C0nc0rdance
Occams Razor
updated
We'd like the "raise a glass" to be a common theme, to honor dpr's memory.
youtube.com/watch?v=7OMWHJ6H8nI
I've just recently learned the sad news about dprjones. He passed away back in January. He was a good friend and his departure leaves an absence in my life, as it might have for some of you.
I have some restrictions on what I put in my videos on YouTube as the result of my professional position, so I had to think creatively about how to honor a friend in a social media forum without appearing on camera. I hope you enjoyed: if it made you laugh, I think dpr would have appreciated it. For the record: it was science juice and now I have superpowers.
dpr believed strongly in the mission of the MSF: helping people in need without obligatory religious baggage. You can donate to the MSF if you are so inspired here:
donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm
msf.org
Sources:
1. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2001 Aug;81(2):181-92.
Prejudice and perception: the role of automatic and controlled processes in misperceiving a weapon.
http://web.missouri.edu/~segerti/capstone/PayneBias.pdf
2. Emotion. 2012 Aug;12(4):827-33. Epub 2011 Oct 24.
Shoot or don't shoot? Why police officers are more inclined to shoot when they are anxious.
https://research.vu.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/3145325
3. Cogn Process. 2011 Aug; 12(3): 277–288.
Training with anxiety: short- and long-term effects on police officers’ shooting behavior under pressure
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3142543
References:
1. Nature. 1995;378:68–70.
"A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality."
http://sindromebenjamin.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/brainsex.pdf
2. J Sex Med. 2012 Mar;9(3):743-50.
"Female and Male Transgender Quality of Life: Socioeconomic and
Medical Differences"
http://transgenderinfo.be/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/QOL_Motmans.pdf
3. Int Braz J Urol. 2012 Jan-Feb;38(1):97-107.
"Gender reassignment surgery--a 13 year review of surgical outcomes."
http://brazjurol.com.br/january_february_2012/Rossi_97_107.pdf
4. J Sex Med. 2011 Dec;8(12):3379-88.
"Quality of life and sexual health after sex reassignment surgery in transsexual men."
http://www.changelingaspects.com/PDF/Quality%20of%20life%20and%20sexual%20health%20after%20SRS%20in%20Trans%20Men.pdf
5. J Sex Med. 2017 Mar 30.
"Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction Following Male-to-Female Sex Reassignment Surgery."
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28366591
6. PLoS One. 2011 Feb 22;6(2):e16885.
"Long-Term Follow-Up of Transsexual Persons Undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgery: Cohort Study in Sweden"
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0016885
If I mispronounced anything, I make no apologies. As an American, it's my right to mispronounce things. : )
I *will* apologize for the popping sibilants. Fix is in process.
Full text here.
http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/azimov_creationism.html
The Father of Creationism, Henry Morris, wrote this response to Asimov and hosted at ICR. Worth reading:
http://www.icr.org/article/answer-for-asimov
Another video in progress.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_Supplement_Health_and_Education_Act_of_1994
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/us/politics/21hatch.html
sciencebasedmedicine.org/dshea-a-travesty-of-a-mockery-of-a-sham
sciencebasedmedicine.org/supplements-lies-and-a-lengthy-transcript
The original, Scientific American (John Horgan):
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/dear-skeptics-bash-homeopathy-and-bigfoot-less-mammograms-and-war-more
A response from Respectful Insolence blog (Orac/Gorski):
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2016/05/18/john-horgan-is-skeptical-of-skeptics-or-homeopathy-and-bigfoot-versus-the-quest-for-world-peace
Why Evolution is True response (Jerry Coyne):
whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/john-horgan-in-criticizing-skepticism-officially-becomes-an-internet-troll
NeuroLogica Blog (Steven Novella):
http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/john-horgan-is-skeptical-of-skeptics
SkepticInk blog (Edward Clint):
http://www.skepticink.com/incredulous/2016/05/22/john-horgans-confusions-skepticism-science
Horgan's counter-response:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/my-response-to-responses-to-my-critique-of-skepticism
More videos are in production.
Sources:
1. The World Health Organization's page on "Gender and Genetics":
http://www.who.int/genomics/gender/en/index1.html
2. Disorders of Sex Development with Testicular Differentiation in SRY-Negative 46,XX Individuals: Clinical and Genetic Aspects.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27055195
3. Human sex-determination and disorders of sex-development (DSD).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26526145
I referenced the fifth US-GOP debate, where candidates discuss vaccines:
youtube.com/watch?v=c-OzzCBDXpU
References:
Pediatrics. 2000 Nov;106(5):1097-102.
