A nice little blog on perspective in science and XMRV

[CBS]

For those of you who are feeling anxious about the ongoing XMRV research and some of the wholesale dismissals taking place (starting with the IC study), I thought you might find this blog a nice place to go for a bit of perspective.

http://nolongerbythinking.blogspot.com/

This was amongst my favorite passages:

The parallels of the Mexican transgene saga to the XMRV saga are striking: In Act I upsetting primary science appears and solemn warnings against taking a single study too seriously are issued. In Act II, a single study offering to overturn the original is hailed with relief and trumpets. In Act III, the primary science is vindicated—at least, it was with the maize transgenes. There has been no vindicating third act yet for the XMRV/CFS theory, but there are at least three reasons to bet on one.

First, getting a zero result where multiple, independent previous studies have got a nonzero result should be a red flag with any new XMRV study, just as it should have been during the Great Mexican Maize Mystery. Zero? Are you sure you’ve taken the lens cap off the camera?

I know it's hard to remain calm while that bear is batting you around, making sure that you're not a threat. CFS - My uninvited Buddhist teacher.