Sterling Silver

---------------------------

"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?"

"You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want.  The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games."

"I’m just saying, in your lousy fucking Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people." 

"Don't put [Magic Johnson] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me.  And don't bring him to my games."

~soon to be former LA Clippers Owner, Donald Sterling

---------------------------

BTW, just so there is no confusion, I did not feel it necessary in my video to specifically condemn Sterling's remarks. That was not actually relevant to my overall point, and at this point is hardly necessary as so many people far greater than myself have already come down on him, hard, and rightfully so.

Obviously the remarks are despicable.  That should go without saying.

I had a kind of different take on the whole thing though, that was at once both cynical and optimistic. And THAT'S what I wanted to talk about here.

A new direction for the blog, and "small government"

...And since my YouTube skills are obviously lacking, here are the two "blink and you'll miss them" graphs that I referred to (and briefly showed) in the video:

And here are the sources for this information (note that Kos in turn has linked to HIS sources!):

Epidemic of GOPer virus will kill thousands in red states
The real IRS scandal that's costing Uncle Sam trillions

This guy's work is AMAZING

Nothing political this time.

Just wanted to share the website of an artist who makes custom toys based on children's drawings. OMFG, so cute... absolutely amazing.

Kicks you in the feels...

In only have two words for everyone who doesn't support gay marriage...

1) Fuck
2) You

A Cracked article EVERYONE should read

Here's something EVERYONE should read.

And AFTER reading that, to anyone who wants to throw around the "Obama's a Nazi" (or BUSH, for that matter!) or "Eddie's a Communist" or whatever...

To anyone who wants to throw those terms around lightly, let me give you a hearty FUCK. YOU.

When we actually start exterminating people (*ahem* gays) or start siezing property whole cloth (as opposed to the Right's bed-wetting about a 1% tax increase on the top 1%'ers) then FINE, there are Nazi's and Communists amoung us.

But UNTIL then?

FUCK. YOU.

Government Welfare or Private Charity?

Conservatives HATE the very idea, the very notion of WELFARE.

Me? I hate, nay I DESPISE inefficiency and ineffective solutions.  And it is with that thought that I give you this:

And this though by the immortal Ricky Gervais:

Yeah... Now would anyone like to even ATTEMPT to tell me why we should prefer to do thing things the way we do?

When the best thing you can say about organized religion is that it is a highly inefficient way to deal with poverty? Yeah: I say it's high time we started taxing [the shit out of] it, just as we do with EVERY OTHER VICE.

Good day.

The kid who made this has a future in political cartooning...

Well done.

Another great article...

...from Cracked.

I found this particularly interesting having done the interview I did with Christine Smith.

One item in particular: The inclusion of Transgenderism in the DSM. While I still believe in the point of medical legitimacy, there were several aspects of that that I had never considered. And yeah... based on these, it probably needs to go.

That's right...

...just keep voting Republican, you brain-dead, inbred, red-necks!

They deserve every ounce of their self-inflicted pain.

But that's certainly no reason to infect them on the rest of the country!

Appalling

Great article:

Six ways America is like a 3rd world country.

Absolutely appalling.  But by all means, keep voting Republican. I'm sure they desire to do absolutely nothing is gong to fix everything.

Oh my god... So perfect...

This is so profound... Everything that is wrong with and everything that is right about the world in one, sublime 'strip:

Amen.

A great post...

I will give the following Cracked article the highest praise I possibly can, and say that,  "I'd wished I had written it!"

It's important. Read it. Digest it. Remember it. And live it!

This is important...

No one in America should work a forty hour week, for a company (such as McDonald's - the single largest employer of minimum wage workers) that makes over a Billions Dollars a year AFTER paying it's CEO nearly $14 Million Dollars, and not be able to afford to live.  And BTW...? McDonald's actually HELPS it's employees get public assistance! So... Here's a thought... If this company is so wildly successful that it can afford to TRIPLE it's CEO's salary from 2012 to 2013, despite a DROP in sales... Then why am I, the Taxpayer having to subsidize it's Labor costs? And I'm only using Mickey-D's as an example here, obviously the issue goes way beyond them, but...

1) If someone works 40+ Hours a week and still needs public assistance? The Minimum wage is too low. Period.

2) If the Company gets the taxpayer to subsidize their labor costs, and the STILL made less money? Then the CEO doesn't deserve to have his salary TRIPLED in one year. Period.

