Vaccines, Autism and Why You Shouldn’t Listen To Celebrities
Whenever faced with obvious cases of denialism (creationism, germ theory denialists, –and relevant to this post–anti-vaccination proponents), experience has shown me that there is almost always a fundamental misunderstanding about which their conclusions are drawn from. To really understand how vaccines work one needs a basic understanding of how acquired immunity (also known as both active and adaptive immunity) works.
On the surface of every cell and every virus there are molecules made up of sugars and or proteins. The arrangement and structure of those molecules are unique to that organism and its progeny. These molecules are what illicit an immune response (specifically the generation of antibodies which fight disease). When they do this they are known as antigens (short for antibody generation).
When a foreign microbe makes its way into your body it is –relatively soon–greeted by a type of white blood cell known as a macrophage. These macrophages engulf the invading microbe in a non-specific immune response. That means they “eat” whatever does not share their unique cell surface molecule. I always liked to think of the surface molecules/antigens as name tags. Your body is a very elite party where anyone who does not have the same name tag as everyone else gets the crap beaten out of them; where the macrophages act as the bouncers. Here is an absolutely beautiful video of how a macrophage works (this is actually a neutrophil and not a macrophage. The process, however, is very similar).
Once the macrophage engulfs the invader it digests everything but the invader’s antigen; the macrophage uses these antigens to signal the production of different immune cells specific to that invader.
One of these immune cells (B lymphocytes) secrete antibodies which, when they come in contact with anymore invaders, attach themselves to the invader’s antigens in sort of molecular puzzle piece fashion. This shuts the microbe down and signals for its quick demise.
[A number of other lymphocytes are generated which play other roles in the immune system, but I think –relevant to this post–the B cells are the most pertinent.]
Congratulations. You are now immune to that specific invader.
While all this went on for 2 weeks (4 if you’re me) you were subjected to whatever effect that microbe’s toxin has on a human being. The effect from said toxins can be anything from a runny nose to a high fever and even death -depending on what it is.
Vaccines work in the same manner, only the aim with them is to get the antigens needed for the production of antibodies to the macrophages while not subjecting the body to the microbe’s toxins. This is done a few different ways. The most common of which involves deactivating the microbe’s toxins or rendering the microbe incapable of replication. There is a new method in development (which I will probably post on later) using genetic engineering that I’m sure, in time, will be the future of all vaccinations.
So why all the controversy? For as long as there have been vaccines there have been anti-vaccination proponents (antivaccs). One of the oldest claims behind the antivacc movement is the notion that vaccines are unnatural. I’m of the frame of mind that we’re all a part of nature (being animals derived from it) and making vaccines is an adaptive function of our evolved brains. That aside, bear in mind we are using our bodies natural immune system to develop resistance to these invaders; we’re just taking death and illness out of the equation.
One claim that seems to remain is the notion that vaccines don’t work. This is simply not true. The lowest –that I could find amongst reasonable studies–percentage of effectiveness is 35% among those over 65, and this only seems to occur in influenza trials where test subjects are tested for non-specific influenza symptoms. This means they are tested for any flu-like symptoms, not just the influenza strains they were vaccinated for.
When tested for specific strain resistance (like that of chickenpox strains) we find effectiveness to be between 94% and 100%. So to say that vaccines “don’t work” is demonstrably false.
One of the most recent antivacc assertions is that they can cause autism. In 1998 a paper was published in the Lancet, by one Dr. Andrew Wakefield, suggesting that neurological disorders such as autism were the result of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Wakefield developed a small (but loud) following of physicians, celebrities and uninformed patients. Those most notable amongst them were Dr. Herman Hugh Fudenberg, who had been part of the antivacc movement long before Wakefield. Fudenberg’s claim was that autism was caused by thimerosal used in MMR vaccines. And Jenny McCarthy, former playboy model turned “actress”.
Fudenberg’s assertion comes from the notion that thimerosal is metabolized by our bodies into mercury. “Wait mercury, isn’t that the stuff that causes brain damage?” In high doses, yes. Methylmercury is a bioaccumulative toxic substance. That is we absorb it at a rate greater than we can get rid of it, and the accumulation brings it to toxic doses. This is why prolonged mercury exposure causes brain damage. But the thing is thimerosal is converted to ethylmercury. “What’s the big deal, there’s just one letter different between the two.” Yes and that difference is similar to the one found between methyl alcohol (gasoline) and ethyl alcohol (whiskey and beer). As it turns out (according to current evidence) ethylmercury is not bioaccumulative and does not pose the same threat methylmercury can pose.
Despite those facts many antivaccs still claim that thimerosal and MMR vaccines cause autism. As it turns out subsequent research was done by both government and independent researchers, both of which showed there was no causation between thimerosal –or MMR vaccines–and autism. Furthermore, as it turns out the MMR vaccine never even contained thimerosal to begin with.
However due to the public’s growing concern (moms screaming their heads off) 
thimerosal was removed from a number of childhood vaccine programs………… The rates of autism did not decrease.
But what about Wakefield’s research? Well as it turns out 10 of his 12 co-authors retracted Wakefield’s interpretation of the data. And in 2004 investigative reporter Brian Deer published an article in the London Times claiming that Wakefield’s patients for the trial had been specially recruited by a lawyer preparing for a lawsuit against the makers of the MMR vaccine. If this is indeed true, Wakefield is an even more sub par researcher than I had thought.
Dr. Fudenberg has an even more dubious past. In 1995 he went before the South Carolina Board and was found guilty of “dishonorable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct“. As a result he lost his ability to prescribe drugs for the remainder of his career. In 2004, when his license expired, he applied to have it reinstated. Evidence concerning a psychiatric evaluation he underwent deemed him “unfit to practice medicine”, and he was allowed to withdraw his application. Despite his lack of a medical license Fudenberg continues to give medical advice such as: record reviews ($750 an inch), ordering medical tests and interpreting their results ($750).
Of all the mysteries concerning human behavior one that I will probably never understand is how people can take scientific, medical and political advise from celebrities -specifically actors and actresses. That is not to say they’re all complete morons, but they can hardly be considered experts.
No celebrity –that I know of–has had their hands in the cookie jar of misinformation concerning vaccines, autism (and some other dubious claims) more than Jenny McCarthy. In fact her own website bares the subtitle “Autism is Reversible” (unfortunately to date it is not). McCarthy has gained so much publicity through her antivacc campaign that there is now a website dedicated to the number of preventable deaths that have occurred (amongst the unvaccinated) since she began to speak about them in public.
McCarthy’s situation with her son –who was diagnosed with autism–is unquestionably difficult for her. And while I’m sympathetic to her situation if she is going to tout medical claims she must be held to the same scrutiny as the scientific community. I’m also focusing on her specifically as she has publicly made a number of “raising the bar/moving the goalpost” fallacies that so many antivaccs make.
Though McCarthy still maintains (on her website) that mercury in vaccines is a major factor in autism, when confronted directly she typically moves on to other things found (and some not) in vaccines, all of which are way below toxic doses. I’ll address two of them.
1. Formaldehyde -It is true that some vaccines contain residual amounts of formaldehyde, but they are way below EPA limits. As it were, the human body naturally contains a minimum of 2.5 micrograms of formaldehyde for every milliliter of blood, as it is essential to the synthesis of DNA and amino acids. Therefore the amount of formaldehyde naturally occurring in a 2 month year old infant (at 5kg and 85ml of blood per kg) is about 1.06mg –a significantly greater amount than those found in vaccines. Additionally, doses 600 times greater than the amount found in vaccines have been given safely to rats.
2. Antifreeze -This is completely false. No vaccines contain ethylene glycol (antifreeze).
When faced with the evidence concerning that McCarthy typically follows with the declaration (although it’s her lead in the Larry King interview) “It’s too many too soon”, implying that a child’s immune system can not handle the amount of antigens being given during their vaccine schedule. Well as it turns out –based on antibody variable gene regions–we can handle on the low end 1 billion (that’s BILLION with a B) antibody specificities. The largest vaccine regimen contains enough antigens to produce 100 specific antibodies.
One of the assertions that will probably never die amongst antivacc proponents –specifically about influenza vaccines–is anecdotes such as “I don’t get vaccinated and I never get the flu”. Well there is a reason for that. It’s called herd immunity. When the majority of the population is vaccinated the chain system viruses depend on for transportation (that is person to person contact) is broken. So effectively, those of you who do not get vaccinated and still don’t get the flu are being moochers -GET A JOB YA MOOCH *humor*. Unfortunately your mooching is posing a risk for others. There is a small group of individuals that can not get vaccinated and they depend on herd immunity to avoid disease. If you’re not going to get vaccinated for yourself, at least do it for them.
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Today, the whole point of medicine is to create disease, illness, and destruction of life. So much for scantity of life.
I don’t believe a word in his paper. I acknowledge it. but I sure as hell do not take it seriously. To me, to believe is to sell a part of yourself to the devil. No thanks.
Yes! I love this!
@Anderson_Mania@xanga –
“I know you’re obviously busy, but look into some of this anti-vax “propoganda”, there is much more out there than the “vaccines cause autism” mantras.”
More out there like the “vaccines are a Christian conspiracy to sterilize us Muslims” mantra in Kano state of Nigeria, which banned imported polio vaccine for a while and saw a big outbreak of polio cases in children before it finally resumed vaccinations.
Love this post!
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Yes, I’m sure a thesis on data interpolation and computer programming would fly over my head. I’m not an expert on those subjects. No need to rub it in…not that it makes me feel worse about myself. I’m sure there are a few subjects about which I know a lot more than you. But your thesis neither proves that your IQ is higher than mine, nor that you are a medical expert, which is the issue at hand (or was supposed to have been).
GFCF diet for management, fine. My mistake. Peer-reviewed research on GFCF seems to be inconclusive so far. Again, though, I think you missed the point.
@freetheleafcutterants@xanga – I would offer you the opportunity to read my senior thesis on data interpolation, digital sound, and computer programming, however I’m sure it would fly way over your head, so I won’t even go there. I would also invite you to read some of the stuff I’ve done with Elliptic Curves and Modular Forms (exploring them a bit further, as these were used to prove one of math’s most interesting theorems), and I would also allow you to take a look at some of my attempted proofs of Goldbach’s Conjecture, however, again, these would probably be way out of your league, once again (even though each one eventually ran into a dead end).
As far as a GFCF diet, that’s for the MANAGEMENT of Autism. Nobody said that it was the CAUSE of Autism. Big difference there.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Why does someone as allegedly intelligent as yourself feel the need to tell everyone here how intelligent you are, and to compare yourself to someone like Kent Hovind? Why do you repeatedly feel the need to mention your IQ? Can’t you think of a better way to display your intelligence? In my experience, the people who do that kind of thing are the ones with the worst arguments. And why does someone as allegedly intelligent as you not understand that beyond adolescence, IQ scores are pretty much meaningless? Your refusal even to consider logical responses to the moon conspiracy theory negates your credibility, not to mention just about everything else you’ve posted. And while I agree that circumcision should not be forced on anyone, but don’t think you should let it ruin your life. Nor should a person as allegedly intelligent as yourself let your own personal bad experiences with doctors lead you to the conclusion that the entire medical industry is in cahoots with pharmaceutical companies and the federal government in an attempt to screw you and me over, especially in light of some of the positive experiences other commenters have had.
As for the original post, I found it very refreshing to read an article that intelligently refuses to jump on and even refutes the autism blame wagon. As a child, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Yes, I was fully vaccinated, but so were my brother and sister, who show no signs of autistic disorders. And we’ve always eaten lots of foods which are high in gluten and casein… Why in the world are my brother and sister not autistic, and why am I not worse off? I think it is suspect enough that autism has become the disease-du-jour for the past decade, so I am doubtful of any of the causes-du-jour for the disease-du-jour. I’ll stick with the peer-reviewed research that the greedy doctors read.
Thank you for writing this. Science all the way
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Then you’re a bigger idiot than I imagined. Carry on with your self-pity, and martyr-complex. I’ll NEVER sink to that pathetic level. Yeah, my life’s been a barrel full of shit, but guess what, kid? I don’t EVER make excuses for the shit in my life. I seek to change my course, and better myself physically and mentally. While you go suing everyone under the sun; blaming THEM for your misfortunes, I’ll be pursuing the art of perfecting myself. Becoming a better person.
Those who fucked up were held accountable; but that’s all. I never went on a faux crusade to harm people who had no influence nor bearing on the incidents that have deeply damaged my life, and my way of living. I’m not a selfish little shit.
So enjoy your pity party; because I will not be a witness to it. Nor will I encourage it. You’re pathetic.
@Schristian@xanga – Shit. I’d take all of that in exchange for not having to deal with another Cluster Headache. Talk to just about any Cluster Headache sufferer and they will tell you the exact same thing.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – No, I don’t experience physiological pain. I experience enormous psychological pain, EVERY GODDAMN DAY. Granted, my back is giving out every now and then due to my job; but my issues come from numerous, NUMEROUS misdiagnoses that caused me to take copious amounts of medicines against my will. I still suffer from panic attacks in schools (due to being beaten up by teachers and students); I still suffer from memory loss; and only being able to process stimuli and data at a speed half of that to a non-Autistic.
I still suffer ridicule from people around me who cannot fathom the shit I go through every day just to remember to brush my own damn teeth. I recently had to file discrimination and harassment charges against a co-worker due to his abuse about my issues and disabilities.
My education was affected too. I can’t even do basic algebra because of the way my education progressed, thanks to my school district and it’s “special educational programs”.
So no, I don’t suffer from Cluster Headaches. I suffer from a whole fuckload more. So don’t you ever, EVER fucking come to me, bitching about some lousy doctors. I still go back to school, in SPITE of the horrible treatment I had (and still do) get there. I still push on. I don’t make excuses, and I don’t lump every teacher I meet in with those who abused me. I’m not stupid enough to think like that.
You have no experience with what I’ve been through; and what I still go through. I have had to fight with my own BOSSES at work, just for a little bit of understanding regarding my “needs”. I’ve had to sit down with my company’s HR department more times than I’ve had to sit down with my parents to discuss financial issues.
And let’s get to THAT! I can’t even handle my own finances because of the way my brain is hardwired. Numbers and forms overload my “circuits”. I have to turn to my mother for help with things I would be able to handle on my own were I not “afflicted”. And yet, I still go to doctors. I still search for a way to properly handle MY issues, because I’m an ADULT, and ADULTS don’t shirk from their responsibilities to themselves, and those around them.
ADULTS don’t blame others for everything; nor do they throw out blanket, bigoted statements.
And neither do intelligent people.
End Of.
@Schristian@xanga – By the way, how about you try tasing yourself in the eye? Doesn’t sound too appealing to you does it? Well, I go through an amount of pain at least equal to that, if not more intense than that, 3 times per day for 8 weeks out of every year.
You apparently have no experience with Cluster Headaches….
@ChasexInxThin@xanga – If it’s THAT expensive go to a socialized system. I only make $28,000 per year, roughly. I can’t have $120,000 in medical bills (which is how much I had pre-Chapter 7 discharge).
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Why would I care about your medical plight when you stand firmly against the field? Seriously, you seem to think we should all buck and bow to your ideology based on your hard lot in life.
Now, before we continue:
I’m aware of the low level of income teachers receive. Personally, I find it criminal that teachers receive such a low sum, considering the time and effort they have to put into their work. HOWEVER, compare the work of a teacher to a doctor:
A teacher goes to a school, and addresses a room full of functioning, coherent beings. The teacher’s job is to instill knowledge and education within their “patients”. The knowledge a teacher passes on only changes when the next “edition” is released. But even then, in most academic studies, the information stays the same.
A doctor is required to deal with sick, sometimes terminally ill patients. Many of whom are incoherent, or ill-functioning. Their job is to work on allowing their patients to resume their daily lives with the same health as other cognitive, functioning beings. The doctor is under EXTREME pressure, EVERY DAY. While teachers can go home at night, many doctors are on “call”, meaning that no matter where they are, if they are called into the hospital, THEY HAVE TO GO.
You deal with ink; they deal with blood.
So it goes to show that they’d earn the higher wage.
