Pharyngula

Posted by: Steve_C | July 3, 2009 4:13 PM

Yes!!! Perfect.

Posted by: JohnnieCanuck | July 3, 2009 4:14 PM

Seems like it would still cost the same. As much as the market will bear. Just the profit margins are improved.

Posted by: JohnnieCanuck | July 3, 2009 4:23 PM

Make a little money for Scienceblogs (and PZ?) by clicking on the Good News link I found in the google ads banner.

http://www.gnmagazine.org/evolution/?S=2&gclid=CPHOjqStupsCFShRagod5VJGAw

You can order a free booklet on evolution/creation and/or subscribe to their free magazine. There's even a link to do it to a 'friend'.

Humour and it costs them. That's win-win in my books.

Posted by: (((Billy))) The Atheist | July 3, 2009 4:28 PM

Completely off topic (like that never happens here) but Sarah Palin just announced that she will step down as the governor of Alaska effective July 25. Apparently to focus on a run at the GOP nomination for 2012. It is currently up at Daily Kos. No, I am not kidding.

Posted by: m_t_sac | July 3, 2009 4:31 PM

Sure PZ...Lets trust the good folks over at Pfizer, they would NEVER do anything to harm us for quick buck.

Posted by: m_t_sac | July 3, 2009 4:33 PM

Sure PZ...Lets trust the good folks over at Pfizer, they would NEVER do anything to harm us for quick buck.

Posted by: Jadehawk, OM | July 3, 2009 4:47 PM

I think they served homeopathic beer at the nightclub I used to go to as a teen...

Posted by: Steve_C | July 3, 2009 4:52 PM

Here's Tim Minchin on woo and new age goofiness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB_htqDCP-s

Actually doctors administer the drugs. And they have to deal with the consequences. Also Pfizer has to go through years of medical trials before the FDA would let the drug onto the market.

You're bizarro world doesn't fit with the reality of what drug companies do. Hurting patients for a quick buck doesn't happen. There are no quick bucks in pharmaceuticals.

Money grubbing perhaps, but not reckless.

Posted by: Dax | July 3, 2009 4:56 PM

Funny, Pfizer bought Wyeth (among others) becoming one of the largest Vitamin complex producers in the world... and what do a lot of alt-med people want you to do? Use those vitamins because Pfizer is out to kill you! In the UK Pfizer is even actively promoting altmed including ayurvedic "treatments" (read: poisson yourself with heavy metals, "but at least it's natural!").

But back to topic: British humor is the best.

Posted by: X. Wolp | July 3, 2009 5:09 PM

@17: Didn't you get the memo, the vague magical healing powers of ayurvedic practitioners make heavy metals non toxic somehow!

Posted by: NoFear | July 3, 2009 5:28 PM

In multiple double blind studies it was found that all homeopathic medicines performed exactly as well as placebo. Since the success rate of placebo has been well documented, homeopathy has a viable place in modern medicine.

Now excuse me while I extract my tongue from my cheek.

Posted by: Marc Abian | July 3, 2009 5:45 PM

Actually that's probably not a HP reference at all. I'm cool again.

I loved the line this horoscope's not too clever either. Delivered perfectly.

Posted by: Laurel | July 3, 2009 6:11 PM

When watching this on TV the other day, I actually thought trying to send this in, but alas when I looked, someone hadn't uploaded it at that point. Glad to see it here anyway.

@24: I had the same thought with those homoeopathic lagers - there's actually some lager in that water.

Posted by: Jim Bob Cooter | July 3, 2009 6:51 PM

The people who complain that Pfizer is evil because they want to make money - but then go buy useless vitamins from the same type of pharm company - are the same people who claim Wal Mart is evil and then they go and shop at Target. You're a moron and a hypocrite, a not uncommon but still impressively disgusting combination.

Posted by: Lee Brimmicombe-Wood | July 3, 2009 7:09 PM

I think the best line is the one about taking a piece of a Blue Ford Mondeo and diluting it to cure the car crash.

