5 ms·

By all means, have your water tested right down to the subatomic level if you so desire. Obsessive demands to search for problems in the absence of valid evi

by sslott 12y ago

By all means, have your water tested right down to the subatomic level if you so desire. Obsessive demands to search for problems in the absence of valid evidence that any exist, are an integral aspect of antifluoridationist tactics. However, it is not justification to deny entire populations the benefits of a valuable public health initiative such as water fluoridation. You have just exemplified the true root of antifluoridationist objections dating back 69 years to the very beginning of the initiative. It is not based in science, but in ideological distrust of government and authority. Thus, no matter how much valid science is presented to antifluoridationists, as long as it does not agree with this ideology, as it never will, it will be rejected by them. Steven D. Slott, DDS

adrianwaj 12y ago
Who comes to HN and starts signing their name and credentials? Steven does.
- sslott 12y ago
  Sure, why not? I stand fully behind all my statements and see no need to hide behind pseudonyms. If you have a problem with fully disclosing my perspective by posting my dental degree, as is customary with healthcare professionals when signing their names, then you should probably seek therapy for your inferiority complex. Anyone secure, and confident with the position they present, should have no problem with it. Steven D.Slott, DDS
  - Tomte 12y ago
    I think it's great that you're here and perfectly okay to mention your degree (in your profile). However, even if you feel you've been unfairly treated, your own words won't garner you many friends. If your goal is to counter "antifluoridationists posting blatant misinformation", then you're totally ineffective, possibly even helping them out by making your side look bad. I'd suggest to conform to the rules (yeah, "guidelines") here at first and find out if it's really so bad. Or as someone I highly value once said on Usenet: if you want to transcend something, you've got to show that you're really understanding it, in order to transcend it in a meaningful way. Otherwise people will assume ignorance instead of transcendence.
    - sslott 12y ago
      "Treated unfairly"? Those are your words, not mine. I've not noted anything of the kind, nor would it be of any consequence to me if I had. Your transparent condescension is typical fare of antifluoridationists who attempt to substitute such nonsense for provision of facts and valid evidence. I am not out to "garner friends", nor do I have a "side". There are no "sides" to the issue of water fluoridation. There is simply the valid, peer-reviewed science which fully supports the initiative, and the "junk science" of antifluoridationists who have no understanding of the difference between the two. I just correct the mounds of misinformation posted by antifluoridationists, such that intelligent readers of these, or any other such comment sections, will understand the fallacy of such arguments. If you have anything of consequence in regard to fluoridation, I will certainly be glad to address it. Your personal philosophy and "suggestions" are entirely irrelevant. Steven D. Slott, DDS
      - Tomte 12y ago
        Your message is plain stupid. In dfact, I'm for fluoridation of tap water, even though it's not legally allowed in Germany as of now. You're putting up a strawman. At least you've rectified my perception of you. I take my "condescending" welcome to HN back.
        sslott 12y ago
        Ah, yes, personal attacks in lieu of facts and evidence. Another characteristic of antifluoridationists. If you were indeed enlightened enough to be in favor of fluoridation you would easily recognize that the information I have provided in regard to fluoridation, is factual and fully supported by peer-reviewed science. That you don't is very telling. Steven D. Slott, DDS
        adrianwaj 12y ago
        I think the pertinent facts for you right now is the level of mercury that you have in your body that seem (or might be) clouding your perceptions, locking you into rigid thoughts and even filling you with false accusations. Have you done any testing or mercury chelation? From my understanding, the mercury stays in the body for a very long time and is difficult to detect in typical tests for it. Are you running a mercury-free clinic? "The mercury content in all biological material was significantly higher in the dental workers than in the control population (p<0.0001). The geometric mean and 90th percentile mercury concentrations in the urine samples from dentists were 1.7 and 7.3 micromol mol(-1) creatinine, respectively, with only one sample having a value at around the UK's Health and Safety Executive biological monitoring health guidance level of 20 micromol mol(-1) creatinine." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15204310 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15204310 So my tip is to address the issue of mercury as it is a potent neurotoxin (it completely stops neuronal growth, and kills brains cells), and dentists have been huge perpetrators of the spread of this element into people's bodies and environment for a very long time. Wouldn't you agree? Don't you feel responsible for this? Please feel free not to sign your name again, you can put it in your profile description.. why not give it a try? And I say go get yourself checked for a superiority complex (given you've said I have an inferiority complex.)
- dang 12y ago
  That is a mean thing to say to a newcomer who wouldn't necessarily know that signing comments isn't customary here. Please don't be mean.
  - sslott 12y ago
    It is of no concern to me whether it is customary to post one's name, or not. I do not hide behind pseudonyms. Neither do I care whether people view my DDS as a positive, negative, or nothing. I post it as a matter of full disclosure of my perspective. It is simply a matter of accountability. Antifluoridations flood the internet with patently false, misleading information, and an endless barrage of unsubstantiated claims, all while hiding behind pseudonyms. I make no claims of being an expert, and don't ask people to trust me on this issue. I simply urge them to trust the peer-reviewed science obtained from legitimate, authoritative sources, instead of junk found on antifluoridationist websites. I can provide evidence to support my claims and do not fear being held accountable to do so. Contrast this to antifluoridationists posting blatant misinformation for which they can provide no valid evidence, while hiding behind pseudonyms and insidiously attempting to steer readers to the filtered and edited nonsense on their biased little websites. Steven D. Slott, DDS
    - lotharbot 12y ago
      The HN guidelines [0] ask you not to sign your comments. Your username is already on your comment, and people can click your username to see any further information you include. If it's directly relevant to the discussion at hand, you might say it once in the form "source: I'm a [whatever]", but please don't repeat it. Otherwise, it's just clutter. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
      - tptacek 12y ago
        And, adding to 'lotharbot: in case you're feeling stung by this rather superficial and perhaps confusing subthread: we don't have a lot of input from dentists here, and it's very cool to have one commenting. We very much appreciate the injection of new expertise! Just put what you'd put in your signature into your profile instead. :P Welcome to the site!

