Category Archives: neuroscience

Playing the Woman Card

Don’t look now: media are priming us. Priming in the same sense that you prime a pump by activating the flow of water. When you want to extract water from a well, you first need to “prime the pump” by … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, neuroscience, propaganda, science, science communication, social media | 1 Comment

Can a walk change your brain?

When reporters write garbage science How do we learn about health? Science? Medicine? Risk? Most of us still learn from our schooling or from the news. Even though traditional journalism has transformed ink to pixels, newspapers and television news get … Continue reading

Posted in communication, framing, journalism, native press, Native Science, neurology, neuroscience, phrenology, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rolling through time

Typically we think of time as passing us by. We are standing still while time whizzes past. Imagine standing still on a city corner while the cars and pedestrians, perambulators and bicycles roll by. Makes me feel stuck. But what … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, health, native press, Native Science, neuroscience, science, science communication | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Think like a saw

Sometimes you just know in your gut you’re right. But how do you separate guts from science? German researchers tried to do just that. They wondered how the effects of physical exercise would stack up against new-fangled computerized programs.

Posted in american indian, Indian, journalism, Luminosity, memory, native american, native press, Native Science, neurology, neuroscience, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When women win, praise the coach When men win, praise the team

Even if you don’t follow sports it’s uplifting to find women’s basketball in the spotlight. My cell phone buzzed when the University of Connecticut trounced Notre Dame to win the NCAA title, thanks to my New York Times app. But … Continue reading

Posted in authenticity, journalism, native press, ncaa, neuroscience, news bias, propaganda, writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Pass the fat, bring the science

A new study on fat and heart-health is bringing out the worst in journalism. Open up the New York Times or turn on CBS news and you’ll see a meaty burger loaded with cheese, bacon and a fried egg. The … Continue reading

Posted in health, journalism, native american, native press, Native Science, neuroscience, news bias, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How to be a lady, Oscar Wilde style

I owe a debt to Oscar Wilde in my transformation to being a lady. The term lady is heavy with meaning. As children my sisters and I were encouraged to be ladies. When we got rambunctious or rude our mum … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, cinema, native american, native press, Native Science, neuroscience, writing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Skip the mammogram? Not so fast

A study just published found no difference in deaths among women who had an annual mammogram and women who had none over 5 years, from 1980 to 1985, in Canada. Problem is, some women may think they should now skip … Continue reading

Posted in health, native press, Native Science, neuroscience, news bias, science, science communication, should I get a mammogram, Should I refuse a mammogram, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Manufactroversy

Here’s a word to stitch into your vocabulary pocket. Manufactroversy. The word means a manufactured controversy. And what an elegant word to share with my propaganda, persuasion and framing students.

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, framing, human origin, Indian, journalism, Kennewick Man, Lakota, NAGPRA, Native Science, neuroscience, risk, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

When words aren’t what they seem

How fortuitous that Native American Heritage Month comes at a time when I’ve been invited to write a book chapter about my work in Native Science. Below I’ve woven together words that describe what I do for the book’s editors … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, framing, human origin, Indian, Kennewick Man, NAGPRA, native american, Native Science, neuroscience, repatriation, salmon, science, science communication | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments