Entertainment stuff from the week 7-13/4/14

Hi sugarpeople,


The 10th-16th of April is 'Homeopathy Awareness Week' to raise awareness of the nature of homeopathic charlatanry.

'twelve key points about homeopathy'
http://www.homeopathyawarenessweek.org/

'Homeopathy awareness can make the world a healthier, happier place'
"As anyone who has explained homeopathic dilution to an incredulous colleague will attest, raising awareness of homeopathy is the quickest way to dispel any belief in it"
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/apr/11/world-homeopathy-awareness-week-homeopathic-preparations?

I, myself, have written about 'Why Homepathy Can't Work' too.


The homeopathic industry is, however, just one example of fraudulent exploitation through pseudo-medical claims.

Homeopaths are not scientists and they are not medical professionals - they are businesspeople. They are callous, hard-nosed entrepreneurs, who have noticed that talking the talk and doing a few dance moves is enough to persuade people to part with their life savings!

This is even more egregious, in the context of countries that have Universal Healthcare, where everyone has already paid for their healthcare, through taxation.

What's the point in paying extra through the nose, for something that doesn't even work?

But like i said - the multi-million-pound homeopathetics industry is just one example - a case-study, if you like, of how medical scamming is tolerated.

If damp sugar can be sold in place of medicine, and those businesspeople can get away with it, then they can pretty much get away with anything!

The entire I-SCAM industry rests on the prevalence of short-sighted superstitious ideologies, to protect it from fair analysis, with which it would not be seen as a valid alternative, and would rightly be seen as callous exploitation of the vulnerable.

Awareness of Homepathic pseudoscience means awareness that all the other so-called 'alternatives' are due scientific skepticism, too.


Here is an example of another sector to the I-SCAM (Integrative Supplementary, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine) industry, which is equally scientifically valid, and equally demanding of mockery:

'Oil Pulling'
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4409

You might have heard of this fad, doing the rounds in anti-science quack circles. But what the hell is it?

Well, basically, it's just swilling your mouth out with oil. You won't be surprised to hear that all available evidence supports the layman-statement that there's a complete absence of medical benefit of any kind.

But the progeny of the pseudoscience is more interesting... and maybe not one you'll want to hear.

So just read the transcript, instead :-P


'The consequences of climate change (in our lifetimes)'
http://youtu.be/VNgqv4yVyDw

Turn up your audio - it's the latest video from potholer54 :-D

It seems he's alarmed. But not by global warming or predictions of climatic change...

I'm alarmed by the lack of HD on his channel. I want to see those pixellated images in 4K :-D

Seriously, though - you learn so much, watching one of potholer's videos.


This is one of Thunderfoot's best, and most eloquent, videos ever, IMO, in the 'WFPE' series:

'Why 'feminism' poisons EVERYTHING (#cancelcolbert)'
http://youtu.be/vLpzzaeNaKI

This video demonstrates exactly why i am an egalitarian, as he is.

So many people call themselves feminists, and yet they don't really know what it is, or how to not be sexist.

For example, the woman featured in this video is attempting to rid the world of racism and sexism... by being racist and sexist! And she doesn't even know it.

That's immensely hypocritical. It's also immensely frustrating. But it should be expected of a politic borne through reactionary zeal.

End sexism. End feminism. End racism. Be egalitarian.

"Let us all unite!"



In other news:

Generalised mammogramatic screening, it appears, is nowhere near as useful as previously thought. Far from it - they are now known to be similar in utility to the defamed PSA test which produces huge numbers of false positives (an FP is where the test erroneously says "yes, you've got it") and consequent overdiagnoses which are, understandably, met with overtreatment. Essentially, the screening process results in more harm than good. In future, mammogramatic medical screening will be limited to higher-risk groups, where the breast cancer risks are greater than the screening risks.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25346?

