Mark:
>No, I would applaud you for challenging them.  I would not, however,
>applaud you if your "challenge" amounted to: "This is impossible
>according to science; therefore you are a fraud."

Tom:
Unfortunately, most folks have not read any of the literature,
i.e. the scientific studies regarding food calories - requirements
and expenditures, and measuring techniques. While calories as human
energy measurement are still an approximation, the level of
knowledge in this area is substantial. Hence when raw experts claim
to thrive on calorie levels far below starvation, most folks
don't fully realize just how absurd such claims are.

Mark:
>What about this approach?  "Oh, really?  Fascinating!  Please tell us all
>the details.  By the way, please tell us when and where you will be flying
>next so that we can all come to witness it."  A fraud will expose himself
in

Tom:
After posting my note, I realized that claiming to fly was a
bad analogy, in that it is easy to expose. What is not so easy to
expose is under-reporting of food consumed, cheating (eating and
not listing the foods). And under-reporting and cheating are a
more plausible explanation (in my opinion) than new age claims
or allegations that "science is cooked."

Mark:
>You can't save everybody!

Tom:
Your inference that I out to save folks is 100% false. I am an
information source. If someone rejects that info - it is their
choice, and their responsibility. I'm a libertarian and strongly
endorse individual rights, including the right to follow a good -
or bad - diet. I'm not into saving people, or being a diet
guru: quite the opposite - I seek to stimulate individual
independence from diet gurus. (And one way to do that is
to challenge diet gurus who make dubious claims.)

Mark:
>What seems to be going on is that
>negative experiences from your past are hampering your ability to deal
>courteously with people you disagree with.

Tom:
If my remarks were seen as discourteous, that is unfortunate.  I
honestly
didn't think they were discourteous. I was just stating my frank
opinion regarding what appear to be absurd claims.

Tom Billings