American Loon #2246: Richard Sheridan

Perhaps this entry should be considered more of an intermission from our regular fare. Richard Sheridan is a local colorful of Dallas known for disrupting (or frequently speaking before) the Dallas City Council proceedings, making broad accusations of electronic vote fraud and claiming that a...

Read the full lunacy: #2246: Richard Sheridan Encyclopedia of American Loons

Combination SCAMs: from ‘HomeoPuncture’ to ‘Effective Reverse Energy Transfer Counselling’

I have met many acupuncturists who think that homeopathy is bunk. Similarly, I have met many homeopaths who are convinced that acupuncture is a placebo therapy. And, I have met some (not many) practitioners of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) who think so highly of both SCAMs that they combine the two into one handy treatment: […]

Read the rest here: Combination SCAMs: from ‘HomeoPuncture’ to ‘Effective Reverse Energy Transfer Counselling’

“Scientists have shown how homeopathy works” – journalists’ obsession with ‘balance’

I live (most of my time) in the UK, a country where the media interest in so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) is considerable. Years ago, the UK press used to be very much in favour of SCAM. In 2000, we showed that the level of interest was huge and the reporting was biased. Here is our […]

Read the rest here: “Scientists have shown how homeopathy works” – journalists’ obsession with ‘balance’

Homeopathic provings: Bullshit about dogshit

I am not usually a vulgar person, and I do apologise for the title of this post. But, in view of todays’ subject, some vulgarity seems almost unavoidable. This post is about homeopathic provings. In my book, I explain them in some detail: The term ‘proving’ is a mis-translation of Hahnemann’s term ‘Pruefung’ which means ‘a […]

Read the rest here: Homeopathic provings: Bullshit about dogshit

The 20 principles of the World Federation of Chiropractic

The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) claim to have been at the forefront of the global development of chiropractic. Representing the interests of the profession in over 90 countries worldwide, the WFC has advocated, defended and promoted the profession across its 7 world regions. Now, the WFC have formulated 20 principles setting out who they […]

Read the rest here: The 20 principles of the World Federation of Chiropractic

American Loon #2245: Christie Marie Sheldon

We admit that the only reason we became aware of Christie Marie Sheldon, is because ads for her services started showing up on facebook. According to her ads, Sheldon “is an intuitive healer and medium that’s conducted over 10,000 private consultations [“30,000” by 2019].” Based on...

Read the full lunacy: #2245: Christie Marie Sheldon Encyclopedia of American Loons

The de-randomised clinical trial (dRCT): how we might be fooled by seemingly rigorous research

Controlled clinical trials are methods for testing whether a treatment works better than whatever the control group is treated with (placebo, a standard therapy, or nothing at all). In order to minimise bias, they ought to be randomised. This means that the allocation of patients to the experimental and the control group must not be […]

Read the rest here: The de-randomised clinical trial (dRCT): how we might be fooled by seemingly rigorous research

Autologous whole blood therapy, another very surprising SCAM. Does it merit further study?

Autologous whole blood (AWB) therapy is a treatment where a patients blood is first drawn from a vein and then (unmodified or treated in various bizarre ways) reinjected intra-muscularly. This sounds barmy, not least because there is no remotely plausible mode of action. Nonetheless, the therapy is popular in some countries (like Germany, where it […]

Read the rest here: Autologous whole blood therapy, another very surprising SCAM. Does it merit further study?

American Loon #2244: Dutch Sheets

One of the central figures in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), Dutch Sheets is an anointed and apparently re-anointed (“with a fresh impartation of Holy Spirit”) “teaching apostle”, self-appointed prophet and hardcore dominionist. Sheets is critical of the current state of American...

Read the full lunacy: #2244: Dutch Sheets Encyclopedia of American Loons

Virucid: boosting the immune system or the manufacturer’s profit?

On Twitter, I recently found this remarkable advertisement: Naturally, it interested me. The implication seemed to be that we can boost our immune system and thus protect ourselves from colds, the flu and other infections by using this supplement. With the flu season approaching, this might be important. On the other hand, the supplement might […]

Read the rest here: Virucid: boosting the immune system or the manufacturer’s profit?

2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #38

Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week...

Story of the Week...

Global Climate in 2015-2019: Climate change accelerates

Record greenhouse gas concentrations mean further warming 

 

The tell-tale signs and impacts of climate change – such as sea level rise, ice loss and extreme weather – increased during 2015-2019, which is set to be the warmest five-year period on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere have also increased to record levels, locking in the warming trend for generations to come.

