Believers and scepticism

Danish researchers from the Uffe Schjoedt Aarhus University Denmark have found that certain parts of the brain that control scepticism and vigilance seem to deactivate in some people in the presence of a speaker who they believe has divine healing powers.
The researchers obtained 36 male and female participants, half of which were Christian of the Pentecostal Church faith and the other half non religious.
They assembled three speakers and the participants were told that the speakers were a Christian, a non Christian and a Christian with known healing powers. In reality all three speakers were Christians with no alleged healing powers. 
 The participants listened to 18 different prayers whilst undergoing brain scans (not sure of what type of scan, the article did not state).
They were looking at the prefrontal cortex that allegedly controls scepticism.
The Christians had decreased activity in this region when listening to the claimed Christian with healing powers. Their brain activity in the prefrontal cortex was increased when the claimed non religious speaker was speaking.
The non religious participants had no change in brain activity across all three speakers.

SMH Article
I suppose this is not surprising. Believers of anything seem to loose their rational thinking when in contact with people they believe in having some type of supernatural powers, or possess extraordinary things to improve you, such as miracle wrist bands, crystal bracelets, longer dongers it is never ending for the charlatans. These  could be religious preachers, Psychics, purveyors of miracle substances such as, Body Flow Machines, Power Balance Wrist bands. By the way Benji's power balance wrist band must be letting him down going on the Tigers performance over the last two weeks, I would want my money back.
To me this sums up a need to be forever vigilant to all sorts of claims, religious, health, sex life (longer dongers etc), spiritual and new age claims.
Scepticism for me is a never ending vigilance.

Another perspective

Here is another perspective to the scandal in the Catholic Church.
The current leaders of this church blame secularism and progressive times for the paedophilia in the church by the priests. Watch this video for a different perspective.
Catholic Church a different look.

Body Flow machine

I was reading The Sun Herald  this morning and came across an article that headlined.
Revealed: how Storm get an edge in recovery.
To read article on line click here
The article went on to talk about a "BodyFlow" machine that Melbourne Storm are using in aid of quicker recovery from injury and training by flushing out toxins and by-products of exercise. The Storm allegedly bought 25 of these units at $4000 each. 
The machine allegedly stimulates muscles with electrical impulses. Of course the article goes on to talk of other high profile athletes that use this scam, um, um I mean fantastic machine.
I don't know if it is a scam or does really work. The body gets rid of toxins in the muscles by the lymphatic system. I assume the makers and promoters of this machine are saying is that it increases the lymphatic flow of these toxins out of the body. Below is a web site promoting and selling these machines.
Body Flow Machine
This site uses the word believe a lot when talking of this machine, a little worrying I would think. They do say this on that site.     It has been demonstrated in clinical trials, however, that Body Flow can help manage Lymphoedema by flushing away the excess fluid with a mild electro-stimulant.
They mention clinical trials which is good, but they do not show any link to those trials or if they were blinded etc.  A clinical trial can mean anything. Maybe the manufacturers did the trial or a unscientific body, they don't say, which is very worrying.

Lymphoedema is a retention of these excess fluids, that causes swelling. There are two types:
1. Primary, caused by the underdevelopment of the Lymphatic System, and
2. Secondary, the result of surgery or major trauma.
The usual treatment for this is massage and compression bandages. Does electrical stimulation work as well as or better than massage or compression bandages? I do not know. Does electrical stimulation work at all? It seems a lot of money to pay when a massage could be as good or better.
It smells to me of a scam. Taken hook line and sinker by the Storm and whoever else is using them. I could be wrong. But I remain very sceptical. I can be convinced with good credible evidence though.

Power Balance wrist band

I saw this in today's Sunday Telegraph saying that Benji Marshall is wearing one.
What is a "Power Balance wrist band you may ask.
This is from their website
Power Balance is performance technology that uses holograms embedded with frequencies that react positively with your body’s natural energy field.
Balance • Strength • Flexibility.
Most everything has a frequency inherent to it.  Some frequencies react positively with your body and others negatively. When the hologram comes in contact with your body’s energy field, it allows your body to interact with the natural, beneficial frequency stored within the hologram. This results in improved energy flow throughout your body.
Well my "bullshit detector" was going crazy after reading this. There is no evidence that the body has a frequency or a flow of energy. This sounds like a heap of steaming bullshit. Pseudo-science at it's best.
Of course there is the old saying that there is one born every minute. Well I think Benji Marshall, Brett Kimmorley etc were born on that minute. Where are their critical thinking skills. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is, too good to be true.
 But as always, I could change my mind, if I receive good credible evidence that this wrist band works. Until then I remain very sceptical 
Here is a video reporting on this.
Unbelievable, what do you all think.