You want to know where the extra money will come from? Here's a thought: Lower your franchise fees, reduce the pay of ALL of the executives accordingly, and, if necessary, let the industry, as a whole, take a one-time hit and then start growing again, on a more sustainable path, without the taxpayer having to subsidize their labor costs. (And BTW? Raising the minimum wage will mean that McDonald's will sell more hamburgers, even at a slightly higher cost.) (DUH!)

The shareholder won't run. Not in the long-term.

And neither will the customers. If I have to pay 10 cents more for a Big Mac?  Well, that's WAY the fuck down there on the reasons I have not to eat a Big Mac!

And Conservatives? The next time I hear one of you cheap, greedy bastards say that you "honor hard work" or that you'll give an "honest day's pays for an honest day's work...?"

...I'm going to hit you in the head with a brick.

Cold outside...

Yeah... As goofy as it might seem to talk about Global Warming when it's 20 below? Saying. "So much for global warming" DOES still make you look like an idiot.

(Of course when it comes to "idiots," that old maxim, "it takes one to know one," is actually the opposite of the truth.) (Think about it... And then watch how the first person to argue that point will end up inadvertently proving it for me.)

Since I couldn't use a hyperlinked image, it's from  XKCD.

Cue the shivering climate change deniers in 3, 2, 1...

Been away too long...

WOW. How time flies! Looked at the blog today and noticed I haven't posted since JULY. And the main reason for that is just how busy I've been at work, as we move towards the launch of [our small part of] a new product - one you might have heard of. (Yeah, it's stressful a times, but it's also pretty cool some times as well.) Plus we've had a death in the family, trouble with my oldest son in school, family members in the hospital... You know, outside of my Red Sox winning the World Series (AGAIN, which feels so weird after waiting 30+ years to say it the first time!) 2013 is not a year that I will remember particularly fondly.

So far, 2014 is off to a much better start. And in all that time so has much happened that normally would have gotten me writing! I mean, there's been so much going on in the world, so much great stuff, so much bullshit... I wouldn't even know where to start... So I'm just going to leave it all for now. Yep: I'm not going to blog about ANYTHING of worldly or political significance today. Just a little post to let y'all know I'm still alive, just really busy. And to Conchobhar, and anyone else who's emailed me... obviously I'm really behind on my email as well - well over 1000 unopened in niceguy9418@usa.com's inbox, if you can believe - but I am (sort of) finally getting caught up, so please bear with me. But here's something, unrelated to anything, that I'd like to leave you with, because I just got back from Mexico last night, and I wanted to let you know how bad air travel has gotten. This was on the napkins that Delta was passing out with the complimentary cup of ice with a splash of Coke in it:

Now consider for a moment... Delta's big marketing push right now, one that they're bragging about to every customer on board, is that I can pay extra to "upgrade" to a seat that has as much extra legroom as can fit comfortably on a BAR NAPKIN, with ROOM TO SPARE!

 I don't know, maybe I have an over developed sense of irony but I found that comical.

 Hey: At least they're not Spirit Airlines (who I flew over Xmas, and will NEVER fly again) who not only charged me $40 for every checked bag (as opposed to the industry standard of $25) but wanted $35 dollars for each CARRY-ON bag! (You know... as opposed to the industry standard of FREE.) What's more, when I didn't pre-pay online for that, they wanted $100, per bag - checked and carry-on - at the ticket counter. To which I told them, "Fuck you," after which they gave me a "deal" and only charged me the "lower" price. To which I said, "Fuck you," again, pointing out that their fees are way out of line with those of the rest of their industry. I did pay that, for my family of FOUR, mind you, but also informed them that I would NEVER fly their airlines again because of their outrageous fees. And I won't. Ever again. Fuck Spirit. 

Just goes to show: when you're looking for "deals" with the airlines, always remember to add in the baggage fees! (And remember that on Southwest, BAGS FLY FREE!)

Another Old Friend...

Guess what, guys? I heard from our old friend, William “The Autopsychic” Johnson yesterday!

