Archive for December, 2009
Christmas Carols Misrepresent Reality, Says Reality-Misrepresenting Bishop
Posted by Marsh in Media, Religion, Skepticism on December 9, 2009
Christmas is coming, as we’re probably all aware. One thing that always tends to make me think at this time of the year, as an atheist, is what to do about Christmas Carols. On the one hand, they’re a staple part of any Christmas period, they’re a bit catchy. On the other hand, they speak about the worship of a deity I don’t believe in,, and they tell stories that are entirely nonsensical. Well, this week it seems my views are shared by an unlikely source – the Bishop of Croyden.
Nick Baines (who’s often described as Rt Rev, but seeing as I’m not in his club I’m not sure I need to follow the club rules. If he was in the KKK, I’d not call him a grand wizard…) has criticised the unbelievable nature of the stories put forward in Christmas Carols. And he’s a Bishop. So, what problem does he have with Away in a Manger and it’s ilk? In his book Why Wish You A Merry Christmas? he explains:
“How can any adult sing [Away in a Manger] without embarrassment?”
Breaking News: Bulgaliens Have Landed
Posted by Marsh in Crop Circles, Skepticism, UFOs on December 8, 2009
Stop the press: aliens have finally gotten in contact with Earth. Just kidding – don’t really stop the press. Actually, there isn’t even a press to stop, what with this being online and all. Unless you count WordPress. Hell, why not – Stop the WordPress: aliens have finally gotten in contact with Earth. What’s more, they’re no mucking around – they turned down the advances of Carl Sagan’s beloved SETI (the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) and instead have gone straight to the top guys, the big cheeses: the Bulgarian Space Research Institute.
Lachezar Filipov, deputy director of the Space Research Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (to give it it’s full title), confirmed research into the other-worldly communication was currently underway, and that the aliens were in the process of answering 30 questions beamed out into space by scientists. And their chosen method of communication? Did they beam their answers directly into Filipov’s brain? Did they use their advanced technology to create a universal translator and speak Bulgarian to the lucky scientists?
Did they hell. They left a series of 150 crop circles, around the world. Including the dragonfly circle left in Yatesbury, Wiltshire, earlier this year. It’s never easy, is it? Poor Bulgarian scientists. But Filipov holds out hope that he won’t always have to be jetting around the world looking at pretty patterns in the grass (patterns that could be made, say, by someone like… say… anyone who wanted to). Apparently he holds out hope that in the future people will be able to establish contact with the extraterrestrials through the power of thought. That thought presumably being ‘Oooh, look at that pretty crop circle pattern’. Read the rest of this entry »
Evidence Check Evidence Check (or; What The Papers Say)
Posted by Mike in 10:23, Government, Homeopathy, Pseudomedicine, Public Health on December 7, 2009
Over the last couple of weeks, the Commons Committee on Science and Technology held a couple of their “evidence check” sessions, looking at homeopathy. Sessions such as this are held to examine whether there is evidence to support government policy.
The oral hearings take the form of witnesses with relevant backgrounds being quizzed by committee members. Witnesses for the first of these sessions included the legendary Ben Goldacre, Edzard Ernst from the University of Exeter, and Tracey Brown from the charity Sense About Science. Speakers in favour of homeopathy included Paul Bennett from Boots, Peter Fisher from the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, and Robert Wilson from the British Association of Homeopathic Manufacturers.
The big thing that came out of this hearing, from a rhetorical point of view, was the admission by Paul Bennett that Boots did not believe homeopathy to be effective – but they sell it anyway because of consumer demand. This lead to us here at Merseyside Skeptics drafting An Open Letter to Alliance Boots, calling upon them to withdraw the product. If you haven’t done so already, or even if you have, please check out the letter. Digg it, tweet it, repost it, write about it. Help up make some noise!
Ahem.
The pro-homeopathy witnesses, when challenged, mentioned a number of studies which they claimed supported the idea that homeopathy has strong effects beyond placebo. So I thought I’d look up a few of the studies mentioned and see what those studies actually say.
An American Homeopath In Dentistry
Posted by Andy in 10:23, Homeopathy, Pseudomedicine, Skepticism on December 5, 2009
In a recent blog post, Marsh posed the question “is there anything homeopathy cannot do?” I think that the homeopathy fans must encounter a blank wall when it comes to physical defects such as cosmetic features and actual anatomy. Can you imagine anyone claiming, for example, that taking a sugar pill would improve your appearance? Perhaps stop you having to get that all important nose job, boob job, pecs whatever?
Well, ladies and gentlemen I give you Homeopathic Dentistry.
Yes with just a few little sugar pills you can, ironically, fix your teeth. Reduce cavities, toughen those canines up and even straighten them!
Fazs.com seems to be a collection of one guys favourite videos. So far so good. But residing somewhere on the same server is the most unlikely and twisted claim for homeopathy so far. OK one among many….but seriously are you expecting us to believe that taking these sugar pills will correct physical damage? Read the rest of this entry »
Question of the Week: Invent A Homeopathic Remedy
Posted by Marsh in 10:23, Homeopathy, Question of the Week, Skepticism on December 4, 2009
I don’t know if anyone noticed, but we don’t really like homeopathy here at the MSS. I know that shocking revelation will probably come as a surprise to a lot of our readers – I mean, it’s not like we make a big deal about it, do we? It’s not like we write lots of posts detailing how utterly implausible and ridiculous homeopathy is, or anything. And it’s not like we go around appealing to major high-street pharmacies to withdraw homeopathic products from their shelves. No, no – we like to be reserved. Under-played. Subtle.
So, with our subtlety and respect of homeopathy in mind, this week’s question of the week is:
What’s the weirdest and most ludicrous homeopathic potion you can think up? What’s ‘in’ it? And what does it treat?
Make us laugh and you’ll get a mention on our next podcast, plus non-homeopathic levels of our love and affection. Bonus points to anyone who actually manages to find their crazy homeopathic substance on the internet – because I’m pretty sure clause b) of Rule 34 that states ‘There is no homeopathic substance to stupid to already exist somewhere on the internet’. And just to let you know where the bar is set, bear in mind you can already get homeopathic Berlin Wall and homeopathic Milky Way…
Oh, and by the way, 10:23.
Skeptics with a K – Episode #010
Posted by Mike in Podcast, Skeptics with a K on December 3, 2009
Homeopathy Special! In this extended episode, Mike, Marsh and Colin discuss the government’s Evidence Check session on homeopathy, the Merseyside Skeptics Open Letter to Boots and the trials which support homeopathy. Plus, we have a psychic Power double, Jesus in the UK and a Fantastic Fact!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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