However, I do feel teachers deserve a HIGHER salary than they receive. It’s almost goddamn criminal what teachers get anymore.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – That’s how much doctor’s are supposed to charge. Medical care is expensive. I wouldn’t want to go to a doctor charging $15 dollars anyway, would you? And I’m not saying all doctors aren’t “greedy bastards”, my father is a doctor and many of his peers are total assholes who don’t care about their patients at all.
@Schristian@xanga – At the same time I’m a teacher and I get paid shit. I can’t afford to bounce from doctor to doctor to doctor, lest I wind up in bankruptcy for a second time, or can you not exactly wrap your mind around that?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Nope. Know why? Because the medical field is vast, and comprised of thousands of doctors. In 2006, there were approximately 600,000+ jobs available in the medical field (Citation). So your sample of 9 out of 600,000+? Means shit. I reiterate that your point is invalid, and bigoted. Do come back when you’ve grown up a little, and matured intellectually. Thanks.
—
In my lifetime, I’ve seen around 20 different doctors. Both in the physiological, and psychological fields. I’ve been mistreated, misdiagnosed, and misrepresented. However, here I am today with a great doctor, and working on finding a suitable psychologist to aid me with dealing with my Autism and Bi-polar I.
And that’s because I’m not an idiot who buys into crackpot theories just because I had some bad experiences. And trust me, I’ve had way more worse than you.
Oh…and that’s NOT counting the countless dickheads I’ve seen in ERs.
@Schristian@xanga – Here’s how many doctors I’ve had, for the record: 3 GPs, 2 cardiologists, 1 card/electrophysiologist, 2 endocrinologists, and 1 neurologist. All of them fit the description I gave. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM.
Or is that not a big enough sample for you?
@Da__Vinci@xanga – I understand what you mean. My grandmother (father’s mother) is going through essentially the same thing. However, I am firm in my belief that once my grandfather died, she just gave up on living; hence why she developed dementia right after he passed. It was… heartbreaking…
BUT! She has great physicians caring for her, and the retirement home she is in is suited for her needs.
I just wish there was a way to help our respective elders live out the remainder of their years happily… and healthily (that’s… kind of ironic?)
@Schristian@xanga – Not alzheimers, she’s just living past her years right now. It’s sad to see it happen. My dad is 92 but still has some life left.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I love how you generalise based on ONE group. You’re proving my point more and more with your lack of education and illogical reasoning. I had a shit doctor myself; but then I changed over to a new one, and he’s worked out great. He’s attentive to my health issues, knows more about what I need; and what I expect to have work.
You’re a fool, and a bigot if you base your opinion of an entire group of people based on one or two you’ve met.
And you also prove that you really don’t know shit.
I again point you to the page about physician suicides.
I will also bring up that a frivolous lawsuit drove my old pediatrician out of business because it caused her undue psychological distress. So fuck you, and fuck all who bring up frivolous lawsuits for personal gain. That’s all that YOU have been doing: feeding yourself selfishly based on a lack of proper education on the subject.
I think vaccines help SO MUCH and people who have pulled unsubstantiated information out of their ass, trying to blame something for being the cause of autism, is SO frustrating. Vaccines are amazing, and help our natural immunity (as said here) and I think Jenny McCarthy is so fucking irritating. She wants answers, which I understand, but she’s trying to pin it on something that is unrelated, or is assumed to be related, instead of actually looking for the answer. She wants a quick answer. She wants a quick fix. There is no such thing. Ugh, I can’t stand her.
@Schristian@xanga – Oh yeah, you know my old doctors are living in poverty because I declared bankruptcy against them. (end sarcasm). They didn’t deserve that money anyway.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I love how you never state specifics until prompted. So much for being intelligent, no? -laughs-
You obviously don’t understand what insurance is, or how it works. Nor do you seem to understand the system in which we live. But then again, the only reason honest people like me NEED insurance is because fuckheads like you keep bombarding doctors with frivolous lawsuits; causing them to have to protect their careers, and investments into their patients. Yes, I said “investment”.
You see, my dear child, doctors don’t just walk out onto the floor and wave a magic wand that delivers unto them the diagnosis. They have to consult other doctors (neurologists, pulminologists) depending on the condition(s) present. They have to consult libraries of books; all of which contain copious amounts of important physiological information that one would understand with an ACTUAL EDUCATION ON THE SUBJECT.
You’re not paying for a “vist”. You’re paying for the experience that that doctor has. And yes, there are “quack” doctors out there. I had one myself. You have to simply find one that is educated enough to understand your personal differences. My current doctor is FANTASTIC. Within a week of going in, I had the proper medications to stop my throat from swelling due to excessive PND.
Not only that, but we got the PND under control.
Just because you had one bad experience does NOT mean they all are like that.
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” -Gandhi
And being a narrow-minded simpleton does not bode well for one either. Especially someone who has been consistently wrong in this entire “debate”.
And lastly, I question your views on the world on one simple principle: You could not discern who I was. I’ll elaborate:
-You sumrised I was female. Based on what, is beyond me. If you had taken the time to look, or even “research” me, you’d find I was a male. It’s right on my bloody page
-You then assumed I worship Satan. Had you done “research”, you’d find that I believe not in either the Christian God, nor Satan. I believe in a transcendentalistic Satanistic Buddhism. And no, Satanism is NOT the worship of Satan. Read up on Anton LaVey before you even DARE comment on that
-You then assume I wear make-up. Again, this is based on nothing; since there’s no indication I wear make-up.
-Lastly, you posit that I promote drug abuse/use, worshipping Satan, and sex. I can only assume you mean unprotected, unmonitored, unsafe sexual practises. I’ve only ever slept with two women. Both of whom were long-term girlfriends. I don’t believe in unsafe sex practises; but you wouldn’t know that, having done NO “research” on me.
I also have only ever tried two drugs in my lifetime: Weed, and Ecstacy. After writing up my experience on E, I summarized my experience as a “complete waste of money”, and it only enforced my opinion that the habit of taking illicit drugs is a selfish, wasteful, foolish one. I live by experience, and example. I educate myself on the things going into my body, and what will effect me.
So if I cannot trust your BASIC OBSERVATIONAL AND RESEARCH skills; what makes you think you’re ever going to be credible in any type of argument?
Exactly. You cannot.
Also, I’ve turned down medications because of the inherent side-effects, and found alternatives that work perfectly with my unique physiology. Because human beings are ALL coded DIFFERENT, medicine is that much HARDER to nail down. But you wouldn’t know that, because you “hate reading”. And guess where you learn about medicine?
IN A FUCKING BOOK
@Schristian@xanga – I meant WITHOUT THE AID OF INSURANCE. I’m talking $20 for a full-price office visit.
@Da__Vinci@xanga – At a certain age, the body is beyond repair. It depends on many factors; most of which are genetic. I’m assuming she suffers from dementia and alzheimers?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – My Part-time insurance leaves me with a $15 co-pay at my “family” doctor. Everywhere else? I get charged little to nothing. Piss off.
@ChasexInxThin@xanga – Asking people like Piper to actually EDUCATE themselves is equivalent to taking a piece of shit; wadding it up in toilet paper; pouring ketchup on it; and hurling it into a toxic dump. It’s pointless, weird, and achieves nothing. It’s also futile, as the end result is always a wad of shit.
@ChasexInxThin@xanga – Show me a doctor who doesn’t charge more than $20 for an office visit, and I’ll believe you.
(That’s all a routine office visit is worth…and they want to charge you $100+ for seeing you in their office for maybe 10 minutes….)
@CMWINK@xanga – Well, having this kind of information is good. It helps keep you aware of the current state of the medicinal field; and protects you from the bizarre rantings of the uninformed conspiracy propogators.
Speaking as a circumscised male, I can barely handle the sensations from sex and masturbation as I am now. I can only sumrise that being uncircumscised would cause me pain moreso than pleasure; and I dislike pain. In my case, I’m ultra-sensitive tactily. Which basically means that I’m sensitive to touch, and certain sensations. What children like Piper don’t realise is that not every human is built the same way; and in some cases, certain procedures are necessary.
For example:
-I wouldn’t be able to see if it weren’t for doctors. I was born cross-eyed and needed three eye operations in order to see properly.
-My girlfriend would not be alive if it weren’t for her medications. She has heart arrythmia (irregular heart palpitations/pumping), and asthma.
Medicines don’t always work; but for many, they do. To deny this is simply to admit to being ignorant to facts and reality. And that’s why I suggest arming yourself with knowledge. At the very least, should the subject come up, you’ll be able to form your own opinion, based on what you’ve read. Unlike Piper, though, I know you’ll read both sides of the issue; as you come across as someone who isn’t constrained to one track of thought.
I find it sad that this entry was promoting better knowledge of health; and zealots like Piper come in to use it to launch their selfish platforms. Disgusting.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Not all doctors are greedy bastards.
Don’t be so fucking ignorant.
Thanks for writing this informative post. It’s very interesting. =)
I do think vaccines work and we are better off with them.
I also think the basic philosophy of western medicine is flawed. They are too hung up on treating symptoms and not causes. Causes are expensive though.
I am still my best physician, because I know myself better than any doctor. I bear the responsibility of my own health, not some stranger who sends me off for testing.
I saw my doctor last week, and simply becuase I am 51, he wants me to undergo a colon test.
I think that is a decision I will opt out of for now. I do realize how important it is, but I also do not like the fact that most doctors are not descriminating enough to know that most major disease is a symptom of old age and should not be treated.
For example, my mother is 87 and has lost or is losing her mind. Yet she takes heart, blood pressure, cholesteral, and anti depressants, not to mention the ‘memory pill’, when her and my fathers quality of life literally sucks.
They are slowly being turned into zombies.
I don’t want them to die, but I would rather they live well, not just live.
There is a time for everything and I want to die when my life is not under my control anymore.
I guess I’ll have to keep a morphine drip handy in about 20 or so years, because I sure don’t want to be a zombie.
Anyone looking for one night stand?
Go to: http://www.Sssex.net
Same reason they take Political and Environmental advice from celebrities.
People are fucking stupid and easily distracted by expensive clothing.
I guess being able to lie about who you are (acting) is enough reason to think any of them know everything about everything.
Personally, I’d love it if actors realized what they were (eye candy) and shut the fuck up. But they’ve got so many Yes-Men around them at all times, kissing their asses and never giving them negative feedback, it inflates their egos to gigantic proportions.
@CMWINK@xanga – They were shitty parents on more than that account, trust me. Forcing me into a religion I never believed in (and still don’t believe in, hell, I don’t even believe in a deity), among some other things they did to me. There’s a reason we don’t talk to each other.
@Schristian@xanga – Yeah, it’s interesting to read though. Plus, I don’t really have any use for this “information” just yet…
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I don’t like the whole procedure for circumcision, it sounds really painful for a newborn. I’m not sure I’m buying what you say about them remembering it subconsciously though… but because of this I talked to a friend of mine who isn’t circumcised… apparently he wishes he was because he is too sensitive there. For my own future children, I’m on the fence about whether to do it, but mostly because I know it’ll hurt and that’s the only cringe I get about it.
Anyway, I was just saying… not that sex is painful as a circumcised man, I was just pointing out the fact that it is actually still very good.
More of a sarcastic way of saying that it doesn’t make anything bad. Oh and the women bit, I just brought up the fact that guys, circumcised or not, don’t have it as “dull and boring” some women do. Whether women orgasm or not, I don’t think size is the only thing that matters, after all, it’s how you use it.
Did being circumcised really make a huge difference in your life? All 18 years?
@cody_ashby@xanga – Well we agree on one thing…without teachers you wouldn’t be where you are today. Very, very few people ever recognize their teachers for the work they did to ensure their success, and that’s a sad fact. Even me, as an AP math teacher, rarely get thanked. It’s OK though.
I went to a small high school graduated 1st in a class of 40 people (haha). Pretty much all of my teachers were what I’d call “OK” of “mediocre,” though I had a few that were assholes. The only difference I see, is I HATE READING with a passion. Haha.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – actually i believe that people of your profession are how i came to be who i am: the salutatorian of a class of near 1000 students in a diverse and challenging highschool, an avid reader and eager learner continuing my studies as long as it takes, and a tolerant and appreciative individual who isn’t afraid to speak my mind, and knows what i believe. so if all you’ve got left to do is make assumptions, this conversation ends here. again i state, i have nothing against your job as a teacher. i actually attempted to relate our professions as being parts of a whole effort to do what we believe will impact society for the better.
@CMWINK@xanga – I wrote a blog awhile back called “The Physical and Psychological Ramifications of Circumcision.” When you introduce pain into the part of the brain that governs genital pleasure, it is remembered subconsciously even if not consciously (of course, the procedure is done WITHOUT ANESTHESIA). Also refer to the number of nerve endings accounted for (20,000 on the foreskin vs. just 4,000 elsewhere). That should speak volumes.
I never said sex was painful as a circumcised man. Where did you get that? What I’m saying is the foreskin enhances the pleasure dynamic. Also, you speak about women orgasms, women who have sex with intact males are FOUR TIMES more likely to achieve orgasm. That little bit of extra width helps out a ton.
So yes, psychologically, for men who find out what he’s missing, it’s a hard blow, and it was a bitter pill for me to swallow. Too bad I couldn’t have sued my pieces of shit parents (they were and are pieces of shit in more ways than one) and bankrupted them for the 18 years of hell they put me through. That would have been totally awesome. *sigh*
@Schristian@xanga – So then, are you saying a parent of a female child should be allowed to consent to a female circumcision? Are you saying that a parent of a baby should be allowed to consent to rhinoplasty? Same thing. Parents should NOT have the right to consent to cosmetic procedures. Luckily the law protects males somewhat now.
http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/
http://www.nocirc.org/
Both of these sites are founded and maintained by allopathic professionals. If they are causing great distress in the medical community, GREAT!!! They need to be, maybe they’ll think twice before performing another male genital mutilation surgery.
@Schristian@xanga – Did I say there was a Devil? NO! What I said was you looked like a Satanic sex god, implying that you look like a devil worshipper, and I HIGHLY suggest you get a different picture because you sure are sending the wrong message with that picture. Any responsible parent definitely wouldn’t let their child view your site with a display pic like that.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – There is no make-up on me. It’s called “PHOTOSHOP”. It’s an image that was processed using a negative light filter, and then a glow filter to enhance the lines. Moron. I use photo editing software to make pictures into art.
And there’s no such thing as the Devil. I think street drugs are a waste of money, and life. And sex is amazing.
You’re really not intelligent, are you?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You do realise that a child doesn’t have the exact same rights as the parents, right? A child cannot agree or disagree to a medical procedure; ergo the lawsuit itself is null and void based on that very principle. I repeat: I’ve never had an ED issue; nor do I experience loss of feeling, or dehanced feeling.
You still haven’t proven it to be unnecessary. Until you’ve proven that, your argument remains null. Note that I never said it was NECESSARY; I simply stated that it’s neither.
Your lawsuits are frivolous, unfounded, and causing great distress in the medical community; where the money could be going to find actual cures for ailments like mine. Thank you so kindly for hampering other people’s lives because you’re ill-informed, uneducated, and selfish.
@Schristian@xanga – And judging by that makeup and you’re a Satanic sex god and a waste of human space by polluting children’s minds with messages of sex and drugs.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Creationism is a load of bunk too. There’s not enough actual evidence to support it. So please, spare me.
Oh really. These “studies” of yours are “covered up”? Bullshit. Either provide the proof, or leave. Stop making up excuses. I really HATE people who try to make arguments, but cannot back them up. You’ve merely proven my point that you’re psychotic; and quite naive. If you cannot furnish proof of your claims against medicine, then your argument is forfeit. You’re just tossing out crack-pot theories, with nothing to back them up. You fraud.
And yes, births have been successful in the past; but moreso NOW that we have modern medicine. Premes have a lower mortality rate with the advancement of medicine; so do children who require a C-Section to be birthed; et al.
Modern medicine has deeply lowered the mortality rate in the US; and it continues to flourish in the rest of the world. Just take a look at the average age of death now, as compared to hundreds of years ago. Or are THOSE “fabricated” too?
I also like how you gloss over the fact that you assumed you knew my gender. You’re still a fucking moron. Piss off. You’ve got no educational clout in this argument. None. It’s been a pure pleasure watching you shoot yourself in the foot.
