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How I cured my gout without medication cbc interview Licensing Psychics and CAM Practitioners Darwin Day Art A Response to Karen Wehrstein: Homeopathy Offers Hope but Delivers Only Sweet Nothings Dr. Oz, Bryce Wylde, and the Canadian Law Against “False or Misleading News”
 
How I cured my gout without medication

How I cured my gout without medication

About a year ago, I had my first attack of gout. It sucked. It came on during the weekend we were moving into our house, and I was convinced I’d somehow broken my big toe in the move. I’d dropped a box on it or rolled a dolly over it or something — I must [...]

cbc interview

Battling the Anti-Vaccination Movement

(Note – this is crossed posted to Radio Freethinker) It’s been a busy month for skeptical activists in Vancouver. I wanted to write about some of the recent news regarding an anti-vaccination conference that was held at the Simon Fraser University, here in Vancouver. The anti-vaccination conference was organized by this group: the Vaccine Resistance [...]

Licensing Psychics and CAM Practitioners

Licensing Psychics and CAM Practitioners

Regulation and licensing of businesses is considered a normal part of government bureaucracy. Some libertarians may disagree with any form of government interference in commercial activities, however, it is generally accepted that regulation is a proper government function, even if the type or level of regulation is controversial. One area that has created some discussion [...]

Darwin Day Art

Darwin Day Art

This week we celebrated the scientific contributions of Charles Darwin, born on February 12th, with Darwin Day. I put my manga skills to work to create hand-drawn ink illustrations of Drawin for those who support my work by making a donation of any amount they choose. It was really popular; I’m still drawing dozens of [...]

A Response to Karen Wehrstein: Homeopathy Offers Hope but Delivers Only Sweet Nothings

A Response to Karen Wehrstein: Homeopathy Offers Hope but Delivers Only Sweet Nothings

Last week, an editorial in the National Post by Tim Caulfield ruffled a few homeopathic feathers. In it, Caulfield argues that when provinces grant regulatory status to alternative practitioners like naturopathy, they are legitimizing rank quackery. This is the case because naturopathy relies heavily on homeopathy, which Caulfield correctly describes as “bogus”. Canadian supporters of [...]

Dr. Oz, Bryce Wylde, and the Canadian Law Against “False or Misleading News”

Dr. Oz, Bryce Wylde, and the Canadian Law Against “False or Misleading News”

The following is a guest post by Jeremy Petch, health policy researcher and Opinions Editor at healthydebate.ca. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @JeremyPetch. Dr. Oz has become a ubiquitous television icon. His daily talk show, broadcast in Canada on CTV (owned by Bell Media), rules the daytime TV ratings. In real life, Dr. Oz is a [...]

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palmer spine

Crack Your Back instead of a Vial of Vaccine?

17 May 2013 by Michael Kruse

A few weeks ago, my post on the anti-vaccination bias in the alternative medical community raised the ire of some readers when I suggested that chiropractors have been culpable in the spread of dangourous anti-vax rhetoric.  Some were incredulous at the suggestion that chiropractic as a practice originally included a denial of the germ-theory of [...]

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Posted in Skepticism0 Comments

Toronto Media, false balance, and the lack of evidence for claims about MIA vet John Hartley Robertson

Toronto Media, false balance, and the lack of evidence for claims about MIA vet John Hartley Robertson

16 May 2013 by Karl Mamer

Is there any evidence for the claim? The short story: very little. Many skeptical of the claim have a very hard time believing a person can forget to speak English. Oddly this is the most believable and easy to verify of all the claims made by the movie. First language attrition is a real phenomenon. Anecdotally, [...]

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Posted in Conspiracy Theories, History, Skepticism0 Comments

How Western journalists in Vietnam and POW NGOs were not fooled by tales of MIA Vet back from the dead

How Western journalists in Vietnam and POW NGOs were not fooled by tales of MIA Vet back from the dead

15 May 2013 by Karl Mamer

The known facts: John Hartley Robertson went down in a chopper crash in Laos. Over flight suggested no one could survive the crash and burn. Over flight by other Green Berets saw no survivors and the crash did not look survivable. JHR was declared MIA, presumed KIA. His name is on the memorial wall as [...]

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Posted in Conspiracy Theories, History, Skepticism0 Comments

Did a Canadian filmmaker find a left behind Vietnam vet or did credulous Toronto media give new life to an old scam?

Did a Canadian filmmaker find a left behind Vietnam vet or did credulous Toronto media give new life to an old scam?

14 May 2013 by Karl Mamer

A man approaches you and claims he has a box with a dragon in it. He offers to sell you the box with the dragon. There is one caveat. You cannot open the box to see if there’s an actual dragon in it. You can hold the box. Shake the box. Smell the box. Weigh [...]

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Posted in Conspiracy Theories, History, Skepticism0 Comments

How I cured my gout without medication

How I cured my gout without medication

25 April 2013 by Erik Davis

About a year ago, I had my first attack of gout. It sucked. It came on during the weekend we were moving into our house, and I was convinced I’d somehow broken my big toe in the move. I’d dropped a box on it or rolled a dolly over it or something — I must [...]

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diet and Nutrition, Featured, Health, Medical Conditions, Skepticism4 Comments

When Immunizing, Don’t Accept Alternatives

24 April 2013 by Michael Kruse

It’s National Immunization Awareness Week in Canada and across the world, and UNICEF is reporting the failure of Canada to achieve the 95% immunization rate required to protect the community from resurgences of deadly and debilitating infectious disease.  At 84%, we are even below the UK, which is experiencing a severe measles outbreak, and we [...]

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Posted in Canada, Health Policy, Skepticism, Vaccines3 Comments

frustration

The Cross Canada Skeptical Smackdown Pub Quiz is Back!

05 April 2013 by Ethan Clow

Update! – Victoria is now on-board! Update! – Winnipeg is now on-board! Update! – Halifax is now on-board! The time has finally come. It is time to figure out who are the biggest skeptical know-it-alls in Canada. That’s right, it’s time for the Cross-Canada Skeptical Smackdown Pub Quiz!! This year I have the honour of [...]

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Posted in Announcements, Canada, Skepticism4 Comments

Stop Nosodes Campaign Launched Today

Stop Nosodes Campaign Launched Today

05 April 2013 by Michael Kruse

After months of research and hard work from all of our volunteers at Bad Science Watch, we have launched the public phase of our campaign to stop the sale of homeopathic nosodes sold as “vaccine alternatives” in Canada.  The website www.stopnosodes.org explains the position of Bad Science Watch and lays out the total lack of [...]

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Posted in Canada, Health Policy, Skepticism2 Comments

Legislated Alchemy Continues in Ontario

Legislated Alchemy Continues in Ontario

21 March 2013 by Michael Kruse

Cross-posted from Huffington Post Canada On April 1st 2013, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctors and acupuncturists in Ontario will need a license to practice their unique brand of healing.  This is the first of three vitalistic and unscientific healing practices to start accepting members in Ontario; the naturopaths will be next, followed by the homeopaths.  [...]

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Health Policy, Ontario2 Comments

cbc interview

Battling the Anti-Vaccination Movement

20 March 2013 by Ethan Clow

(Note – this is crossed posted to Radio Freethinker) It’s been a busy month for skeptical activists in Vancouver. I wanted to write about some of the recent news regarding an anti-vaccination conference that was held at the Simon Fraser University, here in Vancouver. The anti-vaccination conference was organized by this group: the Vaccine Resistance [...]

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Posted in British Columbia, Canada, Featured, Health, Vaccines5 Comments