Young Australian Skeptics

Committee Meeting for October

Meeting Minutes

SkeptiCirc Incorporated

1400 AEST, Thursday 22^nd October 2009

1. Attendance

1.1 — Opening of meeting

Meeting opened at 1400.

Chairperson — Our Infallible Overlord, Orac

Minute Taker — Minion and Expendable Lackey, Richard Hughes

1.2 — Quorum

Reaching quorum, the following people/​beings were present:

• Orac (benevolent deity)
• Richard Hughes (human)
• Jack Scanlan (human)
• Andrew Bernardin (human)
• ‘Heathen’ Mike (Canadian)
• Kylie Sturgess (kitteh)
• Michael Fridman (human)
• Techskeptic (human)
• SocraticGadfly (gadfly)
• ‘James’ (sentient computer program)
• Bryan Kaufman (human)
• OneBrow (self-​​aware monobrow)
• The Skeptical Teacher (automated instruction machine)
• Rogue Medic (medic — duh)
• The Right Reverend Reed Braden (human)
• Bing McGhandi (omnipresent feeling of paranoia)

1.3 — Apologies

Apologies were received from Kevin Rudd, but not from John Howard or Paul Keating.

2. Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes from the previous meeting were accepted, on the provision that no one involved ever actually watches Fox News again.

3. Reports

3.1 — Social Committee Report

Kylie Sturgess presented on behalf of the Social Committee. Current projects under consideration are:

• Skeptics in the Pub/​Trivia Night; and,
• Skeptics’ Movie Night.

For her contributions, Orac presented Kylie with a bowl of milk and a new scratching post.

3.2 — Health and Medicine Committee Report

First, Techskeptic and Andrew Bernardin presented a report for the Healthcare Subcommittee. Problem areas identified were the conflation of health care systems with health care technology, and the inclusion of voodoo in medicine.

Also part of that subcommittee, James at Cubik’s Rube raised the issue of therapeutic touch, and Rogue Medic gave a presentation on Tin Foil Hat Inc.

Then, for the Public Relations Subcommittee, Heathen Mike reported on a conversation he had with antivaxxers on the intertubes. Following up on that, Techskeptic presented a personal tale of how critical thinking can improve one’s health.

3.3 — Biology and Sexuality Committee Report

Jack Scanlan presented for the Why The Discovery Institute Are Morons Subcommittee — this time, they’ve been morons about gene duplications. Following for the Christian Sexuality Subcommittee was Michael Fridman, whose article was less tittilating but more informative than the name of his subcommittee led us to believe it would be.

SocraticGadfly then gave a report for the Environment Subcommittee on GMO crops and the Royal Society. Finally, the Honourable and Just Reed Braden gave a report for the Creationism Subcommittee on how to deal with young creationist relatives.

3.4 — Science and Philosophy Committee Report

For the Physics Subcommittee, Brian Kaufman gave an opinion on quantum mechanics through the eyes of an atheist, and the Skeptical Teacher discussed the furry line between science and pseudoscience. Then for the Psychology Subcommittee, Andrew Bernardin presented another report on the non-​​distinction between mind, body and spirit.

The Philosophy Subcommittee then attempted to justify its existence by giving a review of The Last Superstition. The Science contingent wish it noted that they scoffed heartily at this book.

3.5 — Snark, Rant and Weirdness Report

Richard Hughes presented the report for the Snark Subcommittee, asking those present if they would like to be evolutionized. All present declined the opportunity. For the Rant Subcommittee, Pope Reed Braden presented a NSFW report on the hick contingent in his home town.

And finally, for the Weirdness Subcommittee, the Skeptical Teacher gave an update on the 2012 conspiracy, and Bing McGhandi presented us with a podcast full of…well, full of weird things.

4. Meeting Closed

4.1 — Time and place of next meeting

The next meeting for SkeptiCirc Incorporated (a.k.a. The Skeptics’ Circle) will be held in two weeks time (5/​11/​2009) at Blue Genes.

4.2 — Meeting Closed

The chairperson sacrificed an elk and closed the meeting at 1615 AEST.

Tags: Links, Richard Hughes, Skeptic's Circle

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