—
Kent Hovind is another of those psychotics who perpetrate propoganda with no factual basis. Prove the Lunar landing never happened. Does he also discredit the Holocaust? That’s a MAJOR conspiracy lately. He’s been highly discredited too. Please, leave until you have an actual education on this subject. AND FACTS.
@Schristian@xanga – Circumcision has been declared medically unnecessary by the AMA and the AAP. 80% of the world’s men are uncircumcised, and have no more penis problems than the roughly 80% circumcised US, and have lower rates of Erectile Dysfunction, if you weren’t aware of that. It DOES NOT prevent a significant amount of infection.
The foreskin contains 20,000 nerve endings, all of which are sensitive to light touch. The glans only has around 4,000 endings, and these are not sensitive to light touch, rather these are pressure/pain sensitive endings. As such, when the foreskin is removed, all 5 of the most sensory parts of the penis are removed with it (the frenulum, frenar band, dartos fascia, inner mucosa, and even the preputial opening).
You want some actual medical doctors who oppose the procedure? Visit Doctors Opposing Circumcision, these are actual medical doctors. Since the procedure is all but useless, hence it becomes a violation of rights for the parents to consent to it, and they can be justly sued.
@Schristian@xanga – Successful births were around LONG BEFORE modern medicine dipshit.
Also, there are some very, very intelligent creationists out there, and I assume you don’t believe in creationism, right? Kent Hovind’s IQ is roughly the same as mine as measured by an objective intelligence test, and he believes in every conspiracy theory you can name (9/11, New World Order, Faked Lunar Landings). I highly doubt earth is 6,000 years old as he claims, but that has no bearing on one’s IQ.
I understand plenty of how medicine works: it simply changes the body’s chemistry, which is bound to throw something else off. All medicines have side effects, period, most of which are worse than the symptoms they treat.
Unfortunately, studies that discredit medicine are eaten up by the FDA in the form of one of two things, 1) they pay the person to not publish the study (and quite well I might add), and/or 2) they purchase the study and then it vanishes completely. It’s amazing what the temptation of millions of dollars will make someone do!
I’ve always said: the government is THE SINGLE MOST FUCKED-UP thing in the world, and quite frankly, the United States sucks. I’m surprised there hasn’t been another civil war.
@CMWINK@xanga – For the love of god, don’t listen to that guy. At all. He has no idea what he’s talking about in terms of medicine. You’re better off just doing your own research on these topics; rather than leave your education in the hands of a fundamentalist crazy. I’d offer you some of my own experiences, but I’ve listed them in my responses to the Psychotic. Go read up on circumscision on medical, and Wikipedia sites.
But definitely avoid those who advocate (strongly) conspiracy theories without evidence to support such theories. Few, if any, CTs are ever proven true. Ever.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – All I keep seeing is: “OMG I IS A REBL AN I STIK IT 2 DA MAN COZ I SO SMART LOLOLOLOL”
Show me where circumscisions are “unnecessary”, or suit worthy. A circumscision has no adverse effects on people.
My penis works just fine. In fact, I end up having a hard time keeping myself from getting aroused. Oh NOES! My libido is just fine (above average, annoyingly); I feel EVERYTHING during sex; and never once went unsatisfied in my sex life… aside from my only partners being HORRID in bed. So far.
Not ONLY that, but my orgasms border on the intense side; causing me to almost pass out the majority of the time having done so. I’ve enjoyed each and every one of my orgasms; and being circumscised has had no ill effects on me whatsoever.
It sounds like you’re not speaking out of truth or fact; you’re just complaining about either having a ED issue; a nerve issue; or you’re just shit in bed. Pick one, because simps like you are too quick to blame other people for your own failures or inadequacies. I could sit here and pick apart your psychoses all night, but I have a job to get to. So I can earn money towards my psych degree.
Piss off, you uneducated wanker.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I’m a GUY. You fucking moron. So much for having a “high IQ”. And I highly DOUBT you have a 160 IQ, especially since you buy into the bunk that is the medicinal conspiracy theory. Even funnier that the author of this entry you’re commenting on has linked you to facts; and that medicine is supported by all the fields of science.
Or that the only reason you exist is because a doctor was there to ensure your birth was successful.
You haven’t a CLUE how medicine works; nor how the science is run. You have no understanding of what goes on in hospitals, or behind the doors of those who spend their entire lives perfecting the ironic art of keeping people healthy until they die of old age.
You’re so quick to call doctors and physicicans such monstrous things, but http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/806779-overview actually shows just how human, and affected they are by the work they put into idiots like you. People who do nothing but tout this faux sense of “whistleblowing”.
Show me facts, you uneducated tit. And don’t try to tout your “mathematics” nonsense. It’s not pertinent to this discussion. You know nothing about medicine. And that’s what I’m calling you on.
You come in here with no facts; spouting insane, ignorant, nonsense; and then try to play the Martyr Card? Again, go fuck yourself. You’ve got nothing behind you to martyr yourself with. You’re a fraud.
You’re telling the “truth”? Prove it with actual facts. Not fabrications from psychotics.
@Schristian@xanga – How would you know being a woman whether or not circumcision diminishes sex for a man?
I’ll never see another doctor as long as I live, I made that promise to myself right after I declared the big “B” on my worthless doctors. They didn’t see a dime of what they wanted to charge me, and I don’t have to pay it as I was discharged legally and met all the requirements for bankruptcy (not to mention I was flat broke at the time). MUHAHAHAHA.
I’m a mathematician, so to say I don’t support science is bogus, but I don’t support junk science, which is what 99.9% of modern medicine is.
Whistleblowers are persecuted for telling the truth, so is Kevin. It’s amazing how much people who tell the truth get persecuted. You call me a sheep yet I highly doubt your IQ is as high as mine (160+).
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I just don’t understand why it must be SUCH a big deal where one can go and sue their parents for something like a medical procedure that he doesn’t even remember. I also don’t understand why orgasm would EVER be dull and boring, especially to the male… seriously? Try being a female when some can’t even get an orgasm You don’t know “dull and boring” yet if you have never been female.
I still have to disagree on circumcision crippling a man’s sex life. A guy would be content with his sex life unless you tried telling him that it’s better being uncircumcised. I don’t think the majority of guys would feel crippled unless they were told they were. It doesn’t exactly hurt having sex when you’re circumcised (according to guy friends). I see where you’re coming from, but I don’t think it’s an important issue in today’s society.
@CMWINK@xanga – Being circumscised really isn’t bad at all. Nor does it hurt during sex.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – No. Your statements border on the psychotic. Your paranoidal delusions are frightening, to say the least. As a psychological study, you’re a fascinating example of a gullible, yet deeply troubled individual. Far be it for me to recommend prescriptions, but you need a doctor. And not one that deals with physiological issues.
You’re uneducated in the matters of drugs, doctors, pharmaceuticals, and pretty much everything dealing with this issue. That much is apparent by your comments, and complete unwillingness to look outside your tinted, narrow scope of reality.
And guess what? You’re talking to an Autistic right now (me). So I am hedging that I know fucklot MORE than you will ever know. So take your insane ramblings AND GO FUCK YOURSELF.
I HATE people like you who stunt the growth of medicine; who turn their backs on the advancement of science; all in the name of UNFOUNDED, ILLEGITIMATE, IGNORANT conspiracy theories. Especially when it involves something so close to home to me.
Go read a REAL book that hasn’t been discredited to the point of being a laughing stock of the medical community. You foolish sheep.
@CMWINK@xanga – Actually, new laws allow men ages 18 to 21 to go after both the circumcising doctor and his parents for an unnecessary circumcision in the form of a lawsuit. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations has run out on me, or I’d go after my parents like stink on a skunk and not think a thing about it. My old pedi has since passed away so I couldn’t go after him.
@CMWINK@xanga – It’s done because of the misinformation out there. Well, they don’t complain because they have no parallel. Well, as a restored male (was circumcised, later restored my foreskin), I can say the difference in sensitivity is huge, and orgasm as a circumcised male is DULL AND BORING. Orgasm as a fully intact male is LIVELY AND EXCITING. Also, it’s not as good as I otherwise would have had fully intact, the replacement is never as good.
You can’t equate abortion and circumcision. Abortion doesn’t leave a baby to have to deal with a compromised part of his life for the rest of his life, as it’s the termination of a pregnancy. Circumcision cripples a man’s sex life. The foreskin can be stretched to loosen it, circumcision is not necessary to treat phimosis (a tight foreskin). If anything, a small dorsal slit in extreme cases (just a lengthwise cut in the foreskin to loosen it). A tight foreskin NEVER REQUIRES CIRCUMCISION.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – circumsizing your daughter would be horrific for the reason that it does not give any benefits and it pretty much takes away the best source of sexual pleasure for her later in life. A male can still feel pleasure after being circumsized… I haven’t heard any guys complaining about missing that part of them. I have friends who are both circumcized and uncircumsized, in the U.S. and it’s not an issue.
I don’t want to bring any other ideas into this, but if abortion(when it’s obvious so many are against it) is still legal, why would circumcision be illegal for males, who still reap benefits from it and don’t have a problem with feeling pleasure in their sex life? In fact, circumcision is necessary for certain males whose foreskin is too tight… ever heard of those cases? To summarize, that’s why one has the choice on whether to do it. Some see it as a cosmetic or health need and others think it’s horrible. You just fall into the second category. I don’t see why there is a big debate, if it’s so bad, why would anyone still do it?
Well said, it’s about time. I’m sick and tired of people spreading around all this horsecrap about vaccines leading to Autism. The whole “missing piece of the puzzle” logo for Autism Speaks pisses me off too.
The rude paranoia in the comments takes away from the point of the post.
Good post. Well researched (at least it came off that way). Good luck with the whole med school thing. The sane people in the world know that all doctors aren’t greedy and unethical. Both my parents are doctors.
The celebrity worship of our time is unbelievable. I’ve heard the espousal of political theory from people who could not even accurately define our system of government (a republic, not a democracy). The confusion of various religious theologies by people having no hermeneutical abilities whatsoever and seemed to have no grasp of the theological divergences of the three main branches of the church or know what the three are (orthodox, reformed, and protestant). As for science, I’ve even heard one imbecile (I won’t mention Ted Danson’s name) claim we only had a decade of air left on the planet.
These people know nothing. They live fantasy lives pretending to be someone else and getting paid rediculous amounts of money far beyond their real worth, and being guiltfully aware of their hollow shells, they look for some meaning they can ascribe to themselves without the work required to earn their platform. Constitutional scholars without law degrees, Theologians who never went to seminary, and Doctors without a doctorate.
Pathetic and contemptable (I know. I’m ranting. Sorry). One of the worst things in the world is listening to a celebrity trying to be meaningful by speaking to an important issue. Jenny McCarthy may have a personal stake in the case of Autism, but that doesn’t mean she knows anything beyond what any other parent of an Autistic child knows. I would suspect significantly less.
@Schristian@xanga – I AM NOT PSYCHOTIC. I just see the glass as half-empty. There’s a huge difference.
A very good post!
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – What’s funny is I’m bitter and cynical, but Piper makes me look like a fucking optimist. Christ… that’s one disturbed, paranoid, psychotic.
Man, you get some really stupid people responding with their ridiculous conspiracy theories.
Great article. Well researched and explained.
http://www.angelfire.com/amiga/aut/autschizdiff.html
Hmm….this is interesting:
I don’t fit in category 1) at all. Nobody controls what I think, I sure don’t think I did anything amazing like that described, and I don’t hallucinate.
Category 2), again, no hallucinations, and I was definitely how I am before age 6, in fact, I was this way as long as I can remember. I also knew I was different, however, didn’t know why.
Category 3), again, it’s part of who I am. Mood stabilizers, though they helped prevent me from extreme Autistic meltdown, didn’t do much else.
Category 4), I’m not detached from reality. I’m right here, and all here.
Category 5), I am obsessive about having things in order.
Category 6), I’m often very times confused with cliches and whatever. Schizophrenics are not.
Category 7), I don’t have savant-level skills, however, my math skills are definitely way above average.
Category 8), Haha, I’m anything but ordinary.
Category 9), No comment. I’m not mentally ill.
Category 10), Wow. I’m so fucking clumsy it’s not even funny.
Category 11), I have intense obsessions with mathematics, mechanical clocks, and computers.
I figured I should expand on F: I don’t meet Schizophrenia diagnostic criteria due to the following:
1) I don’t hear voices.
2) I don’t hallucinate.
(Edited for clarity).
DSM-IV DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR ASPERGER’S DISORDER (I’ve bolded the criteria I meet):
A.Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity
B.Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
(1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
C.The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D.There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).
E.There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
F.Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.
@Magniloquentia@xanga – I didn’t admit anything. I’m positive I could have been diagnosed by a homeopath just as well.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Talk to Dr. Jill Walters of FBC Abilene Ministry Of Counseling who made the diagnosis. You can find their phone number on their website.
I gotta feeling….
that this is the best video ever.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You don’t know that. You’re operating on the assumption that anything less than a cure is effectively poison, this is not true. Regardless, you have accepted the diagnosis and changed your life accordingly, which is admission enough that modern medicine does and can help. It is imperfect, albiet superior to anything else available.
What I said about your generalization towards medicine and its practicioners is true to any generalization. Meeting a handful of dumb blondes does not make them all such, particularly when an overwhelming amount of people vocalize experiences that differ. The same applies to doctors, or anyone else for that matter. It has little to do with sheep mentality, and more to do with tempered wisdom, rationality, and self-control.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Then you don’t understand Asperger’s and don’t have it. So which is it? Asperger’s have a very limited worldview, their world. I grew up around it. Everything is about them, their actions and reactions to what affects them, without consideration of how it might be affecting those around them.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Nonetheless, I have a special appointment to help someone with some Differential Equations homework. It’s been fun pissing you off!!!
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – If I cared about nobody but myself why would I volunteer about 10 hours per week with NOCIRC? If I cared about nobody but myself why would I donate some of what is already a small salary to the ASPCA, Rescue the Animals, and similar organizations? And, because there are some people who want it (or think they need it), if I didn’t care about other people, I wouldn’t get stuck in the arm with a needle every 8 weeks and give up a pint of my own blood now would I? Of course, I also benefit from it as blood donation has health benefits to the donor as well (men who donate blood cut their risk of heart disease in half). If I cared about nobody but myself, I wouldn’t be a teacher, would I?
Ouchie. I think I just proved you wrong on the claim I’m self-centered.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I wasn’t harrassing you and you know it! I pointed out a FACT, you called me a cunt for doing so – talk about harrassing, lol!
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I just don’t want to be harassed on my own site. You can bug me and harass me in an open forum or another site, just not my own. I offer the same respect in that way to you, so that’s all I ask back. At least hash it out on a neutral site.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I said “maybe” that was why I was here, and I also said maybe it was because I was bored and you’re entertaining in a kind of pathetic way for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
However, unlike you I am quite able of feeling empathy, and have been known to feel for and care for those I have met over the Internet. I know Asperger’s don’t understand that concept at all, but just because you lack empathy doesn’t mean everyone does. Just because you care about no one but yourself, and yourself barely at that, certainly does not mean the rest of the world is as cold and callous as you are.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – You don’t give a shit about me. LOL. Don’t try to say you’re trying to give me a spark of hope. That’s the funniest thing you’ve said all day. I’m literally in tears laughing at that one.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You know, you really should delete the other comment I left on your site as anyone with 2 brain cells can figure out what I meant and that I was right if you leave the first comment up. And typical of your type, call me a cunt, delete the comment I left that blatantly pointed out your error and then block me. Epic fail.
@cody_ashby@xanga – Not to mention you’re high and mighty and whatever, you probably think I’m useless in my profession. You’re probably one that subscribes to the fallacy of “those who can’t do teach.” Don’t worry, you aren’t alone in your thinking, though if anyone was a teacher for so much as a day, they’d quickly see just how wrong that statement is.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – frankly, i don’t care if my profession sounds ‘fun’ to you. what doesn’t sound ‘fun’ to you sounds like the best possible option for my goals and aspirations. i have a lot of self discipline and if putting myself through school for what is actually 2 extra years (and an extra $80,000 in tuition fees) in an effort to have the knowledge necessary to potentially correct what i see to be a big problem, then i will do so without a second thought. i would be going through a pharmd program whether i would be paid a 9 or 90 thousand dollar salary upon completion. (in the same way that you chose to be a teacher with the knowledge that you would only be paid a modest amount to do so)
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – If you don’t even try you absolutely cannot succeed. As I said before, we’ve already come a long way but you’re convinced nothing will ever change government-wise and that’s simply not true, you have admitted defeat.