The WMO report on The Global Climate in 2015-2019, released to inform the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, says that the global average temperature has increased by 1.1°C since the pre-industrial period, and by 0.2°C compared to 2011-2015.

The climate statement – which covers until July 2019 - was released as part of a high-level synthesis report from leading scientific institutions United in Science under the umbrella of the Science Advisory Group of the UN Climate Summit 2019. The report provides a unified assessment of the state of Earth system under the increasing influence of climate change, the response of humanity this far and projected changes of global climate in the future. It highlights the urgency and the potential of ambitious climate action in order to limit potentially irreversible impacts.

An accompanying WMO report on greenhouse gas concentrations shows that 2015-2019 has seen a continued increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and other key greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to new records, with CO2 growth rates nearly 20% higher than the previous five years. CO2 remains in the atmosphere for centuries and in the ocean for even longer. Preliminary data from a subset of greenhouse gas observational sites for 2019 indicate that CO2 global concentrations are on track to reach or even exceed 410 ppm by the end of 2019.

“Climate change causes and impacts are increasing rather than slowing down,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas, who is co-chair of the Science Advisory Group of the UN Climate Summit.

“Sea level rise has accelerated and we are concerned that an abrupt decline in the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, which will exacerbate future rise. As we have seen this year with tragic effect in the Bahamas and Mozambique, sea level rise and intense tropical storms led to humanitarian and economic catastrophes,” he said.

“The challenges are immense. Besides mitigation of climate change, there is a growing need to adapt. According to the recent Global Adaptation Commission report the most powerful way to adapt is to invest in early warning services, and pay special attention to impact-based forecasts,” he said.

“It is highly important that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, notably from energy production, industry and transport. This is critical if we are to mitigate climate change and meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement,” he said.

“To stop a global temperature increase of more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the level of ambition needs to be tripled. And to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees, it needs to be multiplied by five,” he said.

Sea level rise:

Over the five-year period May 2014 -2019, the rate of global mean sea-level rise has amounted to 5 mm per year, compared with 4 mm per year in the 2007-2016 ten-year period. This is substantially faster than the average rate since 1993 of 3.2 mm/year. The contribution of land ice melt from the world glaciers and the ice sheets has increased over time and now dominate the sea level budget, rather than thermal expansion. 

Shrinking Ice:

Throughout 2015-2018, the Arctic’s average September minimum (summer) sea-ice extent was well below the 1981-2010 average, as was the average winter sea-ice extent. The four lowest records for winter occurred during this period. Multi-year ice has almost disappeared.

Antarctic February minimum (summer) and September maximum (winter) sea-ice extent values have become well below the 1981-2010 average since 2016. This is in contrast to the previous 2011-2015 period and the long term 1979-2018 period. Antarctic summer sea ice reached its lowest and second lowest extent on record in 2017 and 2018, respectively, with 2017 also being the second lowest winter extent.

The amount of ice lost annually from the Antarctic ice sheet increased at least six-fold, from 40 Gt per year in 1979-1990 to 252 Gt per year in 2009-2017.

The Greenland ice sheet has witnessed a considerable acceleration in ice loss since the turn of the millennium.

For 2015-2018, the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) reference glaciers indicates an average specific mass change of −908 mm water equivalent per year, higher than in all other five-year periods since 1950. 

Ocean heat and acidity:

More than 90 % of the excess heat caused by climate change is stored in the oceans. 2018 had the largest ocean heat content values on record measured over the upper 700 meters, with 2017 ranking second and 2015 third.

The ocean absorbs around 30% of the annual anthropogenic emissions of CO2, thereby helping to alleviate additional warming. The ecological costs to the ocean, however, are high, as the absorbed CO2 reacts with seawater and changes the acidity of the ocean. There has been an overall increase in acidity of 26% since the beginning of the industrial revolution.

Extreme events:

More than 90 % of the natural disasters are related to weather.  The dominant disasters are storms and flooding, which have also led to highest economic losses. Heatwaves and drought have led to human losses, intensification of forest fires and loss of harvest.

Heatwaves, which were the deadliest meteorological hazard in the 2015-2019 period, affecting all continents and resulting in numerous new temperature records. Almost every study of a significant heatwave since 2015 has found the hallmark of climate change, according to the report.

The largest economic losses were associated with tropical cyclones. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the most devastating on record with more than US$ 125 billion in losses associated with Hurricane Harvey alone. On the Indian Ocean, in March and April 2019, unprecedented and devastating back-to-back tropical cyclones hit Mozambique. 

Wildfires

Wildfires are strongly influenced by weather and climate phenomena. Drought substantially increases the risk of wildfire in most forest regions, with a particularly strong influence on long-lived fires. The three largest economic losses on record from wildfires have all occurred in the last four years.

In many cases, fires have led to massive releases of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Summer 2019 saw unprecedented wildfires in the Arctic region. In June alone, these fires emitted 50 megatons (Mt) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is more than was released by Arctic fires in the same month from 2010 to 2018 put together. There were also massive forest fires in Canada and Sweden in 2018. There were also widespread fires in the non-renewable tropical rain forests in Southern Asia and Amazon, which have had impacts on the global carbon budget. 

Climate change and extreme events

According to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, over the period 2015 to 2017, 62 of the 77 events reported show a significant anthropogenic influence on the event’s occurrence, including almost every study of a significant heatwave. An increasing number of studies are also finding a human influence on the risk of extreme rainfall events. 

Global Climate in 2015-2019: Climate change accelerates, WMO Press Release, Sep 22, 2019

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Toon of the Week...

 

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Coming Soon on SkS...

• A brief guide to the impacts of climate change on food production (Daisy Simmons)
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38, 2019 (Doug Bostrom)
• How the Greenland ice sheet fared in 2019 (Ruth Mottram, Martin Stendel & Peter Langen)
• A small electric plane demonstrates promise, obstacles of climate-friendly air travel (Lindsay Fendt)
• What psychotherapy can do for the climate and biodiversity crises (Caroline Hickman)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39 (John Hartz)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #39 (John Hartz  

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Climate Feedback Reviews...

 [To be added]

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Poster of the Week...

 

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SkS Week in Review...  

• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38 by John Hartz
• The Consensus Handbook: download and translations by Baerbel
• Greta Thunberg is a painful reminder of decades of climate failures by Dana Nuccitelli (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists)
• Skeptical Science to join the Global Climate Strike on September 20! by BaerbelW
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37, 2019 by Doug Bostrom
• 'Trollbots' Swarm Twitter with Attacks on Climate Science Ahead of UN Summit by Marianne Lavell (InsideClimate News)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #37 by John Hartz

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EBM anyone? Yes, but which one?

I recently saw a tweet by a German homeopath stating that ‘homeopathy is 100% experienced based medicine’. It made me think and realise that there is not just one EBM, there are, in fact, at least three EBMs! Experience based medicine Eminence based medicine Evidence based medicine I will start with the type which I […]

Read the rest here: EBM anyone? Yes, but which one?

Myelopathy following manipulation of the neck

Myelopathy is defined as any neurologic deficit related to the spinal cord. When due to trauma, it is known as (acute) spinal cord injury. When caused by inflammatory, it is known as myelitis. Disease that is vascular in nature is known as vascular myelopathy. The symptoms of myelopathy include: Pain in the neck, arm, leg […]

Read the rest here: Myelopathy following manipulation of the neck

How to save money with homeopathy … yes, really!

There is a long-standing debate on the question whether the use of homeopathy saves money. Homeopathy fans usually insist that it does. Even the Smallwood report commissioned by Prince Charles claimed that the NHS could save pots of money, if GPs only used more homeopathy. And it is true, of course: on average homeopathics are […]

Read the rest here: How to save money with homeopathy … yes, really!

American Loon #2243: Robert Sheaffer

This is an important entry. Robert Sheaffer is a writer and skeptic who has written sharp and illuminating articles, e.g. for Skeptical Inquirer, about such topics as UFOs and creationism. But Sheaffer is also an example of the remarkable powers of compartmentalization – though good at...

Read the full lunacy: #2243: Robert Sheaffer Encyclopedia of American Loons

Does placebo research boost pseudoscience?

I have often discussed the fact that many proponents of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) have in recent years adopted the following argument: even if our SCAM were just a placebo, it would still be useful. After all, placebo effects are real and increasingly backed by sound science. The argument is deeply flawed, yet it convinces […]

Read the rest here: Does placebo research boost pseudoscience?

I’d Like to Play a Game

…But I can’t. I can’t play a game with anti-vaccine people because Game Theory assumes that you’re dealing with rational players. When it comes to the people who peddle in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, you’re not dealing with rational people. You’re dealing, for the most part, with some incredibly irrational individuals who believe any and all […]

Read more at: I’d Like to Play a Game by Reuben

American Loon #2242: Matt Shea

Matthew Thomas Shea has served in the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 4th Legislative District, since 2009. In 2019, he was removed as State House Republican Caucus Chair for advocating violence against religious minorities and offering state surveillance of political...

