Categories
Bioethics Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine

Using placebos outside of clinical trials

The other day, I thought it was about time that I did some of that cool and fancy ResearchBlogging.org stuff, you know, to keep this blog from being nothing more than a collection of not-so-Respectfully Insolent spleen venting at generalized stupidity. I realize that those are some of the funnest posts here and that people […]

Categories
Biology Medicine Politics Religion Science

My alma mater fights back against misinformation about embryonic stem cell research

Hot on the heals of my post earlier today about the flurry of misinformation-laden ads being aired in Michigan to try to prevent Proposition 2, the proposed amendment to the Michigan State Constitution that would allow embryonic stem cell research using embryos that would be discarded from fertility clinics, I’ve learned that my alma mater, […]

Categories
Medicine Politics Religion Science

Fundamentalist religion, misinformation, and the controversy over embryonic stem cell research in Michigan

Two years ago, there was a brouhaha in Missouri over a ballot proposal to allow state funding for embryonic stem cell research using discarded embryos from fertility clinics. The issue made national news, including some rather despicable rhetoric from Rush Limbaugh about Michael J. Fox, who made ads in support of the Missouri initiative, as […]

Categories
Entertainment/culture Science fiction/fantasy Television

Best Doctor Who adventure ever?

I don’t recall where I saw this, but I’ve been meaning to post it. What better time than a not-so-lazy Sunday, when I have to work on a talk, paper, and other things? (It’s either this, or no blog for you on Monday; I think you know which you’d prefer.) For those of you not […]

Categories
Politics

Think this election is bad?

Think this election is bad? Think it’s really negative? Think it’s really vicious and nasty? Think again. Negative campaigning and vicious attacks by candidates on each other have been with us since at least the election of 1800. If anything, these days elections are probably tamer. The difference is the media. Between robocalls, television, radio, […]