From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Re: So-Called Vitamin D (update)
Date: 16 Nov 92 21:17:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Nov16.211715.573
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <altar.721931716@sfu.ca> altar@beaufort.sfu.ca (Ted Wayn Altar) writes:
	>Lest we again see some flames concerning this posting,
	>permit me to state what should not need stating.

The past two articles, for one.  You posted Moon's article once before.

	>Again, please don't EVER take my word for it or rest
	>content with just a few citations.  Go read for yourself
	>what I think to be an interesting and important paper.

That is to say, "Read it, especially if you don't know enough about
calcium metabolism to recognize propaganda when its served to you."

	>I think we can all agree that we must always beware and
	>leery of those PSEUDO-EXPERTS who would merely make his or
	>her assertions `ex-cathedra', who would resort to a
	>patronizing tone or even insults, and ultimately would
	>disrespect your independent intelligence.  The truly
	>informed have no need to belittle others and are quite
	>willing to patiently explain and provide substantiation or
	>references for their crucial points.

And this comes from someone who perpetually whines about being
the recipient of "personal attacks" when his facts are corrected.
The disingenuousness and hypocrisy of this guy is simply amazing.
Ted Altar is all too ready to sling mud, but he pretends that
his hands are clean.  It's really nauseating.  It is, however,
characteristic of much of what Altar, Traub, and Abhay whathisname
write.  They are cut from the same cloth; zealotry has a rhetoric
all its own.

I already shot holes through this Moon-guy's assertions once
before.  It's a hodge-podge of half-truths and half-baked leaps
of logic.  This paper is unworthy of publication in a peer-reviewed
scientific journal.  Connoisseurs of flat-earth/flying saucer
propaganda will undoubtedly recognize the rhetorical style.

	>Now, I don't purport to be an expert in nutrition but I do
	>think that I can at least recognized good methodologies from
	>bad, good argumentation from the specious.

Your track record hasn't been too good in this regard.

	>Of course, I may
	>and do get some of my medical terminology wrong, and I am
	>hopelessly lost when it comes to biochemistry.  :-(

This should suggest something to you, and to the rest of the readers
of rec.food.veg, when they read something of yours which tries to
discuss biochemistry, medicine or other related topics.  Stick to
recipes and political polemic.

	>Hence, all that I can do is share what I judge to be some
	>interesting readings.  I could well be wrong, so therefore I
	>hope you would check it out for yourself.  Don't ever take
	>my word for it, or anyone else's for that matter.  Hence, it
	>is important, I think, to make that extra effort to provide
	>references and sources in one's messages on the net.

Thanks, Ted!  Especially when they're down the hall from you!

	>Hopefully, some of you will find what I make reference to,
	>to be of interest and even importance for your own living as
	>to how you might wish to choose what you eat.

Right.  Even if the information Ted provides is incorrect and misleading!
His heart is in the right place, however, so it would be wrong for us to
let others know that.  Why, his feelings might even get hurt.  And we
know how nurturing an environment Ted, Michael and Abhay provide for us
all here in rec.food.veg.  Let's not do anything to disturb that.

	>Now, for those who have not seen that earlier posting which
	>prompted such a rude response from a couple of individuals
	>here on r.f.v., I'll repost it now for your benefit.  ;-)

It's not rude to speak out strongly against misinformation and the
willful or ignorant dissemination of misinformation.  It would be rude
not to do so.  People who read Moon's comments on Vitamin D should
speak to a nutritionist before changing any of their practices.  To say
that his comments and conclusions are unorthodox would be quite an
understatement.



-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg