My apologies to Romeo Vitelli, but somehow two weeks ago it totally slipped my mind to announce his 131st Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle, which is a fine addition to the Skeptics’ Circle canon. Read. Enjoy.
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Better late than never (the announcement, I mean): The 131st Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle
By Orac
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]
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6 replies on “Better late than never (the announcement, I mean): The 131st Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle”
blatant thread-jack :
My chest x-ray came back clear.
first one in 10 years at least, and this 2 years after I quit smoking.
/thread-jack.
I’ll have a look at the skeptics circle later tonight.
They’re usually fun.
Second blatant thread-jack —
I saw this:
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100309/FDA-invites-Little-Women-to-present-research-on-dangers-of-HPV-vaccines.aspx
And now I desperately want to know who to send letters to at the FDA so that they know exactly what kind of biologically ignorant lunatics they are dealing with. I’ve had run-ins with both Leslie Botha and Cynthia Janak; these are the “chelate your autistic children/changing your body’s pH will cure cancer” types. I do not want this type of person altering access to the HPV vaccine!
I’m sorry this is so off-topic, but I need access to the blog hive-mind here — who do I write to?
Luna, I can’t help you with an address or a person, but perhaps it would be worth going through your local elected politicians as well? (alternatively, go through some of the more sane politicians elected elsewhere).
@Luna: I’m not really sure the article is completely factual; it was written on March 10th that they will present March 12? And I think it is very unusual for the FDA to invite a group to speak without putting it out into the public forum that they are inviting people to speak on something, and giving several weeks notice. Maybe it happened, but something about the article (maybe because the facts were obtained from “truthaboutgardisil.org) bothers me. Good luck finding out more.
Just went back to the site…something about the whole site bothers me and I can’t quite put my finger on it. The “terms and conditions” they print under seem to have the Quack’s oath flavor. I’ll need to check out the site more and see what it is once I’ve had my coffee. 🙂
Thanks for that. If this is not accurate, and these women are not presenting/have not presented to the FDA (and fair do’s, I couldn’t find any mention of it on the FDA site), that would frankly comfort me immensely.
I already know that “truthaboutgardisil.org” are full of smelly brown stuff, because of the run-ins I’ve had with Leslie Botha, one of their “supporting figures” (Botha is also a big fan of Andrew Moulden, go figure). However, the news site itself struck me as reasonably legitimate. Perhaps they simply unwarily published an anti-vax press release without checking, though.