Spring 2008, Vol 28, No 3 Feature Articles 8. A Skeptic Reads the Bible 34. Yet More Imaginography Martin Bridgstock Bill Richardson 12.Quantum Quodlibet 38. Tracks of the Big Cat Michael Lucht Phillip Peters 17. The Amaz!ng Meeting 41. KJibbutz Children Karen Stollznow Eran Segev 23. Area 51: The Truth is Out There 46. The Trick or Miracle Paradox Michael Wolloghan Peter Booth 25. Being The One 48. Skepticism and Babies Richard Saunders Katherine Shade 30. Jonathan Sarfati: Scientist? 50. Review: Malice in Weirdland Brian Baxter Barry Williams Regular Items Forum 4. Editorial — Busy Times 52. Global Warming and Climate Change Barry Williams 61. On Matters Concerning God 6. Around the Traps Bunyip News 65. Letters 44. WA Young Writers Bust Myths 69. Notices Cover art by Richard Saunders Editorial ISSN 0726-9897 Editor Barry Williams Editor Elect Busy Karen Stollznow Contributing Editors Tim Mendham Steve Roberts Technology Consultants Times Richard Saunders Eran Segev Chief Investigator Ian Bryce t has certainly been a hectic time Annoy an Anglican” or “Peeve a All correspondence to: Ifor Skeptics and Skepticism since Presbyterian”, but in the end I Australian Skeptics Inc last I penned an editorial here. couldn’t be bothered. In any case, PO Box 268 While a Papal visit for World such was the outcry that sanity Roseville NSW 2069 Youth Day didn’t exactly cause me to prevailed and the proposed law was Australia renounce my lack of faith and seek not enacted. (ABN 90 613 095 379 ) entry into holy orders, I wasn’t too I was more peeved still by their Contact Details fussed about the influx of hordes of expenditure of upwards of $60 Tel: (02) 9417 2071 devout young people into Sydney. million of taxpayers’ funds on the Fax: (02) 9417 7930 Live and let live is my motto, and it affair. Money contributed by Meth- e-mail: [email protected] caused me no particular discomfort, odists, Mormons and Muslims (not although I thought that closing the to mention atheists and agnostics) Web Pages Harbour Bridge to traffic for a day, among others, and it’s not as though Australian Skeptics so they could make a pilgrimage NSW is actually flush at the mo- www.skeptics.com.au across it, was a bit over the top. ment. Still, it might be worth the No Answers in Genesis™ They were Christians, after all; why Skeptics’ while to request matching http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/default.htm couldn’t they simply walk across the funds to help celebrate Charles the Skeptic is a journal of fact and opinion, published Harbour? Darwin’s bicentenary next February. four times per year by Australian Skeptics Inc. Views Two things I learned about the Don’t hold your breath, though. and opinions expressed in articles and letters in the visit engendered competing emo- Of more immediate interest was Skeptic are those of the authors, and are not necessar- tions. That the Pope was accompa- the coincidence of Science Week and ily those of Australian Skeptics Inc. Articles may be re- 2 printed with permission and with due acknowledgement nied by a coffin containing the a St James Ethics Centre IQ to the Skeptic. remains of a bloke who died in 1925, Debate, which saw not one, but two struck me as being one of the most prominent US Skeptics visiting our Editorial consultants: bizarre rituals of which I had ever shores in the same week. Dr Stephen Basser (medicine) heard. The revelations that the Pope Michael Shermer, head of the Dr Trevor Case (psychology) Dr Richard Gordon (medicine) had to step outside the retreat California-based Skeptics Society, Dr Pete Griffith (biochemistry/microbiology) where he was staying, so he could Scientific American columnist, and Dr William Grey (philosophy) Prof Colin Groves (anthropology) have a quiet smoke, and that he had publisher of Skeptic magazine, came Mr Martin Hadley (law) Dr Colin Keay (astronomy) brought his own supplies of his as a guest of the government for Dr Andrew Parle (physics) favourite Austrian beer, confirmed Science Week. During a whirlwind Prof Ian Plimer (geology) Dr Stephen Moston (psychology) my view that underneath the funny tour of the country, he managed to Dr Alex Ritchie (palaeontology) clothes, he’s just a bloke, regardless make contact with the WA and NSW Dr Steve Roberts (chemistry) Mr Roland Seidel (mathematics) of who he selects as a travelling Skeptics. WA co-opted him to Dr Karen Stollznow (linguistics) companion. present awards to winners of their Branch correspondents: Actions of the NSW government student awards (story in this issue), did perturb me more. First, by while members of NSW Skeptics