George Aar

OM, quote: "Never had a problem with that tenet, cause why waste time on somebody who's not interested in you or what you believe?" Spoken like a true Wayferite. Gawddam, don't you bump your head a lot, living in such a small place? Gosh, maybe you could spend some time with folks who aren't a carbon-copy of yourself, and learn a little about the outside world. Just a thought. Personally I think I can relate to the arguments VERY well. We WERE subjected to all sorts of abuse and either learned to dole it out ourselves or acquired a sort of learned dependance on the esteemed leader du jour ("Oh, you're so right. I DO need to build my believing better. Thank you for beating me up verbally! I really needed that."). Or, maybe in most cases, got a little combination of the two. Whatever the case, it was a closed,"top-down", perverted system. And it stunk (still does)...

Seeing as this is the FIFTEENTH remake of THE ALAMO, I'd sorta expect the subject matter to be getting a little flabby. Just what was the point in doing this AGAIN? They must just be out of ideas. I can think of no other motive...

Oh, and BTW, I still love Japan. A fantastic country. I'll be going back again soon, I'm sure...

I finally saw this last night. I've been meaning to see it for a looong time, and now I seriously wonder what the hype was all about. While I could identify with so much of what the characters were going through (having once spent a month in Japan - alone - without the benefit of being able to speak the language), I had to wonder, "Why did this need to be filmed?" I enjoyed seeing so many of the landmarks that I'm now familiar with (the Hachiman Shrine, the Tokyo Tower, the famous intersection in the Ginza), and I really liked all the small stuff, the insider humor that only those familiar with Japan would get (the musical chimes for everything, the frantic hand signals of the hotel doormen when the taxi approaches, and the numerous - seemingly identical - "choices" on the restaurant menus). I had to think, how many others even noticed any of this. So, yeah, the small digs at Japanese culture, and the scenery made it a lot more tolerable for me than most, but I still found it to be an incredibly empty film. Seems like a lot of those going around though, like "Something's Gotta Give", "Under the Tuscan Sun", "About Schmidt" - all of them woefully underwhelming...

Homeopathy is a real sorepoint with me. Have you ever read the supposed "law of infintesimals" that was written by the founder of the so-called "science"? It states something to the effect that the less of a curative agent that is used, the stronger it's potentcy. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense (?). Also, ever wonder why homeopathic "drugs" are simply sold over the counter? I mean even toxic things like beladonna (sp?)? It's because there's basically NONE of the active ingredient (that's stated on the label) in the actual "medicine". Yes, that's right, it's simply water. The dilution rate that's stated on the label (I forget exactly now, but I think it's stated something like "3X" or somesuch), works out to about 1 drop per volume of water equal to the displacement of the ENTIRE WORLD! Yes, it doesn't matter to homeopaths that the dilution is probably so extreme that not a single molecule of the supposed active ingredient is left in the mix. No, no! Just the fact that the water had - at some point in time - come in contact with that agent, was enough to impart the curative powers. Can you say "BULL$HIT"? Sure, I knew you could. And I'm sorry, but alternative medicine, by it's very definition, is NOT scientific. If there were (and I think there have been a couple) effective regimens discovered by alternative practitioners that passed muster in proper testing protocols, they would be accepted in mainstream medicine, and as a result would no longer be "alternative". The reason the practices of the alternative camp are not accepted is simply because they ARE NOT scientifically tested. They have zero to back them up other than the salesmanship of their prime advocates and the tearful, heartfelt testimonies of those "cured" by them. In other words - NOTHING!

And for a different point of view: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blas...terms=aspartame I guess I just don't understand the need to embrace most of the "alternative medicine" hype. Are there problems with modern, AMA - approved medical practices? Certainly. People are still the ones practicing, right? There will be mistakes, there will be bad doctors, and even profiteering corporations that play fast and lose with the truth in order to make more profits. There's still no cure for cancer, aids, MS, or dozens of other fatal and crippling diseases. But no matter what faults you find with conventional medicine, not one of those faults makes "alternative" approaches one iota more credible. Personally I'm unwilling to accept any treatment where there's some sort of magical element to it. "We don't know exactly why this works, but, Boy! It sure does!" Sorry no sale. Likewise for any regimen that has lots of scientific sounding terms to explain it, but the explanation doesn't make any sense (i.e. "realigning the energy channels", "focusing your healing centers", or such nonsensical claptrap). For those that embrace the alternative treatments (holistic, homeopathic, chiropractic, naturopathic, etc.), doesn't it concern you that these "disciplines" routinely avoid accepted scientific protocols in their testing? Why do you suppose their evidence of effecatiousness is almost always anecdotal? Do you realize why anecdotal evidence is usually completely disregarded in scientific circles? (no, it's not because they hate the alternative medicine community for cutting into their profits) Wouldn't you really rather have sound, reproducible evidence of the effectiveness of a medicine rather than having to just believe in it? Gawd, I KNOW I would...

