Word of the day: nocebo

[ximinez]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=nocebo&x=0&y=0

Main Entry: no·ce·bo
Pronunciation: "nO-'sE-(")bO
Function: noun
: a harmless substance that when taken by a patient is associated with harmful effects due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient

Yes, it's the opposite of placebo. The great example I heard was on Penn Jillette's Friday the 13th podcast where Michael Goudeau told a tale of wishing a magician "Good Luck" backstage, and the magician getting so freaked out at how unlucky that is that he burned himself on stage about a minute later.

For some reason, I really like this word.

Comments

[dragonbane.livejournal.com]

No no no... it's the lack of a Cebu! :)

Archibald: And what on Earth is a Cebu, anyway?
Larry: It's kind of like a cow. See?

Cebu! Sing it with me! Cebu!
Boy is riding with Cebu
Into town in his canoe
Sick Cebu is rowing and sneezing. Achoo moo moo, achoo moo moo,
achoo moo moo, achoo moo moo moo moo
Hippo chewing on bamboo
Can't see boy and three Cebus
Sad Cebu is rowing and crying. Boo-hoo moo moo, boo-hoo moo moo,
boo-hoo moo moo, boo-hoo moo moo moo moo
Cebu!
Cebu!
Achoo moo moo, boo-hoo moo moo,
boo-hoo moo moo, achoo moo moo,
achoo moo moo, boo-hoo moo moo, Cebu!
Hippo seen by mute Cebu
Tries to tell the other two
Mute Cebu is waving and grunting.
Mmm-hmm mmm mmm, mmm-hmm mmm mmm,
mmm-hmm mmm mmm, mmm-hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm

Larry:
Uh-oh.

Archibald:
Wait! What happens next?

Larry:
Um ...

Archibald:
Does the hippo see them? Is the poor mute Cebu successful in
communicating the imminent danger to the other passengers? Is the boy
injured? Why is the sad Cebu sad? Is the canoe wood or aluminum?

Larry:
Oh look! There's me and Bob at Sea World! Oh, wow. Forgot about
that one. There's me and that bull again.

Archibald:
You can't just start a song and leave it hanging like that!
You know, I've come to expect a lot more from you. This is quite
disappointing! I'm going to have to speak to Bob about this.

Larry:
Oh look, a Cebu! Cebu!

Jimmy, Johnny & Junior:
Cebu!

Larry:
No, wait ... that's a water buffalo.

Jimmy, Johnny & Junior:
No more song about Cebu! Need another verse or
two! Audience is standing and leaving, bye-bye moo, bye-bye moo, bye-bye
moo, bye-bye moo moo moo moo

...this post brought to you by too much Veggie Tales...

[ximinez]

Ow.

[knobody.livejournal.com]

i knew there was a reason i refuse to expose my children to veggie tails.

and to think that i thought it was the god thing.

[tealfroglette.livejournal.com]

Great word, entirely too many cows around here, whatever shall we do? I think i'll go have some chocolate splenda quik milk in my aluminum 182.