Do parents understand immunizations? A national telephone survey.
Pediatrics 2002;109;124-129.
Addressing Parents’ Concerns: Do Multiple Vaccines Overwhelm or Weaken the Infant’s Immune System?
Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2013 Dec;22(12):1263-70.
Number of antigens in early childhood vaccines and neuropsychological outcomes at age 7-10?years.
Pediatrics. 2010 Jun;125(6):1134-41.
On-time vaccine receipt in the first year does not adversely affect neuropsychological outcomes.
http://www.bartleby.com/130/2.html
Free speech issues at Yale.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/nyregion/yale-culturally-insensitive-halloween-costumes-free-speech.html?_r=0
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/tangled-up-in-entanglement-quantum-mechanics
Nature journal on the Delft Experiment.
http://www.nature.com/news/quantum-spookiness-passes-toughest-test-yet-1.18255
From: http://edge.org/response-detail/25366
I haven't disappeared off the map... work just got very, very busy. More videos to come. This video was produced using a different program than usual... because of Windows 10, which I am uninstalling as soon as I upload. :|
youtube.com/user/LeagueOfNerdsPodcast
I invite you to read the same systematic reviews I did. Sources cited on-screen. I want to acknowledge that I borrowed heavily from Radhakrishnan et al 2014, including some whole sentences and phrases.
1. Front Psychiatry. 2014 May 22;5:54.
Gone to Pot - A Review of the Association between Cannabis and Psychosis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033190
2. Curr Addict Rep. 2014 Jun 1; 1(2): 115–128.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4352721
3. Front Psychiatry. 2014; 5: 159.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4235385
4. Front Psychiatry. 2013; 4: 128.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3796266
5. Schizophr Res. 2013 Dec; 151(0)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877688
6. Psychol Med. 2014 Dec; 44(16): 3435–3444.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255321
7. Schizophr Res. 2012 Aug; 139(1-3): 157–160.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415971
8. Curr Pharm Des. 2012 Nov; 18(32): 5070–5080.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3474956
9. Schizophr Res. 2008 Dec; 106(2-3): 286–293.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2613445
10. Schizophr Bull. 2011 May; 37(3): 631–639.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3080669
Sometimes I feel like I'm tilting at windmills. Why bother to do these videos, then? Because there is so much myth out there being presented uncritically as truth. Because an informed consumer is a better guardian of the shared public health resources we all depend on.
Comments are on and unrestricted. I'll approve the auto-flagged comments periodically as I find the time.
1. Stroke. 2015 Mar;46(3):852-6.
Cannabis and stroke: systematic appraisal of case reports.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25700287
2. J Am Heart Assoc. 2014 Apr 23;3(2):e000638.
Cannabis use: signal of increasing risk of serious cardiovascular disorders.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4187498
3. Circulation. 2001 Jun 12;103(23):2805-9.
Triggering myocardial infarction by marijuana.
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/103/23/2805.full
4. Am J Cardiol. 2014 Jan 1;113(1):187-90.
Adverse cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular effects of marijuana inhalation: what cardiologists need to know.
5. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006 Apr;317(1):428-38.
Further characterization of the time-dependent vascular effects of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/317/1/428.long
6. J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2014 Oct;5(4):417-9.
Ischemic stroke following abuse of Marijuana in a Nigerian adult male.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4173249
7. Stroke. 2011 Jun;42(6):1778-80.
Cannabis use, ischemic stroke, and multifocal intracranial vasoconstriction: a prospective study in 48 consecutive young patients.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/42/6/1778.long
8. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2011 May; 71(5): 758–765.
Cannabis-related hospitalizations: unexpected serious events identified through hospital databases
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093081
9. Forensic Sci Int. 2001 Dec 27;124(2-3):200-3.
Acute cardiovascular fatalities following cannabis use.
"We report six cases of possible acute cardiovascular death in young adults, where very recent cannabis ingestion was documented by the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in postmortem blood samples. A broad toxicological blood analysis could not reveal other drugs."
Citations:
1. Cannabis smoke, chemical analysis
Chem Res Toxicol. 2008 Feb;21(2):494-502.
"A comparison of mainstream and sidestream marijuana and tobacco cigarette smoke produced under two machine smoking conditions."
