To quote the noble Lord: "Of course we don't have the power to look after our citizens overseas, not in these days when we don't have many gunboats, but we have an obligation to look after the rights of those people, and to look after those rights first" Quite correct. And every nation needs gunboats.
Month: June 2017
Hubris.
I disagree with Great Ormond Street. If a family want to try alternative therapy and there is no evidence based treatment, or no cure, they should be allowed to do so. To assume that we, as medicos, have a monopoly on cure is arrogance. It is hubris. We are not God, and we are not … Continue reading Hubris.
Lawyer up [Luke 22]
I do not believe pacifism is scriptural. This world is fallen, and we need to take steps to protect ourselves or those whom we love. We will be accused, we will be hounded. I would add that I spend too much time in Victoria. It continues to function as a penal colony, with kangaroo courts, … Continue reading Lawyer up [Luke 22]
The university is not fit for purpose.
I am just stupid enough to be clinically useful. One of my sons, who is brighter than I, fits poorly into the university. Bruce Carlton and Edward Dutton note that this is now common. The university had one purpose: to be a sheltered workshop for geniuses. Those of us who are not such (and I … Continue reading The university is not fit for purpose.
Barriers to an effective treatment?
ECT is as effective a treatment for mood disorders than any other, and using harder outcomes, such as readmission rate, may be better than others. This paper, a comparison of the readmison rate of the 1.5% who got ECT after admission to a psychiatric ward for a mood disorder with those who did not, is … Continue reading Barriers to an effective treatment?
The elite do not lead where it matters [Lk 22]
The elite of this land are not the leaders from the LORD. They are as the ancient kings: they praise each other and discuss how they have helped their nation, while helping themselves. They see their status as continuing without beginning or ending. They are fools, and finding contradictions takes little time. But what matters … Continue reading The elite do not lead where it matters [Lk 22]
Curse Meroz’ virtue signals
My brain is full of dust and ashes, so some quotes that need more publicity. Bruce Charlton, as he frequently does, gets to the nub of our current issues with virtue and signalling we are part of the narrative: it is propaganda for evil. Modern virtue-signalling is in reality signalling the inversion of virtue. Up … Continue reading Curse Meroz’ virtue signals
Placebo and reversion to the mean.
I am showing in the graph a secondary analysis from a paper that pooled the cognitive tests in the placebo arm of 12 cognitive remediation RCTs in psychosis. Those with worse pre randomization testing improved: those with better testing had no differences. There is a question as to if this shows reversion to the mean. … Continue reading Placebo and reversion to the mean.
Ebenezer [I Sam 7]
We often sing an old hymn that has a reference to Ebenezer: this far by the LORD we have come. The idea of this, a sign, a stone, showing where we have got to comes from the battle of Mirzpah. The circumstances of the battle are important. The people of Israel wanted to see the … Continue reading Ebenezer [I Sam 7]
Wisdom, Poem.
Henry Howard was beheaded at age 30, the last such execution completed on the order of Henry VIII. The charges were probably trumped up. This is is most known poem. The Happy Life My friend, the things that do attain The happy life be these, I find. The riches left, not got with pain; The … Continue reading Wisdom, Poem.