Do you care about steroids? I'm not sure if I do, but it's been a hot topic in the last couple years, what with the Major League Baseball fiasco including the Mitchell Report, congressional hearings and the continuing controversy surrounding Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, et. al.
What really prompted this post is a 'roids site (Can you shorten it to "roids", or does that refer to hemorrhoids? Help!) I came across called Steroids Live, a pro-steroids blog that is "intended to inform and educated athletes, bodybuilders and the general public about anabolic steroids." Fair enough.
If anything, "Dr. Stevens" seems to be working against his cause. Besides the obvious grammatical errors (have you heard of a comma?) and nonsensical writing, the ultimate question is never even addressed: WHAT IS THE POINT? Clearly, I'm not of the target audience, but who is? How do you even become someone who is thinking about steroids?
Also, the office where I work get the American Journal of Public Health, which I read when the boss is out of the office (and sometimes take home). The December 2008 issue includes a study that looked at steroid usage in relation to violence.*
The results? They suggest that steroid use is related to "heightened levels of violent behaviors," and that the media attention and public concern surrounding this issue is justified "given its association with violence among males in the United States."
This seems to address Steroid Lives' issue in Roid Rage, Myth or Real Danger???, so I'll just leave it at that.
*Beaver, K., Vaughn, M.G., DeLisi, M., Wright, J.P. (2008) Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use and Involvement in Violent Behavior in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adult Males in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 2185-7.
I'd like to point out that you are criticizing Dr. Stevens for typos and various grammatical errors, yet you fail to get the actual name of his blog right (you have two different names for it in the same post).
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to criticize someone for working against their cause, and cite errors in their writing, then your own should be flawless - which it isn't, when you can't even get the name of his blog right.
Respectfully,
Anthony Roberts
Thanks for your comment, Anthony. I see I misplaced an apostrophe (Steroid Live's), which is why you think I got the name wrong. No offense, but I hardly think a tiny grammatical error such as that can even compete with the virtually unintelligible writing of the "Dr." My point was that if you're going to offer advice about a sensitive health issue such as steroids usage, you should be clear and knowledgeable about the facts. Also, passing yourself off as a medical professional when you are CLEARLY not is misleading and irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteHe isn't passing himself off as an MD, but rather a PhD. His doctorate is actually in a relevant field.
ReplyDeleteI myself am a blogger (and professional author, who writes about steroids for a living), and the thing I love about it is that it is cooperative instead of competitive. I respect and appreciate what Dr.S is doing, just the same as I respect and appreciate what you are doing. I feel that he's got a really open mind about anabolic steroids, and a valid viewpoint.
But really, doctors aren't known for their loquaciousness, and for a guy who only started blogging a few months ago, I think he's doing fine. You know how it is when you're feeling your way and finding your voice in the beginning...
Perhaps I'm simply myopic, but I think his writing will only improve, and he provides a much needed viewpoint, that is very credible given the fact that he has a PhD in a related field.
Respectfully-
Anthony Roberts