"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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April 30, 2008
Category: Medicine • Politics • Pseudoscience • Science • Skepticism/critical thinking • Surgery
Animal rights terrorism apologist Dr. Jerry Vlasak does it again: Advocating the murder of scientists who engage in animal research. When will animal rights groups disavow this thug?
Posted by Orac at 3:00 PM • 25 Comments
Category: Anti-Semitism • History • Holocaust • Holocaust denial • World War II
Celebrate Fuehrerstodestag today!
Posted by Orac at 9:30 AM • 18 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Medicine • Quackery • Religion
Dale and Leilani Neumann are facing charges of second degree reckless homicide for letting their daughter die as they prayed over her. And religious exemption laws might mean they go free.
Posted by Orac at 12:00 AM • 65 Comments
April 29, 2008
Category: Announcements • Blogging
I'm a day late on this, but welcome ERV (a.k.a. endogenous retrovirus) to the Collective. A graduate student studying the molecular biology and evolution of HIV, her joining the Collective was forced to be earlier than she had intended because...
Posted by Orac at 2:00 PM • 1 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Antivaccination lunacy • Autism • Cancer • Medicine • Politics • Quackery
The North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners may finally have stopped autism chelator Dr. Rashid Buttar, but Dr. Buttar's case highlights a huge problem with our system of regulating physician practice in the U.S. It's a problem that needs to be fixed.
Posted by Orac at 9:00 AM • 15 Comments
April 28, 2008
Category: Announcements • Blog carnivals • Grand Rounds • Medicine • Surgery
It's that time again: The 20th edition of the only blog carnival (that I know of, at least) for blogging about surgical topics has landed over at Surgeonsblog. Yes, Sid Schwab takes on the 20th SurgeXperiences, with limericks, even! Head...
Posted by Orac at 2:37 PM • 0 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Antivaccination lunacy • Autism • Medicine • Quackery
Over the weekend there was a very good article in the Concord Monitor about Kathleen Seidel and her legal battle with Clifford Shoemaker, whose intrusive "fishing expedition" subpoena recently drew condemnation even from prominent antivaccination activists such as David Kirby...
Posted by Orac at 9:00 AM • 34 Comments
April 27, 2008
Category: Blogging • Entertainment/culture • Science fiction/fantasy • Television
You didn't think I wouldn't take notice of this bit of news, did you? Even if I had, I would have had little choice, as readers deluged me with various news reports about this. Yes, it would appear that there...
Posted by Orac at 12:16 PM • 16 Comments
Category: Anti-Semitism • History • Holocaust • Intelligent design/creationism • Politics • Skepticism/critical thinking • World War II
Darwinism leads to Nazi-ism? Not in this case.
Posted by Orac at 12:00 AM • 43 Comments
April 26, 2008
Category: Alternative medicine • Antivaccination lunacy • Autism • Cancer • Medicine • Quackery
The North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, after many years, finally takes action against Dr. Rashid Buttar. Hopefully, the citizens of North Carolina will be protected from Dr. Buttar's dubious treatments for cancer. Sadly, the same can't be said about his dubious autism treatments, but at least the Board also barred him from treating children.
Posted by Orac at 11:45 AM • 16 Comments
April 25, 2008
Category: Anti-Semitism • History • Politics
A politician gives an excellent lesson in how not to run for office. Hint: Giving speeches to Nazis during their commemoration of Hitler's birthday is probably not a good idea.
Posted by Orac at 2:00 PM • 78 Comments
Category: Alternative medicine • Friday Woo • Humor • Medicine • Quackery • Skepticism/critical thinking
Meet the new woo, same as the old woo.
Posted by Orac at 9:30 AM • 35 Comments
Category: Announcements • Blog carnivals • Skeptics' Circle
Better a little late than never, I'm happy to say that the 85th Meeting of the Skeptics' Circle has arrived at Andrea's Buzzing About:. What is it about Andrea anyway? And what is this obsession about looking under rocks? What...
Posted by Orac at 12:00 AM • 0 Comments
April 24, 2008
Category: Entertainment/culture • Intelligent design/creationism • Movies • Pseudoscience • Skepticism/critical thinking
Heh. Before I abandon the disgusting piece of fecal matter that is Ben Stein's Expelled! for (hopefully) a long, long time, if not forever, I can't resist pointing out that it's good to see that at least someone totally gets...
Posted by Orac at 2:00 PM • 68 Comments
Category: Anti-Semitism • Entertainment/culture • Evolution • History • Holocaust • Holocaust denial • Intelligent design/creationism • Movies • Pseudoscience • Science • Skepticism/critical thinking
In which Orac has the chutzpah to disagree with a far, far more accomplished scholar than he. Since when has that ever stopped him before?
Posted by Orac at 9:00 AM • 147 Comments
April 23, 2008
Category: Anti-Semitism • Biology • Entertainment/culture • Evolution • History • Holocaust • Holocaust denial • Medicine • Movies • Science
In which bioethicist Art Caplan argues why Expelled! and its claim that "Darwinism" led directly to the Holocaust is not only historically incorrect but a form of Holocaust denial.
Posted by Orac at 9:00 AM • 84 Comments
