I didn’t mention this at the time, but Mark Steyn has the latest absurdity. Yes, almost two years after our request for an en banc rehearing of the panel’s decision, we have to refile because they decided to amend the ruling with two footnotes.
Category Archives: Science And Society
The Paleo Diet
Forget it; go neolithic.
I’ve never been orthodox paleo. Basically, I’ve just cut way back on processed foods. I’m back to my college weight, my cholesterol is a little high, but the ratio is good, and my triglycerides are almost unmeasurable. I’m supposed to worry because both my parents died fairly young (father at 55, mother at 68) from coronaries, but they both were overweight, had terrible diets, and were inveterate smokers. Every time I check my arteries, no issues are found.
Curiosity’s Future Travels
For those into Mars, Bob Zimmerman has a post up with some speculation.
Gun Control
A statistician changes her mind after actually looking at the data:
“A reduction in gun deaths is most likely to come from finding smaller chances for victories and expanding those solutions as much as possible,” Libresco concludes. “We save lives by focusing on a range of tactics to protect the different kinds of potential victims and reforming potential killers, not from sweeping bans focused on the guns themselves.”
Libresco says she still does not endorse gun ownership, “but I can’t endorse policies whose only selling point is that gun owners hate them.”
What a concept.
Good Food Advice
Breads made with white flour have not only been stripped of all of their nutrients, but they might even contain remnants of the chemical used in the bleaching process. Our obsession with white foods (sugar, I’m looking at you) is totally odd and unfounded. The natural, unbleached version tastes the same (if not better) and is far more nutritious.
Not really. You should cut out the bread, period.
Why must everything that tastes so good be so bad for us? Our beloved creamy, fulfilling ice cream is extremely high in sugar and fat. And since milk is an animal protein, it’s also high in cholesterol. Sure, you can opt for some yogurt or a vegan dessert, but they’re not the same.
The problem with ice cream is the sugar, not the fat or cholesterol.
There is nothing wrong with ordering a regular cup of coffee (and you can even toss in a little half and half if you need it), but the calories add up very quickly when it comes to those fancy $7 coffee beverages. They taste so good because of all the added sugar and fat. You’ll get an immediate boost from a huge sugar rush, and then you’ll crash hard. Then you need another high-calorie coffee drink to feel better.
Again, it’s the sugar, not the fat or the calories that’s the problem here. Counting calories is junk science.
Bacon, sausage, and even cold cuts: they’re oh-so-yummy, but they’re just awful for your health. They contain high levels of unsaturated fat and sodium.
No, bacon has saturated fat. Which is good. And there is more danger from underconsumption of sodium than over.
A guaranteed way to add inches to your waist is to indulge in fried food. High in calories, fat, saturated fat, and carcinogens (yup, in those beloved french fries), there is nothing good about this. Except for their scrumptious flavor, obviously.
The problem with fried foods is not the fat, saturated fat, or calories (unless you’re frying it in seed oils, in which case the fat is bad because of the omega 6s). The problem with fried foods is carbohydrates in the batter. Deep frying dusted veggies in lard or tallow is fine.
The War On Princesses
Gynecology
Teaching techniques on patients who can actually provide feedback.
What a concept. I’m continually amazed at the stupid things the medical profession does, just because “that’s how we’ve always done it.” I also think there remains a lot of rampant sexism in the profession, with deleterious effects on womens’ health.
Stop The Personal Attacks And Answer The Climate Questions
Thoughts from Tim Ball on ad homimem and ad verecundiam.
Psychological Hibernation
I suspect that if we settle space, we’ll see a lot of this sort of thing in some of the environments.
Azithromycin
Maybe I should start taking it:
“If we consider our results and then we also consider what results have been achieved in clinical trials with cystic fibrosis patients, we are probably looking at the same mechanism(s), whereby antibiotics are removing inflammatory senescent cells and boosting healthy ones.
“Undoubtedly, our results have significant implications for potentially alleviating or reversing tissue dysfunction and slowing the development of many ageing-associated diseases,” explains Professor Federica Sotgia, a co-lead of this study.
Yes, undoubtedly.