The Skeptic Zone #448 - 21.May.2017

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:24 Government funding for UFO group News reports read by Shelley Stocken, followed by an interview with leading UFO expert Dr Steve Roberts from Australian Skeptics. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/central-coast-ufo-group-funding-mystery-federal-minister-calls-for-urgent-review/news-story/0a8ddefe6910b00e67b660b40dcc06a6 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-18/porter-launches-probe-into-taxpayer-funding-of-ufo-group/8539084 0:25:00 Complementary medicines body under fire over evidence-based and environmental issues The National Institute of Complementary Medicines is once again under fire for promoting unproven products, as well as having inconsistent views on the use of endangered species in traditional Chinese medicines. The Australian Skeptics have renewed their campaign against the NICM, accusing it of “apparent endorsement of unproven ‘traditional medicine’ treatments”. https://ajp.com.au/news/unproven-issues 0:31:53 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Casey Harrigan https://www.australiascience.tv/vod/brew-ha-ha-earths-accidental-force-field/ Humanity has accidentally crafted ourselves a nifty little space bubble to protect us from cosmic radiation because of very low frequency radio transmissions to submarines. Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee 0:34:33 Pro Vaccine Measures in 2017 Budget The anti-vaccination lobby will not be pleased with the 2017 Federal Budget. Following on its No Jab No Pay policy, the government has decided that families who fail to immunise their children and who fail to get a health check on their 4-year-olds will lose $28 a fortnight from the Family Tax Benefit. http://www.skeptics.com.au/2017/05/10/pro-vaccine-measures-in-2017-budget 0:39:11 Disabled boy in danger of malnutrition removed from parents CHILD protection authorities have removed a severely disabled four-year-old from his parents because the boy was deemed at risk of serious harm due to malnutrition. Last year his parents stopped the prescribed total nutrition formula diet fed through a tube into the boy’s stomach in favour of a “natural diet of pureed fruit and vegetables” and cannabis oil. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/disabled-boy-in-danger-of-malnutrition-removed-from-parents/news-story/e939768a2f0927b89fbd1abb2e8658ee Also... NECSS - New York https://necss.org CSI Con - Las Vagus http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org SkepticCal - California http://www.skepticalcon.com QED - Manchester qedcon.org Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au Mayanrd's FREE 2017 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2017-maynard-calendar