I never said you were worthless, you said that. You said life is 90% misery, you said nothing can be changed so why bother trying, you said you want the right to kill yourself, you said all these things, not me.
Maybe I’m here hoping something will spark a bit of hope or reality into your life. Maybe I’m here because I’m bored. What does it matter? Obviously you like it or you’d stop replying.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Where did I ever say those words? And again, it doesn’t matter, are you or are you not responsible for your own actions? I never said you should kill yourself, I said it was sad that you want to kill yourself. Have a little trouble with reading comprehension? In the same token, what you have posted here could very easily be brought to the attention of law enforcement and you could be locked up for harboring thoughts of self-harm. You would cry foul at that, it’s your decision, right? IT’S YOUR DECISION – NO ONE ELSE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS!
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – If I’m so worthless and pathetic why are you even carrying on with me? Didn’t think of that did you? You always have the option of not replying to me, at which point I won’t reply back. Ever think of that?
I haven’t admitted defeat. I just know what can and can’t be changed and am REALISTIC. You are NOT realistic when it comes to change. You set unattainable goals. That will do nothing but drive you down, trust me, I suffer from that problem myself. Getting a DA in math? That’s easily attainable (for me anyway as mathematics is my field of expertise). Getting three doctoral degrees? Not very attainable. See the difference?
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – That’s not what I’m talking about. Basically the suggestion to kill one’s self would have to come in those direct words to count as negligent homicide (i.e. “you should just kill yourself,” or “go shoot yourself,” or “go jump off a cliff”). It would imply the actual suggestion for one to kill one’s self, which it appeared to me you did.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – No, I’m not covering up anything – it’s called moving on and living successfully. If everyone who ever suffered pain in their life spent the rest of their lives wallowing in self pity and bitterness NOTHING in this world would ever be achieved. You say things can’t be changed and everyone should just give up, but you simply don’t want to look like the lazy-ass, bitter person you are by your own actions. You don’t want to be alone in your defeat so you’re trying to convince everyone to join you, but mentally healthy people don’t give up just because life is sometimes painful.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Oh, one other thing. Is it or is it NOT your right/decision to kill yourself?!? If you really stand behind what you’ve been saying you would be totally against allowing people to be charged with homicide for “encouraging someone to kill themselves.” It really is a ridiculous idea; if you ask a girl out and she rejects you and because of that you are so upset you kill yourself do you really think she should be charged with homicide simply because she wouldn’t go out with you? Are you not responsible for your any actions? Grow up!
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Ummm…I’ve had a few posts featured on this website coming from my POV as an AS sufferer. I’ve had usually positive feedback on the posts I write here. I’ve contributed too, and whether you want to believe me or not, that’s your choice.
Ummm….after having been through all that, if you say you enjoy life, you’re just lying to yourself to cover up the hurt you feel deep down. Ever heard the saying “I smile and say I’m fine, but deep down I’m hurting inside?” That describes you PERFECTLY.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I was not encouraging you to kill yourself, in fact I stated that it’s rather sad that you feel that way at such a young age. I agreed with your right to do so if that is what you wish. But then again, this is *exactly* what I would expect from someone like you. Is that what you are doing? Trolling sites trying to find someone to blame for you wanting to die? Pathetic.
For the record, I do not wish anyone to feel so badly about themselves or their lives that they would want to kill themselves, and I certainly do not encourage people to kill themselves. However, I do still believe the world would be a better place without the ignorance and stupidity, regardless how it comes about, evolution will suffice even though it’s a slow process.
I’ve lived a lot longer than you, I’ve been through hell and back, I live with JD, my brother was killed by being burned to death trapped in a car because of a drunk driver who hit him, I’ve lost 2 ex-boyfriends to suicide. This isn’t a pity fest, but then that’s the difference beteween you and I, I am capable of perservering and not becoming bitter and still enjoying life. You are not.
@Magniloquentia@xanga – They INEFFECTIVELY treated me which is worse than no treatment at all, because I wonder what other systems in my body have gone awry now. For all I know I may have pancreatic or liver cancer as a result, but I’ll never know nor will anybody else until I wind up in the morgue.
It has indeed changed my lifestyle, and I’m more mindful of the things that are very healthy about me (my muscles and mind for example) and to add to their health to try to balance out what is out of whack. I’ll always suffer from unbearable head pain for 8 weeks out of every year (happens like clockwork and has for the past 5 years), however, I’ve learned to manage.
I don’t hold opinions just because they are popular, but based on life experiences, among other things. If I held popular opinions, I would not hold that there doesn’t exist a personal god. If I held popular opinions, I would not hold that the American government is fucked-up. If I held popular opinions, I would not hold that the Apollo missions were a hoax. Make sense?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Your answer didn’t explain anything, it only expressed confusion/resentment over payment. They did indeed treat you, and I’m sure the revelation of these things has changed your lifestyle. The problem is that in medicine, there is no garuntee because the Human body is not a toaster. Being that humans are not a Human invention, we cannot/have not yet figured out how everything works–not by a long shot. The economics of the matter are something entirely different and I’ll leave that be. That seems to be your real issue, not the actual efficacy of allopathy itself.
To say modern allopathy is a lie would be to refute microbiology, which is to refute chemistry, physics, mathematics, etc. which I don’t think you are prepared to do. It’s imperfect, but the leaps made in even 30 years are astounding, let alone 100. Furthermore, it’s FAR better than any of the alternatives as it is the only option that isn’t based on superstition or alchemy. While I’m sorry it couldn’t help you, and that your experience was poor, the vast opposition your views are recieving here should be evidence enough that your generalizations should probably be re-evaluated.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Ummm…if you looked at my past maybe you’d understand my bitterness. I’ve lived through some real horrors, some of which are difficult to come to terms with, and some of which I’ve yet to. I think you’d be a bit bitter too. Of course, some details of mentioned things I don’t share, as I feel it is a very private matter.
So you defend my right to refuse medical treatment. Most medical professionals don’t. Hence maybe you’re a bit different than most medical professionals.
So now you’re encouraging me to kill myself. You do know if I do, you can be charged with negligent homicide if I follow through, right? Just thought you should know.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – It’s really quite sad and pathetic that you are so bitter at such a young age. Things can be changed, we’ve already come a long way, just because it takes a little work to get there is no reason to give up.
And as far as I’m concerned, I’ll defend you 100% in the right to refuse medical treatment, reamin ignorant and even kill yourself if that’s what you truly want.
Actually, the sooner the world is done with the ignorant/chosen stupid, the faster we will progress.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – If you think you can change things GIVE IT UP. Because you can’t. Forget it.
I would never dream of causing harm to another human being save to defend myself. I will go so far as to take a life when needed, but ONLY OUT OF SELF-PRESERVATION. I think everyone would. I make sure and carry my AD with me everywhere for that reason, just in case something happens. As I said, death would be preferable (in my opinion) to paralysis, brain damage, amputation, chronic pain, etc. etc. (and such complications to traumatic events are the rule rather than the exception). Others disagree. That’s fine. Just leave me alone and let me die, though.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Aha, young AND from Texas, that actually explains a lot. Yep, you’re right that the U.S. government has infringed upon the rights of others and that it is wrong, which is exactly why I study constitutional law and do my part to try and change things.
And I full well believe you have the right to refuse any and all medical treatment and should be allowed to die if that is what you want. And I’m fine with you making all the decisions and no noe else, as long as you have that advanced directive stating so and as long as you are a mentally stable and competent person. As long as you are not physically harming another human being I really don’t care what you do, but if you happen to violently mentally unstable I agree 100% with locking up a person like that. Why? Because physical violence to another person is not a right, your rights end where mine begin and vice-versa.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I’m not going back for any more tests, so I’ll never know. I’m not going to land myself in bankruptcy again. Not making $28,000 per year, anyway (Texas base teacher pay).
I know anarchy wouldn’t work, which is sad. However, the US government has already infringed the rights of tons of people. It’s sickening. Pretty much every government system infringes upon the rights of others, and that’s just wrong.
Well, what I meant by the latter comment was do you really believe that it is my right to tell EMS or a medical staff let me die, regardless if I can be saved or not? Luckily the law says it is my right, but several medical professionals disagree. That’s what I’m saying…and is it also OK in your eyes to implement something that says I’m the only one that I want making these decisions for me and nobody else?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – That’s a crock of shit! I totally believe in your right to implement that advanced directive. I have an advanced directive that clearly outlines what I deem acceptable medical treatment and what I do not want pursued. I encourage everyone I know to have an advanced directive as well as a living will. I study constitutional law, don’t even attempt to say that I don’t believe in personal rights/freedoms.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Maybe you need more tests to figure out what’s wrong then, although I’m sincerely betting on schizophrenia. Anarchy would not work. It’s a lovely idea, that everyone would be capable of self-government and the world would then be a better place, but let’s face there are too many stupid people out there. You wear a kevlar vest to school to teach children and you think no laws/rules would be a *better* system?!? I also didn’t realize you are so young, you have a lot to learn yet.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Of course, I believe in personal choice too. If people want to poison themselves with synthetic compounds, fine. But don’t go forcing it into my system either. Involuntary institutionalization = a violation of rights. Involuntary medical treatment = a violation of rights. On the same token, withholding treatment from someone who desires it (for whatever demented reason) = a violation of rights.
Of course, you think it shouldn’t have been my right to implement an advance directive of the type that I did, so you believe in denying rights anyway.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Ummm…the blood pressure drugs made me light headed and left me with absolutely no energy. I slept at least 12 to 14 hours per day on that shit. Luckily I was still in college and could afford to do that. Also…I was on my mood stabilizers at the same time I was taking everything else. I was taking about 8 different medications…at 19 years old!!!!!!!! I’m only 22 (almost 23) now.
I don’t trust anything that has to do with the government. I am, in a way, an anarchist and believe the ideal government is no government, to be honest (however, what place has that????). Trudeau is innocent, he was set up and framed, period, end of story. When someone is framed, you can’t call them a scam artist, the entity who framed him (namely the government) is the true scam artist.
@Anderson_Mania@xanga – You said that you want to believe me so badly and I don’t think you necessarily should –just blindly believe me that is. Your decision(s) should be based on evidence. You should do the research, check out peer-reviewed articles (the ones I provided are a good start), talk to doctors (especially an infectious disease specialist) and have them send you articles, check out some of the science-based medicine blogs, etc.
You’re right there is a lot of negative vaccine information out there (especially, as you pointed out, on the internet
), unfortunately a good number of them are not factually based. The VAERS database does a very good job of keeping track of incidents post-vaccination. However, as they even say on their own website, the data is collected through passive surveillance systems and are unverified reports, that do not necessarily have anything to do with vaccines.
There can be side effects to vaccines, no question there, but most are harmless. Those that are not (harmless) occur in a small minority of individuals, and can be traced genetically and or are treatable.
You’re right, it is scary. In a time of unlimited information it is difficult to deduce what is accurate.
I have looked into other anti-vaccination claims and as of now remain unconvinced by them –mostly due to lacking sufficient evidence. I chose the ones I wrote about because they seem to be the most prevalent within the media. Of course I probably have not seen them all so I would welcome any of them that might change my mind, and if you want (bearing in mind I’m not yet a physician) my opinion on them I’d be happy to give it. Just send them via private message.
Whatever your decision(s) concerning your children who have not been vaccinated –or have not yet received their full regime–I hope for nothing but the best for you and your family.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – No Free Lunch is not a group of “so-called doctors” with fake medical degrees – I happened to have worked for a “real” doctor with a “real” medical degree who helped to start No Free Lunch. I still don’t get how you can be so paranoid about absolutely everything in any way attached to a government or corporation and not be paranoid about scam artists like Trudeau, lol.
Perhaps if you first stayed on the anti-psychotics you would realize the other medicines were actually working.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – No Free Lunch is probably a group of so-called “doctors” with fake medical degrees hired by doctors to try to make them look innocent.
You think I live miserably by choice? Ummm…I already told you, medicine FAILED. Anti-thyroid drugs didn’t help me in the least, and if they did, the side effects made me even more miserable. Anti-hypertensive medications made me feel absolutely awful. Mood stabilizers were OK, but I didn’t want to become addicted to them as often happens with mood stabilizers. The side effects alone made me more miserable than I already am most of the time, so I decided to take the lesser of the two, and only after that did I find out that it was the intent of those medicines to make me feel even more miserable. There is NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT for Cluster Headaches.
Why would I need to operate on myself in the future?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – As I said, check out No Free Lunch, there are doctors bucking against that system. Oh, but doctors are all just a bunch of greedy bastards, right?
As I stated earlier, my father happens to have Asperger’s and I have quite a bit of knowledge about it. I’ve grown up with it, and I see many people with Aperger’s who live “miserably” by choice because they enjoy the sympathy it gains them, but they haven’t one ounce of empathy when it comes to other people.
Good luck operating on yourself in the future.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – And pharmaceutical companies pressure doctors to write needless prescriptions and do so with incentives and whatever, which of course, goes to boost Big Pharma’s profits, and also the government’s profits, as the FDA has tons of money invested in Big Pharma. If Big Pharma doesn’t profit, neither does the government.
I was not restored medically. If you want to know what I did, it was this easy: I wore a metal weight with a hole drilled through the middle, taped onto my shaft skin with surgical grade cloth tape. There was nothing medical about it. The weight put tension on the skin, the tension on the skin causes the skin to stretch by encouraging cell growth, hence lengthening the tissue. End of story. I didn’t see a doctor nor discuss this matter with a doctor.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Let’s see, that would be the pharmaceutical companies, to which I do agree many are quite unethical. However, that’s not doctors. However, it does not negate the good that effective medicine has done.
Why on earth would you agree to being “restored” medically in order to enjoy sex better, but not agree to being “restored” medically by other means that would help with your suffering and make life more enjoyable than 10% of the time?!? Irrational, illogical. You contradict yourself all over the place.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Insurance companies are real pirates too. And I think you validated my point in that the purpose of medicine is to manage symptoms, not cure disease. Did you know the FDA has said only drugs can treat disease, and then in the same breath, have labeled obesity and alcoholism as a disease? You know why? So they can prescribe drugs for these things. Don’t want to be obese, eat right and exercise! Don’t want alcoholism? Either don’t drink or drink in moderation. That easy.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Again, although not a cure without synthetic insulin I would be dead. Not all medicine is ineffective. And again, insurance companies seem to be the ones running things, not doctors, insurance companies would want cures because long-term treatments drop their profit margin.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Did the doctor who first described diabetes have a cure for it? I don’t think so. Though doctors may be useful in DESCRIBING disorders/diseases, they do an absolutely shameful job of curing them. Of course, what interest do they have in curing someone when it’s more lucrative for them to just manage symptoms?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – How so? I still proved that synthetic insulin is the only way a person with JD can stay alive, it works, not all medicine is ineffective. So now you’re saying you believe in your diagnoses because of doctors, but yet you say doctors are all liars. Again, which is it?
I hesitate to recommend to anyone to see a shrinkg being as psychology is a “soft” science, however, if there were ever anyone who could benefit from the practice I believe you are it.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Uhhh…each thing I named was named after a doctor originally (Dr. Robert Grave, Drs. Louis Wolff, James Parkinson, and White, and CH was originally named “Horton’s Headache” for Dr. Robert Horton). I don’t know Dr. White’s first name. Blows your theory out of the water doesn’t it?
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I’m actually sort of “restored,” which undid some of the damage (works by means of expanding the remaining tissue into a replacement FS through dermal mitosis). The end result was well worth it, however, I’ll still not experience sex the way I could have otherwise.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Oh, so you absolutely do not enjoy sex because you were circumcized?!? Right. I know plenty of circumcised men who would agree that their sex life may have been damaged by circumcision, but they still enjoy sex well enough. What’s done is done and can’t it can’t be undone, if you choose to be unsatisified with everything because of that then your misery is your own fault.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You are irrational. Because someone other than a doctor was able to describe a condition hundreds of years ago you’ll believe it, but you won’t believe in science-proven medicine and declare all medicine as ineffective?!?
