The right and the left converge...here (for the moment, anyway)
I've just noticed that my little screed against the RFK Jr. article on Salon.com on the supposed mercury-thimerosal connection has been linked to from both the left and the right.
From the left: One of my favorite lefty bloggers, Majikthise, has come to the same conclusion that I have, namely that the mercury/autism connection is "totally unsupported by the evidence." She also promises a second post on the allegations of collusion, influence peddling, and coverup. I didn't really deal with these issues in my post, so I await her followup article. Just because I point out that the evidence for thimerosal in vaccines as a cause of autism is very weak does not mean I approve of, for example, Bill Frist's cozier-than-appropriate ties with pharmaceutical companies.
From the right: The Corner on National Review Online has also linked to my article as well, as did the Commons.
All of this suggests to me that this issue can be about good science, not politics.
Finally, a shameless plug: Welcome to Respectful Insolence, all new readers brought here from any site that's linked to my article. Some of you obviously hate my viewpoint (as evidenced by some of the nastiness in the comments), but I'm hoping some of you decide to stay a while and make this a regular stop on your blog-reading rounds. This blog is about a whole lot more than vaccines, as you will find out if you stick around a while.
From the left: One of my favorite lefty bloggers, Majikthise, has come to the same conclusion that I have, namely that the mercury/autism connection is "totally unsupported by the evidence." She also promises a second post on the allegations of collusion, influence peddling, and coverup. I didn't really deal with these issues in my post, so I await her followup article. Just because I point out that the evidence for thimerosal in vaccines as a cause of autism is very weak does not mean I approve of, for example, Bill Frist's cozier-than-appropriate ties with pharmaceutical companies.
From the right: The Corner on National Review Online has also linked to my article as well, as did the Commons.
All of this suggests to me that this issue can be about good science, not politics.
Finally, a shameless plug: Welcome to Respectful Insolence, all new readers brought here from any site that's linked to my article. Some of you obviously hate my viewpoint (as evidenced by some of the nastiness in the comments), but I'm hoping some of you decide to stay a while and make this a regular stop on your blog-reading rounds. This blog is about a whole lot more than vaccines, as you will find out if you stick around a while.
I had my wingnut repellent tinfoil hat on but the wackos still got through (and I read most of their posts arghhhhhhhhhh!)
ReplyDeleteI commend you for your calm responses to some of the more outrageous posts. I doubt I would have been able to generate them in such a way - without screaming that is (let alone having the power of the delete button)
Cheers
There's a fairly big clue a little way down that googlisms list... "Orac is the highly advanced computer featured in the BBC tv science fiction series Blake's 7"
ReplyDeleteBlake's 7. I remember that from when I was a kid. Didn't remember the name of the computer though. I was, and still am, a Doctor Who fan. BBC brought it out again this year with new episodes.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice the left and right can come together over something sane these days. Seems that whenever they do it's the fringes getting together to concoct wild conspiracy theories.
Yes, it's also about Eneman, and all that he embodies. ;)
ReplyDelete-Ali
EneMan certainly embodies more of a commitment to evidence-based medicine than the mercury-autism crowd. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, Orac is from Blakes 7, one of the finest SF shows ever to come out of the U.K., although it shared the same rather crappy special effects of Tom Baker era Doctor Who.
ReplyDeleteI think all BBC sci-fi shows had crappy special effects. Just wasn't in the budget.
ReplyDeleteActually the special effects for the new Doctor Who series aren't so bad.
ReplyDeleteYou've seen it?! I haven't yet. Is it good? How do you get it? I'm betting it's on DVD or will be very soon.
ReplyDeleteThey're getting yet a new doctor; Eccleston didn't want to be typecast or something.