Modern web application development is like Victorian era medicine. The state-of-the art is advancing rapidly, but we’re still killing patients with our “best practices” and our “absolute truths”. We’re trying new ideas, but, like bloodletting and mercury therapy, most are not better than what preceded them. This talk is a critique of the silly things we do on the “modern” front end. We’ll look at the tools and techniques that work and when they’re needed. We’ll also talk about ways to identify the good ideas and ignore the bad, so you can get back to being productive. Come find out what current web application techniques will be tomorrow’s snake oil and leeches.