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Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Year

David Bowie and Bing Crosby

To all those who come here regularly for a dose of Insolence, Respectful or otherwise, skepticism and science, best holiday wishes for whatever end-of-year holidays you might celebrate. I’ll probably be on a less intensive blogging schedule until after the New Year, depending on things go (sometimes, even between Christmas and New Years, something happens that demands some Insolence, and I have a hard time resisting the call), but I’ll definitely be back after Boxing Day.

In the meantime…one of my all time favorite Christmas performances, and, yes, heathen that I’ve become, I still enjoy it immensely every year. This year, it’s particularly poignant, given that we lost David Bowie, who was one of my very favorite artists and had been since I was in high school.

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]

26 replies on “Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Year”

Thanks Orac!

Remembering Lilady, the greatest minion of all, and her passion for medical science!

Are there any other minions who may have passed away this year who deserve respectful recognition?

To our host and all minions everywhere –

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

A N D

A fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2017, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only “AMERICA” in the western hemisphere,) and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

#3 – I never comment here but your terms and conditions were fantastic – I have swiped and posted on my other favorite comments section.

Brilliant!

“You’re the one that sings, right?”
“Well, right or wrong, I sing either way.”
One of my favorites.

My SIL, a cousin and I had a go at making lefse for the holidays; it turned out pretty good and is serving as dinner tonight…

The holiday greeting/wish list and its disclaimer made my day! I may steal this–assuming that it is indeed freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting.

Are there any other minions who may have passed away this year who deserve respectful recognition?

Krebiozen? He hasn’t commented since February.
If anyone knows what happened to him, could you please tell us.

Thanks to our host and all the minions for sharing your passion and knowledge. We are all better for the exchanges. Cheers!

I always found that Bowie bit with Der Bingle a bit cringe worthy, and Little Drummer Boy is one of the lamest Xmas songs ever…

However, Merry/Happy whatever to whomever in whatever way you choose to do it.

Julian — I’m surprised we haven’t seen any claims in re: George’s death from the anti-science crowd.

(Of course, it could still happen).

Alright.

Because woo ( and fake news and alt media merde) never sleeps and NEVER takes a holiday…

I just listened to 55 minutes of Null’s political grandiositising which has nearly ( but not totally) replaced his alt med dxs.
It will be archived for posterity I’m sure.

Similarly, Mikey ( Natural News) seems to have continued in his Trumpian mode bemoaning Presstitutes on Christmas Day ( the post even includes a reference to our lord and m.. I mean, BENEVOLENT HOST, Orac)

Perhaps we should be glad that their new hobbyhorses will most likely harm less people than their (quasi) medical advice and dietary recommendations.

@ Julian Frost:

Oh I hope your fears about K will be shown to be unfounded.

I recall he had an operation on his sinuses and was working on a technology project.

I hope he’s only too busy and well-paid to comment.

I also hope they turn out unfounded Denice, and that he’s too busy to comment. But it’s been 10 months.

In other news…

Well, no new news BECAUSE…
It’s Mikey at the helm of Natural News today

who, asks for “your support’ because “without you, this website would not exist” ( so it’s the audience’s fault)..
I see.

He continues to expose the “fake news”/ “propaganda” of ” CNN, WaPo, MSNBC” and others.

He’s about to launch a “live, daily news” site, is hiring writers and believes that the powers-that-be ( which probably includes Orac * et compagnie*) will target him for censoring

He of ocurse lauds brave rebels like Greenwald, Assange, Snowden and ATTKISSON (?)

Besides trusting in Mike, we should look to ” Mother Nature, G-d and the divine” ( I always liked Divine – s/he had talent)

So support his work by shopping at his NN store!

I’m rather aggravated by how long archive.org is taking to update the RECAPped docket,* but one thing to note for 2017 is that the trial date in Doctor’s Data v. Barrett has been moved from January 30 to July 10.

* It might want the default “include” buttons checked, for those playing along, but it might also just be broken. It also has trouble when one simultaneously grabs a document and its exhibits.

Season’s greetings (belated). I have been reading but not much time for commenting lately. Hope your festivities were acceptable!

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