Alternative Medicine an the White House Commission
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The Beginner's Guide to 'Holistic' Wellness
BOOK REVIEWS in the progression of the disease when The Beginner’s Guide to prayer was used” (p. 98). For such a bold statement, the evidence is pretty weak, ‘Holistic’ Wellness however. There are very few studies on DIMITRY ROTSTEIN personal prayer (none are double-blind, of course), and their results are mixed Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine. By The Mayo even for treating purely psychological Clinic. Time Inc. Home Entertainment Books, New York, symptoms. More disturbing is the fact 2007. ISBN: 1-933405-92-9. 192 pp. Hardcover, $24.95. that the book doesn’t make a distinc- tion between personal and intercessory prayer, even though the latter is known to have no effect according to well-de- he Mayo Clinic Book of mean that perhaps we skeptics have signed studies (including one by the Alterna tive Medicine is the been unfair to “alternative medicine” Mayo Clinic itself). None of these facts most significant publication of and that there is more to it than just T is ever mentioned. In summary, the evi- the Mayo Clinic Complementary and placebo, self-delusion, quackery, or, at dence of the effectiveness of these “ther- Integrative Medicine Program’s team, best, some outdated healing techniques? apies” against any real disease is either which has been studying various forms Perhaps not. dubious or non-existent. Of course, of complementary and alternative medi- True, of the twenty-five CAM ther- controlling such factors as stress and cine (CAM, for short) since 2001. Here apies, fourteen are recommended as depression is important for your health, you will find nothing but reliable and safe and effective for “treating” various but there is no indication that any of the easy-to-understand information from diseases. -
Searching for Security in the Mystical the Function of Paranormal Beliefs
Searching for Security in the Mystical The Function of Paranormal Beliefs MARTIN R. GRIMMER ver the past two decades, the paranor- mal has enjoyed something of a revival Owithin popular culture. There have been countless books, magazine and newspaper articles, movies, and television programs devoted to topics ranging from UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle, lost continents, Yetis, and Belief in the the Loch Ness monster, to pyramid power, astrology, levitation, telepathy, precognition, paranormal and poltergeists. Sociologist Marcello Truzzi appears to satisfy (1972) suggested that this boom in paranormal interest began around the late sixties, noting some very basic, if that Ouija boards outsold such popular board inconsistent games as Monopoly. human needs. It Lately, the paranormal seems to have mani- fested in the form of the New Age movement— will probably a loose combination of ideas encompassing spir- remain with us itualism, mysticism, alternative healing, and a healthy dose of commercialism. Some may think forever. this is mainly an American phenomenon, but it is estimated that Australians alone now spend $100 million a year on personal-transformation courses that delve deeply into such fringe areas as rebirthing, shamanism, channeling, and crystal healing. To some observers, the New Age movement is seen as a sort of quasi-religious justification for "yuppiedom"—how to make money and feel "really great" about it at the same time. Winter 1992 Research studies worldwide have written on this topic, several themes revealed an extensive belief in and in the human motive to believe can acceptance of the paranormal. In a be identified. survey of the readers of Britain's New First, paranormal beliefs may oper- Scientist magazine, a high proportion ate to reassure the believer that there of whom are reported to hold post- is order and control in what may graduate degrees, Evans (1973) found otherwise appear to be a chaotic that 67 percent believed that ESP was universe (Frank 1977). -
The Pseudoscience of Anti-Anti-Ufology
SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/29/09 11:24 AM Page 28 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER The Pseudoscience of Anti-Anti-UFOlogy Many readers are surely familiar with is more their style. Deception is the practiced prestidigitation can never be author and pro-UFO lecturer Stanton T. name of the game.” trusted in anything. He criticizes Friedman, who calls himself the “Flying Friedman goes on to name names: Nickell for raising “the baseless Project Saucer physicist” because he actually did He critiques Joe Nickell’s article “Return Mogul explanation” for Roswell, which work in physics about fifty years ago (al- cannot be correct, says Friedman, though not since). Well, Stanton is upset because it does not match the claims by the skeptical writings contained in made in later years by alleged Roswell SI’s special issue on UFOs (January- witnesses (although it does match quite /February 2009) and elsewhere. He has well the account of Mac Brazel, the orig- written two papers thus far denouncing inal witness, given in 1947). us, and it is the subject of his Keynote He moves on to my critique of the Address at the MUFON Conference in Betty and Barney Hill case, where I note August. the resemblance of their “hypnosis UFO In February, Friedman wrote an arti- testimony” to Betty Hill’s post-incident cle, “Debunkers at it Again,” reviewing dreams. I wrote, “Barney had heard her our UFO special issue (www.theufo repeat [them] many times,” which he chronicles.com/2009/02/debunkers-at- claims is “nonsense.” According to it-again.html). -
SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol
SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol. 18. No. 4 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization. Editor Kendrick Frazier. Editorial Board James E. Alcock, Barry Beyerstein, Susan J. Blackmore, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Philip J. Klass, Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell, Lee Nisbet, Bela Scheiber. Consulting Editors Robert A. Baker, William Sims Bainbridge, John R. Cole, Kenneth L. Feder, C. E. M. Hansel, E. C. Krupp, David F. Marks, Andrew Neher, James E. Oberg, Robert Sheaffer, Steven N. Shore. Managing Editor Doris Hawley Doyle. Contributing Editor Lys Ann Shore. Writer Intern Thomas C. Genoni, Jr. Cartoonist Rob Pudim. Business Manager Mary Rose Hays. Assistant Business Manager Sandra Lesniak. Chief Data Officer Richard Seymour. Fulfillment Manager Michael Cione. Production Paul E. Loynes. Art Linda Hays. Audio Technician Vance Vigrass. Librarian Jonathan Jiras. Staff Alfreda Pidgeon, Etienne C. Rios, Ranjit Sandhu, Sharon Sikora, Elizabeth Begley (Albuquerque). The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo. Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director. Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director. Fellows of the Committee James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto; Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky; Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern California; Susan Blackmore,* psychologist, Univ. of the West of England, Bristol; Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France; Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor of English, Univ. -
Popular Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Images, Self-Help and the Consumer*
CAN WE TRUST CONSUMERS WITH THEIR BRAINS? POPULAR COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE, BRAIN IMAGES, SELF-HELP AND THE CONSUMER* Tracy D. Gunter** I. INTRODUCTION ................................... 483 II. THE BRAIN'S RISE TO PROMINENCE ................. 486 III. THE BRAIN AS A ROCK STAR ....................... 497 IV. THE RISE OF THE NEUROS AND NEURO SELF-HELP.......503 A. The Market for Brain Self Help Products ............. 506 B. Examples of Commercial Brain Products..............509 V. BRAIN SELF-HELP CONSUMERS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ............................... ..... 514 A. Why Protect the Brain Self-Help Consumer?........518 B. Examples of Information Offered to Consumers... 523 C. Enhancing ConsumerLiteracy ....... ........ 532 VI. MECHANISMS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ..... ...... 537 A. Self-Regula tion and Soft La w ...... ............... 539 B. DirectRegulation........................... 541 C CES Devices:An Example ofRegulation and Enforcement.. ................................ 543 VII. CONCLUSION .............................. ...... 550 I. INTRODUCTION Cognitive neuroscience captures the imagination by exploring connections between the physical brain and the abstract mind. Through recent advances in functional * ©2014 Tracy D. Gunter. All rights reserved ** Tracy Gunter, M.D., Associate Professor Of Clinical Psychiatry at the IU School of Medicine, Adjunct Professor of Law, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, e-mail [email protected]. I thank research assistants Emily Steeb and Scott Spicer for editorial help and -
Affidavit of Stephen Barrett, M.D
IN THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR POLK COUNTY ________________________________________________________________ _ STATE OF IOWA ex rel. ) THOMAS J. MILLER, ) ATTORNEY GENERAL OF IOWA, ) EQUITY NO. CE-39318 99AG25112 ) ) Plaintiff , ) ) vs. ) AFFIDAVIT OF DR. ) STEPHEN BARRETT NEW WOMYN, INC. and ) DAN KAISER, ) ) Defendants. ) ________________________________________________________________ _ 1. I, Dr. Stephen Barrett of Allentown, Pennsylvania, being first duly sworn on oath, depose and state as follows: 2. I submit this declaration as an expert in the fields of quackery, “alternative medicine,” health fraud, peer review, and the analysis of unusual health claims. I intend this declaration to serve as expert testimony on the matters set forth herein. All opinions rendered herein are my professional and expert opinion, as consistent with my special knowledge, skill, training, education, and experience. 3. I have been asked by Investigator Barbara Blake of the Consumer Protection Division of the Iowa Department of Justice to review Paragraph 9 (a)-(d) of the Petition and Application to Enforce Civil Investigative Demand filed in the above-captioned matter. I have been asked to assume that the alleged representations as set forth below were made for a device called - 1 - "Stimulations VII" that was to be used by persons to enhance breast size. I have been further asked to express an opinion regarding the amount of substantiation experts in the field would agree is reasonable for the types of claims set forth below. 4. The claims set forth in the Petition are: (a). That Stimulations VII will permanently grow breast tissue; (b.) That Stimulations VII will cause breast enlargement of 2, 3 or even 4 cup sizes; (c.) That Stimulations VII has been scientifically proven safe and effective for breast enlargement; (d.) That Stimulations VII will regrow breasts that have been removed via mastectomy. -
Homeopathy Works, Then Obviously the Less You Use It, the Stronger It Gets
