February 2012 archive

Atypical white matter possible precursor to autism

Wow! This is “science”? Notice any bias in a statement like this? According to researchers, children with ASD had higher fractional anisotropy “followed by slower change over time relative to infants without ASDs.” Radial and axial diffusivity also seemed to be associated with ASD. These results appear to indicate that infants with aberrant white matter development go …

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Crime and Punishment in America

This letter in the February 27 New Yorker caught my eye. The author’s affiliations are not stated, though given The New Yorker’s reputation for vigorous fact-checking, I’m sure her credentials were vetted. She says that in her “work with incarcerated women” she encounters a large segment of inmates who are serving time simply to pay …

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A couple of fascinating timelines

I’ve enjoyed poking around two websites that have timelines of events relating to disabilities. One is from the Lives Worth Living website (the name of a PBS documentary which has received high praise in the disability community). Some of their material is taken (with attribution) from another, more detailed timeline found on the National Consortium on …

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Bill Moyers Essay: Are Immunization Exemptions Fair to All?

This is an excellent commentary by Bill Moyers. With clips from a movie, excellent graphics, and his usual dispassionate appeals to reason, he makes his case a convincing one. It’s only 5 minutes long, and well worth a watch! If you’re interested in learning more, you could do no better than to read Seth Mnookin‘s …

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