Derek Bartholomaus' excellent web site does a superb job of outlining the harm caused by the anti-vaccination rhetoric spouted by Jenny McCarthy.I've cobbled together the following video to highlight some of the key information taken from Derek's "Jenny McCarthy Body Count" web site and Dr. Steven Novella's blog post regarding vaccines and autism.
You could argue that, like Jenny McCarthy, I am not suitably qualified to comment on the efficacy and dangers associated with vaccines. That's why I base my opinions on scientific evidence and the vast overall medical expertise supporting the use of vaccines rather than relying on my "daddy" instinct and anecdotal cases based on confusion of causation and correlation.
Music is by Santana, and is owned or licensed by Sony Music Entertainment and as a result this video will not be available in Germany, but I've used it anyway as I thought it was a jolly good fit.
14 comments:
And Zombie music! Sometimes it all comes together...
That's where I go for medical advice.
Wow! Thank you.
-Derek
"Black Magic Woman" would also work.
Dammit - I really want to send this video around but your decision to include nude shots of Jenny McCarthy not only renders it NSFW but not suitable for parents (given they generally have kids around), and many mothers are probably not going to watch any further than the first flash of boobs as it rather undermines the message of the video.
In addition, it makes the whole video kinda childish, and I'm reluctant to publicise it with the nude content intact. Would it be possible to issue a version without those images? I think it would reach a much larger audience.
Agree with Tracy. I was watching it at work and I would really prefer not to have seen that.
What is the point of it? Seriously.
I also agree w/ Tracy. I understand the point that people shouldn't be taking medical advice from a nude model. It just seems that the way the images are presented in this video could interfere with the message.
Tracy / Srekel / Brian
Thanks for the constructive comments. The original intention of the nude shots was indeed as understood by Brian, but on reflection, I think you're all right and it does interfere with the more important message.
I have therefore uploaded an edited version of the video with those images removed. Thanks again for taking the time to write some helpful comments
Crispian
Thanks for being cool about it. I think you'll get more reach this way. By the way, love the blog - keep it up.
Why is it that so many people confuse celebrity/notoriety with authority? Appearing on TV doesn’t, of itself, make you an expert on every subject you choose to pontificate on (Oprah take note)! Given the litigious nature of US society I hope that this idiotic know nothing gets sued by the parents of a child who has died because they followed her advice. That would get the whole debate out into the open once and for all. By the by, I love the blob, but if you don’t mind my suggesting it, you might want to change the colour scheme “slightly” cos blind old bast**ds, like me, struggle to read it…just a suggestion which you don’t have to take any notice of if you don’t want to….Please don’t flame me!!!!!
Crispian, cool :)
As a side note, I believe these types of things is what causes the sexism debate within the skeptics movement. ( http://skepchick.org/blog/2009/08/sexism-skepticism-on-sgu-recap/ ). Worth having in mind in the future. :)
Thoughts about vaccination.
The scientific method is an important tool that works well when the input information is unbiassed and unedited for political and monetary gain.
The pharmaceutical industry is all about profit under the guise of doing public good and vaccination is good for their pocket books. So far the US Government has pledged $46 Billion for the untested H1N1 vaccine and protected the vaccine manufacturers from any legal action. This decision is a result of BAD science!
The problem with the H1N1 vaccination hysteria here in Canada is that the media ( Government propaganda dispensers ) are advocating the WHO guidelines ( Majority of WHO funds come from Big Pharma ) ignoring a study of 13 million Canadians recently released in Canada showing that you are twice as likely to contract H1N1 if you have taken the vaccine than if you are not vaccinated.
Interesting info from the WHO website. Regular flu kills 500,000 people every year. The H1N1 "Pandemic" has killed less than 5,000 worldwide ??????????????
The numbers tell the whole story. It is about $$$ not healthcare.
To question the workings of the system seems prudent in this era of corporate lies and even more so when it relates to what substances you put in to your body.
Namaste.
Andrew Stones
@Andrew:
"...ignoring a study of 13 million Canadians recently released in Canada showing that you are twice as likely to contract H1N1 if you have taken the vaccine..."
And what study might that be, eh?
"...in this era of corporate lies..."
Not to mention private lies.
Lot of conspiracy theory warning signs in there, Andrew. Not only do you end a sentence with 15 question marks, refer to "Big Pharma," use $$$ in place of the perfectly cromulent word "money," but you also refer to an unpublished, unverified study that by all accounts is an outlier. Vaccines prevent illness. They save lives. They eliminate diseases that once decimated populations. Anti-vaccine conspiracy theory pushers, unlike the more quaint moon hoaxers and 9-11 truthers, are endangering lives.
Stop endangering lives, please.
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