Comments on: He’s Back!

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 17:35:25 +0000

Really now, is not cold fusion beating a dead horse? As modern society becomes increasingly anxious about the dire circumstances surrounding the dwindling fossil fuel supply, false claims regarding viable alternatives to fossill fuels - such as cold fusion - will continue to be broadcasted by the media/Wallstreet with glowing expressions of optimism. As long as the media gives economist - with a “myopia to science” - biased airtime proclaiming that the all mighty God of Capitalism will come to our rescue showering us with a bounty of alterative fuel products, society will continue to be lulled into complacency regarding this most pressing issue facing civilization. As long as economist with “marketplace mantras” continue to shape the public mindset, the public will continue to embrace this blind faith in laissez-faire. These economists, in effect, argue that the free market is the most efficient vehicle to use in order to tackle the world’s fuel conundrum. In turn, the gullible consumer will become deceived into buying these “pie-in-the-sky” alteratives to fossil fuels. Unless a significant breakthrough in scientific discovery emerges capable of harnessing Maxwell Demons to outwit thermodynamics, I will continue to remain skeptical of any magic bullets which are capable of substantially offsetting our hunger for hydrocarbons. In close, our consumer-driven society needs to wake-up to the following stark reality: the natural laws of thermodynamics continue to usurp the economic principles of supply and demand. Now I will descend from my soapbox.

By: PK

PK — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 08:49:25 +0000

See, that wasn’t so hard…

By: Frumious B.

Frumious B. — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 05:18:16 +0000

Well, PK, just how much time do you have? And how much hijacking of threads on someone else’s blog do you want me to do? I learn about a new acupunture study probably every other week.

Why don’t you start here.

By: Count Iblis

Count Iblis — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 22:48:05 +0000

Dr. Fleischmann should focus on the alternative medicines market. There is a big market for drugs that don’t work. Most vitamine supplements don’t work. Most homeopathic drugs don’t work.

So, why not sell pills containing trace amounts of palladium that will cause fusion reactions in the body and kill harmful bacteria.

By: PK

PK — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 22:03:49 +0000

Frumious B, can you give references to those studies? Otherwise it is just “he says, she says”…

By: Frumious B.

Frumious B. — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 18:56:40 +0000

For the record, there have been double-blind studies confirming the efficacy of some forms of TCM acupuncture.

There have been a whole lot more showing that it doesn’t. Generally the studies which show an effect are small and poorly run. As sample sizes get larger and experiment design improves, the signal goes away. The only conditions which repeatably show a positive effect from acupuncture are highly suggestable conditons such as pain and nausea, which suggests a placebo mechanism.

(asking more than that is unreasonable; saying ‘prove acupuncture works!’ is like saying ‘prove surgery works!’)

Nonsense. The hypothesis underlying the practice of acupuncture is a vitalistic in nature and does not acknowledge modern medical knowledge such as, say, germ theory. It makes very specific testable claims, none of which have panned out. No meridians have been found; no life force has been detected.

Surgery, on the other hand, relies on the easily confirmed theory that there are bones and organs inside the human body which are somtimes indicated for a physical change.

And there’s also the Westernized version practiced in virtually every physiotherapy clinic on the continent.

Define Westernized version. And what of it?

By: robert

robert — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 18:22:04 +0000

Caveat emptor

By: bittergradstudent

bittergradstudent — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:54:18 +0000

Speaking of weird theories trying to get cash out of investors and the government, some might be interested in this, a company which claims to be able to generate electricity by forcing a transition between the standard 13.6 eV level of a hydrogen atom to a supposed “lower” energy level called the Hydrino (warning: wikipedia article is a bit frustrating). Anyway, it’s bizarre, insane, and somehow, really captivating to read this guy’s nonsense about how all 20th century physics is “wrong”

By: Sean C.

Sean C. — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:32:41 +0000

For the record, there have been double-blind studies confirming the efficacy of some forms of TCM acupuncture. (asking more than that is unreasonable; saying ‘prove acupuncture works!’ is like saying ‘prove surgery works!’)

And there’s also the Westernized version practiced in virtually every physiotherapy clinic on the continent.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:25:21 +0000

One should indeed have such sympthy Robert - I agree. However, it runs a little thin when one then lends one’s name to a scam like this.