2. Cannabis smoke, genotoxicity
Chem Res Toxicol. 2009 Aug;22(8):1406-14.
"The genotoxicity of mainstream and sidestream marijuana and tobacco smoke condensates."
3. North Africa pooled lung cancer study
J Thorac Oncol. 2008 Dec;3(12):1398-403.
"Cannabis smoking and risk of lung cancer in men: a pooled analysis of three studies in Maghreb."
http://journals.lww.com/jto/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2008&issue=12000&article=00007&type=abstract
4. New Zealand Cancer Registry case-control study
Eur Respir J. 2008 Feb;31(2):280-6.
Cannabis use and risk of lung cancer: a case-control study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2516340
5. The UCLA study
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Oct;15(10):1829-34.
"Marijuana use and the risk of lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers: results of a population-based case-control study."
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/15/10/1829.long
6. The pooled ILCC study
Int J Cancer. 2015 Feb 15;136(4):894-903.
"Cannabis smoking and lung cancer risk: Pooled analysis in the International Lung Cancer Consortium."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.29036/abstract
7. Bronchoalveolar lavage in tobacco and marijuana smokers with matched controls
Am Rev Respir Dis. 1987 Jun;135(6):1271-5.
"Differential examination of bronchoalveolar lavage cells in tobacco cigarette and marijuana smokers."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3592403
Generally useful background reading:
8. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2013 Jun;10(3):239-47.
"Effects of marijuana smoking on the lung."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23802821
9. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2005 Jun;63(2):93-100.
"Smoked marijuana as a cause of lung injury."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16128224
10. J Clin Pharmacol. 2002 Nov;42(11 Suppl):71S-81S.
"Respiratory and immunologic consequences of marijuana smoking."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1552-4604.2002.tb06006.x/abstract
11. Eur Respir J. 2010 Jan;35(1):42-7.
"Effects of cannabis on lung function: a population-based cohort study."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3805041
12. Thorax. 2007 Dec;62(12):1058-63. Epub 2007 Jul 31.
"Effects of cannabis on pulmonary structure, function and symptoms."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2094297
13. Addiction. 2000 Nov;95(11):1669-77.
"The respiratory effects of cannabis dependence in young adults."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11219370
14. Expert Rev Respir Med. 2011 Aug;5(4):537-46
"Effects of smoking cannabis on lung function."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21859273
15. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2014 Mar;20(2):173-9.
"Marijuana and lung diseases."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24384575
16. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1991 Nov;40(3):629-36.
"Marijuana and tobacco smoke gas-phase cytotoxins."
17. Respirology. 2014 Jul;19(5):655-62.
"Cannabis smoking and respiratory health: consideration of the literature."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/resp.12298/abstract
18. J Immunol. 2015 Jun 1;194(11):5211-22.
"Critical Role of Mast Cells and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ in the Induction of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells by Marijuana Cannabidiol In Vivo."
http://www.jimmunol.org/content/194/11/5211.long
19. Eur J Immunol. 2010 Dec;40(12):3358-71.
"Cannabinoid receptor activation leads to massive mobilization of myeloid-derived suppressor cells with potent immunosuppressive properties."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3076065
20. Toxicology. 2013 Jun 7;308:60-73.
"A global toxicogenomic analysis investigating the mechanistic differences between tobacco and marijuana smoke condensates in vitro."
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300483X1300070X
My favorite analysis of the flags of the Confederacy is by CGP Grey and can be found here:
youtube.com/watch?v=ULBCuHIpNgU
p.s. Cannabis videos are still in production. "Cannabis and your lungs" might be out as soon as next Friday.
Citations:
1. Marijuana: Current Concepts
Front Public Health. 2013; 1: 42.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859982
2. Cannabinoid Receptors: Nomenclature and Pharmacological Principles
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 2; 38(1): 4–15.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3378782
3. Endocannabinoid Binding to the Cannabinoid Receptors: What Is Known and What Remains Unknown
Curr Med Chem. 2010; 17(14): 1468–1486.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4120766
4. Modulation of l-α-Lysophosphatidylinositol/GPR55 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Signaling by Cannabinoids
J Biol Chem. 2012 Jan 2; 287(1): 91–104.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249141
5. Vascular targets for cannabinoids: animal and human studies
Br J Pharmacol. 2014 Mar; 171(6): 1361–1378.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3954478
6. Cannabis and endocannabinoid modulators: Therapeutic promises and challenges
Clin Neurosci Res. 2005; 5(2-4): 185–199.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2544377
7. Prospective Associations between Cannabis Use, Abuse, and Dependence and Panic Attacks and Disorder
J Psychiatr Res. 2008 Oct; 42(12): 1017–1023.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2600535
