For some reason I get a NaturalNews emailed newsletter, full of crack-pot ideas about food, and medications. I went to read a story about diabetic care INCREASING the risk of death due to heart disease (go read the article. It actually is quite good, and the conclusion is accurate. There were significant methodological flaws–just not the ones they report.)
What I thought was really interesting was this description about the author:
“Helmut Beierbeck has a science background and a strong interest in all scientific aspects of health, nutrition, medicine, weight loss, or any other topic related to wellness.” (emphasis added)
What does “has a scientific background” mean? Sounds quite vague to me. English major who took more than the minimum courses for a BA in LA? One (or both) parents were scientists? He can spell science? Knows Bill Nye?
But I suppose I should listen to him. He has the “Background.”
Reminds me of that old Public Radio show, “Ask Dr Science” where they botch science, but he has cred. Why? “I have a Master’s Degree–IN SCIENCE!”
The only real difference is, Ask Dr Science is intended to be funny. NaturalNews just is…
My recent favorite (outside of Global oops sorry Climate Change) pseudo-scientific scare mongering has to do with the shocking revelation that- Horrors!- adolescents being treated with X for clinical depression commit suicide at a rate of Y times the general population of adolescents; therefore, X “causes” suicide.
So the FDA stepped in and pulled treatment X . . . and suicides among clinically depressed adolescents increased! Shocking!
These are real human lives and tragedies folks.
What’s shocking is that these a*& clowns aren’t facing criminal charges.
Of course, the scare mongers *never* have to face the consequences of their actions . . . to them, the choices are *all* one sided with no trade-offs (silicone breast implants? asbestos? freon? etc.).
How about a class-action lawsuit against the class-action lawsuit lawyers? Erin Brockovich directly casued deaths during the brownouts in California with her bogus lawsuits. She needs to pay for the loss in life and other economic damages caused by her particularly odious brand of ambulance chasing b.s.
Will she and her ilk ever face justice?
I think that’s why man invented God- cause justice certainly won’t ever happen here on earth . . .