Lennys House of Lies Todays special: Microwave ovens However you may feel about microwave ovens -- whether you love em, hate em, or preach against them and use them anyway (as Kevin Trudeau was reported to have hypocritically done) -- something doesnt add up with Lennys microwave tale (see screen shot). He claims to have been part of the study group that was the reason for Russia to ban microwave ovens in 1976. There are a few things wrong with that narrative. I know, Im as shocked as you. Supposedly numerous studies about microwave effects were done by the Soviets, but from what Ive seen they were studying Russian subjects from 1957 up to the end of the Cold War. The Germans supposedly did microwave studies too, but the significant studies were done by the Third Reich during WWII on German soldiers. Lenny was born 13 years after that war ended. Now, granted, I did very superficial research because I have projects to finish and maybe even a new blog post about Kevin and GIN to publish at some point... but thats what I found. In any case there seem to be more holes in the story. In 1976 -- the year that Russia supposedly banned microwave ovens -- Lenny was 18, supposedly still in Germany, having completely or mostly cured Mommy (according to his most frequently employed heros tale), and at that point he was being overwhelmed by people showing up at his doorstep at all times of the day and night for his miracle healing work. Presumably the study or studies leading to the supposed microwave oven ban in Russia would have been done over a period of years leading up to 1976. So I am not sure how Lenny would have been part of any studies leading up to a 1976 ban on microwave ovens in Russia. I am assuming he means he was a study subject... but you never know. He could be claiming that he was helping conduct the studies, being such a medical wunderkind and all. At any rate I dont think any of his fans will ask for details, least of all Amy, on whose page he wrote his microwave rant. But the main hole in the story is that there is apparently no credible evidence that microwave ovens were ever actually banned in Russia or the Soviet Union. From what I have seen, that is one of those pieces of mis-info that got started by some anti-microwave activist and then just picked up and carried to the alt-health world at large. Heres the article to which Lenny linked on his FB post: survive-and-thrive-cancer/microwave-food-and-cancer.aspx For a more balanced perspective, theres this... skeptoid/episodes/4080 From the article: The Microwave Militia also makes claims such as microwave ovens are illegal in Russia or other parts of Europe. This is just a straight-up lie. Microwaves are perfectly legal in Russia and everywhere else in Europe. In fact I was not able to find a single country in the world that bans microwave ovens. Theyre regulated, of course, like all electric appliances; but regulation should not be mischaracterized as a ban. ### Theres also this, which I think has a balanced perspective and contains some good critical-thinking lessons... ehealthmd/content/microwaved-food-dangerous-myths-and-facts Heres an excerpt from that article: The second “big name” in the microwave mythology story is James Kopp. Little information is available about his credentials – in most places, he is only described as “a U.S. researcher,” but his word has been taken as gospel by true believers. In a 1996 he published an article about the research of Russian scientists into microwaves – which supposedly led to banning microwave ovens in Russia. mindfully.org/Food/Irradiate-Microwave-Effects-FoodMay96.htm. But Kopp disappeared. He changed his name and claimed that microwave oven manufacturers were persecuting him. Critical thinking lesson #4: Ethical, reputable, mentally-healthy scientists stand by their work. They do not change their names and disappear, claiming persecution. ### Ha... thats a lesson that seems particularly pertinent to this discussion. Maybe Lenny and the sham scientist formerly known as Kopp can get together and swap persecution stories. :-) Finally theres this, which is a more extended attempt to trace the myth of the Soviet microwave ban: skeptics.stackexchange/questions/17126/did-the-soviet-union-ban-microwave-ovens-in-1976 So... if I were Politifact or a similar site, I would rate this post of Lennys PANTS ON FIRE.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 16:32:36 +0000
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