Humour and Homeopathy

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Niall Taylor — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 11:25:48 GMT

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 11:10:14 GMT

[quote user="Alastair Franklin"]

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

Is it possible to overdose on homeopathy, and if so what would be the consequences?

[/quote]

drowning or temporary hyperglycaemia, perhaps?

[/quote]Conversation between patient and homeopathic practitioner: 'Dr, I think I've overdosed on my medication'. 'What makes you think that'?. 'I forgot to take it'.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Alastair Franklin — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 00:36:10 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

Is it possible to overdose on homeopathy, and if so what would be the consequences?

[/quote]

drowning or temporary hyperglycaemia, perhaps?

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

bevs2251 — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 04:39:24 GMT

"Dr Who is a TimeLord in male form and should have always have remained so. This is the sort of thing I worry about. Important issues."

The recent "Master" TimeLord was a woman, and admitted to being one several times, so why can't the new incarnation of Dr Who be a woman ? In Star Trek TNG Trill symbiotes can be passed on to men or women. I'm all for equality. I am a Dr Who fan from way back. Tom Baker was my favourite.

As for homeopathy, it is total BS (to quote BullDog from "Frasier").

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Clive Ansell — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:42:10 GMT

[quote user="Judith Archbold"]

Virginia and Clive....

They've taken Rolf Harris, Jim'll Fix It and big Wagon Wheels from my childhood ... please leave me with The Doctor.

[/quote]

Anyway, as for female time travel, Kristanna Loken as the T-X in Terminator 3: rise of the machines, got there first.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 17:15:10 GMT

[quote user="Virginia Campbell"]

[quote user="Judith Archbold"]Dr Who is a TimeLord in male form and should have always have remained so. [/quote]

Should have tangented, cba.

There didn't used to be female vets, but now there are, so why not female forms of self regenerating time travelling thousand year old alien beings?

[/quote]Exactly. Just think how much easier gender change would be if you could just regenerate - none of that hormone therapy and dodgy surgery!

On which theme: fellow cyclists, how refreshing to see Pippa Yorke (aka Robert Millar our hero as the first British cyclist to win a jersey competition in the Tour de France), commentating this year and reliving her experience without prejudice.

PS Breaking news: the new series of Dr Who has been cancelled as the new Doctor couldn't park the Tardis.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Niall Taylor — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 16:47:39 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]she may even morph in to a tri-sexual, pituitary dwarf, transgender lesbian, with one eye, and unknown, unmarried, mixed race parentage.[/quote]

That's Danny Davito, isn't it?

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

J G Wray — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 09:58:12 GMT

HOMOEOPATHY, n. A school of medicine midway between Allopathy and Christian Science. To the last both the others are distinctly inferior, for Christian Science will cure imaginary diseases, and they can not.

Ambrose again

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Judith Archbold — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 09:44:27 GMT

Virginia and Clive....

They've taken Rolf Harris, Jim'll Fix It and big Wagon Wheels from my childhood ... please leave me with The Doctor.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Clive Ansell — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 09:00:57 GMT

Is it possible to overdose on homeopathy, and if so what would be the consequences?

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Clive Ansell — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 08:54:58 GMT

[quote user="Virginia Campbell"]

[quote user="Judith Archbold"]Dr Who is a TimeLord in male form and should have always have remained so. [/quote]

Should have tangented, cba.

There didn't used to be female vets, but now there are, so why not female forms of self regenerating time travelling thousand year old alien beings?

[/quote]

And, who knows in this overly political correct age what the next one might be ?? she may even morph in to a tri-sexual, pituitary dwarf, transgender lesbian, with one eye, and unknown, unmarried, mixed race parentage.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

J G Wray — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 08:44:07 GMT

Ambrose Bierce was an interesting fellow. He wrote the Unabridged Devil's Dictionary, which is easily the equal of the work of other 19th Century wits and satirists. He was a Union soldier in the Civil War unlike Mark Twain, who deserted from the Confederate Army. Unlike Twain however, he did not write The Great American Novel.

Also, unlike Twain, he thought homeopathy bunkum.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Virginia Campbell — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 00:15:07 GMT

[quote user="Judith Archbold"]Dr Who is a TimeLord in male form and should have always have remained so. [/quote]

Should have tangented, cba.

There didn't used to be female vets, but now there are, so why not female forms of self regenerating time travelling thousand year old alien beings? Is a penis really necessary for the character?