http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo "...for the purposes of popular discourse, it is not necessary for homeopaths to prove their case. It is merely necessary for them to create walls of obfuscation, and superficially plausible technical documents that support their case, in order to keep the dream alive in the imaginations of both the media and their defenders." --Ben Goldacre If homeopathy works, then obviously the less you use it, the stronger it gets. So the best way to apply homeopathy is to not use it at all. --Phil Plait http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo “Alternative Medicine” - Homeopathy - Supplementary Material for CFB3333/PHY3333 Professors John Cotton, Randy Scalise, and Stephen Sekula http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo ● FRINGE ● The land of wild ideas, mostly untested or untestable. Most of these will be discarded as useless. Only some of these will make it into the frontier. ● FRONTIER ● CORE Tested (somewhat or better) ideas that could still be wrong or require significant modification. ● CORE FRONTIER ● Very well-tested ideas that are unlikely to be overturned. They may FRINGE become parts of bigger ideas, but are very unlikely to be discarded. A Depiction of Science Thanks to Eugenie Scott http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo HOMEOPATHY A LOOK AT THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo Claim and Assessment ● Claim: homeopathic medicine can treat the diseases it claims to treat ● there are many more medicines than there have been scientific tests of those medicines, which should already tell you something. Homeopathy is like a hydra. ● Tests: ● Gold-standard medical testing: randomized, double/single-blinded, placebo-controlled, large-statistics trials http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo ● Findings: ● 8 studies in the review fulfilled their review criteria ● Only about half of those were more akin to gold standard, and they tended to show no effect over placebo. -
Old Livery Barn Near Bruning Taken Down the Event
Find us on Facebook Banner-Argus ...................... 7 The Hebron Cards of Thanks ..................4 Chester ................................ 7 ournal Churches ............................. 5 Classifi eds ........................ 11 Courthouse News ................3 Obituaries .........................4-5 Sports .................................. 6 $100 J egister Volume 143, Issue 15 12 Pages, One Section, Plus Supplements Wednesday, AAprilpril 9, 2201014 http://hebronjournalregister.comR Hebron City Council continues County Tidbits Board faces Sales Tax... discussion of ongoing projects short agenda Thayer County collected $140,768.64 in sales tax for the The Hebron City Council dis- the group in getting started, they that they are working on complet- The Thayer County Board month of January 2014 after show- cussed many different ongoing asked that the city council buy 50 ing the fi nal plans although a fi nal of Commissioners held their ing a 2.4 percent increase in net projects along with a few new ones fl ags. Once these are purchased, date for the completed plans hasn’t regular meeting on April 2. taxable sales over January 2013. at their regular monthly meeting the group believes that the project been given. To begin their meeting, For January 2014, the county had on April 7. will be self-supporting. Council The group also discussed two the group met with Richard $2,559,425 in net taxable sales - up Dilapidated properties were once members voted to help the pack different proposals for widening Heinrichs, Thayer County from $2,498,498 in 2013. again on the agenda. Letters were with this project. Dove Road with Chris Fangmeier, road superintendent, to According to Hebron Clerk Jean sent to possible nuisance properties Council members also met with Hebron city supervisor. -
Quackbusters Are Busted! Though They Seem to Have More Lives Than A
Search Gaia Health Website Search Subs Quackbusters Are Busted! Email A Though they seem to have more lives than a cat, it seems Don't miss likely that Quackbusters will be down for the count. Rest assured that y by Heidi Stevenson Q backslide Definition: (ve mo Synonyms: lap Usage: I ca wo old Word of th 25 July 2010 Amidst the morass of fallacious attacks by mainstream medicine on honest alternative approaches to health, now and then there's a glitter of good news. It's a breath of fresh air to announce that the self-styled Quackbusters, headed by a self-styled psychiatrist who failed his exam and was never accepted into the profession, Stan Lee (1922) A giant in the world o has fallen to one of its targeted victims. chairman of Marvel C book superheroes. Wi Spider-Man, the Fanta On 25 June, the tables were turned on Stephen Barrett. The Doctor's Incredible Hulk, amon Data Laboratory, which does laboratory testing on issues of heavy introducing complex, books. Lee has made metal, nutritional deficiencies, liver toxification, metabolic characters that he help abnormalities, and environmentally-caused diseases sued Barrett for Today's Bi what, after getting through the legaleze, amounts to defamation of character, libel, conspiracy, and intentionally attempting to destroy Match Up their business. Enjoy this The suit asks for $5 million in damages and another $15 million in FDA Says Walnuts punitive damages, plus injunctions to prevent Barrett from ever attempting to destroy their business in the future. Barrett has initiated FDA Persecutes many frivolous lawsuits against alternative practitioners, causing enormous trauma and expense to his victims, is currently out of cash. -
Violent Video Games: Dogma, Fear, and Pseudoscience
SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/22/09 2:33 PM Page 38 Violent Video Games: Dogma, Fear, and Pseudoscience Video games are at the center of a modern media-based moral panic. Too often, social scientists have fueled the flames and eschewed good scientific practices. CHRISTOPHER J. FERGUSON chool shootings at high schools and universities are rare but shocking events. Across the last decade or so Swe have come to understand a little about the psychol- ogy of the young men who carry out such horrific crimes. Most typically they are emotionally disturbed, often de- pressed, feel socially isolated and alienated from society, and are filled with rage and hatred. It is natural for society to want easy answers about how such a phenomenon can be controlled. Social scientists want to give those answers. Unfortunately, the human inclination to believe we can pre- dict the unpredictable and control the uncontrollable often leads us to mask the language of fear and irrationality in the language of science. 38 Volume 33, Issue 5 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/22/09 2:33 PM Page 39 In the case of school shootings and youth violence in gen- son and David Grossman might be forgiven for inflaming fears eral, some scientists have answered the public demand for a with exaggerated claims. Grossman, for instance, has promul- culprit. The alleged corrupting influence of violent video gated the false notion that the military uses video games to games has been identified by some as one root cause. Ignoring desensitize soldiers to killing (they do use simulators for visual the youth-violence data, ignoring inconsistent data from mul- scanning and reaction time and vehicle training, but they seem tiple studies, even ignoring contradictory data from their own more effective in reducing accidental shootings than anything studies, some social scientists have presented the research on else). -
[Sample B: Approval/Signature Sheet]
DOMESTIC LONE WOLF TERRORISTS: AN EXAMINATION OF PATTERNS IN DOMESTIC LONE WOLF TARGETS, WEAPONS, AND IDEOLOGIES by Julie M. Gall A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of George Mason University in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Criminology, Law and Society Committee: ___________________________________________ Director ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Department Chairperson ___________________________________________ Program Director ___________________________________________ Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Date: _____________________________________ Fall Semester 2014 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Domestic Lone Wolf Terrorists: An Examination of Patterns in Domestic Lone Wolf Targets, Weapons, and Ideologies A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at George Mason University By Julie M. Gall Master of Arts George Mason University, 2011 Bachelor of Arts University of Southern Maine, 2008 Co-Director: C. Allan Turner, Professor Emeritus Criminology, Law and Society Co-Director: Brian Lawton, Assistant Professor John Jay College of Criminal Justice Fall Semester 2014 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Copyright: 2014 Julie M. Gall All Rights Reserved ii DEDICATION This is dedicated to my mother, Sharon L. Gall, whose love and support was unwavering and memory continues to inspire me. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my Chair, Allan Turner. Your knowledge, mentorship, and support through this seemingly endless process, were the keys to my successful completion. I must thank my co-Chair Brian Lawton, and committee members Linda Merola and Ron Waldron for their time, guidance, and encouragement throughout this process. I would also like to thank Ken Glantz, my honorary committee member, whose subject matter expertise was invaluable during the drafting of this document. -
The Flaming Lips Space Bubble Concert Sells out in Minutes Second Show Added for December 10Th in Oklahoma City
THE FLAMING LIPS SPACE BUBBLE CONCERT SELLS OUT IN MINUTES SECOND SHOW ADDED FOR DECEMBER 10TH IN OKLAHOMA CITY TICKETS ON SALE TODAY- NOVEMBER 17TH AT 10:00AM CT Wayne Coyne From The Flaming Lips Answers Questions about the World’s First Space Bubble Concerts HERE November 17, 2020 (Los Angeles, CA) – Within minutes of the announcement, The Flaming Lips Space Bubble live concert on December 11th at The Criterion in Oklahoma City has completely sold out. A second show has been added for December 10 and is also expected to sell out immediately. Tickets for the second show go on sale today at 10:00 AM CT. Go to criterionokc.com to purchase. Local health and safety standards will be strictly observed for this full-production live Lips event. Wayne Coyne has created an instructional video to explain the run of show that will hopefully answer all of your questions. Click here to view and share. As previously announced, The Lips have shared a pair of live videos in preparation of these Space Bubble shows, directed by Wayne Coyne and filmed/edited by Blake Studdard for AtriaCreative.co. Click here to view and share “Brother Eye,” and here for “Assassins Of Youth,” both from their acclaimed new album AMERICAN HEAD “American Head is a gorgeous, lush orchestral album of sheer beauty...a masterpiece.” -- Forbes “Devastatingly beautiful.” – Consequence Of Sound “You’ll discover how great The Lips new album is – an enchanting 13-track mix that harken back to the band’s career best.” – Entertainment Weekly Contact Rick Gershon at Warner Records Publicity [email protected] Follow The Flaming Lips Website | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | Publicity Materials .