Just when you think you've seen it all... A Massachusetts acupuncturist, Tom Tam, has invented a new treatment method he calls Tong Ren, claiming to cure terminal cancer and other serious illnesses by hitting dolls with a hammer. The dolls are plastic acupuncture figurines inscribed with acupuncture meridians and points.

The hammering supposedly focuses "intent" on the proper acupuncture points on an energetic equivalent of the patient's body and harnesses universal consciousness for healing.

Time is running out. There are just hours left to participate. DO NOT DELAY. At 7am Eastern Standard Time today (Dec 21, 2008), you can create world peace in the comfort of your own bed, shower, or.. well wherever.

The world of the woo-woo can be harmful in many ways. From silver colloid therapy which can leave your skin blue to alternative cancer treatments that can leave you dead, unfounded beliefs are often best left ignored. However, it has been brought to my attention by The Sex Tech that a movement is afoot with the peculiar belief that a certain physiological response will bring about world peace. And while I don’t actually believe that, I can’t think of a reason not to go along.

Back in March, I called attention to the farce known as “Airborne” – as well as the look-alike product that Walgreen Pharmacies offer the naïve, a deliberate ripoff to take advantage of Airborne’s heavy popularity and to get some share of that loot that might otherwise escape them. The Airborne manufacturer misrepresented its product as a cold remedy without – of course – offering any scientific evidence to back up that claim, and also implied that the product was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA]. Now, Airborne will pay $23,300,000 to settle allegations by state attorneys general that it made false claims about its product. As a part of the settlement, they had to agree to discontinue their ads about the effects, health benefits, and safety of Airborne.

Inventing Origami Pigasus for Mr. Randi was a real pleasure. I promised him I would at least try to create the flying pig as we cruised around Alaska in 2007 on the Amaz!ng Adventure. I could never have known, (what am I a ‘psychic'?) that the little piggy would become so popular.

I am thrilled when other people fold Pigasus and well remember having my socks knocked off at TAM 6 upon seeing a table full of them as a result of the efforts of JREF Forum member ‘Kochanski'.