After a bloodless coup, the NZ Skeptic has a new editor. This doesn’t mean much in practical terms; for many years I’ve been working closely with previous ed Annette Taylor. She will now take on the roles that I used to-subediting, proofing, making cups of tea, cooking dinner and the like. It won’t be long before we can enlist the daughter into the production of this fine publication.
Do send in any comments and feel free-as always-to send in beautifully written articles. This publication relies on the writing talents of our members. To our contributors a big thank you-your efforts are appreciated and we get regular requests from other skeptical organisations across the world for permission to reprint. The last one was from Canada a couple of weeks ago. We’ve even had James Randi asking for a piece.
We’re in the happy (and rather unusual) position at the moment of having plenty of material on file, so if you have submitted something and haven’t seen it yet, don’t worry, we’ll get to it.
Name Change issue hasn’t gone away. To date it seems to have generated more heat than light, but momentum appears to be building for a change. It’s looking like it will go to a vote at the next AGM, so give it some thought, and if you have a strong opinion on this one way or the other, make sure you get along to the conference in September so you have the opportunity to vote. Look for a Notice of Motion in the next issue.
Meanwhile, there’s no shortage of issues for skeptics to take an interest in. Latest news is that Benny Hinn, whose televangelism show is a regular feature of morning television, is paying a visit to New Zealand soon-the banners are already up in Auckland. His faith-healing shows-with frequent blatant appeals for money-have developed a huge following, but haven’t fooled everybody. Says one correspondent: “We are not talking about a fringe con-man. Millions and millions of people all over the world believe in this guy, and more importantly many many very sick and vulnerable people are exploited. Their deepest fears and hopes are exploited and their money is taken.” There is revealing information on his operations at richarddawkins.net/article,615,Benny-Hinn-Faith-Healing-Scam and www.youtube.com/v/W4t9APdSG30
Time to make the dinner.
