AZ Woo Alert

Flourescent Lights

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:38:55 -0700

The told me the other day that an aquaintence of hers had started seeing a chiropractor after being in a fairly serious car accident. Needless to say, I am not much of a fan of chiropractors, and what I am about to tell you did not quell that opinion. The car crash aquaintence was asked by the chiropractor if their office had flourescent lighting. ‘Why, yes,’ replied the aquaintence, ‘it does.’ To which the chiropractor replied, ‘The cycling of the flourescent lighting degrades your immune system.’ Could this possibly be true, or is this just another fantastic myth claimed by those who reject proper science? I had to find out.

Having searched the internet, I was unable to turn up any credible evidence that flourescent lighting can diminish one’s immune system. Wikipedia does cite that their are some concerns with flourescent light cycling, or flickering, the symptoms are mild - headaches and eye strain for example. More interesting, however, is the chiropractor mentioning the immune system. In fact, many chiropractors claim to be able to ‘boost’ the immune system.

Ghost Chasing in Arizona...Please.

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 16:06:23 -0700

Yep, you got. The crazy, it burns.

Are you familiar with The Examiner? It’s an internet news site that features news stories from 90 different cities in the US. Best of all, on their Phoenix site they employ a Ghost Chaser. Yes, they pay a person money for writing about things that don’t exist. Man, am I jealous. Her name is Debe Branning and she is the Director of the world renowned Mesa based MVD Ghostchasers as well as being a Board Member of the Pioneer’s Cemetery Association. The MVD Ghostchasers has been in business for 14 years, and has even grown to have a team in Bisbee, Arizona.

Now, ghost chasing has been very popular as of late, with a few ridiculous television shows that seem fairly popular. The problem with these television shows and the other ghostchasers is that they always leave you wanting more. They never seem to have any proof that anything supernatural exists. It’s wierd. Show after show or tour after tour, there is never any evidence explaining ghosts. In fact, I was even on a Bisbee Ghost tour and, while the information about the city was interesting and informative, the ghost bit was pretty pathetic. Most firsthand stories from the tour were from people who were selling art in a gallery where the tour just happened to lead to...how strange. The rest of the ghost evidence was secondhand stories, which as a skeptic are worth nothing. Still, ghost chasing remains popular. How can this be?

I am not saying ghost do not exist. There may very well be ghosts hiding around in cemeteries and old buildings all across the world. What I am saying, however, is nobody since the first ghost hunter, has ever been able to offer viable evidence for the existence of the paranormal (the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry also agrees with this stance). What other type of organization, besides religion, can exist for so long without any evidence? It truly boggles the mind.

The good thing about the Debe and the ghost hunters is that they are not really harmful people, deluded, but not harmful. Unfortunately, Debe is also into a wide variety of pseudoscience, that does have the ability to harm people. So, to The Examiner, shame on you for endorsing psuedoscientific garbage and for helping Debe sell her dumb books.

I welcome all your comments.

Sylvia Allen = Total Moron

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 17:29:43 -0700

No, the above picture is not a photo taken from a psychiatric ward...its an Arizona Senator. Now, watch this ridiculous video below of Arizona Senator Sylvia Allen. It’s only about a minute long, but will make you cringe and think about committing hari-kiri.

Ok, now clean yourself off and wait until your cerebellum reboots. You with me yet?

What a lunatic!

I don’t want to say anything about the people of Snowflake, Arizona, but you did elect this horrible, uneducated, creobot. Not that it would be any different in other parts of my home state, but certainly expected in a place like Snowflake. The best part of this news is that it was picked up by some of my favorite blogs, including The Bad Astronomer (who gives credit to Astroengine) and The Lippard Blog. Hopefully, with all this exposure people will see what a moron Allen is and will elect somebody whose mind is based in reality.

Thanks for reading, I welcome your comments.

Why is CAP So Stupid?

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 09:39:56 -0700

Anybody who happens to find this blog, or is familiar with my old blog Constantine’s Vision, would probably be a bit surprised to see me writing about gambling. It may not seem like an appropriate subject matter, but mix gambling with the utter dogmatic stupidity of the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP), and you have a group bent of hurting the Arizona economy for no good reason.

If you are unfamiliar with the Center for Arizona Policy, take all your negative stereotypes of Arizona, rednecks, and irrational religious loons and stuff it into this organization known as CAP...there you go, that’s the Center for Arizona Policy.

Now, what’s CAP and gambling have to do with each other?

