Bent Spoon Award
Nominations for 2005
The following nominations were received for the 2005 Bent Spoon Award. The winner was the ABC television show Second Opinion. You can read about the winner here.
Nominee: Holistic Animal Therapy Association of Australia
Nominated by: Chris Telford
Date: 29/07/2005
The following therapies are acknowledged by the HATAA:
Acupressure/Shiatsu Acupuncture Alexander Technique Animal Communication Aromatherapy Aura Soma Biochemic Tissue Salts Bowen Technique Clinical Nutrition Colour Therapy Crystal Healing Flower Essence Therapy Grief Counselling Herbal Medicine Homoeobotanical Medicine Homoeopathy Kinergetics Kinesiology Massage Music Therapy Naturopathy Radionics Reflexology Reiki Spiritual & Esoteric Healing Traditional Chinese Medicine TTEAM & T-Touch Therapy
URL: http://www.hataa.asn.au
Nominee: Beyond Tomorrow
Nominated by: Geoffrey Cowan
Date: 29/07/2005
Beyond Tomorrow is the Generation X version of Towards 2000 & Beyond 2000, it is on Channel 7 Wendesday.
On the 27JUL2005, it had a segment on detecting persons that were liars. The Man that invented this device said that by placing a number of sensors on the head of a person being interviewed that he could “analyse” the brain waves of the person whilst they were being shown words & phrases relating to a crime. The rationale being that if you are exposed to a fact of the crime scene or the crime your brain would react differently thus indicating that you know something about the crime. A presenter was allowed to read a number of facts about a murder that occurred in 1991 and was then subjected to the test. The inventor concluded that she was possibly present at the time. What a crock !!! So, by that inference, I could read a book about Ivan Milat, do the test and subsequently a conclusion could be drawn that I was present when he killed 7 backpackers …….. please !!!! To extend this, say a friend of mine was murdered and I read about it in the papers and saw aspects of the crime scence on TV, or had visited the crime scene prior to the murder. When I interviewed and shown aspects of the case, the inventor could infer that I was present in regards to the murder.
What really got my back up as a person that has been in law enforcement for nearly 20 years, been a full-time police officer and intelligence analyst and holds a Masters degree in Criminology is the “fact” that the inventor interviewed a serial killer and concluded that he killed several people and was convicted of the crimes. Well, my research and contacts reveal that the serial killer discussed in the segment was actually convicted on something called (now let me get this right) ….. evidence. Like, they found one of the bodies at his house and using the signature of his crimes linked that to other bodies that have been located. The interview (which did occur) had no ultimate bearing on the case.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Sue Jaensch
Date: 28/07/2005
I know, I know, SO has recieved a bunch of nominations already.
So I had to watch it last night.
I sat there, jaw agape, as "craniosacral" therapy was discussed. The "therapist" could apparently "feel" the flow of CSF by laying hands on the client's skull (I refuse to call the person a patient). The "therapist" was also feeling for asymmetries in the skull - not quite sure what she was going to do when she found one ... And no comment from a doctor to give the other side?
Come on Aunty, you're better than this.
Nominee: Sydney Morning Herald - Webdiary
Nominated by: Nancy Mcintyre
Date: 28/07/2005
For conducting a debate about creationism and evolution and therefore giving a platform to Answers in Genesis.
This is a first! As the debate was between Answers in Genesis and Australian Skeptics, this nomination should probably include AS as well. However, it would probably be considered a bit self-referential for Australian Skeptics to be a joint winner of the Bent Spoon Award.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Fred Thornett
Date: 26/07/2005
Absolutely disgraceful. Caters to the dull and fosters a belief in snake oil and quackery generally.
Nominee: "Health & Science" Sydney Morning Herald
Nominated by: Paul Roberts
Date: 26/07/2005
Paul didn't give a reason for the nomination, but it was probably because the quackery often promoted in the section has little to do with either health or science.
Nominee: Medibank Private
Nominated by: Malcolm Cluett
Date: 22/07/2005
I would like to nominate Medibank Private for the Bent Spoon award.
There is an Medibank Private advertisement that is being screened on TV and in the cinema. It shows an ambulance speeding through city traffic, to the aid of some individual lying on a grassy hill, perhaps stricken with a heart attack. The lights are flashing and the siren wailing.
When the ambulance arrives on the scene, the back doors open to reveal not medics on white coats, but rather a Chinese acupuncturist and an Indian mystic. The interior of the ambulance is suitably decorated.
The patient then enjoys a massage, and seems to be enjoying the treatment.
