Categories
Medicine

Bad History

There’s a lot of bad history out there. People abuse and misuse history all the time for their own ideological or political ends. Sometimes people are just ignorant of history. Fortunately, in the blogosphere, there’s an antidote: The Carnival of Bad History. Jonathan has posted The Carnival of Bad History #6 at Frog in a […]

Categories
Blogging Complementary and alternative medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

Amazed at the effect a minor blog can have

Busy at NIH Study section today, I didn’t have time to compose anything extensive. (And there is most definitely something that needs a little Respectful Insolence going on; unfortunately, it will have to wait until tomorrow to receive it.) Fortunately, I had some thing in reserver for just such an occasion. From my e-mail several […]

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Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Magical thinking versus lymphoma

I’ve written several times about two young victims of what is normally a highly treatable cancer (Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and how, with their parents’ support, they have jeopardized their lives by choosing alternative therapies. The first, Katie Wernecke, was initially taken from her family by the State of Texas, but her parents ultimately won a court […]

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Politics Science

Sunday random blogging: A little wisdom, courtesy of the Doctor

Lord Runolfr recently reminded me of a bit of wisdom, courtesy of the Doctor (fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker) from the episode entitled The Face of Evil. Here’s the quote: You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don’t alter their views to fit the facts. They […]

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History Humor Sports World War II

One half of my heritage at its finest

About two weeks ago, I did a brief post about a Lithuanian guy whose blood alcohol level was beyond what would kill most mortal men but who was fully conscious and nominally able to drive. I facetiously referred to it as “one quarter of my heritage at its finest,” given that I’m one quarter Lithuanian. […]