8. Schizophr Res Treatment. 2011; 2011: 501726.
Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Schizophrenia? A Balanced Neurochemical Framework for Both Adverse and Therapeutic Effects of Cannabis Use
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428612
9. Negative consequences associated with dependence in daily cannabis users
Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2007; 2: 3.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1783648
10. How high: Quantity as a predictor of cannabis-related problems
Harm Reduct J. 2008; 5: 20.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2438353
Where: http://www.vaughnlive.tv/fighthiv
When: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=MMC%3A+c0nc0rdance%27s+Saturday+Night+Science+Injection&iso=20150516T23&p1=179&ah=1
How to DONATE:
indiegogo.com/projects/madness-mayhem-and-charity-2015
ThePeach's video on the event:
youtube.com/watch?v=FtP6plhriyY
Source of video content is Nature's Method of the Year, 2011 video:
youtube.com/watch?v=zDkUFzZoQAs
Evolutionary trade-offs and reproductive strategies are necessary to understanding why we get cancer at the rate we do.
Errata:
1. The values in the chart showing whales and mice cell counts are wrong.
Blue Whales Mice
Cell number 100 quadrillion (1E17) 5 trillion (5E9)
2. Natural selection is unguided, but it is not random.
I understand that many people report subjective relief from ear candling, and I understand that this can be persuasive. The claims made about it are demonstrably false, though. We could debate whether or not it works, but we can't debate whether or not it works in the way proponents claim.
As always: Be very wary of taking medical advice from anonymous Internet sources (including me!). If in doubt, your best, most reliable source of medical information is a licensed medical practitioner.
Sources:
1. "Ear candling
Should general practitioners recommend it?"
Can Fam Physician. 2007 Dec; 53(12): 2121–2122.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2231549
2. Why Ear Candling Is Not a Good Idea by Lisa Roazen, M.D.
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html
3. "Ear candles--efficacy and safety."
Laryngoscope. 1996 Oct;106(10):1226-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8849790
4. "Ear candles: a triumph of ignorance over science."
J Laryngol Otol. 2004 Jan;118(1):1-2.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14979962
Dobzhansky cites Teilhard de Chardin, who was a biologist, a theistic evolutionist, and a controversial figure who described evolution as cosmic attainment of perfection, a concept I also strongly disagree with.
This is an excerpt from the original work:
The American Biology Teacher, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Mar., 1973), pp. 125-129.
http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/dever/Dobzhansky_light.pdf
I also want to offer my condolences and wish for healing to the families of the victims of the recent Chapel Hill shootings. Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha were senselessly murdered. If you want to try to do some good in the world, consider donating to the Foundation Beyond Belief drive to fund Deah's charity, which will bring dental care to refugees in Syria.
foundationbeyondbelief.org/chapel-hill-shooting-drive
Addendum: The actual effectiveness of the 2014-2015 vaccine against laboratory confirmed cases is 23% [95% CI of 8 -- 36%]. Earlier reports have come up with numbers from 46% to 3% effectiveness. The value of 28% that I used was from a Facebook post by one of my extended family. It doesn't really matter for the purposes of the video what number is used.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6401a4.htm
Find a location to get a flu shot:
http://flushot.healthmap.org
This is a verbatim reading of sections of:
Donald Braman et. at., "The Polarizing Impact of Science Literacy and Numeracy on Perceived Climate Change Risks", 2 Nature Climate Change 732 (2012).
http://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1298&context=faculty_publications
I encourage you to read the full results and discuss them in comments below. I found cultural cognition thesis to be a near-perfect fit for my own experiences on Youtube. Cultural cognition raises questions for me about my persuasive tactics to date, and I hope it does for you, too.