Read the full lunacy: #2242: Matt Shea Encyclopedia of American Loons

Journals of chiropractic are not a reliable source of information

“There is a ton of chiropractor journals. If you want evidence then read some.” This was the comment by a defender of chiropractic to a recent post of mine. And it’s true, of course: there are quite a few chiro journals, but are they a reliable source of information? One way of quantifying the reliability […]

Read the rest here: Journals of chiropractic are not a reliable source of information

Discussing with a homeopath is like playing chess with a pigeon

Some of you might have followed my recent discussion with a homeopath. It followed a typical path, and I decided therefore to try and analyse this exchange here. Perhaps others can learn from this example when debating with homeopaths or other providers of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM). THE START These conversations often start ‘out of […]

Read the rest here: Discussing with a homeopath is like playing chess with a pigeon

2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #37

Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week...

Story of the Week...

'Going to the streets again': what you need to know about Friday's climate strike

Organisers expect a stronger presence from unions, workers and companies as student activists reach out to adults

Australian school students are set to walk out of classrooms again to call for climate action as part of a global strike three days before a UN summit. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Thousands of Australian school students are again preparing to walk out of classrooms across the country to demand action on the climate crisis.

The global mass day of action will take place on Friday 20 September, three days before the United Nations climate summit in New York.

It follows strikes in March this year in which 150,000 people marched in Australia and 1.5 million took part worldwide.

Organisers expect next week’s global strikes will be bigger and, this time there will be a much stronger presence from unions, workers and companies that have signed up to strike in solidarity with the young activists.

Here’s a guide to what’s happening.

'Going to the streets again': what you need to know about Friday's climate strike by Lisa Cox, Environment, Guardian, Sep 14, 2019

Click here to access the entire article as posted on the Guardian website.

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Editorial of the Week...

Can we please base our climate change discussions on facts?

One flawed assumption about global warming is that nuclear power has to be part of the solution. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

In the debate about global warming, as last week’s climate change town hall on CNN made clear, policy discussions are often based on false premises. In Thursday’s debate, the Democratic presidential candidates will again discuss climate issues. Here are a few faulty assumptions they should reject.

One oft-repeated canard is that we won’t be able to reach zero net carbon dioxide emissions without re-embracing nuclear power. Several candidates responded to this claim last week by saying they could not support nuclear power because it was too expensive and we haven’t solved the waste disposal problem. Both those things are true, but they leave a crucial point out of the discussion.

If it were really the case that we couldn’t meet our energy needs without nuclear power, then we could certainly suck up the cost (currently about double that of solar, and as much as three times that of wind) and get back to work on waste disposal. But the assertion that we can’t decarbonize the energy system without additional nuclear power is flawed.

Can we please base our climate change discussions on facts?, Opinion by Naomi Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, Sep 12, 2019

Click here to access the entire Op-ed as published on the Los Angeles Times website.

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Toon of the Week...

 

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Coming Soon on SkS...

• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36, 2019 (Doug Bostrom)
• Climate change and food (Yale Climate Connections)
• Skeptical Science to join the Global Climate Strike (Baerbel)
• The Consensus Handbook: Download and (German) translation (Baerbel)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38 (John Hartz)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #38 (John Hartz) 

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Climate Feedback Reviews...

[To be added.] 

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Poster of the Week...

 

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SkS Week in Review... 

• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37 by John Hartz
• Climate denier scientists think these 5 arguments will persuade EU and UN leaders by Dana Nuccitelli
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36, 2019 by Doug Bostrom
• Key facts about the new EPA plan to reverse the Obama-era methane leaks rule by Dana Nuccitelli (Yale Climate Connection)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #36 by John Hartz

 

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It’s never the anti-vaccine people’s fault. It’s always the vaccines, right?

In case you’ve been living under a rock, a woman decided that she was going to go to the Capitol in Sacramento, California, get in through security, go up to the viewing gallery of the state senate, and then throw a menstrual cup full of what she said was her blood onto the senate floor, […]

Read more at: It’s never the anti-vaccine people’s fault. It’s always the vaccines, right? by Reuben

American Loon #2241: Randy Sharp

We have dealt with the American Family Association (AFA) numerous times before. It is a reactionary, wingnut fundamentalist group, appropriately classified as a hate group by the SPLC. The AFA is ostensibly promoting family values but is currently best known for attempting to make...

