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Bioethics Cancer Medicine

Oh no! My cell phone’s going to kill me!

I’m very puzzled. Now, I know that my being puzzled isn’t particularly unusual. I’m frequently puzzled. I can’t figure out how, for example, anyone with the slightest bit of reasoning ability can do anything other than laugh when informed what homeopathy is and how it supposedly “works.” I can’t figure out why American Idol or […]

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Cancer Computers and social media Medicine

What’s wrong with Steve Jobs?

Regular readers of this blog know that I’m an Apple geek. The Macintosh is my preferred axe and has been, with few interruptions, since the late 1980s. Indeed, the only time I’ve used anything other than a Mac is when I’ve had no choice. The first time I saw one was in 1984, not long […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Popular culture Quackery

Vaccine fearmongers versus Steve Novella

I’m envious of Steve Novella. Well, just a little, anyway. The reason is that he’s somehow managed to annoy David Kirby and the anti-vaccine contingent enough to provoke what appears to be a coordinated response to his debunking of anti-vaccine propaganda. For that alone he deserves some serious props. You may have wondered why I […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Entertainment/culture Medicine Popular culture Quackery Television

Britney Spears and Hugh Hefner join the anti-vaccine brigade

In the celebrity vaccine wars, as we all know, Jenny McCarthy has become the de facto leader of the “vaccines-cause-autism” lunatic fringe. However, apparently she has managed to recruit another celebrity to help her out. Her choice is amazingly appropriate: Britney Spears, who was seen at a fundraiser for “Jenny McCarthy’s autism charity Generation Rescue.” […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

How about a real challenge for science communication?

Three days ago, ScienceBlogs did something it hasn’t done before. ScienceBloggers were given screener DVDs of a new movie by one of our own, Randy Olson of Shifting Baselines. The movie was Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy, and the idea was to get as many of us as possible to review the movie and post […]