More about cultural cognition here:
http://www.culturalcognition.net
My thanks to Dan Kahan, who brings this work to life in his many videos here on Youtube:
youtube.com/watch?v=LZah9G-7vxw
youtube.com/watch?v=NJDBv7eldSU
Author is Harvard Professor and award winning writer, Steven Pinker.
http://www.bostonglobe.com
http://stevenpinker.com
twitter.com/sapinker
|| WHO ||
-Guest:
+C0nc0rdance
-Panelist include:
+Ozymandias Ramses II
+Evitable
+Bob Greaves
-Hosts include:
Dr. Michael W. Jones
Rhonda Jones
|| WHAT ||
The topic will be: How Science Undermines Dogmatic Religion
|| WHEN ||
This Sunday night (Aug. 24th, 2014) on 'Sunday Evening at The Place'
|| WHERE ||
LIVE on +theNewCovenantGroup YouTube Channel
Channel here: youtube.com/user/theNewCovenantGroup
scheduled LIVE broadcast here: http://youtu.be/gSYxI1p-t9o...
Scientists are currently searching for a unifying theory of autism, and the only thing that's clear so far is that it will need to be a complex, multi-hit hypothesis.
This is a far from comprehensive review, just a few thoughts of mine. As always, the best advice is not to be found on the Internet. A licensed physician or health care professional is always better than a blog, vlog, or forum.
1. Lancet. 2009 November 7; 374(9701): 1627–1638. "Autism"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2863325/pdf/nihms196323.pdf
2. Front Hum Neurosci. 2010 Dec 21;4:224. "The Intense World Theory – a unifying theory of the neurobiology of autism"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010743/pdf/fnhum-04-00224.pdf
3. J Neurodev Disord. 2012; 4(1): 7. "Infant siblings and the investigation of autism risk factors"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3436647/pdf/1866-1955-4-7.pdf
I'm here to participate in a meaningful discussion with people of varying opinions.
I won't link to CultOfDusty's or Thunderf00t's videos. You can find them easily enough and my comments on them are also easy to find.
This is in response to OnceForgivenNowFree's challenge to "prove evolution is a fact". While I don't actually care to convince him of the factual nature of evolution, I want to explain to him why I oppose his interference in science and science education. It was also an excuse to revisit HIV and evolution, my two favorite topics.
Link to Part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=vtnz2QZRg-Q
This is in response to OnceForgivenNowFree's challenge to "prove evolution is a fact". While I don't actually care to convince him of the factual nature of evolution, I want to explain to him why I oppose his interference in science and science education. It was also an excuse to revisit HIV and evolution, my two favorite topics.
Link to Part 2: youtube.com/watch?v=exDlDBU6Qv4
If you don't know who Robert Ingersoll is, and you happen to be a non-theist, you are in for a treat! His essays are some of the most powerful and passionate for his time.
Here's the full-text of Individuality (requires acceptance of disclaimer):
http://infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/individuality.html
More about Robert G Ingersoll:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G._Ingersoll
I offer this as an example of how simple it is to "spin" health risks. Cigarette smoking was possibly one of the earliest examples of science denialism which today includes creationism (evolution denial), global warming denial, HIV-AIDS denialism, and others.
http://www.tobacco.neu.edu/litigation/cases/supportdocs/frank_ad.htm
http://www.tobacco.neu.edu/box/BOEKENBox/Boeken%20Evidence%20PDF/0363.pdf
For more information about the link between cigarette smoking and cancer:
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm
The Lancet 1998 and American Journal of Gastroenterology 2000 papers were later retracted, at least in part because the samples used in those studies were obtained unethically and outside of ethical review of human research.
The Molecular Pathology 2002 paper was never retracted. The General Medical Council (UK) in their public hearings disclosed the raw data obtained during an investigation. It came to me through a colleague involved in the investigation and I want to share it with you. It is the smoking gun that convinced me that Wakefield was involved in an intentional fraud, that he was aware the data he was producing was false and deceptive.
Here are some links to learn more.
Investigator Brian Deer details the full chronology with essential primary documents. Excellent, thorough journalism:
http://briandeer.com/mmr/lancet-summary.htm
The GMC findings in the case of Andrew Wakefield:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/Wakefield_SPM_and_SANCTION.pdf_32595267.pdf
It details the way Wakefield collected blood samples at his children's birthday parties, and the ethical violations.
A brief introduction to real-time PCR:
http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/pcr/realtime-home.htm
The three papers referenced:
1. Lancet. 1998 Feb 28;351(9103):637-41.
"Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children." [RETRACTED]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9500320
2. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Sep;95(9):2285-95.
