Jul 012012
 

Not only does it seem clear that the Society of Homeopaths is aware of illegal activity by their members, but that the society condones and encourages such illegal activity.

I suppose that such behaviour is to be expected from those selling snake-oil.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

Jun 232010
 

In my previous post Mediums – true, deluded or criminal? at http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/06/20/409.html I asked if those people who claim to be mediums and the like should be prosecuted for making claims that they cannot prove and for deliberately misleading and lying to people.

So, thanks to a pointer from Michael Marshall versus ‘psychic’ Joe Power, I read with interest to what appears to be Joe Power making unwarranted allegations to the police that The Merseyside Skeptics Society had made threats to himself and perhaps also to his wife.

The full story is in the article Joe Power, non-Psychic non-Detective: A Clarification at http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2010/06/joe-power-non-psychic-non-detective-a-clarification/

Read the article. You can decide if the actions of Joe Power are criminal.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Jun 202010
 

skepticblog summarise the story at http://skepticblog.org/2010/06/19/one-down-thousands-to-go/ of Ramon Volz and his approach to ABC with regard to “medium” Kelli Faulkner. Great stuff. But it got me thinking about the role of “mediums”.

Do mediums really believe in the stuff they peddle or are they deliberately lying to gain benefit for themselves? Regardless, whatever they sell must be provable, surely? If they are unable to provide credible and verifiable evidence should criminal proceedings be taken against them? As no such evidence has been provided despite all the vast sums expended on research and the vast sums of money on offer, I can only surmise that these people are deluded or criminal; I think the consensus is that most are the latter. Why has society become so tolerable to these fraudsters? These people (society and the people making such claims) need to be challenged. So the approach taken by Ramon Volz was brilliant; I’m impressed.

Kelli Faulkner’s website http://www.kellifaulkner.com/ has the headline that her services are:

…to provide emotional help, practical advice and often answers to the families who’s loved ones have gone missing.

When someone goes missing, those left behind find their lives turned upside-down.  Much of my work is supporting them through the very practical problems which result from someone going missing.

So, apart from “answers to the families” this seems to be benign, perhaps even beneficial to the grieving. But dig deeper and you’ll see that she calls herself a “spiritual medium” or “spiritual messenger” and all that is implied in such labelling. Don’t fall for it. We need lives based on truth, not on fairy tales, not on superstitions, and not on other lies. Support for the grieving can be achieved through such truths. Go for it.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Jun 062010
 

Gizmodo article Are Cameras the New Guns? at http://gizmodo.com/5553765/are-cameras-the-new-guns reports that, in certain parts of the USA, the police are beginning to persecute and prosecute those persons who photograph or record the police. One of the great benefits of the increasingly ubiquitous nature of cameras is that cameras act as a control against police abuse; removing that control allows police to exceed their authority, to commit abuse, to commit illegal acts.

Let’s be clear. I think that the vast majority of the police are clean, brave and hardworking souls. They have earned my respect. But a small percentage of the police are corrupt, criminal and incompetent and they wield immense powers over our lives. We need to be protected against them. And that’s why I believe that the latest police initiative to illegalise recordings is a big step towards tyranny and must be stopped.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

May 202010
 

The deceptions, immorality and, I would add, criminal acts of discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield laid bare at http://tallguywrites.livejournal.com/148012.htmlThe Facts In The Case Of Dr. Andrew Wakefield”.The media doesn’t come out looking good either. Neither does Jim Carrey. Or Jenny McCarthy.

Remember, there are a lot of misguided, ignorant and evil people around. A lot of people got hurt. So be careful out there.

Thanks to Bad Astronomy.

Other background information at:

  1. Bad Science: The Wakefield MMR verdict
    http://www.badscience.net/2010/01/the-wakefield-mmr-verdict/
  2. Bad Science: Er, “help”. Legal Chill from LBC 97.3 and “Global Radio” over Jeni Barnett’s MMR scaremongering
    http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/legal-chill-from-lbc-973-over-jeni-barnetts-mmr-scaremongering/
  3. Metalvortex:The MMR tragedy…the sad story continues
    http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2009/03/16/283.html “The MMR tragedy…the sad story continues
  4. Holford Watch:Andrew Wakefield Lodges Complaint About Brian Deer with Press Complaints Commission
    http://holfordwatch.info/2009/03/16/andrew-wakefield-lodges-complaint-about-brian-deer-with-press-complaints-commission/
  5. DC’s Improbable Science: Jeni Barnett and LBC: dangers to public health
    http://www.dcscience.net/?p=1061

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010