The punchline is that you don't have to be sick to get benefits from Medibank Private.
Further details are available on the Medibank Private web site, under "my options".
If Medibank Private supports these alternative therapies, it will further increase private insurance costs. Yet another reason not to get private health insurance.
The advert itself would have been expensive to make, involving the closure of streets in the Melbourne CBD.
URL: http://www.medibank.com.au/myoptions/
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Jane Hilton
Date: 20/07/2005
I'd like to nominate Second Opinion - ABC TV for putting magic back into medicine. Suspect it promotes an underlying government conspiracy to prune our aging population and health costs by replacing the medical profession with witch-doctors.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Robert Mapson
Date: 19/07/2005
How does Aunty get away with this sycophantic slavering? Why isn't it appropriately identified as fiction? Why does Western Science still exist when a magical wave of the hands in the air can cure all and sundry illnesses? Could it just be a taxpayer funded delusion? Will Aunty reveal that it's all just some terribly over-extended April Fool's joke? Unfortunately, I fear not.
Nominee: Peter Costello
Nominated by: Gary Slenders
Date: 19/07/2005
My nomination is Federal Treasurer and wannabe Prime Minister; Peter Costello for this little effort of Fence Sitting on the issue of Creationism.
URL: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2005/s1406779.htm
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Mark Koen
Date: 19/07/2005
Unbelievable nonsense.
Nominee: Australian Medical Association
Nominated by: Peter Bowditch
Date: 18/07/2005
In July 2005, the Queensland branch of the AMA joined up with the Queensland government to run something called the "AMA Health and Lifestyle Expo". One of the features of the expo is "world famous nutrition expert Dr Sandra Cabot". That is the same Dr Cabot who is one of the greatest promoters of quackery in Australia and who felt the need to invent academic qualifications for herself in order to promote her books and sell nonsense to Americans.
Nominee: Pharmacy Guild of Australia
Nominated by: Peter Bowditch
Date: 18/07/2005
In June 2005, the Pharmacy Guild joined forces with the Complementary Healthcare Council of Australia to run a "Natural Healthcare Expo". We were thus forced to see a group of professional (and presumably scientifically trained) pharmacists working actively with the peak body for the quackery industry. Bizarre!
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Detlef Pelz
Date: 16/07/2005
I would like to nominate this most enlightening of programs for the Bent Spoon Award 2005. Were it not for programs such as this, I would not be as aware as I am of the quacks to be avoided.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Terry Kelly
Date: 16/07/2005
I'd like to join the "Second Opinion" nominators. The National Broadcaster should not be allowed to get away with popularising and giving credibility to such a lot of nonsense. They don't seem to be evaluating this stuff critically at all. And we should make a big deal of the award too.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Dr Alan Needham
Date: 14/07/2005
I have just visited the ABC's "Second Opinion" web site and viewed the credulous discussion that's going on. I posted the following comment on the site and can only hope that the longevity and prime-time scheduling of this embarrassing programme makes it a dead cert for the Bent Spoon.
"I cannot believe that the ABC is engaged in promoting modern-day witchcraft: faith healing, naturopathy, energy therapy, homeopathy, kinesiology... the list goes on. I'm also dismayed by the predominantly anti-scientific, anti-medical and anti-sceptical tone of the discussion it has generated. It's like stepping back to the middle ages. Even the medical practitioners on the programme seem afraid to use the word "rubbish".
Almost all the evidence supporting "complementary" therapies is anecdotal. To the best of my knowledge none of their potions or therapies are subjected to the same rigorous testing and peer scrutiny as we find in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, and none of their practitioners are governed by stick-wielding regulatory bodies. When was the last time you heard of an energy therapist or faith healer being de-registered? It is a strength, not a weakness, of modern medicine that its practices and practitioners are sometimes found wanting.
I have to say with some sadness (for I hold the ABC in high regard) that I agree with those who have nominated "Second Opinion" for a Bent Spoon Award. The program would be a worthy winner"
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Cath Kraina
Date: 12/07/2005
There is a program called Second Opinion on ABC TV at 6.30pm on Tuesdays that promotes all kinds of quackery. Tonight they have showcased kinesiology as a treatment for depression. Can the Skeptics do anything to debunk this taxpayer funded crap?
