Stephanie Briggs - Handmade Knitting My Way Through Chronic Pain

Knitting by hand, owned by three cats and a manbeast

Debunking “Grey’s Anatomy” – Neurocysticercosis

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Grey’s Anatomy is not known for its medical accuracy, but as a veteran ER watcher, I think they should do better. The “overlooked epidemic of tapeworms in the brain (neurocysticercosis)” was featured, incorrectly, in an episode: “Before and After” – SE05EP15. The reality, according to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, is much different. As […]

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Paris is Not Unique: How Belief in the Coming Apocalypse can Shape Murderers

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What happened in Paris on 13 November 2015 is not unique. I don’t mean in terms of terror attacks. I mean it in terms of people who are brainwashed to believing an ideology that makes them do things they never would have done before. Particular to ISIS and the example I will discuss are a […]

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Everything Doesn’t Happen for a Reason

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Have you ever been told, “Everything happens for a reason?” I have, and it hurts like hell. I think maybe they say it because they don’t know what else to say? There really isn’t anything anyone CAN say to make it better, don’t you feel? Maybe those people don’t feel comfortable staying silent. I hate […]

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Quality of Death Index – something to celebrate?

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I’ve written before about end-of-life issues. They’re never easy to make, either for the patient, or the patient’s loved ones. In the BBC today, I spotted this article entitled Quality of Death Index – something to celebrate?. It reminded me of an Introduction to Philosophy course I took during my first year at uni. My […]

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On the Myths and Realities of Capitalism and Communism

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In a discussion on Facebook about this op-ed article that describes Obama’s presidency and his legacy, I had a few thoughts. The only thing about the article that bothers me is this sentence: “Obama managed to open diplomatic relations with Cuba, which will put the communist nation on a path toward capitalism and democracy, by getting […]

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The Duggars vs the Dionne Quintuplets

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In 1997, the three surviving Dionne Quintuplets (b. 1934), Yvonne, Annette and Cecile, wrote an open letter to the parents of the McCaughey septuplets (born November 1997), warning against allowing too much publicity for the children. The letter read:   “Dear Bobbi and Kenny,   If we emerge momentarily from the privacy we have sought all […]

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Thoughts on craniosacral “therapy” and osteopathy

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Skeptical OB posted about how infants can and do die when craniosacral “therapy” is performed on them. Usually, it’s performed because the parent believes it will reduce colic, or some other normal baby behaviour, and the parent has drunk the kool-aid. I don’t think a chiropractor has any place treating babies or children, because of […]

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The Derek Bentley Case and “Let Him Have It”

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Let Him Have It is an excellent movie starring Christopher Eccleston about the case of Derek Bentley (aged 19), who was hanged in 1953 for murder, despite the fact that he was mentally retarded and suffered from unmedicated epileptic seizures, and had never killed anyone. He had the mental age of a 10-year-old, with a […]

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Doctor Zhivago – The Musical

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Today in my browsing adventures… I have decided I like Anthony Warlow as the Phantom.   Screeches to a stop whilst browsing.   Uh…he’s in a musical version of Doctor Zhivago? The costumes must be absolutely stifling!   eyes bulging…   There’s a musical version of Doctor Zhivago???? Wait just a second. Hold it. STOP THE […]

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