Message from the Chairperson

Dear fellow skeptics, please note the following: N.Z.C.S.I.C.O.P. incorporated's first annual convention, University of Otago, 9-10 August, 1986

The preliminary programme for our first national convention is enclosed with this newsletter. Please would all members who intend to register for this conference send in their completed pre-enrolment form as soon as possible, and at the latest, by 31st july. All members and their guests and friends welcome.

The conference highlights include:

(1) A special talk by the founding chairperson of the Australian skeptics, Mark Plummer, from whom all N.Z. skeptics will have much to learn.

(2) A psychic demonstration by a newly discovered performer of mentalist powers. Details to be announced.

(3) The N.Z. skeptics press awards: the Bent Spoon Award and the award for journalistic excellence in the area of the paranormal. Please send your nominations to Denis Dutton, University of Canterbury, no later than 21 July.

(4) Talks by leading members of the N.Z. Skeptics on a number of highly relevant topics.

We hope that all members of N.Z.C.S.I.C.O.P. will try to attend this convention and make it a real success. Interested members of the public will also be able to attend and there will be a pre-conference press conference. Please send all your ideas and suggestions for the press to the undersigned as soon as possible. A press release will be drafted which incorporates your input as members of this new but growing society. There are lots of new developments world-wide which will be reported on fully at the Dunedin convention. These include major new exposures of fraud by U.S. faith healer Peter Popoff presented by Randi on the Johnny Carson show; proof that Doris Stokes uses information received from her unsuspecting clients in performing acts of spirit mediumship on stage in Britain; new ways of making money from gullible business people in the mining world a la Uri Geller; local psychic Colin Amery pushes his credibility still further with public pronouncements on national TV.

Let's share our news and views on all things paranormal at the Dunedin convention. Looking forward to seeing you there.

David F. Marks

-c/- Department of Psychology

University of Otago

P.O. Box 56, Dunedin.