And apparently he’s feeling butt-hurt about the new comment settings, claiming some civil rights violation, or something… Well, here... I’ll post his email (just as I told him I would) and then put my response below it:

Re: Freedom of Speech Denied ... Expectedly

Eddie,

I see you are restricting your site to only those who give opinions that equal your own. I would expect nothing less from someone who is such a heterophobic and hater. Otherwise you would have let me post this under my previously allowed web site name. Way to support freedom of speech ... as long as it agrees with your own tweaked ideals.

my response to your hateful article:

"Did you realize that in 29 States it remaines(SIC) perfectly legal to fire someone for no other reason that(SIC) being Gay? Add another 5 where it's legal to fire someone for being Transgenered (SIC)."
Well, let's test your hypocrisy on sexual perversions: do you think it should be legal to fire someone for being a polygamist? Oh? You don't? But, yet you don't support that deviated lifestyle choice, do you? Well, I don't support the gay lifestyle choice and I don't think you should be fired for being gay either, but that isn't what the SC decided on, is it? You seem to be comparing apples to oranges in your rant about rights you think gays should get that heteros don't have. Because I don't think I've seen anything that gives marriage "rights" to heterosexuals, yet you demand those "rights" for gays and other sexual deviances (except polygamy). But, not to worry, though. Knowing you are a "progressive" fully explains the hypocrisy and hatred you hold towards others.

I think all the reasons you support and defend gay equality have been fully explained in relation to their equal standings of being perverted lifestyle CHOICES. When you can defend your heterophobia as a good thing and then refer to homophobia as a bad thing, you are being the hypocrite that all liberals are.

BTW, you DO know that if the SC would actually decide according to LAW and not their FEELINGS then the decision would NOT have gone the way you think it should have. But that's just the hypocrisy of your phobias at work there.

William

Wow. What a fucking drama queen, huh?

William: You flatter yourself. I have absolutely nothing to fear from you posting your opinion here. There has yet to be a single instance in which I’ve been worried that any remotely sensible person will read what I’ve posted, read what you’ve posted and then side with you. With you (and Anonymous, assuming that wasn’t also you) representing the voices of conservatism here, you (two?) have only ever made my job easier. So it is in keeping with both my principles AND my self-interest that your opinion is welcome here.

Now… You mentioned hypocrisy in your email. I’ll get the issue at hand in a moment, but I find it ironic that you would go that route in considering how the last time I heard from you, you accused me of “whining” and yet here I haven’t from you in months (almost a year?) and yet you start in with the melodrama from line one! Just sayin’ man, get over yourself. We’re just talking here.

And now to the issue at hand: Polygamy.

Um… I hate to burst your bubble and pretty much destroy your hypocrisy argument, but I have always maintained that I’m OK with anything going on between consenting adults, and YES, that included plural marriage. Now I’m going to cut off several lines of argument right up front...

I don’t want ANYONE to tell me about how this leads to MINORS being COERCED into these arrangements. The words “CONSENTING ADULTS” are 100% incompatible with “COERCED MINORS.” The OPPOSITE, in fact. I'm opposed to that which is COERSION, and NOT opposed to that which ISN'T. It's not that hard! Also, Will, you needn't bother going next to Bestiality, because “Consenting Adults” implies that they are HUMAN. In fact… CONSENT, in a LEGAL SENSE, already implies not only humanity, but ADULTS as well. Under most tenant of business and contract law, minors are not able to GIVE consent (hence statutory rape laws) and can withdraw it after the fact regardless (hence the need for an adult to co-sign most contracts signed by a minor.) And animals, obviously, cannot give consent in any legal sense, nor enter into contracts. So… Don’t be an idiot.

The only thing… THE. ONLY. THING… I would restrict with regards to plural marriage is the number of spouses (SPOUSES, not CHILDREN) that can be claimed as dependants for tax purposes. I’d keep that at ONE. Not to discriminate, but only to prevent some jackass from abusing the loophole and have 67 wives for “tax purposes.” And I would certainly be willing to entertain alternatves, if that seems "oppressive" to you. Aside for that? I have no problem with Polygamy. It’s not MY THING… ONE wife, darling though she may be, is MORE THAN ENOUGH for me on most days. I need another one like I need a case of bleeding hemorrhoids. But neither I nor anyone else is being harmed by the people involved, just as none are with same-sex marriage, and I see no “crime” being committed here. Neither is my thing, but I see no reason to prevent it.

It’s called, “F-R-E-E-D-O-M.” Maybe you’ve heard of it?

