...Marquis, my local PBS outlet has stepped up its usual quackery standard from Deepak Chopra by featuring a Dr. Christiane Northrup to plug up their current fund drive. It took me less than 30 seconds to discover the sham nature of their offering.

Northrup touts her book "Mother-Daughter Wisdom" and a "Legacy Kit" as bonuses to those who join PBS at the rate of $275 a year. In her appearance on screen for PBS, Dr. Northrup told of a bereaved daughter who found pennies in various places around the house after her mother died, and considered those to be "messages" from the deceased; Dr. Northrup agreed that this was so! She said that since "mitchondrial DNA" "goes back to the ancient ancestor of all female" humans, "our mothers are always, always, with us." Would-be subscribers were assured that at present "there's room for everyone" to contribute — as if this opportunity to donate money was going to close down. I can only think of "But wait, there's more!" and "If you order within the next five minutes..." as parallels for such blatant hucksterism.

Video was shown in which women listening to Northrup were weeping uncontrollably at her comments on "the process of moving into non-physical life" — in other words, dying — and "emotion," pronounced as "e-motion" and defined by this sage as "energy-in-motion." Speaking with the equally charmed and gushing hostess of the show, who spoke of her own mother's passing, Dr. Northrup assured her that her mother still "wants [her] to feel happy.

Credentials:
Founder and President, The Center for Women’s Empowerment, an innovative center promoting physical, spiritual, and emotional health, 2005
Assistant Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont College of Medicine at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, 1982–2001
Cofounder, Women to Women, an innovative healthcare center in Yarmouth, Maine, 1985–1996
President, American Holistic Medical Association, 1988-1990
Private Practice, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Portland and Yarmouth, Maine, since 1979
Diplomate, American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1981
MD, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH, 1975

• Professional Appointments:
Heartwings Foundation , Board of Trustees, 2004 - Present
The Red Web Foundation, Advisory Board Member, 2004 – Present
American Holistic Health Association, Board of Advisors, 2003 – Present
True North, Advisory Board Member, 2002 – 2004
National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine, Advisory Council, 1997 - Present
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Advisory Board, 1994 – Present
Country Living’s Healthy Living, Board of Advisors, 1996 – 2000
Endometriosis Foundation of Greater New York, Board of Advisors, 1991 – 1996
New Road Map Foundation, Advisory Board, 1990 – 1995
Natural Health Magazine, Advisory Board Member, 1986 – Present

Carl Sagan

LOL Flashback! Remember this...

OK for Apple to Call Sagan 'Butt-Head Astronomer'

The Computer Lawyer

SECTION: CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS; Tort; Vol. 11, No. 8; Pg. 32

HEADLINE: OK for Apple to Call Sagan 'Butt-Head Astronomer'

Apple Computer Inc. did not defame the prominent scientist Carl Sagan by calling him a "Butt-Head Astronomer," a Central District of California court ruled, because the term did not imply any assertion of an objective fact such as professional incompetence. Carl Sagan v. Apple Computer, Inc., CV94-2180 LGB (C.D. Cal. 1994).

Apple Computer's project managers routinely assign code-names to products in development. In 1993, one of Apple's project managers assigned the code name "Carl Sagan" to a personal computer it was developing. After learning that his name was being used, Sagan had his attorneys write a letter to Apple demanding it cease. In response, the project manager changed the computer's code-name to "Butt-Head Astronomer." Sagan filed suit in federal court for libel, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, unfair competition, and violation of the Lanham Act and California law on the use of likenesses.

Apple argued that the term was an opinion, protected under the First Amendment. Judge Lourdes G. Baird agreed. She noted that a statement of opinion can only form the basis of a libel action if a reasonable fact-finder can conclude that the statements imply an assertion of fact. Judge Lourdes [sic] held that "one does not seriously attack the expertise of a scientist using the undefined phrase 'butt-head,'" and that a reader aware of the context would understand the project manager was retaliating in a humorous and satirical way.

Judge Baird also ruled that Sagan could not recover for infliction of emotional distress, noting Sagan is a public figure and that a public figure could only recover for infliction of emotional distress by showing that the publication contains a false statement of fact made with actual malice.

NPR FUND-RAISER TELETHON SCRIPT

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - MALE: "Where else are you going to hear the fine programming you've come to expect from NPR and your affiliate stations? Just think of all the times you and your family have enjoyed hearing how little Americans do for the world from someone with a British accent. The time is now, folks, pick up that phone and show your support!"

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - FEMALE: "That's right, people. When you want commentary that passes for news, where do you turn your dial? When you want entertainment that pokes fun of politics you don’t like, where do you turn your dial? When you just want to know what to think, where do you tune the dial? Some of you, though, come here week after week, lurking around, and enjoy the high-quality programming we all enjoy for free, but you still haven't stepped up to the plate to help. Do you think that Public Radio is for the public? Please, for the love of the children, pick-up the phone and start doing your part today!"