So I should believe my diagnosis of JD because the Greeks were able to discover it, but I shouldn’t use synthetic insulin because it won’t work? Yet, if I weren’t using the synthetic insulin I wouldn’t even be here, I’d be dead. There, I’ve just proven to you that synthetic insulin actually does work. I did the trial and error and almost died from not using the synthetic insulin. I am living proof that it works, as are all other people with JD.
@Strangebrain@xanga – Yeah, just like how misinformation damaged my sex life for good.
@Magniloquentia@xanga – A diagnosis is one thing, as each of these ailments were described in great detail long before our time. WPW was described in the 1930s. Graves disease in the 1940s. Cluster Headaches in the 1870s. Hypertension was described hundreds of years ago. Non-allopathic professionals (such as naturopaths/homeopaths) can make these diagnoses as well, given all the same evidence.
If they can’t treat me, why should I pay them for trying to fix me, or even so, why should I even waste my time with them? Where’s the logic in it? Oh well, they won’t miss that money I won’t be having to pay, they’ve got plenty of other patients (files) to make up the loss when I declared the big “B” against them.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Ah boredom, one of a skeptic’s greatest assets.
Oh I’ll probably never stop; I’ve seen the damage misinformation causes. That paired with my love of science will probably fuel my rants for years to come.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Well, then put your 160+ IQ to use on this question. You claim that modern medical science is useless, incapable of solving anything, and a lie without exception or reprieve. Contradictingly, you accept your medical diagnosis of Grave’s Disease, Wolf-Parkinson White Syndrome, Cluster Headaches, and Hypertension as a valid truth/fact. This makes your ranting a direct contradiction of itself. How do you reconcile that?
If you cannot explain that, or refuse to do so, I have no interest in anything you have to say.
A cure for Polio didn’t exist before it did. The mathematics to prove a doughnut could be shaped into a sphere didn’t exist 1 day before it did. The same applies to your ailments. You were dealt a difficult hand a birth. Don’t let your resentment of something beyond anyone’s control not only consume you, but your view of others as well.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – He may need help, but at the same time I’m not a vicodin addict.
Ummm…if you saw how I dressed day-to-day, you’d ask yourself what I was thinking. Most people do. A few love it (particularly women who love leg…hint, hint), but I get a lot of weird stares. I know people have their limits, and when they reach theirs they tell me they need their alone time, and that’s fine. I go without speaking to them for days or weeks if they need to be away from me, but in the end, even personal relationships are important to an abrasive person like me.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Not everyone in society is superficial, hey, I’m not the one considering plastic surgery! However, you’ll never get to the ones who aren’t supeficial if you treat everyone like shit from the get go. And are you no longer watching House, M.D.? Even the Wilson’s of the world have their limits, and House himself is realizing he needs help.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – That’s my point. I can control who I am to a degree, though it’s completely painful for me to do so. I do have a few friends in life who completely understand me. They also know to take anything I might say to them off-color with a grain of salt. For every House, there’s a Wilson willing to put up with him.
I just referenced those things to make a point…because I take a lot of heat for all of those things I mentioned, and it makes more sense to me, as since society is so superficial, that I would be judged for those things before I would be judged for my personality.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Not poking fun, stating a fact that intelligence does not mean a person has to be an asshole and that if you treat others like shit don’t expect anything but the same in return. I don’t blame people with Tourettes syndrome for having tics, but if there’s something that can fix it and they won’t do it, don’t expect I’m going to feel sorry for them. You come across as quite pleased with your personality, not as someone who regrets acting like an asshole and wishes they could control it, maybe that’s why I simply don’t care that you simply don’t care.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Ummm…haha…you seriously think it’s my fault I have my particular personality? I assume then you blame people with Tourettes syndrome for having tics, and not their disorder, right? Same thing.
I’m sure you could find something much more significant to poke fun of me for than a House-like demenaor: whether it be my long hair, my thick glasses, my zit-ridden face, or maybe even my odd taste in outfits.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Hmmm, I love the show House, M.D., and Hugh Laurie is sexy as all get out on that show, and extremely intelligent, however, in reality I’d never put up with an asshole like that in my life. Intelligence doesn’t necessarily equal asshole. What’s to understand? People like that are self-righteous assholes, why would anyone like them? You don’t like being treated like shit but you seem to think that people shouldn’t be offended when you treat them that way.
@Strangebrain@xanga – I’m sorry if my Greg House like demeanor makes me unappealing to you. I make no apologies for how I act, however, I apologize for your inability to understand House-like people.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Only problem is I can’t speak French. I speak three languages mind you, but French isn’t one of them.
I’m very well aware of the tax rate in the UK, however, at the same time, I don’t have to worry too much as teacher pay in the UK is much higher than it is in the US (same in Canada), so that will more than make up for it.
@Strangebrain@xanga – I do it for the same reason, to stop the spread of misinformation. Oh yeah, and sometimes just because I’m bored, lol. Seriously though, you provide a lot of very good information on topics like this, I hope you keep up with it as certain people have shown it is necessary to get the information out there.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Well, I certainly hope you are not allowed to remotely speak about anything other than mathematics in your classroom!
I happen to believe whole-heartedly in socialism across many aspects of government but especially and in particular to healthcare. However, socialistic programs are hardly “free”, it’s paid for through taxes. You have researched just how high your taxes will be in the UK, right? And I’m not against high taxes for a socialistic program that works, but let’s not call it free, that’s simply not true. And Canada’s healthcare system is moving more towards the current American system, I’d watch out there. France has the best healthcare system overall, maybe you should check into that.
@Magniloquentia@xanga – Yeah, I’ve given up trying to convince people that far down that rabbit hole, I typically stick to these sort of things so that others –that maybe are reading this–don’t fall victim to misinformation. Though I should probably stop now, his childish name calling and irrational cursing has probably done more to discredit his arguments than I could.
@CMWINK@xanga – I don’t care what the parents’ preference is, it should be illegal. It’s cosmetic. The government would say no if you wanted your daughter circumcised! Why the double standard? For parents to be able to consent to a procedure that would rob their son of 3/4 of their sexual sensation, pleasure, and performance should be against the law.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – The reason they let me teach is my depth of knowledge in my field. I’m also, for the most part, a completely different person at work. I can take on just about any personality you want me to, including that of a soft-hearted teacher. Granted, it’s painful for me to act like that, which is why eventually I’ll move up and teach at the university level where I can be just as I am (you know professors can be strange and they don’t care).
Nobody knows I wear a kevlar vest to work but me and a few other teachers who do the same thing, as we wear them under our clothes.
If you want a true humanitarian health care system, it should be like that of the UK or Canada….free of charge. That’s a true humanitarian health care system and one I can maybe have a bit of faith in. A socialized system is reasonable, but to bankrupt people over health-care (hey, it happened to me) leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I’d just like to point out, when it comes to circumcision, some people do that because they just prefer it for their sons.
I’m pretty sure my boyfriend wants his sons to be circumsized and it has nothing to do with health or religion. Just a preference, maybe easier to deal with (cleaning, etc.). The government and doctors don’t really have a say in what parents choose so I wouldn’t worry about that issue, people have the choice.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – The difference between male and female circumcision is that there is in some cases benefits to be gained from circumcision. Yes those benefits are minimal –and belong to a minority of cases–at best and should not warrant the practice, however in the case of female circumcision there is absolutely no benefit to be gained, and in every case causes more harm than good.
I agree with the idea of doing away with circumcisions all together, but absolutely refusing to perform it has –in other countries–produced a similar “back alley effect” (typically among religious fundamentalists) seen in this country with abortions.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You are unbelievable. Either you are a complete schizophrenic paranoia who refuses meds, or you’re full of shit. I shudder to think that there is a school anywhere that would allow you to teach children, wearing a kevlar vest no less.
Circumcision will be done away with eventually, all myths fall away eventually. Now which is it? Is the government all-powerful, or the doctors? Are doctors completely running the country? I know a few who would sorely disagree wtih that one, check out No Free Lunch or the organizations cropping up that want something done about the insurance companies. If they were all-powerful these wouldn’t even be issues now would they?
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – It’ll never be banned because pro-circ doctors have too much power over the government. Hence it will never reach that point, and I have no doubt about that one.
Never said I wasn’t a vain person. Medicine hasn’t the ability to make me feel better, I already gave it a try and it let me down. If anything the drugs made me feel worse, and that’s the god’s honest truth.
Never said I didn’t have trust issues. Why do you think I wear a kevlar vest to work every day? Kids are cruel, and even though I teach AP honors mathematics (i.e. very bright kids who are generally well-behaved), you never know what could happen.
@Magniloquentia@xanga – I’m not “rational???” FUCK YOU!!!! I’ll take my 160+ IQ and run with that one. Stupid fucking bitch.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – As I already said, circumcision is a situation still being worked out in America. America is a predominantly religious country population-wise and we are still trying to work out whether or not and when and where the government can and should step in regarding parenting issues. While I agree wholeheartedly that circumcision should be banned from being performed on children, these things don’t just happen over night, but progress is being made.
I cannot believe you would have cosmetic surgery to look better but you won’t accept any medical care whatsoever to feel better. How absolutely illogical! Not to mention completely vain.
As for your distrust issues, that’s life. You don’t have to literally put your life into a virtual strangers hands, but neither should you assume they are evil until proven otherwise. If they have never done anything to harm you it’s ridiculous and paranoid to assume that they will. You can be cautious without being an asshole. And you could also learn to deal with the blows of life, rejection and pain is unavoidable if you want to also experience happiness and joy. Otherwise, you may as well lock yourself in a room and rock yourself for the rest of your life. What a waste!
Personally, I think the backlash to vaccines in respect to Autism is just about shame. People don’t want to believe that anything abnormal could have been produced by them. In an attempt to divert “blame” (there is none to even be had), they point at any bogey-man in sight.
@Strangebrain@xanga – You’re wasting your time explaining things to that one. He claims that modern medicine is a farce, and can’t accomplish anything despite accepting several of his medical diagnosis as truth. That alone says the person is not rational and cannot be approached.
@Strangebrain@xanga – So should the same be true if the infant is female? Should they be given unbiased and accurate information to make an informed choice as to whether or not their daughter should undergo female genital mutilation? Why is it that FGM is illegal, but MGM is not? Don’t you see the double-standard there?
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – On the other side of the argument, why should I just immediately give someone my trust when I don’t completely know them? How do I know they’re not just being a friend to get something out of me (money, sex, etc.)? I don’t.
It is also the right of a doctor to refuse to perform any procedure on any patient for any reason. However, they usually don’t. Hmm…makes me wonder then why they don’t refuse to perform an unnecessary procedure. Look the parents in the eye, tell them a big emphatic “NO!!!” and let that be the end of it. Simple as that. Just because even a parent consents does not mean the doctor absolutely has to do something. If an adult wants to have cosmetic surgery, more power to them, and I might consider it eventually, money allowing me to, and that’s the ONLY time I would even consider consenting to a “medical” procedure. However, to impose cosmetic surgery on a minor just because you don’t like the way their genitals/face/tummy/etc. looks should be against the law.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – From the article: “To make an informed choice, parents of all male infants should be given accurate and unbiased information and be provided the opportunity to discuss this decision.”
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Well, know wonder you’re miserable if you always assume the worst in people. No wonder everyone hates you if you assume they are scum unless they do something spectacular to make you change your mind.
Cosmetic surgery is completely unnecessary but then again it’s not your decision what someone else does to their own body. In America a child is a minor and the parents get to make the decisions, even though I don’t agree with circumcision and do feel it should be stopped, but rules and laws will have to change first. Progress marches slowly, but it’s still marching.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – My point is if it’s an unnecessary procedure WHY DON’T THEY REFUSE TO PERFORM IT?????? Can’t answer me that one can you?
I’ve also always been taught to assume the worst in people until they prove me otherwise. It’s how I operate, and how I will always operate.
@Strangebrain@xanga – The AMA isn’t in favor of male genital mutilation, but they’re still pussies on the subject because they don’t come out and absolutely recommend against it.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – First off, they have stepped up and said that it’s an illegitimate/unnecessary procedure. People don’t listen and/or don’t care. You know what else? Doctors in America don’t usually get “rich”, insurance companies in America get rich. After completing medical school in America doctors usually have so much they owe in school loans that it takes them years to pay it all off. It’s one of the top reasons less and less Americans are going into the field, not because they won’t get rich but because they fear the debt they’ll owe. While I am certain that there are people who become doctors solely for the money, I am also certain that the majority of people entering medical school genuinely have either have an insatiable fascination with science or truly want to help people, or both. And while it may very well be true that some, maybe even a lot, of these people become jaded within the medical field over time I believe that is more due to the insurance companies restrictions than anything else.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – The anecdotes of a few fringe doctors hardly makes the argument. Most physicians –especially oncologists–are in favor of radio-therapy because there is evidence that it works.
The government has hardly been apt at “concealing their dirty work”, lest we forget Watergate.
Evidence introduced by non-medical means? It would seem AMA is not in favor of it.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – In a way it can be blamed on the medical field because they’re weenies. They (the medical “professionals”) won’t step up and say “this is illegitimate, I refuse to do the procedure.” That’s where they are at fault…and again, it goes back to greed, because although unnecessary, it’s a quick procedure and they charge a hefty fee for it (normally $300 to $500).
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I know plenty about the bible. I also know that parents continue to circumcise their children out of ignorance, but it is purely a religious ritual now. If the parents are not Jewish and still circumcise their male child it is due to their own ignorance, no doctor forces a parent to have that procedure done to their child. People need to take responsibility for their actions and actions that harm another out of ignorance cannot be blamed on the medical field when the information is out there that it is not a medically necessary or beneficial procedure. Have you ever read the circucision debates on Momaroo?!? There are plenty of people there who admit to circumcising their male children solely so that they “fit in” with the majority of the population, it’s ridiculous, but it certainly is not the fault of the medical field.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Don’t know if I’d fit too well in NZ. Plus it’s too damn hot.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – If that’s the case no, because it will likely cause some undesirable side effect and throw something else out-of-whack. Every synthetic compound is designed INTENTIONALLY to have some sort of side effect, if not immediate, even years down the road. It’s done that way INTENTIONALLY.
If you knew anything about the damn Bible, 1) circumcision is not required of Christians, rather only Jews, and 2) the word “circumcision” in the Bible doesn’t mean the same thing as we refer to it as today. By your argument, we should also allow female circumcision, as it’s also a “religious ritual.” Why the double-standard?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Actually, I did know that, my hobby is constitutional law. Why Canada or the UK then? Why not New Zealand where it’s around 80% atheist? Wouldn’t you gain more happiness there? I happen to live in Minnesota where it’s claimed there’s a church (and a bar) on every street, lol.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – You’re probably in a part of America that’s more atheistic and/or more accepting of it than the part I live in. Atheism definitely isn’t accepted where I live, and in 7 states atheists cannot hold public office. Didn’t know that did you? Hence Canada/UK are my two target areas, where about 50% of the population claims no religious affiliation, as opposed to 12% in the US.
Until then, I’m stuck. I’m stuck trapped inside this town, inside this body. Sometimes though, you are right, I wonder why I continue. Nobody would even care if/when I die, so why should I? You do have a point.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – That’s because the parents choose to have their male children circumcised. What do you expect in a country that is 67% (if not more) christian?!? Circumcision is a religious ritual, not a medical one.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – What if your permanent cure for cluster headaches is discovered through science but is not a “natural remedy”? Will you then become a hypocrite and visit a doctor and accept the cure?
@Strangebrain@xanga – My pipe major (of my bagpipe band) has a doctor for a brother, who is 100% AGAINST radiation therapy. Some doctors don’t even believe it.
The government may be all powerful, however, one of the keys to that power is knowing how to conceal their dirty work.
Actually, this evidence was introduced by non-medical means. The United States medical system remains largely for such a harmful procedure, as is evidenced in that about 55% of boys still fall victim to the procedure for non-religious reasons.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Well, I am an atheist in America and I’m still not miserable and I’m very grateful to live in America when compared to a Middle Eastern theocratic country. And I remain hopeful that science will eventually discover a permament cure for JD, although I am skeptical it will happen in time to do me any good. And yet I still manage to see being able to wake up every morning and live as a pleasurable and good thing.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – As I said, things will get better eventually…when I’m not living in a place I hate living. Try being an atheist in a 67% Church-of-Christ town, they’d make you pretty damn miserable. I do remain hopeful that a permanent cure for Cluster Headaches is discovered in my lifetime, though I remain a healthy skeptic on that.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I would think an all powerful government would be above such things as the bill of rights.