Also, you called me “heterophobic.” (Which, according to spell-check, isn’t even a word!) That’s a really odd accusation to make against a married man, with two children. None of what I support takes ANY of your rights or legal protections away, and none of what I support gives anything to anyone beyond EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW. And that’s something this IS at the heart and soul of America, our Constitution, and everything we stand for and the Supreme Court recognized that and ruled accordingly. Also, I’m not sure if you know how things work in this country, but the SCOTUS is under no obligation to uphold legislation passed by Congress, State Governments or Popular Referendum. Their raison deter is to judge the Constitutionality of these very laws! They’re one of those CHECKS AND BALANCES that maybe you’ve heard of? And while I have personally disagreed with many of the decisions made by the Rehnquist and Roberts court, as is both our perrogotives, I would never be so idiotic as to suggest that it was beyond their authority to MAKE those rulings! (As you seem to have done.)

The differecne between YOU and ME is that I want the SAME rights for EVERYONE. You don't. That doesn't make either of us a hypocrite, in and of itself. It just makes you an asshole.
And with regards to being my “heterophobic…” (which, according to spell-checker, isn't even a WORD!) Dude, seriously, I LOVE heterosexuality! Especially the part abpout having SEX WITH WOMEN. Aside from a slight preference for Lesbian over Strait pornography, I don’t see where you get the idea that I am in any way AGAINST heterosexuality. Even in THAT case, it is only because the sight of HUGE COCKS doesn’t really DO anything for me. And hey: I don’t judge… If YOU’RE really into BIG DICKS? That’s OK. It’s just not my thing. But to each their own.

At this point, there’s not really anywhere for you to go from here. (So watch: You’ll probably change the subject.) You could have wasted a lot less of both our time if you bothered to google “polygamy” in the search box on the left. You’d have seen that I’ve argued my position before. But then… Research never HAS been your strong suit. Now I’m going to switch gears here a little bit, because I originally responded to William via email, explaining why I changed the comment settings, and promising to post his email and respond to it publicly. (As I have now done.) Here is the response I received from him:

I've got a google account, and it didn't work. I think you don't intend to allow opposing opinions. It has been made apparent throughout. You are hateful towards anyone who isn't fully in agreement with your "opinion", and to say you would allow it is simply silly. Thanks for the attempted explanation for you hatred, anyhow.

Oh, poor, poor William Johnson. Let’s all shed a tear for the death of liberty, and lament the passing of that time when men lived free.

BTW, Will… If I “hated” you, it would not be because of your opinions. It would mostly be because of this butt-hurt, melodramatic persecution complex you insist on wallowing in. (And it’s not “hate” so much as it’s just really pathetic and annoying.) Your opinions ARE, IMHO, ignorant, misinformed, mostly hateful, and both spiritually and scientifically misguided. But you remained entitled to both have and express them. And as I’ve said before and demonstrated with this post: I would not DREAM of suppressing them. Free speech is sacrosanct with me, and this includes even what some might label “hate speech.” (I’m not saying YOUR’S is necessarily, just saying how far I take that and how seriously I hold to that principle.) I have never, and will never, knowingly or intentionally deleted a comment from you or anyone else, with the exception of obvious SPAM. But just as you are entitled (and welcome) to speak (here), I and everyone else is entitled to our opinions and to respond in kind. So if you don’t wish to be treated like an idiot, stop posting stupid shit!

On a less histrionic note… I have noticed the lack of comments lately, possibly due to the lack of regular postings myself but also possibly due to the comment settings being overly restrictive (although to date Will is the only one who’s complained about that or let me know) or to the lack of disagreement without our favorite punching bags, William and/or Anonymous, [same person?] to kick around anymore. Well, whatever the case, I’m going to try and tweak the comment settings again. I’m going to allow anonymous posting (all posting, basically) but I’m going to require a Captcha phrase to prevent spam. I personally don’t like those, but Blogger doesn’t leave me many options. So I’m going to do that, and post a brief guideline above, just so people like William know what will get a comment deleted and what won’t. And I’ll say it right up front: If the Captcha requirement isn’t effective, I will go back to the current settings. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

And Will? you can test me all you want, but you will fail every single time. There is no political or opinion you could post here that would cause to go against my principles, and you have nowhere near the intellectual gravitas to catch me in a rhetorical trap that I can’t get out of with a trivial effort. But you are certainly welcome to try: I will continue to take on all comers.

