Advice & Dissent

May12

Three Cheers for Pandemic Panic?

The usually reasonable Washington Post and Slate columnist Anne Applebaum has gone hysterical over the swine flu hysteria. "Where infectious diseases are concerned, panic is good. Panic is what we want," she writes. "Without panic, nothing happens. Up to 500 million people will…Read More
May12

Yes, I'm writing about the Science mag pandemic panic piece

Bottom Line: If you look at the actual numbers and ignore the spin, the data are actually reassuring. They show a virus both less contagious and less severe than seasonal flu. But that requires actually reading the study and its citations, not just the abstract and press release…Read More
May10

Denial of Harm Equals Big Tobacco

Under the subject line of "Hexavaent Chromium" (it's "hexavalent") Nancy omitted wrote: Dear Mr.Fumento, I am researching the P G & E/Hinkley, California case and have read some of your writings. As long as you short cut and use information provided by P G & E scientists…Read More
May5

Swine Flu Also Proving Far Less Harmful than Seasonal Flu

Initial reports seemed to indicate swine flu was both vastly more contagious and more lethal than seasonal flu. You don't get headlines like: "Bug Outbreak Will Kill Millions Scientist Warns" and "Pandemic Could Kill Up To 120 Million, Warn Experts" for nothing, nor over 30…Read More
May3

Early Calculations Show Swine Flu Hard to Transmit

It SEEMS like swine flu isn't particularly infectious by looking at case numbers and consulting news stories that continue to find a strong link to Mexico. But there's a scientific way of measuring using what's called a "basic reproductive number." That essentially means the…Read More
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