Popoff makes me sick (that's irony)

Peter Popoff appeared in Toronto a couple weeks back. Some of my skeptical friends attended.



(The exposé letter they showed at the end... that was written by me.)

Measles outbreak in Quebec

Instead of the usual "one or two cases of measles every year", Quebec has seen over 200 in the last month.

If only there was some way to prevent measles.

Oh yah, there is...

Medical outsourcing - Liberation Treatment in Costa Rica

An article in The Record on Saturday November 20, 2010, was entitled "Woman to have controversial MS surgery". It was about a Canadian with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that decided they wanted to receive Liberation Treatment. But you can't get that procedure in Canada.

The problem is there is very little evidence that the surgery does anything useful. On the other hand, the procedure has some very serious risks. In a rational health system, unproven mediocre gains do not outweigh serious risks. That's why Canada doesn't offer it.

So, people are spending big bucks to fly down to Costa Rica and get the surgery done there. Well, that's their prerogative. What I don't like is that the Canadian health system will likely end up paying for the medical complications. That can cost a lot of dough.

A couple things I would also point out. The clinic is called Clinica Biblica. I, personally, wouldn't feel comfortable getting a medical procedure done at a clinic named after a book of magic.

Also, the article says that the patient will continue treatment in Canada, including homeopathy. Figures.

There is a follow-up article in The Record, Nov. 21.

Cell-tower and WiFi hysteria: the REAL science

Have you ever heard of the dangers of living too close to a cell tower? I have, and I wasn't sure what to think of it. Recently, some of the same people have been lobbying the government to ban WiFi from public school because some of the students were having "cardiac arrest". Sound sketchy? You bet. Read this scathing review on SkepticNorth about the case for electrohypersensitivity.

If you read the deposition of Mr. Rodney Palmer to the House of Commons Standing Committe on Health, my favourite line is, "Some [student] report dizziness and vertigo, but only when they're in the school."

Back pain breakthrough: Part 2

Yep, the extra pillow worked again last night. And this time I didn't even take any meds. I have an appointment with a physiotherapist next week, nonetheless.

Back pain breakthrough

Over the last couple weeks, I've been getting horrible pain in my mid-back. It starts around 5:00am, and keeps me from falling back to sleep. During the day, I'm fine.

I've tried a number of different things, but last night I tested a theory that my ribs were pushing my thoracic vertebrae and causing discomfort (A in figure). So I used an extra pillow to put my shoulder on to keep my ribs slightly elevated (B in figure).

I woke up with no pain at all! I'll try it again tonight.

Happy Birthday, Mike

If you've encountered my web pages, then you might have stumbled across this page. Today Mike would have turned 35. That's Mike on the left, and me on the right.

Since he died in 1993 while playing hyperventilation games, my mom has been on a crusade to spread awareness of this dangerous practice. She's made a lot of progress, and was recently interviewed. You can see it on YouTube... (my mom is 2:20 into the video)



Happy birthday, little brother (who was actually taller than me).

[From intelligent-falling.blogspot.com]