tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post4195608660391630237..comments2023-10-10T08:02:18.073-04:00Comments on Rationally Speaking: Vaccines do not cause autismUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-85112084929705307962009-07-20T23:52:45.070-04:002009-07-20T23:52:45.070-04:00I too seem to suffer the "middle of the night...I too seem to suffer the "middle of the night in search of chocolate" problem. Let's start a support group, someone, please!? At least, I didn't get to risk having poliomyelitis.<br /><br />Now, seriously, what's wrong with these people? Of course there will be some cases of reactions and etc. for anything we do. Let's ban peanuts, my girlfriend is deadly allergic to the stuff!<br /><br />In Brazil we had the "vaccine riots" early in the 20th century. It took a little while, but the craze passed and yellow fever, among other things, came under control. Nowadays, people can't hear about a vaccine, they want to take it, even if not needed. I guess people there still have in memory how it was <b>before</b> vaccines were available for all, even the many poor.J. Marcelo Alveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09967299561849915314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-4574540376212213082009-07-16T16:42:02.809-04:002009-07-16T16:42:02.809-04:00My husband works in the medical field, and as such...My husband works in the medical field, and as such had to have proof of various vaccines. For one reason or another, some of the records went missing. To date, he has had (we think) 6 or 7 MMR jabs, at least 3 of which in childhood. Unless you count a tendency to get up in the middle of the night in search of chocolate and not remember it the next day, he has apparently suffered no ill effects.<br /><br />There. If we're going by anecdotal evidence, beat that one.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01280482985803143221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-80502859336197267362009-07-03T19:55:26.419-04:002009-07-03T19:55:26.419-04:00One of my kids had to be re-vaccinated before scho...<i>One of my kids had to be re-vaccinated before school and it caused a lot of problems. But like Jenny McCarthy, moms just apparently don't know a thing.</i><br /><br />Post hoc, ergo propter hoc.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12256953909644408214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-2704590814695536862009-07-03T16:34:09.474-04:002009-07-03T16:34:09.474-04:00kimpat
- I think it would be best if he didn'...kimpat <br />- I think it would be best if he didn't take the series of vaccines that soldiers were asked to take. But if he is confident that there is no real problem with such practices, he should have no problem with it. Nor should you. <br /><br /> Why do you think it is better for children to take combination's of diseases in their bodies all at the same time, but not adults? In the case of Gulf War Syndrome, the evidence is rather clear.<br /><br />One of my kids had to be re-vaccinated before school and it caused a lot of problems. But like Jenny McCarthy, moms just apparently don't know a thing. <br /><br />I don't give a flip what people (educated or not) think of me. That was the LAST TIME I EVER took a drs word on anything at face value.calianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06702074438747578526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-12020300795061768542009-07-03T13:30:07.873-04:002009-07-03T13:30:07.873-04:00Each has the potential to reek massive havoc on hu...<i>Each has the potential to reek massive havoc on humanity.</i><br />Wes, I think that should be "wreak" (as in cause a negative outcome), rather than "reek" (which means to stink unpleasantly).<br />---<br />Cal, I don't understand what you're actually asking Max to do; take vaccines for which he has no need (unlike childhood illness vaccines)?<br />And what does Gulf War Syndrome (which I think is what you're alluding to) have to do with childhood illnesses?<br />Please clue us all in. The connection seems to be all in your mind.Kimpatsuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06156184889287692016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-7592358004643762102009-07-01T12:38:09.388-04:002009-07-01T12:38:09.388-04:00Massimo "There is no simple solution to this ...Massimo "There is no simple solution to this problem, though these “controversies” are making the American population more ignorant (evolution), sick (vaccines) and environmentally unconscionable (global warming) than ever."