Posted by: Abbie | July 3, 2009 7:45 PM

Is this from a third series? I don't remember seeing this.

Their "Good Samaratin" sketch is a hoot.

Posted by: neilo | July 3, 2009 8:32 PM

@#32 - No problem mate, I know its those guys I was just expressing my excitment of the next Peepshow series!
If you want to see Michell at his best check this out:

http://www.atheistnexus.org/video/david-mitchell-heaven-earth

Posted by: gf | July 3, 2009 9:42 PM

Peep Show with Mitchell and Webb is much better than their sketch shows imo.

Episode 1 here: http://www.guba.com/watch/3000089863

Posted by: Nidome | July 3, 2009 9:54 PM

Ah, I love Mitchell and Webb! Peepshow is one of my all-time favourites too.

Also check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGDndcxH-O4&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCovMVLYYZ4

Posted by: Obeah | July 3, 2009 10:29 PM

Silly Doctors; they forgot to pray.

Posted by: Jeff | July 3, 2009 10:47 PM

In a move whose absurdity is only just matched by homeopathy, Sahara ("Mind Like a Desert") Palin is gunnin' for president, in a campaign which I have already named Slaughterhouse 2012. Run Forrest, I mean Sarah, run!

Besides, doesn't she know that we are now on the verge of the next Al Franken Decade?? What a moose-brain...

Posted by: Bert | July 3, 2009 11:36 PM

It's a new series. Sketch just aired on BBC 2 in the UK last night.

Posted by: Jim Bob Cooter | July 4, 2009 2:07 AM

The people who complain that Pfizer is evil because they want to make money - but then go buy useless vitamins from the same type of pharm company - are the same people who claim Wal Mart is evil and then they go and shop at Target. You're a moron and a hypocrite, a not uncommon but still impressively disgusting combination.

Posted by: Happy Tentacles | July 4, 2009 3:39 AM

Did you see the other sketch in the same Mitchell & Webb episode, in which an atheist has his atheism confirmed when he slices open a watermelon to find that the seeds spell out the message 'There is no God'?

Posted by: Jason Dick | July 4, 2009 7:22 AM

Steve_C, #15

Actually doctors administer the drugs. And they have to deal with the consequences. Also Pfizer has to go through years of medical trials before the FDA would let the drug onto the market.

You're bizarro world doesn't fit with the reality of what drug companies do. Hurting patients for a quick buck doesn't happen. There are no quick bucks in pharmaceuticals.
Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that. The field is so full of moral hazard that, well, that's exactly what they're out to do: make a quick buck. And the regulation system that we have is far from perfect, but at least we have a regulation system. Remedies labeled "homeopathic" don't even have that much going for them, and so are far less likely to be effective, and far more fraught with danger (witness Zicam).

I don't think it's unreasonable to be wary and skeptical of western medicine, but by far the most reasonable solution when facing a medical problem is to go with western medicine for the answer. Even if it's not perfect, it's the best we have to date.

Posted by: Faintpraise | July 4, 2009 11:56 AM

I love Mitchell and Webb! And we got a double skeptical bonus this week with the Atheist watermelon sketch (linked to by Edd @ #18)

Posted by: Karabekian | July 5, 2009 3:14 AM

"...the same people who claim Wal Mart is evil and then they go and shop at Target."

If I shop at Target, I'm shopping at a local business, at least - HQ is just down the road. After all, for every $100 spent at a locally owned store $68 stays in the community, don't you know.

Besides, there's different degrees of evil, and WalMart is several dozen shades darker than Target.

Posted by: Dave The Drummer | July 5, 2009 1:59 PM

I was hoping someone would pick this up. I watched it just last night on the BBC iPlayer. Awesome.
And, thankfully, with no irritating 'well maybe' apologism at the end either.
Check out their rest of their stuff. In the same show they did a great one about the seeds in a melon spelling out 'There is no god'.
:-)