the need to be active – get which at time of publishing should be acknowledgement of all contributions. off the armchair and do something ... out and available to all (or near as). A We are happy to update credit when so anything. This issue we look at some must for attendees and non-attendees, informed. examples of the application of that fellow-travellers, well-wishers, interested approach – activism – and how this parties and activists. I’m sure you’ll Editorial submission deadline could and can be done. For instance, enjoy it and find it edifying. for the next issue: you could follow in the footsteps of July 15, 2011 the indomitable but not over-bearing - Tim Mendham, editor 4 NEWS The Skeptic June 11 Around the traps ... WATCH THE SKIES! Skeptics camp out Distributor off balance Australian Skeptics Australia’s first Skepticamp was held on The Australian distributor of the Power ONE DAY Saturday, April 30, and it was generally Balance wristbands has gone into MINI-CONVENTION held to be a total success.