Comments on: Two skeptical events coming up!

By: Jewel

Jewel — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:49:13 +0000

I wish I could go to NECSS. Looks like a fantastic lineup! It does look like I’ll be going to TAM this year, though, so that makes me feel just a little less sad about not going to NECSS.

By: WJM

WJM — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 04:57:46 +0000

CBC Marketplace has now almost redeemed itself for jumping on the CELLPHONES CAUSE THE CANCERBRAIN!!!! hysteria not so long ago.

Not quite. But almost.

By: Kenny

Kenny — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:31:43 +0000

Jennifer Michael Hecht.. she won my skeptics brainless comment of 2010 when she said words to the effect of “i have to convert so many people back to atheism because people like Dawkins turn them away.. and it’s so exhausting *probably a frouny face after that*”.

Haha!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:57:17 +0000

@Shane,

Thanks for your feedback.

The way I interpret the article, is that the surface has only been, but barely scratched, as to how the complex healing mechanisms of the body work.

This is proving to be a very humbling journey for me, although I cannot speak for others.

By: shane

shane — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:42:17 +0000

@Jeff
The wired article basically says that when a drug is no better than a placebo it is withdrawn. And we still don’t know why placebo work. But we already knew that too.

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:34:36 +0000

I watched the show and thought it sent as very clear message. One thing that was disturbing, though was the fact that homeopathic remedies has been given some Drug Identificdation Numbers.
Thanks for mentioning your email, Liisa. I will do the same.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 21:09:03 +0000

@ Steve Metzler

Here’s a link to an interesting article about placebo:

http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all

Thought you might appreciate.

Jeff

By: Steve Metzler

Steve Metzler — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:49:43 +0000

Jeff (#11):

Allopathy = placebo effect with loads of side effects.

Analogy fail. Allopathic drugs don’t get to be marketed unless they can prove they beat placebo in stringent double-blind tests. Thanks for playing though.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 06:43:41 +0000

Homeopathy = placebo effect with no side effects.

Allopathy = placebo effect with loads of side effects.

I agree with sascha. Balance is the key.

By: sascha

sascha — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 04:00:47 +0000

As much as I enjoy this Astronomy blog. All this talk about being oh so skeptical annoys me! Be careful not to become too skeptical! It might have an adverse effect. Balance is the key!

By: Liisa

Liisa — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 02:02:37 +0000

Marketplace was very well done. I just sent them a congratulatory email. I hope it won’t get lost in the hate mail they’re sure to receive.

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:33:33 +0000

Marketplace interviewed one homeopath and directly asked the question: “How can it work?”.

The homeopath answered “I don’t know but it does”.

Weird combination of truth and superstition, honesty and wishful thinking.

By: Zucchi

Zucchi — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:52:54 +0000

Whereas here in Atlanta in February, we’re having something called “The Truth Convention”. Conspiracy theories; UFOs; a combination involving secret cabals acting in concert with extraterrestrials; perpetual motion machines (dressed up with the term “over-unity devices”); medical woo; etc. Great.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:56:02 +0000

For any non-’Canuckians’ interested in watching the CBC Marketplace report – the full episode will be available for viewing at http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2011/cureorcon/ quite soon after it airs tonight!

By: bigjohn756

bigjohn756 — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:02:58 +0000

I read a few of the comments, but had to give up after a short while because it made me so sad. People who think that water can cure their diseases are just so gullible and pathetic.

By: QuietDesperation

QuietDesperation — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:52:58 +0000

Why can’t these things ever be in medium sized towns with ample parking?

By: Jesse

Jesse — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:07:53 +0000

Thanks for the Marketplace plug Phil!

The homeopaths are launching a semi-organized comment spam campaign at the link in the above post. If anyone wants to come in and refute their anecdote nonsense, it’s appreciated!

By: davidlpf

davidlpf — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:57:55 +0000

The other day I was watching a show called [i]Rodeo[/i], all about the Canadian Rodeo circuit. One of the contestants gave their horse homeopathic medicine of some sort and all I could think of is “well at least they’ll pass the drug test”.

By: Grizzly

Grizzly — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:38:15 +0000

Marketplace is a fair and balanced show, it has established credibility as a sort of “consumer’s report” meets “investigative journalism”.

The CBC radio news has been running bits and pieces on their news programs revealing some of the results of the investigation: Guess what? Homeopathic remedies are sucrose and lactose!

What I am really interested in watching is their commentary on homeopathic vaccinations.

But judging from the commentary section on the show – see the webpage for the show – there’s a lot of “It works for me, I don’t care about the facts” going on and I wonder if there will be a backlash from “Big Stupid” and complaints to our Public Broadcaster over the show.