Tom, "I don't know if I can even consider the opinions of a guy who admits to actually seeing 'Under the Tuscan Sun'". Indeed, but I WAS a captive audience (and tired of reading - Hey, it was a 14-hour flight). Yeah, I know SOR was SUPPOSED to be a comedy. I just didn't see ANY humor in it. I just didn't get it. And I don't find Jack Black (I think this is the only film I've seen him in) anything but annoying. He's just a chubby, homely, bonehead. I guess he reminds me of too many roommates I've had. Nothing humorous about those clowns either...

Gee Tom, Uh, cause they're equally bogus? Oh, and chiropractors, yes, they've been called quacks, maybe because THEY ARE! (uh oh, here it comes) And as one who has not only done the Atkins diet (and lost a little weight) but THOUGHT about it a little bit (something I would recommend in any endeavor), I think the key element to it's success is that, carbs not withstanding, when a person is on that diet they take in less calories. Hence, they lose weight (sometimes, anyway). Doesn't the idea that you can load x-amount of fuel into a container, then, without increasing the work of the device connected to that container, the fuel will magically disappear - IF IT'S THE "RIGHT" KIND OF FUEL, well, doesn't that defy logic? I guess if you're on the diet, and it's working for you, why question how it works, eh? I find I'm much more apt to believe Atkin's theories if I don't actually READ what he has to say. The tone of his works has the typical pseudo-scientific "woo-woo" kinda ring to it, that really puts me off. Another rhetorical question that I'm sure will keep me on the top-ten list of favorite posters, Why is it that women seem much more likely to buy into new-age, "alternative" medicine crapola than men are? Just wondering...

Yeah, I'll be getting to that as soon as I finish my treatise on ethereal harmony and astral modalities with an overview to Feng Shui disciplines...

WF, I believe what you've posted is called "anecdotal evidence". And it is the prime component in just about every belief system I can think of. Doesn't it bother you at all that "treatments" such as this always fail utterly under laboratory test conditions? Or that there's no reasonable explanation for how it even works? Bigfoot, UFOs, Loch Ness Monsters, Haunted Houses all have voluminous amounts of anecdotal evidence, but NOTHING verifiable and repeatable. Why do you suppose that is?

For your further reading enjoyment, a little treatise on "craniosacral therapy": http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/QA/osteo.html I know, I know, it's all lies, what do they know about it anyway, my (uncle, aunt, best friend, boss, coworker) had severe problems with (- fill in the blank - ) and craniosacral therapy SAVED HIS/HER LIFE! Yada, yada,... I think I need a chakra adjustment...

Oh, and to quote one of Cecil's more pithy comments on "earcandling": "just to be sure we burned another candle in the open air. When we sliced it open we found wax and powder identical to that in the first. Conclusion: it's a hoax. Ain't it always the way? Maybe we're not doing enemas anymore, but we're winding up with the same old stuff." Indeed...

Dot, I've had tinnitus for years (20 or more). I guess it's the result of using loud power tools with no ear protection. Maybe I'll try that... Anyway, from what I can tell, there is no treatment of any kind that's been proven effective. The problem seems to be that the damage isn't so much in your ears as it is in your brain. They've done counter-irritant types of things with some success, but it's really low percentage. So, it doesn't bother me much, I've learned to live with it. Yeah, big help, I know...

OH GAWD! MAKE IT STOP! O.K., if you're hell-bent on believing something, make it something at least marginally sensible. "Earcandling" is bunkum at its most extreme. Even Cecil figured it out, quite some time ago. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_098.html Sorry, but unbridled credulousness makes me crazy...

hypocrit?

Ooops, guilty... Here it is eight o'clock and I haven't managed to get my shoes on yet. Just another productive day...

