I Need Donations (But Spreading This Around Will Help)

Cool - about 9 months ago someone on Reddit got the word out about TED - finally:

The TED name is being dragged through the mud in Valencia, Spain, where a TEDx-approved event is promoting pseudoscientific stuff like (and I quote): crystal therapy, Egyptian psychoaromatherapy, healing through the Earth, homeopathy and even "basic mind control".

I'm not really sure how this event got approved by the TED headquarters, but almost every respected scientific journalist in Spain is outraged by it.

Some of the speakers (Google-translated for non-Spanish speakers).

Amma - Mahatma (Great Soul) of Hugs, Lots of Politicians go to Her to Receive Her Blessings.

José Rius - Reiki Master, Master Reconnection, Basic Mind Control, Zen and Crystal Theraphy Specialist.

Aura Küpper - Energetic Healing through Earth, Rebirthing Therapy, Angelic Reiki and author of a book called "Doctors from Heaven".

Adoracion Ferreres - Master in Clinical Psychology and Natural Therapies. Technical Expert in Bio-Energetic and Holistic, Egyptian Psycho-Aromatherapy and Transpersonal Homeotherapy.

The whole event is "women-oriented" and marketed as a female empowerment gig, which to me adds insult to the injury, as if women were incapable to distinguish true science from utter superstitious, anti-scientific bullshit.

Seeing the TED name associated with this freak show in a country where science and education have already been cornered and budget-cut by its own government is extremely sad. TED should react and examine its own standards in order to avoid being ashamed by these hordes of rain-makers and mystic scam artists in the future.

Ask and you will receive - today I found this hysterical screed from Natural News' freakazoid ringleader, Mike Adams:

Allow me to be the first to announce that TED is dead. Why? Because the group that organizes so-called "TED talks" has been thoroughly hijacked by corporate junk science and now openly rejects any talks about GMOs, food as medicine, or even the subject of how food can help prevent behavioral disorders in children. All these areas of discussion are now red-flagged from being presented on any TED stage.

This is openly admitted by TEDx itself in a little-known letter publicly published on December 7, 2012.

In that letter, TED says that people who talk about GMOs are engaged in "pseudoscience." Those who discuss the healing potential of foods are spreading "health hoaxes."

The letter also advises TEDx organizers to, "reject bad science, pseudoscience and health hoaxes," meaning anyone who talks about GMOs, "food as medicine" or similar topics.

And, sure enough, here's the letter from TED, and a list of some of the banned topics - all of which are TMR favorites:

"Healing," including reiki, energy fields, alternative health and placebos, crystals, pyramid power

"Free energy" and perpetual motion machines, alchemy, time travel

The neuroscience of [fill in the blank] — not saying this will all be non-legitimate, but that it’s a field where a lot of goofballs are right now

The fusion of science and spirituality. Be especially careful of anyone trying to prove the validity of their religious beliefs and practices by using science.

That wording, alone, says this was a major "win" for common sense. And that means it was a good day. After all these years, a finger's been put in the dyke, somewhere where it matters:

Amongst the real barbarians - those who've encouraged it and/or let the nonsense go on.

So yeah, right now, you guys can't see me but - whether I need money or not - I'm smiling,...

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Journalists - do your jobs!