The Post-Partisan Emporium

( Of course it does! ) But Will Elections Change Anything? BY  JEFFREY A. TUCKER      OCTOBER 20, 2022 I t’s coming up in a fortnight. For many people, all their hopes rest on the outcome. I get it because these seem like very dark times. We cannot live without hope. But we also need realism. The problems are deep, pervasive, scandalously entrenched. Many people won financially and in terms of power from lockdowns and have no intention either to apologize or give up their gains. What’s more, for that to have happened to this great country – and many great counties – indicates something far more pernicious than a policy error or an ideological mistake.  The fix is going to require vast change. Tragically, the elected politicians may be the least likely to push for such a change. This is due to what we call the “Deep State” but there ought to be another name. It is rather obvious now that we are dealing with a beast that includes media, technology, nonprofits...

Remembering Marshall McLuhan OCTOBER 1, 2022 BY  GRANT HAVERS The Oracle of Mass Media It is impossible to undertake the study of mass media without considering the indelible influence of Marshall McLuhan (1911-80). McLuhan, who practically invented this discipline, had an uncanny gift for coining a catchy term (“global village”) or phrase (“the medium is the message”) that is well-known even to those who have never bothered to read his still-relevant works. Without his relentless determination to understand the subtle effects of the media on human consciousness and society, our understanding of these omnipresent technologies would be severely limited. Despite his enormous influence on the field of mass communication, McLuhan opposed the technological changes that swept the 20 th  century, as  he remarked  in a 1966 interview: I am resolutely opposed to all innovation, all change, but I am determined to understand what’s happening. Because I don’t choose just to sit ...

Breast Implants: Deadly Devices The Long Read: This post is an excerpt from our upcoming book on medical devices and their harmful and deadly effects. At times it's heavy going on the facts, so we recommend reading in several goes. Carl Heneghan  and  Tom Jefferson Silicone breast implants present a sorry tale of regulatory negligence, bad evidence, criminality, and a failure to learn lessons. Forty years after concerns emerged - for what is mainly a cosmetic procedure - many questions remain about how to reduce harms and ensure patient safety. A brief history of breast implants  In the 1890s, paraffin was injected into breasts to increase their size. But the paraffin leaked, and the technique was abandoned. In the 20s and 30s, surgeons tried transferring fat – also not a good idea.  And in the 50s, cartilage, wood, and even glass balls were used – the side effects were disastrous. In 1962, Timmie Jean Lindsey, in Houston, Texas, was the world’s first to undergo...