Comments on: It works so well, I have to keep starting again

By: Charles Exford, Oxton

Charles Exford, Oxton — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:08:06 +0000

In a study published recently, scientists concluded that eating doorknobs every Tuesday caused brain damage in a high percentage of HYS posters.

By: Chas

Chas — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:29:03 +0000

In answer to your opening line, Kelvin, Ben Goldacre along with Marcus Brigstocke, are my heros. Maybe give them guest editorships one day?

By: Kelvin

Kelvin — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:29:23 +0000

I’m completely in agreement with Ben Goldacre on this, actually. There shouldn’t be an agency which is allowed to regulate what is effectively witchcraft. Witch doctors shouldn’t be allowed to point to any variety of “qualification” to legitimise their bullshit. And people shouldn’t be stupid enough to believe their crap just because it sounds like science.

But equally, there shouldn’t be knee-jerk reactions to immigration at all levels of government. The Daily Mail shouldn’t be allowed to pick and choose (or frequently, make up) evidence to legitimise the racial panic it induces in middle England. And people shouldn’t be stupid enough to believe their crap just because it sounds like news.

When someone with total faith in The Daily Mail – say Topsy Turvy – clings to their line even to their own detriment, they’re perfectly valid targets. As I said, it’s probably more sad that in Pauline Major’s case it led to physical harm rather than social or cultural isolation, but that doesn’t mean she’s some kind of shining angel for following someone else’s bullshit.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:38:41 +0000

I don’t find the last comment funny, nor is the person to blame.

Remember the quack who injured her was probably licensed by the government to perform that treatment and likely had advanced educational training in ‘detoxing’ and other bollocks. See Ben Goldacre’s page about this.

It shows how so-called ‘alternative’ (that is, non-scientific) medicine has taken such an insidious hold on us. Even in the face of these stories people are still talking about how to regulate ‘detoxing’ better (as though it were a real thing), when they should be exposing it as equivalent to blood-letting or driving out demons.

By: Gob Beldof

Gob Beldof — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:11:01 +0000

That last one made me cry with laughter.

I love detoxing, its grate exccept nmew Lam,bour are tying to keepe uys in the darke with their mind-nubming braing control drugs.

By: a.m

a.m — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:31:59 +0000

I’m considering marketing a new diet where we eat HYSers. A national detox.

By: Howfar

Howfar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:22:38 +0000

@themagicmonkey

I live in Looe. Between the populace and the tourists, I’m surprised anyone noticed that the poor bitch had brain-damage.

By: skunkpussy

skunkpussy — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:47:20 +0000

Ha ha! That’s it, I keep cracking them, you keep explaining them.

This could be the start of a beautiful relationship…

No, you’ve got me with this one.

Hint?

By: themagicmonkey

themagicmonkey — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:45:56 +0000

I can’t believe nobody’s picked up on the childishly hilarious fact that Pauline Major has been detoxing, and lives in Looe!

Well it amused me for a couple of seconds…

By: Kelvin

Kelvin — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:43:53 +0000

Incidentally, have people here heard of Jasmuheen? She’s an example of a genuinely deadly – 3 so far – nutritonal bullshit peddlar. And a prime example of why I hate these people so much.