MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'critical thinking'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:09:48 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130646&cid=t_112542_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fsafe-effective-service-improvement-delivering-the-safety-and-productivity-agenda-in-healthcare-using-a-lean-approach%2F Title: Safe & Effective Service Improvement: Delivering the safety and productivity agenda in healthcare using a Lean approach Scan to download Safe and Effective Service Improvement: Delivering the safety and productivity agenda in healthcare using a Lean approach. The Skinny: Guide for those with a responsibility for safety and productivity working in healthcare organisations, introducing the concept that Lean can, and already is, being used to tackle both of these important agendas. Aims to show that an absence of “Lean Thinking” inside healthcare organisations can lead to increased patient safety risks. Tackling patient safety incidents in all their many forms, from near misses through to events that cause severe harm or even death, is a priority for healthcare organisations. I... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130646 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:21:41 +0100 5130646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096345&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fthe-critical-thinking-coach-interview-with-stephen-haggerty-part-2%2F This is part 2 of an interview with Stephen Haggerty (read part 1 here), a Critical Thinking Teacher of the Year award winner at Eastern Kentucky University. Does one need to be highly intelligent to be a good critical thinker? Highly intelligent…what does that mean?  Does that term imply book intelligence? Street smarts?  I would argue anyone could engage in higher-level thinking if they are trained in the terminology and how to apply it. It takes a lot of practice to be a critical and creative thinker who communicates effectively, but I do believe if one is dedicated to being more successful in life, then they can learn to apply the principles of critical and creative thinking through effective communication. It seems some critical thinking advocates view critical thinking as nothin... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096345 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:10:16 +0100 5096345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057762&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fthe-critical-thinking-coach-interview-with-stephen-haggerty%2F Stephen Haggerty is a 2011 recipient of Eastern Kentucky University’s Critical Thinking Teacher of the year award.  The award is given to recognize “outstanding faculty members who have had an effect on developing their students’ critical/creative thinking skills.” (Read more about the award at Think EKU.) In this two-part interview I discuss critical thinking with Stephen Haggerty. What is the primary goal of critical thinking? If I am a critical thinker, I am thinking things through before making choices.  In other words, a fundamental goal of critical thinking is to be able to consider multiple perspectives before deciding to act upon information, a person’s request, or even something like buying car or a house. A critical thinker in school will be more success... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057762 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:44:52 +0100 5057762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028029&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FLWdXXpEeFoI%2Ffrom_deep_in_the_heart_of_sin_city.php There won't be a new post today, as you probably have figured out. The reason is that I'm at The Amaz!ing Meeting, where I'll be participating in the Science-Based Medicine Workshop today and a panel discussion on Saturday. Yesterday afternoon after arriving, I was busy putting the finishing touches on my talk, and then in the evening I communed with fellow skeptics over a libation or two. Unfortunately, I could only make it until 11 PM. Damn the time difference between the Eastern time and Pacific time! I am, however, in a most excellent mood. The reason? Well, I ran into some of my commenters, but even more importantly I got to bask in the glory that is our master and lord, Lord Draconis Zeneca, straight from GlaxoPharmaCOM. Truly, his scales and claws are even more impressive than I im... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028029 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0100 5028029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028454&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F13%2Fapproaches-to-knowledge-2-interview-with-nathaniel-b-jones%2F This is the second article of a two-part interview with Dr. Brian Jones.  Dr. Jones has a PhD in exercise science and is a full-time professor at the University of Louisville where he teaches both undergrad and graduate courses.  He approaches his classes from a scientific standpoint with an emphasis on critical thinking. In a nutshell, what is science?  Does science really prove anything? Science is a process. It is a system for evaluating information based on formulating a hypothesis, carefully testing that hypothesis through data collection and analysis, and revising the hypothesis. If the hypothesis withstands the researcher’s attempt to falsify it then it tentatively stands supported by the research. Nothing in science is ever truly “proven” correct. Scientific fa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028454 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:25:51 +0100 5028454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008312&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F05%2Fapproaches-to-knowledge-interview-with-nathaniel-b-jones%2F Dr. Brian Jones has a PhD in exercise science and is a full-time professor at the University of Louisville where he teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses. He approaches all his courses with a scientific mindset, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking. Recently, Dr. Jones sent me a file containing one of his lectures on critical thinking. The lecture was for college students, but after reading the file I thought the subject matter would be great for everyone to know, not just those who are attending college. In the following interview, we discuss important points on critical thinking and approaches to knowledge. I think most people know that the media is not the best source for reliable information.  Yet, many seem to almost exclusively turn to the media for knowledge. ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008312 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:22:38 +0100 5008312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4976238&cid=t_112542_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F29%2Fblack-and-white-thinking-must-be-abolished%2F Black and white thinking, for those readers unfamiliar with cognitive distortions, refers to the tendency to reduce complex ideas and situations into simple, dichotomous, and mutually exclusive categories. Think of good or bad, yes or no, all correct or all wrong, acute pain or chronic pain, neuromatrix or peripheral mechanisms, cure the pain or manage the pain. It’s a way of simplifying arguments or decisions that can work well when the situation requires very fast decision-making, or where the options are very limited. It doesn’t work at all in the messy and complicated worlds of clinical reasoning, theory development, or in discussions to broaden understanding. I’m pondering this because of the way various aspects of pain management and the science of pain are misrepre... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4976238 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:15:22 +0100 4976238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911394&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FPtcXcgngDXU%2Fanother_reason_why_nccam_can_never_be_tr.php I've frequently been critical fo the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) for funding dubious studies of pseudoscience and, in essence, promoting unscientific quackademic medicine (is there any other kind?) by giving it the patina of seeming respectability. I can't recall how many times I've seen promoters of woo justify their woo by saying, "Well, NCCAM funds it." As far as apologetics for quackademic medicine, "NCCAM does it" is right up there with "Harvard does it." Unfortunately, Harvard really does do it, as do too many other bastions of science-based medicine that have betrayed their trust and allowed pseudoscience to infiltrate them in the form of "integrative medicine." And NCCAM leads the way, your tax dollars funneled into it going towards funding wo... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911394 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:00:00 +0100 4911394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862629&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-critical-thinker-academy-2-interview-with-kevin-delaplante%2F This is part two of a two-part interview of Kevin deLaplante, a professor of philosophy and founder of The Critical Thinker Academy. Check out part one here. What is your favorite book on critical thinking? I often get requests for book recommendations. It’s hard because critical thinking requires so many different kinds of skill development, and no single book is going to cover everything. Also, people are usually interested in specific issues or topics, and once I know what those are it’s easier to recommend sources. My “starter kit” recommendation is to pick a good introductory book on basic argumentation and fallacies written from a logic/philosophy perspective, plus a good introductory book on the psychology of reasoning and decision making (something in the “biases ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862629 Wed, 25 May 2011 13:58:39 +0100 4862629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862633&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F23%2Fthe-critical-thinker-academy-interview-with-kevin-delaplante%2F The Critical Thinker Academy is a site that offers video tutorials on a wide range of critical thinking topics, such as logic, argumentation, and critical reasoning and essay writing. Philosophy professor Kevin deLaplante, with over 14 years of teaching experience, developed the videos. In the interview below, deLaplante provides detailed answers to various questions on critical thinking.  If you are interested in critical thinking and its implications I am sure you will enjoy this two-part interview. In a nutshell, what is the Critical Thinker Academy? The Critical Thinker Academy is a website that hosts video tutorial courses on a variety of topics related to logic, argumentation and critical thinking. It also has some courses on essay writing. I produce all the content for the site, a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862633 Mon, 23 May 2011 20:35:15 +0100 4862633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841477&cid=t_112542_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-review-of-the-most-common-physician-errors-in-thinking-and-judgement%2F2011.05.19 In my recent review of Peter Palmieri’s book Suffer the Children I said I would later try to cover some of the many other important issues he brings up. One of the themes in the book is the process of critical thinking and the various cognitive traps doctors fall into. I will address some of them here. This is not meant to be systematic or comprehensive, but rather a miscellany of things to think about. Some of these overlap. Diagnostic fetishes Everything is attributed to a pet diagnosis. Palmieri gives the example of a colleague of his who thinks everything from septic shock to behavior disorders are due to low levels of HDL, which he treats with high doses of niacin. There is a tendency to widen the criteria so that any collection of symptoms can be seen as evidence of the condition. ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841477 Thu, 19 May 2011 15:00:33 +0100 4841477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828784&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FZIBZEu6AguM%2Fan_actual_skeptical_news_report.php First Oz, now this. Too bad Dr. Novella's appearance was so short: At least they got Banachek to do a quick and dirty trial that helped to demonstrate that these bracelets do not work. Unfortunately, the power of belief is strong; several of the people who underwent the testing still wanted to fork over $30 for a cheap piece of plastic. That is what skeptics are up against. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828784 Mon, 16 May 2011 05:00:06 +0100 4828784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4767908&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F9D1trD4X960%2Fyour_friday_dose_of_woo_eat_the_sun.php With the utter ridiculousness of the arguments laid down by Dr. Oz when Steve Novella appeared on his show and the even more ridiculous silliness of J.B. Handley thinking that Matt Carey, a.k.a. Sullivan, is really Bonnie Offit, I had originally thought that I should find some peer-reviewed scientific article today to do a sober, serious analysis of some cool bit of science. Hey, it sounded like a good idea. Then I finished my day, which was my clinic day, and I was simply too tired to summon up the effort it would take to go through a paper, analyze it, and write up that analysis for the edification of my breathlessly waiting fans. OK, plan B, then. My original plan B was to do a post about some of the antics going on in the anti-vaccine movement. The last couple of weeks have been busi... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4767908 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0100 4767908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762713&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FLoUSUC-W1u8%2Freleasing_his_long_form_birth_certificat.php Among the most bizarre and risible conspiracy theories currently going around, rising to the top (or near the top) has to be notion that President Obama was not actually born in the United States and therefore is not a U.S. citizen and not eligible to be President of the United States. Indeed, ever since the heat of the 2008 election, this particular unsinkable rubber duck of a conspiracy theory keeps getting slapped down by reason and evidence, only to rise to the surface again and again and again. It's truly a wingnut paradise, because, quite frankly, the people who passionately believe it either don't realize or don't care how ridiculous they look. Unfortunately, "birthers" (the slang term for what believers in this particular conspiracy theory are often called) have become a fairly pot... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762713 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0100 4762713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693230&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2Fvi0S6lZstqQ%2Fstorm_the_movie.php The animated short movie version of Tim Minchin's fantastic nine minute beat poem Storm is finally available. Watch. Learn. Enjoy. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693230 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0100 4693230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642532&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FvR7lkGJKz-U%2Fdr_michael_egnor_must_really_want_to_ope.php Grant time again! Since today--yes, today!--is the deadline for a rather big grant I'm writing (not quite R01 level, but a respectable three year project if I can get it), I was up until the wee hours of the morning trying to put this sucker to bed. Being the ever-benevolent blogger, though, far be it from me to deny you some Insolence. It's just recycled Insolence. Of course, given that this is nearly four years old, if you've been reading less than four years, it's new to you! I'll be back tomorrow; that is, assuming I've recovered. As I look at this post, it occurs to me that I haven't written about evolution in a while. I might have to remedy that sometimes soon. After all, Dr. Egnor is still around and still laying down the flaming stupid. Dr. Michael Egnor must really want to operat... