Penn and Teller's next TV show on sleep
in [Sleep Disorder]
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From: Richard Evans on 21 Jul 2008 15:43 Chuck <chuckh1958_nospam(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Richard Evans wrote: >> Richard Evans <infodex(a)mindspring.com> wrote: >> >>> Chuck <chuckh1958_nospam(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Richard Evans wrote: >>>>> Chuck <chuckh1958_nospam(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> I'm not saying that you claimed they had any credentials. Just posing a >>>>>> question myself. Why would anyone listen to what Penn and Teller have to >>>>>> say about sleep and/or sleep disorders? >>>>> I wouldn't listen to anything they had to say about sleep disorders, >>>>> but I would certainly listen to anything they had to say about quack >>>>> cures for sleep disorders. >>>>> >>>>>> They're magicians. They're >>>>>> masters of deception, And if I'm not mistaken they've already >>>>>> demonstrated that they have strong political and anti-religious biases >>>>>> in some of the other tv shows they've done. >>>>> And those biases have affected the truth of those shows exacly how? >>>> If you can't figure it out you're already in big trouble. People with >>>> biases have already decided the outcome before they even know the facts. >>> >>> Ah yes. The time-honored tactic of "I can't answer the question, >>> therefore I dismiss it." >>> >>> You are quite good at it. >> >> OK, the show has aired. It took a sympathetic view of sleep disorders >> and concentrated on debunking supposed cures for sleep disorders, >> Perhaps now you will deign to explain to us poor unwashed masses how >> their biases in any way affected the truth of what they said. >> >> Or are you saying we should keep an open mind about the $4k-plus >> Korean infrared, amethyst crystal heating pad that not only helps you >> sleep but cures cancer? >> > >I'm saying that Penn and Teller are not experts on the subject and >anything the say should be taken with a grain of salt. On the subject of sleep disorders, yes. I found it absurd that their subject was a guy who only sleeps 1-2 hours per night at best and can stay up 48 hours, fall asleep, then wake up in a half hour later and they ended the show with fluffy sleep hygiene suggestions like "Keep to an established schedule." So the guy goes to bed every night at 11:00. He could still be awake for 48 hours. Had they ridiculed sleep studies or CPAP machines, I would be in total agreement with you. On the subject of quackery and snake oil, they most certainly are experts and I don't question anything they said in that arena. My original point was that there is nothing wrong with bias if it is appropriately applied, and a bias against charlatans is not a Bad Thing.
From: Michael Meissner on 24 Jul 2008 08:30 Richard Evans <infodex(a)mindspring.com> writes: > OK, the show has aired. It took a sympathetic view of sleep disorders > and concentrated on debunking supposed cures for sleep disorders, > Perhaps now you will deign to explain to us poor unwashed masses how > their biases in any way affected the truth of what they said. Yeah, I think they were more sympathetic than I expected, but I do wonder if that wacko they found may make it harder for us as family, friends, and bosses see him and think those of us that are serious about trying to fix our sleep problems are like that guy. -- Michael Meissner email: mrmnews(a)the-meissners.org http://www.the-meissners.org
From: Richard Evans on 24 Jul 2008 09:10 Michael Meissner <meissner(a)the-meissners.org> wrote: >Richard Evans <infodex(a)mindspring.com> writes: > >> OK, the show has aired. It took a sympathetic view of sleep disorders >> and concentrated on debunking supposed cures for sleep disorders, >> Perhaps now you will deign to explain to us poor unwashed masses how >> their biases in any way affected the truth of what they said. > >Yeah, I think they were more sympathetic than I expected, but I do wonder if >that wacko they found may make it harder for us as family, friends, and bosses >see him and think those of us that are serious about trying to fix our sleep >problems are like that guy. I had the same thought. My insomnia is much like his: no more than 1-2 hours sleep per night, can stay up for 36 hours straight, fall asleep, then be awake again in an hour. The difference is, I ain't out partying in the awake times. They could've shown the real consequences of such sleep deprivatino: mental confusion, slurred speech, inability to drive safely, or even carry on a coherent conversation.
From: Michael Meissner on 24 Jul 2008 16:27 Richard Evans <infodex(a)mindspring.com> writes: > I had the same thought. My insomnia is much like his: no more than 1-2 > hours sleep per night, can stay up for 36 hours straight, fall asleep, > then be awake again in an hour. The difference is, I ain't out > partying in the awake times. They could've shown the real consequences > of such sleep deprivatino: mental confusion, slurred speech, inability > to drive safely, or even carry on a coherent conversation. Well many of the people they spotlight on the show have a hard time carrying on a coherent, reality based conversation (not the pointy head rebutters, but the subjects of the show) :-) In one of the past shows, they did mention that they need to get releases, etc. and they send copies of previous shows before hand, and still they find people out in the ozone. -- Michael Meissner email: mrmnews(a)the-meissners.org http://www.the-meissners.org
From: terryc on 25 Jul 2008 00:24
On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:27:11 -0400, Michael Meissner wrote: > In one of the past shows, they did mention that they need to get releases, > etc. and they send copies of previous shows before hand, and still they find > people out in the ozone. Being famous for being stupid can earn you an income in the modern world. |