Chronology of a Cold

Day 1: You feel like you're coming down with something.
Day 2: You definitely have a cold.
Day 3: You feel like you're gonna die.
Day 4: You wish you'd just hurry up and die already.
Day 5: You realize you're not going to die.
Day 6: You start feeling better.
Day 7: You're mostly better.
Day 8: Back in the pink of health.

Currently working on Day 5.....

I love it when I guess right

Back in May, conservative blogger Deborah Gyapong (who in RL lives fairly close to me) posted a bit of hysterical granny spam in opposition to Bill C-51 (for non-Canadians: tightens up regulations governing Natural Health Products, which currently occupy a middle position between foods and full-blown pharmaceuticals). I replied with a comment referring her to Barry Green's informative series of articles on the Ottawa Skeptics site. Along the way, I tossed in a speculation of my own:

....has it occurred to you that it might be astro-turf from the NHP industry?

I haven't been following the issue that closely, so it was only recently I discovered that, a few days after I posted that comment, it turns out that my guess was right. The anti-C51 campaign seems to originate from the website stopc51.com, which makes hysterical claims such as....well, the ones found in that granny spam. Claims which are outrageous enough that they should automatically set off any thoughtful person's bogosity alarm (giving garlic to your child as a home remedy can get you arrested?!).

StopC51 is owned by a certain Mr. Ian Stewart. And what does Mr. Stewart do in his day job? He runs a mail-order supplement company called Truehope Nutritional Support Ltd. (in fact the contact phone number for StopC51 goes to the Truehope offices). Truehope sells a rather expensive multi-vitamin supplement known as EMPower, which is claimed to treat all sorts of psychological or neurological problems from mood disorders to Tourette Syndrome -- unproven health claims which have gotten them in trouble with Health Canada in the past.

The gory details are in the eSkeptic article, so I won't repeat them here. Suffice it to say that Stewart is one who cannot even live within the NHP regulations as they currently exist -- so it's no wonder he's dead against any increased restriction in those regs. There may be legitimate criticisms to be made about C51 (there always are, for any complex piece of legislation). There may even be merit to having a larger philosophical argument about the extent to which the government should protect consumers from questionable product claims vs. taking a caveat emptor approach.

But you're not going to get any of that by listening to a manufactured panic emanating from an obvious snake-oil salesman.

Woo far and near

Princess Martha Louise of Norway believes she can read people's feelings and talk to angels. She has also opened the "Astarte Education Centre" (page is in Norwegian and I can't find an online translator) to promote alternative therapies. Fortunately for Norway, she's only fourth in line to the throne. At least she's not the heir apparent, unlike a certain well-known New-Ager and alt-med fan who is first in line to become titular Head of State of my country.

It's enough to make one become an anti-monarchist - until I look south and realize that electing one's HoS doesn't necessarily provide much quality assurance.

Much closer to home: a couple in Quebec are refusing chemotherapy for their 3yo son who has cancer of the brain and bone marrow, opting instead to feed him organic vegetables. Organic veggies are great (provided you understand the nutritional values -- like having beans with your cereal to complete the protein), but they're not a substitute for chemo. Regular readers of Respectful Insolence have seen Orac take on cancer alt-therapy woo before (specifically the Cherrix and Wernecke cases). I can almost see his lights blinking in medical indignation from here.....

Technorati picks up a link to the story from Be Lambic or Green (which appears to be written by a British ex-pat currently living in Montreal). What I find noteworthy is the very first comment -- posted a mere two hours after the original post -- making the predictable accusation that the blogger is a doctor in the pay of Big Pharma (a few mouse-clicks would have revealed that he is, in fact, a computer guy).

I'm jealous, though -- what do I have to do to attract some good cranks? That's what this blog really needs!