Busy, busy! Just came back from seeing State Of Play -- if you haven’t seen it, do. It’s almost as enjoyable as updating the “Evidence of BootFoot?” Blog. If you haven’t seen that… heh.
Which reminds me -- T, if you’re reading this, here’s the video featuring Helen Mirren that I mentioned tonight!
You’ll never look at a BBC crime drama quite the same way again.
Speaking of seeing things, couple of news updates. Firstly, I just got my copy of the latest Australian Skeptic magazine, which I helped contribute to. The acting editor Steve Roberts did a fantastic job and it’s a wonderful read -- so zip on over to the Australian Skeptics website and grab a copy. One of my articles in it may feature in another publication, so I’ll be keeping you in the loop about that.
Secondly -- you have also subscribed to the Skeptic Zone podcast, yes? That’s been out since Friday, featuring an interview with Jennifer Ouellette! Go, download!
Also on that podcast? The ever-effervescent-laughter (bubbly giggles?) and sharp mind of Dr Rachael Dunlop. She featured a link to the following news item… The Guardian -- “Tiddles the cat enjoys better protection from charlatans than you or I”:
I am about to embark on a series of lectures, debates and discussions to promote the paperback publication of our book Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial. The first event is a public debate organised by King’s College School of Medicine: “This house believes that complementary and alternative therapies do more harm than good.“
One of the therapies under discussion will be homeopathy, and the evidence from clinical trials suggests that homeopathic pills are nothing more than placebos. Bearing in mind that homeopathic remedies are generally so diluted that they contain no active remedy, it seems obvious they can be nothing more than placebos. However, if previous outings are anything to go by, it will not be very long before someone at the King’s College debate sticks up a hand and says: “Homeopathy must work, because it helped my pet cat!”
It is an interesting point, and one that sways many people who already have sympathies towards alternative medicine. After all, the placebo effect only works because the patient believes that a pill is supposed to be effective, and presumably Tiddles has no such belief system. So what is going on?
There are three possible explanations…
Head to the article to learn more!
Oh -- what has Dr Rachie also done? She’s just broadcast that the author of that article, Simon Singh…
…will be appearing in Sydney next month.
You read that right. Stay tuned for more news -- thanks to the Skeptic Zone!
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