"Enterocolitis in children with developmental disorders."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11007230
3. Mol Pathol. 2002 Apr;55(2):84-90.
"Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1187154
youtube.com/user/GoddardsJournal
http://iangoddard.com/journal.htm
Video "Fukushima Health Effects in North America?"
youtube.com/watch?v=DOreFp9983I
CoolHardLogic:
youtube.com/user/CoolHardLogic
"Testing Homeopathy - Part 1: Plausbility"
youtube.com/watch?v=6dFYfeADX7g
Just fantastic video making. I am envious of both them. Anyone who claims YouTube is getting stale just hasn't looked hard enough. There's great science and pseudoscience-debunking videos out there, made by innovative and careful videomakers.
Jordan's main web presence
http://thespiritscience.net
youtube.com/user/thespiritscience
facebook.com/thespiritscience
Here's RationalWiki's slightly snarky take on Jordan:
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/The_Spirit_Science
Might I suggest that you go to Jordan's video and give him a link to this video and let him know that he's "not even wrong".
"Maybe All This" is one of my favorite short poems. The author is just as remarkable, Wisława Szymborska-Włodek, a Polish Nobel Laureate. I recommend reading her story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wis%C5%82awa_Szymborska
This work was first published in English translation in the New Yorker, original here:
http://archives.newyorker.com/default.aspx?i=1992-12-14#folio=094
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_weapon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Los_Angeles_International_Airport_shooting
It appears Ciancia used an M&P15, a Smith and Wesson clone of the AR-15, chambered in 5.45x39mm.
I understand that [assault weapons] are a contentious issue among gun owners, in spite of being a low percentage of total gun ownership. The "Feinstein definition" is often mocked and parodied, and I agree some of the definitions seem disconnected to reality, but the idea that some weapons have a greater misuse potential than their use can support.
I am not someone who opposes all gun ownership, but smart regulation can prevent misuse of weapons by people intending to harm the innocent.
I've said elsewhere, and I want to say it here again: Rape and sexual assault are not good subjects for fighting the culture wars with. Let's keep this topic a matter of "human compassion and civil law" as ThePeach has said elsewhere (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHHmiUD_yrs)
Provided here are some useful links for you to pursue your own skeptical research:
1. The "short form" of the SES survey instrument:
SURVEY: http://www.midss.org/sites/default/files/ses-sfv.doc
SCORING GUIDE: http://www.midss.org/sites/default/files/ses-sfv_scoring.pdf
2. The 1987 paper by Dr. Koss that might be the first time the 1 in 4 statistic was published.
http://www.soci270.carvajal.ca/documents/KossTheScopeofRape.pdf
3. The CDC National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 2010 Summary:
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_report2010-a.pdf
4. An independent series of papers reviewing the accuracy and validity of the SES:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9661726
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10160235
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16399925
The three aims of this video:
1. Raise your consciousness about using gender-specific terms for victim and perpetrator.
2. Present some facts about sexual assault based on primary research sources.
3. Identify why sexual assault prevention and response matters.
This is not a good topic for either side to use to fight the culture wars. I'd hate to see something as basic and important as rape crisis response become a contentious political issue.
References:
1. Clin Psychol Rev. 2009 July; 29(5): 431--448.
"Rape Treatment Outcome Research: Empirical Findings and State of the Literature"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773678
2. J Am Coll Health. 2011 Aug-Oct; 59(7): 582--587.
"Reporting Rape in a National Sample of College Women"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3211043
3. J Interpers Violence. 2010 December; 25(12): 2217--2236.
"Drug- and Alcohol-Facilitated, Incapacitated, and Forcible Rape in Relation to Mental Health among a National Sample of Women"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2967593
4. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2011 September; 30(5): 481--489.
"Alcohol's Role in Sexual Violence Perpetration: Theoretical Explanations, Existing Evidence, and Future Directions"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3177166
5. Am J Public Health. 1993 November; 83(11): 1633--1634.
"The effects of resistance strategies on rape."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1694898
6. Am J Community Psychol. 2006 December; 38(3-4): 263--274.
"Being Silenced: The Impact of Negative Social Reactions on the Disclosure of Rape"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1705531
7. Violence Vict. 2002 Dec;17(6):691-705.
"Avoiding rape: the effects of protective actions and situational factors on rape outcome."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12680683
"Alcohol Consumption and Women's Vulnerability to Sexual Victimization: Can Reducing Women's Drinking Prevent Rape?"
