During the past week, bemused TV viewers in Australia may have noticed a brief TV commercial relating to a retraction by EASE-a-Cold.

I say "bemused" because it's an ad you could easily "see" several times without taking in much of it and certainly without understanding the context.

In my view, that's perfectly understandable. I think it's an ad that has been deliberately designed NOT to be effective.

The Skeptic Zone, The Podcast from Australia for Science and Reason.

Episode Time Line:
0:00:00: Introduction Richard Saunders
0:01:45: Richard Saunders interviews Desiree Schell
0:30:50: A Grain of Salt - With Eran Segev
0:42:35: The Church of Scientology hits back
0:44:25: The sound of summer
0:45:00: Dr Rachie Reports - Carl Sagan Day 2009. Interviews with
DJ Grothe, Dr Phil Plait (and his mum) & James Randi

The Boots brand is synonymous with health care in the United Kingdom. Your website speaks proudly about your role as a health care provider and your commitment to deliver exceptional patient care. For many people, you are their first resource for medical advice; and their chosen dispensary for prescription and non-prescription medicines. The British public trusts Boots.

However, in evidence given recently to the Commons Science and Technology Committee, you admitted that you do not believe homeopathy to be efficacious. Despite this, homeopathic products are offered for sale in Boots pharmacies – many of them bearing the trusted Boots brand.

Well, I have done what a lot of believers have asked all of us sceptics to do, and went to a Psychic show. I went on Friday night 20/11/09 and saw, Ezio De Angelis. He is one of the Psychics from "The One".

"The One" was a show on Australian television that had a quest for: “The Search for Australia’s Most Gifted Psychic.”

The evening started with me entering the building a little nervous. Not because of my first psychic show, but I was hoping I did not meet someone whom I knew. Thankfully I did not. I then relaxed.

By Wombatwal

The Skeptic Zone, The Podcast from Australia for Science and Reason.

Episode Time Line:
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:02:00 Kylie Sturgess interviews
Rikki Burns & Thomas Perry
TeePeeDesign
0:28:50 Sydney Mind Body Spirit -
Richard Saunders and Joanne Benhamu report
0:41:48 Dr Rachie Reports With Dr Rachael Dunlop
Dr Alex Loukas - Hookworm Vaccine
0:53:16 THE THINK TANK -
Dr Rachael Dunlop, Joanne Benhamu,
Ian Bryce and Richard Saunders

The Skeptic Zone, The Podcast from Australia for Science and Reason.

Episode Time Line:
0:00:00 Introduction
Richard Saunders
0:02:00 Dr Rachie Reports With Dr Rachael Dunlop
Reporting on her adventures in the USA
Interview with
John Rennie Part II
0:33:40 Sydney Skeptics in the Pub -
Interview with BadPsychics Admin William Brougham
0:41:15 Voice Over Man Jim Wilshire reads his poem 'Min Min Man'
0:43:50 Australian Skeptics Convention 1988
Peter Vels on The New Age
1:01:51 Melbourne Cup Horse Race
with Amanda Rose and Richard Saunders

Some great skeptical things to do in the upcoming month, including

November 8th: Carl Sagan Day

November 17: Dunedin Skeptics in the Pub, 7.30pm

18th November 9:30pm TV3: Donated to Science

Now to November 28: Collapsing Creation, Downstage Theatre,
Wellington

Loretta Marron also known as 'The Jelly Bean Lady' goes undercover to investigate alternative medicine.

BOGUS doctors offering "quack" therapy will face jail and massive fines under new laws proposed by Health Minister John Hill.

Mr Hill today announced the State Government would adopt the recommendations of a parliamentary committee examined therapies being offered by unregistered doctors.

These included offering to cure cancer through the use of "organic coffee enemas" and another practitioner who claimed to be able to cure cancer through "vaginal blowing".

Sensing Murder a "reality" show on New Zealand's TVNZ, produced by Ninox Television, apparently currently in receivership.
TVNZ by the way is the New Zealand national broadcaster. It has gone commercial and puts on shows like "Sensing Murder", could they stoop any lower.

Is this what happens when you stop funding a national broadcaster of taxpayers money.

Any port in a storm I am sure TVNZ is thinking.

By wombatwal

Television New Zealand has descended to new levels of lunacy.

Unbelievably it sent Sensing Murder medium Deb Webber to 'assist' the family of Aisling Symes just two days after the little girl went missing.

The Sensing Murder television series which debuted in 2006, follows psychics like Webber who 'attempt' to solve unsolved police cases.

By Steve Cowan

"Auckland Skeptics in the Pub - the very first! As a podcaster for the Skeptic Zone, I was honored to be invited to attend at this gathering of skeptics, which numbered around fifty in total.

A recording of an impromptu 'Think Tank' will appear on a forthcoming episode of the podcast. Check out the Shore Is Magic card trick and show if you're in NZ!"

http://www.youtube.com/user/podblackdotcom