"A statement of fact cannot be insolent." The miscellaneous ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine,
quackery, science, pseudoscience, history, and pseudohistory (and anything else that interests him)
Orac is the nom de blog of a humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued here, along with a DISCLAIMER that you should read before reading any medical discussions here.)
Orac's old Blog is archived at Archived Insolence.
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March 31, 2008
Category: Announcements • Blog carnivals • Cancer • Medicine • Science
I have to admit that this one fell off the radar, even for me. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I'm talking about the Cancer Research Blog Carnival, which is being hosted by the Skeptical Alchemist this Friday....
Posted by Orac at 2:08 PM • 1 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Medicine • Quackery
I've never been able to figure out how anyone who claims to be devoted to science and scientific medicine can take homeopathy the least bit seriously. None of it makes any sense scientifically. Its basic principal of the "Law of...
Posted by Orac at 8:52 AM • 35 Comments
March 30, 2008
I'm actually surprised it's that high: Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating Must be some of the commenters. I have been known on occasion to use the word "bullshit" with reference to, for example, David Kirby, but I really...
Posted by Orac at 9:36 AM • 22 Comments
March 29, 2008
Category: Biology • Evolution • Humor • Religion • Science
Hilarious, particularly "big-pimpin'" Daddy Dennett: I can't make up my mind if it's meant to skewer Dawkins or whether it's meant ironically as a way of making fun of ID creationists and how they view Dawkins......
Posted by Orac at 12:05 PM • 24 Comments
Category: Anti-Semitism • Bioethics • Biology • Entertainment/culture • Evolution • History • Holocaust • Intelligent design/creationism • Medicine • Movies • Pseudoscience • Science • Skepticism/critical thinking • World War II
Nasal drone Ben Stein, as you would be hard-pressed not to know if you are a regular reader of ScienceBlogs, is hosting what looks to be a truly execrable crap-fest called Expelled!: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie basically consists of...
Posted by Orac at 10:00 AM • 46 Comments
March 28, 2008
Category: Antivaccination lunacy • Autism • Medicine • Quackery
I tell ya, I get sick for a few days, and the antivaccination cranks come out of the woodwork. This time around, it's über-crank Vox Day entering the fray (or, as I like to call him Vox "hey, it worked...
Posted by Orac at 2:55 PM • 13 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Antivaccination lunacy • Autism • Medicine • Quackery
In which Orac, wounded but recovering, regains his energy by taking on antivaccinationist misinformation from an unfortunately seemingly inexhaustible font of such nonsense.
Posted by Orac at 9:00 AM • 183 Comments
March 27, 2008
Category: Medicine
In which Panda Bear, MD muscles in on Orac's territory. Orac doesn't mind.
Posted by Orac at 2:06 PM • 3 Comments
Category: Announcements • Blog carnivals • Skepticism/critical thinking • Skeptics' Circle
I have to hand it to Mike, the host of this week's Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle. He's decided to do something that I never would have thought possible: He's gotten Ben Stein to introduce the entries to this week's...
Posted by Orac at 8:52 AM • 0 Comments
March 26, 2008
Category: Paranormal • Religion • Skepticism/critical thinking
A "magician" trying and failing to kill a skeptic with black magic. It must have been hilarious to watch, especially if one speaks the language. Maybe they'll find a way to show it on American TV. Maybe I'll search YouTube...
Posted by Orac at 2:14 PM • 8 Comments
Category: Personal
I just can't shake it. Try as I might to get rid of it, it just continues to grip my body like a tick that just won't let go. I'm talking about the death crud, which I had thought originally...
Posted by Orac at 9:00 AM • 43 Comments
March 25, 2008
Category: Entertainment/culture • Medicine • Pseudoscience • Quackery • Skepticism/critical thinking
Sadly, the death crud continues apace, although at a low enough level that I feel I can eke out a brief post, mainly because it relates to what I've been saying all along about a group blog that I tend...
Posted by Orac at 1:30 PM • 40 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Cancer • Medicine • Quackery
The annoying death crud that has gripped me continues apace. Fortunately, I happen to have a rather interesting guest blog post that I've had lying around a while, and now seems like the perfect time to use it. It comes...
Posted by Orac at 8:16 AM • 20 Comments
March 24, 2008
Category: Anti-Semitism • Entertainment/culture • Evolution • History • Holocaust • Intelligent design/creationism • Movies • Politics • Pseudoscience • Religion • Skepticism/critical thinking
Why am I not surprised?
Posted by Orac at 1:55 PM • 24 Comments
Category: Anti-Semitism • Biology • Entertainment/culture • History • Holocaust • Intelligent design/creationism • Movies • Science • Skepticism/critical thinking
In which Orac momentarily switches sides in the great (or, more accurately, greatly annoying) "framing" debate.
Posted by Orac at 8:45 AM • 85 Comments
March 23, 2008
Category: Announcements • Biology • Evolution • Intelligent design/creationism • Science • Skepticism/critical thinking
...because Boston skeptics get to have all the fun with a meeting of Skeptics in the Pub on Monday, March 24 at The Asgard (great name for a pub!) in Cambridge at 7 PM. Keynote speaker for the night is...
Posted by Orac at 11:30 PM • 1 Comments
