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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5 replies on “The future of American medicine”
Haha that was great…very similar to the michell and webb skit. Enjoy your labor day weekend!
Good one. Here’s a British take on sCAM in the emergency ward http://youtu.be/HMGIbOGu8q0
I thought I would share my weekend discoveries for your reading, uh… enjoyment:
Mike Adams ( @ NaturalNews; 9/2,3,4,5/11)
discusses the pleasures and perils of his new life in Texas ( Austin, near AW), where he simultaneously raises chickens and saves mankind from AGW and SBM.( “Authenticy grows from the ground up…”; ” How bad is the drought in Texas, really?”; “Fires rage across Texas…”)
I don’t know where he finds the time but he manages to write a blistering** parody of the Godfather/ the Sopranos : ” Meet your new Federal Family…”. Really high-level stuff! Jon Stewart should be shaking in his Ferragamos after reading this! ( the parody also shows up at Gary Null’s sites)
Gary Null is currently embarking upon a new enterprise: saving the planet from Nuclear Evil ™ as illuminated by his new film :”Knocking at the Devil’s Door” ( – and I thought it was about us!) which will be premiered along with ” Death by Medicine” ( that’s about us!)( 9/21/11); he will lead an “international effort” to close all nuclear plants, starting with the one near NYC. ( Fabulous! Perhaps he’ll occupy his time with this obsession and have less to “counsel”/ “educate” people about health, relationships, and personal finance)
Whale.to includes two recent additions that I think illustrate how quickly bad information ( and writing) spreads and the specific roadway that woo takes as it drips ever downward- through the Matrix of Stupid – following the path of least resistance:
ChildHealthSafety’s screed ( also posted @ RI; @ ” A survey administered by a German anti-vaccine homeopath backfires”/ also posted @ CHS home with a follow-up) about Orac and his “friend” ( Dr You-know-Who). Doesn’t like the minions either.
Jake Crosby’s recent (AoA) *chef-d’oeuvre* concerning his *idees fixees* concerning his *bete noir* : *la chasse* continues.
** blisteringly bad, that is.
@ Denice Walter: Your posting makes for some mighty “interesting” reading.
I’d like to remind people that Boy Wonder Ace Reporter from AoA is now one week into classes for his MPH-Epidemiology. I say he will be posting articles at AoA within a few weeks about the “epidemiology of autism” and starting his own blog with his “expertise” in epidemiology by Thanksgiving. Orac, will never run out of material to blog about, thanks to Boy Wonder Ace Reporter.
Almost Live! was great. We used to get this show before SNL came on in Seattle, and often times their show was better.