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Lots of Fads Out There
Posted on October 19, 2018
My wife and I went to a cupcake store and were a little surprised when we saw a sign for “Keto Cups.” The “keto” or “ketogenic” diet is the latest diet fad that’s actually been around since the days of the Atkins Diet. The idea is to deprive the body of simple carbohydrates, like refined […]
Here We Go Again With a Contentious and Divided Country
Posted on October 8, 2018 4 Comments
I’m sensing that the general mood of my friends on the Left is much like when the sentient cheese product* was elected back in 2016. They’re in a bit of a panic. The confirmation of Brett “Hold My Beer While I Grope Her”** Kavanaugh has made them really scared of the very real possibility of […]
The Social Media You’ll Use (And Abuse)
Posted on September 26, 2018
Face it. You didn’t know how to use Facebook when you first used Facebook. In fact, I’m willing to bet that you don’t know how to use Facebook right now. You thought that it would be a great place to keep in touch with friends and family, and that you’d love having that constant stream […]
The Safe Spaces You’ll Need
Posted on September 22, 2018
I don’t know how I get myself into these arguments with people, but I seem to do it all the time. I just gently walk up to them and say something — anything — and I end up being swallowed into a discussion about politics, science or religion. It’s like sneaking up to an alligator […]
Epidemiological Podcast S0E3: Hi, I’m a Doctor
Posted on July 5, 2018 1 Comment
A quick 9-minute story of last Wednesday, the day I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation. It was quite a “day of days,” and it ended very well. It brought together five years of hard work. So what’s next? Listen to find out!
What Love of Country Is All About
Posted on July 4, 2018
Growing up in Mexico, I was exposed to a lot of nationalistic views about that country. When I came to the US, it wasn’t that much different. In either place, I was told to love the country with all my heart, and to not see any fault in it. That’s totally the wrong way of going about loving something, or someone…
The Adversity That Will Shape You
Posted on January 15, 2018
When I was four years old, my mother bought me an old red bicycle at a garage sale. I didn’t know how to ride a bicycle, but I wanted to learn so I could ride with the kids in my neighborhood. As you probably guessed, I hit the ground several times while learning to ride. […]
Truth, Justice, and the American Way
Posted on December 25, 2017
You know what really confuses me about the hyper-conservative people in political discussions? I get really confused when they say that something is “un-American.” Then, when I ask them what “American” is, they have a hard time going beyond catchwords and catchphrases like “democracy” and “rule of law.” Of course, they are usually also usings […]
The Parent Ren, Part VII: The Pathogens Strike Back
Posted on December 13, 2017
I remember being a child and having Strep throat in the summer a couple of times. It was miserable. It was so bad that I could not wait to go see the doctor and have my grandmother give me a shot of penicillin. (I spent most summers with my grandparents in the ancestral hometown in […]
The Risks We Like To Take
Posted on October 6, 2017
With every passing day, the chances that I will die continue to approach certainty. It’s a slow approach to that 100% chance, but it’s happening. All I can do is slow down that acceleration to oblivion (and beyond?) by doing certain things and not doing others. For example, I have to go for a jog/swim/run/bike […]
EpidemioLogical 