09-12-2002, 02:31 PM
|
#16
|
|
Guest
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Attalus:
Yes, a lot of "media science" is unsubstantiated. I very much suspect the data about "second hand smoke," though I myself am a nonsmoker and have much better sticks to beat cigarettes with, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis), lung, esophageal, and oral cancer (have seldom or never seen much of them in nonsmokers) and peripheral and coronary artery disease. The same applies to "fetal alcohol syndrome," which is rare and not nearly as destructive as cocaine-induced encephalopathy. ("crack babies"). Just as a minor example, but instructive, is the myth that if your temperature is above 98.6, you have fever. In fact, that strange figure was derived from a European study of average body temperature, which gave as the average, 37 degrees Centigrade, a nice round figure. But American newspapers, using the 9/5C-32=F formula, converted into Fahrenheit, which is, of course, 98.6. In fact, there is nothing "magic" (no offense) about 98.6 as the adult body ges from 96 to 99 quite without problems.
|
Umm in point of fact I seem to average a 97.4 temperature [img]smile.gif[/img] But the nurse alwyas writes down 98.6 for some reason...Do you know why they do this Attalus?
[img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img]
I dislike smoking verymuch and I hate being around it, I just have this really ingrained hatred of bad science...anytime yoiu have to fudge the figures or lie or make things up, it is bad science, even if you are only making it up to get people to take it seriously.
For example you see that there is some increase in birth defects from "activity A" but no one pays attention because it is a very small number so you jack it up a bit, play with the wording and make it sound as alarming as possible, This is the kind of thing I really just detest. It was done with the "disappearing rainforest", with the "oil crisis of the 70's", with "Global Warming", with "Smoking hazards", "alcohol and drug abuse" I mean hey, come on, if you can't make your case with the real data, then you really have no case to make! err sorry for the rant 
|
|
|
|