I Speak of Dreams

The shortlived PepsiGeddon Affair at ScienceBlogs

Update 7/20/2010 I was totally wrong about "shortlived". See PepsiGeddon goes Nuclear

ScienceBlogs made a major strategic error last week.  I think Abel Pharmboy (Terra Sigillata)  described it best.  Bora (A Blog Around the Clock) has a linkfest of all that was said and decisions made.  David Colquhoun  takes the position that science bloggers should be not be paid to blog. 

In the comments, I explain why I disagree.

I Have a Confession

I'm a pretty hard-nosed skeptic.

The confession part: I clean my house based in part on a Wiccan -- well, recipe I suppose.

Water, a few grains of salt, and a few drops of essential oil (lavender, gardenia, rosemary or others, depending on my mood).

Wring a cloth out until it is just damp and mop the floor.

The salt is sea salt from Hawaii, a place I love.

I don't do this for any magical reasons.  It makes the house smell good, and me more likely to mop the floor.

DSM-V brouhaha

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)  is up for revision.  The proposed revisions have generated a good deal of controversy.

Some autism advocates want autism out of the DSM entirely, on the ground that it is not "a mental illness".  This to me is a naive view.

Allen Frances MD was chair of the DSM-IV Task Force and of the department of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC. He is currently professor emeritus at Duke.

He is writing a blog for Psychology Today on the DSM-V controversies, DSM-V in Distress.

Posts of interest to me (and I hope, readers of this blog):

• A history of the DSM-V controversy
• How psychologists can help correct DSM-V
• DSM-V Goes too far in creating new mental disorders
• DSM-V will expand the 'epidemic' of ADHD
• Will DSM-V contain or worsen the 'epidemic" of autism?
• DSM-V will loosen criteria for adult ADHD
• Advice for DSM-V: Don't devalue the NOS categories
• Psychiatric fads, overdiagnosis, and 'epidemics'

Seclusions, restraints, and "therapeutic holding" -- thoughts from Jean Mercer

Death Goes to School | Psychology Today. "Seclusions and Restraints: Selected Cases of Death and Abuse at Public and Private Schools and Treatment Centers". If you've been reading about the horrors of the Irish reform schools in the past, this report will make you aware that we in the United States are doing just as badly, and what's more we're doing it right now.

Death Goes to School -- Part 2

A clue giving a partial explanation of all these adult actions may be found in the term "therapeutic holding". A small number of articles in professional journals have used this term. They use the expression "therapeutic holding" in claiming that children receive psychotherapeutic benefits from being physically restrained when agitated and having the restraint continue for a period of time afterward. However, there is no research supporting this claim. In articles where authors have cited empirical research as supporting the idea of therapeutic holding, many of the articles cited have actually been about "holding therapy", a different, though equally disturbing, technique which I will discuss in a later blog. It is possible that some school administrators or staff have come across references to therapeutic holding, have failed to understand the lack of evidence for its usefulness, and have employed their limited knowledge in making decisions about teachers' restraint practices.

But why would anyone at any time have thought of physical restraint as a form of treatment for emotional disturbance and "misbehavior"? Of course, restraint and various forms of asphyxiation have long been favored by torturers, as they create enormous pain and terror in the victim but are reversible (if the asphyxia is not allowed to go too far). I need not comment on our present national discussion of this matter. I should also note that restraints in the form of strait jackets and "wet packs" (immobilization by wrapping in wet sheets) were very much part of psychiatricdrugs. These methods were not simply a matter of maintaining physical control of patients, but were thought to calm agitation.

treatment before the development of tranquilizing

More Legal Thuggery: Jean Mercer

Jean Mercer  was sued in small claims court by Ronald Federici, a clinical psychologist who practices in another state.  The basis for the suit was Mercer's writings  critical of the other psychologist's approach to treating "attachment disordered" children.   She won the suit.  The complainant is appealing.

Some relevant posts:

• First amendment rights of therapists
• Ronald Federici loses three lawsuits: victory for academic freedom and internet free speech
• A survivor under attack
• Holding therapy and autism (Mercer's critique)
• Fatal misunderstandings about Reactive Attachment Disorder
• The real website of Advocates for Children in Therapy
• The PoundPups site about Federici's attacks
• A history of Federici's attacks on Advocates for Children in Therapy
• The Tibbets Case: Jean Mercer 
• The Vasquez Case
• Dynamics of the Detractor State June 14 2009
• Origins of "holding therapy"  (May 22 2009)
• Early trauma, later disturbed behavior (on Reactive Attachment Disorder)

Bill Ahern: The Radical Behaviorist

One of the blogs I read regularly is at Psychology Today: Bill Ahern's A Radical Behaviorist.

Particular favorites:

• Do all children learn with the same teaching procedures?
• Pre-requisites for children to learn from video modeling
• Repetitive Behavior: to redirect or not to redirect?
• Torture or Treatment?
• Is Restraint always abuse?

