On Apr 15, 2004, at 9:59 pm, Ken Stuart wrote:

> I have yet to see one article in any news media about any "study" that
> does not use the concept that correlation implies causation.   This is
> what the media think science is all about.

Actually Ken, you have a point- I guess I expect too much of the media.
  You reminded me of an advert in the UK for (I think) Shredded Wheat, a
cereal made from whole grains.  The celebrity-endorsed ad claimed that
whole grains may (may, not will- I see the lawyers are as busy as the
scientists) help keep your heart healthy since "people who eat whole
grains tend to have healthier hearts".

Can you see where this is going? :)

Of course they have healthier hearts- people who eat whole grain food
do so because they think it's good for them (I laugh now, but I was
one), and probably eat generally healthy food anyway.  I can't imagine
someone buying wholemeal bread to go with chips, bacon and ice cream.

I suppose that while the truth about nutrition is still
industry-sponsored it impossible to explain this to the man on the
street.  I saw the inside of a free-range egg carton the other day,
which proudly boasted that their hens were so healthy and produced such
good eggs because they were fed on grains.  I don't think this even
bears commenting on.

Ash