HIV/AIDS, and recognition of some of the worst “Science” I have ever unfortunately laid my weary eyes on.

After last week’s battle with a group of HIV and AIDS denialists, I thought this would be the opportune moment to pick apart this prime example of not only bad science, but downright dangerous and hypocritical cult, umlingo wamaNgcolosi.

I think it is necessary to first give a little background on HIV and AIDS for those who don’t know a lot about it, if you’re not interested or already have an adequate understanding skip this section. This is the first article I have written that I am actually a semi-expert on (or so I like to think!); you may or may not know that HIV is my research specialism, so I welcome any questions you may have on this topic and will attempt to answer them as best I can. I do not like to pass judgement on other people’s personal beliefs, funnily enough, however, when they have the potential to harm others then I have no qualms in absolutely tearing them to pieces for the benefit of others who may be on the fence...

Read the full post: HIV/AIDS, and recognition of some of the worst “Science” I have ever unfortunately laid my weary eyes on.

Encyclopedia of American Loons: #318: David J. Pesek (and the “Quantum University”)

David Pesek is a rather infamous woo practitioner who panders the most ridiculous treatments. He has a “clinical practice in nutrition, tissue cleansing programs and psychology utilizing iridology”, and is the director of the International Institute of Iridology, the president of the American College of Iridology, and board advisor for the International College of Iridology. It is a little unclear what the difference between iridology and “holistic iridology” amounts to, but I suppose “psychology utilizing iridology” may give you a clue. It sounds not so much like phrenology as it does palm reading with the help of crystal balls...

Read on for more balls: Encyclopedia of American Loons: #318: David J. Pesek (and the “Quantum University”)

Homeopathy FAQ | Plague of Mice

A little light relief today. I found a homeopathy website daft enough to put up a FAQ and thought I'd give them a hand by proofreading and correcting the answers, which I have shortened to the most relevant paragraph in each case, or we'd be here all bloody week. The thick layer of misleading, or downright false, statements laced with pseudoscientific WTF is fairly typical of what you'll find all over the Internet. This bunch are in Canada (see end of article for link) and I have no idea if they have the right to call their products 'medicines' or claim to treat specific medical conditions. Those in a position to complain to the appropriate authorities might want to check it out. Close examination of the site will also reveal the barely-dissimulated intention of scaring marks away from real medicine and locking them into the homeopathy cult. Again, this is par for the course....

You can read the rest of this post at anarchic-teapot.net. It goes on for quite a bit and contains a lot of red ink. Also swearing.

Encyclopedia of American Loons: #277: Lionel Milgrom

The Ken Ham of homeopathy, no single person has done more to torture quantum theory into the service of woo than Lionel Milgrom. Not that he has any understanding of quantum mechanics; but since his audience does not either, plastering the vocabulary of quantum theory onto his crackpottery to make it sound like Harry Potter spells seems to provide his readers with warm, fluffy feelings and the impression that Milgrom actually has anything to contribute. He hasn’t, of course.

Look, for instance, at one of his contributions to the “journal” Homeopathy. The article starts out with the Galileo gambit, conspiracies and persecution complexes. It goes downward from there...

Read the full post, written from the *headdesk* position, here: Encyclopedia of American Loons: #277: Lionel Milgrom