Subst Use Misuse. 2009; 44(9-10): 1349--1376.
This paper is outside the paywall, free, full-text for either HTML or PDF:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784921
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784921/pdf/nihms148230.pdf
Like the rest of the panel yesterday, I was quite ready to criticize Thunderf00t for his tone. As you can see from academic papers on this topic, the same controversial ideas are conveyed with the same types of disclaimers. If opponents of these discussions stymie efforts that focus on risk reduction for women, I think they do a disservice to those future sexual victims who could have benefited. The worst I can say about Thunderf00t is that his tone was wrong for the audience he was addressing. He is very accustomed to the language of academic discourse, which is often detached and unemotional about issues that are painfully emotional for the victims of sexual assault or their family. Rather than assuming malice on his part, it helps to think of the audience he addresses professionally, academic researchers.
Your comments are welcome. Please read the paper for a deeper analysis of risk reduction efforts that have been tried in the college setting. The scholarship here is quite good, and the authors are well published on this topic.
My apologies to Drs. Testa and Livingston for dragging them obliquely into this, but it was important to establish the bona fides of the authors.
This is an analysis of four tropes of the anti gun-control / pro-gun lobby. I expect the comments will be a battleground for the "Great Culture Wars", so let me be clear on my own position.
"Gun control is not gun prohibition, it is about preventing misuse of guns by criminals to hurt innocents."
The US President's proposed gun policy, in 9 parts:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/preventing-gun-violence
Versailles Treaty, Article 169, which outlawed all arms and munitions in Germany prior to Hitler, including private arms:
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/versailles159-213.htm
The "Great Purge" of Stalin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_purge
Boston's Project Ceasefire:
ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/188741.pdf
State of Michigan's Handgun Permit process:
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/firearms.pdf
http://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Firearm-in-Michigan
How to get a driver's license in Michigan:
http://www.dmv.org/mi-michigan/drivers-permits.php
The correlation between guns and violence, at the Harvard School of Public Health:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/guns-and-death/
VIDEO RESPONSES:
Justicar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp54MdALiRw
NewEuropeANP (National Libertarian Socialist People's Action Party): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToyjGp__ayE
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/12/24/the-courtiers-reply
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Courtier%27s_Reply
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtier%27s_Reply
I found this on my hard drive from last year. Originally, I hesitated to put it up because the "voice acting" was so bad and annoying; later, because I had a strong disagreement with PZ. I'm putting that behind me to share with you what I think is a thought provoking essay.
Sorry for the long absence, folks! The gun control video series isn't dead, merely sleeping while I get my work and personal life under control.
The original article, by Hemant Mehta, "The Friendly Atheist":
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/06/27/should-atheists-pray/prayer-is-useless-and-has-a-downside
Hemant's blog, well worth reading:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist
I haven't abandoned my videos on gun control, but work and personal life have gotten in the way of speedy completion. Stay tuned.
This essay came to my attention recently, and it's an excellent exercise for a skeptic or atheist to experience this feeling of loss of innocence and the painful feelings it summons. See it through to the end before posting, please.
The source:
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-fireplace-delusion
Next gun video is in production. First up is Australian gun control policy.
Then, when I posted a short video pointing out the false DMCA and posting his public email address... he had it flagged for "Scams and Spam". Poor Eric. A guy can't use perjury to silence his critics without a lot of headache anymore. At last count, there were over 80 copies of this "unscrubbed" video on YouTube. My thanks to those who deemed that necessary.
To ease his troubled mind, I've removed any and all references to anything he ever worked on in this "scrubbed" version of my previous video. I dare him to take this one down. Go on, Eric... I'm game if you are. Let's dance.
Time and Date, adjusted to your local time:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=C0nc0rdance%27s+Riddle+Challenge&iso=20130407T08&p1=2284&ah=1
Where to go:
http://www.vaughnlive.tv/fighthiv
http://www.vaughnlive.tv/fighthiv
http://www.vaughnlive.tv/fighthiv
The schedule of all shows:
docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag7AOqhv0Ew1dERTUk1meUJsbVlJNWJWaWdYZXhZaVE#gid=0
Facebook page:
facebook.com/MadnessMayhemAndCharity
The donation sites are:
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative - http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/devchelle/mmc2013
International HIV/AIDS Alliance - http://www.justgiving.com/MMC2013
Many thanks to Peach and devchelle2 for their work on this charity event.
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