In a May 20 2009 article on azcentral.com titled, Lawmaker Pitches Casino Gambling at Racetracks, it was reported that House Representative (R) Andy proposed adding casino style gambling to racetracks in order to increase revenue for the state instead of the governor’s plan of tax hikes. The proposed measure would do a couple of things:

‘His plan calls for allowing up to 10 groups that hold racetrack licenses to operate casino gaming. They would be taxed at 45.5 percent. At that rate, with just six "racinos" operating, Tobin estimates the state would bring in $990 million in 2010.’
‘The proposal, which has yet to be introduced as a bill, would remove the limits imposed on Indian casinos in gaming compacts approved by voters in 2002. That means tribal casinos could expand their casinos as they see fit.’
So, instead of increasing taxes we would allow more gambling at racetracks, which would enrich the racing industry as well as generate revenue, and remove limits we imposed on Indians. We slaughtered the indians and stole an entire continent, this seems like a reasonable reparation. CAP, however, thinks the casinos will be disastrous for the state and highlights 3 key points.
Statistics show that expanding gambling will hurt families and the economy in Arizona. The economic costs of gambling outweigh the benefits by 3 to 1.
By expanding gaming on racetracks, the reservation casinos will have no limits to their gambling options, essentially turning Arizona to Las Vegas.
Arizonans do not want to see an expansion of gambling that turns Arizona into Las Vegas.
While there may be some statistics out there to show gambling hurts families, CAP does not provide any links to any studies. Nor does it elaborate on the statement that the economic costs of gambling outweigh the benefits by 3 to 1. This puts up a red flag that we are being misled with these statements. Additionally, this argument is silly because nobody is concerned with the largest gambling network in the country - The Stock Market. Where is the outcry to stop this type of gambling? What? I can’t hear you? Is it because the rich right wing aristocrats tend to make a lot of money from stocks and mutual funds - all of which is gambling?
The next two key points from CAP are really the same, they do not want Phoenix to turn into Las Vegas due to social concerns...blah blah blah blah blah. California allows casinos at racetracks and they just turned down Prop. 8 which was considered a big win by CAP...and there is no Las Vegas in California.
CAP is making a nonsensical argument that is based on some phony belief that social ills are linked with gambling, which is quite untrue. There is a higher correlation of social ills linked to the kind of dogmatic religion espoused by the CAP, so perhaps they should turn the magnifying lens of themselves before the gambling industry.
I welcome your comments.
All for now.

Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine

Fri, 29 May 2009 15:20:24 -0700

Looks like I am a little behind on this story, but the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine has just bought a new building in Tempe to expand it’s clinical facilities. Now, I will not rush to denigrate this distinguished (whoops!) hotbed of scholarly activity, for it seems they are working on some research that may be of value. As the article states:

‘The college is conducting joint research with the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, studying a plant that could stop smallpox if the virus is used as a bioterrorist threat. The research is for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.’
Phillips said the college and Biodesign Institute also are applying for federal funding to study an herb that could slow the development of Alzheimer’s disease.’
That seems like interesting work, and I hope that it yields promising results. The article goes on, however, to note this disturbing fact:
‘The use of naturopathic care among American adults increased by 50 percent between 2002 and 2007, according to a study released by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. As of December 2008, 38 percent of American adults had used some form of alternative medicine in the past 12 months.’
These numbers posted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Hey Barack, when you have a moment, could you please do away with this organization and spend that money on something that gives a little more bang for your buck, Thanks) are somewhat alarming, but that certainly depends on what it is defining as alternative medicine. For all we know that could be drinking a Red Bull to stay up late, who hasn’t done that! The fact of the matter is that it in the following paragraph the article states quite clearly what it considers to be alternative medicines:
‘These are costs traditionally not covered by insurance companies. While some pay for chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, many supplements and homeopathic treatments offered by naturopathic doctors are not covered.’
You know why homeopathic treatments are not covered by your insurance? Because water is free. Perhaps Southwest College does not teach its students homeopathy...wrong! Their website features an entire section on this pseudoscience and claims that is has the ability to heal cancer. Yes, you heard me correctly. Homeopathy, according to this school can cure cancer:
Homeopathy is a remarkable, yet sadly under-utilized, therapy that stimulates our natural ability to heal. When practiced well, it can gently and permanently cure diseases and restore health. It is useful from coughs and earaches to autoimmune disease and cancer.
While it seems that the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is trying to work with major research institutions like Arizona State University in finding a real cure for a debilitating disease, it is shocking that this same institution harbors any desire to teach its students about the merits, or lack thereof, of homeopathy. Proven again, and again, and again to be nearly successful as the placebo affect.
Good luck to Southwest College in finding a vaccine against a smallpox attack, but stray from the bullshit!
I welcome your comments. The above images was taken from The Guardian.
All for now.