tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25206081.post6600536316279497051..comments2024-02-05T04:09:55.009-08:00Comments on Maya's corner: I support EU ban on non-evidence-based medicineMaya Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10877457709995369246noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25206081.post-76664143049856627222011-06-23T02:11:39.989-07:002011-06-23T02:11:39.989-07:00I am recent Avaaz "slacktivist" :-), and...I am recent Avaaz "slacktivist" :-), and I am dismayed by this petition. <br /><br />I think that for contentious issues like these Avaaz should perhaps consider have a petition both ways (for and against in this case). <br /><br />I sent them a message via their contact page suggesting this. Perhaps do the same?<br /><br />http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact/FreeRadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05047368708403923958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25206081.post-65461299850681919962011-05-03T04:09:13.440-07:002011-05-03T04:09:13.440-07:00One more thing. I recently stumbled across the fol...One more thing. I recently stumbled across the following website: http://whatstheharm.net/ There's no shortage of examples of the harm that alternative medicine can cause. Just some food for thought for the undecided readers.Murlihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16916016172635117346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25206081.post-43087708187911330912011-05-03T03:48:26.221-07:002011-05-03T03:48:26.221-07:00Fortunately the directive has passed. If herbal me...Fortunately the directive has passed. If herbal medicine was all that reliable, it would simply be called medicine.<br /><br />I've been a huge supporter of Avaaz for almost a year now, despite people dismissing their petitions as "slacktivism". When it comes to things like supporting the Egyptian uprising, campaigning against corrective rape, stoning, corruption, censorship, etc., I'm all for it. But this particular e-mail caused me to raise an eyebrow. It's quite unnerving that an influential organization like this can be so misguided as to pull together their resources in support of quacks and frauds. This probably explains it:<br /><br />"They [Avaaz] also monitor constantly online statistics that reveal which campaigns are attracting most interest among members, enabling the membership itself to chose [sic] the network's focus. 'Democratic accountability is hard-wired into the way we work. Each campaign is only as successful as the number of people who choose to join it,' Patel says." Source: http://tinyurl.com/5scpyjx<br /><br />The people have spoken, except when it comes to science, they're usually not the best judges of what's legitimate and what's not. And when it becomes a matter of public policy, the consequences can be pretty ridiculous. This is yet another example of the urgent need of promoting scientific literacy among people.Murlihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16916016172635117346noreply@blogger.com