Re: Junk Science

The last issue of The Rogue Valley Messenger contained an article by a quack calling himself a “naturopathic physician,” who absurdly advocates “[deciding] on two vegetables to consume—of two different colors“—what? WHY? This makes no logical sense. The quack continues to advocate “two handfuls of raw nuts”—wouldn’t that be an excellent way to induce diarrhea, eating uncooked things that grew in dirt?

The naturopath then advocates “free range chickens”—despite the fact that free range housing is WORSE FOR CHICKENS. If the weather ices over, the free range chicken is left to break its legs. This is supposed to be “better for animals”? Let’s face it, folks—FREE RANGE IS JUNK SCIENCE.

The naturopath continues to advocate COCONUT OIL—which actual diet-focused DOCTORS have pointed out is actually BAD FOR THE HEART, and concludes with a warning against packaged foods—for no reason. Seriously. He doesn’t offer an explanation. Packaged foods are FINE—nothing wrong with them. They taste great and are cheap.

Then there is an absurd article in the food section, claiming that SUGAR IS THE NEW TOBACCO. Wow, just wow. This is laughably unscientific. I can hardly make it through this article without laughing at its idiocy. I’d be convinced that this was supposed to be a comedy magazine—except MAD’s “usual gang of idiots” wrote their own letters to the editor. This paper freelances its idiots!

The article attacks sugar with increasingly ludicrous claims, ignoring the scientific fact that SUGAR IS FINE. Sugar doesn’t even cause diabetes. Diabetes is caused by overconsumption of food—any food, whether it has sugar or not. If you’re not shoveling food into your mouth ala the COOKIE MONSTER, you are not going to get diabetes. The article claims that sugar is a DANGEROUS ADDICTION—sounds like REEFER MADNESS to me. Remember that movie that tried to tell your kids that smoking pot was DANGEROUS and ADDICTIVE? Remember how William Randolph Hearst’s papers used to claim that MARIJUANA KILLS? Well, now we know that is untrue—marijuana is beneficial. But now the “evil drug” has become SUGAR? Come on.

This paper needs to stop promoting woo and feeding its audience bullshit and telling them it’s gourmet (and “organic” and “natural”). Rogue Valley Messenger readers are eating a cow’s poo.

-Isaac Baranoff

Inigo Montoya responds: “You keep using that word, “science.” I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Re: Naturopathy

Did you guys really run an article about diet from a naturopath oncologist? Was that a joke? Or do you normally provide a platform for people untrained and uncertified in the health advice they give?

Perhaps a disclaimer that this person is not a doctor or dietician? What if someone is injured following this advice? You sure you want that legal risk?

Come on…be a voice for reason and not made up information from people who tell others how to cure cancer through lying….

-Sean Smith

Re: The New Veteran’s Choice Card

The Veteran’s Choice Card is a wonderful gift to the Veterans, and to the environment, from our President Obama. It also lightens the load on the Veteran’s Hospitals all over the country. Once it is accomplished it is really a benefit to many people; not just to Veterans. It facilitates access to local medical treatment, thus saving much travel time, pollution to the environment, and the cost of gasoline. It will lighten the load of VA Hospitals over this whole country, at a time when it is truly needed.

But as one of the first to use it, I just went through a very trying challenge, getting eye surgery through my Veteran’s Choice Card. This Choice Card is new and most facilities are not familiar with it, or with the procedure it takes to get it processed.

Here are some tips I learned.

1. When you go to a local provider, realize that they have to have all of the authorizations in order, and that it may be new to them. So, have all of your paperwork in order.

2.. Be sure you get the names, addresses of all the local providers that will be involved in your process.

3.. Keep following up. These are busy people and may not be familiar with the process.

4. Be patient. You will have to make many calls and listen to many robots before you reach a live person, and when you do, they may have to put you on hold while they look up certain items. Don’t get frustrated, it is all very new; these are only links in a chain of events leading up to your ultimate goal.

-Sam Younghans

Re: Unmaintained Dry Vegetation – A Fire Hazard City Ordinance Enforced Beginning June 1st

With warmer weather and fire season approaching, vegetation in fields, hillsides and unmaintained lots is beginning to dry out. Unmaintained dry vegetation creates a significant fire risk during fire season. Fire can race through such vegetation endangering lives and property. The best way to minimize the fire risk is to reduce the available fuels. Please do your part to reduce the threat of wildfire this year by cutting dry vegetation prior to fire season. The City of Medford’s weeds and grass ordinance takes effect beginning June 1st. According to the City’s Municipal Code section 7.430, any property with uncontrolled/unmaintained grass, weeds, brush, or any like vegetation over 10 inches tall creates a fire hazard that must be abated. An offense is punishable by a fine.

For more information, visit the following: http://www.ci.medford.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=2037

-City of Medford Press Release

Re: Harvest

[Harvest] is hands down one of the worst experiences in a restaurant I’ve ever had. Mr. Biles is a crude, entitled, rude restaurant owner who serves entitlement with a side of over-priced local food. He and his staff were offensive and literally asked us to never come back to his restaurant because HE and HIS staff seriously messed up our order and 2 hour dining “experience”. Don’t worry Mr. Biles, we will not ever be back and will ensure that many of your potential customers learn what a shmuck you really are. Consider staying in the kitchen–it’s where you belong.

-Bugsy

SNAPSHOT: As part of the Oregon Fringe Festival, more than a dozen percussionists spread out amongst Lithia Park and played different elements of the same composition so people could walk through the park to hear the complete effect.

If you have a photo you’d like to see published in Snapshot, send it to editorial@roguevalleymessenger.com with the subject line, “SNAPSHOT.”