Denialism

Month: May 2008

  • Never say “hopeless”

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    MarkH
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    I can’t tell you the number of people who complain to me about having their hope taken away. Exactly what this means, though, isn’t always clear. Sometimes an oncologist will tell them (so they say) that they have a month to live. Sometimes their cardiologist tells them (so they say) not to travel to their…

  • Why hospice matters

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    MarkH
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    I recently lost a close family member to cancer. She was old, she had been ill a long time; it still hurts. But in her dying, she made some wise choices. She was a very bright woman, and retained her mental capacities right up until the end. This gave her the opportunity to decide how…

  • Try and beat this one, alties!

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    MarkH
    in ,

    I’m not going to lie to you. This post contains some actual science. WAIT! Don’t click away! I’ll make it palatable, I promise! It’s just that this is such an interesting story, and I can’t help sharing it. It is a shining example of one of the great successes of modern medical science, and stands…

  • Gary Null and his goon(s)

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    MarkH
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    I’ve mentioned before that I think that PBS stations are making a deal with the devil when they feature Gary Null’s infomercials. This alternative medince guru is a classic crank—an HIV denialist, seller of phonie cures, and host to other cranks. But at least he’s a nice guy, right? Ask Lee Phillips, some guy who…

  • More inanity from our friend Null

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    MarkH
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    OK, so it’s a repost from the old blog. I’m on vacation so gimme a break. –PalMD When I get bored, I sift through the “articles” section of Gary Null’s site to see what kind of stupidity he is willing to host. Thankfully, it never takes long to find the stupid. This time, it was…

  • Who smokes?

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    MarkH
    in

    In this space, we have explored some real conspiracies, using as an example the tobacco companies’ war on truth. Smoking, and smoking-related disease, continues to be a significant burden on the health of Americans. For example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects between 10-25 million Americans. This disabling illness, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis,…

  • Measles!

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    MarkH
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    I’m vacationing, so I’ll point you to some important posts from my SciBlings, DM and Orac. Measles is no joke, and the latest report reminds us that the anti-vaccine folks are dangerous.

  • The New Academic Freedom

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    Chris
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    Stephanie Simon of the Journal reports today on what Sciencebloggers already know: that the creationists have shifted their tactics from focusing on activism on local school boards to pitching their cause to state legislators: Their new tactic: Embrace lessons on evolution. In fact, insist students deserve to learn more — including classes that probe the…

  • Just one more note on Expelled

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    by

    MarkH
    in

    Many of my fellow bloggers, and many fellow Michiganders, have noted a breath of fresh air out of (ironically) the Motor City. This quote from Real Detroit Weekly’s review of Expelled hits on an important point. By way of background, the following quote refers to the incident where biologist PZ Myers (who happens not to…