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[bollocks]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22695367-2,00.html?from=mostpop

while this article interests me on it's potential for therapy, it's really the comments from readers that fascinated me about this article.

Here and there a voice of reason pipes up and points out that current technology means that humans in no way will be modified in this fashion, yet the doomsdayers cry 'playing god' and 'dangerous potential'.

The media continues to beat up this sort of stuff, knowing it will cause a fuss, and the general public play into their hands like the ignorant putty they are.

How much of an impact do you think negative reporting/sensationalism has on scientific progress?

I certainly know that australia is lagging in stem cell laws because of public perception and minority opposition.
How far does it go before we realise that ignorance is affecting the potential we may have to treat debilitating conditions?

[Truckarella]

Wow, I just learned DDT serves no purpose! 

How much is the word 'super' overused in scientific reporting?  I'm sick of hearing about super foods, super crops, super mice, super ted etc. 

[Nick 2]

i haven't seen any scientific reporting in this country ever. i think you might be getting it confused with shoddy, irresponsible, tabloid jounalism which is what most australian cowards seem to live off, stupid fuckers.

bol, do scientists ever cry themselves to sleep over the fact that idiots don't understand their work?

[bollocks]

bol, do scientists ever cry themselves to sleep over the fact that idiots don't understand their work?

 

some do. 

trucka, what's DDT?

[Thaluikhain]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ddt ?

How much of an impact do you think negative reporting/sensationalism has on scientific progress?

Well, it has an impact...but then, lots of utter wankers were scared that power lines gave you cancer...we still have them.  Then a new lot of utter wankers were scared that mobile phones gave you cancer...we still ahve mobile phones.

However, the Australian government spends half of fuck all on research into coal...despite it being our greatest export and backbone of our economy.  Cause coal is bad, m'kay, if you spend money on coal research you're bad, m'kay...

[bollocks]

i thought DDT was a strange acronym, as i seem to have missed the pesticide link to supermice.

Well, it has an impact...but then, lots of utter wankers were scared that power lines gave you cancer...we still have them.  Then a new lot of utter wankers were scared that mobile phones gave you cancer...we still ahve mobile phones.

these are retrospective fears though.
fears of research means we have laws restricting it, so people never get to see the benefits.

the government spends sweet FA on important research.

at the moment we are staring down the barrel of endemic antibiotic resistance.
the appropriate thing to do would be to provide funds for research into development of new treatment.
the drug companies won't do it, since antibiotics don't make them enough money, and the government won't do it because it's not in the public perception.

when people start dying of simple things again, perhaps they'll think about measures, but by then the cost will have been huge.

[Thaluikhain]

Well, we can have lots of fun selling those antibacterials to people who are otherwise unable to clean kitchen surfaces and believe cockraoches spread terrible plagues and breed resistant strains in our own houses...

[Truckarella]

I was referring to one of the comments Bolly.

Like Nukes, DDT etc.. they make things which serve no purpose but cause hate, fear and death.

[bollocks]

I was referring to one of the comments Bolly.

 
ah cheers.

but it serves for hate and fear etc?

Well, we can have lots of fun selling those antibacterials to people who are otherwise unable to clean kitchen surfaces and believe cockraoches spread terrible plagues and breed resistant strains in our own houses...

i know.

what people don't realise is places that need the highest levels of cleaning (cell labs etc) actually use simple detergents.
using antibacterials doesn't clear the microbes, whereas the detergents degrade them (there's a simple chemistry lesson somewhere in here).

so stop with the anti-bacterials at home kids!
if your benchtop is clean (as in soap and water) the bugs can't grow there in the first place.

[Lord Biscuit©]

Isn't adding the word 'fool' to 'ignorant' redundant? Or can you get ignorant wise people?

I'm just concerned you're using up excessive internets ink, and causing global warming there bollocks.

[bollocks]

Isn't adding the word 'fool' to 'ignorant' redundant? Or can you get ignorant wise people?

I'm just concerned you're using up excessive internets ink, and causing global warming there bollocks.

 
good to have someone watching out, especially a known concerned global citizen such as yourself.

but i think you can have an ignorant wise person.
someone who knows nothing and knows to stay out of it because of this is certainly wise.

ignorant fools add their 10 bob to the pool.

i just wish things like this would make people more interested in learning about the science behind this sort of thing, so they could make informed assessments on a range of things.

[Pinball Neil]

ignorant fools add their 10 bob to the pool.

You're playing god trying to stop us ignorants from adding our bob's worth.

if your benchtop is clean (as in soap and water) the bugs can't grow there in the first place.

That's our choice though right?

[bollocks]

That's our choice though right?

it's entirely your choice.

however when i come down with a strain of antibiotic resistant bacteria because you lot insist on continuing to use disinfectants in everything you own, it'll be my choice to make you all compensate my family financially for my loss.

[Pinball Neil]

I meant it's our choice whether we bother to clean our benchtops at all, but ok. I have made a mental note to confirm the help* uses bolly-friendly cleaning products.

* may or may not be me**
** deliberately posted in this way to annoy nym

Can I still use anti-bacterial yakult?

[bollocks]

I meant it's our choice whether we bother to clean our benchtops at all, but ok.

onya neil, launch a campaign to strengthen your immune system.

at least your measure of infections will help to prevent your kids from getting allergies.
but remember you're the one who has to clean up after their sick......

Can I still use anti-bacterial yakult?

 
the point of yakult is it is bacteria.
'pro-biotic' ring a bell?
basically it puts all these harmless bacteria into your intestine (they normally live there, but sometimes after being sick or taking antibiotics etc their levels drop below normal).
bacteria etc that normally live on/in you without causing infection are called commensal flora.
their living there prevents other more nasty bacteria (like salmonella) from being able to colonise your gastrointestinal tract.
'competitive inhibition' they call it (though if we go further into it there are other ways the commensals prevent the nasties, like the production of toxins....).


(who's they?)