As you can see, Bill writes about tough subjects.

Doctor's Data: I think a little google bombing is in oder

A friend mentioned that I forgot to say what this is all about. Main post is Health Consumer Activist Group Subject to Legal Threats -- Send Help

Details: Doctor's Data, a lab that caters to chelation therapists, has sued Dr. Stephen Barrett. [Barrett S. Why Doctor's Data is trying to muzzle me. Quackwatch, July, 2010]. http://www.quackwatch.org/14Legal/dd_suit.html

The suit is primarily concerned about Barrett's article, "How the urine toxic metals test is used to defraud patients," which describes how chelationists mislead patients into believing that they need treatment for heavy metal toxicity. [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Tests/urine_toxic.html]

The heart of the deception is "provoked" testing, in which the practitioner administers a chelating agent before the urine specimen is obtained. This artificially raises the levels of lead, mercury, and/or other heavy metals in the urine. The test report states that its "reference values" are for non-provoked specimens. However, if a provoked test level exceeds the reference values-which it usually does-it is reported as "elevated," even though it should not be considered significant. Dr. Barrett's article also tabulates disciplinary actions, court decisions, and lawsuits related to provoked testing.

Doctor's Data is asking for damages exceeding $10 million and a sweeping injunction against further criticism. Although it is unlikely to prevail, defending against the lawsuit could be costly. Contributions to Barrett's defense fund can be made through the Quackwatch donations page: http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/donations.html

Those who support Barrett (updated silently as I find them)

1. June 30 2010 Orac More Legal Thuggery Against A Defender of Science-Based Medicine Doctor's Data
2. June 30 2010  Stavros Isaiadis More Libel Lawsuits instead of Scientific Debate Journey Through A Burning Mind Doctor's Data
3. June 30 2010 Barbara Drescher Quackwatcher Dr. Steve Barrett Is Under Attack Woo Fighters Doctor's Data and Doctor's Data
4. June 30 2010 Monica Pignotti Science Based Medicine Blog on Legal Thuggery Potential Harmful and Other Questionable Therapies Doctor's Data
5. June 30 2010 Todd W. Doctor's Data Inc. Uses Legal Threat to Silence Criticism Silenced by Age of Autism Doctor's Data
6. June 30 2010 Skepacabra News from Around the Blogosphere Doctor's Data
7. June 30 2010 Kim Wombles Supporting Skeptics Who Speak Up Countering Age of Autism Doctor's Data
8. June 30 2010 The Ashartus Files  Attacks on Scientists The Ashartus Files Doctor's Data
9. June 30 2010 Glenn Reynolds Threatening Bloggers is Generally a Bad Idea Instapundit Doctor's Data
10. June 30 2010 Peter Trzeciak Legal Trouble Again -- Spreading the News Pete's Wicked Blog Doctor's Data
11.  July 1 2010 Mike Masnick Quackwatch Sued for Suggesting Medical Lab Quackery Techdirt Doctor's Data
12. July 1 2010 Derek Lowe "Doctor's Data": Telling the Truth and Getting Sued for It In the Pipeline (Corante) Doctor's Data
13. July 1 2010 John Pieret This Could Take A While Thoughts in a Haystack Doctor's Data
14. July 1 2010 John Pieret The DDI DDDidn't Thoughts in a Haystack Doctor's Data
15. July 1 2010 Jack of Kent US libel suit against Quackwatch Jack of Kent Doctor's Data
16. July 1 2010 Landon Ross Quackwatch Sued by Quacks The Rational Ape Doctor's Data
17. July 1 2010 Ian Musgrave  Anti-Science Bullies At It Again Doctor's Data
18. July 1 2010 Timothy Sandefur Quackwatch needs your help The Panda's Thumb Doctor's Data
19. July 1 2010 Anonymous Coward Chelation Therapy Quack sues Quackwatch Bayblab Doctor's Data
20. July 1 2010 Cujo359 Medical Quackery Meets Legal Quackery Slobber and Spittle Doctor's Data
21. July 1 2010 Dana Hunter The Legal Jackboot En Tequila Es Verdad Doctor's Data
22. July 1 2010 Brad Evans The Streisand Effect? I hope so  Blue Horizons Doctor's Data
23. July 1 2010 Reddit thread on the case Doctor's Data
24. July 1 Robert Carroll Skeptic's Dictionary Quackwatch Doc Sued for $10 Million Doctor's Data
25. July 1 Acagle ArcheoBlog How Not to Sweep An Enemy Under the Rug Doctor's Data
26. July 2 2010 Health Care Renewal Quackwatch being sued by "Doctor's Data", a laboratory that caters to chelation therapists  Health Care Renewal Doctor's Data
27. July 3 2010 The Lucky Atheist Spread the Word: Quacks Sue Skeptic  Doctor's Data
28. July 3 2010 Hemant Mehta Science Defender Gets Sued by Doctor's Data The Friendly Atheist Doctor's Data
29. July 4 2010 PZ Myers Attempted Intimidation by a Quack Pharyngula Doctor's Data
30. July 4 2010 Horse Goes West Intimidation Fail Horse Goes West Doctor's Data
31. July 4 2010 Bing McGhandi Doctor's Data: Litigious F^ckwits Suing Quackwatch Happy Jihad's House of Pancakes Doctor's Data
32. July 4 2010 Michael Hawkins Doctor's Data is a Fraud For the Sake of Science Doctor's Data
33. July 4 2010 Peter Bowditch Doctor's Data Millenium Project Doctor's Data
34. July 4 2010 Mike Stanton Doctor's Data Sues Quackwatch Action for Autism Doctor's Data
35. July 5 2010 MediaWatchWatch Doctor's Data Doctors Data (UK) Doctor's Data
36. July 5 2010 Walter Olson Lab sues Stephen Barrett (Quackwatch) Doctor's DataOverLawyered
37. July 6 2010 Cohen Stephen Barrett von Betrügern verklagt Doctor's Data Esowatch (in German, thanks Cohen)
38. July 6 2010 Kimball Attwood, Doctor's Data sues Quackwatch Doctor's Data Science-Based Medicine
39. July 6 2010 Skeptico Doctor's Data Sues Quackwatch Doctor's Data Skeptico
40. July 6 2010  Beatis Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch Sued by Doctor's Data Doctor's Data Anaximperator
41. July 6 2010 PalMD Quackbusting is Dangerous Work  Doctor's Data White Coat Underground
42. July 6 2010 Paul Ingraham More Legal Bullying Must Be Met With Public Outcry Doctor's Data Save Yourself.ca
43. July 6 2010 Scott Gavura Defencer of Science-Based Medicine Sued Doctor's Data Science-Based Pharmacy
44. July 7 2010 Le Canard Noir Doctor's Data The Quackometer
45. July 8 2010 Paul Bradshaw Quackwatch blog sued by Doctor's Data Doctor's Data Online Journalism Blog