Laleo, Geeze, this has been the year for me to travel, I guess. Beijing (and later Japan) in November, New Jersy - New York - Boston - Cape Cod in January, Cambodia in February, back to Japan last week, and now it looks like I'll be going back to China (I think Hong Kong and Shanghai) in 6 weeks or so. And lest anyone think that I've BECOME one of those members of the leisure class, I didn't plan (or pay for) any of these trips except the one to Beijing. They just sorta came my way. Funny... I've thought about seeing those macaques as well. I've sorta "been there - done that" with most of the other attractions in Japan. I don't know as I need to see any more Jinja or Otera (shrines and temples), though I'd always like to go back to Nara or Nikko. Both of those places are too cool. And I did manage to get into the Kabukiza in the Ginza district and my "girlfriend" took me to the Sumo match in Osaka. Lotsa sashimi, lots of sake, lots of yelling and laughing. Couldn't have been more fun! So when are you going over? Brushing up on your Nihongo? JR rail passes are about $250. USD for 7 days and about $375. USD for 2 weeks. It's a "must have". Just the connection from Narita airport to Tokyo is $45. and one round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto is about $230. so it doesn't take long to pay for the pass. And it's so convenient. You can literally see the whole country in a matter of hours, if you wanted to, though it would get a tad boring to see it from the window of a train.

Never having been a part of the leisure class (which the heroine of this saga must certainly be) I have difficulty relating to the angst they may experience as a result of ordinary life. YMMV

I've been spending more than my share of time airborne of late, and, as a result, have viewed more than my share of movies (four on one flight alone!). My votes for the recent crop: SCHOOL OF ROCK - An abysmal waste of film. If you can't figure out the plot in the first 20 seconds, you haven't been paying attention. The cinematic equivalent of a "Partridge Family" episode. Sappy and uninspired... SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE - Another thumbs-down vote. While not nearly as obnoxious as SOR, it wasn't anything else either. Vapid, empty, pointless (did Keanu Reeves look entirely lost 'er what?). UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN - Harmless I guess, but need I say CHICK FLICK? The most difficult decision of this poor woman's life was what color she should have her staff of tradesmen paint her newly remodeled foyer in her newly purchased villa in the Italian countryside. Yeah, isn't that always the problem? TOO FAST - TOO FURIOUS - Uh, DUH! I guess it would be entertaining if I were 40 years younger and maybe had a pre-frontal lobotomy. Stupid doesn't begin to say it... SEABISCUIT - Finally a movie you could enjoy. A little too sentimental at times, but a good effort by all the actors and some great cinematography! I wish I'd seen it on the big screen. I guess the lesson to be learned from all this is, bring lots to read!

But what's really more irritating, poor language skills, or anal-retentive, elitist gimps who spend inordinate amounts of time compiling lists of the most egregious sins of those with the poor skills? I'll bet you can guess my vote...

Didn't know she was Harve's sister, but it was John Cosmos - Doug's brother - who Married Betsy. While we're at it, I'd sure like to connect with John and Betsy. Great folks, we thought of trying to look them up when we were near New Bedford, MA. a few months back. Anyone know if they're still there?

Anyone else find themselves rooting for TWI in this case? It just gets curiouser and curiouser...

If anyone's still reading this thread, here's the Skepdic's take on it (doesn't a lot of this sound way too familar), http://skepdic.com/cults.html

Yeah, "How'd this happen to me?" Isn't that the $64,000 question? It is frightening to finally realize how easily we were conned and how easily people are motivated to commit absurd acts by just pulling the right "strings". Personally I know I was simply looking for attention, and probably a little affection as well. Both came cheap in WayWorld. The scary part is how willing I was to overlook the OBVIOUS bull$hit in order to continue in TWI-style, manufactured bliss. The REALLY scary part is how I was willing to keep on accepting the crap even after the "honeymoon" era of cult indoctrination was over. And even scarier than that is to see how many people the world over are locked into some bone-headed, superstitious, B.S. belief system, and are quite willing and able to do their best to destroy the rest of the known world because of those beliefs. A mind is a terrible thing...

Well, in fairness to you, it sounds like you didn't have much of a childhood. Sheesh, 18 years (some very formative ones at that) is enough to screw with anybody's head for a good long while. Maybe you just need a little more time and experience in the real world to lighten up a little bit. I've found that people - with a few notable exceptions - are generally good-hearted, friendly, and as giving as they can be, just about the world over (anywhere I've been in it, anyway). The only trouble comes when superstitious belief systems corrupt on otherwise healthy brain. Then all sorts of crap can happen. Genocide, inquisitions, wars, terrorism, you name it. Anything goes once people give their brains over to religion. But then, that's just my opinion...