Background: I sometimes receive better health and fitness recommendations from friends. I find it very difficult to categorise expert from non-expert sources. The documents frequently cite newspapers or TV shows which, whilst respectable, might not submit their content to as much 3rd party analysis and checking as a normal paper or book publication process. How does one quickly figure out what to pay attention to and what to ignore?
Part of the source of the problem was a proliferation of self-proclaimed "universities" offering mail-order "degrees" late last century. I recall even Australia had one external territory in which a scam university temporarily operated. We're now seeing the fruits of these shonky graduations!
Sites:
- Diploma Mill, web site http://www.skepdic.com/diplomamill.html (c) Copyright 1994-2012 Robert T. Carroll. Information on Dr Carroll can be found at http://skepdic.com/refuge/bio.html where he includes links to some free on-line chapters of his text Becoming a Critical Thinker (Pearson 1st edition 2000, 2nd edition 2005).
- Court Orders Columbia Pacific University to Cease Operating Illegally in California, Stephen Barrett, M.D. See http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/News/cpu.html
- An Irreverent Look at the Vitamin Bible and Its Author (Earl Mindell), James A. Lowell, Ph.D. http://www.quackwatch.com/04ConsumerEducation/NegativeBR/vbible.html
- Virginia Hopkins MA - search https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Virginia+Hopkins+MA
- Stephen Cherniske - book search https://www.google.com.au/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Stephen+Cherniske%22, quoted often in (rant warning begin)
http://www.naturalnews.com/012352_caffeine_coffee.html (rant warning end)
- Deepak Chopra is described in http://www.skepdic.com/chopra.html as "a graduate of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (1968) and a former leader of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Transcendental Meditation and Ayurvedic medicine programs". He seems to know about meditation but has swallowed and now emits some strange pseudo-science interpretations of quantum physics (which he seems to connect to meditation). He also sells ideas on healthy living.