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Beats — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 21:14:23 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]no good quality trial has ever been able to show an effect beyond placebo. [/quote]

w.r.t. clinical trials of a treatment: if there is no good quality trial for something you believe to work to have shown an effect beyond placebo, then that generally reflects a lack of such trials being performed, or potentially extreme bad luck. This is a different point to a good quality trial showing something is unlikely to work, that you don't expect to work.

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"] if you are going to argue that an ultra-dilution of something like brick dust, or clingfilm, or Berlin Wall, or condom (all of which are homeopathic remedies) can treat anything[/quote]

... then your problem is with a priori probability, not the results of a clinical trial into any such treatment. Experimental science is neither needed, nor appropriate, to argue that an ultradilution of brick dust, clingfilm, Berlin Wall or condom can treat anything.

EDIT: I was typing this post when I started reading more about homeopathy on internet... I rapidly lost interest as it is clearly daft. I was trying to get to the bottom of whether ASIT counts as homeopathy or not (I thought it had under the obvious dictionary definitions but now doubt it), I now understand that homeopathy is way more jargon-rich than I have the will to delve into given it's clearly claptrap over-arching concept and am happy to accept from now on that it is "scientifically disproven" (though would not necessarily agree that modern experimental clinical trials are necessary, nor indeed appropriate, means to reach that conclusion) without caring to know precisely what it is. As this has been a thorough waste of mine (and anyone else's still reading this post!) time, I promise that this is the final post I will ever make on the subject of homeopathy (and in this thread) and am happy to accept that it may remain a joke I don't get!

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

J G Wray — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 08:20:31 GMT

Does no one know this?

HOMOEOPATHIST, n. The humorist of the medical profession.

Ambrose Bierce

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Niall Taylor — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 20:07:52 GMT

[quote user="George Cooper"]... if you can, then you should DO something about it.[/quote]

I (and others) are (or possibly ARE) trying to do someting about it, and what we are trying to do is not helped by politically correct notions of 'respect' for and 'collegiality' towards those who a/ are doing harm to their patients by practicing pseudomedicine and b/ operating with the utter conviction of the true believer rather than with any scientific credibility while doing so.

[quote user="George Cooper"]... the need to apply the chill factor for self preservation still applies.[/quote]

With all due respect, I am quite happy to decide for myself what constitutes 'self preservation'. I do appreciate your concern but really, I'm 59 years old in August, I've been working as a professional since 1982 and have owned my own business for the last quarter of a century. I'm fine, honestly

Niall

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Niall Taylor — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 19:46:02 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]I still like to dance at a good 'disco'[/quote]

Shudder...

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:34:55 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]...in due course the music was taken over by the horrors of "disco" and the awful Bee Gees.[/quote]Can't disagree with that but I still like to dance at a good 'disco'.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:12:53 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"] Most children outside the church choir know far worse swear words than f***, in fact I'm sure most in it do and use it in everyday speech. [/quote]

But you and I are not children, are we?

I'm well aware that casual foul language is becoming what columnists call "the norm" and I hear that word dozens of times a day as the chavs wander up and down the Ffordd Mawr and pass my house. I have mingled with soldiers and still do with many ex-servicemen, so I'm familiar with the military style (insert f*** every third word), but the interesting thing is that ex-servicemen know how to behave: they might effing use the effing word every effing time they open their effing mouths when effing amongst them effing selves, but they won't swear at all in other company.

The idea that foul language is just amusing is a pretension of the preening chatterati, oh we're so clever saying f*** and c**t and s*d aren't we, we've thrown off those shackles of polite behaviour. Yes, that began in the Sixties too, with people like Kenneth Tynan. The first time the word "F***" was uttered on the broadcast meeja was from the mouth of Tynan in a poncy oh-so-intellectual television programme called "Late Night Lineup" which went out live after midnight; I saw that very edition because I really fancied myself as one of the intelligentsia then. I well remember also another edition in which Tom Courtenay gave the most devastating put-down (well-deserved) to silly Joan Bakewell, the thinking man's crumpet.

The Sixties (which really only lasted from 1962 to 1968) were great. But if you were born 1951 or later, you were too young to have got the experience.

Then the drugs and the crime and the greed and the general nastiness of excess dressed up as "permissiveness" brought it all down and in due course the music was taken over by the horrors of "disco" and the awful Bee Gees.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Bob Russell — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:48:21 GMT

But just as funny (perhaps more so) to use f**k and little chance of upsetting anybody. It is a really good T shirt but I would not dream of wearing the uncensored version however true it is!