The Radical Gay Agenda

Now that the Hall of Fame posts are up to date, I want to post some stuff about LGBT Rights, some of the recent victories, some of the disgusting backlash, and some other semi-related stuff that I've come accross that I want to share.

First of all, HOO-RAY for the Supreme Court Striking down DOMA! And hoo-ray for their deft handling of the Prop 8 case. Of course, it would have been nice for them to have struck it down outright as well, but doing it the way they did prevents establishing the precedent of CITIZENS defending unconstitutional laws, and really, makes it so that NO ONE can say that the court 'over-reached.' In fact, they dealt only with precisely the issue in front of them, staying well within the bounds or Constitutional Law and Precedent, and reached precisely the correct conclusion - in both cases - with precisely the right reasoning. (Leaving the door WAAAY open to strike down State Prohibitions in a later case, using Justice Kennedy's same reasoning.)

The wierd thing is? Had the State of California actually decide intially to DEFEND Prop 8? And then APPEAL the Lower Court's decision to overturn it? Then the Supreme Court WOULD have had the standing to strike it down, thus invalidating ALL OF THE OTHER State's homophobic marriage statutes! Isn't that amazaing? Because California did the RIGHT THING in NOT defending this abomination of a law... OTHER State's still get to discriminate!

THAT'S what you call "unintended consequences." Funny how things sometimes work out, especially considering the backlash the Godlen State would have gotten if they not only DEFENDED the law, but then APPEALED the decision to strike it down! And yet... If they did? Well, shoot, we might have Gay Marriage in all 50 States Rigth Now!

Which leads me to another milestone in the fight for gay and transgendered equality...

Did you realize that in 29 States it remaines perfectly legal to fire someone for no other reason that being Gay? Add another 5 where it's legal to fire someone for being Transgenered. Now Congress is attempting to do something about that with EDNA. And in respose to pointing out all of the media's misinformation about EDNA, MMFA poster santovicente had this to say:

And so it begins. Getting married ain't nearly good enough. Now, we gotta put up with all sorts of laws making it illegal to not like queers.

Now... I put up his post, because I would like to share my response, which I'm rather proud of, before MMFA decides to take it down. (And they really should! LOL)

You're a right royal prick, aren't you?

No, "getting married" AIN'T enough, you festering boil!

"ENOUGH" is being treaty EQUALLY. Not be DISCRIMINATED against. To have ALL THE SAME INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHTS as ALL HUMAN BEINGS have and are entitled to, you bucket of sweltering pig's vomit!

Personally, I wonder what would be enough for YOU? Concentration Camps and re-education centers? Maybe YOU'LL be satisfied when you'll be able to go through your day without ever having to deal with anyone who's the slightest bit different that you are, you pimply pustule.

THEY are human beings. YOU would be little more than an APE, IF I wasn't such a wildlife enthusiast.

Now... Putting aside the well deserved rant and artistic vitirol, there is a serious point to make here.

In MY VISION of a perfect world, all people get to enjoy the great opportunity and quality of life that this great coutry offers, and get to participate in the great democratic political process REGARDLESS of whether they are Black, White, Red, Brown or Yellow, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, Gay, Strait, Bi-, Pan-, Cis-, Trans-, Able-Bodied, Handicapped, Autistic, Blind, Deaf, Mute or Fluently English Speaking. In MY perfect world, ALL PEOPLE enjoy all of the great things that Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness have to offer.

Um...

What does THIS ASSHOLE'S perfect world look like, I wonder? What is so terrible about MY vision, MY ideals, MY 'perfect world' (OURS, really, but you get what I'm saying) that causes scumbags like him to recoil and lash out with hate and venom every time we take one small step closer to it? Seriously!

What are they offering that is so wonderful? What... We all get to enjoy life so long as we do everything just like them?

This isn't chariceture, and it's NOT rhetorical. I want to know what these fuck-nuts on the Right, these Religious Funny-Mentalists have against the idea that ALL human life - ACTUAL human life - is sacrosant, and that no one person's rights are greater than another's, and thus no one has the right to take anything away from another. What the fuck is so WRONG with that? What the fuck is wrong with them? Becuase I cannot even understand, let alone abide, the way these people "think!"

