Articles tagged with "technique"

It's always interesting to read (or in my case stream) a book that really challenges my assumptions and reality. This book sure did!

I was sent a link to an article in the Independent the other day, and asked if I'd heard of a new thing the kids are doing called mewing. I quizzed my children about it, as they're young and hip, and they told me that this was old news - “so 6 months ago”, apparently. But the story of mewing was more interesting that I'd first suspected it would be, and involves a good deal that's of skeptical interest.

One of our readers from the other side of the world, a Kiwi living in Ireland has told us about a Destiny Church in the UK.

Nigel Antony Gray, who "predicted" last month's earthquake on Facebook, has recently shown just how daft, and dangerous, he is.

The NHS are advertising for a spiritual healer.

The ACC-sponsored conference Many Faces of Abuse (Auckland, 10-12 August 2005) features a plenary speaker, Anne McDonald from Melbourne, who cannot talk, walk or feed herself. Her minder, Rosemary Crossley, is the inventor of Facilitated Communication - a technique whereby a facilitator supports the hand or arm of a severely disabled person and thereby enables that person point to letters of the alphabet. This technique gives severely disabled people the miraculous ability to spell out words, sentences and even whole paragraphs of astonishing, unlikely and often wildly pornographic prose. As a result of Facilitated Communication, hundreds of families and caregivers worldwide have had their lives and careers destroyed by devastating and subsequently-discredited allegations of sexual abuse. Among responsible organisations and individuals concerned with mental and physical disability there is now widespread agreement that Facilitated Communication is nothing more than a powertrip for manipulative therapists who prey on the vulnerability and dependence of the severely disabled.

A Hamilton doctor is facing two charges of professional misconduct and one of disgraceful conduct after one of his patients was left looking "like something out of a horror movie". The Marlborough Express (August 21) reports Yvonne Short had gone to Dr Richard Gorringe in 1998 looking for a cure for her skin problems.

A very interesting look at the state of homeopathy in the UK in the '90s, including its use by some "conventional" doctors and vets. Details are given of a few trials (some double and triple blind) that have been conducted claiming to give support to homeopathic techniques. Unfortunately, relatively little time is permitted for dissenting views, and I am sure many of our rural members will have other explanations for some of the "miraculous" animal cures presented. A thought-provoking programme nevertheless; it should be essential viewing for any skeptic confronting homeopathic enthusiasts.

A flying competition with a difference will be held in Auckland at the weekend.

Claims by an Auckland Physician, Dr Matthew Tizard, of having diagnosed cases of herbicide Poisoning have been rejected by a task force set up by the Director-General of Health.