A man has, on the advice of a superstitious 'authority', exposed himself to hyenas, in the brush, and had his testicles chewed off! He told the Times of Zambia that a witch doctor had promised him that by losing his body parts he would get rich. As much as this story sounds made up, it seems equally plausible that a crank would really prescribe something like this. I mean, in the 'North' people actually believe damp sugar can cure illness. Really. When people can believe that, anything goes!
http://informoverload.com/man-lets-hyena-eat-his-genitals-for-money/

A work of art, set up in a heavily-bombed region of Pakistan, has attempted to reach out to the pilots of drone aircrafts, to remind them that children are the collateral damage of their attacks. I can see multiple problems with this story - drones aren't especially good at dehumanising victims (that happens anyway), and it often isn't the pilot's decision to attack. If anything, it's just going to lead to worse PTSD for the pilots. But if this campaign adds to the pressure on war-friendly governments to desist from inept warring techniques, then maybe it will help.
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/04/for-shame-the-giant-poster-that-shows-drone-pilots-the-people-theyre-bombing/360257/

The residents of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, have raised £5000 to put up a plaque, for a cat called Hamish McHamish. It's owned by a resident, but claimed as the local cat, because it frequently roams the town's streets. But why raise money to tribute a cat that's still alive? I'm thinking they're looking for their own version of Greyfriars Bobby - a famous dog that learned to stick by its former owner's grave, in nearby Edinburgh, where it would be fed by residents and tourists alike.
http://arbroath.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/roaming-feline-hamish-mchamish-honoured.html

Firefighters have had to release a young man from a child's swing, in Somerset, UK. He was then treated for thigh injuries and taken home. I suppose we've all been there... [scoffs] :-D
http://arbroath.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/firefighters-released-teenager-trapped.html

A Pittsburgh tree trimmer has survived an accident in which his chainsaw embedded into his neck. It lodged into his bones, and stopped there, but the incident very nearly ended his life. You can see copies of the X-Ray scans, here:
http://www.ripleys.com/weird/daily-dose-of-weird-wtf-blog/body-oddity/man-survives-chainsaw-to-the-neck-video/

A study, published in PLoS has 'found' that there is a perceived connection between intelligence and beauty in men, but no perceived connection between intelligence and beauty in women. It should be remembered that this is perceived intelligence - not real intelligence - the wealth of research demonstrates that people have no ability to work out someone's actual intelligence from their beauty. Also, the results have not been replicated, and do not tell us about non-european-non-students. The Czech students in the study judged other Czech students to be smarter if they were a prettier man, but not smarter if they were a prettier woman. Real result, or Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy? Only further research will tell.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3961208/

God-botherers (and not scientists, as the Media have incorrectly reported) have produced yet more hysterical propaganda in support of their peculiar superstitious beliefs. These particular theists have decided that Jesus - the central character in Xtian mythology - was definitely real, and had a wife. And they know so because this parchment says so... a parchment that's centuries too young to be contemporary. It's like saying "Sherlock Holmes must have been real because... well, just read this. No-one would write it if he hadn't been real!"
http://doubtfulnews.com/2014/04/though-everyone-else-yelled-fake-scholars-say-jesus-wife-evidence-is-genuine/

Speaking of god-botherers: I always chuckle a little, when superstitionists resort to rationality, to help their superstitious rituals along. Remember when Pope Frankie released some doves, and they were promptly killed by Yahweh's seagull-and-crow double-team? Well, seeing as prayer doesn't work (and they know it) they've decided to resort to a naturalistic, some might say materialistic, resolution - the employment of a Harris Hawk, to kill the killers before they kill first. Because, according to godly-logic, precautionary murder is a lesser crime :-D
http://arbroath.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/vatican-hires-hawk-to-protect-popes.html

In the interests of preserving the false modesty of our Media's 'false balance' obsession, i should mention that the Pastafarians, who 'worship' the FSM (Flying Spaghetti Monster) APBUHNA (all praise be upon Her noodly appendage) have recently gained official acknowledgement in Poland, and can apply to become a State-registered religion. For those who don't know, Pastafarianism is a parody religion - all of its tenets are copied from 'real' religion. Essentially, it is used to criticise believed religions by holding a mirror to their insanity. There is nothing in Pastafarianism that is any less valid than its equivalents in other religions - the only difference is that the followers don't pretend any of it to be true :-D
http://proud-a.blogspot.fr/2014/04/FSM.html

