The (un)healthy interwebz
Every once in a while, one friend or another will ask me to look something up on the web for them. Most people are perfectly capable of googling things for themselves. Or at least, most people are pretty certain they are. However, there are certain topics and subjects that can be a right pain to wade through unless you know 1) what are you looking for and more importantly 2) how to properly look for it.
When it comes to science, particularely biology and up to a point medicine, I'm usually the one my friends turn to for some googling help. And now, in the Amaz!ng Metting 2012 (TAM 2012) - an annual celebration of science, skepticism and critical thinking under the patronage of JREF (James Randi Educational Foundation), "Steven Novella, David Gorski, Harriet Hall, and Rachael Dunlop tell you how to find reliable health information online and skeptically evaluate the information you find." So, I give you "Dr. Google":
On a small side-note, while I am familiar with all those names since I follow Science-Based Medicine blog on daily bases (and you should, too), it's Dr. Gorski that I have a special little spot for in my heart. Near the end of my dad's illness, I eventually contacted Dr. Gorski via his Karmanos Institute email on the off chance that he might respond and perhaps point me to some other sources I was looking for. Not only did he respond, he immediatelly pointed me to his colegue, a specialist in the area I was interested in, and they both kept exchanging emails with me for a day or two doing their best to help. It's not every day that you run into someone willing to spend time and effort on a random somebody they never heard of or met before. And thus, another opportunity to say one huge Thank You! to both doctors.
When it comes to science, particularely biology and up to a point medicine, I'm usually the one my friends turn to for some googling help. And now, in the Amaz!ng Metting 2012 (TAM 2012) - an annual celebration of science, skepticism and critical thinking under the patronage of JREF (James Randi Educational Foundation), "Steven Novella, David Gorski, Harriet Hall, and Rachael Dunlop tell you how to find reliable health information online and skeptically evaluate the information you find." So, I give you "Dr. Google":
Click to viewOn a small side-note, while I am familiar with all those names since I follow Science-Based Medicine blog on daily bases (and you should, too), it's Dr. Gorski that I have a special little spot for in my heart. Near the end of my dad's illness, I eventually contacted Dr. Gorski via his Karmanos Institute email on the off chance that he might respond and perhaps point me to some other sources I was looking for. Not only did he respond, he immediatelly pointed me to his colegue, a specialist in the area I was interested in, and they both kept exchanging emails with me for a day or two doing their best to help. It's not every day that you run into someone willing to spend time and effort on a random somebody they never heard of or met before. And thus, another opportunity to say one huge Thank You! to both doctors.