Futurist at Skepticon in the near future

Posted in General, Skeptic by

Adam Ford is a futurologist and an IEET (Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies) Affiliate Scholar. He works as a data/information architect, a data analyst and data engineer.

Adam Ford

Adam has co-organised a variety of conferences in Australia, USA and China. He convenes the global effort of ‘Future Day’ seeking to encourage a specific day to ritualize focus on the future.

As a grass roots journalist, Adam has interviewed many experts on the future – and is currently working on a documentary project focussing on preparing for the future of artificial intelligence – the Singularity.

We have all been made acutely aware of the importance of AI in the last 12 months. Chat GPT has become a household phrase, along with warnings of the rise of AI impacting. From the 15 biggest risks it poses including fake news, loss of employment and human connection to serious existential quandaries such as the need to mitigate potential risks of human extinction.

Wow! And I thought my CARROT Weather app swearing at me every day was as bad as things would get. Anyway, speaking of weather, it won’t be a factor for those of you attending Skepticon 2023 or watching online. Not will it impact on the awesome Skepticon dinner and entertainment.

So, check out ticket options here and I look forward to seeing you there.

Sue Ieraci will speak at Skepticon 2023

Posted in General, Health, Skeptic by

When it comes to skeptical activism Sue Ieraci keeps herself, well… active.

Just recently Sue went to MindBodyWallet festival to check out what motivates some to empty their wallets for a choice of woo. This led to an article in Australian Doctor in which Sue reported on receiving advice that the kidneys should produce cloudy urine, because when they’re “open”, sediment will find its way into the urine. Proof apparently, of toxins leaving the body.

Sue also wrote about a visit to a stall managed by a chiropractic business:

They were using thermography (metal probes that were said to be measuring skin temperature on either side of the spine), which they explained could correlate with something neurological. 

I described the shoulder and neck muscle spasm I can get from spending too long at my laptop, mainly using my dominant arm for the mouse. 

Surprisingly, the “scan” readout showed two red bars on the other side of my body — apparently, the side without the pain was hotter! 

When I asked what units of temperature were being measured or displayed, the scan operator was unable to say. 

What he was able to do was offer me a follow-up appointment at the chiro clinic — at a special “discount for showgoers”!

Sue didn’t sign up. Which is just as well because I doubt she has the time. Well, actually I hope she’s working hard on her Skepticon 2023 presentation about what leads conventionally-trained doctors to turn to pseudoscience. The on top of that, Sue is an emergency medicine specialist with a long history of collaboration with Stop the AVN (legends), Friends of Science in Medicine (marvellous) and Australian Skeptics (marvellous legends) in opposing and debunking health science misinformation. 

Sue Ieraci

Sue is active on social media, believes in providing evidence-based discourse and likes a good argument. Sue often treads the knife edge between informing readers and getting banned by pseudoscience spruikers, including those promoting extreme diets, unscientific “therapies” and useless supplements. 

Her favourite homeopathic “remedy” is “Nat.Mur” – Natrium Muriaticum or – as it is more commonly known – water that no longer contains salt. She is fascinated by the concept that a lot of nothing is stronger than not much nothing.

Sue is also going to perform at the Skepticon Saturday night dinner as a stand up comedian. If you’d like a ticket to the dinner, the convention or an online experience please visit here.

Mal Vickers coming to Skepticon 2023

Posted in Alternative "medicine" scams, General, Science, Skeptic by

Mal Vickers is a skeptical activist with a singular focus on shonky so-called treatments, and the much-to-be-desired responses of regulators responsible for keeping our community safe.

According to Skepticon 2023 website:

Mal Vickers

In 2016 Mal received the ‘Skeptic of the Year’ award, jointly with Dr Ken Harvey for complaints about chiropractors. While studying towards a Master of Public Health, Mal investigated the complementary medicines market using the complaints made about its advertising and products. Mal is a mild-mannered bio-medical engineer and enjoys photography and tinkering in his workshop.

Working with Dr. Ken Harvey Mal has been instrumental in targeting false claims that can harm consumers. They reported on persistent non-evidence based claims in breach of the Chiropractic Board and AHPRA guidelines, and the absence of appropriate responses from these regulators.

Mal and Ken published the first review of the TGA’s Complaints Resolution Panel over its entire 19 year life. The analysis comprehensively demonstrated the failure of the TGA to ensure regulatory compliance by advertisers of complementary medicines.

While our regulatory system is meant to rein in violations, from 1999 to 2018 complaints and established breaches of the law greatly increased. 
At Skepticon, Mal will peel back the layers of misleading advertising that ultimately wastes people’s time and money. 

How do the companies behind these products get away with it? And, who tops the list for unethical behaviour? 

Mal is also on social media:

You can still get tickets to Skepticon for either the physical or online experience.

Liam Mannix coming to Skepticon 2023

Posted in General, Media, Skeptic by

Liam Mannix is one of Australia’s most accomplished science journalists, writing for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, as well as Nine’s other mastheads. His website is here.

Liam Mannix

Liam won the 2022 Press Club Quill Award for Excellence in Science, Medical and Health Reporting, the 2020 Walkley Award for Short Feature Writing, and the 2019 Barry Williams Award for Skeptical Journalism.

His investigation into the nerve pain drug Lyrica, resulted in Liam winning the 2019 Eureka Prize for Science Journalism, and he has twice won the Walkley Young Journalist of the Year (Innovation) award. He has even found time for Facebook and can be found on X here.

A quick visit to the Skepticon 2023 website reveals you can:

Join Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz (Health Nerd) and the award-winning science journalists Melissa Davey and Liam Mannix in this panel discussion looking at science in the media and how to avoid being misled by the headlines you read.

Tickets are available here.

Annie McCubbin coming to Skepticon 2023

Posted in General, Skeptic by

Would you like to know why smart women make bad decisions? If so, buying Annie McCubbin’s book, Why Smart Women make Bad Decisions would be a great start.

Annie published it in 2020, then in May this year she published Why Smart Women Buy the Lies. Annie is more than a little annoyed that critical thinking is so often side-lined, whilst pseudoscience and New-Age waffle is instead shaping decision-making. Consequently, Annie focuses on helping women avoid being conned by the feel-good vibes of self-help promises.

Annie McCubbin

Annie trained and worked as a professional actor appearing in major theatre productions and Australian TV dramas.  In 2001, Annie founded COUP – a corporate development and communication consultancy – with her husband, David.  They have pioneered skills-based training drawn from theatre practice, critical thinking, and business principles, delivered to companies across Australasia in finance, professional services, pharma, resources, telecoms, FMCG, government and the profit-for-purpose sector.

Having trained and coached thousands of women leaders, it became blindingly apparent to Annie that understanding cognitive flaws and unconscious biases is the best protection from the deceptions and distortions that cause unwelcome drama in business. 

You can hear Annie speak at Skepticon 2023. Tickets for the convention and/or online viewing are available here.