Good evening and I thought I would start this post with a reminder that the preceeding article is not real. This is due to reports that yet again someone has actually mistaken my blog for the real thing. I can definitely assure people that Gavin Schofield is not in a coma although I do find the fact he described stomach pumps as rocking slightly disturbing, however, this might be due to excessive alcohol consumption after the event if this is true.
I've been following the 10:23 campaign recently and it looks very interesting.
Yesterday, tragedy struck as 500 protestors against homeopathy were rushed to hospital after suffering from the massive overdose they took.
The 10:23 campaign was designed to protest against the selling of homeopathic remedies at the pharmaceutical store, Boots. In order to demonstrate that these pills were apparently non-functional, the campaign managers suggested that the protestors should down a bottle of homeopathic pills each at 10:23, a symbolic note of the Avagadro's constant, the number of atoms that make up one mole.
The campaign was organised by Michael Marshall, head of the Merseyside Skeptics Society, a branch of Skeptics in the Pub and was carried out, outside Boots stores across the country in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, etc.
However, tragedy struck, as a few minutes after the videos were took, the protestors started to feel unwell.
"Well a few minutes after I took the medicine, I started to feel very nauseous, and promptly threw up. Thankfully I did because it stopped me from absorbing most of the effects" one protestor said.
Currently, Gavin Schofield, leader of the Greater Manchester Skeptics as seen on the video, is reported to be in hospital in a coma, whilst Michael Marshall, the head of the campagin is said to be recovering in his bed, but still in a critical condition.
Paula Ross, chief executive of the Society of Homeopaths, stated:
"This ill-advised stunt shows the dangers of skeptics becoming closed-minded in the effects of alternative medicines. I feel sorry that people are stupid enough that they overdosed on these medicines in an attempt to prove these ineffective. I hope the survivors will have more sense in future."
Ben Goldacre, author of the book Bad Science, doctor and journalist for the Guardian column "Bad Science" commented:
"I've commented several times on homeopathy being ineffective from clinical trials. After seeing the results first hand from yesterday I am shocked I ever thought homeopathy was harmless."
James Randi, the famous magician cum skeptic has also been criticised for his part in this misadventure. Years ago, Randi was noted for including in his act, a description of how he overdosed on a bottle of homeopathy pills in front of an audience and suffered no side effects. This account, along with the later attempts by Belgian Skeptics is thought to be the inspiration for Michael Marshall's foolish attempt.
Good evening and welcome to another post from JIS. This week I am pleased to announce that the Merseyside Skeptics have added me to their grassroots blogroll. In return I am adding them to mine and I highly recommend that if you are in the Merseyside area that you look up their Skeptics in the Pub events which according to one of my good friends, seems to be a great event.
Onto racism. I find racism very, very similar to pseudoscience, especially when we add their "scientific" methods of justification. I was highly amused the other day when I found out that Nick Griffin was allowed to go on Question Time. Despite the controvesy it caused, I was pleased that the program seemed to be a whole hearted dismissal of the BNP and Nick Griffin was proven to be a smug, lying pompous idiot with the knowledge of a peanut and the honesty of a wanted paedophile. I found the hour program had been posted on Youtube here (my apologies for the racist comments that may be on the comment pages of these videos):
Besides this, I was also amused when I found that Nick Griffin stated that true British people are those that can trace their line back 1700 years! As far as I am aware, I can only trace my grandmother's side back to 12th Century (thanks to an extensive piece of research on a very obscure surname) and my surname to the Scandinavian/Norman roots. With comments like this, it is no wonder why the BNP will probably slip back into insignificance again after that scenario.
And for those that wish to have their dose of true pseudoscience, here is this week's RaptureReady poster with how the world looks as old as it is:
Ok y'all stay with me.
For this Experiment you will need: a Bible, one brand new sheet of paper, bowl full of water, hair dryer, blue,yellow, gray, and brown crayons, a lighter, and a pen
Look at the sheet of paper, note that it is brand new. Step 1: Open Bible to Gen 1 and read verses 1-5 Step 2: Using pen draw a circle on the sheet of paper and label it earth Step 3: read Gen 1:6-13 Step 4: using crayons draw clouds, water, land, grass, plants, and trees Step 5: Read Gen 1:14-19 Step 6: Using crayons draw the sun, moon, and stars Step 7: read Gen 1:20-23 Step 8: Using the pen draw fish in the water and birds in the air Step 9: Read Gen 1:24-31 Step 10: Using pen draw cows, spiders, and a cat or dog. Then draw two people and label them Adam and Eve. Step 11: Sit back and look at picture. See how wonderful and perfect it looks? Step 12: Read Gen 3 Step 13: Using pen draw a snake SIN has entered the world
Step 14: Crumple your picture and straighten it back out. Do this 10 times. It doesnt look so brand new now does it?
Step 15: Read Gen 6&7 Step 16: Throw picture into bowl of water, crumple and straighten it out Step 17: Read Gen 8:1-14 Step 18: Using hair dryer, dry your picture compleatly. Your picture is looking a little worse for wear. Step 19: repeat step 14 Step 20: Using lighter burn hole in middle of picture and quickly put it out. (I SAID THE PAPER NOT THE HOUSE!!! call fire dept! ) Step 21: Repeat step 14
WOW!! Your picture doesnt look new anymore. Its only a few minutes old!!! But because of it being crumpled and straightend, drenched in water, being blow dried, and set on fire, your drawing looks like it could be 100 years old.
God created the Earth 6,000 years ago. But because of SIN, a flood, earthquakes, and volcanoes it only LOOKS 4.5 Billion years old.
Now look at your Bible. Look at how new it is. Did you know that the words of the New Testament are about 2,000 years old? The Old Testament is even older than that! How cool is that? God can take something so old and make it brand new!
The thread is here however, you need to be signed up to see.....
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