Read the full lunacy: #2241: Randy Sharp Encyclopedia of American Loons

Re-inventing anatomy, physiology and pathology: the ‘NHS Natural Health School’

I wish people would think a bit before naming things! What is ‘natural health’? Is it the opposite of ‘unnatural health’ or of ‘natural illness’? But who am I to question the terminology of the NHS? I am not even a native English speaker! Therefore, let me rather look at what this oddly-named school does. […]

Read the rest here: Re-inventing anatomy, physiology and pathology: the ‘NHS Natural Health School’

American Loon #2240: Sharum Sharif

Sharum Sharif is not a doctor but a “board-certified, licensed naturopathic physician” and graduate of Bastyr University. Of course, naturopathy is (dangerous) quackery based on pseudoscience, and “board-certified” and “licensed” just mean that other naturopaths have given...

Read the full lunacy: #2240: Sharum Sharif Encyclopedia of American Loons

Homeopathy for pre-menstrual syndrome? A critical assessment of a recent trial

Guest post by Norbert Aust   Edzard invited me to review a recent paper on homeopathic treatment of women with pre-menstrual syndrome which he recently discussed on this blog (PMS) [1]. This is what I found:   With this study by Yakir et al. all requirements for low risk of bias are obviously met (blinding, […]

Read the rest here: Homeopathy for pre-menstrual syndrome? A critical assessment of a recent trial

Boris Johnson: almost a homeopath?

These days, I am often not sure what puzzles me more, Boris Johnson or homeopathy. Come to think of it, our PM seems, in fact, to have a lot in common with homeopathy/homeopaths. With my tongue lodged firmly in my cheek, I can see some communalities: They are both popular in the UK but have […]

Read the rest here: Boris Johnson: almost a homeopath?

Does this new test of Reiki’s ‘efficacy’ overturn my previous assessment?

Reiki has been a regular topic on this blog (see for instance here, here and here). In my recent book (Alternative medicine, a critical assessment of 150 modalities), I evaluated it as follows: Reiki is a form of paranormal or energy healing popularised by Japanese Mikao Usui (1865-1926). Rei means universal spirit (sometimes thought of […]

Read the rest here: Does this new test of Reiki’s ‘efficacy’ overturn my previous assessment?

American Loon #2239: Lia Shapiro

A.k.a. Lia Light Yes, more Pleiadians. As you may know, Pleiadians are fictional humanoids hailing from the stellar systems surrounding the Pleiades stars who contact “very special” New Age healers and psychics with information about whatever the New Age healers and psychics...

Read the full lunacy: #2239: Lia Shapiro Encyclopedia of American Loons

Korean acupuncture research, and the suspension of critical thinking

On this blog, we have often noted that (almost) all TCM trials from China report positive results. Essentially, this means we might as well discard them, because we simply cannot trust their findings. While being asked to comment on a related issue, it occurred to me that this might be not so much different with […]

Read the rest here: Korean acupuncture research, and the suspension of critical thinking

American Loon #2238: Susan Shannon

Susan Shannon may be a pretty obscure Twitter character, but she deserves a mention. Shannon is, according to herself, a Christian conservative with a gift that allows her to see clearly through confusing and nebulous media reports to discern what’s really going on: “Friends, there is a gift that...

Read the full lunacy: #2238: Susan Shannon Encyclopedia of American Loons

No chemicals please, we are alternative!

It is hard to deny that many practitioners of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) advise their patients to avoid ‘dangerous chemicals’. By this they usually mean prescription drugs. If you doubt how strong this sentiment often is, you have not followed the recent posts and the comments that regularly followed. Frequently, SCAM practitioners will suggest to […]

Read the rest here: No chemicals please, we are alternative!

2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #36

Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week...

Story of the Week...

The air above Antarctica is suddenly getting warmer – here’s what it means for Australia

Antarctic winds have a huge effect on weather in other places. Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr CC BY-SA

Record warm temperatures above Antarctica over the coming weeks are likely to bring above-average spring temperatures and below-average rainfall across large parts of New South Wales and southern Queensland.

The warming began in the last week of August, when temperatures in the stratosphere high above the South Pole began rapidly heating in a phenomenon called “sudden stratospheric warming”.

In the coming weeks the warming is forecast to intensify, and its effects will extend downward to Earth’s surface, affecting much of eastern Australia over the coming months.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting the strongest Antarctic warming on record, likely to exceed the previous record of September 2002.

