fucking aaahhh!!!!

there i was checking out the news on the indo's site (registration required) when i stumbled across two pieces of rubbish from march.

load of arse-biscuits number one. a piece of propaganda for an ''alternative therapy'' called earth energy healing. apart from promoting a total load of rubbish, the writer niamh hooper uses one of the hoariest rhetorical techniques, beloved of CAM boosters everywhere. the '' i was skeptical but...''

1) introduce therapy by telling how you heard about it, preferably through an a ''friend'' who swore by it.
2) profess skepticism of alleged healing therapy, but also profess possession of an open mind.
3) try therapy, and describe. describe the history. try to work in science or evidence angle. use words like knowledge, ancient, healing, holistic and so on.
4) practitioner describes some aliment or problem you're having (correctly of course). possibly you may be ''amazed'' or some synonym of this .
5)describe feeling better, lightened, cleansed, whatever and pronounce yourself convinced, your ''skepticism'' overcome. hallelujah

anyway back to the rubbish

Could energy fields radiating from deep within the earth be hazardous to your health and cause havoc in your life? Many practitioners are convinced that harmful energy fields arising from underground streams, large mineral deposits, faults or underground cavities could be compromising the health of millions.

The condition is called geo-pathic stress (GS) and is even said to be a contribution to all kinds of ailments including infertility, cancer, divorce and ME.

note the use of generic ''energy fields''. at the end we're informed it's an electomagnetic field. how exactly does this contribute ''to all kinds of aliments''. standard sort of pro-CAM argument, simply state things as though they were fact.

Considering that water has been proven to carry memory and that humans are made up of 70% water, he says it's natural that we would soak up the emotional energy in the earth.

no water has not been proven to carry memory. emotional energy of the earth? crap

He begins clearing the GS by working with the subtle energies and earth consciousness to bring about positive change.

earth consciousness??

Within seconds, my partner says he feels lighter. It's not until we're in the next room that I can feel a tingling warmth seep into my feet. He gradually works through the house.

For days following the clearing, I'm unusually emotional, after which there's a sense of clarity. Several weeks later, I'm sleeping better.

testimonial alert. my partner says he feels lighter. eh yeah.