March 2010
7 posts
Opera Monday: Sweet-n-Low, or How Samuel Ramey... →
I’ve always been a sucker for a deep voices.
Even before I got into opera, I automatically responded to voices—speaking and singing—of gents like Paul Robeson, Howard Keel, James Coburn, Geoffrey…
Yes, Virginia, Another Autism Awareness Group →
http://www.flickr.com/photos/natalialove/ / CC BY-NC 2.0
The recent “Smockityfrocks” brouhaha prompted a flurry of really good blog posts, and Liz Ditz has done her usual…
In Which Squillo Considers Motes and Eyes →
Pen vs. Orbit/Img. courtesy Dr. Laughlin Dawes/Radiology Picture of the Day CC lic.
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam thatis…
Safe Birth is a Human Rights Issue →
“While women in developed countries as a whole have a 1 in 2,800 chance of dying in childbirth—with some countries as low as 1 in 8,700—women in Africa have a 1 in 20 chance, and in several…
Of Horse Races and Academy Awards →
Judy Garland as Vicki Lester, holding the Oscar Garland should have won for this film. (Img. from A Star is Born ~ Warner Bros., 1954)
Yesterday I wrote of my disdain for the horse…
And the Oscar Didn’t Go To… Great Unsung... →
Img. courtesy cliff1066tm/Flickr
In the 1978 film California Suite, there is a brief exchange between Maggie Smith’s character—an actress who has just lost a Best Actress Oscar®—and…
Opera Monday: Vissi d’Arte →
The Opera: Tosca, by Giacomo Puccini, libretto (lyrics) by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, after a play by Victorien Sardou. Premiered at the Teatro Costanzi, Rome, January 14, 1900.
December 2009
19 posts
Really Bad Christmas Songs →
‘Round about December 1, one of our local radio stations starts its month-long marathon of Christmas music. I have to listen, I cannot help myself. (The first step is admitting you have a…
Autism Prevalence →
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has published the results of their latest study on the prevalence of autism. There is no question that in the last 20 years the number of autism spectrum…
New Autism Numbers: Old news in a shiny package →
There is nothing new and shocking about the fact that 1% of children have an autism spectrum disorder. Why is it being reported that way?
Science, Reason and Critical Thinking: The... →
I love this so much I am going to us this in my general studies lesson! This completely explains the situation that even disenfranchised teenagers can understand.
A Culture of Science-Based Practice →
The complementary and alternative (CAM) or integrative medicine phenomenon that has arisen over the last couple of decades primarily involves the creation of a separate subculture within medicine….
Cesarean, mortality, and the law of diminishing... →
The law of diminishing returns tells us that, beyond a certain point, we will have to do more C-sections to save one neonatal life. In other words, beyond a certain point, we will have to do more…
Measles →
Will measles be the next pandemic? Dr. Mark Crislip outlines some reasons for concern.
Gertrude (Trudy) Steuernagel in her own words. →
Steuernagel was the mother of Sky Walker, a severely autistic young man who allegedly beat her to death.In a series of articles written before her death, Steurnagel outlined the deep love between…
Biocentrism Pseudoscience →
A critique of the notion of “biocentrism” promoted by Deepak Chopra & Robert Lanza– “that an accurate understanding of the world requires putting observers firmly into the equation, and that life may…
Australian government to introduce Internet filter →
Australia plans to introduce an Internet filtering system to block obscene and crime-linked Web sites despite concerns it will curtail freedoms and won’t completely work.
Alt Med Purveyors Seriously Misunderstand the... →
Proponents of alternative medicine claim that illness can be prevented by “strengthening” the immune system. These claims depend on a profoundly flawed, almost cartoon like, view of the immune system…
Homeopathy: nano-doses or mega-stupidity? →
The hallmark of homeopathy is the belief that tiny doses of medicinal substances have big effects. It’s like insisting that the less salt you put in water, the more salty the water will taste. In…
No one goes to Italy, and it has nothing to do... →
When you have kids, check your expectations at the door. Whether they’re typically-developing, autistic or otherwise “different,” the trip will be different than you expected.
How much sugar is too much sugar ! Homeopathic... →
Skeptic Barista wonders what to do about an overdose of 30C Arnica homeopathic remedy. Gets no advice from pharmacist or the company. Good thing there are no active ingredients!
From Science-Based Medicine: The Mammogram... →
It’s unsurprising that the recent USPSTF mammogram guidelines resulted in a national media meltdown of epic proportions. Dr. Val Jones reviews some of the key reasons why the drama was both predictable and preventable.
Dr. Repertoire’s 10 Rules for Stage Directors «... →
10 ways opera directors can screw up a production.
Poor Age of Autism: Even the Philanthropists Are... →
Recent tweet from Age of Autism (AoA):
The link leads to a news story about a couple who donated $1 million to a foundation that trains physicians in developing countries to treat…
Age of Autism: Blog or Newspaper? →
Img. from Citizen Kane, Dir: Orson Welles, RKO Pictures, 1941
A number of comrades have called for a letter-writing campaign to get Age of Autism (AoA) removed from Google…
November 2009
14 posts
From NeuroLogica Blog: Answering Some Autism... →
Dr. Novella addresses some questions about the direction of autism research.
Can We All Stop Using the Kool-Aid Metaphor Now? →
Seriously.
Using the phrase “Drank the Kool-Aid” is facile, dismissive, and utterly offensive.