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642532 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:00:01 +0100 4642532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527772&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F27%2Fthink-like-a-skeptic-part-2%2F I was a presenter at the JP Fitness Summit in Kansas City in 2009, where I spoke about the importance of exercising skepticism in your life, whether you’re a fitness expert or anyone else. You can read my first article on the topic here. Here are some additional notes from my lecture at that event. I hope to be able to help readers understand the importance of relying on logic and how to do this more often in everyday life, and, in essence, how to think like a skeptic. The Concise English Oxford Dictionary defines “logic” as the science of reasoning, proof, thinking or inference. In the structure of a logical argument, one or more premises leads to a conclusion (a conclusion that could be true even if the argument is invalid). To sharpen critical thinking skills, it is im... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527772 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:06:22 +0100 4527772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459902&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FbLJYeQ_3IOg%2Fdogma_versus_science.php It's been a crazy week that's reaching a crescendo today and tomorrow, so much so that, unlike yesterday, when I said I'd only be brief and ended up blathering on for close to 2,000 words (Mike Adams has that effect on me, particularly when he's at his most un-self-aware), today I really will be brief for once in my misbegotten logorrheic blogging career. I don't know why, but this warning by Jacob Bronowski about the danger of dogma and how absolute certainty can turn human beings into monsters popped up again, and I couldn't resist posting it*: Science is uncertainty. That doesn't mean we can't ever know anything, as some opponents of science would have you believe. The essence of science, however, which is that all knowledge is subject to revision based on new evidence, does tend t... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459902 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:00:01 +0100 4459902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389156&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FJWBIa8wh90U%2Fi_learned_a_new_word_todaygnoron.php Often, my readers educated me. Sometimes, they even teach me a new word. So it was last night when, as I perused my comments, I came across this comment by Antaeus Feldspar: A "gnoron" is like a moron, except that where a moron is lacking in intelligence (something they cannot help, of course) a gnoron is someone of decent intelligence whose own willful ignorance has brought them to an equivalent state of incompetence. If there's better term for people whom the arrogance of ignorance has rendered into the functional equivalent of a moron, I haven't heard it. In fact, I think I might well start using it, linking back to this post to explain it. In the meantime, have fun in the comments by naming and describing people who qualify for and richly deserve this appellation. Read the comments o... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389156 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 08:00:30 +0100 4389156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382798&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F21%2Fmore-skeptic-insights%2F In Kentucky, skeptics meeting are occurring on a regular basis.  Skeptics can thank Laurie Tarr for many of these meetings.  Tarr is the co-founder and co-director of Louisville Area Skeptics.  Recently, I had a chance to talk skepticism with Tarr. What is the mission statement of the Louisville Area Skeptics?  Why are you a skeptic? I created the Louisville Area Skeptics as an opportunity for people from Louisville and the surrounding areas to meet and share their love of science, their interest in critical thinking, and their skeptical worldview through social events and informal science presentations by professional scientists. I’ve been a skeptic since I was a young teenager and discovered the writings of Carl Sagan. Being a skeptic is a way for me to use science to evaluate ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382798 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:35:39 +0100 4382798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377612&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F20%2Fskeptic-insights%2F The skeptic movement is alive and well.  In my home state of Kentucky, skeptic groups are becoming ever more prevalent.  What is a skeptic group?  Why do they exist?  Those are just a couple of questions I asked one of the founding members, Frank Lovell, of Kentucky’s first (and still active) skeptic group, Kentucky Association of Science Educators and Skeptics. What is the mission statement of the KASES? The mission of the Kentucky Association of Science Educators and Skeptics is the same as the mission of the national organization of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (which publishes the Bimonthly magazine Skeptical Inquirer), and that is to promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason and objective evidence in examining controversial and extraordinar... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377612 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:59:16 +0100 4377612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338023&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F12%2Fcritical-thinking-what-is-true-and-what-to-do%2F Many researchers suggest that a key characteristic of critical thinking is the ability to recognize one’s own fallibility when evaluating and generating evidence — recognizing the danger of weighing evidence according to one’s own beliefs.  The expanding literature on informal reasoning emphasizes the importance of detaching one’s own beliefs from the process of argument evaluation (Kuhn, 2007; Stanovich & Stanovich, 2010). The emphasis placed on unbiased reasoning processes has led researchers to highlight the importance of decontextualized reasoning.  For example (Stanovich & Stanovich, 2010, p. 196): Kelley (1990) argues that “the ability to step back from our train of thought . . . . is a virtue because it is the only way to check the results of our thinking... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338023 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:24:20 +0100 4338023 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281267&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F1dWksN0tanw%2Fthis_guy_is_a_modern_copernicus_after_al.php After you've been blogging as long as I have, you inevitably wind up on a lot of mailing lists. Publicity companies, for instance, long ago discovered that getting a buzz among the key blogs. If you're as fortunate as I've been and your blog achieves a modest degree of fame or notoriety, you can expect to find yourself on a fair number of such mailing lists. At first, I used to read every press release, but now there are just too many. I skim the subject headers, and, if they don't catch my interest immediately, delete them. If they do catch my interest, sometimes I'll file them away to come back to later. Of course, over time, as I've found myself on more and more e-mail lists, even the e-mails that I file away sometimes become too numerous, and I completely forget about them and never ge... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281267 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:00:00 +0100 4281267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265568&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FzjvUrNoW37k%2Fis_the_decline_effect_really_so_mysterio.php NOTE: Orac was actually out rather late last night. It turns out that the more administrative responsibility he somehow seems to find the more he has to go out to dinner as a part of various cancer center-related functions. As a result, he is recycling a bit of recent material from elsewhere that he in his extreme arrogance considers just too good not to post up on this blog too. In any case, it's always interesting to see how a different audience reacts to his stuff, and he did make some alterations to this post. 'Tis the season, it would seem, for questioning science. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with questioning science and how it is done. Certainly, right here on this very blog I've not infrequently pointed out problems with how science, particularly medical science, is... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265568 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0100 4265568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4200526&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FCU9_CohOs4k%2Fso_al_gore_didnt_invent_global_warming_w.php If there's one characteristic of denialists of all stripes, it's that they have a strong tendency to personalize their dislike of their particular bete noir science. For instance, anti-vaccine activists tend to attack Paul Offit as though he were the Dark Lord of Vaccination. Creationists tend to attack Charles Darwin (who, being conveniently dead, can't defend himself) and Richard Dawkins (who, being one of the most vocal atheists in the world, makes a convenient target because creationists are almost invariably motivated by religious objections to evolution). Climate change denialists tend to attack, more than anyone else, Al Gore. The reason, of course, is that cranks can't attack the science using good science and, of course, it's far easier to attack a person than well-supported scien... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4200526 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0100 4200526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175611&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FlT7FkW6_by4%2Fcan_you_count_the_straw_men_about_skepti.php Woo-meisters love to build massive straw men about what skepticism is, the better to tear it down with gusto and paint skeptics as close-minded "debunkers." I just came across a video that does just that (click on the link for even more straw men in addition to the video), but in one of the most overblown and ridiculous ways I've ever seen. Can you count the number of straw men and outright lies about skepticism and skeptics in this video? I lost track fairly early on, so fast and furious came the misinformation, particularly because the portrayal of skeptics and skepticism wasn't even particularly clever in its attacks. In fact, I feel stupider for having watched this video, which clearly produced neuron apoptosising waves that had to be fought off. On the other hand, caricaturing sk... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175611 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0100 4175611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097826&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2Fu_5kn7kJmDI%2Frichard_dawkins_sues_josh_timonen.php Wow. Just wow. I realize that I haven't exactly been enamored of Richard Dawkins lately, at least not as much as I was, say, three or four years ago. Most of this came about gradually, although the final nail was driven into the proverbial coffin last fall, when Atheist Alliance International bestowed the Richard Dawkins Award to that quacktastic anti-vaccine and anti-science beeliever in woo and cancer quackery, Bill Maher, an atrocity that I likened to giving Jenny McCarthy an award for public health. Actually, the second to last nail was probably driven in back in May when Richard Dawkins proclaimed that he was "proud to have presented the [AAI] award to Bill Maher." The true final nail was driven in at TAM8, when, in response to questioning by JREF President D.J. Grothe, Richard Dawki... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097826 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 14:23:50 +0100 4097826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281402&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=36506&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainSciencePodcastBlog%2F%7E5%2FajmQBglk-Js%2F70-brainscience-Lilienfeld.pdf The latest  Brain Science Podcast (BSP 70) is an interview with Dr. Scott Lilienfeld, co-author of 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior. This episode was recorded live at Dragon*Con 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. We focused our conversation on the fact scientific reasoning and critical thinking do NOT come naturally. Instead, we all tend to make similar errors, such as mistaking correlation for causation. Dr. Lilienfeld shared his experiences and a extensive question and answer session with the live audience allowed him to explore additional examples. Listen to Episode 70 Episode Transcript (Download PDF) Subscribe to the Brain Science Podcast:  Detailed Show Notes: This episode includes an extensive Q and A between Dr. Lilie... the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281402 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:16:28 +0100 4281402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3914903&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FBdzBMv9Z4eI%2Fcfi_president_ronald_lindsay_shows_that.php Yesterday, I expressed my displeasure over a truly idiotic press release by the Center for Inquiry over the "Ground Zero mosque" entitled The Center for Inquiry Urges That Ground Zero Be Kept Religion-Free. I happen to know that a lot of supporters of CFI were very unhappy about the press release as well, because apparently the president of CFI, Ron Lindsay, is feeling the heat. Because I wrote to him complaining, I received the following mass response: Thank you for providing us with your comments concerning the recent press release issued by the Center for Inquiry on the Ground Zero controversy. I apologize for this mass response, but time constraints prevent me from responding personally to all the points raised in each of your emails. All of you shared a concern that the statement ap... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3914903 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:45:00 +0100 3914903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798495&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FXIce3scEC8o%2Ffile_under_boy_do_i_think_youve_gotten_t.php One of the odd things about blogging is the e-mail. True, I don't get anything near the quantity, quality, or sheer weirdness of the e-mail that, for example, PZ Myers, gets, but I do get my share. Some of it's praise; a lot of it ends up being rants against my being "close-minded" or excessively harsh on quackery; occasionally I get the odd rant about religion; and sometimes I get something that's just plain weird. In this latter category, very, very occasionally I get e-mails that show that the person sending it either doesn't have a clue or sent the e-mail to the wrong person. Enter "Carol" (name changed to protect the clueless): Hi, My name is Carol from a tiny town in Iowa. Oh wow! The reason why I am contacting you is because I am writing a grant for a business to research some of... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798495 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:01:32 +0100 3798495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764108&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FHKzOIAUXVW0%2Fi_didnt_know_nonsense_could_be_so_well-o.php Now this would be a most excellent gift for skeptical friends: The Periodic Table of Irrational Nonsense. Check it out: (Bigger version at the link.) It would clearly make a lovely poster, although I must confess that I have my doubts that it will show up well enough on a T shirt to be worth doing. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764108 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:30:00 +0100 3764108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3662674&cid=t_112542_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Funnecessary-tests-and-treatments-responsible-reporting-can-help%2F2010.06.14 Just when I’ve lost hope that mainstream media will stop perpetuating the myth the more medicine equals better care, the Associated Press came up with this excellent piece. The article states, rightly, that “anywhere from one-fifth to nearly one-third of the tests and treatments we get are estimated to be unnecessary,” and that, “it may lead to dangerous side effects.” Regular readers of this blog should be familiar with those concepts. I wrote recently that patients often reject evidence-based medicine. One reason is that there aren’t enough clinical guidelines available for patients to make an informed decision. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3662674 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:00:37 +0100 3662674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3610292&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FbzxPm-ObMJI%2Funscrupulous_skeptics_versus_the_delusio.php Damn! I knew I made my promise to myself not to write about vaccines again for at least a few days too soon! Whenever I do that, it seems, one of two things happens. Either something important happens that, having become, however it happened, the go-to blogger for commenting on the anti-vaccine movement, I can't ignore. This is not what happened. The second thing that happens whenever I make that promise to myself is that someone from the anti-vaccine movement writes something that's unintentional pure comic gold. This is what happened. Someone named Curt Linderman, Sr. characterized the pathetically attended and totally pwned anti-vaccine American Rally for Personal Rights a "huge success," even though his own inflated estimate of the attendance there was only 300. My rule of thumb fr... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3610292 Sat, 29 May 2010 15:00:00 +0100 3610292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603525&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F8GmPsQrB8FI%2Fenforcing_medical_standards.php I don't mean to beat up on Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick. I really don't. I realize I rather harshly criticized him yesterday for being so hostile to the concept of "denialism," to the point where he characterized even the use of the term as a means of "suppressing" free speech. Normally, that criticism would have been enough. If Dr. Fitzpatrick answered, that would be all well and good; if he didn't, I'd move on and forget about it. Unfortunately, I was made aware of another article he published at his usual gig at Spiked Online entitled Censorship is not the answer to health scares. Damn if it wasn't like waving a cape in front of a bull. It really is depressing when someone whose work and activism against pseudoscience and quackery you usually admire a lot lets you down in such a spectacula... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603525 Thu, 27 May 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3603525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3566569&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FdS3DHUqRWdM%2Fim_not_just_preaching_to_the_converted.php Every so often, I hear the complaint from some readers, usually in the context of complaining about my posting style on issues I care a lot about, such as countering the anti-vaccine movement or pseudoscientific alt-med modalities, that I'm just "preaching to the converted" and not changing any minds. While there may be some element of that, it's not true that I don't change minds. In the context of the subject of yesterday's post, however, I realize that changing people's minds is very hard, because we humans have numerous defense mechanisms to deflect such efforts. When I hear such charges now, I think I'll just refer the one doing the complaining to this video: Actually, I like to think I do a lot more than just "preach to the converted." Read the comments on this post... (Source:... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3566569 Sat, 15 May 2010 15:19:36 +0100 3566569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511491&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2Fc9-NUf9OD6E%2Fa_contest_you_dont_want_to_win.php ...is to be among the 5 most fraudulent psychics of all time. Still, this is as good an excuse as any to post one of my all time skeptical demolitions, namely that of Uri Geller on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson: Yeah, now that's an oldie but a goodie. Still, I wonder: Who are the young, up and coming psychic frauds? After all, the psychics listed above are all getting rather old, and one of them's been dead a long time. Who makes up the next generation of psychic frauds? Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511491 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:34:50 +0100 3511491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429112&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FzRDWtOHwZUg%2Farea_51_veterans_speak_no_space_aliens.php One of the most persistent and prevalent examples of a modern myth that will not die is the story of Area 51. So ingrained in our culture has it become that nearly everyone (at least in the U.S.) knows what you are talking about when you refer to it. It's been featured in movies as diverse as Independence Day (one of my favorite big budget, brain-meltingly silly end-of-the-world movies about alien invasion) and, of course, Area 51. Forests of trees have been slain in order to publish books on the subject, and cable TV channels serve up near constant stream of documentaries either about Area 51 or mentioning it as a place of secret government studies of aliens who crash landed and deep conspiracies to keep The Truth About The Aliens from the American people. While there is no doubt that som... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429112 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0100 3429112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3424791&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F3bDBk_9VlnQ%2Fbest_sign_ever.php The sign speaks for itself: Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3424791 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3424791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338189&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FaB2m34CcEoA%2Ftime_for_a_refreshing_facial_ofbird_poo.php Feeling stressed? Run down? Is your face not as chipper and toned as it might be? Of course you are. We all are from time to time, particularly as we journey into middle age and beyond. So what better than a bit of pampering at the spa? There's nothing like a soothing facial to get the skin toned and the face all relaxed. But what kind of facial? What is best to get that blood flowing, those dead skin cells exfoliated, and that skin all toned and tight? Bird poop, of course. Just check out the Ten Thousand Waves spa in New Mexico and its Japanese Nightingale Facial: This is our signature facial. We are the exclusive importers of processed nightingale droppings, which have been used for centuries by geisha in Japan to brighten and smooth their skin. The droppings are dried, pulverized, an... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338189 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3338189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290767&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FzDd2C6EssTU%2Fbelgian_skeptics_showing_the_world_that.php The news is finally filtering out to the rest of the world. As I pointed out a few days ago Dr. Steven Laureys admitted that Rom Houben, the unfortunate victim of a car crash that left him in what had been diagnosed as a persistent vegetative state, was in fact not able to communicate through the woo known as facilitated communication. This came as no surprise to anyone who has followed FC over the years. In fact, what had come as a surprise is that Dr. Laureys could have been so easily taken in by pseudoscience that had been so thoroughly debunked in the 1990s. To his credit, though, after a period of initially stubbornly defending FC, he relented and allowed objective testing, and the result was predictable. It took a few days, but the English language world is learning of the failure of... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290767 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0100 3290767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3227847&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fnaturally-i-love-chemicals%2F This is a continuation on my previous post, “Attention, grocery shoppers!” So the other night my daughter was complaining of her ingrown toenail that’s been bothering her for the past month. “Why don’t you soak your foot in Epsom Salts?” I suggested. “What’s that?” she asked. “See that blue milk carton atop the fridge?” (That’s where we keep our [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3227847 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:26:52 +0100 3227847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3201782&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F24%2Fattention-grocery-shoppers%2F “We have a special going on in our natural foods aisle, right now!  You can get your specialty questions answered by our very own over-educated scientist-grocery stocker!  That’s right, weekends and evenings only, over in our natural foods aisle!  And THANK YOU for shopping your local supermarket chain grocery!” Oh, boy. It’s one thing to be helping [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3201782 Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:09:45 +0100 3201782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153312&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FehsS_p6ZTuI%2Fthe_three_musketeers_of_woo_attack_scien.php I realize that I haven't done an installment of Your Friday Dose of Woo for a while--well over a month, in fact. Because of the gap between woo installments, I had been thinking that today was the time. There are at least a couple of really good candidates (and a host of halfway decent ones) in my Folder of Woo. However, sadly, another installment in the unfortunately never-ending story of YFDoW will have to wait at least another week. You see, the Bat Signal went up (or should I call it the Woo Signal?), and duty calls. What is the particular instance of someone being wrong on the Internet that requires a loving application of a heapin' helpin' of not-so-Respectful Insolence. I'll give you a hint. It's on that repository of quackery, anti-vaccine madness, and woo, The Huffington Post. Wh... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153312 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3153312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3148978&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FkOixIvPDod4%2Fthe_golden_woos.php With 2009 now safely in the history books, it's time to look back on the year and "honor" some of the most egregious offenders against science and reason. Fortunately for us, Skeptico has presented his second annual Golden Woo Awards. I was disappointed to see yet again that surgeon who has led me time and time again to want to put a paper bag over my head or even forge a Doctor Doom mask to hide my face in the shame that he brings upon the honorable profession of surgery. Yes, I'm talking about everybody's favorite creationist neurosurgeon, Dr. Michael Egnor, who, through the principle of crank magnetism and the "vindication of all kooks" principle, has now revealed himself to be an anthropogenic global warming denialist as well--and not just an AGW denialist, but a particularly dim AGW ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3148978 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:00:40 +0100 3148978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142460&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FL-5X-7RIsLw%2Fcleaning_up_loose_ends_from_2009_deepak.php Over the holidays, I stayed at home for a combination of some relaxation and some grant writing. (I know, weird.) As I was perusing some of the links I saved during that time, it occurs to me that I totally forgot about one particularly amazing bit of hilarity, courtesy of our old "friend" Deepak Chopra. Given that it was over a week ago, it's probably not worth going into the full Orac mode on it any more, old news and all, but I couldn't let it go completely unremarked upon because it's just so amazingly, hysterically funny. Appearing two days after Christmas, Chopra's post was entitled Woo Woo Is a Step Ahead of (Bad) Science. You know, I think Chopra's feeling a bit of the heat of the criticism of his woo. I'm only disappointed that he didn't direct his wrath at me. After all, I'm the... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142460 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0100 3142460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3104952&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FBDJpSonxJRk%2Fcrank_magnetism_strikes_again.php Since I happen to have fallen into the topic of anthropogenic global warming, before I move back to medical topics I might as well have a little fun. Certainly, I could use some, given that I just wrote two posts in which I felt forced to criticize someone whom I admire greatly. Besides, it's been over a week since I last blogged about vaccines on this blog. that has to be some sort of record. Why wreck it now? It feels good to take a break from the topic, and there's always next week. I have no doubt that the anti-vaccine movement will produce something begging for some not-so-Respectful Insolence before Christmas, and I don't want to be burned out by dealing with anti-vaccine nonsense when it does. You may remember that not too long ago, I postulated the corollary to the concept of cran... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3104952 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0100 3104952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3096770&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2Fkf82KkZXI50%2Fjames_randi_anthropogenic_global_warming.php Remember how yesterday I said that sometimes writing this blog depresses me? At the time, I made that observation because there are times when the unending constant onslaught of pseudoscience, anti-science, and woo leads me to despair that the human race will ever overcome its cognitive defects. However, there are other times when blogging depresses me. It's for an entirely different reason, though. There are times when people I admire, people who should know better, fall and fall hard. No, I don't mean Tiger Woods getting it on with a bunch of blondes. The level of horniness and lack of control among powerful and well-accomplished men has long since lost it spower to shock me. Rather, I'm talking about when skeptics whom I admire show a most unskeptical side. I'm talking about when a skep... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3096770 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0100 3096770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3083006&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FjCSrDDsyh-4%2Fstorm.php I've decided to chill this weekend after five years of insanity. However, while you anxiously await yet another hemidecade of Insolence, both Respectful and not-so-Respectful, what better way to do so than checking out the awesome Tim Minchin and his most excellent nine minute beat poem "Storm": Who says skepticism and art don't mix? Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3083006 Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:30:00 +0100 3083006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3048051&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FsTXbiOfCBKY%2Fdeepak_chopra_and_his_choprawoo_take_my.php He's baaaack. Deepak Chopra. Remember him? It's been a while since I've said much about him and him alone. True, I've gone after him this year when he joined up with three other major league woo-meisters Dean Ornish, Rustum Roy, and Andrew Weil to try to try to help Senator Tom Harkin hijack the health care overhaul bill currently before Congress. However, given that a couple of years ago, Chopra was the man for whose abuses of quantum theory, evolution, and "universal consciousness" ideas I coined the term "Choprawoo" and the only response ever needed to Choprawoo, it's been a while since I've seen a true example of Chopra exercising his anti-skeptical chops outside of medicine. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view), Chopra's back and badder than ever (as in re... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3048051 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0100 3048051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2950845&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=35065&url=http%3A%2F%2Feideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Flazy-thinkers-and-dysrationalia.html Pop Quiz:Jack is looking at Anne, but Anne is looking at George. Jack is married but George is not. Is a married person looking at an unmarried person?a. Yesb. Noc. Cannot be determined(No, the polar bears have nothing to do with Jack, Anne, or George).What's your answer? If you answered c. Cannot be determined, you're probably one of the 80% who is a lazy thinker, or a 'cognitive miser' as Keith Stanovich proposes in What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought. Excerpt from the Toronto article below:"... most people have the intelligence if you tell them something like “think logically” or “consider all the possibilities.” But unprompted, they won’t bring their full mental faculties to bear on the problem.And that’s a major source of dysrationalia, Stanovi... Eide Neurolearning Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2950845 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +0100 2950845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934602&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FjOLkQM_ssTM%2Fyour_friday_dose_of_woo_on_wednesday_a_h.php Damn you, PZ! Not only are you muscling into my territory (what, aren't creationism and atheism enough?), but you had to subject me to the most mind-numbing example of why homeopaths are the most clueless purveyors of pseudoscience there are! Behold, Dr. Charlene Werner, an optometrist (apparently) and a homeopath. I warn you, however. If you have any understanding of physics or chemistry whatsoever or if you've ever read (and liked) Stephen Hawking'a A Brief History of Time (or anything else he's ever written), sit down now. Take a deep breath. Heck, crack open a bottle of wine and down at least half of it before you watch this video. I'm serious. You'll need it. You might need to lie down, too. In fact, you might need to lie down with a cool washcloth across your eyes. Don't say I didn... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934602 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0100 2934602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2930892&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F8zOROwvitvE%2Fi_may_be_late_to_this_party_but_i_want_m.php I was going to join PZ Myers, ERV, and Pamela Ronald in helping out an old blogging friend and former host of the Skeptics' Circle, Karl Mogel of The Inoculated Mind by pimping his other science-based blog Biofortified, which seeks to provide a science- and evidence-based discussion of plant genetics and genetic engineering. Unfortunately, as seems to be the case lately, other things have distracted me, and I'm late to the party. Better late than never, though. Basically, Biofortified is in the Ashoka Changemakers contest, GMO Risk or Rescue. First prize is a $1500 grant and a conversation with Michael Pollan. Thanks to PZ, Biofortified has pulled into first place. Even though my vote-generating mojo does not approach PZ's, I thought I'd still ask my readers to go and register, and then t... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2930892 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:00:01 +0100 2930892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890558&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FE1okXzSu2uc%2Fthe_trouble_with_deepak_chopra_part_ii.php As I mentioned on Friday, I'm in Chicago right now attending the American College of Surgeons annual meeting, where I'll be until Wednesday afternoon. If there are any of my readers who happen to be surgeons attending the meeting, drop me a line and maybe we can get together. In the meantime, here's a blast from the past from the past. This post first reared its ugly head almost exactly three years ago; so if you haven't been reading at least three years, it's new to you. Alright, I'll come right out and admit it up front. There was no part one to this piece. Well, there was, but it wasn't on this blog, and I didn't write it. PZ did in response to some really idiotic arguments from ignorance that Deepak Chopra (or, less pleasing to Dr. C, here) displayed as part of an "argument" (and I us... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890558 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:00:15 +0100 2890558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2882961&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FCAlBsy5XSlQ%2Fmore_burning_stupid_from_bill_oreilly.php I may have been a bit hard on Richard Dawkins lately, but, if he believed in saints, Dawkins would deserve sainthood for keeping his cool in the face of so much concentrated idiocy coming from Bill O'Reilly: A couple of lovely O'Reilly quotes: "I'm throwing in with Jesus because you guys can't tell us how it all got here?" "When you guys figure it out, then come back to me." Then, of course, O'Reilly couldn't resist pulling out the "fascism" gambit. Geez, I don't think I could have restrained myself as well as Richard Dawkins did with Bill O'Reilly. In the face of such blustery nonsense, the gods themselves, if they existed, would contend in vain. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2882961 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0100 2882961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862420&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FymkWJZlcQC8%2Fthe_crazies_are_out_in_force_after_richa.php ...and, no, I don't mean Orac, his last few posts notwithstanding. No, don't worry, this post is most definitely not about Bill Maher. Rather, it's how, while doing searches for that craziness, I found even more disturbing craziness. Even though I was disappointed in him on this one issue and even though I often don't agree with him on religion, never let it be said that I don't still have considerable admiration for Richard Dawkins. That's why, when I came across some truly over-the-top attacks on Dawkins, I thought it would be worthwhile to mention them, as a little wafer to cleanse the palate before moving on to other topics this week. And, yes, be assured that I am moving on to other topics, particularly one that several readers have been begging me to take on. The only reason I haven... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862420 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0100 2862420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851688&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FHlf2G7HyMX4%2Fthe_role_of_faith_summarized.php I love this guy's explanations of skepticism and critical thinking. In this installment, it is quite clearly and cleverly why it's impossible to "prove" the existence of God or any god and thus why such gods are always a matter of faith and belief without evidence: Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851688 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:00:53 +0100 2851688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768610&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FqEJw-TnjvSM%2Fgrassroots_skepticism.php Now here's one thing we skeptics could use more of: Imagine you're moving to a new city, and you want to see what skeptic-themed events or groups are available. Wouldn't it be awesome if there was one central place you could go, plug in the destination, and get a list of skeptical stuff to do? Or, say you're going to be traveling on business, and you want to find some evening entertainment that's a little more fulfilling than getting drunk at the airport bar watching TV in your hotel room. Wouldn't it be great if you could pull up a website and see what skeptical events were going on in that city, or put out a call for an impromptu meetup? Maybe you live in Skunkbutt, South Dakota, and your only option is to start your own skeptics group. Wouldn't it be cool if there was a place you cou... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768610 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:00:00 +0100 2768610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2747899&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FdmCJsuy0OWg%2Fsedalia_missouri_you_should_be_ashamed_o.php It was just a high school marching band, like so many other high school bands in this country, a band that no one outside of the area of Sedalia, Missouri would be likely to have heard of, were it not for a breathtakingly stupid action by its school superintendent. You see, the band had an idea for a clever and amusing way to illustrate their theme for the year of the "Brass Evolutions." It was this T-shirt, to be worn by band members and reported by the Sedalia Democrat: When I saw it by way of ERV, I thought it was kind of cute and a rather clever way of illustrating the theme. As the assistant band director described: Assistant Band Director Brian Kloppenburg said the shirts were designed by him, Band Director Jordan Summers and Main Street Logo. Kloppenburg said the shirts were i... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2747899 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:30:47 +0100 2747899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716011&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F20%2Fwelcome-to-the-ivory-tower-internet%2F My daughter shares this story: Research is to English majors what coffee is to the general college student. Essays are ramen and reading material naps, if you’re curious. (Note that literal naps often overlap with these figurative ones.) So caught up in the glee of primary sources and minutia of MLA, we forget that not all [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716011 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:59:49 +0100 2716011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616666&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F_czchXWrC3E%2Fwhile_were_on_the_subject_of_pareidolia.php While we're on the subject of pareidolia, it turns out that Mitchell and Webb have taken this topic on as well... Awesome. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616666 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:15:10 +0100 2616666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610843&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FQC89xhDoD34%2Fhow_do_can_one_know.php If there was one thing about going to TAM7 last week, it was the opportunity to contemplate among a thousand fellow skeptics just what critical thinking and reason mean. If there's one thing about woo, pseudoscience, and conspiracy theories in all their forms, it's not just a lack of critical thinking and a plethora of logical fallacies. More importantly, it's the question, "How do we know what we know?" Certainly science is the primary means by which we explore the natural world and make conclusions about how it works, however imperfect they may be, but not everyone uses science, reason, and critical thinking. Arguments over what is and is not true can be cutthroat enough when it's scientists arguing over science- and evidence-based viewpoints, but what happens when the arguments are not ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610843 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:00:17 +0100 2610843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598150&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FsiH87UyFxCE%2Fback_to_reality_after_the_amazing_meetin.php Rerun time is over. Very early Monday morning, a plane touched down, a car drove along a dark and deserted freeway, and my wife and I found ourselves finally back at home. True, we did have a late night diversion to Denny's because we were starving, but by 2 AM or so we were back home. Time to go to bed. Time to go back to work. No more Las Vegas. No more The Amaz!ng Meeting. Now what? Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598150 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:31:52 +0100 2598150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584109&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FHcvMBkpkr4c%2Fthe_kitty_of_doom.php Today, I'm leaving for The Amazing Meeting in Las Vegas. I can't wait to get there. Believe it or not, I'll even be on a panel! While I'm there I'll probably manage to do a new post or two, but, in the meantime, while I'm away communing with fellow skeptics at TAM7, I'll be reposting some Classic Insolence from the month of July in years past. (After all, if you haven't been following this blog at least a year, it'll be new to you. And if you have I hope you enjoy it again.) This particular post first appeared in July 2007. This sort of thing makes one wonder if the personification of Death should in fact be a cat, although, oddly enough, not a black cat: Oscar the rescue cat is not simply a welcome feline companion at the Steere nursing home in Providence, Rhode Island. According to... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584109 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:00:00 +0100 2584109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570304&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FEqP8oOOgse4%2Fthe_114th_meeting_of_the_skeptics_circle.php Well it's here, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend holiday, a brand spanking new Skeptics' Circle. Given how many of our Founding Fathers were freethinkers, I like to think now is a perfect time for a shot of skeptical blogging. And our host this week has just the thing: On the Tendency of Skeptics to form Circles; and on the Perpetuation of Circles and Skeptics by Natural Means of Selection. Be sure to check it out. Next up in two weeks is Effort Sisyphus. Be sure to start firing up your keyboards to provide the raw material, namely great skeptical blogging, to make next week's carnival as good as this week or even better. The contact information is here, and guidelines can be found here. Finally, if you're a skeptical blogger, maybe you'd like to have a go at hosting one of th... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570304 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2570304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2527710&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2FDE6y3wkgfIw%2Fhelp_immunize_las_vegas.php If there's one thing that I've found that's simultaneously gratifying and somewhat infuriating over the last year or so, it's that the skeptical movement has finally really noticed that anti-vaccination movement in a big way. Those of us who've been on the blogospheric front lines for the last few years have sometimes been frustrated that this issue, at least until recently, got so little attention outside of our dedicated little circle and the much larger circle of anti-vaccine zealots and the quacks who enable and encourage them. That's not to say that there weren't some prominent skeptics who made the anti-vaccine movement one of their main causes. There's me, of course, but there are also Skeptico, Australian skeptic Peter Bowditch (who was on the front lines against the antivaccine m... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2527710 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:00:00 +0100 2527710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510106&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2Fja3wng1cxDg%2Fsean_hannity_skeptic_about_john_edward_n.php Last night, I was sitting on the couch, my laptop, appropriately enough, on my lap creating my paean to Homeopathy Awareness Week in which I had a little fun discussing homeopathic plutonium. Because Homeopathy Awareness week is not yet over, I'll probably have one more bit of fun at the expense of The One Woo To Rule Them All before it's over. However, while I was getting into the possibilities suggested to me by diluting and succussing plutonium in order to treat all sorts of "Pluto-y" illnesses, I happened to flip through the channels, when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a commercial for last night's Hannity that actually caught my eye. Sean Hannity was going to interview that psychic fraud, John Edward. Yes, that John Edward, the guy who has taken cold reading to new leve... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510106 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:00:00 +0100 2510106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390189&cid=t_112542_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fyour-community-values-and-what-they-say.html There is a perfectly apt Conservative precept aimed at one of the most common sins of liberalism that sums up my reaction to this article:"Don't be so open-minded that you let your brains fall out."Here is another: "In order for evil to flourish, all that is required is that good men do nothing."Of course, in these times, that position requires a little encouragement.Surprises from Liberty University: What I Learned as an Undercover EvangelicalA sociologist named Margarita Mooney has shown that college students who attend regular religious services report being happier, more diligent, and more satisfied with their college experience than students who practice no religion. I still don't consider myself an evangelical Christian, but I can understand now what millions of Christian college stu... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390189 Tue, 05 May 2009 23:28:00 +0100 2390189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375752&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F48RubqYHiqI%2Fpet_psychic_finds_blown_away_chihuahua.php Well, the weird news just keeps coming in from my hometown. This time around, consider the case of Tinker Bell. Tinker Bell is a tiny Chihuahua weighing all of five pounds. This poor little creature met nature in a most unfortunate way on Saturday, when some rather heavy storms swept through southeast Michigan. It turns out that storms and Chihuahuas don't mix very well (as you might expect), and poor Tinker Bell discovered that in a most harsh way: Tinkerbelle was with her owners, Lavern and Dorothy Utley of Rochester, when a powerful storm swept into the Dixie Land Flea Market in Waterford. The storm packed wind gusts of more 70 mph. One of the gusts lifted up Tinkerbelle and carried the dog away. "They tried to catch her too but nobody could. The wind had her and she was just going ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375752 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:00:00 +0100 2375752 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347587&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2Flx8ohK1zNa8%2Fhaunting_a_house_in_southeast_michigan_i.php For skeptics, TV news in my hometown sucks. Actually, it sucks for just about anyone with two brain cells to rub together, but it's especially painful for skeptics and scientists to watch. On one station last year, there was the most credulous report I've ever seen about--of all things--orbs! It was presented as though these "orbs" in photos were actually ghosts or spirit presences, rather than the reflections from bits of dust in the air or on the camera lens that we know them to be. As I pointed out at the time, not even die-hard ghostbusters take orbs seriously anymore. They're so...1970s. Yet there was Ama Daetz gamely slogging through the story, interviewing credulous believers along with the token "skeptic" who wasn't even a skeptic, and breathlessly asking if these "orbs" could be ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347587 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:00:05 +0100 2347587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348486&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F16%2Fcool-thoughts%2F [Not-quite Wordless Wednesday] M’s wisdom, via poetry magnets on our fridge: (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348486 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:27:32 +0100 2348486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349075&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=35065&url=http%3A%2F%2Feideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Flistening-to-experts-inhibits-decision.html From Wired Science, college students given "expert opinions" before making choices in a financial decision-making paradigm, turned off executive function areas when decisions had to be made. The expert in this case was an Emory University economist who advises the Federal Reserve. "But students tended to follow his advice regardless of the situation, especially when it was bad. When thinking for themselves, students showed activity in their anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex — brain regions associated with making decisions and calculating probabilities. When given advice from Noussair, activity in those regions flat lined."Certainly these days, its easy to point fingers at mistakes made by financial experts, but in Nicholas Kristof's Learning How to Think articl... Eide Neurolearning Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349075 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:03:00 +0100 2349075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2102370&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fholiday-health-quiz.html Test your medical knowledge with the following true/false questions:1. sugar causes hyperactivity in children2. suicides increase over the holidays3. poinsettias are a poisonous plant4. a large fraction of body heat is lost through the head5. nocturnal feasting makes you fat6. there are ways to prevent or cure a hangover7. you should drink at least 8 glasses of water a day8. we only use 10% of our brains9. hair and fingernails continue to grow after death10. shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker or coarser11. reading in dim light ruins your eyesight12. eating turkey makes people especially drowsy13. mobile phones cause considerable electromagnetic interference in hospitalsDone? Grading should be easy, since all 13 questions are almost certainly false. While some of these myths... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2102370 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:26:00 +0100 2102370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1984955&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F11%2F25%2Flet-me-spell-this-out-for-you%2F I’ve been absent from bloggery due to the work load as we near the end of the semester; this past weekend I graded five exams and a bunch of extra-credit assignments.  So far I have two students who have BLATANTLY just copied-pasted stuff from Web sites. This despite my having told them in the assignment [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1984955 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:40:02 +0100 1984955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930195&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F439998624%2Frobert_lancaster_needs_your_help.php I got this e-mail the other day, and I urge everyone who's ever linked to Robert Lancaster's excellent site to do as Tim Farley requests. (While you're at it, you should consider linking to Farley's equally useful What's the Harm?): I'm writing you because your site is one of the top ranked sites (according to Google) which hyperlinks to the site Stop Sylvia Browne. As you know, Robert Lancaster has done a fantastic service to the community by creating and maintaining this site over the last two years.  Robert is currently in the hospital recovering from a stroke that he had in August. Unfortunately, the renewal for the domain name "stopsylviabrowne.com" came due during the first weeks after Robert's stroke, and it expired.  A domain squatter noticed this fact, and snatched up the doma... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930195 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:30:57 +0100 1930195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1914714&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F29%2Fthings-that-mystify-me%2F Not big, cosmic questions. Little stupid piddly-ass stuff. Like: People who wedge open the flaps to trash cans by sticking their drink cups partway in. Why not simply push the flap just a bit further in and drop your rubbish into the can? Why leave it wedged open?  This makes the OCD-ish [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1914714 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:47:07 +0100 1914714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1871341&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F419120348%2F A reader and writer sent us over the weekend the article below as "an OpEd submission". We are not a newspaper, and don't have a formal OpEd section, but are delighted to publish thoughtful, research-based pieces on topics related to lifelong cognitive development and health. Here you are: ---- Philosophy as the Missing Link – An Eye-Opening Audit of Our School’s Curriculum By: Kimberly Wickham The question might be asked, “Why would anyone want to teach philosophy to pre-adolescent children?” but there are very good reasons why one might want to take on such a lofty task. I am not suggesting that the history of philosophy would be particularly pertinent for a young child to learn, but there is substantial evidence to support the development of an already natural tendency... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1871341 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:27:35 +0100 1871341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1871456&cid=t_112542_165_f&fid=37959&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthskills.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F12%2Fon-evidence-and-practise%2F An opinion piece to restart my blogging after my lovely holiday… I’ve been reading ABC Therapeutics blog where Chris Alterio writes in response to a long comment by Michele Karnes suggesting that occupational therapists (and by inference all health care providers) ’should be made aware of treatments that are offered to clients/patients, whether it is traditional or non-traditional, a long existing treatment or new one. This enables our OT profession and professionals to better educate the people they treat and interact with.’ I don’t have any particular concerns about this part of Michele’s comment - but I do have a problem with this part ‘while Evidence Based Practice is on all of our minds, and ultimately the best to utilize with our patients, i... HealthSkills Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1871456 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:10:02 +0100 1871456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870895&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F11%2Fthe-sum-of-good-intentions%2F Feel free to insert the more familiar or acceptable word of your choice.  But regardless of your word choice, the equation stands: Good Intentions plus Bullshit still equals Bullshit It doesn’t matter if you are a parent earnestly trying to help your child improve lagging developmental skills — if the information you are disseminating to newbies or [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870895 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:55:21 +0100 1870895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1863692&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Ftemper-fugit.html "The queen had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. 'Off with his head!' she said without even looking around."-- "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"There are certainly interesting political waters roiling around the U.S. these days. Since we're talking about politics, it can be hard to swim clear of the usual boatloads of punditry, rhetoric and demagoguery. However, amongst this noise and turbulence, it's nice to find occasional conservative and liberal islands of calm and rationality. It's especially interesting when some of them seem to be in agreement for a change.In McCain Loses His Head, George Will recently likened John McCain and his temper to that of the Queen of Hearts, and opines:Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behav... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1863692 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:37:00 +0100 1863692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1811276&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F398335505%2Fdoes_this_mean_sarah_palin_is_jesus.php We've had Jesus, Mary, and a variety of others make their holy presence known on blessed pieces of toast. Now it looks as though we have a new sacred image: That's right, Sarah Palin has proven her most sacred presence by appearing on a piece of toast! And what did the owner of this most holy miracle do? He's auctioning it on E-bay, of course. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1811276 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:55:53 +0100 1811276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1788756&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F09%2F13%2Fdark-stormy-days%2F It’s not just the weather. Christschool’s recent post, “Fleeting Innocence, Captured Before It’s Gone”, got me thinking and connecting distant points, much in the manner of the orb-weaver spider that connects a broadening spiral of nodes across our back door each night. We slide further into a scarier world.  It is not just a world where there [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1788756 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:38:10 +0100 1788756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1783801&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fis-it-end-of-world-yet.html Some hysteria has occurred over the idea that the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva will create a mini black hole today that will eat the earth.For those spending way too much time worrying about this possibility, a helpful website has been created to help you answer the following question:Has the Large Hadron Collider destroyed the world yet?Click here to learn the answer.Not convinced? The Bad Astronomer offers further reassurance here.(via Daring Fireball) (Source: Not Totally Rad) Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1783801 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:27:00 +0100 1783801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1702717&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fgrand-rounds-vol-4-no-47.html The latest edition of Grand Rounds is now on display at the Medical Humanities Blog, featuring the latest round of keen medical blogging.My contribution to the menu is A Call for Randomized Clinical Trials of Parachutes. (Source: Not Totally Rad) Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1702717 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:29:00 +0100 1702717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1696267&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Fthe-war-on-idiotic-metaphors%2F I think that ’bout sums it up. (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1696267 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:55:56 +0100 1696267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1692208&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F08%2F09%2Fnot-flapping-my-lips%2F (”Flapping one’s lips” is American slang meaning to stand around talking, usually about nothing important, or gossiping, e.g., the disdainful address, “Don’t you just be standing around there flappin’ your lips.” ) “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” ~Edmund Burke “It is very tempting to take the side of [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1692208 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:08:23 +0100 1692208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1690184&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fcall-for-randomized-clinical-trials-of.html In the tight-sphinctered world of academic medicine, it's always delightful to find a journal that still has a sense of humor. The following satirical paper from the British Journal of Medicine made me laugh and laugh.Smith GCS, Pell JP. (2003). Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge: systematic review of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 327(7429), 1459-1461. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.327.7429.1459In a nutshell, this paper rightfully points out that no one has ever done a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) on the efficacy of parachutes. Furthermore,Advocates of evidence-based medicine have criticised the adoption of interventions evaluated by using only observational data.To be funny, satire has to contain enough truth about its subject to properly skew... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1690184 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:10:00 +0100 1690184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1577352&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F07%2F05%2Ffreedom-for-thought%2F “The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naïve and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1577352 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:26:04 +0100 1577352 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1600758&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fgeorge-carlin-rip.html George Carlin, skeptic, atheist, and Jedi master of comedy and social commentary, died yesterday, June 22, at the age of 71.He was known for many things, including the Seven Dirty Words you can never say on television. When his monologue on these words was aired in 1973, it set off a kerfuffle that led all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court, whose narrow ruling (5-4) formally established indecency regulation in American broadcasting.Since then, American children who have grown up hearing these words from their parents and each other have been spared that special moral degradation that comes from also hearing them on the air. As Carlin told the Associated Press earlier this year:So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of.Rest in peace, friend. ... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1600758 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:11:00 +0100 1600758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1600759&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fmore-you-stroke-it-softer-it-gets.html With a name like The Amaz!ng Meeting, one expects a certain amount of hyperbole. However, in the words of Dizzy Dean, "It ain't bragging if you done it."There have already been some truly amazing presentations, as I've described in my other posts on TAM6. One keeps wondering how any day can possibly top the last. I'm happy to report that Saturday provided a very satisfactory Big Finish™ to TAM6.(Okay, okay, there were some fine papers on the schedule for Sunday morning, but I wasn't able to attend them.)Saturday highlights follow:Dr. Michael Shermer, executive director of the Skeptics Society, kicked things off with a fine talk on Why People Do Weird Things. He cited recent fMRI research suggesting that skeptical thought may actually require more effort and time than uncritical thought.S... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1600759 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:30:00 +0100 1600759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1600762&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fbreasts-genitals-and-profanity-in.html It's time for another report from TAM6, coming to you from sunny downtown Las Vegas, where it got up to 107° F (41.7 ° C) today.Highlights from today:Ben Goldacre, M.D. is a British physician and journalist, and author of The Guardian's weekly Bad Science column. He spoke today about homeopathy in the U.K. He pointed out that in 1846, John Forbes, the Queen's own physician, was a strong opponent of homeopathy. He contrasted that to today, where the Queen's personal physician is a homeopath. Only partially tongue-in-cheek, Dr. Goldacre wondered if this movement toward wacky medicine correlated with the loss of the British Empire.Richard Saunders gave a short summary of skeptical matters in Australia. The best part of his session was an audience-participation experiment of dousing. This el... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1600762 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 06:50:00 +0100 1600762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1600763&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fmy-next-number-is.html The title of this post is appropriate for two reasons:1. this post is my 100th post on this blog2. this was a phrase used today at TAM6 by Dr. Art Benjamin, the Mathemagician.The Art of MemoryMy favorite afternoon workshop was The Art of Memory by Banachek. Banachek is billed as the world's leading Mentalist, and he kicked off his session by memorizing an entire deck of cards in about 47 seconds. Over the next 2 hours, he showed us several ways to do this. This has got to win the prize for the most practical first day talk ever at a Las Vegas convention!By the end of this two hour session, he had given us mnemonic tools for memorizing a grocery list, a speech and a 74 digit number. Knowing these techniques back in my pre-med and med school days would have been worth the price of admission,... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1600763 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:59:00 +0100 1600763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1600764&cid=t_112542_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Famazing-meeting.html I'm spending four days at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, attending the 6th annual edition of The Amaz!ng Meeting, aka TAM6. The following blurb is direct from the TAM website:The Amaz!ng Meeting is a celebration of critical thinking and skepticism sponsored by the James Randi Educational Foundation. Thinking people travel the world to share learning, laughs and life with fellow skeptics and distinguished guest speakers.The Amazing Randi tells an anecdote about Art BenjaminWith a name like that, one would expect the talks to be a lot more, well, amazing than the fare at the usual radiology meeting. The program includes some stellar talent, including James Randi, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson (astrophysicist and PBS Nova host), Adam Savage (Mythbusters co-host), Matthew Chapman (author a... Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1600764 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:30:00 +0100 1600764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1375066&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F271001729%2Fa_teenager_doesnt_believe_global_warming.php A certain truly badly done story is making its way through the skeptical blogosphere. It's a story that NPR did about a certain teenager who has decided that she doesn't believe the science behind global warming and has published a website to "debunk" it. What's bad about the story is not that a teenager decided she doesn't believe something. What's bad about the story is that it utterly fails to distinguish between a teenager showing actual skepticism (as in challenging an accepted contention based on sound reasoning and good science) as opposed to showing pseudoskepticism (as in looking for data that supports her stepfather's preexisting disbelief of the science behind global warming, selectively citing the scientific evidence, posting it on her website, and as a result becoming a darlin... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1375066 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:48:13 +0100 1375066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1373415&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F270728464%2Fexpelledexposed_a_resource_to_counter_be.php As you may know, Ben Stein's execrable crapfest of a movie, Expelled!: No Intelligence Allowed, slimes its way into theatres on Friday. From my perspective, the biggest, most vile lie pushed by Ben Stein and produce Mark Mathis is that it's a direct line from their hated "Darwinism" to the Holocaust, as I've pointed out twice before, but another major theme of the movie is that the poor, "truth-seeking" intelligent design creationists are ruthlessly "expelled" by those (pick one or more) atheistic/Stalinist/Nazi Darwinists. Fortunately, there is a resource to counter Ben Stein's lies (and, yes, they are lies; either that or Ben Stein is just to deluded, ignorant, or stupid to realize their untruth): Expelled! Exposed. Thanks to the National Center for Science Education, there is now a qui... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1373415 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:40:45 +0100 1373415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1329047&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F258477069%2Fthings_that_make_me_smile_even_in_my_dis.php A "magician" trying and failing to kill a skeptic with black magic. It must have been hilarious to watch, especially if one speaks the language. Maybe they'll find a way to show it on American TV. Maybe I'll search YouTube when I feel better. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1329047 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:14:54 +0100 1329047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1305836&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F16%2Ftwo-more-species-of-fallacies%2F After you’ve become familiar with a variety of stupid political arguments or with spotting pseudo-science, you find yourself making a mental game of it: Name That Fallacy. It’s gratifying to know that there are terms for the sorts of things that used to “make your brain all hurty” because you knew they were [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1305836 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:12:33 +0100 1305836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1253258&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=35065&url=http%3A%2F%2Feideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fteaching-students-to-think.html In the latest issue of Educational Leadership, Robert Sternberg tackles the issue of teaching students to think. The acronym for his model is WICS, or wisdom, intelligence, and creativity synthesized.Excerpt:"As an example, in social studies, we might assess understanding of the American Civil War by asking such questions as (1) Compare and contrast the Civil War and the American Revolution (analytical); (2) What might the United States be like today if the Civil War had not taken place (creative)? (3) How has the Civil War affected, even indirectly, the kinds of rights that people have today (practical)? and (4) Are wars ever justified (wisdom)?In English, we might assess understanding of a novel such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by asking (1) How was the childhood of Tom Sawyer simila... Eide Neurolearning Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1253258 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:01:00 +0100 1253258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1250145&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F239426430%2Fyour_friday_dose_of_woo_orbs_invade_the.php Sometimes woo jumps out and hits you from sources from which you least expect it. Such was the case earlier this week, when I found my self in Detroit lazily watching a local newscast. Now, I realize that local news is not the place to look for skepticism. Heck, just the other day, I mentioned a really egregious example of a newscast from Oklahoma City that credulously regurgitated Generation Rescue talking points as fact. But it's rare in my experience to see such a sterling example of woo appearing in a major market newscast. So there I was, sitting in front of the TV, when I saw a story come on entitled Orbs: Myth or Real? The leadup to the story made it clear that it was a story in which it was being claimed that "orbs" appearing in photographs represent the spirits of the dead being ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1250145 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:19:19 +0100 1250145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1236931&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F236139338%2Ffile_under_you_cant_make_stuff_like_this.php When you don't have the facts on your side, can't get published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, and have consistently failed to make a case for your hypothesis, what do you do? Well, if you're a real scientist, you might just finally pack it in, admit that you were probably wrong, and move on to another scientific question or to another hypothesis about the same question to investigate. Not "intelligent design" creationists. To them, it doesn't matter just how bad their arguments are, how untestable and incoherent their hypothesis is, or how obvious it is that they are simply rehashing a "God of the gaps" sort of view of science ("if science can't figure it out right away, God must have done it), they're like the Energizer Bunny. They just keep going and going and going and g... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1236931 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:00:18 +0100 1236931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1160977&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F219034745%2Fdeepak_chopra_misunderstands_skepticism.php Things are crazy now for me, both at home and at work. I mean really, really crazy. So crazy that even I, one of the most verbose bloggers out there, am forced to take two or three days off from my little addiction--I mean habit. Consequently, having foreseen that this time would come around these dates, I, Orac, your benevolent (and, above all verbose) blogger have thought of you, my readers. I realize the cries and lamentations that the lack of fresh material inevitably causes. That, I cannot completely obviate. However, I can ease the pain somewhat, and I can do this by continuing my longstanding project of migrating old "classic" (depending upon your definition of the word) posts from the old blog over to the new blog. These are all at least two years old, and thus the vast majority of... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1160977 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:38:17 +0100 1160977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1156797&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F17%2Fmy-favourite-oxymorons-and-other-woo%2F And now for something light, because it’s been heavy blogging lately, and there’s more around the corner. Once Upon A TIme I used to be a newspaper proofreader. And once a proofreader, always a pain in the ass, because I pay attention to the wording of the things I read (and hear). Here are [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156797 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 03:34:41 +0100 1156797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1155821&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F217738631%2Fpeta_outdoes_itself_in_sheer_insanity.php File this under You Can't Make Stuff Like This Up. Just when I think People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) can't get any more zany or ridiculous in its never-ending battle against meat eating, it comes up with a gem like sending a request to the jail where a cannibal killer is being held requesting a vegetarian diet for him: Sheriff's officials were astounded Thursday by a letter requesting the man accused of murdering his girlfriend and possibly participating in cannibalism be placed on a vegetarian diet to keep him from being "involved in any senseless killing" while incarcerated. The letter was faxed to the Smith County Sheriff's Jail from the national headquarters of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Thursday morning. The Tyler Morning Telegraph receive... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1155821 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:47:31 +0100 1155821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1154035&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F16%2Fremedial-learning-lessons%2F “Let me get this straight — the student is not doing well in class. They’re not able to learn the material from the way it’s taught. So your solution is to give them remedial learning lessons, to try teaching them how to learn the ‘right’ way. All this remedial learning process is [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1154035 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:17:35 +0100 1154035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1150706&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F14%2Ffalse-dilemmas-how-to-sell-pain%2F This post is a part of Blogging Against Aversives 1-14-08 When a business tries to sell a product or service that no one else has, they might be on the cutting edge of invention or they might have something that no one else wants to sell. There is only one place in the United States where [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1150706 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:14:59 +0100 1150706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1123470&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F208966446%2F You have survived the 2007 shopping and eating season. Congratulations! Now it's time to shift gears and focus on 2008...whether you write down some New Year resolutions or contemplate some things that you want to let go of from last year and set intentions and goals for this year - as is a friend's tradition on the winter solstice. To summarize the key findings of the last 20 years of neuroscience research on how to "exercise our brains", there are three things that we can strive for: novelty, variety and challenge. If we do these three things, we will build new connections in our brains, be mindful and pay attention to our environment, improve cognitive abilities such as pattern-recognition, and in general contribute to our lifelong brain health. With these three principles of ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1123470 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:43:13 +0100 1123470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1119228&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F207035978%2Fskepticism_and_the_scientific_consensus.php It figures. Some of the most interesting questions and posts showed up right before Christmas, just the time when I didn't have time to discuss and (hopefully) expand upon them. Neither, I'm guessing, did anyone else, which is unfortunate because this post was about an issue worth further discussion in the skeptical blogosphere. I'm talking about a post in which fellow ScienceBlogger Martin Rundkvist made this rather provocative observation about skepticism: A discussion in the comments section of the recent Skeptics' Circle reminded me of something I learned only after years in the skeptical movement. A real skeptic always sides with scientific consensus. This may sound really unsatisfying and self-contradictory at first. Isn't skepticism about critical thinking? About being open to a... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1119228 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 13:55:19 +0100 1119228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1028169&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F185045753%2Forac_killer_of_buzz_or_buzz_killer.php ...or so sayeth Reason.TV, where a credulous blogger didn't like what Orac laid down and found him oh-so-humorless. Orac, Killer of Buzz. You know, I sort of like the sound of that. I like the sound and humor of this, too. Of course, some buzzes deserve to be terminated with extreme prejudice; so just for laughs I'll throw out a few fun links that fellow ScienceBlogger Tim Lambert turned me on to (or led me to through other links) over the last couple of days: Climate scepticism: The top 10Skeptic ArgumentsConvenient UntruthsClimate science: Sceptical about bias (which fellow ScienceBlogger Mark, clearly being part of the old boys' club and scientific conspiracy, has commented on)Sun and global warming: A cosmic connection?Unravelling the sceptics Enjoy! (As for why I chose the image ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1028169 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:01:29 +0100 1028169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=988414&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F176791604%2Fnow_entering_the_twilight_zone.php Every so often, as a blogger, I get e-mail. Well, actually, I get a lot of e-mail, much of which I just don't have time to answer (nothing personal when it happens), but every so often an e-mail makes me feel as though Rod Serling should be popping up at the end. I got this one not to long ago: From: "eric swan" To: Subject: 911 Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 23:23:22 -0400 who are you, what are your motives and who are you working for? = Eric Swan @ xxx@yahoo.com. Eric Swan happens to be a 9/11 Truther who's appeared in the comments before, spewing 9/11 conspiracy theory idiocy from time to time. I'll answer Eric briefly: Clearly, I've been bought off by the Mossad, the Bush administration, the Masons, the Illuminati, and, of course, David Icke's reptilian humanoids. My motivation is cle... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=988414 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:35:17 +0100 988414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=985590&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F176076893%2Fi_know_halloween_is_coming_up_soon_and_a.php ...I am as appalled as my fellow ScienceBlogger Mark over this horrifically credulous article on ghosts on This Old House at CNN.com. Here's a small taste, which comes after a long discussion of how to choose a "good" ghost inspector: If natural explanations cannot be found, and it's determined that there is indeed a presence in your house, the investigators will likely suggest you get in touch with a family minister so he or she can come to the house and to pray for the soul of the spirit that is present. This is not an "exorcism," but simply an attempt to get the ghost to leave in peace. If a willing minister is not available, the ghost hunter should be able to suggest another person capable of getting rid of ghosts -- either a professional medium, psychic, or someone who is sensitive ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=985590 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 05:00:16 +0100 985590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=972709&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F173910326%2Fwhen_sylvia_browne_met_james_randi.php Ever wonder what would happen if mendacious fake "psychic" Sylvia Browne ever met The Amazing Randi? Now you know. Sylvia just has to watch out for science. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=972709 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 18:10:23 +0100 972709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=953991&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F170639955%2Fwhat_i_did_on_my_summer_vacation_proof_o.php Work and a conference intervene to prevent a fresh dose of Respectful Insolence today. Fortunately, there's still classic Insolence from the archives that hasn't been moved over to the new blog. This amusing little trifle originally appeared on August 25, 2005. Well, I'm back. Yes, I know I blogged a fair amount while on vacation, my promise to restrain myself notwithstanding. Nonetheless, with the exception of the posts about the traffic wreck that screwed up our trip home and the tragic death of an autistic boy receiving chelation therapy this week, it was mostly fluff or carnival barking. Think of it this way: I enjoy blogging so much that, if I had spent the two weeks at home rather than traveling to various places in the Midwest (and putting over 2,000 miles on my car in the process)... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=953991 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:47:15 +0100 953991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=949894&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F169742871%2Fa_skeptical_comic.php I was so busy mentioning how the Society of Homeopaths was using legal threats to try to shut down the free speech rights of the host of the next Skeptics' Circle, Le Canard Noir, that I forgot to mention that he also turned me on to a great web comic. The comic, Cectic, is highly unusual in that it is clearly a comic by a skeptic for skeptics. Some examples (click for a larger version): Herbal cancer remedies: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=949894 Sun, 14 Oct 2007 14:08:38 +0100 949894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=915059&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F09%2F30%2Fnew-page-2%2F My latest post is actually a “page”, one of those postings that stands independently from the usual time sequence.  It’s titled, “Distinctions”.  I think you’ll enjoy it, and hopefully it’ll spark all sorts of useful thoughts. (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=915059 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 01:24:12 +0100 915059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=833436&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F08%2F31%2Fbuilding-blocks%2F “The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum – even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there’s free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=833436 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:33:36 +0100 833436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=829940&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F149792990%2Fintellectual_curiosity_at_its_finest_1.php Vacation time! While Orac is off in London recharging his circuits and contemplating the linguistic tricks of limericks and jokes or the glory of black holes, he's rerunning some old stuff from his original Blogspot blog. This particular post first appeared on June 15, 2005. Enjoy! One of the criticisms of "intelligent design" (ID) creationism is that it doesn't really offer any new theory or even hypothesis to replace the theory of evolution, which it seeks to supplant (at least in the public schools). It merely exaggerates perceived weaknesses in evolutionary theory and misrepresents disagreements between scientists on the mechanisms by which evolution occurs as "proof" that the theory of evolution is "hopelessly flawed." So, how does one ID advocate answer the question of what she wou... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=829940 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:03:37 +0100 829940 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=816618&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F146924838%2Fthe_enemies_of_reason_part_2.php Thanks to Blake, I now have The Enemies of Reason, Part 2: My review of this episode is below the fold. I managed to BitTorrent the episode and watch it on my laptop on my flight back from Chicago last night. If you don't want to be influenced by my opinion before watching, watch the episode first and then see if you agree with my assessment. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=816618 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:45:08 +0100 816618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=805987&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F08%2F17%2Fasking-questions%2F Well, it’s horribly hot outside, which means that the classrooms are either quite stuffy and humid-sticky, or due to HVAC design errors, uncomfortably cold for 95% of the personnel using them. The faculty, staff and students are all yawning from screwed-up sleep schedules, and from being bombarded with mind-numbing amounts of new information, masses [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=805987 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:27:29 +0100 805987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=805889&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F145013195%2Fthe_dog_of_doom_1.php I knew it. I knew it wouldn't be long before this happened. About three weeks ago, we had the Oscar the Death Cat, a.k.a. the kitty of doom. Given the discussions of animals and death and speculation that other animals might be able to "predict" impending death, you knew it was coming. Behold the Doggy of Death: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=805889 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:31:45 +0100 805889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=803565&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F144823763%2Fthe_enemies_of_reason_part_i_slaves_to_s_1.php It's here, and it's on Google Video. I watched it last night, and it was a blistering attack on the irrationality that is so common in our society: Part I begins with Richard Dawkins sitting in on some sort of New Age chanting ceremony (the discomfited look on his face is priceless to watch), after which he goes to a New Age fair, and concludes with an attack on the crappy science that lead to the MMR vaccine scare over autism in the U.K. In between, Dawkins takes on astrology, dowsers, spiritualists, and mediums, no holds barred. Next Monday: Richard Dawkins versus alternative medicine. I can hardly wait... Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=803565 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:01:24 +0100 803565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=767607&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F07%2F30%2Fmore-than-an-uncomfortable-trend%2F I shouldn’t read the news before breakfast — it’s bad for the happy digestion of my food. These Acts, Bills and Executive Orders keep piling up. It reminds me of the scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Professor Dolores Umbridge took over as Head Master, and the [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=767607 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:21:16 +0100 767607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=764974&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F138574319%2Fa_different_take_on_oscar_the_kitty_of_d.php (LOL Oscar from Lauren.) While I expressed skepticism the other day regarding the media reports that a cat named Oscar could predict which patients at the nursing home in which he resides were within hours of death, some of you believed it, some even going so far as to speculate that not only could Oscar detect impending death but that he hangs out by the dying because he wants a snack. But none have gone so far as Mighty Ponygirl in speculating about Oscar's true motivation. Personally, I like my explanation that it's just confirmation bias better. It's less--shall we say?--disturbing. I also tend to agree with Clark about the potentially pernicious effects that the belief among the nursing home staff in Oscar's predictive ability could have on patient care. Another pernicious effect ... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=764974 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:10:24 +0100 764974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=761452&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F137959074%2Fyour_friday_dose_of_woo_five_years_1.php Time is important. Our life is measured in it, and there's no way to reverse it. How we use our allotted time on this planet is, of course, the most important question that anyone ever faces. But how to measure time? It all seems so obvious, doesn't it? You have years, which are divided into 365 days with a leap year every four years to make up for the fact that a year isn't exactly 365 days. You're good to go, at least for as long a period of time as anyone could expect. That's all you could expect from any calendar, right? Wrong. If you're a woo-meister, you know that a calendar could do so much more. In fact (well, not "in fact" so much as woo-meisters assert that) changing to a better calendar could save the world: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (So... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=761452 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:50:33 +0100 761452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=729793&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F133060105%2Ftim_slagle_tells_me_to_shut_up.php Apparently comic Tim Slagle thinks that my discussion of his comedy routine was horribly, horribly humorless and unfair to him and that I "set him up." I just happen to be at work right now (it's lunchtime, and I have a brief break between cases) and consequently don't have time to address it until much later today, but I will link to Tim and let you see what you think until I get around to dealing with it. Stop by Tim's blog and tell him hi for me. While you're there, you might want to take a gander at this piece by him. The discussion of thermodynamics there has to be read to be believed. In the meantime, I will only point out that (1) I had no intention of blogging his show when I came--there was no "set up"; (2) it was Tim who approached me a "discussion" and then repeated his request... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=729793 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:48:45 +0100 729793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=727253&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F132633917%2Fthe_perpetuation_of_bad_arguments_1.php I thought I'd take a bit of a break for a change of pace. At the risk of falling flat on my face, I'm going to wander far afield from the usual medical and biological topics of this blog into an area that I rarely say much about. The reason is an incident that happened nearly two weeks ago when I was in Chicago. Lately, I've been becoming increasingly interested in how bad scientific arguments make it into the collective consciousness and stay there. While it's true that there are such things as astroturf campaigns and paid flaks whose job it is to get such messages in the medium and keep them there, but it's more than just that. I shudder to use the dreaded M-word here, but it's probably appropriate. What happened two weeks ago showed how these sorts of memes can propagate in even the lea... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=727253 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:01:19 +0100 727253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=723178&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F132170268%2Fthe_president_of_steorn_tries_to_explain.php Last week, I wrote about the latest attempt to defy the laws of thermodynamics and make a free energy machine and how it went down in flames. That's when Steorn, the Irish tech company that announced last August that it had developed technology to produce a free energy machine, which it was going to demonstrate at the Kinetica Museum in London on July 4. Not surprisingly, Steorn ended up postponing the demonstration, first for a day, and then indefinitely. Here's the President of Steorn Sean McCarthy trying to explain what went wrong: And here's part 2: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=723178 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 05:00:51 +0100 723178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=717990&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F131159668%2Fyet_another_example_of_credulity_begetti_1.php Thanks to a commenter going by the 'nym of djm, I found in a comment yet another hilarious example of how credulity towards pseudoscience of one form often goes hand-in-hand with other forms of pseudoscience. It looks as though the "intelligent design" creationists are down with Steorn's claimed free energy machine as "evidence" against materialism: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=717990 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:02:41 +0100 717990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=716470&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F130740795%2Frepeat_after_me_conservation_of_energy_p_1.php Here we go again. After falling for such claims enough times, you'd think that journalists would go back to the physics textbooks and read up on the basics, you know, like the Three Laws of Thermodynamics. You'd especially think that a techy website like Engadget would know better than to hype this stuff without a bit more of the appropriate level of skepticism. You'd be wrong. Here we go, after months of doubt over claims of a magnetic machine promising "infinite clean energy," Steorn will be putting their wares on display for public scrutiny in London. A physics defying perpetual machine, if you will. Starting tomorrow, rumor has it that the Kinetica museum will host the Orbo device for a ten day long public demonstration of the technology. We're expecting a formal announcement at 6pm... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=716470 Thu, 05 Jul 2007 12:31:12 +0100 716470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=707346&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F129472454%2Fbe_afraid_be_very_afraid_orac_is_intervi_1.php I often joke that Orac is my alter-ego, regardless of how effective or ineffective the pseudonym is at protecting my "true" identity. I also, with some justification, joke that I'm a lot less interesting in person than I am on the blog as a means of inoculating people that I meet who know me only through my blog from serious disappointment at the man behind the curtain. This has led to a reluctance on my part to accept requests to be interviewed--until now. When Steve Novella, President of the New England Skeptics' Society and the driving force behind my favorite skeptical podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe asked me if I'd be interviewed, I warned him that, although I'm fortunate enough to have a face perfect for radio, I also have a voice perfect for writing and blogging. When S... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=707346 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 14:01:55 +0100 707346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=702045&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F128599425%2Fpoor_behe_now_hes_in_for_it.php You may have noticed that I haven't commented much on Michael Behe's recent book, The Edge of Evolution, other than to bemoan its presence in the Evolution section of the University of Chicago Barnes & Noble. I have, however, read with some amusement some of the reviews. The most recent is one by--who else?--Richard Dawkins in the New York Times. Because it's behind the Times Select pay wall, I'll just give you a couple of the best quotes. First, he dismisses Behe's most famous book, Darwin's Black Box: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=702045 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 09:30:18 +0100 702045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687724&cid=t_112542_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fattenion-ron-paul-i-present-no-stupid.html I am a libertarian and a constitutionalist - in that order. Ron Paul seems to reverse that order, but I may be wrong. In order to clarify that matter, I wonder what Ron might have to say about this Constitutional Amendment, which I cleverly title The No Stupid Rules Amendment. It's intended to forestall legislative and executive abuses of power and common infringements of individual liberties.There's more...The No Stupid Rules Amendment Congress shall pass no law, nor shall courts uphold any existing law which has the overriding effect or intent of financially benefiting one group of citizens or corporate entity over another. Congress shall pass no law, nor shall courts uphold any existing law which has the overriding effect or intent of advantaging or penalizing ethnic custom, matters of... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687724 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 687724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676176&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F06%2F06%2Fooh-shiny%2F I got a shiny award; I’m so tickled.* I’ve been meme-tagged! Twice, no less. I shoulda’ said something after the first time, but I got busy with the end of the school spring term (and a few blogposts that grabbed me by the collar and demanded to be written), and then I got tagged [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676176 Wed, 06 Jun 2007 22:36:00 +0100 676176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=654511&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F06%2F02%2Fthe-words%2F They lied. One sentence; two words. Together, two very powerful words. As the beginning, those two words beg more questions than they answer. Who lied? What about? To whom? When, where, and why? In my head, those two words are dark, hard and cold. They stand as a stark, heavy monolith deeply [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=654511 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 23:37:20 +0100 654511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=654386&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F121690604%2Fthe_logic_of_911_truthers.php I know, I know. Denialism.com and Screw Loose Change already posted this, but it's just such a lovely loony example of the "logic" used by 9/11 conspiracy theorists (a.k.a. "9/11 Truthers") that I couldn't resist posting it too. Here, we see a 9/11 Truther "duplicating" the fall of one of the Twin Towers with stackable plastic in box trays: The mind boggles. Be sure to watch it to the end. You just won't believe it. Ah, the power of the scientific method! Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=654386 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:31:04 +0100 654386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=628962&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F118808078%2Fits_a_sign_that_that_the_homeopathic_enc_1.php The other day, I wrote about how the only use of homeopathy that makes sense is its use by a fictional character, namely Doctor Strange, The Sorcerer Supreme. Now, I have been fortunate enough to have been granted a sign that the homeopathic enchantment works! Woe be unto you skeptics! Behold, a vision of the Eye of Agamatto on a pancake! For those of you unaware of what the Eye of Agamatto is, it's the mystic amulet that is Dr. Strange's most powerful occult object. The eye contained within the amulet can, at Strange's command, radiate brilliant light that allows him to see through all illusions and disguises. It also allows him to probe the minds and see the thoughts of those at whom it is aimed. What more evidence do you need that the mystical magic of homeopathy is real? In the name... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=628962 Tue, 22 May 2007 21:12:05 +0100 628962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=623350&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F117705167%2Fyour_friday_dose_of_woo_old_macdonald_ha_2.php I want to apologize to Abel Pharmboy in advance on this one. This is the second time in less than three months that I've invaded his territory to a certain extent in Your Friday Dose of Woo, specifically his The Friday Fermentable feature. Last time around, I couldn't believe it when I encountered some serious farm woo particularly common in wineries known as biodynamics, which involved burying various animal parts (among other things) on the farm in order to promote its life force. Who said that the best woo is found only in medicine? Certainly not me. At least, not anymore. This time around, you may be wondering, what sort of woo is going on down on the farm? Trust me, it's some serious, tasty woo. I realize that I use the term "tasty" a lot when referring to woo, but in this case it's... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=623350 Fri, 18 May 2007 14:01:14 +0100 623350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=611646&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F116856785%2Fwhen_woo_masquerades_as_reason_and_scien.php A while back, I coined a term for woo so irrational, woo so desperate to masquerade as reason and science, that it could be spewed forth into books, the Internet, and the blogosophere by only one man. The man is Deepak Chopra, and the term is Chopra-woo, examples of which can be found here and here. I had thought that there was no man quite as capable of producing such concentrated woo cloaked in the language of science (well, except perhaps for the DNA Activation guy or the guys at Life Technology, but their woo is so utterly over-the-top that I have a hard time accepting that they actually believe in it). Chopra makes you think he really does believe in his woo, as he mangles evolution, quantum theory, and neuroscience to argue that science shows that the universe is "conscious" and th... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=611646 Tue, 15 May 2007 14:01:05 +0100 611646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=578972&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F113024176%2Fintelligent_design_creationism_in_a_nuts.php Thanks to a reader commenting in yesterday's post, I've been made aware of a truly brilliant summation of creationism of both the young earth and intelligent design variety: Exactly. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=578972 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:01:43 +0100 578972 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=556196&cid=t_112542_109_f&fid=35088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fqw88nb88.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F04%2F20%2Fsolitude%2F is something I have been much lacking of late. I work six days a week, and spend the evening hours and the remaining day catching up on domestic stuff. Meanwhile, I also have a variety of thoughts, assorted necessary bloggery, clogging up the generative pool in my head. Such cognitive log-jams [...] (Source: Andrea's Buzzing About:) Andrea's Buzzing About: blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=556196 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 03:53:42 +0100 556196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=547708&cid=t_112542_122_f&fid=35065&url=http%3A%2F%2Feideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fare-we-preparing-students-for-college.html From the latest ACT Curriculum Survey, 1 in 4 college students are found to require some remedial work in the "basics" (reading, writing, math) when they are tested as freshmen. The big question is, why?College profs are more skeptical than high school teachers that state standards are sufficient to prepare students for college: But at least in this survey, the priorities for improving preparation only seemed to emphasize how far education is from "no child left behind." The ACT study points the finger at the need for more high school students to master the basics - basic mathematics computation and application, and writing mechanics basics like sentence structure and paragraph organization. But if basics is all that is taught, we're in a lot of trouble.If Washington state's mandatory asse... Eide Neurolearning Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=547708 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:05:00 +0100 547708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=543210&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F109075920%2Fage_of_unreason.php Prometheus makes the case that our current age of unreason can be largely attributed to the Baby Boomers. As someone who can be viewed either as a very young Baby Boomer or a very old GenX-er, I nonetheless heartily agree with his clarion call near the end of his analysis: Our society is growing more and more dependent on rationality, science and technology to keep it from collapsing. It's too late to turn back, now - giving up on reason and returning to magical thinking will cause a human (and probably environmental) catastrophe that would beggar the imagination. And, at the same time, the forces of Unreason encourage us to turn our back on reality in favor of "The Secret" or other such nonsense. The technology that most people take for granted is far beyond the knowledge of the "averag... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=543210 Sat, 14 Apr 2007 19:31:09 +0100 543210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=551388&cid=t_112542_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fthose-evil-liberals-what-bushiet-thinks.html This article illustrated with products from Shirt Lords (Union of Evil Overlords) and The Horror Haven (Baphomet poster). Please consider them for help decorating your evil liberal bodies and lairs.You can syndicate this site using our atom feed. (Source: Graphictruth) Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=551388 Mon, 02 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 551388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=505563&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F104756140%2Fwoo_infiltrates_the_uk_undergraduate_cur.php I've lamented time and time again how woo has been infiltrating American medical schools, even going so far as to find its way into being totally integrated into mandatory curriculum from the very first term of the first year of medical school at Georgetown. I realize I'm a bit late on this one, but sadly it's not just the U.S. where pseudoscience, anti-science, and woo are infiltrating universities. In the U.K., it's starting too: Over the past decade, several British universities have started offering bachelor of science (BSc) degrees in alternative medicine, including six that offer BSc degrees in homeopathy, a therapy in which the active ingredient is diluted so much that the dose given to the patient often does not contain even a single molecule of it. Some scientists are increasingl... Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=505563 Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:03:06 +0100 505563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=483218&cid=t_112542_83_f&fid=34690&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Finsolence%2F%7E3%2F102893139%2Fthe_egnor_challenge_day_3.php Two days ago, I posted a challenge to Dr. Egnor and clarified that challenge yesterday. Thus far, there has been no answer. I'm still waiting. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Respectful Insolence) Respectful Insolence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=483218 Mon, 19 Mar 2007 22:01:08 +0100 483218