The air above Antarctica is suddenly getting warmer – here’s what it means for Australia by Harry Hendon, Andrew B. Watkins, Eun-Pa Lim & Griffith Young , The Conversation AU, Sep 6, 2019

Click here to access the entire article. 

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Toon of the Week...

 

Hat tip to the Facebook page of Stop Climate Science Denial

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Coming Soon on SkS...

• Climate implications of the EPA methane rule rollback (Dana)
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36, 2019 (Doug Bostrom)
• How climate change is making hurricanes more dangerous (Jeff Berardelli)
• What psychotherapy can do for the climate and biodiversity crises (Caroline Hickman)
• A small electric plane demonstrates promise, obstacles of climate-friendly air travel (Lindsay Fendt)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37 (John Hartz)
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #37 (John Hartz)

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Climate Feedback Reviews...

[To be added.]

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Poster of the Week...

 

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SkS Week in Review... 

• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36 by John Hartz
• SkS Analogy 20 - The Tides of Earth by Evan & jg
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35, 2019 by Doug Bostrom
• 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35 by John Hartz
• Consensus on consensus hits half a million downloads by John Cook

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Who says it’s all negative? The addition of yoga to aerobic exercise programs reduces global cardiovascular risk

Some people seem to think that all so-called alternative medicine (SACM) is ineffective, harmful or both. And some believe that I am hell-bent to make sure that this message gets out there. I recommend that these guys read my latest book or this 2008 article (sadly now out-dated) and find  those (admittedly few) SCAMs that […]

Read the rest here: Who says it’s all negative? The addition of yoga to aerobic exercise programs reduces global cardiovascular risk

A remarkable exchange with a general practitioner who seems to like homeopathy

Dr Alice Hodkinson is a GP in Cambridge, England. She says of herself that she is interested in supporting people to make informed choices about their own health, reduce the burden of illness and lighten the load of medication on patients and the country’s National Health Service. She is studying medical ethics and law at King’s […]

Read the rest here: A remarkable exchange with a general practitioner who seems to like homeopathy

Who are the most ‘influential’ researcher of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM)?

In a paper discussed in a previous blog, Ioannidis et al published a comprehensive database of a large number of scientists across science. They used Scopus data to compile a database of the 100,000 most-cited authors across all scientific fields based on their ranking of a composite indicator that considers six citation metrics (total citations; […]

Read the rest here: Who are the most ‘influential’ researcher of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM)?

Osteopathic hubris

I have often felt that practitioners of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) tend to be foolishly overconfident, often to the point of being dangerous. In a word, they are plagued by hubris. Here is an example of osteopathic hubris: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of visceral osteopathy on the incidence of […]

Read the rest here: Osteopathic hubris

American Loon #2237: Doyel Shamley

Doyel Shamley is the president of a Nevada-based firm called Veritas Research Consulting, and part of his day job is to advise Republican politicians, including congresspeople, on land management and environmental policy – as such, he has participated in numerous fora and on several panels...

Read the full lunacy: #2237: Doyel Shamley Encyclopedia of American Loons

Coming Soon…

Every journey has a beginning. And every hero, an end. Advertisements

Read more at: Coming Soon… by Reuben

Bach flower remedies for disruptive children? How can ‘peer-review, critical study and clinical scholarship’ produce such BS?

Archives of Psychiatric Nursing disseminates original, peer-reviewed research that is of interest to psychiatric and mental health care nurses. The field is considered in its broadest perspective, including theory, practice and research applications related to all ages, special populations, settings, and interdisciplinary collaborations in both the public and private sectors. Through critical study, expositions, and […]

Read the rest here: Bach flower remedies for disruptive children? How can ‘peer-review, critical study and clinical scholarship’ produce such BS?

A positive trial of homeopathy for pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)

Is homeopathy an effective treatment for PMS? No, how could it? Previous studies have thus had mixed results: A feasibility study of 2018 showed that, in Germany, the study could not proceed because of legal limitations. In Sweden, recruitment proved extremely difficult. In the Netherlands and Sweden, 60 women were randomized (UC + HT: 28; […]

Read the rest here: A positive trial of homeopathy for pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)

American Loon #2236: Gene Shafer

Gene Shafer is a Buddhist and a massage therapist with “an extensive background in and understanding of holistic healing”. His specialty is something called Spiritually Guided Surgery, which is supposed to be an alternative kind of surgery without all the blood and sharp scalpels. How does it work?...

Read the full lunacy: #2236: Gene Shafer Encyclopedia of American Loons