A chilling discussion about modern day medical errors and what you can do to help protect yourself.

Nuclear waste is piling up all over our country. It will still be deadly centuries from now. We have a place to put it. It is the best possible place, the safest place, and it has been sitting empty for decades while the plutonium made in our nuclear reactors sits in insanely dangerous holding sites around the country.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We are sitting on a time bomb. Drowning in debt and dangerously overextended, we are one more bubble-burst away from the financial crisis which could trigger a global economic collapse. We look at how such a collapse will likely destroy the lives of millions of unsuspecting Americans - in the blink of an eye.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

The very real danger of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and our ongoing failure to take control of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics on our planet.

For more reading, consider the following sources:

Alexander Fleming Biography Biography.com (website) August 7, 2019

Antibiotic Resistance Position paper World Health Organization, February 5, 2018

Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli in Retail Chicken: Comparing Conventional, Organic, Kosher, and Raised without Antibiotics. Version 2. Jack M. Millman et al. in F1000Research, Vol. 2, Article No. 155. Published online September 2, 2013.

Multidrug-Resistant and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Hog Slaughter and Processing Plant Workers and Their Community in North Carolina (USA). Ricardo Castillo Neyra et al. in Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 122, No. 5, pages 471–477; May 2014.

Livestock-Associated Staphylococcus aureus: The United States Experience. Tara C. Smith in PLOS Pathogens, Vol. 11, No. 2, Article No. e1004564; February 5, 2015.

Detection of Airborne Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Inside and Downwind of a Swine Building, and in Animal Feed: Potential Occupational, Animal Health, and Environmental Implications. Dwight D. Ferguson et al. in Journal of Agromedicine, Vol. 21, No. 2, pages 149–153; 2016.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Pigs and Farm Workers on Conventional and Antibiotic-Free Swine Farms in the USA. Tara C. Smith et al. in PLOS ONE, Vol. 8, No. 5, Article No. e63704; May 7, 2013.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

An attempt to make sense of the anti-vaccination movement. We look at the origins of the movement, their beliefs, and how a society can give birth to a movement like this. To read the original MMR-autism paper...https://briandeer.com/mmr/lancet-paper.pdf To read the CDC/Danish study...https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/2727726/measles-mumps-rubella-vaccination-autism-nationwide-cohort-study Another solid paper refuting the Wakefield fraud...https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24814559

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

This week we will be taking on Sexually Transmitted Diseases - not literally, of course. We'll look into a little of the history and get you up to date on what's out there, before your date does, if you catch my drift. Everything was going reasonably well until I started looking at the state of sex education in American schools. I kept the rant as short as possible, but I decided not to take it out. You should know what is going on in schools - it will make you very angry. Here is a link to the CDC's most recent update on the diseases, treatments, and a ton of other very useful information. https://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm This CDC website links to a host of other valuable educational resources. The information regarding the current state of sex education was taken from an article written by Dr. Justin Lehmiller and it is available here...https://www.lehmiller.com/blog/2019/3/18/the-state-of-sex-education-in-the-united-states-in-2019 Some of the historical stories were taken from this article, published in the online magazine Aeon... https://aeon.co/essays/getting-down-and-medieval-the-sex-lives-of-the-middle-ages If you do not read this publication already, I strongly recommend you give it a try! Thanks for listening, have a good day, and wash your hands before and after. Got it?

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

This excellent discussion addresses the real costs of energy production - https://skepticalscience.com/renewable-energy-is-too-expensive.htm

All the other climate-change denial arguments you may hear, with some excellent responses for you to consider – https://skepticalscience.com/argument.php

A short article on the growing irrelevance of climate-change denial, from Scientific American - https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-increasing-irrelevance-of-climate-change-denial/

One of the best resources for straight talk about the environment – https://www.desmogblog.com

This essay figures prominently in my discussion. I am grateful to Brendon DeMelle for writing this excellent essay and urge you to read it in full – https://www.beforetheflood.com/explore/the-deniers/top-10-climate-deniers/

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In Episode 10 we take a good close look into homeopathy. What we see is not pretty.