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - ETHNIC MALE: "You make a good point, [name], too many people take what we do every day for granted and never, EVER, put up there fair share. I mean, we work hard day after day doing things like what we’re doing now. If NPR wasn’t here, there wouldn’t be nothing worth listening to on the air. Some of us here even pay taxes and most all the other bills all of you listeners pay too, and we still can’t get ahead because some people, and you know who I’m talking about, are trying to keep us down. And some of you don't care enough to give us our due and show your support with money – long green - and, believe me, we keep caller and donor lists so we know who you are, too."

NPR AFFILIATE - FEMALE: "I hear ya, [name]! The funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is only a small portion of our needs. We have bills too, ya’ know. We still don't have the latest technology we want to lead the world in having all-digital-all-the-time facilities to dominate the radio for decades to come! I mean, whoa! That digital stuff is s-o-o-o expensive even most commercial stations can’t afford it. Many of our buildings are, like, more than 10 years old! I mean, last week, here at this station, we actually had to choose domestic walnut paneling for our studio remodel instead of sustainably-grown Bubinga wood from Brazil because the import costs were too high. Imagine working under these kinds of conditions. Its like working in your folks basement – ewww! Our staff budget keeps growing every year as we hire more and more fellow travelers for the kinds of jobs we want to do and yet, at the same time, there are those mean spirits in government that actually want to cut our budget! This isn’t the kind of America that we know is it? Come on, people! Get out those wallets and give us a call! To show how much we appreciate your donation, you can get all sorts of nifty premiums...what are we giving this year [name]?"

NRP AFFILIATE HOST - MALE: "For our lowest support category, the 'Silver Comrade', we'll send you a thank you and a post card showing all of us at our Colorado ski retreat last winter. For the next level, the 'Golden Comrade' you'll also get a bottle of Chardonnay from the Winery of Defrocked Priests in San Francisco. For the highest level, you'll get all of the stuff the others are getting, plus you'll also get a top-security clearances for any kind of sensitive military information you or the country you work for might desire. Oh wait, that was the offer we gave out under the Clinton administration..."

NPR AFFILIATE HOST – FEMALE: “Oops! You almost spilled the beans [name]! Actually, folks, this year’s ‘Platinum Comrade’ premium is a genuine autographed copy of Hillary’s new book signed by one of her staff. You just can’t go wrong with deals like this. Where else can you…”

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - ETHNIC MALE: "Look, let's cut to the chase, dammit! We need money. You got money. We'll get it now, voluntarily, or we'll get it later with a pair of pliers when we get back in power. You wine-sipping liberals better get out your plastic, NOW!"

[Public Service Announcement]

[The studio microphones come back up...]

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - FEMALE: Well, [name], there certainly has been a lot of excitement here today. Oh, wait! The phones are ringing..."

[The sound of subdued chatter and the ring of a single phone is heard. An operator has picked up the phone and can be heard, indistinctly, speaking to someone…]

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - MALE: "That’s right [name], the last time I saw the staff as excited as they are today was when Gorbachev first came to America! But excitement just isn't enough, friends! We need your support like never before. Call your Senators and Congress people and tell them you want to see more tax dollars go to Public Broadcasting because you don’t want Big Bird to die. And die he will if funds dry up. In fact, the talk here this morning has even been that some of our staff may face losing his, er, their job if your support dollars aren’t enough to make up the difference between what we demand, er, ask of government funding and what we are spending.

NPR AFFILIATE HOST – FEMALE: “It is a sad time indeed, people. When hard times come, we have to layoff people just like every other business. Thankfully, I’m white and perky.”

NPR AFFILIATE HOST – MALE: “There’s a lot of truth in what you say, [name], these are dark days indeed. Like you, I have two brand new SUV's to pay for and my family just bought a vacation home in Vail. We all have obligations, but some of us are doing something about fighting for the world-view we want to dominate in the generations to come. Others out there just don’t care and go on stealing entertainment from us while living their selfish, indulgent lives for themselves instead of all of the world’s citizens like we do. Shame on them.”

NPR AFFILIATE HOST – FEMALE: “That’s so sad, and so true. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can join hands and fight back. We can pick up the fallen banner and march for peace and justice together. C’mon, people! Let’s all join the struggle – but it starts today, with your CASH donations!”

NPR AFFILIATE HOST – MALE: “Won't you please, please, please pick-up your phone and give us a call? What ever came of that last caller, [name]?"

NPR AFFILIATE HOST - FEMALE: "Uh, what did the caller say, [name of operator]?"

OPERATOR: "Nothing. It was a wrong number…"

[There is a long silence.]

[Music plays and a voice intones: 'Please Stand by…']

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