Recent Comments

1. about 3 hours ago on Robert Ariail

   Retirees, for one thing. Their expertise is relevant, as it happens, but Lindzen is especially notorious for cherry picking and misquoting others in order to make his points — as I said, you can be both a scientist and a crank. But it’s interesting that their credentials evidently matter to you when they agree with the conclusion you desire.

   It is not the credentials, sir. It’s the content. The credentials are helpful, but hardly sufficient. If one were to bow down at the mere mention of the scientific method and the waving of a PhD sheepskin, then one could never possibly conclude anything. At some point, one must engage the brain and go beyond just asking questions, as if they are unknowable.

2. about 3 hours ago on Tim Campbell

   And you will never, ever, get off that list. You can move, leaving no forwarding address, and they WILL find you.

3. about 3 hours ago on Robert Ariail

   Oh, far easier. Those don’t bother with complicated math, data, references, and so forth. They just appeal to what folks can feel, and what they already know, with is very comforting. They don’t require hard work. Thus, their enduring popularity.

   And yes, as has been noted, many scientists do contribute to conspiracy sites. This can appear very impressive. But scientists are not special; they are human beings and every bit as vulnerable seeking easy answers and giving in to the appeal to ignorance. The most common warning signs commonly missed: the scientists in question are usually working far afield from their area of expertise, and are not presenting any research in the field. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong, but it’s important to remember that scientists can be cranks too.

4. about 4 hours ago on Savage Chickens

   A chanter, actually. It’s the pipe that sticks down from the bag, and has fingerholes so that it can play different notes. The pipes that stick up are called drones and basically just play a continuous chord. Pipers will practice with the chanter alone since that allows them to focus on fingering.

5. about 7 hours ago on Savage Chickens

   Bagpipes and accordions, when played well, are both lovely.

   There’s a video on YouTube, posted to Weird Al’s channel, from early in the pandemic. He’s standing on the deck of his home in California, playing Classical Gas (IIRC) with no comment whatsoever. It’s not a comedy video; he’s just playing the accordion for the sheer love of music.

   When played well, the accordion is a wonderful instrument. So are bagpipes, although I do have to admit that bagpipes, and especially the Great Highland pipes that most people think of, are quite loud and committed to a steady drone that can become tiresome. There are other types of bagpipes lacking the drones that can do surprising things, being less tied to a particular key.

6. about 7 hours ago on Non Sequitur

   Clarifies a lot of things, really. After all, a smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from other people’s mistakes.

7. about 7 hours ago on Luann

   There was an episode of Doctor Who, called “The Doctor’s Wife”, written by Neil Gaiman, that is all kinds of wild and weird and wonderful and funny and romantic and exciting and tense, but it ends in this astonishingly tearful and beautiful way with this exchange:

   " I’ve been looking for a word. A big, complicated word but so sad. I’ve found it now."

   “What word?”

   “Alive. I’m alive.”

   “Alive isn’t sad.”

   “It’s sad when it’s over.”

8. about 8 hours ago on FoxTrot

   Evidently, she really needs the help, and doesn’t want to ask her brother. ;-)

9. about 8 hours ago on For Better or For Worse

   If he says his provider didn’t warn him, I think we can believe him. My experience with providers for other conditions (I’m a woman, so obviously have no experience with that particular condition) is that providers vary widely in quality. Some do a fantastic job of warning patients of what to expect. Others are very hit or miss on that sort of thing; either they forget to cover side effects or they actively minimize the side effects out of concern the patients may refuse the treatment if they know about it. I’m very glad your practice properly educates patients on what to expect, so they’re not worried when it happens to them.

10. 3 days ago on Gary Varvel

    Not just prescribing — dispensing as well!