DNA testing has a few pitfalls, the best-known of which is probably potential privacy issues. At this point, unless a person posts results on one of the unprotected sites, I think privacy isn’t a big concern, although it certainly could … Continue reading →
I’ve written several posts already, trying to offer the main facts so far as they emerge. But I see so much stuff out there that’s not only obvious fear-mongering, but just plain incorrect. It’s true that we don’t yet know … Continue reading →
[NOTE: Part I can be found here.] While musing about COVID-19, I wondered whether the virus really is novel. Perhaps it’s been around for a while and just wasn’t causing all that many deaths and therefore wasn’t even noticed until … Continue reading →
Recently there’s been some talk (including in the comments on this blog) of a theory that high doses of aspirin played a key role in exacerbating the number of deaths in the 1918 flu pandemic: The high case-fatality rate—especially among … Continue reading →
[NOTE: I’ve decided this needs to be at least a two-parter, because there’s so much to be said. Here’s Part I.] I haven’t written too many posts on the new coronavirus (COVID-19) because we know quite little, and much of … Continue reading →
This is a Canadian story, but it’s often the case that the US follows close on Canada’s heels with PC legal rulings. So here’s what it’s about: For the past 11 months, Robert Hoogland, a father in Surrey, British Columbia, … Continue reading →
It’s pretty well-established that early humans outside of Africa mated with Neanderthals. For example, through DNA testing, I learned that I have an only slightly less-than-average share of Neanderthal myself. Now we learn that people of west African heritage have … Continue reading →
Some people have advanced a theory to explain Iran’s failure to do damage to US personnel in Iraq in this latest attack: the Iranians missed on purpose. Well, maybe. But others strongly disagree: The top US general made clear Wednesday … Continue reading →
A year ago, right after the terribly destructive fires in northern California, PG&E was heavily criticized for not having cut the power sufficiently when the winds blew. Now they are criticized for cutting the power when the winds blow and … Continue reading →
I started reading this article about how “desire and dread” are linked, using the example of rock climbing. It’s not much of an article, but this part certainly drew my attention [my emphasis]: In the early 2000s, Berridge designed an … Continue reading →
The other night I happened across a documentary on TLC entitled “Inseparable: Joined.” Here’s an article about the people the documentary explored: the conjoined Hogan twins of Canada, who are joined at the brain: Craniopagus twins, joined at the head, … Continue reading →
Glick starts out this way: The US media coverage of the Israeli election has misrepresented the results of Tuesday’s vote. This isn’t necessarily deliberate. Israeli elections are inscrutable for most foreigners, particularly for Americans who are used to the clarity … Continue reading →