Month: December 2013

Babblegate Revisited

Some time ago we introduced Anthony Daniels, Brit psychiatrist, polymath, great essayist on the culture, with a unique insight into Brit cultural pathology. Daniels, who writes as Theodore Dalrymple, was expounding on the problems of modern psychiatric practice at the City Journal site. Daniels is merciless as a psychiatrist on the specialty and the new DSM V which is their cookbook for diagnosing troubled/crazy/unhappy/problematic people of all ages.
He was talking about one of my concerns in the junk science work we do, and Psychiatry at its worst.
The title is “Everyone on the Couch” and it places the nuttiness of psych practice gone amok in a good perspective, particularly the problem of pushing pills for unhappy people.
http://city-journal.org/2013/23_4_otbie-psychiatry.html
Here is another fine commentary on Daniel’s essay and his efforts to warn people about medicalization of behavior and the danger of creative diagnosticating (maybe that’s not a word, but I like it to describe the problem of finding a diagnosis for human foibles and bad habits and cultural/lifestyle problems).
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/12 the_psychobabble_bubble.html
Recall again my recommendation of Elaine Showalter’s book Hystories about the hysterical epidemics and the work of Paul McHugh and Sally Satel, two very insightful and prescient psychiatrists–who have common sense.

Down Goes Ehrlich, Gates Gasps in Horror

I’d say that the Club of Rome and Paul Ehrlich were the biggest losers on enviro/economic issues of the 20th century.
Thomas Malthus get’s the prize for the 19th.
Continue reading Down Goes Ehrlich, Gates Gasps in Horror

It's Medicaid, Writ Large

The last 3 or 4 years of talk about the comprehensive “solution” that is Obamacare have been riding on the delusion that it is some sophisticated hybrid private/gov system of healthcare insurance. Not so. Socialists are not fixers, they are takers and haters.
Continue reading It's Medicaid, Writ Large

How Risky are You?

Risk averse behavior is certainly one aspect of the precautionary principle.
In public policy the government role is expanded in a risk averse population. The cost of risk averse behavior and the unintended consequences are significant.
Here’s another take–medical care in America is more expensive for sure because of risk averse behavior.
http://skepticalscalpel.blogspot.com/2013/12/defensive-medicine-is-more-of-problem.html

Spain is a Dangerous Place?

Report on the economic decline with resulting loss of health care safety net resources in Spain.
You think it’s not possible in places that are equally committed to a national health system and equally economically shaky?
I would beg to differ–health care is a big burden for advanced care and profligacy is not without risk.
As Uncle Miltie said–no free lunch.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/charlemagne/2013/12/spains-health-care

Damn Mandates and Subsidies

Renewable fuels mandate is about ethanol mostly, and farmers are on the horns of a dilemma. Farmer war is one way to look at it.
Ranchers and livestock/feedlot farmers versus the guys with 200,000 dollar tractors with 4 big wheels and lots of row crops–owners of the ultimate boy toys.
Continue reading Damn Mandates and Subsidies

Alternative Energy Killers

Marita Noon is a reliable and effective writer, regular columnist at Town Hall, lecturer and ally fighting goofy environmentalism and warming issues.
She also is a bird lover like most of us hard bitten conservatives. What’s not to love about a raptor, even a little finch?
Continue reading Alternative Energy Killers