I am a SF Bay Area denizen old enough to remember the day of the Jonestown Massacre, November 18, 1978,…
From NeuroLogica Blog: Some Muddled Thinking from... →
Bill Maher has been getting a lot of heat lately and seems to be getting a bit defensive. He was particularly stung by Michael Shermer’s open letter in which Dr. Shermer thought it necessary to give Maher a basic lesson in germ theory.
Unfortunately, Maher has responded not by thoughtfully engaging his critics, but with a rambling defensive diatribe in which he simultaneously protests the...
From Better Health:Domestic Violence: More Common... →
“The CDC estimates that 37 percent of women who sought emergency department care were victims of domestic violence.”
What? 37 out of every 100 women I have triaged?
Seriously?
“Domestic violence victims are more likely to seek treatment for chronic and psychological conditions.”
Okay. But no way have I been taking care of victims of domestic abuse – I mean, hello, wouldn’t it be obvious? The...
From Media Matters for America: Palin goes rogue... →
In August 2008, when then-senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said the media had held her under a “sharper microscope” because she was a woman, Sarah Palin rose to condemn her, accusing Clinton of a “perceived whine” that would harm other female political candidates. “I mean, work harder, prove yourself to an even greater degree that you’re...
From The Skeptical OB: Homebirth midwives don't... →
What would you think if the package insert for your new medication said the following?
“Our company, Drugs4All has tested this medication in 20,000 people and collected copious data about its effects. But we made a promise to Drugs4All shareholders that we will not let anyone see that data unless they can demonstrate that they will use it to promote the well being of our company.”
Stupak Amendment Demonstrates the Hypocrisy of... →
“SEC. 265. LIMITATION ON ABORTION FUNDING
a) In General.—No funds authorized or appropriated by this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of…
For the Flowers of the Fields →
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead….
In Praise of Sesame Street! →
Sesame Street debuted on PBS 40 years ago today.
It broke new ground in children’s television in a number of important ways. It was one of the first shows that didn’t talk down to kids; it presented…
Who Are You, Who Are So Wise in the Ways of... →
Watching one of my favorite movies the other night, I was struck by a mysterious sense of familiarity. I’d seen this scene played out before, but not in the context of the Monty Python oeuvre.
Then…
Marriage is Dead! Long Live Marriage! →
So the the majority of voters in Maine have decided that certain civil rights should be based upon the collective chromosomal makeup of the pairs of its citizens wishing to exercise those…
Joyce DiDonato: Talent + Moxie=Sexy →
On the off chance that my fellow opera-loving readers (both of you) are not also consumers of “men’s” magazines, I’m quick-blogging an item you might have missed.
Mezzo-soprano extraordinaire Joyce…
From DoctorsGuide: "Vaccine Inoculations Show No... →
PHILADELPHIA — November 1, 2009 — Vaccine inoculations show no link to autism or other health problems even in children with certain genetic disorders that might put them at risk for such problems, researchers stated here at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).
A Tiny Victory for Reason →
My daughter’s pre-school has a table for parents to exchange information about parenting-related topics and services.
About a week ago, among the flyers for private elementary schools, music teachers…
October 2009
17 posts
A “Union of Concerned Scientists” for Vaccines? →
I’ve been thinking about the apparent permeation of anti-vaccination attitudes into mainstream culture, and how the scientific community and its supporters could better combat it.
What if we were to…
Gloria Lemay Discourages Pregnant Women from... →
In her latest two blog posts, private birth attendant Gloria Lemay discourages people—especially pregnant women—from being vaccinated against the H1N1 novel flu virus.
As a care provider for pregnant…
Marriage Equality: How Would You Feel? →
… if you had to ask millions of voters for permission to marry?
From NeuroLogica Blog: A Culture of Science-Based... →
The complementary and alternative (CAM) or integrative medicine phenomenon that has arisen over the last couple of decades primarily involves the creation of a separate subculture within medicine. The primary defining characteristic of the CAM subculture is a lack of dedication to a culture of science-based practice.
Jon Stewart on Swine Flu Vaccine Hysteria →
more about “Jon Stewart on Swine Flu Vaccine Hyst…“, posted with vodpod Jon Stewart weighs in on H1N1 flu and vaccine hysteria.
From the Dept. of Overpromise and Underdeliver →
Seen next to my son’s occupational therapist’s office. E-mail this post
Science-Based Medicine » 9 Reasons to Completely... →
Joseph Mercola has recently posted an excerpt from an individual he evidently holds in high regard, Bill Sardi. Bill published “18 reasons why you should not vaccinate your children against the flu this season.” Mercola chose his nine favorites (one would assume the nine best reasons), and re-posted it on Mercola.com. There are so many mistakes, so much misinformation in so little space, it’s...
From Respectful Insolence: When you dismiss every... →
And here, Dr. Jay [Gordon] reveals the heart of why he is not and never will be a scientist or a skeptic. He may appear skeptical on the surface by dismissing all studies funded by any source with an agenda. However, that is anything but skepticism, and certainly in him that is not true skepticism. It’s merely a knee-jerk reaction. What it is is an intellectually lazy excuse not to have to...
From Jack of Kent: BCA Defame Simon Singh →
In an incredible press release published either yesterday or earlier today, the British Chiropractic Association made the serious and completely groundless accusation that Simon Singh had been motivated by malice in writing his original article.
Ralph Lauren model Filippa Hamilton: I was fired... →
Filippa Hamilton, a striking 5-foot-10, 120-lb. model, claims she was fired by Ralph Lauren for being too fat.
“They fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn’t fit in their clothes anymore,” Hamilton, 23, told the NY Daily News.
Filippa, a half-French, half-Swedish stunner who has modeled for Ralph Lauren since 2002, recently appeared in a Japanese print ad that...