Nominee: The Southern Courier Property section
Nominated by: Richard Balacco
Date: 11/07/2005
Property buyers in the Eastern Suburbs ( of Sydney) are asking agents if the home was checked by a Feng Shui expert. That is at least according to my bent spoon nominee the Southern Courier Property Guide. Awe what the hey, lets add it to the other expenses such as Building and pest inspection reports. It's only money after all. :-)
URL: http://www.southerncourier.com.au
Nominee: Australian Financial Review
Nominated by: Richard Webb
Date: 11/07/2005
Could I nominate the Australian Financial Review for their Smart Money section, Saturday 9/7/2005. In it they discuss methods for investing for the new year and give significant space to Technical Analysis. I know you guys haven't traditionally touched financial stuff, but TA is pretty unscientific mumbo-jumbo. Some good info on this can be found at http://www.travismorien.com/FAQ/main.htm or Wikipedia
Nominee: The New Inventors - ABC Television
Nominated by: Richard Saunders
Date: 8/07/2005
They seem to have learned nothing from winning in 2004 and still allow inventions operating on laws unknown to science to be displayed.
If someone invents a zapper to cure cancer the ABC could save money by using the same recording for both The New Inventors and Second Opinion.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Andrew Tooher
Date: 7/07/2005
The 2005 Bent Spoon is a no-brainer, literally - ABC's Second Opinion by a mile. Its got everything: Free weekly advertising for quacks, with no requirement to back their claims, no challenge from someone knowledgeable, and broadcast by a reputable media player. As if the show isn't scary enough, the web site letters make for truly edifying reading. This is appalling stuff from the ABC.
Nominee: Russian astrologist Marina Bai
Nominated by: David McAdam
Date: 6/07/2005
Suing NASA for deliberately crashing its probe, named Deep Impact, into the Tempel 1 comet.. Ms Bai said that "It is obvious that elements of the comet's orbit, and correspondingly the ephemeris, will change after the explosion, which interferes with my astrology work and distorts my horoscope".
Unfortunately, while loonity like this is admirable the bent Spoon is restricted to activities within Australia.
Nominee: The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
Nominated by: Eran Segev
Date: 6/07/2005
For consistently looking after members’ financial interests while ignoring their professional responsibilities
Not only do pharmacists sell magic homeopathic pills, but the Guild held a joint "health" exhibition with the Complementary Health Care Council, the trade body for quackery and the winner of the 2003 Bent Spoon.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Steve Symonds
Date: 15/06/2005
I have been resisting nominating this program, expecting that others would. I have also been avoiding it most weeks. I watched it last night, however, when they were discussing 'cleansing the body of toxins' and reflexology. They have a tame medico on the panel who obviously is not allowed to use words like 'balderdash', 'piffle' or 'crap'. I discovered that we are exposed to over 72,000 toxins every day and we can be cleansed of these toxins by following the appropriate diet and taking herbal liver pills. One of the panel said in all seriousness that it was impossible to measure the toxins but his program will get rid of them for you.
Enough is enough. A fair debate on such 'therapies' would be reasonable but this is not a fair debate. Would the ABC get away with a program supporting a flat earth, Creationism or Intelligent Design without a strong counter view? I think not. They should not be allowed to get away with this rubbish either.
Nominee: Edith Cowan University's Student Magazine,
HarambeeNominated by: Greg McPherson
Date: 4/06/2005
I am a student at this institution, and recently grabbed a copy of the student magazine Harambee. I immediately flipped to the "horoscopes" section, expecting a witty student parody on this fine art of conning people, as is found in many student 'zines. Alas, the horoscopes were the "real thing" and written by the magazine's "lifestyle editor", Tessa Drysdale. I have since written to them to ask why members of an "academic" institution would promote postmodern witchcraft, but received no reply. If there is enough student demand, maybe the university will someday offer degrees in this profession.
URL: http://www.ecuguild.org.au/harambee/harambee.htm
Nominee: A Current Affair
Nominated by: David Thomas
Date: 25/05/2005
The promotion of cancer "curer" Dr John Holt
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: David Thomas
Date: 25/05/2005
Nominee: Anybody who goes to see the cinematic snake oil called “What the #*!! Do We Know”
Nominated by: Wendy
Date: 20/05/2005
This "documentary" is a 90 minute advertisement for the cult of Ramtha. A radiologist, a chiropractor, a former theologian, and a handful of "philosophical physicists" join their cult leader, JZ Knight, in preaching their New Age religion
Nominee: Peter D Rodgers
Nominated by: James Burkill
Date: 20/05/2005
Peter D Rodgers is a 40 yo Brisbanite who claims to have come up with a complete theory for unified physics. He claims to be a genius and has written thousands of poems worthy of the Vogons, several books not to mention his paintings (which appear to have been thrown together using MSPaint). In most of his publications he provides bank account details... just in case you want to put money in his bank account. In other cases he requests donations
URL: http://pr4pm.topcities.com/physics.htm
Nominee: Tony Abbott MP, Federal Minister for Health
Nominated by: Robyn Park
Date: 11/05/2005
In the Manly Daily recently, Mr Abbott, a Federal Minister and member for Warringah, talked about the selection of the new Pope . He said "the conclave was led by the Holy Spirit when electing the new head of the Catholic church" and "the selection of the Pope by the conclave is not like a selection of the chief executive of a company. They are led by the Holy Spirit (and) the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways".
