Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.
That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)
DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.
To contact Orac: [email protected]
View Archive →
8 replies on “It’s not exactly brain surgery, is it?”
I know several rocket scientists and I don’t find them to be particularly smarter than any other scientists.
Hah! I beat you to it. And with the same post title too!
I have to admit that I could see the punchline of that sketch coming in the last few seconds, but it was funny anyway.
There’s another Mitchell and Webb sketch on the Friendly Atheist blog: http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/07/03/finally-pareidolia-we-can-get-on-board-with/
Excellent. Sending that to my rocket scientist relative. Yea, there’s one in my family.
as a neurologist, I find it hard to believe that rocket scientists can be more arrogant than brain surgeons.
As a former aerospace engineer who has done some rocket research, I’m not more arrogant …. unless it is Dr. Egnor. (though I do find dealing with multi-varible nonlinear second order differential equations fun and entertaining, but that is just me)
But that is because I have fun reading what a neurologist’s comments on Dr. Egnor’s writings:
http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?s=egnor
As and aside, I recently listened to all of Dr. Mark Crislip’s podcasts. In one of them he takes a dig at neurosurgeons. I don’t remember which one in particular, but all of his quackcasts are entertaining:
http://www.quackcast.com/
I really need to proofread better. My excuse is I engineer, I no like grammar or spelling.
Homeopathy. It’s not exactly medicine, is it?
🙂