ParentDish Lets Appalling Comments Stand

ParentDish, which is an AOL enterprise, ran a story on the JJudge Rotenberg Center Evidently, they do not monitor comments, allowing many that recommend killing children with severe or profound disabilities.

Click on each image to see full size

http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/un-accuses-massachusetts-special-education-school-of-torture/2#c29048494

http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/un-accuses-massachusetts-special-education-school-of-torture/3#c29048362

http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/un-accuses-massachusetts-special-education-school-of-torture/4#c29049646

next

http://www.parentdish.com/2010/07/02/un-accuses-massachusetts-special-education-school-of-torture/5#c29050396

This one seems to have been taken down

 

This one is still up, but numbered 120 rather than 118

Our National Anthem & Our Pledge: Time to Change?

Before we talk about changing the National Anthem, please listen to this:

A reprise from 2009

On 4th of July, [2009]  Jesse Walker at Reason asked the perennial question: what would you suggest for  Alternative Anthems? . Today, I'd vote for This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land.

I'm fond of the 1986 Los Lobos / Bob Weir / Gerry Garcia version on YouTube, and Arlo Guthrie & friends singing verses (also on Youtube).

Here it is sung in a choral version by a high-school choir (YouTube) -- poor acoustics and I am not wild about the choral arrangement.

Here's a herd of preschoolers (or kindergarteners) singing (YouTube)

And 1,803 guitarists and singers ( YouTube -- sorry, the audio is terrible)

Here's a concert-hall version from the gospel group the Talley Trio (YouTube)

On to replacing the Pledge of Allegiance, which only dates back to 1892, and the "under God" phrase was only officially added in 1952.  Shannon Love at the Chicago Boyz suggests replacing the Pledge with a recitation of the Preamble:

We hold these truths to be self-evident,

that all men are created equal,

that they are endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable Rights,

that among these are

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights,

Governments are instituted among Men,

deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

So say we all!

One of her commenters suggests The American's Creed:

by William Tyler Page

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

–Written 1917, accepted by the United States House of Representatives on April 3, 1918.

Health Consumer Activist Group Subject to Legal Threats -- Send Help

Update: Also see Doctor's Data: I think A litte Google Bombing Is In Order

The very, very short version: an independent health-care-fraud muckraking association is being intimidated, via a law suit with a $10 million dollar claim.   The suit has been filed on behalf of a for-profit laboratory that does millions of dollars of business providing tests that enable quack  or questionable "therapies" for heart disease, autism, and other conditions.

The for-profit laboratory has deep pockets and has associates with even deeper pockets.

If you want to support health-care-fraud muckraking, go here to donate.  If you are a skeptic or dislike legal bullying, you should donate.

The longer and detailed version is below the fold.