Nominee: The BBC
Nominated by: Daniel Franklin
Date: 14/04/2005
I hereby nominate the BBC, for this glowing and utterly uncritical tribute to the father of comprehensively debunked "science" of Quackeopathy (Samuel Hahnemann)
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4423303.stm
A worthy nomination, but ineligible as the recipient of the Bent Spoon has to be in Australia.
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Roy Bray
Date: 14/04/2005
I submit (nay - demand) that the ABC program "second opinion" 6.30 pm 12/4/5 on stress and its treatment by homeopathy (sic?) with, would you believe , NaCl and aroma therapy be given the "Skeptics Bent Spoon award for 2005. I'm sure you can get a copy of the 1/2 hour show to see what I mean. I was too shocked to record this drivel.
Nominee: Channel 9
Nominated by: Susannah Tiller
Date: 14/04/2005
I would like to nominate Channel 9 for a Bent spoon award, for their coverage of the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. The coverage included a chat with an astrologer. He claimed that moving the wedding to accommodate the Pope's funeral was a fortuitous thing, resulting in better planetary alignment, or something similar. He also declared that Charles and Camilla's star signs made them extremely compatible.
Channel 9 likes to boast that more Australians get their news from the Nine Network than from any other source. Be afraid.
Nominee: Rex Gilroy
Nominated by:
Date: 14/04/2005
… who, according to his web site, is selling plaster casts of "Yowie" footprints!.
URL: http://www.theaustralianyowieresearchcenter.com
Nominee: Second Opinion - ABC TV
Nominated by: Peter Rowney
Date: 24/03/2005
I would like to nominate the National Broadcaster, the ABC, for their Tuesday night program airing at 6.30pm called "Second Opinion". Despite only watching the program once ,the "evidence" they produce for alternative therapies (including acupuncture) is entirely anecdotal, and is given far more weight than it should.
Nominee: Australian Fitness Network
Nominated by: Tony Podpera
Date: 10/03/2005
I nominate the Australian Fitness Network for publishing the article "Weight loss and wellbeing: the Oriental way" in their Autumn 2005 Group Exercise and Mind Body Newsletter.
This article included gems like:
"A weak 'spleen fire' results in an accumulation of damp and phlegm which manifests as extra weight..." "Excess body fat, self-esteem issues, being overtired, worrying excessively and lacking confidence are emotional signposts for spleen disharmony". "Chi is our vital energy and the life-force present in all creation. Chi keeps yin and yang moving and alive". "...we panic when we put on those extra winter kilograms and attempt to diet them away, restricting our intake of warming foods by eating salads. This, according to Chinese Medicine, introduces more cold and damp into the body".
Australian Fitness Network is the professional association for fitness instructors in Australia and has had, up to now, a good record for disseminating evidence-based knowledge. Printing this rubbish in a magazine designed to be a knowledge source for fitness instructors and personal trainers is at least very disappointing and potentially very dangerous.
URL: http://www.fitnessnetwork.com.au
Nominee: Sunday Telegraph
Nominated by: John Baker
Date: 10/03/2005
An article in the March 5, 2005, edition starts off "More people than you might think are psychic. Some experts put it as high as one in 12. And you could be one of them – without really knowing it." and goes downhill from there.
URL: http://entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,12441475-22810,00.html
Nominee: Victorian Government
Nominated by: Humberto Dacruz
Date: 18/02/2005
For promoting homeopathic tripe
URL: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/tr_complementarytherapies_types?open
The nomination has changed to include the entire Better Health collection of "complementary therapies". This saves us from having separate nominations for Acupuncture ("Scientific studies have proven acupuncture to be effective in treating many disorders"), Ayurveda ("illness is caused by an imbalance of the body's three vital energies, or 'doshas'"), Chinese herbal medicine ("prescribed to restore balance to the opposing forces of energy, Yin and Yang, that run through invisible channels in the body"), etc
Nominee: MBF Health Fund
Nominated by: Peter Bowditch
Date: 3/02/2005
MBF are currently running advertisements featuring some of the extra special things that you can insure for. In one ad they show massage (OK), acupuncture (borderline, but harmless) and reflexology (pure quackery). For those unfamiliar with it, reflexology is based on the insane idea that the feet are maps of the body and pressing on certain points can affect organs and tune them up. To add to the idiocy of a health fund offering insurance for nonsense, the "theories" behind acupuncture and reflexology are mutually exclusive. If one form of quackery works then the other can not.
