Monthly Archives: August 2008

Is it dark in here?

Posted on August 30, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

One of the hallmarks of good science is reproducibility. We know that theories are correct in large part because the results they predict are not only observed once, but observed repeatedly under similar circumstances by different people. This is why … Continue reading →

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Was the World Made for Man?

Posted on August 28, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

While listening to back episodes of the Scientific American podcast, I came across an episode which read Mark Twain’s essay “Was the World Made for Man?” The essay is brilliantly sarcastic, though upon trying to find out more about it, … Continue reading →

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Glucosamine

Posted on August 27, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

Is it ethical to prescribe a placebo? Glucosamine is a drug that is sometimes prescribed, and often recommended, to treat joint pain and arthritis. Extracted from the shells of shellfish, it isn’t toxic, and it’s relatively cheap to purchase. People … Continue reading →

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Nuts!

Posted on August 15, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

I recently read this article on organic foods over at quackwatch.org. Following the article, the author had posted a reader protest complaining how it was unfair to lump organic farmers/foodies in with other “quacks”. The reader asks: Honestly, is it … Continue reading →

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Damnit, CBC!

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

The CBC posted this article on naturopathic “medicine” by “Doctor” Lorne Swetlikoff, N.D. (not M.D.). The article is a load of crap (the claims can be easily dismissed as nonsense), but what do you expect from a “doctor” of naturopathy? … Continue reading →

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AA: Anonymous Anonymous

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

Why do we drive like jerks, and behave like assholes on the internet? Some of the more seemingly sophisticated arguments for God (or some type of higher power) revolve around the mysterious nature of human morality. Dismissing evolutionary explanations for … Continue reading →

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The Evils of Organic Food

Posted on August 12, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

In my recent article about Consumer Reports, I mentioned that there was no evidence to support the hypothesis that organically grown foods are any safer, tastier, or more nutritious than are their non-organically grown counterparts. Accepting this premise, you might … Continue reading →

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Planet or Plutoid: Who Really Cares?

Posted on August 10, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

Talk about the re-classification of Pluto from a planet to a new type of celestial body (first dwarf planet, then plutoid) has died down of late. But according to this article from the Telegraph, several “leading astronomers”, including Dr. David … Continue reading →

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For Fuck's Sake, PETA

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

Without getting back in to the whole vegetarian debate, I just wanted to applaud PETA on reaching a brand new low in their advertising campaign. Capitalizing on the recent Greyhound bus murder, they have released an advertisement comparing the bus … Continue reading →

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Consumer Reports: They Just Don't Make 'em Like They Used To

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Mitchell Gerskup

I am a big fan of Consumer Reports magazine. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a consumer information and advocacy magazine. In each issue, it selects groups of products (e.g. computers, televisions, lawn mowers, refrigerators), and makes recommendations … Continue reading →

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