ACT: Mr Michael O’Rourke Gold Coast: Mr John Stear threatening to enact a law making it attended a couple of talks where Hunter: Dr Colin Keay an offence (attracting a $5,000 fine) Michael spoke, and then entertained Qld: Mr Bob Bruce SA: Mr Allan Lang for ‘annoying’ Catholic pilgrims, was him to a private lunch at the Rocks, Tas: Mr Fred Thornett grotesque — I was tempted to wear where we were also joined by Vic: Mr Ken Greatorex WA: Dr Geoffrey Dean a T-shirt proclaiming “Save Money. Page 4 - the Skeptic, Spring 2008 Skeptics Around Australia New South Wales Australian Skeptics Inc PO Box 268, Roseville NSW 2069 Tel: (02) 9417 2071 Fax: (02) 9417 7930 [email protected] Hunter Skeptics PO Box 166 , Waratah NSW 2298 Tel: (02) 4957 8666. Fax: (02) 4952 6442 Victoria Australian Skeptics (Vic) Inc GPO Box 5166AA, Melbourne VIC 3001 Tel: 1 800 666 996 Michael Shermer among some unique Australian animals, including the Editor, NSW [email protected] Skeptics Secretary, John Sweatman and Darwin the Boozy Koala. Borderline Skeptics Margaret Kittson from Brisbane. years, has obviously taken the PO Box 17 , Mitta Mitta VIC 3701 Eran Segev, NSW VP, escorted thought of retirement very seriously Tel:(02)60723632 Michael around the sights of Sydney, indeed. It has been exhibiting signs [email protected] which he seemed to enjoy very of senility, leading to a semi-disap- much. pearance of a half completed Skeptic Queensland The second visitor was Victor one day. After a fair bit of flounder- Queensland Skeptics Assn Inc Stenger, retired physicist and author ing around, I managed to resurrect PO Box 6454 , Fairfield Gardens QLD 4103 of several books on science and it without too much loss of content. Tel (07) 3255 0499 [email protected] religion , who was here to speak in a It’s now a toss up whether the machine retires before I do, in which debate in the IQ2 series, on the topic Gold Coast Skeptics case my next (and last) editorial “We Would be Better off Without PO Box 8348, GCMC Bundall QLD 9726 might come to you inscribed on Religion”. His side won the debate Tel: (07) 5593 1882 Fax: (07) 5593 2776 by a handy margin helped, no doubt, parchment. [email protected] by the number of Skeptics in the audience. Thank you ACT NSW Skeptics were fortunate Let me conclude this, my penulti- Canberra Skeptics that Vic arrived a few days early and mate editorial, by thanking all those PO Box 555, Civic Square ACT 2608 agreed to speak at our August Skeptics who, after reading about (02) 6121 4483 Dinner Meeting, on the subject of his my impending retirement, have sent [email protected] latest book, God, The Failed Hypoth- me messages about my stewardship South Australia esis: How Science Shows That God of the Skeptic , and their good wishes Skeptics SA for the future. You have all been Does Not Exist. It was a sellout 52B Miller St Unley SA 5061 function and was thoroughly enjoyed most kind with your comments and I Tel: (08) 8272 5881 by everyone present. have been touched more than is [email protected] I was a great pleasure to meet seemly for a Skeptic. Thus far no one and exchange ideas with these two has qualified their remarks with Western Australia stars in the US Skeptical firmament. “And about time, too”, but there is WA Skeptics The fact that we see so few of our still time before I leave my post at PO Box 466, Subiaco WA 6904 overseas colleagues is the down-side the end of the year. Tel: (08) 9448 8458 of being so remote from everywhere For those of you who expressed [email protected] else. the hope that I do not sever all A hectic few weeks, but like connections with the Skeptic and Tasmania Australian Skeptics in Tasmania everything the Skeptics do, a lot of Australian Skeptics, let me say that PO Box 582, North Hobart TAS 7002. fun too. that is not my intention. I plan to Tel: (03) 6234 4731 continue contributing articles and [email protected] Apology effort to our cause for as long as I I must apologise for the slight delay remain upright and my colleagues Darwin Skeptics Contact in the mailing of this issue. My put up with me. Tel: 08 89274533 computer, a loyal servant for many Barry Williams [email protected] the Skeptic, Spring 2008 - Page 5 News and Views Around the Traps Conspiring for Truth Various commentators, who and right decisions, minor and major operate under the generic title errors, selfishness and selflessness ‘Truthers’, with a wide variety of — common human attributes that ometimes we growl at our expertise and experience, spoke of happen all the time in any complex friends at the ABC, especially S ‘anomalies’ in the official reports undertaking.