Planning for the annual NZ Skeptics Conference proceeds apace
(Auckland, August 13-15). You can see the varied programme online
here: http://skeptics.org.nz/SK:SKEPCONFDRAFTPROG

We'll range from vaccine hoaxes and health scares to mass delusions
and the end of the world. All good stuff! And keep your fingers
crossed for fine weather for the planned firewalk....

Register online here: http://skeptics.org.nz/SK:SKEPCONFERENCEFORM


There's been a range of interesting media reports of late.

Scientific American has found that herbal supplement sellers dispense
dangerous advice and false claims:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=herbal-supplement-dangers

Local sports stars are endorsing a "magic" wristband which relies on
a simple body trick to make people think they have better balance and
flexibility; we got some comment in on that one:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Sports-stars-paid-to-endorse-magic-wristband/tabid/367/articleID/156229/Default.aspx

Or see Richard Saunders's longer explanation of how you get to charge
$60 or more for a plastic bracelet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piu75P8sxTo

We got further coverage relating to the concerns raised about the
ethics of pharmacies selling homeopathic products, with a guest
editorial in Good, a sustainable living magazine:
http://good.net.nz/blog/guests/is-your-pharmacist-ethical

The NZ Council of Homeopaths was invited to contribute to that one,
but had nothing to say -- perhaps admitting in public that their
products contain no material substances was more than enough! Also
with nothing to say -- New Zealand pharmacies, who have been invited
by both us and the trade publication Pharmacy Today to put their hand
up if they have the ethics to reject water as a health
product.....we're still waiting to hear....

The NZ Skeptics has also made a large submission on the proposed
Natural Health Products legislation. Surely it isn't too much to ask
for accurate, intelligible labelling of such products, and maybe
consumer warnings that they are simply replying on the placebo effect
to work. Tell your local MP that you think the New Zealand public
deserves to be more accurately and honestly informed!

And, finally, in the run-up to the annual conference, we're looking
for more outrageous examples of gullibility in the public arena, as
well as good examples of where the media gets it right with a bit of
brain cell application. So send in your nominations for the Bent
Spoon and Bravo Awards, and come to the conference to see them
announced.

Cheers,
Vicki Hyde
Chair-entity