Regarding Bill 179 – whereby graduates of Canada’s two naturopathy schools may be given drug prescribing rights by the Ontario legislature. Please read this for further information (Nov 25th, 2009) – – – The science-based community is always at a disadvantage in these sorts of outcries, because we’re limited to the evidence, and we can’t just make stuff up. There’s a lot to respond to. 1. With 23,000 doctors in Ontario, and fewer then 1000 naturopaths, the argument that granting naturopaths prescription rights will ease the burden on the healthcare system is a bit silly. 2. The assertion that the…
The Science Creative Quarterly
The Science Creative Quarterly (SCQ) is not a quarterly, but instead publishes new material at a non-linear rate. Currently, it is sleeping and in a sort of stasis (turpor?) It used to seek science writing of any genre, and your contribution would have involved checking out our submissions guidelines.
The Science Creative Quarterly (SCQ) has a single print edition so far (half SCQ pieces, and half fake science journal – see here for more details). Also, badges?
Stay safe everyone!
THE DEATH OF A HUMAN HEART AND OTHER ANATOMICAL POEMS
Part of our Science Creative Literary Symposia. – – – THE DEATH OF A HUMAN HEART By Emma Sloan A human heart shall surely break, by the time it’s worldly and frail. From an attack, or An enemy’s deathly siege. Or from yearning for the embrace of a loved one long past. But which is worse? A sudden clogging of the darkened, winding hallways, that snake through one’s host. Or the deep, electric desire of a soul that you know is forever beyond your reach? Myself. I would choose to perish of heartache no matter my age and health. You…
FREDDY MIND AND YOICHIRO NAMBU: TOGETHER AGAIN
“The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics to Yoichiro Nambu.”—Press Release, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences – – – FREDDY MIND: To begin with, let me introduce myself. My name is Freddy Mind. It’s a stage name. I was once one-half of the physics duo of Freddy Mind & Yoichiro Nambu. This man to my right, he needs no introduction! Go ahead and introduce yourself, Yoshey. YOICHIRO NAMBU (softly): My name is Yoichiro Nambu, and I won the Nobel Prize for physics. MIND (laughs): When you think of good ol’ Yoshey,…
A DAILY LOG OF CONCERNS BY A MEMBER OF THE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS
Why does my hair keep falling out? Why would it skip going gray and go straight to falling out? What if my lab coat has a stain on it and I just can’t see it? Will people be able to tell this is the same lab coat I wore yesterday? Is it going to rain? What if it rains? Do I have an umbrella in the car? If I leave too late, am I gonna get caught in traffic and be late to work? If I leave too early, am I going to get to the lab and no one…
GENDER QUEST
(If you want to leave a comment about the talk, please do so here). – – – Topic: Alex discusses the influence of gender in his own life in this TEDx talk, describing both medical and social perspectives of gender in our daily lives and the impact and consequences these perspectives bring to every individual. Links: Transgender Health Program, VCH, TEDxTt09 Filmed by Craig Ross at TEDx Terry talks 2009 (October 3rd, 2009). Video edited by David Ng.
THE BLUE GOLD – HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH TO US?
We utilize it for washing and waste disposal, employ it for transportation, power generation and irrigation, use it for cooking and after all need it to live – water. Although it is essential for all life on our planet, we often forget that freshwater resources are limited and in short supply in many regions of the world. The world population, currently estimated at 6.8 billion, lives on only 1% of the of the earth’s water with the remainder being either salt water or tied up in snow and ice. Population growth puts stress on our planet’s freshwater resources, as more…
“V=IR” WEEKEND (WHERE “I” IS IN AMPERES)
CD Title: Inverse: (Special limited edition release) (2009) Artist: VAMPIRE WEEKEND Rating: 2.718 stars (out of 5) – – – The rating stands. (Spoiler alert: We rounded.) Actually, we took our cue here from Leonard Euler. Our rating is actually “e,” as in the sound of the squeals that will inevitably emanate from the ladies of Cambridge after they all get a hold of Inverse come two months. Yes, M.I.T.’s finest are back with a shtick to shake up the innumerate masses for whom any further mention of the band’s album sales sends us critics to sleep, and more than…
PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY: THE OPEN SOURCE OUTBREAK
(If you want to leave a comment about the talk, please do so here). – – – Topic: Dr. Jennifer Gardy, an alumnus speaker at the event, is co-leading the new genome research lab at the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). She is also known as Nerd Girl from her Globe and Mail blog of the same name. In her talk, Gardy shared how advances in technology have provided increased collaboration on scientific research and scholarly publications — what she labelled as public health 2.0. For example, she showed how one publication had 36 authors. After leading the audience…
10 QUESTIONS FOR THE CLONE WHO STOLE MY LIFE
(See the previous 10 questions piece here) – – – 1. The clone researchers said you were leading a happy life in your cramped, sterile, colorless, soundless storage pod. Why did you feel the need to escape? 2. I doubt any of the idiots at work will notice you’re an imposter, but you won’t be so lucky at home. Karen and the kids will see through you pretty quickly. How much longer do you think you can pull this off? Any chance you can make it through the weekend, so I can get in a little fishing? 3. You may…