From the Chairman...

Denis Dutton - 1 November 1987

Circle the dates 29 and 30 August on your calendar, for these are the days for the second annual conference of NZCSICOP, to be held this year at Victoria University in Wellington. We plan to have lectures and symposia all day Saturday and till noon Sunday, so there will be opportunity for a good mix of material. Accommodation will be in Weir House and can be expected to be quite reasonably priced. Last year’s meeting was of course very successful, and we can expect an equally arresting series of presentations this year in Wellington. Plan now to join us. And if you have any ideas either for a presentation yourself or for a speaker or event you’d like to see, please let me know.

As you may have seen reported in the Sunday Times, self-described “psychic” Colin Amery has brought a defamation action against our founding Chairman, David Marks, who now lives in Britain. The frivolous nature of this action is annoying enough; what adds to my sense of outrage is the fact that Amery is pursuing this suit under legal aid! We have no plans for a legal defense fund just now, as two very talented and informed Christchurch legal Practitioners have offered to respond to the suit on David’s behalf as a service to the Skeptics. Our thanks go to them, as well as to our society’s solicitor, Mr. Ricky Farr.

We continue to be on the lookout for suitable candidates for our bent spoon and excellence awards for journalistic coverage of the paranormal. It must be said that we have had precious few nominations so far in the last three months. Please be on the lookout for material for us.

We’ve received news that Dr. Martin Bridgestock of Griffith University will be in New Zealand in July. Dr. Bridgestock is coeditor and principal contributor to the excellent Creationism – An Australian Perspective. Anyone who might be able to make use of him as a speaker on creationism should write him immediately: School of Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4111.

Finally, we reproduce in this issue of the New Zealand Skeptic a copy of a special-offer subscription form for the American Skeptical Inquirer. This is a superb periodical, and I highly recommend the subscription as well worth the price. Take advantage of a subscription while the Kiwi dollar is flying high!