by sslott 12y ago

adrianwaj 12y ago

Who comes to HN and starts signing their name and credentials? Steven does.

sslott 12y ago
Sure, why not? I stand fully behind all my statements and see no need to hide behind pseudonyms. If you have a problem with fully disclosing my perspective by posting my dental degree, as is customary with healthcare professionals when signing their names, then you should probably seek therapy for your inferiority complex. Anyone secure, and confident with the position they present, should have no problem with it. Steven D.Slott, DDS
- Tomte 12y ago
  I think it's great that you're here and perfectly okay to mention your degree (in your profile). However, even if you feel you've been unfairly treated, your own words won't garner you many friends. If your goal is to counter "antifluoridationists posting blatant misinformation", then you're totally ineffective, possibly even helping them out by making your side look bad. I'd suggest to conform to the rules (yeah, "guidelines") here at first and find out if it's really so bad. Or as someone I highly value once said on Usenet: if you want to transcend something, you've got to show that you're really understanding it, in order to transcend it in a meaningful way. Otherwise people will assume ignorance instead of transcendence.
  - sslott 12y ago
    "Treated unfairly"? Those are your words, not mine. I've not noted anything of the kind, nor would it be of any consequence to me if I had. Your transparent condescension is typical fare of antifluoridationists who attempt to substitute such nonsense for provision of facts and valid evidence. I am not out to "garner friends", nor do I have a "side". There are no "sides" to the issue of water fluoridation. There is simply the valid, peer-reviewed science which fully supports the initiative, and the "junk science" of antifluoridationists who have no understanding of the difference between the two. I just correct the mounds of misinformation posted by antifluoridationists, such that intelligent readers of these, or any other such comment sections, will understand the fallacy of such arguments. If you have anything of consequence in regard to fluoridation, I will certainly be glad to address it. Your personal philosophy and "suggestions" are entirely irrelevant. Steven D. Slott, DDS
    - Tomte 12y ago
      Your message is plain stupid. In dfact, I'm for fluoridation of tap water, even though it's not legally allowed in Germany as of now. You're putting up a strawman. At least you've rectified my perception of you. I take my "condescending" welcome to HN back.
      - sslott 12y ago
        Ah, yes, personal attacks in lieu of facts and evidence. Another characteristic of antifluoridationists. If you were indeed enlightened enough to be in favor of fluoridation you would easily recognize that the information I have provided in regard to fluoridation, is factual and fully supported by peer-reviewed science. That you don't is very telling. Steven D. Slott, DDS
        adrianwaj 12y ago
        I think the pertinent facts for you right now is the level of mercury that you have in your body that seem (or might be) clouding your perceptions, locking you into rigid thoughts and even filling you with false accusations. Have you done any testing or mercury chelation? From my understanding, the mercury stays in the body for a very long time and is difficult to detect in typical tests for it. Are you running a mercury-free clinic? "The mercury content in all biological material was significantly higher in the dental workers than in the control population (p<0.0001). The geometric mean and 90th percentile mercury concentrations in the urine samples from dentists were 1.7 and 7.3 micromol mol(-1) creatinine, respectively, with only one sample having a value at around the UK's Health and Safety Executive biological monitoring health guidance level of 20 micromol mol(-1) creatinine." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15204310 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15204310 So my tip is to address the issue of mercury as it is a potent neurotoxin (it completely stops neuronal growth, and kills brains cells), and dentists have been huge perpetrators of the spread of this element into people's bodies and environment for a very long time. Wouldn't you agree? Don't you feel responsible for this? Please feel free not to sign your name again, you can put it in your profile description.. why not give it a try? And I say go get yourself checked for a superiority complex (given you've said I have an inferiority complex.)
dang 12y ago
That is a mean thing to say to a newcomer who wouldn't necessarily know that signing comments isn't customary here. Please don't be mean.
- sslott 12y ago
  It is of no concern to me whether it is customary to post one's name, or not. I do not hide behind pseudonyms. Neither do I care whether people view my DDS as a positive, negative, or nothing. I post it as a matter of full disclosure of my perspective. It is simply a matter of accountability. Antifluoridations flood the internet with patently false, misleading information, and an endless barrage of unsubstantiated claims, all while hiding behind pseudonyms. I make no claims of being an expert, and don't ask people to trust me on this issue. I simply urge them to trust the peer-reviewed science obtained from legitimate, authoritative sources, instead of junk found on antifluoridationist websites. I can provide evidence to support my claims and do not fear being held accountable to do so. Contrast this to antifluoridationists posting blatant misinformation for which they can provide no valid evidence, while hiding behind pseudonyms and insidiously attempting to steer readers to the filtered and edited nonsense on their biased little websites. Steven D. Slott, DDS
  - lotharbot 12y ago
    The HN guidelines [0] ask you not to sign your comments. Your username is already on your comment, and people can click your username to see any further information you include. If it's directly relevant to the discussion at hand, you might say it once in the form "source: I'm a [whatever]", but please don't repeat it. Otherwise, it's just clutter. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - tptacek 12y ago
      And, adding to 'lotharbot: in case you're feeling stung by this rather superficial and perhaps confusing subthread: we don't have a lot of input from dentists here, and it's very cool to have one commenting. We very much appreciate the injection of new expertise! Just put what you'd put in your signature into your profile instead. :P Welcome to the site!