A Norwegian has found something rather interesting inside a cod. Not the two half-digested herrings he pulled out - the large, orange vibrator that plopped out with them. And yes, i do mean in the 'sexual aid' sense. He hypothesises that the fish mistook it for a local species of octopus. But how did it get there? Someone must have thrown it overboard :-D
http://tapejarascience.tumblr.com/post/82569134236/norwegian-fisherman-found-vibrator-in-cods

------------------------------------------------------ contemporary stuff

'SURICATE - Le Fantôme de Merde / Shitty Ghost'
This wonderful short film was submitted by Le Golden Moustache for this year's Toronto Comedy Festival.
http://youtu.be/F-kLwqxjQt0

'John and Kevin's Sunday Papers - 6th April 2014'
I'm just glad to know which one won. And which one won? Did the white one win? No - the brown one won. Well, "well done", to the one what won. Wowzers :-D
http://youtu.be/hEMnd1q5NiA

'Realistic Mario'
http://micro.cibermitanios.com.ar/post/82333750818/realistic-mario

'Bedtime Bible Stories'
"America's Best Christian, Mrs. Betty Bowers, reads her children Bible-based bedtime stories -- and realizes that, with all its gratuitous violence and pornography, if God hadn't written the Bible, Conservative Christians would be trying to keep it OUT of public libraries not IN to public schools!"
http://youtu.be/mCk4LSHdPKw

'Blue Flame Thrower - Periodic Table of Videos'
http://youtu.be/EpwlfvERUFc

'Spinal cord implant revives paralysed legs'
This is slightly scary. But wonderful. And also really kinda cool :-D
http://youtu.be/DrLLyx7PU-4

'Global Population Growth - A Week in Science'
http://youtu.be/UOoC7PISbI4

'Vagina built in the lab from patient's cells'
Story of the day, LOL. Women are now obsolete, ahahahaha :-P
http://youtu.be/IHF-lIu5D_U
Seriously, though - these vaginal canal implants have been used to construct vaginas for women born with vaginal aplasia - a condition in which the vaginal canal doesn't grow properly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26885335

'Are Hong Kong & Macau Countries?'
http://youtu.be/piEayQ0T-qA

'THE LOVING PET OWNER: LOOKING GOOD | The Checkout | ABC1'
http://youtu.be/Fq4SDrQOmvs

'ACTIVE INGREDIENT: HY-CLOR POOL & SPA PRODUCTS | The Checkout | ABC1'
http://youtu.be/EK23XLuz9I0

'PARALLEL CONSUMERVERSE: IF GARBOS WERE TECH SUPPORT | The Checkout | ABC1'
"Thank you for dumping with us" :-D
http://youtu.be/5VlKFi0lMpk

'PRODUCT VS PACKSHOT: KIDS WATER TOY | The Checkout | ABC1'
http://youtu.be/cyZ-RYsViyA

Possibly the most fun you'll have, out of anything comtemporary to this fortnight:

'New Age Bullshit Generator'.Via Richard Wiseman
Simply follow the instructions, and be amazed. I had high hopes, having already been familiar with the wisdomofchopra app :-D
http://sebpearce.com/bullshit/

If the fun wears off, from that, try this, a game, called:

'2048'
http://gabrielecirulli.github.io/2048/
For explanations of how to play, watch this video. Be careful, though - it's very easy to get stuck into it!
http://youtu.be/OO4tA5i7X9g
{My highest score's 3692}

------------------------------------------------------ of the weeks

Word Of The Week: entasis -- the bulge deliberately built into columns to make them more stable; often misunderstood as a consequence of the stone squashing over time

Quote Of The Week: "A thermomix - an all-in-one food processor - is great, as it acts as a second commis chef. One that can steam veg, make custard, and cook hollandaise. It's ideal for new babies, as well." - BBC Good Food Magazine

Etymology Of The Week: chocolate -- from nahuatl 'xocolatl', with 'xococ' meaning 'sour/bitter' and 'atl' meaning 'water/drink/watercourse'

Fact Of The Week: About 90% of ancient human remains come from people who died before the age of 55; yet today, 89% of cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 50. This might be why cancers are so rarely found in the bones of our ancestors; or maybe they were getting different cancers that don't show up in the bones. The presumption that cancer is a modern illness is not yet proved.