Science, as @Melissa___Dawn@xanga pointed out, changes according to the evidence, and many of those are claims that have since been retracted according to the evidence. Evidence, incidentally found by medical science.
Okay, money aside we still have the video, the samples, etc.
As ridiculous as it may sound to you radiation therapy does work. An argument from personal incredulity does not negate that.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You state that 90% of your existence is suffering and 10% is joy. I have a chronic disease that does put some restrictions on my life and I’d still say it’s 90% joy and 10% suffering. I guess it’s all about how you look at things, but I wouldn’t kill myself over 10% of suffering, that’s how life is, it’s not perfect.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I didn’t say there weren’t elements I don’t enjoy. It’s not all dark for me. I’m an avid disc golfer, dedicated gym rat, mathematics enthusiast, and I’m a pretty damn good teacher. Even in the middle of all the suffering I endure (which is probably about 90% of my existence), I manage to find things that bring me a bit of joy.
I’m terribly sorry to hear about your brother, BTW. Ouchie.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – My brother burned to death in a car accident last December, I am still grieving that, but overall I’m happy with living because this is the only life we have and there are plenty of things to enjoy about it. I do think your misery is caused by health, just not a physical health issue, rather a mental health issue. And no matter how far you run, you can’t outrun that.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You see that’s the beauty of science. Where it was once thought that circumcision was a good thing, science allows room for change based on facts and once proven otherwise science follows suit.
Don’t confuse not knowing any better in an older age with the entire government intentionally scamming its people.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – As long as I’m living in the USA, I will be miserable. You’d also be miserable if you’re coming off of the loss of your best and only in-person friend (two months ago, lost a friend to suicide). Don’t you think you’d still be grieving over that too?
I’m miserable because I have a family that hates me, people hate me (not taking the time to understand me), among other things. I’m in a bad spot right now, health issues aside. It’s not my health issues making me miserable (save for when I’m in a cluster cycle), it’s everything else.
@SeaDrake@xanga – Thank you I really appreciate that.
@Strangebrain@xanga – That’s easy: because martial law is prohibited by the Constitution.
There have been a number of medical excuses to justify male genital mutilation: prevents masturbation (the oldest of them, and easily the most bogus reason), prevents UTIs (about 1% lower occurrence in circ’ed men, insignificant), prevents phimosis (obviously true, however phimosis doesn’t require circumcision and is rare), prevents penile cancer (utter bogus), prevents AIDS/STD transmission (only a bit of protection and not to be used as a substitute for a condom/abstinence).
Wouldn’t be the first fraudulent thing the government has spent money on. Just look at the 3/4 of a trillion dollar bailout just passed by the government.
Yes, that’s the excuse given for radiation. However, let’s mutate the cells in a tumor to keep it from growing, while at the same time mutating other cells into cancerous cells and letting them grow. A-fucking-mazing.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – If homeopathy were all you claim it to be I would think that someone such as yourself would be pretty healthy AND happy in life, but you’re miserable. I’ll stick with what actually works and continue to actually enjoy life, thank you very much.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Again, why not just resort to martial law? The cost would be lower and you don’t have to rely on hundreds of people to keep a secret. “Three men can keep a secret if two of them are dead.”
I was always under the impression that circumcision was condoned by religious practices, not medical ones.
I’d think the video, the billions of dollars spent and the samples brought back were pretty good evidence. The evidence that we went to the moon is overwhelming –indeed even tangible. The evidence we didn’t…………………
I suppose it’s interesting to think the government set Trudeau up, but just because something is interesting it does not make it true.
We use radiation to kill cancers because radiation mutates DNA –which, yes, causes the unregulated growth of cancer cells. If you can mutate it to the point that it loses its replicating ability it can be a great intervention. Is it perfect? No. But it is the best intervention we have that has evidence of actually working.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I can and do manage the pain to a moderate degree with pure capsaicin. Burns like hell when applied at first, but it takes the edge off once it takes effect. Does it still hurt like hell? Absolutely, however, in and of itself, Cluster Headaches are nothing more than a pain condition, pose no real health problem, and CANNOT, and I repeat CANNOT be treated by modern medicine.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – OK, how about this: if I would have had said disorder, it seems severe enough that they would not have let me write, sign, and enforce an advance directive. Did you ever think of that?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – So you spoke to every single one of your doctors, in the middle of a painful ordeal, about whether or not they support circumcision? Are you sure this wasn’t in the psych ward with psychiatrists? They are a strange bunch, I’ll admit that, lol. Wow, I deal with JD every single day, multiple times a day, poor you. Isn’t there a natural cure for your cluster headaches? Hmnmm, sounds like homeopathy isn’t doing much for you at all.
You know what – choosing to suffer in life just to play the martyr and gain sympathy is not an attractive quality in a person.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Seriously, give me a break. My father happens to be a classic case of Asperger’s, you definitely fit the profile of self-centered on that one, but the rest is pure schizophrenic paranoia. And if life is “for the most part” not worth living, why are you living for the least part of it? Even with my “horrid” restrictions I can tell I am far happier than you are and I live life because it is “for the most part” worth living and the rest, the least part, pales in comparison.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Ummm…I volunteer some of my time with the National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC), and I know this. Plus, you said ONE DOCTOR. Explain to me, then, how I could have managed to run up $120,000 worth of medical bills with ONE DOCTOR.
Now, you want to know what’s a drag: CLUSTER HEADACHES. I suffer from these, and they are reported to be the single most painful thing a human being can endure…more painful than childbirth even, according to the mothers who get them. Luckily I only get them about 8 weeks out of every year, or I’d already be dead, because of the sheer agony of the headaches.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I said ELEMENT OF. I didn’t say I believe it. Kent Hovind, one of the leading creationists (who is actually currently in federal prison for tax evasion), has a 160+ IQ, if you didn’t know.
I have had a full psychiatric evaluation, and of course you know they look for EVERYTHING. I was found to have nothing other than a moderate to severe case of Aspergers. If you knew the first goddamned thing about Aspergers, you’d know that extremely high intelligence is one of the markers of the disorder. I used to take mood stabilizers, however I don’t anymore. There’s no need for it.
Also, I didn’t say they should kill themselves. I just said life wouldn’t be worth living. Well, for the most part it’s not, but that’s beside the point.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Considering you refuse to go to a doctor, and considering it wouldn’t have been a likely topic of discussion during your “ordeal” with doctors, I hardly think knowing one doctor who supports circumcision qualifies as the biggest health scam in America, lol.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You know there’s a term for what you have, “schizophrenic paranoia”, and truth be told THAT’S a disease that would make me consider killing myself. But then again, they have meds for that as well, you just have to stay on them but I’m sure you’ve heard that plenty.
So now you’ve retracted, you admit that not everything can be cured by natural remedies, so you think those who can’t be cured should kill themselves. I have family and friends who love me and I enjoy living very much, so what if I have a few restrictions? I guess I’m just a stronger person than you because my life isn’t over just because I wear an insulin pump and have to poke my fingers (and I TYPE for a living).
And I sincerely doubt an IQ of 160 if you believe in creationism/intelligent design. And how the hell could creationism exist if there is no creator?!?
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – That’s the official position of the AAP and the AMA, however, most doctors I know still favor it, as do most American doctors. Doctors in Canada and the UK, however, do not, and advise completely against it.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – If you’re like me, you’re either full functioning, no restrictions, and nothing special to have to do, or you’re dead. I would rather die than walk around with a pump, stick my fingers constantly, and give myself shots constantly, given all other things equal to a fully-functioning person.
My philosophy: if something is so bad homeopathy can’t cure it, I’d rather die. Granted, I think it’s just a matter of eventually finding something, and we haven’t found everything mind you, however, it is part of intelligent design/creationism that I will personally accept even though I don’t believe in a personal god……
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I happen to work in the medical field and many medical professionals actually do NOT agree with circumcision. They quite openly state that there are no medical benefits to circumcision and it is not a necessary procedure.
@aspiemamma – Yeah it should be pretty easy for science to win, it has the benefit of having the facts on its side.
@Strangebrain@xanga – I told you. They want us to live like robots so they can make money off of us. That’s the way the American system works. Of course, also leave that up to a government that says it’s healthy to hack part of a healthy baby boy’s genitals off right after he’s born (at the expense of 3/4 of his sexual enjoyment). That right there is probably THE BIGGEST SCAM modern medicine has come up with.
You also have failed to produce evidence we ever went to the moon. None of our telescopes have ever discovered any so-called “landing site.” Nothing has ever been shown on the surface of the moon that would suggest we were ever there. Once someone can cough up some hard evidence we went, maybe I’ll believe it. As it is right now, it’s all speculation as there is no hard evidence.
Did you ever think maybe the government made those charges and put them in his name? Hmmm…interesting thought isn’t it. As I said, I’ve spoken with Kevin personally. He gave me no reason to doubt him. He didn’t say calcium cured cancer. He said that CORAL calcium aided the body in curing itself of cancer. The body is the only thing that can heal itself. You want to talk about fraud…let’s shoot some cancer-causing crap into someone to fight cancer (I’m speaking of course of radiation). That makes A LOT OF SENSE!!!!! (end sarcasm).
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Now why would I kill myself? It does suck to have this disease, but my life is not that restricted. I have to test my levels and take my insulin. I don’t aim for perfect control as the conclusion now is that it’s major fluctuations that cause the majority of the damage. I eat what I want, when I want, and use an insulin pump. I can do almost anything everyone else does with a few precautions taken. It isn’t a walk in the park, but it isn’t so devastating that I would kill myself. I’ve lived with it for 11+ years now and the only known damage I have so far is the start of very mild diabetic retinopathy, not even bad enough to start treating yet. Oh and that would be because I use SYNTHETIC insulin.
My point is that I spent 2 years doing reasearch, trying herbal and homeopathic “cures”, and talked to several “qualified” homeopathists. It’s all a crock of shit. I went into panic mode when I was first diagnosed, convinced I couldn’t live like that, convinced there had to be a magical cure somewhere, I did the work and the research and THERE IS NO CURE.
As for where you’re moving, why not Iran or Turkey? You said America was the worst, would you be fine living in Iran? Give me a break. You can say you’re IQ is whatever you want, I have no way of knowing if you’re lying about that – but it doesn’t matter anyway, you are wrong that homeopathy can cure everything.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – My IQ is in the 160 range. I have VERY HIGH intelligence, and most conspiracy theorists do have VERY HIGH IQs. I actually intend to go to either Canada or the UK, thank you very much.
As I said, I’m not an expert in homeopathic care. You would have to speak to someone with training in natural medicine (I apparently don’t have any). However…I will say this…if I was cursed with something like that, I would likely kill myself, as I wouldn’t want to live life that restricted. That’s just me personally. Of course, as I’ve always said: life sucks, always has sucked, and always will suck, it’s just a matter of making it suck less. That’s why I have my advance directive in place, which reads as follows:
“I, Lynn Gilbert *****, having been read my rights and understanding them completely, hereby refuse any and all medical treatment, both routine and emergency. I hereby forfeit my right to receive medical care that doctors deem is in my best interest. Should I become mentally incapacitated, I deny all relatives, medical professionals, and anyone who has any sort of personal relationship with me the right to make medical decisions based on my behalf. The only treatment(s) that should be administered are those that will ease the dying process and keep me comfortable.
Sworn before me, *************, public notary of Texas, April 20th, 2009.
(signatures follow)”
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – “Easy: it’s called BRAINWASHING. The American government is trying to brainwash us into believing this crap.” -Okay, brainwashing us for what exactly? You say the American government is trying to control us, but for what? In any case if the U.S. government truly wanted to control us why not just resort to martial law? Why all the surreptitiousness?
“Also another incriminating thing against
lunar landings: did you know in every picture and video shot, that the
flag is waving? Newsflash: there’s no wind in space!!! Such a thing
would be utterly impossible..….” -If you watch the entire video you’ll see that the flag is only waving when it is either being held or when it is being put into the ground. If you continue to watch the video the flag remains completely still when no one is touching it.
“Also note that the photos show no stars in the background.” -Stars are very faint. Take a camera out on the darkest night possible and take a picture of the sky. If your shutter speed is anything close to those (or double for that matter) used during the Apollo mission you won’t see any stars either –if I remember correctly it requires something like a 3 second exposure to photograph all the stars of the big dipper. Also it is amazingly bright on the moon and as any amateur astronomer can tell you light pollution effects what stars –if any–are visible.
One can only conclude that Trudeau was
framed……..? This is a false dichotomy; there could be other reasons for a lack of evidence. I’m not implying there is a lack of evidence (I suspect there’s not), just pointing out the logical fallacy.
Again where is you evidence for him being framed? I’m less familiar with the details of the larceny charges for his credit card scam but he has made a number of dubious health claims on television (e.g. calcium cures cancer) –to his financial advantage I might add–for which he was rightly sued and found a fraud.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Well, why don’t you give Turkey a try? Or Iran? That should clearly show you there are far worse governments out there than America. Being an atheist, I dare you to live under a Middle Eastern theocratic government and still manage to think America is the worst. There are a few countries with better governments, I don’t disagree, but there are far more with worse governments. They say that the higher the intelligence the higher the likelihood a person is an atheist, apparently there are exceptions to that rule.
So what about that JD cure? One try and your out of ideas? I thought everything could be cured naturally. Believe me, if it actually worked I’d eat my words, but you gave up pretty quickly on that one.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – I plan on getting out within a very short time frame (about a year) once I’ve rebuilt my bank account. There’s a reason why I face away from the flag during the anthem and don’t say the pledge (well, that’s two reasons, the second reason being it has the unconstitutional phrase “Under God” in it, and I don’t believe in a deity).
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – It’s not a matter of “believeing what I want”. I’ve had JD for 11+ years. I spent the first 2 years of my diagnosis researching absolutely everything I possibly could about the disease, including trying multiple “homeopathic” remedies. I took very little insulin during that 2 year period and, guess what, I ended up in the hospital in a coma. I learned the hard way that there is no “secret cure” out there for JD and that if I didn’t take the synthetic insulin I would be dead very soon.
Keep lining Trudeau’s pockets, it’s your money to throw away. If you hate America so much why don’t you get out?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I know I am not nor do I want to be, that’s why I was asking you not to…
@CityChicToronto@xanga – You aren’t the boss of me.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Believe what you want. I had the privilege of speaking with Kevin personally. He now has a radio talk show and owns a restaurant. He’s given me no reason to distrust him. The man was framed. As I said, leave it to a government who makes the ridiculous claim of us landing on the moon in the 1960s and 1970s to frame someone who wants to eat into their profits by exposing them for the frauds they are.
The American government IS the single most fucked-up thing in the world. I do not trust the government, lawyers, politicians, or doctors. They are all in it for the money. The only time I ever hired a lawyer was to declare bankruptcy on the sorry doctors who tried to treat me but left me feeling sicker and then demanded payment for it. Haha. They didn’t see a bit of that money.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – A simple request for you to not use the “C” word in these blogs, it doesn’t matter what you write on your own page of course, thanks!
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Again, I have TYPE 1 Diabetes, as in my pancreas produces NO insulin whatsoever. I checked on your suggestion of liquid ionic vanadium – it’s all geared towards TYPE 2 Diabetes, people who have trouble using insulin sufficiently. Anyone who would suggest that a person with Juvenile Diabetes can stop taking synthetic insulin and NOT die is an idiot.
Besides that, the cost of a one month supply of insulin is equivalent to (or even less) than the cost of these so-called “homeopathic cures”, and insurance will cover the insulin, not the “homeopathic cures”. If this actually cured Juvenile Diabetes then every insurance company in America would demand that their patient’s with Juvenile Diabetes take it and be cured, and they’d gladly pay for that rather than a kidney transplant down the line.
Trudeau is a con artist, plain and simple. How can you be so paranoid about everything else and fully trust this guy?
NOTE: Please do not take anything I might say here as absolute health advice. For advice on naturopathic medicine, visit your local homeopathic care practitioner.
