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Open Letter to Hawaii State Librarian

December 10, 2018 To Stacey Aldrich, Office of State Librarian: It seems almost daily, though it’s probably closer to weekly, that another book promoting pseudoscience, superstition or nutrition/medical fraud appears on the new-books rack in the Makawao library. No doubt it’s the same in other branches. The latest is Handbook of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda by Bridgette Shea. But I have yet to see a new book on that rack that questions, critiques or debunks the pre-science, anti-science nonsense. Looking through the system’s catalog I count roughly twice as many astrology titles as astronomy titles; at least ten times as many titles about or promoting religions as those about or promoting atheism; ten times as many titles promoting the delusion/fraud of alien abduction as those debunking the madness; about 60 titles promoting acupuncture and none debunking it; 80 titles by con-artist Sylvia Browne and dozens more by other “psychics” and only a handful casting doubt on
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Quackery is a Media Sacred Cow

For many years I have been urging Hawaii media to investigate the massive frauds perpetrated by the fraudulent alternative medicine industries in Hawaii. They have always ignored me. Here is my latest submission to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, proposed for the commentary page. A month later it has not been published, I have not heard from the paper and I'm pretty sure they have tossed it. This is more proof that the paper, like all the major media, considers "alternative medicine" to be a sacred cow that is above reproach or even careful investigation.  Our Legislators Have Saddled Us with Fraudulent Health Care Suppose you go to a naturopath (ND) for a general checkup and consultation. Here is some of what you are likely to be told: avoid vaccinations; take lots of vitamin supplements; stock up on herbal and homeopathic drugs for use when you get sick  and take some of them daily to prevent illness. None of this has been proved effective for anything, and eviden
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