Some people do get offended by such words, spoken or written, so why use it?

Just because certain words have lost much of their previous shock value does not mean a professional person should be happy with it emblazoned on a T shirt.

I am far, far more offended by my expanded waist line than I am by wording on a T shirt though!

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:27:24 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]A small minority of people who don't think it's either funny or clever for a grown man to wear a T-shirt with an extremely offensive word on it in a public place. A public place where ladies and children were present.[/quote]Everyone who has seen that T-shirt has split themselves laughing, 'ladies' included, even a homeopath. Most children outside the church choir know far worse swear words than f***, in fact I'm sure most in it do and use it in everyday speech.

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]Oh, and you're on dangerous ground if you try to quote Bob Dylan at me. "Ah but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."[/quote]OK I concede on that point.

But honestly you need to lighten up man.

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 14:04:40 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"] I think you'll find you're in a small minority Evelyn.[/quote]

A small minority of people who don't think it's either funny or clever for a grown man to wear a T-shirt with an extremely offensive word on it in a public place. A public place where ladies and children were present. OK, if I'm in a small minority (your evidence, or just your arrogant assertion?) I'll stay there with pride.

Don't lecture me about the Sixties, I was there. It was a great time to be young, while it lasted. It all ended in violence and filth (Woodstock and Altamont, compare and contrast) and was followed by the unpleasant Seventies.

Oh, and you're on dangerous ground if you try to quote Bob Dylan at me. "Ah but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

George Cooper — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 12:42:15 GMT

Hey - I gotta poke my keyboard in here (specially after Arlo's post! which it toooo long to quote). You guys, almost unanimously have NOT grabbed what I am actually talking about.

I am NOT supporting homeostuff; I am NOT saying anything about chilling and letting dangerous and evil ways go by........

What I AM saying is that our physiological/mental/irascible response is largely spent energy to no effect other than affecting YOU. And from that follows the thought that if you can, then you should DO something about it.

The fact that, in this instance it is homeoH2O that has instigated the thread, is actually vanishingly small in the cod-philosophy I spoke about. Take the H word out of it and apply it to anything else that irritates (mmmm - Cooper, perhaps??) and the need to apply the chill factor for self preservation still applies.

Just saying'.... feels i'm getting a pointy press here!!

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 12:12:42 GMT

[quote user="George Cooper"]

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

[quote user="George Cooper"]Why get so worked up about all this? That lady has found peace of mind following her beliefs, and both her dogs are now well. Where's the problem?[/quote]

Well, that next time she might decide, since it has 'worked so well' on her dog's skin, to try using it on her own, or her child's cancer instead of all those nasty chemicals those doctors use

Serious question now, honestly not getting at you or anyone else - do you really think because her dogs are well and the lady is happy that there is no problem with this? Or are you playing devil's advocate - I'm often not very good at detecting the nuances, please excuse me.

Niall

[/quote]

Hi Niall, and here's a serious answer. Of COURSE i see the problems with the use of ineffective "medication" a d the potential that the whole thing has of inflicting ignorant treatment/non-treatment has on our patients. I exist solely to help animals - AND their owners - in being "well".

I also have respect for people and their beliefs, whatever they may be in whatever situation, and I do wonder what gives anyone the "right" to force THEIR beliefs on others.

Just because we, as scientists, are locked into one tramline, it does not mean that we are necessarily correct. One merely has to look at the number of times something was a serious no-no one year suddenly becomes the yes-yes the following. There is SO MUCH that we do not understand.

My point in answering the post that i did, was less about denigrating homeopathy and more about how WE REACT to something that goes against OUR beliefs/knowledge. Simply railing against things achieves nothing other than our blood pressure rising - and if we feel REALLY aggravated then we should be DOING something. (and yes I am aware of the letters and action being carried out at the moment - and I applaud it.....similar in a way to me raising awareness of less-than-acceptible teaching at a vet school....)

[/quote] Not about forcing our views on others - but about a duty of challenging nonsense that is harmful to our patient.s

RE: Humour and Homeopathy

Niall Taylor — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 09:59:20 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"] this lady, and others like her, WILL go out into the world and tell everyone who will listen that 'homeopathy works', which both perpetuates, wrongly, the idea that it might and devalues science and medicine and veterinary medicine[/quote]

Quite - it's all very well respecting people's beliefs but not when doing so harms people and animals.

Niall