Cheers.

One of the best explanations of ‘fair tests’ is Evans, Thornton and Chalmers’ Testing Treatments (available for free download). We strongly recommend this generalist and entertaining book to interested parties as it explains all the ins-and-outs of what makes a fair test and why it is important to run trials.

And, of course, there are strong rumours that Ben Goldacre’s book, Bad Science will be available from all good booksellers in the near future and that it will be chock full of pertinent explanations.

Re Wulfstan’s link to that Quackometer comment thread: Invisible friends. Appeals to Authority. Unsubstantiated claims. Wow.

Incidentally, the final comment on that thread (from ‘anonymous’ rather than ‘bagsus’) is incredible – including mentions of: bloodthirstiness, pure filth, libel, and the hope that “someone will find the time to bother to sue your asses again and again”. Hm, not sure whether I meant ‘incredible’. Perhaps ‘ridiculous’ is a better description of that comment. Cheers for that linky Wulfstan.

@Wulfstan, pleased to hear that it was novel for you.

Despite your strictures on the originality or thought processes of others, your own comments aren’t improving, Bagsus, are they? Weren’t you recently saying how you thought that the crystal skulls were genuine until you saw a TV documentary?

I would not be too surprised if some of the material is new to some people (it was to me). Plus, almost nothing to do with homeopathy is new and yet that is still a matter of interest to some.