From the Chairman

With this issue we farewell our editor Keith Lockett, who has served us so well in the nurturing and development of the New Zealand Skeptic. We have all seen how, from modest beginnings, the Newsletter has grown in stature and contents to a periodical that can hold its head among like journals internationally. Even the bleak patches when Keith was desperate for contributions proved temporary and recent editions demonstrate that we have a lively and informative journal that we will be proud to place in libraries in New Zealand and exchange with groups overseas.

Keith, we wish you and your wife, well in Thailand and hope that you will be able to continue your interests in the scientific approach to problems (such as the source of the beauties of the far north of Thailand).

With Keith's departure the committee must appoint a new editor and whoever he or she is has the challenge of a fine standard of quality to maintain. They will also be on the lookout for letters and other contributions so keep them coming in, folks.

The time of the annual conference has returned. This year the celebration is in Christchurch on the campus of the University. Denis Dutton and Bernard Howard have put together an impressive program, parts of which (the hot coals part) I am not looking forward to. As Denis puts it—it all depends on how skeptical you are! But then I'll be saving $500. I am certainly going to learn how to do horoscopes in the Sunday morning workshops—I can always fall back on an assured income when the Universities are finally disemboweled by the Government!

We will also be presenting the bent spoon awards and holding the society's Annual General meeting during the conference.

P.S. Can you teach me to read coffee grounds too, during the workshop, Denis?