Month: March 2008
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Cults are bad for your health
Cults kill. It’s really that simple. But different cults kill in different ways. It’s not just Jonestown and Killer Kool Aid (OK, Flav-r-Aid). The so-called mainstream cults that are particularly dangerous, because we tolerate them. Jehovah’s Witnesses have their own brand of craziness. It’s not bad enough that they come to your door to annoy…
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Look, Ma! Interesting mercury news—based on science!
As the anti-vaccine mercury militia’s limited credibility shrinks even further, actual scientists are investigating real mercury-based toxins. Remember how followers of the mercury militia were getting all their old mercury amalgam fillings pulled? It turns out that maybe that’s not the greatest idea. A group from the U of I found that once you dig…
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Finally Free
At long last I have finished my surgical requirements. After 12 weeks of nonstop surgery rotations, despite enjoying it thoroughly, I’m ready to try something else for a while. Or at least I’m looking forward to waking up at 6AM rather than 4AM for a few months. It seems like such a small difference, but…
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An update on cult murder of diabetic girl
It had seemed at first that there would be no help for the living children of the killer parents in Wisconsin. But, in a fit of rational behavior, the authorities removed the remaining children from their parents care. I hate to see families broken up, but until the parents are deprogrammed, it simply isn’t safe…
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Balance your energy for only $1 a minute!
I am not pleased. I am not pleased at all. Of course, hospitals need to make money, and in my part of the country, that’s getting damned hard. More and more people are jobless, without insurance, and broke. Hospitals are focusing more on customer service—and that includes providing what the customer wants whether or not…
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Detoxification–the pinnacle of quackery
In another fit of sloth, I am migrating one of my favorites over from my old blog. If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you! –PalMD Many of my patients ask me about it; the TV is full of ads for it; you can’t avoid it. “Detoxification” is apparently the pinnacle of modern health…
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So much anti-vaccine crankery, so little time
It’s amazing that anti-vaccine crankery persists. I went over to Joe Mercola’s woo-palace again, and what should pop up but an article by Dr. Woo himself, Russell Blaylock. Apparently Russ and Joe are “good friends”, which is appropriate, since both are doctors that aren’t welcome in the profession. Blaylock believes that vaccines kill your brain.…
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God in the exam room
My profession does not allow me the luxury of suffering fools, but neither does it allow me the luxury of always being blunt in my beliefs. Readers may have noticed a slight tendency toward snarkiness, especially when dealing with woo. I refuse to pull punches when it comes to people peddling quackery. Religion is different.…
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Out, pesky engram!
I think I made clear that Scientology is a wacked-out cult. The primary concern from my perspective as a doctor is their denialist position on psychiatric illness. Given the toll mental illness takes on society, and the amount of influence exerted by Scientology, everyone should be shouting from the rooftops (in a perfectly calm and…
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You say pranic, I say panic–let’s call the whole thing off
I was thinking about poor Orac and his death crud, so I thought I’d do a little research for him. I did a quick google search for holistic healing (call a doctor? Are you kidding?) and immediately found my answer–Pranic Healing. First, I gotta tell you, it’s a deal–a steal, really–because you get knowledge, and…