@CMWINK@xanga – In a way, I am a bit suicidal. Not that anybody cares, so why is that scary? I wrote a blog not too long ago that addresses the fundamental right of every human being to terminate his/her own life for whatever reason he/she deems fit, and the government/judicial system should not have the right to intervene. Period.
I am very stubborn and set in my ways of natural/homeopathic medicine. I follow in the footsteps of my great-grandmother, who I’m all but a carbon copy of in terms of personality/beliefs. She did not believe in modern medicine either. She lived until 84, fully-functioning every one of those years. Hmmm…not bad considering our average life expectancy in the US is only like 67 years.
@Melissa___Dawn@xanga – Try liquid ionic vanadium. This substance mimics insulin. It’s available in the form of a supplement through either your local homeopathic practitioner or a health and wellness store.
Kevin Trudeau was framed. There is no evidence against him. The government just wanted to shut him up because they knew he would cut into their profits. It’s all about the money.
@cody_ashby@xanga – If it wasn’t for the money, why would you subject yourself to 4 years of extra schooling? That just doesn’t sound fun to me, though eventually I’ll end up with a Doctor of Arts degree and be teaching at the university level (again, for not much more pay than a high school teacher makes).
@ElectronicSplendoraR@xanga – I know it. Explain the logic in that one.
@Strangebrain@xanga – Excellant post. You got out the technical information without any unexplained jargon.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – yes and in other countrys you can get penicillin over the counter. the FDA sucks
i think it is because of soo many shot you give a kid BEFORE there two, and it could happen. i think doctors should space out the shots.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – i obviously have absolutely no knowledge of your profession prior to commenting on any of your postings. basing my previous statement solely upon your nonchalant and dismissive reaction to the idea that FIFTY PERCENT OR MORE of our population may not even EXIST if vaccinations and modern medical techniques hadn’t been invented is a statement that i believe is quite self-centered.
also let’s not bring salary into this, because i also stated my reasoning for joining pharmaceuticals and it has nothing to do with the money. i don’t understand how in your logic it is seemingly impossible to enjoy science, medicine, or a helpful profession in either of said fields without being a greedy asshole concerned only about a salary.
and lastly, don’t flatter yourself. i wouldn’t need “nerve” to go after you. thanks.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You said there’s nothing that medicine can do that some sort of natural compound out there can’t. I’d like to know which one cures Juvenile Diabetes, I’ve been dealing with that for 11+ years now. Mind you, I have TYPE 1 DIABETES, not type 2. If I don’t take “synthetic” insulin, I will die, and quite quickly at that.
And you do realize that Kevin Trudeau is a complete fraud?
@abiline_piper_lg@xanga – oh and wow, you have the nerve to call someone a cunt for having a different opinion other than yours. That’s REAL mature. Being a teacher does not make you any less self-centered than if you were not one. You’re a stubborn ass and you’re showing it oh so well with these comments and pointless arguments.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Wow, you’re just a real downer, aren’t you? Scarily enough, you sound almost suicidal with your “Oh I’ll just lie down and die” nonsense. That ISN’T a back up plan. Your judgemental ideas on doctors and our FDA are irritating to read about and I kind of wish I hadn’t bothered reading all of your crap.
Oh and I’m debating going into pre-med right now, and while the money looks sweet, the ONLY reason I’d ever consider medicine is because I like the idea of studying it and/or helping patients. Now that I’ve realized I like the area of study, I’m only considering whether I want my family life to suffer at all. Not everyone is in medicine for the money. Judgemental, paranoid… why are you so stubborn and decided?
Oh…did I mention this BTW….
Studies in Sweden have concluded that using a cell phone MORE THAN DOUBLES the risk of brain cancer, yet the FDA labels cell phones as “safe.” WTF???????? Yet another way the FDA fails us. EDIT: add that on top of this…the FDA labeling cannabis as “dangerous,” yet, with the exception of making you euphoric for a period, has no lasting or damaging effect on the human body??? Things that make you go “hmmm…….”
@Strangebrain@xanga – Easy: it’s called BRAINWASHING. The American government is trying to brainwash us into believing this crap.
Also another incriminating thing against lunar landings: did you know in every picture and video shot, that the flag is waving? Newsflash: there’s no wind in space!!! Such a thing would be utterly impossible. Oops. Overlooked that one didn’t they? Also note that the photos show no stars in the background. Oops…overlooked that one didn’t they?
One can only conclude that Trudeau was framed when there is absolutely not one shred of hard, authentic evidence in support of tying him to the crimes he was convicted of, just like the fact that there is not one shred of evidence that “God” exists implies the non-existence of said entity.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – My comment about people’s lack of understanding when it comes to statistics was not directed specifically towards you. You do little to help your arguments by resorting to childish name calling; grow up.
I won’t deny that the American government is “fucked up”, although I would add that it’s probably not the most and their problems are most likely due to their incompetence. However, you’re still begging the question. How does lying about a moon landing or framing Trudeau (both of which I still find absurd) render complete control over an individual or individuals?
I’m assuming (and perhaps incorrectly) that you’re referring to the Van Allen radiation belt with respect to the break of the radiation band humans can’t tolerate. If that is in fact what you’re referring to satellites passing through it receive 2,500 rem a year, that’s a little less than 7 rem a day. Anything under 100 rem is clinically irrelevant as far as humans are concerned.
Your own malign for the American government aside, what evidence do you have that Trudeau was actually framed?
Thank you for this incredibly well-informed article. As a former paraprofessional who has worked with many autistic kids, it is good to know one thing that is not causing autism.
I have to tell you that I believed whole heartedly that immunizations were safe, effective, and necessary. My daughter has had all of her immunizations on time with little side effects. My son, on the other hand, has not. If became very clear to us, and ultimately his pediatrician, that his body was not “reacting” typically to immunizations. He ended up in the PICU twice and had countless visits to the ER with extremely high fevers and respiratory distress. None of his reactions were reported to the FDA even though I had requested it. I thought my son was the only child having these types of reactions…ummmm NOOOOO! Oddly, I found that all of the moms I spoke to also had children with ASD. I have spent countless hours researching and it is no coincidence that children on the Spectrum also have intollerance for immunizations. There immune systems are not the same as typically developing children. Therefore, it is not exactly the immunizations “fault” but they are unltimately the insult. Insulting Jenny McCarthy is unnecessary. She is a strong and determined mother that has changed the course of her son’s life. She is to be commended for her efforts to save him and she is an inspiration to the countless parents that have to deal with close minded critics that can’t see the reality in front of them. I invite you to spend hours in the hospital with a seriously ill infant knowing and having it confirmed that the only contributing factor was the immunizations given less than 24hrs prior.
@cody_ashby@xanga – If I was so self-centered and not in it for the greater good, I wouldn’t be a teacher now would I? Working 14-hour days usually (it’s not an 8 to 4 job), grading papers, helping students, all for about a quarter of what your salary will be??? AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO CALL ME “SELF-CENTERED????”
Cunt…….
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – overpopulation to me doesn’t excuse the need to value human life, and try to make conditions liveable for others so their time here, be it limited and sometimes short, is tolerable, sorry. and also, sorry to hear that all pharmacists are on your shit list. all inconsiderate and self-centered people who aren’t in life for the greater good are on mine, so i guess we just plain do not mesh. sorry to take hits on peoples’ character…but really. god forbid taxpayer dollars are taken to fund things like research. gasp.
@drung888@xanga – no problem. as i said, i’m a hugeee fan of doctors without borders. i aspired to be part of their team for a few years, but changed my plans to pharmacy because i’m more interested in medical innovations…and ways to get more efficient products to doctors so less ‘blanket prescribing’ as i like to call it (prescribing patients more drugs than necessary in hopes of getting a response to at least one) needs to be done.
also, as a whole, great post.
@Strangebrain@xanga – Ummm….I have a degree in mathematics, I know perfectly well how statistics work, don’t go there with me dickhead.
The so-called “Razor” seems to favor the latter, however, the American government is the single most fucked-up thing in the world (well, aside from the belief in a deity, that is). There is plenty of evidence against moon landings…humans can’t stand the dose of radiation that would be required to break the radiation band. The two are connected (the gov’t framing Kevin Trudeau) because the government wants you to believe certain things so they are in FULL CONTROL OF YOU.
He only pleaded guilty as to prevent what would have been a harsher sentence as the government did such an expert job of framing him that he had no way out. That’s what the government does I’m afraid. I hate the American government, the American justice system, the American medical system, and just about every other thing America manages to screw up…as the high-ups in the USA want the low-level citizens like us to be robots.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – “……….73% of statistics are made up………” -While I don’t doubt that there are less than honest statistics out there I’m more moved by well conducted research (be it double-blind studies or randomized independent surveys). That being said, “73% of statistic are made up”, I would counter with “an arbitrarily large percent of people do not understand statistics” (e.g. Eisenhower’s expression of alarm when he found out that half of all Americans have below average intelligence).
Occam’s razor: which is more likely, that there is a government conspiracy to frame Kevin Trudeau involving bogus claims, jury tampering and the planting of false evidence, or that he was caught for being the charlatan he is? *rhetorical* Occam’s razor would favor the later.
“It’s sickening what the government does. Of
course, leave it to a government who would fake trips to the moon to do
something of that sort.” -Ignoring –what I think is–a ridiculous claim that the moon landings were faked (on what evidence is there?) you are begging the question here. Let’s assume the moon landings were faked (though I have to suspect they weren’t) how does that lead to the framing of Kevin Trudeau?
Trudeau has, himself, pleaded guilty to larceny. He has been caught lying on camera and (as far as I’m concerned) is a deplorable human being, preying on those desperate for help.
@cody_ashby@xanga – Thanks for those rec’s. I’ll be sure to check them out!
I want to believe you SOOOO badly!
I started my family young- and I just went along with the vaccine schedule, no questions asked. I never really thought that vaccines could be bad in any way.
Then the dawn of the internet LOL… and I met other Mamas on message boards who talked about vaccine side effects- seizures, some babies even dying just a couple days after being vaccinated (and it being called SIDS), autism (brain encephalitis is on the package insert as a possible side effect and it kind of resembles some autistic symptoms). I just cannot tell these women “Oh it’s just a coincidence.” Then I did some research into it… there is A LOT of negative vaccine information out there. What is their goal? We can argue that vax is bad and big pharma just wants money. We can also argue vax is good and doctors truly care about us. But what can be said of the anti-vax crowd? I don’t see any possible intention than to warn others of the “dark side” of vaccines. The side our doctors don’t tell us about, but obviously are REAL (VAERS database).
So now I’m at a crossroads. Social pressures make me feel terrible that I’ve been holding off on vaccines. I have 1 child fully vaxxed, 2 almost fully vaxxed, a 3 year old who hasn’t had vaccines since his 4 month appt., and a 7 month old who I’ve yet to get any vaccinations. I am scared. I’m not screaming EVIL DOCTORS GREEDY BIG PHARMA… but I am truly scared. I’ve read so many stories. It would kill me if I vaccinated my baby and he had a seizure, or inflammation of the brain, or even “SIDS”.
On the flip side- I’d feel like a real jack ass if my child had severe reactions to measles or whooping cough. I’m just scared all around. I don’t know what to do. Possibly damned if I do, damned if I don’t.
I know you’re obviously busy, but look into some of this anti-vax “propoganda”, there is much more out there than the “vaccines cause autism” mantras. Look into molecular mimicry- (Dr. Sherri Tenpenny talks about this), vaccine deaths being labeled SIDS, the history of these diseases and how the death rates declined before the vaccines were introduced.
I just don’t know what to do.
I don’t get the flu shot because I don’t believe I need it to help me, however I get shots like hepatitis shots and whatnot.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Don’t you go spouting FGM to me, when in the same breath, you support MGM (Male Genital Mutilation
If you mean “you” by personally me, then you would be incorrect because I don’t believe in MC.
If you mean by “you” like the medical community” last I heard MC has been written off as “cosmetic” some insurances won’t even cover it. At least in America.
I am not saying Medical Technology is superior and I am glad you find comfort in your natural methods ( I myself am studying Midwifery because I love NATURAL no drugs births)
I am saying that those that seek medicinal care should have the option available for them and that there are positive aspects to medicinal treatment
@ManoAngeliukai9902@xanga – Psychotherapists can go screw themselves. I don’t need help, if you think I’m an ass that’s fine. Most people think I am. You know what? That’s OK with me!
I wasn’t abused as a child, I just had religion/God driven into me from an early age, even though I never believed in, and still do not believe in, a higher being.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I will agree with you on the health care system — it definitely needs to be changed.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You’ve proven yourself to be an ass. I don’t believe in the termination of a life, ever.
A cleft lip/palate isn’t the end of the world. She’s a very sociable, outgoing little girl, nothing is wrong with her. I wouldn’t ask for anything different.
My daughter’s life is very much worth living.
Sorry that the heart meds made you feel badly. Good luck to you.
@ManoAngeliukai9902@xanga – 73% of statistics are made up, as I said. I highly doubt anyone has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt an elevation in blood pressure is correlated with dramatic increase in heart disease. Maybe a moderate increase I’ll buy. I took antihypertensives for awhile. They made me feel like shit, hence I no longer take them.
@ManoAngeliukai9902@xanga – So now you’re thanking a non-existent deity on top of all that? Hahaha. Nice one…
Also, your daughter was born with this, and you knew about it before? Tsk tsk on you not terminating the pregnancy. That would have been ideal, and had I had to go through that, I would tell my parents the same goddamned thing.
I am 22, unmarried, no children, and neither marriage nor children are in my future plans. You’re right I don’t really care that much about my life. Why? Because nobody gives a shit about me, so why should I give a shit about myself? Make sense? Oh well, I got to stick it to my doctors in the end, so in a way, that was fun.
EDIT: I would maybe withdraw my claim if we went to a socialized health care system, then it definitely wouldn’t be ALL about greed as they would be government employees. One of the many advantages to a socialized health care system, not to mention poor individuals such as myself wouldn’t have to go broke getting attention.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You are one of the most highly uneducated people I’ve seen around here. Hypertension isn’t a big deal? Really? It’s one of the leading causes of heart attacks, which, btw, are detrimental to one’s health. My Dad had a heart attack quite a few years ago b/c of it. He is now on meds to control it and is doing well. I’m so grateful to his cardiologist for looking out for him.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I’m so sorry that you feel that way and care so very little about your life. I’m going to assume you don’t have children, and if so, please don’t ever have any. Denying them medical care would be detrimental to their health.
My Dad was dx’d with colon cancer last July. Thank God he went through treatments and surgery, he wouldn’t be with us today. He is now in remission as of right before Easter. Without the treatments, he would have committed suicide. His oncologist is awesome, cares not only about him but the whole family.
My daughter was born with a cleft lip/palate, we knew about this via ultrasounds while I was still pregnant. She’s undergone 8 surgeries so far, 7 oral ones (before the age of 5). She’s doing wonderfully. 🙂 Her surgeon is highly dedicated and not just “doing it for the money” by all means. We trust him with her life and he’s extremely compassionate.
My family has been lucky to have those doctors who do care about us, never have we been “just a number”. I’m so sorry that you were the victim of “bad doctors”, but don’t classify them all into one bunch. There are some really awesome ones out there.
@kipahni@xanga – Don’t you go spouting FGM to me, when in the same breath, you support MGM (Male Genital Mutilation). Hypocrite. MGM is probably the biggest hoax that modern medicine has ever come up with. And yes, I would rather die from those things, because if I live, well, let’s face it, I’d have to live with the complications of those diseases for the rest of my life, and as I said, that would diminish my ability to function as a person, and if I lose any sort of function, I’d rather just die. Most people I know agree with me.
@bluejacky@xanga – If I ever become a “cripple” I WILL KILL MYSELF. Period, end of story. I’m not going to live like that.
@gottobereal64@xanga – Hypertension isn’t as big of a deal as greedy, money-hungry doctors claim it to be. One’s natural blood pressure is just that, and when we go around tampering with that, we tamper with their homeostasis. Even so, I exercise, eat a low-sodium vegetarian diet, and regularly drink alcoholic beverages (which causes a temporary drop in BP as well).
