July 2010

  • It's Now Possible to Get Admitted to Med School W/out a Science Background

    By becksta on 7/31/10 12:21pm
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    Medical SchoolMedical School

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  • The Idiotic New Food Pyramid

    By erika on 7/29/10 1:42pm
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    As much as I disliked the old governmentally prescribed food pyramid, at least it made a kind of sense.  The new food pyramid (I'm inclined to put it in "scare quotes" and call it a "pyramid," but I shall refrain) is so clearly the work of a bureaucrat, it makes me want to bury my head in my hands.  It's so bad, it should come with its own Powerpoint presentation.

    For one thing, the original food pyramid WAS a pyramid.  You had different sizes of blocks which stacked on top of each other.  To make a pyramid.  It made logical sense, and visual sense as well.  

    Okay, so the base of the pyramid was this gigantic slab of grains.  Which was sacrilege to the carb-haters.   But what would you expect from the United States Department of AGRICULTURE?  That's what they're for - to get you to eat plants.


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  • Why Aromatherapy is Bunk

    By erika on 7/29/10 1:25pm
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    One of the most important concepts behind the Scientific Method is called falsifiability.  A claim is only legitimate if it could be proven false (but is not).  

    For example, if I say "I have proven that vitamin Q prevents heart disease," that is a falsifiable claim.  It would be relatively easy to prove that the mythical vitamin Q does NOT prevent heart disease.  This makes my claim legitimate, assuming that I can make my case of course.

    However, if I say "Vitamin Q was planted on Earth by space aliens two million years ago," that is NOT a falsifiable claim.  There is no way to prove that vitamin Q was NOT planted here by space aliens.  Since this claim cannot be proven false, it has no scientific legitimacy.


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  • Ban on BPA in Baby Products a Small Step Toward Human Health

    By sarajean on 7/29/10 7:59am
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    The banning of bisphenol A (BPA) in one single state is not a whole lot to celebrate. The optimist in me wants to say, “Yay! If California can do it, the rest of us can, too!” Unfortunately, I am feeling much more pragmatic today, and given the fact that California has routinely passed laws that support the environment, health, children’s issues, and plenty of other things I care about over the past couple of decades (at least) that my state still has yet to even give a damn about, I’m not going to hold my breath.

    And the chemical is still being allowed to be manufactured. The ban, recently passed by the California House of Representatives, is part of the Toxic-Free Babies and Toddlers Act—which, as you might guess, means that the chemical is only being banned from materials meant for people ages three and under.

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  • Who Cares If Jennifer Aniston's Pregnant?

    By erika on 7/23/10 12:38pm
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    Apparently a lot of people do!  But why?  The hysteria over the state of her hystera is perplexing to those of us who have little interest in the reproductive decisions of complete strangers.  The rumor mill has been churning overtime in Aniston's case, who has been reported to be pregnant by various random sources and tabloids for months now.

    The first thing that's problematic about the constant Aniston pregnancy rumors is that most of them rely on visible confirmation.  In other words, the fabled "baby bump."  In an actress as greyhound thin as Jennifer Aniston, a large meal could end up looking like a baby bump, given the right sheer top and a fortuitous gust of wind.

    Since when has it become acceptable to stare at someone's slightly-less-than-concave belly and proclaim her pregnant?  For pity's sake, people.  Get a grip!  And stop assuming that a half pound weight gain indicates pregnancy!


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  • Is Mosquito Repellent Safe?

    By erika on 7/23/10 10:55am
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    Sure it is!  I'll tell you what's not safe: mosquito borne diseases.

    We tend to think of mosquito borne diseases as "someone else's problem."  Malaria kills two million children under five every year, but most of the deaths are in the developing world.  West Nile Virus had a lot of hype in those early years, but most of the hype has settled down and we didn't all die from it, so how big a deal could it be?

    Mosquitos are a remarkably efficient transmitter of diseases.  They suck the blood from one warm-blooded creature, and then dribble some of it back into their next victim. It's like you're getting backwash, but it's the blood of a complete stranger. 

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  • A Clean House Isn’t Worth Breast Cancer

    By sarajean on 7/23/10 9:07am
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    As more information becomes available and more companies produce eco-friendly and healthier alternatives to household products, we’re gradually learning about the risks we face when it comes to the items we buy and fill our homes with. A new study from the journal Environmental Health suggests that women who use household cleaning products on a regular basis may be doubling their risk of breast cancer as they wash, dust, and prepare their homes for the white glove test.

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  • Beyond Ana and Mia

    By sarajean on 7/13/10 12:31am
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    Anorexia and bulimia are very serious disorders—both mentally and physically. I’ve always felt such sorrow when I heard of girls who suffered from them—boys, too; males are increasingly becoming bulimic and anorexic in our society—and especially when I heard about the long-term complications and deaths that resulted from the illnesses.

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