Another MMFA Piece, was this Washingtom Times Piece from Elaine "Shrieking Harpy" Donnelly, saying (among other things) that "Mr. Obama has used the armed forces to deliver on political promises to his homosexual base, and traditional military families are about to pay the bill." This is part of a larger column arguing (falsely) that extending marriage benefits to same-sex couples is somehow going to harm "traditional" military families. Basically that these good old, hard-working Christians are going to have to foot the bill (negligible though it may be) for treating Gays like human beings.

And again, I bring it up, because I would like to share my response:

Um... SO FUCKING WHAT?

The abolition of slavery came with a cost too.

We don't treat our fellow human beings with equality because it's cost effective, we do it because IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, YOU HORRIBLE BITCH!

(What can I say... I was in a ranting mood today!)

But seriously, again: What the fuck is wrong with these fucking people? What they hell is wrong with treating HUMAN FUCKING BEINGS like HUMAN FUCKING BEINGS?! What part of "ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL" do these genetically defective mental midgets not fucking understand?!

There were others, but I'm all ranted out now. I hope you enjoyed reading that, and if I've offended your sense of Christian Morals, please feel free to go fuck yourself. Anytime.

I'll leave you with this EXCELLENT video. I almost wish that Anonymous had the intitive (and the balls) to set up some manner of account so he could keep postiong, becuase this directly debunks a lot of what we we used to argue about - the idea of CHOICE and whether or not one is "born that way." As I've said before: Science WOKRS. Yay SCIENCE. (Sadly, I am not planning to re-instate anonymous posting any time soon unless Blogger fixes their spam filter, BIG TIME. There was just too much crap getting through.)

Gold Star Awards, July, 2013

HAH! FINALLY! I'M FINALLY CAUGHT UP! LOL

1989...

Two Gold, One Silver...


The Johnny Bench GOLD STAR #71: Move On

Much as with June's induction of Color of Change, I'm sure I don't have to explain this one, other than to say that I've been meaning to include it for YEARS. Glad I could finally get around to it.


The Carl Yastrzemski GOLD STAR #72: Gawker

OK... In all seriousness, I'll adimt this was a bordeline SILVER STAR-level nominee. This is mostly... crap. Amusing crap, but yeah... Brain candy all the same. Still... it can make you think. AND it slaps the Conservatives around a bit... So it's OK in my book.


The Red Schoendienst SILVER STAR #64: Angry Toro

Funny. Funny. Memes. Funny. This is yet another collection of just funny shit. If you like The Metapicture, you'll like this. (Although you'll also notice a lot of overlap in their content.) I'm also not crazy about the one picture per page load, but there's no denying that they're always good for a smile.

Gold Star Awards, June 2013

1988...

A single Gold Star...


The Willie Stargell GOLD STAR #70: Color of Change

What can I say that hasn't already been said? This one has been a LOOOONG time coming. Please support their work.

Gold Star Awards, May, 2013

The Second of Four...

1987...

Two Golds...


The Jim "Catfish" Hunter Gold Star #68: Extreme Liberal's Blog

Really? I have to explain this one? Hey: I don't agree with him that Presdient Obama's done a "phenomonal job," all things considered or otherwise, but there's no denything that this man's heart and head are in the right place, and I'm happy to endrorse his work. So check him out!


The Billy Williams Gold Star #69: Quackwatch

If I have not yet made myself clear on this point, allow me make it clear now: I am vehemently opposed to most all forms of "alternative medicine." It's very simple: Science WORKS. And if this ABSOLUTE HORSE-SHIT worked? THEY'D FUCKING CALL IT "MEDICINE!" I hate the anti-vaxers, for all the children they've wantonly killed. I hate faith-healers and parents who pray, while their children die of curable diseases. I hate homeopethists, and all other manner of snake-oil peddlers, and pretty mush ANYONE taking your hard earned cash, while selling you some magical new form of magically endowed water, all the while telling you why Doctors are trying to keep them down. (HINT: It's becuase the shit doesn't fucking WORK!) Reiki, Reflexology, Chi-Manipulation... even Chiropracters and Acupunturists (who stuff "works" but not for the reasons they claim!) If you want all the references you'll ever (likely) need in one place, there's only one place better than Skepdic.com, and that's QUACKWATCH. Keep up the good work, and may Jenny McCarthy burn in hell for all the children she's nmurdered!