Wellington Skeptics in the Pub

Ideas for Meetups

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Sceptics Meeting.
Meet in a ROOM (e.g. at Ace Education, Brougham St, cost ~ $25) to actually discuss these (any or all) ideas. If you know of a cheaper room or have a big room in your house, that's great.
Why? I think the pub meets are great, but ... Read morethey lack focus.
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Posted by:
Rob Campbell
on Jun 18, 2010
6
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Michael Specter on denial of science
Have you seen this TED video. Michael Specter addresses some of the global destructive implications of various types anti-science - it puts into perspective the magnitude of the problem: from bogus treatments, to opposition to safe and ... Read moreeffective vaccines, from world starvation to GE food.

http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_specter_the_danger_of_sc...

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Posted by:
Geoffrey Coe
on Apr 17, 2010
6
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Bi Weekly Wellington Skeptics in the Pub
As only a few people came to the one on the 23rd I thought it would be a good idea to make it more official. At the last one where most people showed up it was suggested/agreed upon to meet up every two weeks. The first of those was the ... Read more23rd and in the end there was 4 of us. The next one is this Friday on the 6th.

I don't know if it's possible to create a repeating event to reflect this bi weekly meetup but I'll be at Kitty's every two weeks on a Friday from around 6ish. So come on, don't let this die yet. :)
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Posted by:
James Sullivan
on Nov 2, 2009
5
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Possible items of interest (cont'd)
4. Stupid things people believe/say that irritate you?

Ie: when people say things like "the universe will sort it out, if it's meant to be then it's meant to be" etc etc, like the whole universe revolves around them? ... Read moreWhich brings me to mention....

5. The Secret.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_%28book%29

This has got to be the most annoying piece of literature/film/new-age spiritual movement ever. It's been around for a few years now so I'm sure most of you are familiar with it, but for those that aren't, this is a book which teaches you to use the "law of attraction" (ie: magical thinking) to wish things into your life (ie: if you think positively enough, you will be rich, thin, successful, have a Ferrari etc) Which is a bit of a dangerous belief system for people to take on, the idea that "the universe will rearrange itself" to accommodate your wants and desires. FAIL!

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/06/there-is-no-...

^good read

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Posted by:
Rachel Russell
on Jun 16, 2010
4
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quiet meeting
My hearing is not good and pub meetings have too much background noise. Perhaps there can be one or two additional meetings in a quiet place to discuss definite ideas as is being discussed. Our group (IBWS) met 6 pm Monday (a quiet night ... Read more) at the Embassy lounge and found it satisfactory.
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Posted by:
John Robinson
on Jun 19, 2010
4
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The Chaser's War On Everything - The Secret
Aussie comedy show The Chaser's War On Everything did a very good pisstake of The Secret http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo - this clip has Spanish subtitles though sorry - someone more tech-adept might know how to view ... Read morewithout... Look for the part where they visualise a parking space - comedy gold.
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Posted by:
Madeline
on Jun 17, 2010
4
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A few items of interest?
1. Here's a great video that illustrates a pet-peeve of mine, the argument that non-critical thinking is just being "Open-minded":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI

"A look at some of the flawed thinking that ... Read more prompts people who believe in certain non-scientific concepts to advise others who don't to be more open-minded."

2. Penn and Teller Bullshit - This is a great show (mostly). Who else has seen it?

Some good PATBS moments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi3erdgVVTw - Penn And Teller Get Hippies To Sign Water Banning Petition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrkmN3MLTAM - Feng Shui is Bullshit

3. In the news this week:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Teething-necklaces-dangerous---sce...

"The latest baby craze is creating concerns among safety experts and scepticism among scientists. Retailers say amber teething necklaces are best sellers among new parents, but there is no medical proof they even work."

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Posted by:
Rachel Russell
on Jun 16, 2010
4
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BS Health "miracle cures"
I got into an argument with a friend of mine via a Facebook group of his which is about horticulture, plant remedies, alternative medicines etc. He posted on the wall about Chlorine dioxide being used to treat cancer, through a product ... Read morecalled MMS - Mineral Miracle Solution. This stuff is being peddled by a "genius" by the name of Jim Humble who is portrayed as a supposed altruistic healer of African people (he has apparently cured tens of thousands of cases of malaria, but there is no proof because the big evil "Pharma" don't want you to know about it, so they claim) There are Youtube videos with "Jim Humble" wearing an african safari hat, giving interviews. (picture Sean Connerys character in Indiana Jones) I could go on and on, but to summarize - what these people/person is doing is effectively selling a poison (an Australian woman died from MMS last year) which some desperately sick people are buying into, and it will make them sicker. It promises to cure AIDS/cancer/herpes/TB etc etc. It is a total scam.
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Posted by:
Rachel Russell
on May 1, 2010
4
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the Vaccine Wars
Have you seen this recent PBS doco? It is quite a high quality US programme and does a good job of presenting the public health issues, paediatrics, immunology and ethics of vaccinations and its detractors.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/ ... Read morefrontline/vaccines/view/
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Posted by:
Geoffrey Coe
on May 1, 2010
3
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Homeopathic Emergency Room
Here is a heehee one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0
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Posted by:
Geoffrey Coe
on May 4, 2010