<br /><br />There is a simple solution...you'll make yourself the test subject. <br /><br />During the Gulf war the French troops refused the coctail of vaccines that were offered to the troops while the US military were absolutely forced to take the the series of vaccinations. The French troops to this day show no evidence of Gulf War syndrome. <br /><br />Massimo, since you consider me SO clueless all the time every time on all subjects known to man and beast, I'm sure you wouldn't mind subjecting yourself to that particular regime of vaccinations, would you? <br /><br />For the sake of science, of course. I'm sure you'll be okay. You said there's nothing to this, after allcalianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06702074438747578526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-64919116824396731032009-07-01T10:15:44.283-04:002009-07-01T10:15:44.283-04:00The antivaccine movement has become a real problem...The antivaccine movement has become a real problem, thanks to Jenny McCarthy and her equally dim boyfriend Jim Carrey. Before McCarthy, there was no celebrity face to the movement. After McCarthy, there is not only a celebrity face but major fundraising activity for anti-vaccine cranks.<br /><br />In any case, I'm glad that the skeptical movement is finally waking up to this problem. For far too long it's been a minor part of the skeptical agenda, but since Phil Plait took over JREF's management things have improved:<br /><br />http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/06/help_immunize_las_vegas.php<br /><br />http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/medicine/antivaccination_lunacy/<br /><br />For a lont time, other than a handful of other bloggers who took on the anti-vaccine movement I sometimes thought I was virtually alone.Orachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01370846202152605202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-89863974648525713852009-07-01T02:38:14.693-04:002009-07-01T02:38:14.693-04:00Monkey sees Monkey does. Dont just blindly follow ...Monkey sees Monkey does. Dont just blindly follow this monkey. This monkey is talented enough to spew his disinformation about the safety of vaccines without a single piece credible evidence. Show me the evidence monkey.<br />In reality, there are thousands of cases of vaccine trauma and severe adverse reactions which have been to courts and won. If you have the see the effects of vaccines on children especially, go to www.ageofautism.comUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09571715120767555733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-23397373341373804722009-06-30T20:10:29.217-04:002009-06-30T20:10:29.217-04:00In the midst of this complex issue, how do you bel...In the midst of this complex issue, how do you believe the arrogance that is often portrayed by "scientist" affects the situation? <br /><br />This is an issue in the public arena and therefor goes well beyond the measures of reason and science. I think most people, given the time to explore the information and analyze the intentions of the talking heads involved, will likely understand the merits of vaccines. That said, if we choose to martyr the "opponents", who may be misguided from our standpoint, who are acting "within" the ranks of the general public (many of us academics are viewed as "outsiders") with what they assume to be valid information, than I fear we do the issue, and our desired outcomes, greater harm than good. <br /><br />Testimony and authority are difficult elements of public communication to accurately predict. Science and reason may not always win the battles we expect, sometimes to fault of our own efforts. We may want to be more careful with terms like "self-important" and "ignorant paternalist", or the irony may bite us where the sun don't shine.Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02393349129836611611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-63855140729037716932009-06-30T18:05:02.775-04:002009-06-30T18:05:02.775-04:00"The information is out there, people, just u...<i>"The information is out there, people, just use your brains."</i><br /><br />Sadly, many well-intentioned people simply don't know how to do this. Critical thinking should be part of the school curriculum.Paul S. Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15580170289410948764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-60912652898513131832009-06-30T17:08:55.593-04:002009-06-30T17:08:55.593-04:00Oh, there's a even better McCarthy quote displ...Oh, there's a even better McCarthy quote displaying her ignorance of autistic adults <a href="http://www.pr.com/article/1076" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>:<br /><br /><em>PR.com: You never hear about it, you never see it. Where are the autistic adults?<br /><br />Jenny McCarthy: <strong>It’s cause there weren’t any. It’s all now.</strong></em>Diet Pop Sipping Leftisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704269001780299394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-63007587797033819422009-06-30T16:58:58.409-04:002009-06-30T16:58:58.409-04:00Thanks for pointing this out. FYI, I wrote about t...Thanks for pointing this out. FYI, I wrote about this problem in the May issue of PLoS Biology, talking to medical historians and anthropologists to shed light on the persistence of the vaccine-autism myth. If anyone's interested, you can find it here: http://tiny.cc/GZPrG. Needless to say, it was not well received in some circles.Lizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02785954113503104400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-45019418263437073352009-06-30T16:31:08.011-04:002009-06-30T16:31:08.011-04:00Kudos to Amanda Peet for lending her star power in...Kudos to Amanda Peet for lending her star power in the fight against anti Vax woo.