gregladen | August 21, 2009Ghostwriting, in the scientific medical literature, is the production of marketing literature which is then disguised as scientific literature. Part of this disguise is the appending of "authors" who are actual scientists who would normally write their own papers.
Newly unveiled court documents show that ghostwriters paid by a pharmaceutical company played a major role in producing 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women, suggesting that the level of hidden industry influence on medical literature is broader than previously known.
NYT - caution, page…
gregladen | August 20, 2009BioLogos was a foundatoin Collins started in an effort to reconcile science and religion. He just resigned from the foundation, saying "I want to reassure everyone I am here to lead the NIH as best I can, as a scientist. The NIH director needs to focus on science. I have no religious agenda for the NIH."
That's good. Details here.
gregladen | August 20, 2009Let me tell you what I think about this:
Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was "blindsided" by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over.
What I think about this is that I'm tired of people demanding hard and…
gregladen | August 20, 2009Apropos recent news events, a repost
Scene: Berkeley, California, April 1986. A bar. Five conference attendees, myself included, grabbing a hamburger and a beer in a fern-bar on or near Telegraph.
All eyes are on the TV's mounted over the bar, where we watch footage of an air strike against Libya. This is the retribution by Ronald Reagan against Insane African Leader Muammar al-Kadafi. The White House was issuing statements about al-Kadafi's involvement in bombings in Europe, the OPEC oil ministry kidnapping, linkage to the infamous Jackal, and so on. Nikki, a friend and colleague,…
gregladen | August 20, 2009The religious right is ramping up its campaign against health care reform, even joining with the "tea party" movement to encourage conservative Christians to swamp town hall meetings. Minnesota's religious right leaders say that the health care reform package is against God's plan for health care and that Christians should go to community forums and "read them the riot act."
Jan Markell of Maple Grove-based Olive Tree Ministries called on her radio listeners to attend congressional town hall meetings in August. "Here's what you can do, your congressmen and senators are coming home for much of…
gregladen | August 20, 2009Unfortuntaely, Taitz was not born in the US... seriously. I'm not making that up.
gregladen | August 20, 2009Stephen Jay Gould and David Pilbeam wrote a paper in 1974 that was shown ten years later to be so totally wrong in its conclusions that it has fallen into an obscurity not usually linked to either Gould or Pilbeam. However, they were actually right in ways that they could not have anticipated. And even if they were not right, this paper still has much to contribute, including the opening words of that publication in Science, which are very much worthy of consideration for many reasons:
A repost
It is no longer true that there are more practitioners than pieces. In fact, when I…
gregladen | August 20, 2009Mike Haubrich has an analysis that you should have a look at.
While I prefer a single-payer plan, I will also support a public option. Yes, this will drive some private insurers out of business. Considering the piss-poor way that they have been enacting the so-called "invisible hand" I don't feel too sorry for them. The reliance on private industry has led to a huge drag on our economy. If a raise in taxes leads to a reduction in overall costs to employers and employees, and if the covered 250 million benefit financially through reduced debt and co-pay shares for health care, and if…
gregladen | August 20, 2009I and the Bird #107 - We and the Bird ... is in full flight at Liza Lee Miller's Blog. CLICK HERE. Read it, digg it, stumble upon it!
gregladen | August 20, 2009Yesterday, I called Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and expressed my support for the public option in Heath Care. If you are a Minnesotan, please do that too. Al's number is 651-221-1016. If you are not a Minnesotan, call Al anyway as he is on the Health Education Labor and Pensions committee. Use his DC number for that (202-224-5641).
Amy's number in he Twin Cities is 612-727-5223, and if you are outstate you can get the right number at this link.
While you are in the process of making calls or sending emails, you should consider contacting the members of the Senate Committee on Heatlh,…
gregladen | August 20, 2009.. and another repost apropos our recent tornado activity:
Marilee Thomas of Beaver City, Nebraska. And a tornado. [source] Mid-Americans ... Minnesotans, Texans, Nebraskans and denizens of Arkansas, and everyone in between, understand tornadoes, but to varying degrees. There are differences by region in how we deal with them. In Arkansas, I've seen foolish bravado. The tornado shelter there is known as the "fraidy hole" and having one or not in your back yard may be linked to one's sense of machismo. People from Missouri that I have known have a deep respect for tornadoes. An…
gregladen | August 20, 2009Apropos the recent tornadic activity here, a repost:
This story:
10 tornadoes confirmed in Ga., including one with winds topping 160 mph
Ten tornadoes, one packing winds of more than 160 mph, touched down in parts of Georgia on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said Friday.
The storms caused an estimated $25 million in insured losses, said John W. Oxendine, the state's insurance commissioner.
"I spent some time surveying damage and talking to residents in Jasper, Putnam and Hancock Counties" on Friday, Oxendine said in statement. "I believe claims will easily reach $25 million. Actual…
gregladen | August 20, 2009
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
gregladen | August 19, 2009The gun toting at the Obama Talk were organized by a crazy right wing radio talk host. Also, there are links to a major terrorist group.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
gregladen | August 19, 2009A Des Moines bus driver has been suspended for refusing to drive a bus with a pro atheist ad on the outside. The story is here. There is also a poll at that location that you may want to answer. Hat tip Pharyngula.
Angela Shiel was suspended on Monday after she refused to drive a bus with an Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers ad on its side. The ad reads "Don't believe in God? You are not alone."
Shiel says the message is against her Christian faith.
The transit authority removed the ads earlier this month after complaints from riders, then reversed course after meeting with the atheist…
gregladen | August 19, 2009
That is totally my old neighborhood. A shame to see so many trees down. A good day for people in the roofing business, though.
I also think that from now on a basic course in videography should be required of all humans.