The Skeptics are a very good thing. They come out fighting against mumbo-jumbo, stupidity and those who take advantage of the credulous. Their magazine, NZ Skeptic, is highly entertaining and apparently their conferences are good fun, especially when the media are the target. The next one is in Auckland at the end of the month. Here's the press release:

Twenty years of aliens, the paranormal and the fascinating foibles of human psychology are being celebrated in Auckland at the end of the month with the 20th Annual Skeptics Conference, running Sept 29-Oct 1 at Kings College Auckland.

"We´re covering all sorts of areas -- how to think, how to laugh and how to save your health, your mind and your money," says Chair-entity Vicki Hyde.

The speakers and presentations are diverse, from philosopher Dr Jonathan McKeown-Green taking an interactive, multi-media chat session on how and why we make mistakes to comedian, satirist and documentary maker Te Radar discussing why he fears horoscopes. Aliens are welcome to attend astronomer Dr Grant Christie´s look at when astronomy goes bad, and teenage texters and their parents are encouraged to hear about telephone chain letters in the session "Send 2 10 or bad luck 4lyf" presented by Year 8 student Judith Goodyear.

Journalists will be scrutinised at the 2006 Bent Spoon and Bravo Awards, when the New Zealand Skeptics announce their annual prize for the most gullible piece of reporting in the past year as well as lauding excellence.

There's more information on the conference programme and registration form
here.