Here are the resources that I refer to in the podcast:

This Dr. Stephen Barrett’s website, Quackwatch – if you have never visited, you are missing out on a powerful and important voice in medical skepticism! https://www.quackwatch.org/index.html

This Dr. Barrett’s article on the subject of homeopathy – it is solid gold. https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/homeo.html

Here is the Merseyside Skeptics Society – an inspiring organization, and arch-enemy of British homeopathy. This is one place to find Michael Marshall (Marsh) and the home some really awesome skeptical podcasts (“Skeptics with a K”, “Re Reasonable”, and “inKredulous”) http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk

This is a link to one of the British Homeopathic Association publications referenced in the podcast. Read with care, it’ll give you a bad headache. https://www.britishhomeopathic.org/evidence/the-evidence-for-homeopathy/

This was one of my sources for tracking down the “evidence” for homeopathy. You should read a few of the articles if you want to get a feel for the kind of evidence homeopathy is using. https://homeopathyusa.org/uploads/Homeopathy-Research-Evidence-Base-11-15-2018.pdf

This is one of the articles covering the death of young Francesco Bonifazi https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/belief-in-homeopathy-results-in-the-death-of-a-7-year-old-italian-child/

I didn’t use this story from Phil Plait, but it is worth reading. Another sad story that didn’t have to happen. https://slate.com/technology/2009/06/homeopathy-kills.html

If you want the complete list of every piece of homeopathic research that I reviewed, shoot me your email address and I’ll send it to you.

Thanks again for listening!

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Additional reading:

1. https://www.amazon.com/Fantasyland-America-Haywire-500-Year-History-ebook/dp/B004J4WNJE
2. https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555
3. Sherman KJ, Cherkin DC, Deyo RA, et al. The diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain by acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. Clin J Pain. 2006 Mar-Apr;22(3):227–234.
4. Barrett, S (30 December 2007). "Be Wary of Acupuncture, Qigong, and "Chinese Medicine"". Quackwatch.
5. http://www.dcscience.net/Ernst-2011-AcupunctAlleviatePainRiskReview.pdf
6. Deare JC, Zheng Z, Xue CC, Liu JP, Shang J, Scott SW, Littlejohn G (May 2013). "Acupuncture for treating fibromyalgia". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 5 (5): CD007070.
7. Seca S, Miranda D, Cardoso D, Nogueira B, Greten HJ, Cabrita A, Rodrigues MA (19 December 2018). "Effectiveness of Acupuncture on Pain, Physical Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review of Quantitative Evidence". Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. doi:10.1007/s11655-018-2914-x. PMID 30569405
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3616356
9. Towler P, Molassiotis A, Brearley SG (October 2013). "What is the evidence for the use of acupuncture as an intervention for symptom management in cancer supportive and palliative care: an integrative overview of reviews". Supportive Care in Cancer. 21 (10): 2913–23. doi:10.1007/s00520-013-1882-8. PMID 23868190.
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1466855
11. Barrett, Stephen. "Auriculotherapy: A Skeptical Look". Acupuncture Watch.
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC558023
13. Cheuk DK, Wong V (May 2014). "Acupuncture for epilepsy". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 5(5): CD005062. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005062.pub4. PMID 24801225.
14. https://books.google.com/books?id=E6oa37ZyTxEC&pg=PA90
15. Burke A, Upchurch DM, Dye C, Chyu L. Acupuncture use in the United States: findings from the National Health Interview Survey. J Altern Complement Med. 2006 Sep;12(7):639–648.
16. Wu DZ. Acupuncture and neurophysiology. Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery. 1990;92(1):13–25.
17. Cheng R, Pomeranz B. Monoamineergic mechanisms of electroacupuncture analgesia. Brain Res. 1981;215:77–92.
18. Hui KK, Liu J, Makris N, et al. Acupuncture modulates the limbic system and subcortical gray structures of the human brain: evidence from fMRI studies in normal subjects. Human Brain Mapping. 2000;9(1):13–25.
19. Park J, Linde K, Manheimer E, et al. The status and future of acupuncture clinical research. J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Sep;14(7):871–881.
20. Vickers AJ. Placebo controls in randomized trials of acupuncture. Eval Health Prof. 2002 Dec;25(4):421–435.

