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Here is a rundown of the top stories in pseudoscience, paranormal and anomaly news from the past week courtesy of Doubtful News.   

There were several stories reflecting anti-science sentiment in the U.S. this past week.  

A new Gallup poll on Creationism belief shows that nothing has changed, 46% of Americans hold this belief.  Several laws attempting to undermine the teaching of evolution were proposed in the last year. One became law, in Tennessee. The other state who has a law that undermines evolution, Louisiana, proposed to allow voucher to pay for Bible-based schooling.  And, it's not just in the U.S., South Korea has a serious problem with anti-evolution sentiment.  

In related legislation news, North Carolina passes a ridiculous bill that hamstrings scientists from predicting sea level rise effects for their shoreline. Many heads hit desks with this one. As if ignorance can stop the truth.   

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Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo in medicine.  

Luc Montagnier and the Nobel Disease (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/luc-montagnier-and-the-nobel-disease/ Nobel Disease is an affliction where Nobel laureates embrace crankery or pseudoscience in their later years. Several examples are provided, including the latest victim Luc Montagnier, who has delved into homeopathy and who is now claiming that autistic children have DNA sequences that emit radio waves from bacteria, justifying long-term antibiotics.  

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The Amaz!ng Meeting 2012

July 12-15, 2012
South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa
Las Vegas, NV

TAM was already the skeptics’ event of the year, and now, it just got even better.

Penn & TellerSaturday Keynote Event: We are thrilled that our good friends Penn & Teller will be delighting us with a special hour long keynote presentation titled "38 Years of Magic & BS: A Conversation with Penn & Teller."

Also on Friday night, Penn is hosting his second Private Rock & Roll, Doughnut and Bacon Party. Be forewarned: This really is Penn’s private party. He’s paying for everything and JREF has nothing to do with it. Everyone at TAM is invited, and there is a suggested twenty dollar donation to attend, with proceeds going to the JREF.

Wait, there’s more! We’re also pleased to announce the addition of the following speakers:

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In medicine interventions are assessed according to the principle of risk versus benefit. Interventions are never risk free, so that is not a reasonable criterion for a valid intervention (whether therapeutic, symptomatic, or diagnostic). Rather the benefit provided by the intervention must be substantially greater than the risk.

Related to this is the principle that the alternative with the lowest risk (assuming similar benefit) should always be preferred. For this reason the standard of care is always shifting as new evidence comes in altering the relative risk versus benefit calculation of available options. At least that is what happens within mainstream medicine.

The above, in my opinion, does not happen within the world of so-called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), because of a philosophical opposition to the application of rigorous scientific standards in medicine (whether or not individual CAM proponents admit this). In fact the only purpose of the CAM category is to market and promote medical practices that are not supported by good science.

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I’m going to take you on a extraordinary journey, to a fantastic planet filled with strange, never before described creatures. But first, I have to ask you a question. If ESP and telekinesis really does exist, why don’t we see these forces everywhere in nature? Proponents of the paranormal believe animals often sense impending disasters. If that’s the case, shouldn’t there be an entire family of animals that make their living primarily through ESP and telekinesis? To answer this, let me spin you a fantastic yarn, one in which nature uses all the benefits that ESP and telekinesis would offer, if those skills really did exist. I would like to take you on a voyage to another planet. Strap yourselves in. We are traveling to the planet of Damocles 7.  

  1. Surprise Cupping
  2. The Skeptical Disconnect
  3. Is It Time To Call Creationists’ Bluff And Push For “Teaching All Views”?
  4. This Week In Doubtful News