Nominee: The Cat Protection Society
Nominated by: Paul Jones
Date: 12/01/2005
I would like to nominate the Cat Protection Society (Sydney). As a contributor to the Cat Protection Society I was appalled to discover a full page article on "Cats and Homeopathy" in the latest (Summer 2005) edition of their quarterly magazine "Cat Affairs". Homeopathy is irritating enough, but forcing it onto an innocent moggy is taking things too far!
Nominee: Channel 7 - "Prophecy Prediction - Into the Future"
Nominated by: Bill McCarthy
Date: 3/01/2005
I don't know if you accept Bent Spoon nominations from non-members, but I saw a fine candidate on Channel 7 Melbourne on Saturday night about 11.15 pm. It was titled "Prophecy Prediction - Into the Future" and was apparently made in Australia in 2002.
It was a lovely smorgasbord, with real science - Hubble telescope, Big Bang, etc. - spicing up a huge array of nonsense from numerology to Von Daniken spacemen, Mayan predictive calendars, Nostradamus? prophecies and the Indigo Children Incidentally, the latter must surely be a candidate for your website list of subjects of which we should be skeptical.
I hope this programme meets your criteria for nomination.
We accept nominations from anyone, Bill. The title of the show is nicely redundant - both "prophecy" and "prediction" seem to imply "future".
Nominee: Northern Rivers Institute of TAFE
Nominated by: Tony Ellis
Date: 21/12/2004
I hereby nominate the Northern Rivers Institute of TAFE for the 2005 Bent Spoon Award.
"Staff at a TAFE institute in northern New South Wales have performed an exorcism to rid the place of 'evil spirits'. A host of holy leaders was called upon to help in the cleansing ceremony, including the Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul II, Australia's most senior Muslim leader, local Aboriginal elders and a Jewish rabbi".
URL: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1267453.htm
Nominee: Michael Nott
Nominated by: Dean Biron
Date: 20/12/2004
I would like to nominate a Mr Michael Nott, author of a disgraceful article on Munchausen-by-proxy in the latest Nexus Magazine.
URL: http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/Justice%20Out%20of%20Balance.html
Nominee: The Sunday Times (Perth)
Nominated by: Jo Walker-Smith
Date: 29/11/2004
The Sunday Times (Perth) health section, 28/11/04, for their story on phrenology. They somehow found a practising phrenologist and managed to write an entire page (less pictures of course) on the many character traits that can apparently still be judged by the bumps on the skull.
Nominee: Channel 7 Newsroom
Nominated by: Malcolm Cluett
Date: 26/11/2004
I would like to nominate the Channel 7 newsroom for sending Nuala Hafner to the Mind Body & Spirit festival to present the Weather. Poor Nuala was brandishing an Aura photograph of herself. (NB Nuala –there is no such thing as an Aura and the polaroid aura photographs are fakes. You have been conned on live TV.)
Nominee: Anonymous ABC caller
Nominated by: Mick Coffey
Date: 18/11/2004
I don't know who the caller was, but the conversation on ABC radio around 7:15am on Wed 17th November 2004 went thus:-
Female Announcer: "And how're the pumpkins today?"
Female Caller: "Oh, the powdery mildew got them; I sprayed them with an organic spray, but we still lost them. Obviously the spray wasn't organic enough!"
Nuff said!
Nominee: Tony Blair
Nominated by: Percival Turnbull
Date: 10/11/2004
I would like to nominate our Prime minister, Mr Tony Blair. As part of his campaign to destroy the British education system he has been encouraging business sponsorship of schools, with the result that a group of fundamentalist Bible-brandishers have started to gain control of some schools in the north of England, where they are able to teach their bizarre Creationist beliefs. Challenged about this in the House of Commons, Blair responded that to bring 'diversity' into education could only be a good thing.
The Enlightenment? What was that?
Unfortunately, the Bent Spoon is only available to Australian entrants, but I am sure we can find an equally silly Australian politician.
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