We have a doctor from Central Maine over to speak at Grand Rounds next week. I often like to google these guys in advance, to get some idea whether I want to attend or not. I think I might like the presentation, because philosophically and tempermentally he comes from my POV about depression. He acknowledges the benefit of medications in many instances, noting the decreased toxicity of the newer medications. But he also notes the large percentage of folks who seem insufficiently improved by this model – the popular phrase “chemical imbalance” really torques him off – and he reviews a back-to-basics scientific method approach to designing treatment. He wants us to resist the oversimplified medication-only approach beloved by insurers and pharmaceutical companies. I don’t note that he goes into any tirade against them, and respects their obvious interest in medication solutions – but he reminds that they do have their own interests, and fund research accordingly.
So I think I like this guy professionally. I went to the forums at his website, and though he doesn’t have a lot of traffic, I thought his answering was very sensible. I did note in researching about the guy that he is a frequent commenter at leftie sites: MyDD, DailyKos, Salon. And when he gets rolling he really gets into the idea that Bush is narcissistic, that he has no conscience, that he doesn’t care about the victims, that Republicans (who he calls “Repugs”) are hate-filled, and all the rest.
Here’s where the prediction part comes in: He will be unable to contain himself and will have to make a sneering and/or condescending political reference during his professional presentation next Thursday. I suppose he could stumble on this and set me up to be wrong, but that’s unlikely.
There's a communist guy at my work who calls them "Conserve-themselves Republicrits". A fun game with him is to leave the room while he's ranting, then hide outside the door to see how long he'll continue ranting to an empty room. Our record is 3 minutes, 10 seconds.
ReplyDeleteOh, and the prediction there is that based on how the elections go next week, we might be able to get him up to 4.
ReplyDeleteThat is the safest prediction you have ever made, AVI.
ReplyDeleteFascinating.
ReplyDeleteMy ex-wife is a Psychiatrist, and apparently not to bad at it, either.
But, whenever the subject of Bush comes up, she gets as irrational as some of her patients. When I try to point out where her Bush-hating tirades are wrong, she suddenly doesn't want to discuss it anymore.
BUT, and this is where my comment gets relevant to you, she almost never can resist the urge to make SOME kind of anti-Bush tirade. So, yeah, I would say your prediction stands a better than fify percent chance of being realized, Of course, if his demeanor is as professional as you say, it may not be a whole lot more than 50%.
regards,
ytba
Ps., your posts to Dr. Sanity make for enjoyable reading.