------------------------------------------------------ non-contemporary stuff

Igudesman & Joo have been uploading a lot of videos, lately. Here are the best of them:

'IGUDESMAN & JOO on Fox19 Morning News'
http://youtu.be/f00fd8HIFTM

'555pm on WNYW Fox Channel 5 with IGUDESMAN & JOO'
http://youtu.be/j-jsPzkjRhA

'ARTE Lounge with IGUDESMAN & JOO'
http://youtu.be/0ctA6A7_mjQ

In my opinion, these are the best performances i've seen, so far:

'Do you believe in gravity?'
http://youtu.be/Ov_qBR79e08
{Ignore the fact that rock lyrics don't all end in 'e'... :-P }

'Mozart Will Survive'
http://youtu.be/RS1-lxD9Cbs
{And Pachelbel will too, apparently :-D }

'Igudesman and Joo - All By Myself'
http://youtu.be/fZ1uk7hdM7o


From the 'Just Kidding Films' YouTube channel:

'Ultra V-Neck'
http://youtu.be/yPbvgvt0SR8

'Innocent Poo Poo'
http://youtu.be/taXa2aknVGw

'Boy Friend'
http://youtu.be/x3g8skRgp4w

'Fart Freshener'
http://youtu.be/pD16fltRZbI

'Blinded By Boobies'
Why do mammals love mammaries so much? Surely it's the cloaca that really matters :-P
http://youtu.be/43Rlh7kT4z0

'Vagina Pills'
Why isn't this already a thing? Maybe ladies don't respond to spam mail quite so much :-D
http://youtu.be/KGlSNriMcoE

'Movies vs Real Life: Scary Movie'
http://youtu.be/o-yMtR8W1rI

'Bromance?'
http://youtu.be/jaF0w4I9ipo

'Crazy Asian Parent: Baby'
http://youtu.be/WTsfdROiotA

'It's COLD!!!'
http://youtu.be/8PA57xh5uUQ

'Tickle 2 Death'
http://youtu.be/6tb2sL1vuwk

'Extreme Safety League'
http://youtu.be/LCyiRjfOgFA

'SECRETS'
http://youtu.be/5A1dxWXX-8E

'Bad Memory'
http://youtu.be/pMQMeyKFwVc

'Why Is Cussing Wrong?'
http://youtu.be/vX10wARK9LU

'Worst Movie Death Scene Ever!'
http://youtu.be/6LtYgW1MTJk
Here is the original:
http://youtu.be/9Af8Nwhb5Ao
'The Worst Death Ever: Deleted Scenes'
http://youtu.be/dDwSuc5-SPA

'I'd Rather Have A Dog Than A Girlfriend'
http://youtu.be/2H1FpKuVGZs

'Getting Laid Fail'
http://youtu.be/RDGlpYABRFc

'Role Reversal: Hit'
http://youtu.be/hinLuRn753M

'Borrowing Clothes'
http://youtu.be/MFXQy3squHQ

'Nasty Girls'
http://youtu.be/Lh4iC3H03Pk

'Role Reversal: Flirting Out Of Trouble'
http://youtu.be/vJInPXShwq4

'If Idioms Were Real'
http://youtu.be/K-Kuice9uFc

'If Idioms Were Real: Part 2'
http://youtu.be/E9DxGe94uoc

'Ice Cream'
http://youtu.be/f3-h2N_YXWU

'Role Reversal: Periods'
http://youtu.be/n81NnNs-utI

'Role Reversal: Bugs'
http://youtu.be/mMijrgIIKxo

'Role Reversal: Random Boners'
http://youtu.be/gvkueuwLDPc

'Mommy Drive'
http://youtu.be/3_EQjq_XrWU

'Movie vs Real Life: Asian Coworker'
http://youtu.be/7sbUZbkuWzw
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