<br /><br />http://www.vaccinateyourbaby.org/LCShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06230899522753297278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-51667077409482044822009-06-30T16:08:50.852-04:002009-06-30T16:08:50.852-04:00I cannot believe that people take a condescending ...I cannot believe that people take a condescending and ignorant paternalist (or maybe more aptly maternalist) like Jenny McCarthy seriously.<br /><br />For one think, maybe expect that her son doesn’t even have autism. Rather, they misdiagnosed his Landau–Kleffner syndrome as autism. <a href="http://neurotodayonline.com/pt/re/neurotoday/fulltext.00132985-200808070-00005.htm;jsessionid=KKcc6kJ1LFbk3yjBxbFLmKV0QVy9cxfQvG5d8Tr7gBC6bpFpR7Qw!-847254088!181195628!8091!-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> Her son’s developmental peculiarity began with seizures and once the seizures were treated he improved, characteristic of Landau-Kleffner syndrome (This must have given her the false impression that autistic spectrum conditions can be removed).<br /><br />This is a women whose (coauthored) books call autistic children “soulless”. <a href="http://djdialogue143.blogspot.com/2007/10/autistics-are-soulless-theres-new-one.html" rel="nofollow">[2]</a> That must be really encouraging news for children and adults on the autistic spectrum.<br /><br />This is a self-important New Ager who has the arrogance to call herself an “indigo mom”. <a href="http://childrenofthenewearth.com/free.php?page=articles_free/mccarthy_jenny/article1" rel="nofollow">[3]</a><br /><br />She is completely ignorant of the field she wants to be an activist in. Let’s just look at a telling Larry King interview <a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0709/26/lkl.01.html" rel="nofollow">[4]</a>:<br /><br /><em>KING: What happens to the autistic child when he or she grows up?<br /><br />MCCARTHY: That's a good question. <strong>I mean I don't know.</strong> Evan...<br /><br />KING: The adult autistic?<br /><br />What are they like?<br /><br />MCCARTHY: You know, to tell you the truth, <strong>I haven't really met any</strong>.<br /><br />I'm hoping...</em><br /><br />She’s completely unaquainted of people like <a href="http://www.templegrandin.com/templehome.html" rel="nofollow">Temple Grandin</a> or <a href="http://www.optimnem.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Daniel Tammet</a>.<br /><br />I can only conclude that McCarthy is to autistic activism what Sarah Palin is to foreign policy.<br /><br />And don’t excuse her pseudoscientific cheerleading and non-acceptance of autism (if her child even posses that condition) on “maternal instincts”. <a href="http://www.esteeklar.com/2009/04/03/april-fools-its-autism-awareness-month-again/" rel="nofollow">There a plenty of mothers more reasonable and accepting than she</a>.Diet Pop Sipping Leftisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704269001780299394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-81605732472578112322009-06-30T14:35:48.710-04:002009-06-30T14:35:48.710-04:00Correct URL for Harriet's article: http://www...Correct URL for Harriet's article: http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/09-06-03socraticmammalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00725306352610461177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-4357927998491544522009-06-30T14:20:30.099-04:002009-06-30T14:20:30.099-04:00I don't know what's more disturbing--vacci...<i>I don't know what's more disturbing--vaccine denial, AIDS denial, or global warming denial. Each has the potential to reek massive havoc on humanity.</i><br /><br />At least vaccine and AIDS denial only hurts humans.Bjørn Østmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08859177313382114917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15005476.post-63570696650221737072009-06-30T13:33:26.096-04:002009-06-30T13:33:26.096-04:00Your link at the beginning of the post is faulty. ...Your link at the beginning of the post is faulty. ;)<br /><br />I don't know what's more disturbing--vaccine denial, AIDS denial, or global warming denial. Each has the potential to reek massive havoc on humanity. And they each have something in common--they each involve denying the existence of something that is invisible at a casual glance, and can only be seen by looking at statistics and measuring probabilities, something most people aren't good at.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04884826688668473370noreply@blogger.com