Voila! I Think - Maybe

The language is coded.

In the current vernacular of social media culture, "Do your own research" translates to: "Surf the web until the algorithms dish up enough sugary mental junk food to make you feel better about having been so fucking stupid all this time."

There's a very low probability that you've found any real answers, and a very high probability that you've built yourself a false reality.

Once upon a time, I worked with some pretty high-level people - doctors, medical researchers, etc. I had the easy job of selling stuff to these really smart guys, so all I had to do to learn a few things from them, was to ask some hopefully-not-too-stupid questions, and then shut up and listen.

One of the main things they taught me was that really smart scientists never say 'never' and they never say 'always'. They're very careful to say things like, "As far as we know", and "It's all but certain".

When you're talking with someone who's earned the right to be arrogant about their actual, honest-to-god expertise, it's kinda weird to hear them say something like, "I'm pretty sure", instead of "I'm the doctor - my word is law".

If you hear somebody come on with that last bit, then you have to decide: Am I being recalcitrant and fact-averse, or is he just asserting his ego? There's almost always a judgement call to be made. For me, I tend to trust the people whose names are followed by half the alphabet.

So stay humble: The more you learn, the more you need to understand how little you actually know, and how much more there is to find out.

Vertical Deceleration Injuries

Was George Carlin a prophet or what?

Today I Learned

"The lost secrets of the ancients" is kind of an all-time favorite fantasy for an awful lot of people. I can admit having been sucked into that shit back when I was maybe 20 years old, reading Von Daniken's collection of fairy tales in Chariots Of The Gods.

And while you have to be careful not to lose your sense of wonder, and the willingness to believe there may be something way bigger than anything you've been taught before, you do have to grow up, and you do have to apply a little healthy skepticism to everything people are telling you.

Because people will fool you. Because people know we all want to be fooled some of the time.

We go to 'magic shows'.

We pay 20 bucks to watch 2 hours of super heroes prancing about in their PJs doing impossible things.

We go to church.

The willing suspension of disbelief is a warm and fuzzy thing in a world of harsh realities.

It's important to stay open to new ideas. It's important-er to check things out. ☯

Today's Odd Oldie

I ran this years ago when I was arguing the validity of "Touch Healing" with an old high school acquaintance - who actually showed up in this video.

Emily Rosa was 9 years old when she conducted the study which debunked the whole Reiki thing. She had just passed her 11th birthday when JAMA published her findings.

The Amazing Randi

James Randi announced his retirement:

At 86 years of age, I feel that it’s now well time to officially retire, so I’m stepping down from my position with the JREF – the James Randi Educational Foundation.

This doesn’t mean that I’m retiring from my battle against the so-­called psychics, faith healers, paranormalists, and the assorted frauds I’ve encountered in my worldwide wanderings. I’ll in no way relax the critical attention I’ve given to them over the last busy 73 years, I promise you. I’ll still lecture and write, here and abroad – but now on my own time – not on the exhausting schedule that I’ve had these past few years.

Here are some resources to help you create your very own Junior Bunkum Buster Kit:

What's The Harm?

Quack Watch

Pusware QuackCasts

The most important tool in your kit (imo) is the Randi Challenge:

The James Randi Educational Foundation will pay US$1,000,000 (One Million US Dollars) ("The Prize") to any person who demonstrates any psychic, supernatural, or paranormal ability under satisfactory observation. Such demonstration must take place under the rules and limitations described in this document. An applicant can be from or in any part of the world. Gender, race, and educational background are not factors for acceptance. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and legally able to enter into binding agreements.

Have fun - and let's be skeptical out there.

hat tip = Wonkette

It's Not Harmless

Check this one out:

Below are the topics in which we have found stories of harm. We encourage you to explore the stories within, especially any topic that is part of your own life or the lives of your loved ones.

Medical Acupuncture Alphabiotics Alternative dentistry Alternative medicine Applied kinesiology Autism denial Ayurvedic medicine Chelation therapy Chiropractic Colloidal silver Colon cleansing Cranio-sacral therapy Cupping Detoxification Ear candling Energy medicine Escharotics Folk remedies Herbal remedies HIV/AIDS denial Holistic medicine Home childbirth Homeopathy Iridology Naturopathy Osteopathy Ozone therapy Psychic surgery Vaccine denial Vitamin megadoses

Supernatural & Paranormal Astral projection Curses Exorcisms Faith healing Ghosts Magick Psychics Vampires Voodoo Witchcraft Religion Breatharianism Christian Science Cults Jehovah's Witnesses Religious fundamentalism Scientology Transcendental Meditation Fears Apocalypse fear Metal toxicity fear Satanic ritual abuse Terrorism fear

Pseudo-Science Astrology Attachment therapy Dowsing Dream interpretation Evolution denial Expert witnesses Facilitated communication Feng shui Hypnosis Numerology Reparative therapy Repressed memory therapy Misinformation GPS navigation systems Internet misinformation Miscellaneous Child vegetarianism Conspiracy theories Holocaust denial IRS denial Moon landing denial Multi-level marketing Nigerian emails Rituals UFOs

Following Up

I keep hoping the nonsense about "dangerous vaccinations" has receded enough to get  people back to reality, but every so often, one of my Facebook buddies just has to post some bullshit that re-amps the fear.

YouTuber potholer54:




This potholer guy does some good work.  Here's his takedown on Ken Hamm:

Today's Vocab Word

(Courtesy Penn & Teller's Bullshit series)

Pareidolia (pron.: parr-i-doh-lee-ə) is a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant, a form of apophenia. Common examples include seeing images of animals or faces in clouds, the man in the moon or the Moon rabbit, and hearing hidden messages on records when played in reverse.

Learn something.