South African skeptic community

[bluegray]

I want to start a South African skeptical community. Or at least somewhere where we can join resources on all things skeptical in South Africa. I'm not aware of something like that yet, so if there is, please point me in the right direction so that I can help out.

If not, please go to http://skeptic.za.org/ if you're interested or want to contribute. All help will be welcome.

There's not much there yet, but that's why I need your help right ;)

[Anacoluthon64]

Howzit Boet,

Welcome to this very fine forum. As far as scepticism in SA goes, there's a distinct lack of this commodity - like most everywhere else, I expect. In the past we had ARIP (Association for the Rational Inquiry into the Paranormal, or some such) by way of a local sceptical community, but they seem to have gone the way of all earthly things: no website and their 'phone number is defunct.

Thanks, therefore, for taking the much-needed initiative. I have registered at your forum.

Perhaps, as a suggested point of entry, the community can begin with this (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=62371) small matter.

'Luthon64

[Ettienne]

Hi,
I also just registered on the forum. A very good idee, I hope it gains the needed momentum.

[bluegray]

It might take some time, but I'm sure there's a lot of interest - just start spreading the word. And start posting ;)

[EvilBiker]

Well, I signed up! Have sent the link out to various others.

Stellenbosch, hey? My wife works there :)

[Lothian]

Isn't Paul Bethke from S.A. ? Perhaps.....perhaps not.

[EvilBiker]

Isn't Paul Bethke from S.A. ? Perhaps.....perhaps not.

Apparently so. I think he actually originated in the Stellnbosch area, but then after his initial foray into the forum he said he was off to Namibia to do missionary work. Seems he's now back in Cape Town somewhere. I suspect he was part of a group like Youth With A Mission.

Of course, I could be totally misled - however, if I remember correctly (I'm not bothered to go look up the old threads), his colloquisms strongly suggested he was from this part of the world.

I threw out a teaser in his latest thread, telling him I'd *love* to meet him, but he didn't bite. Damn.

[texo]

Cool - I've registered!

texo, Cape Town

[The Don]

Oh sure, wait 'til I get back to the UK.

Flipping foreigners

;)

[bluegray]

Hey, some of my best friends are foreigners ;):D

[bluegray]

Looks like the forum is gathering some sort of momentum ;)
But we need more skeptical members. Please join if you haven't already.

[Anacoluthon64]

Hi bluegray V,

There seems to be a problem, possibly local to SA, but the forum is not reachable through http://forum.skeptic.za.org/index.php?board=1.0, although the webpage can be through http://skeptic.za.org.

Could it be that Telkom is at fault yet again?

ETA: OK, will keep trying.

'Luthon64

[bluegray]

works for me :confused:

[Ettienne]

Was down for a while for me too, but it's reachable again.

[bluegray]

@Anacoluthon64
Have you had any more problems since Wed.?

[Anacoluthon64]

@Anacoluthon64
Have you had any more problems since Wed.?Thanks for asking - yes, I have consistently been unable to reach the forum. My browser (IE 6.0 on Win2k Pro) just sits there trying to reach the webpage but without timing out or reporting an HTTP 404 (page not found) error. Most annoying. It could be an obscure firewall setting, or perhaps the DNS cache isn't cooperating (pinging "skeptic.za.org" and "forum.skeptic.za.org" reports the same IP address of 72.9.253.178, which is non-SA, and times out).

What to do, what to do?

'Luthon64

[Anacoluthon64]

Update: I am currently able to see the forum. I hope it lasts.

'Luthon64

[StewartP]

Surely RandFan must be from Sarfafrica?

geddit?

groan.

[bluegray]

reminds me of a (bad) joke:

Where did 50 Cent buy a house in SA?
Midrand.

:p/groan

[Anacoluthon64]

Let me be Franc with Yen all: such humour isn't worth a Sou, and won't earn you any currency here. It matters neither who you're Shilling for, nor how long you Pound out such drollery. So Pula yourselves together or Euro might be labelled Dollards or even end up with your faces being Roubled in it.

Mark my words.

groan groan groan ...

'Luthon64

[bluegray]

Alle grappies op 'n stokkie. ;)
We really need some members. If you have friends that might be interested, please tell them to go to the site to register.

[bluegray]

It's now possible to add content to the new wiki at http://skeptic.za.org/wiki/

Contact me for a password.

[bluegray]

I'm surprized that nobody is interested in adding something to the wiki. It could really do with some interesting topics.