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Nutrition supplement industry insider and self-proclaimed skeptic John Barban talks with us about the problems with supplement science, and how to become an educated consumer. John can be reached at johnbarban@gmail.com.

Gibson’s novel of skeptical ideas, with a focus on religious conflict and epistemology, A Secret of the Universe , is now available in audiobook form here at Audible and iTunes. The non-fiction book Truth-Driven Thinking is also available in audio here from Audible and iTunes. Feedback to sgibson@truthdriventhinking.com. (Note: the official Truth-Driven Thinking podcast has come to end, but I just can’t be totally silent ; so stick around for random thoughts, audio files, and occasional ramblings. Also check out A Secret of the Universe at www.ascretoftheuniverse.com)


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The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | STD spending is in the economic stimulus plan

Republicans have large philosophical differences with the $819 billion economic stimulus package that passed the House on Jan. 28, 2009, and they have tried to discredit the plan by singling out relatively small spending proposals they see as inappropriate. One of the most widely cited claims from Republican leaders has been that the stimulus plan includes millions for sexually transmitted disease education. On the day of the the House vote, the National Republican Congressional Committee circulated a news release in the districts of 29 freshman House Democrats, chastising them for supporting a massive spending plan that the NRCC said includes … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: True | Stimulus plan comes to more than a million bucks a day since Jesus Christ was born

In a CBS Face the Nation interview on Feb. 1, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky, sought to put the proposed economic stimulus bill into some sobering perspective. "You know, this is huge money," McConnell said. "This is — someone said the other day that, if you started the day Jesus Christ was born and spent $1 million every day since then, you still wouldn’t have spent $1 trillion.” The bill isn’t that expensive yet — the House version is estimated at $819 billion — but the Senate is expected to add new programs and additional tax … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: Half-True | Stimulus plan includes plan to compensate Filipino vets, but no actual money

In an interview with Fox News Sunday , Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., argued that the Democratic-backed economic stimulus package is so full of waste and clutter that legislators ought to scrap it entirely and start fresh. "I mean, there are so many different things that you can make fun of in this bill," Kyl said. "Let me just mention one — millions of dollars to World War II Filipino veterans in the Philippines. Now, that may be a good thing to spend money on, but not in a stimulus bill. It doesn’t stimulate anything." Does the Senate version of the … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: False | Stimulus bill includes projects that some consider earmarks

For weeks, President Obama and his aides have said it is critical that the economic stimulus package not contain any "earmarks," projects that are often viewed as wasteful or frivolous. This week, Obama’s spokesman Robert Gibbs declared they had succeeded. At his daily briefing on Feb. 2, 2009, Gibbs said the bill contains "unprecedented accountability and transparency.  There are no earmarks in this bill.  The information on the projects that will be funded in this legislation will be available online, as you know, at www.recovery.gov .  There will be an oversight board that will monitor the progress of … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: True | Stimulus has money to help fish, off-roaders

In a speech on the House floor on Feb. 3, 2009, Republican Rep. Mike Pence sounded off about what’s in the stimulus bill before Congress. "In legislation before the Senate this week, $20 million for the removal of small to medium-sized fish passage barriers or $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading trails for ATVs is not going to put this economy back on track," Pence said. "And, it was exactly that kind of wasteful government spending that resulted in unanimous Republican opposition last week." We wanted to check to see if the bill includes the money Pence mentioned. Some of our … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | FedEx chair delivers perspective on bonuses

Reports about big bonuses for Wall Street executives have struck a nerve with people who wonder how the executives can justify large payments when their firms are in shaky condition or are seeking federal help. It’s drawn the ire of President Obama, who called it "the height of irresponsibility. It’s shameful." On Feb. 4, 2009, he said top executives at firms receiving federal aid will have their compensation capped at $500,000 and that bonuses would have to come as stock that they can’t receive until the government is reimbursed. The New York State Comptroller reported in late … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | Obama Porn Lawyer Laid Bare

To hear some conservative opponents talk about David Ogden, President Obama’s choice for deputy attorney general, you might have expected recommendation letters to come to the Senate in plain brown wrappers. "An Obscene Choice: Obama Taps Porn Lawyer for # 2 at Justice," blares a headline atop the Web site for Fidelis, a conservative group that has waged a PR campaign against Ogden’s nomination. According to a press release from Fidelis, "President Obama’s Choice for Deputy Attorney General has represented Playboy, Penthouse, the ACLU and others." First some background. Yes, as a lawyer in private practice more than 15 years … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: Half-True | Obama says Republicans are quibbling over less than 1 percent of the stimulus plan

In the battle for public opinion, Republican opponents of President Obama’s economic stimulus plan have repeatedly scored points by ticking off various spending programs that seem hard to defend as economic stimulus. Hundreds of millions for contraceptives. Hundreds millions more for sexually transmitted disease prevention. Two hundred million to refurbish the National Mall, including new sod. Some Republican leaders warned the plan even cleverly funnels millions, maybe even billions, to the party’s favorite villain, ACORN. In one of several interviews last week to promote the plan, Obama played defense, portraying those controversial projects as relatively small in the overall scope … >> More

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The Truth-o-Meter says: Barely True | Many choices for CBO numbers for 2009 and 2010

One of the catch phrases for the stimulus has been "timely, targeted, temporary." Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said the bill was none of those things, attacking it on the Senate floor on Feb. 5, 2009. We were particularly interested in his claim that it was not timely. The Congressional Budget Office, Roberts said, "estimates that only 15 percent of this stimulus package will be spent in 2009; 37 percent, 2010; the remaining part spent in 2011 and beyond. Less than half the money will be spent by the end of next year.  This is not immediate relief that families and … >> More