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Bored to death with 130 years of scientific reportage, National Geographic takes a hard left turn into fantasy-land with the publication of six do-it-yourself guides to home remedies. I recommend the article by Dr. Victor Benson in the September edition of the Skeptical Inquirer Magazine (Vol. 43 No. 5). Our opinions are much the same, but he is less offensive than me in the delivery. I strongly recommend that you don't buy the offending books described in the article, but if you decide you just have to have them, you can have mine. I'll sell them for their actual value, 5 cents each, as long as you pay the postage.

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Program notes – Episode 15 – The Assassination of Truth

References

1) An article from Chris Cillizza on truth in the 2016 US election https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-campaign-republican-us-election-2016-what-it-says-about-a7022276.html 2) Michael Deacon, writing in the Daily Telegraph (UK) on post-truth politics https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/09/in-a-world-of-post-truth-politics-andrea-leadsom-will-make-the-p/ 3) Gay Alcorn’s article on post-truth politics and the irrelevance of facts from 2014 http://www.theage.com.au/comment/facts-are-futile-in-an-era-of-posttruth-politics-20140227-33m70.html 4) Richard Kreitner of The Nation giving some historical perspective on post-truth politics https://www.thenation.com/article/post-truth-and-its-consequences-what-a-25-year-old-essay-tells-us-about-the-current-moment/ 5) Sam Harris’ short book, “Lying” was a valuable background resource and is well worth your time to read – highly recommended 6) Paul Krugman’s article “The Post-Truth Campaign” from the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/opinion/krugman-the-post-truth-campaign.html and a quote from the piece (that I didn’t include but is worth reading) … "[I]f past experience is any guide, most of the news media will feel as though their reporting must be 'balanced,' which means that every time they point out that a Republican lied they have to match it with a comparable accusation against a Democrat — even if what the Democrat said was actually true or, at worst, a minor misstatement." 7) Ralph Keyes (2004). “The Post-Truth Era: Dishonesty and Deception in Contemporary Life”, A highly recommended read. The pages I referred to are 127 and 128.

If you would be interested in looking cooler and smarter than everyone else in the world, consider snagging yourself a Death by Ignorance tee shirt, coffee mug, or Bugatti Veyron (only 10 Bugatti’s left – don’t be left out! Order now)

* Sorry guys... I was unable to attach a photograph of the tee shirt design. If you go to the Death by Ignorance webpage, you will see it there!

https://death-by-ignorance.pinecast.co

Tee shirt - $30 Coffee mug - $10 Bugatti Veyron - $1,795,000

My oblique reference to Kant’s stability came from Bruce’s Song, written by Eric Idle of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Do yourself a favor and watch Eric performing the piece in his living room – it’s on YouTube. Also, find the footage of the song being sung by the great Christopher Hitchens. He is sorely missed.

Bruce’s Song

Immanuel Kant was a real pissant Who was very rarely stable Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar Who could think you under the table

David Hume could out-consume Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel And Wittgenstein was a beery swine Who was just as sloshed as Schlegel

There's nothing Nietzche couldn't teach ya 'Bout the raising of the wrist Socrates, himself, was permanently pissed

John Stuart Mill, of his own free will On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill Plato, they say, could stick it away Half a crate of whiskey every day

Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle Hobbes was fond of his dram And René Descartes was a drunken fart "I drink, therefore I am"

Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed A lovely little thinker But a bugger when he's pissed

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

Find out more at https://death-by-ignorance.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

Find out more at https://death-by-ignorance.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Recommended reading: 1) Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom 2) Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark 3) The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil 4) Artificial Intelligence by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig 5) Machine Learning by Tom Mitchell 6) The Emotion Machine by Marvin Minsky

Support Death by Ignorance by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/death-by-ignorance

Find out more at https://death-by-ignorance.pinecast.co

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.