Categories
Cancer Medicine Politics

Blowing smoke over secondhand smoke

“What do you think about second hand smoke?” he asked me. I sensed ulterior motives behind the question, but I wasn’t sure. I suspected that he was just looking for an argument. “It’s bad,” I joked. “Some have told me that the studies don’t show any health problems from second hand smoke,” he replied. “I’m […]

Categories
Medicine Politics

Paul Offit responds to denialism.com

As a result of my e-mailing the link to a mailing list I belong to asking members whether they thought it was outside the pale, Dr. Offit became aware of Mark’s blog post about denialism in the Wall Street Journal editorial page that I castigated for its casually lumping Paul Offit’s editorial on the Michael […]

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Quackery Science

Paul Offit is not a “denialist”

I’m afraid I must reluctantly take fellow SB’er Mark Hoofnagle to task here, because he appears to have allowed himself to get a bit carried away when it comes to throwing around the label of “denialist.” In an otherwise excellent takedown of some really bad propaganda in the Wall Street Journal editorial page, he did […]

Categories
Announcements Blogging History Medicine Religion Science

One to add to the blogroll…

While perusing my comments yesterday, I became aware of what looks like a promising new blog, Occam’s Trowel by Scott Prinster. Check out his self-description: Scott Prinster is continuing his graduate studies in the History of Science department at the University of Wisconsin. His current interest is in the interaction of religion and science in […]

Categories
Complementary and alternative medicine Friday Woo Medicine Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Your Friday Dose of Woo: Hydration, hydration, hydration, always hydration

Cool cool water. Yes, that’s what I really needed earlier this week, as the temperature almost hit 100° F in my neck of the woods. There’s nothing like it after walking through the sauna-like conditions and losing my precious bodily fluids in the form of sweat. After all, I wouldn’t want to get dehydrated, would […]