Denialism

Month: October 2007

  • The Placebo effect, how significant is it?

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in ,

    Are placebo’s really effective? So asks Darshak Sanghavi in Slate, citing this study from 2001 that shows the placebo effect, compared to passive observation, to be relatively minor for improvements in pain or objective measures of health. This is an interesting topic, but unfortunately, a really bad article. Given how many alties love to stress…

  • How to triage nonsense

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in ,

    Both Orac and MarkCC have been having a blast tearing to shreds virtually every aspect of the latest nonsensical piece by Dennis Byrne based on this idiotic study at JPANDS. One thing struck me in the two analyses, was MarkCC’s emphasis on the idea of triage in assessing the scientific literature. This is fundamentally a…

  • 72nd Skeptics’ Circle

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in , ,

    Le Canard Noir scolds me at the Quackometer for the 72nd installation of the skeptic’s circle. Check it out!

  • Phenomenon: It’s just magic tricks (and not very good ones)

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in

    As promised, I watched Phenomenon, and I’ve got to say, I’m unimpressed. The premise of the show is there are 10 people with paranormal abilities vying for a 250,000 prize (they could make more if they tried Randi’s challenge – I wonder why don’t they?). The one that impresses the judges – fraud and huxster…

  • WSJ on Credit Freeze, Monitoring, Alerts

    —

    by

    Chris
    in

    In today’s Journal, Jane J. Kim writes very clearly about the different tools that are now available to consumers to protect themselves against identity theft. The article explains the advantages and disadvantages to each approach. Great reporting!

  • Missile defense is a boondoggle

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in ,

    This is why we need the Office of Technology Assessment (and listen to it), Bush is trying to bring back SDI, big time. President Bush said yesterday that a missile defense system is urgently needed in Europe to guard against a possible attack on U.S. allies by Iran, while Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates suggested…

  • Michael Gerson is taking cues from the ID cranks

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in ,

    Or is unintentionally channeling them is my conclusion from reading his latest WaPo Op-Ed entitled, “The Eugenics Temptation”. This Watson nonsense has somehow convinced all these conservatives that lurking beneath the surface of every scientist is a seething eugenicist, biting at the bit to escape and kill off all we see who are inferior. I’ve…

  • Toxins!

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in , ,

    I’d love to see what the angry toxicologist thinks of this scary article from CNN Tests reveal high chemical levels in kids’ bodies. Michelle Hammond and Jeremiah Holland were intrigued when a friend at the Oakland Tribune asked them and their two young children to take part in a cutting-edge study to measure the industrial…

  • Denialists should not be debated

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in , , , ,

    Orac has brought up the interesting point that debating the homeopaths at U. Conn might not be a good idea. On a related note, in a post derriding attacks on consensus I was asked by commenters if isn’t it incumbent on science to constantly respond to debate; to never let scientific questions be fully settled.…

  • I’m Back

    —

    by

    MarkH
    in

    Sorry for the absence. Between travel, catching up from travel, and preparing manuscripts, I’ve been slow to blog. I’m back now, but still busy. Meanwhile, I’ve been enjoying cectic’s comics immensely. I can no longer figure out who in my RSS feed linked these strips, but they are awesome! Case in point, anyone want to…