@cody_ashby@xanga – Actually 50% less people wouldn’t be a bad thing. We’re overpopulated anyway. Also, no doctor truly works for free. Despite what they don’t tell you, “Doctors Without Borders” is funded by taxpayers money, so in a way, every time I have some of my payroll deducted, that goes to that. UGH. Also, sorry to hear you’re a pharmacy major. You’re already on my shit list.
@Strangebrain@xanga – 44% of free clinics maintain a budget of less than $100,000? Well, 73% of statistics are made up, and once again, small clinics are supported by taxes.
Kevin Trudeau is innocent of any and all charges. That’s what happens when you’re the government and you can afford lawyers to make up bogus claims and plant false evidence, thus tainting a jury. It’s sickening what the government does. Of course, leave it to a government who would fake trips to the moon to do something of that sort.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – You are taking a huge risk not treating your hypertension. I hope you are at least modifying your diet, getting exercise, etc..
Great blog post, great information, and even greater banter in the comments. I love it when science wins!
Thank you. I see too much misinformation on vaccines on Autisable.
LOL
wow did you get this info from wikipedia….
take a look at this 1 hour documentary,, it examines the motives of Brian Deer his links to Glaxo
and has interviews with him and some of the Lancet parrents.
http://www.viddler.com/explore/ziggy/videos/1/
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – The only drawback to that kind of thinking is to wake up one day and find out you’re nearly 50 and still functioning in ‘cripple’ mode. I was told in my 20’s I’d BE in a nursing home by my 40’s, and I’m not there yet. If I had your attitude, I’d have already killed myself in bitterness years ago. Life sux, hell yeah. But what the heck, I’ll take it anyway. =) Hope your headache cycle is nearly over.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – @jupiter312@xanga – I always get tickled at the aspie fights.
THANK YOU for this post. I had autism before I had vaccinations because they didn’t used to vaccinate babies. I had measles and did NOT get worse. I’ve had lots of vaccinations in my life and never got worse. If there were as big a deal as they say about vaccines, autism would clearly be showing up like crazy since vaccines were invented, and it’s not. I really get tired of the rumor and panic mill our media feeds us to whip up the frenzy.
My kids are not getting vaccinated when they are born. I went to a website a while back where a newborn baby got some type of vaccine and then died a few weeks later from complications from the vaccine. The poor baby and its poor parents. The doctors were convinced a vaccine couldn’t kill a baby. What utter BS! I’ll wait until their 2 months old before starting them on vaccines. I can’t find the link but it was sad. I cried when I looked at the pictures of the baby.
Wow- to the person who is anti- medicine; you seriously would want to die in one of the many plagues (sufficating to death or bulbous painful sores?) at a younger age?
I live in a small village where medicine is primative- They live as natural as can be (grow and kill your own food no industrial food) And my neighbor died from an infection from a BROKEN LEG- left 5 sons and 3 daughters orphaned (her husband had died earlier from tuberculosis or Hep C both which he had- again both which are treatable in America) Something that in america is easy to cast and treat with anti biotics is life threatening here.
We have one of the highest maternal death rates, because of poor prenatal care, rural practices and FGM.
I say THANK GOD for MEDICINE!
I am sorry you have had such a bad situations with Doc’s but I have know only doctors who do it because they love to help people. yes some can be short, and calus at times, when you have a patient load of 60-80 a day to see of sick people who are honestly aren’t very nice or grateful you try having a smile on your face at the end of the day.
I am an oncology nurse so I know how rude some doctors can be but here is the thing- There are RUDE ACTIONS, but that does not equal a RUDE PERSON. Just as some of your comments are harsh that does not make you a harsh person, so I would just ask that you think before you generalize.
To the origonal poster- well written
We have some friends whose son is now autstic due to a vaccine. It scares me but at the same time it scares me not to have my children vaccinated.
@cody_ashby@xanga – THANK YOU! no need to apologize for a well-written “novel,” my parents are both pharmacists and i know personally that they are not in it for the money or to rip people off. In fact, they encourage people to use fewer medicines, even though doing so would hurt their job.
And about the article. Yay for talking about the autism/vaccination subject. I had no idea what to think either way about the issue, but this makes sense. Either that, or you’re really good and making stuff up.
just kidding. 
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – “There’s nothing that medicine can do that some sort of natural compound out there can’t.” -While I would agree that a fair number of conventional medicines were discovered in their “all natural” states, the standards demanded by science-based medicine –as well as certain government regulations–produce much greater results then the unregulated “standards” of “all natural compounds”. Also conventional medicine must show a level of efficacy with every one of their interventions; this is unfortunately not demanded of “all-natural” medicine
“Doctors: greedy bastards who only do it for the money. They could care less about their patients, to them, you’re just a file.” -I won’t deny the fact that there is probably a portion –albeit small– of physicians out there that go into medicine solely for financial gain. However, it seems to me –I’m currently a premed student–that at the undergraduate level most of the people going into medicine do so because of a humanitarian or scientific interest –in most cases (such as my own) both. Of course that’s just a personal anecdote; so instead consider the large number of free clinics across the U.S. These clinics are non-profit organizations designed to help those in need of medical care. In a national survey of 275 randomly selected free clinics in the U.S. 53% of clinics surveyed were started and are maintained by physicians, 44% of which maintain an operating budget of less than $100,000. Not exactly what I would call greedy. Also, I don’t think that anyone (anyone who has taken a look at an MCAT practice book) would deny that it takes a fair amount of intelligence (as well as diligence) to even get into a medical school. Such bright minds, I think, could find a much more lucrative –as well as less assiduous–career path.
At the risk of coming off as pugnacious (that is not my intention) I feel I should impinge on some of the comments you made to others here.
“You wouldn’t believe what goes into a vaccination, or even your OTC
pain relievers. Read “Natural Cures THEY Don’t Want You To Know About”
by Kevin Trudeau for the shocking truth behind what Big Pharma, the
FDA, and doctors are doing to you.” -I provided, in this post, a list of everything that goes into these vaccines. I have to say I find it a little inconsistent that you epitomize doctors as money hungry deviants while promoting Kevin Trudeua, a man convicted of both fraud and larceny (as well as breaking court orders) all in the pursuit of financial gain.
“As you well know, drugs just treat symptoms, they don’t treat the cause.” -Vaccines (as I tried to point out) are a good example of treating the cause, as are antibiotics and a host of other medicines.
I would continue, however, it is late and I want to refrain from writing a short novel –plus it does not appear I’d be writing anything someone else hasn’t already written. I can sympathize –and (I suspect, to a lesser extent given your hostility) empathize–with having bad experiences with physicians. I’m sorry to hear (rather read) about you medical conditions and your previous experiences with doctors; I sincerely hope all goes well for you.
i have taken several biology and microbiology courses in my day and i feel as though i need to throw a big THANK YOU your way for using LOGIC and FACTS, rather than opinion or ‘assumed’ truth. so seriously, thank you. if everyone truly understood vaccinations in detail as well as, and if not more than you explained it here, there would be no question as to whether or not vaccinations could yield adverse affects . it’s simply a vast miscalculation by groups of people who just don’t know better. immune responses are illicited EVERY day to different antigens. i just can’t understand what makes people believe that a few more per vaccination could be troublesome. also, antifreeze? ridiculous. haha.
@drung888@xanga – doctors without borders is truly a group of heroes. have you seen the sixty minutes on plumpynut? (aka the key to stopping childhood starvation in third world countries). if not, you’d really enjoy it. along with the special on multi drug resistant tb. also pretty inspring.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – i’m a pharmacy major and you should be informed that ANY drug (OTC and Prescription) can be ineffective in treating a patient or render unfortunate side effects. equally, any drug put out on the market has a counter ability to treat IF NOT HEAL millions of people. which side you’re on depends solely on your body’s reactions to the drug due to intercellular chemical compounds and your own intracellular dna sequences and those of the invader (be it virus, bacteria, protist, cancer…etc.). what you seem to fail to understand is the fact that without the innovations of modern technology, it is seriously possible that there would be near 50% less of us on this earth without vaccinations for diseases like polio, measles/mumps/rubella, TB. i’m honestly sorry to hear about your previous experience with doctors, but seriously. your preconceived notions could be causing the supposed character faults you’ve picked out in each and every doctor you’ve visited. trust me, hardly anyone i know would put themself through med school…even a PharmD program, with expenses up the ass, years and years of courses and internships, and of course, the subsequent heartbreak that comes to some with seeing patients suffer and sometimes die, just out of the sake of greed. if you truly think that the medical field is a haven for selfish ‘cunts’ and ‘dicks’ i suggest you check yourself and your rhetoric. it’s truly near impossible that each and every doctor on this earth is out there for only his/herself. i would really like to hear your opinion on doctors who choose to work without compensation overseas treating people for years at a time. are they greedy conniving dicks too?
sorry for the novel.
@Alyxandri@xanga – “I hate the phrase “playing God” so much. Should we limit our potential out of fear?”
What a perfect thing to say, here 🙂
And on an article-related note…
This is a great summary of the issue! Seriously, what else can the anti-vaccination camp say to refute any of this evidence?
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – [Doctors: greedy bastards who only do it for the money.]
Counter-example: Three words-Doctors Without Borders.
@jupiter312@xanga – They aren’t the State Board of Education. They’re the State Board of Indoctrination as far as I’m concerned.
I’ve definitely had better teachers than others, but not one teacher was a callused person, and you’d be hard pressed to find a teacher that was. Callused-hearted doctors, on the other hand, are the rule rather than the exception.
If doctors weren’t in it for the money, they wouldn’t promote useless procedures such as routine infant male genital mutilation.
Amazing job on this post. I’ve known the autism-vaccine link was bogus, but this is the best explanation for why I’ve come across (the rest were either far too dumbed down or too biochem heavy for my comprehension level). Wonderful work.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I’m mildly obsessed with language.
Try convincing the Texas Board of Education that religion/creationism is utter bullshit. I stopped following the story a few weeks ago because it was mind-numbingly backwards =/
I’ve run into a number of corrupt teachers throughout my education (one of which happened to be the typical “dirty old man” and who got suspended after throwing a desk at a student). It’s just a difference in personal experience. I’ve had excellent doctors who took care of all of my concerns. I have bad tendons and am there for at least one different complaint a year.
I have had a corrupt dentist, though. He charged me one price when I had dental insurance and twice that when I didn’t.
I agree. and thanks for the diagrams. lol.
Man’s mind is his greatest attribute. By using it, we have progressed from animals to gods. So why do so many people condemn science?
I hate the phrase “playing God” so much. Should we limit our potential out of fear?
Also, medicine taken after one becomes ill is commonly accepted but it is just as “unnatural” as preventative medicine. But whether it is a defense or a cure, medicine has saved countless lives.
And yes, I know I am looking at this more philosophically than scientifically. Science was never my strong point.
<3
@jupiter312@xanga – The only corrupt teachers I’ve run into are the ones that insist on teaching Creationism in a biology class, and nowadays those are few and far between, as we now know that religion/creationism is utter bullshit.
I’m surprised you even knew what a pedagogist was, to be honest. I always use that word to trip people up.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Sure, because there have never been any corrupt teachers under any theory of teaching.
@jupiter312@xanga – I’ll say it again…screw the patients. The only thing doctors have on their minds is that paycheck. Heck, that’s the only thing anyone who works in a high-paying profession has on his/her mind. They might think their job sucks, but they’re going to suck it up because money means more to them.
If I wanted money, I wouldn’t be a pedagogist. I’d be doing something else for a living.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – There are no variations between members of the human race? No differences in personality between people of the same professions? That is a seriously mistaken sentiment.
Seriously, maybe you’re the “self-centered, arrogant, pompous dick”. You’re certainly judgmental of an entire group of people based only on a small sampling.
@jupiter312@xanga – Oh really? I won’t be? Oh well, at least I won’t be in a nursing home. If that happens, I’ll just quit everything, get ready and in a few days, I’ll just lay down and die. Life sucks anyway, it always has sucked, and it always will suck, and I don’t see it ever not sucking, so dying early has its perks.
See, always have a back-up plan.
There are no variations. Every doctor I’ve ever been to has been a self-centered, arrogant, pompous dick (or cunt) that only wanted my money never giving a crap about me. Sorry, that’s how it’s worked from day one.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I’m pretty bored of conspiracy theories. The fact that there are some unethical members in the ranks of doctors, the FDA, and Big Pharma does not mean that every single one of them is unethical. That’s the one big problem in making generalizations: they wrong. Terms like “always” and “never” are a joke when applied to people, because they don’t take variations into account. This goes for doctors, the FDA, and Big Pharma as well. Sure, some of them are crooked and may just be out to get you. But so are the people we encounter in every other job in this world.
It would be seriously dumb to go through the whole long process of medical school just so you could screw people over. You would be better off faking the whole thing if you wished to be unethical in the first place. Additionally, if they want us all to get sick, they’re reducing herd immunity and things of the like for themselves. But sure, you “see right through them”.
The problem with your idea of dying at 40 is that you’re thinking of 40 by our century’s standards. With no medicine/health care whatsoever, by age 40 you won’t be “fully functional”.
@ElliottStrange@xanga – As you well know, drugs just treat symptoms, they don’t treat the cause. Big Pharma doesn’t want to treat the cause. Why? Then you’d be better, and they don’t want you better, because there goes their revenue.
Seriously…read “Natural Cures” if you get the chance. It’s got some shocking and freaky factoids.
@jupiter312@xanga – It doesn’t help that the FDA, Big Pharma, and doctors are scheming behind our backs to ensure we get sick so we have to pad their pocket books. I’m not falling for that BS they’re pulling, I can see right through them. They’re just as unethical as the tobacco, alcohol, and firearm industries. You mentioned lifespans…in a way, a shorter lifespan is nice. I don’t want to be old and decrepit, and if that means I die at 40, so be it, I’d rather die at 40 being able to be fully functional every second than die at 80 and had to have lived in a nursing home for the last 20 years of my life.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Oh, I don’t take any medicine I can avoid. There’s no reason for OTC drugs because all they do is treat symptoms. You can wait those out. Your body heals itself.
The only medication I actually ever took was a suppressant for tuberculosis. It was kind of necessary if I wanted to avoid death.
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – Well, there are always unlucky ones in every bunch. *shrugs* I’ll continue believing in science, technology, and medicine, and you can continue believing that we’d be better off with the health care standards of the Dark Ages for all I care.
@ElliottStrange@xanga – You wouldn’t believe what goes into a vaccination, or even your OTC pain relievers. Read “Natural Cures THEY Don’t Want You To Know About” by Kevin Trudeau for the shocking truth behind what Big Pharma, the FDA, and doctors are doing to you.
Oh, as a basic premise vaccinations make a great deal of sense and are quite harmless, barring negative reactions like, you know… dying.
However, I don’t know exactly what they’ve put in that syringe. There’s no way for me to personally confirm that they have not tampered with the intended vaccine or added something else to it.
Maybe I have some distrust for other people but I think it is within reason.
As the King once said: “Yes, I am paranoid; but am I paranoid enough?”
@jupiter312@xanga – General health? Ha!!! I suffer from Graves’ Disease, WPW Syndrome, and Cluster Headaches. I also have hypertension. I’m NOT in anywhere near good health. I’ve got all sorts of problems. Doctors weren’t able to do a damn thing. Oh well, I kinda got the last laugh, when they decided to bill me beyond anything I could pay, I just declared Chapter 7 Title 11 on their sorry asses. They didn’t see a dime of that money, and they can’t come after me for it.
Well said!
@abilene_piper_lg@xanga – I really must disagree with everything you’ve said. Without advances in medical technology, we would still (as a species) be where we were a few millenia ago: with lifespans of only 30 – 35 years. The world is much better off now that influenza does not routinely kill millions. As stated in the post, you can thank herd immunity for the general health you experience now that allows you to look at medicine with such scorn.
I still don’t believe in modern medicine. I don’t put any synthesized compounds in my body. I don’t take medicine. I don’t do any of that. There’s nothing that medicine can do that some sort of natural compound out there can’t.
Doctors: greedy bastards who only do it for the money. They could care less about their patients, to them, you’re just a file. That’s why I’ll never go to another doctor for as long as I live. I now have an advance directive in place that prevents me from receiving any and all medical treatment should I ever become incapacitated. This world would be better off without doctors….