Vietnam. But with sand.

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Real or Surreal?

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Disenchanted

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Vaccinations

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An Open Letter from the Australian Skeptics to...
The Parents of Australia, about Immunisation

Immunisation is acclaimed as one of the greatest achievements of medical science. Since the humble observations about cowpox made by Edward Jenner in the 1700s, vaccination programmes have saved millions of lives worldwide and dramatically decreased child mortality and suffering.

Diseases such as smallpox are now consigned to history, whilst polio and tuberculosis have virtually disappeared. Gone are the days of iron lungs and callipers.

Thanks to advances in medical science, every person born in a first world country from the year 2000 onwards is practically certain to survive throughout childhood.

But sadly there are some people who are vehemently opposed to vaccinations. Whilst they will tell you they are “pro-choice” not “anti-vaccination”, their actions indicate otherwise - almost as if they want to remove your choice to have your children live in a disease-free society.

In America, the anti-vaccination movement is represented by model Jenny McCarthy and film star Jim Carrey. In Australia we have the deceptively titled Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) which spreads misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. They incorrectly claim that vaccines contain toxic quantities of heavy metals such as mercury as well as aluminium, anti-freeze and formaldehyde. Further, they will tell you that vaccines cause diseases such as autism, despite the fact that as a result of concerted scientific research, a link between vaccines and autism has been unequivocally dismissed.

“Love them. Protect them. Never inject them”
– The Australian Vaccination Network

In addition to discouraging parents from vaccinating their children, the AVN provides incorrect information about the risks and complications from contacting childhood illnesses. They have stated that whooping cough is “just a bad cough” but in reality, children can suffer from collapsed lungs, cracked ribs, brain damage from lack of oxygen, convulsions, and about 1 in 200 will develop pneumonia and die. Even those who survive may have persistent symptoms.

Ultimately, the decision to vaccinate or not lies with you, the parent. Before you make your choice we urge you to seek out unbiased, accurate advice from reputable medical sources. The Australian Vaccination Network is no such source.

Talk to your GP or visit these reliable sources for vaccination information on the web:

Immunise Australia Programme
http://www.immunise.health.gov.au

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance
http://www.ncirs.usyd.edu.au

Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/services/acir/index.jsp

The Australian Immunisation Handbook
http://immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-home

Immunisation myths and realities - responding to arguments against immunisation
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/content/uci-myths-guideprov


Australian Skeptics Inc.
www.skeptics.com.au

A fair summary.

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No, not a correct view, but how the advertisers manipulate viewers.

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Adios, amigo.

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Sol Trujillo, former head of the Australian communications giant, Telstra, has said taht Australia is racist and backward.

Didn't stop him pocketing a swag of Aussie pesos before hightailing it out of town.

His main concern was that cartoonists always drew him as a Mexican. Sorry, Sol, that's what cartoonists do. They exaggerate a person's features or history. Alexander Downer never complained that cartoonists always drew him in fishnet stockings; a legacy of a University review of amny, many years ago. You are a Mexican, they will draw you in a sombrero. Live with it.

There is a word for your behaviour, Sol: Unprofessional.

Adios.
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The swines!

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The media, male genitalia at the best of times, have excelled themselves in the broad ranging fear campaign they have pushed in the latest flu 'outbreak'.

The flu DNA apparently has human, bird and pig elements, but the headline writers have gone with "Swine Flu". Missing the point of the whole thing. In fact the only cross species infection recorded to date is human to pig, not the reverse.

But it is a nice emotive term. Would kitten flu generate as much panic?

Probably not.

Egypt deserves a 'gong' at this point, having ordered the slaughter of 300,000 pigs despite there being no link to pigs. The presence of pig DNA in the virus does not indicate a risk from pigs. Egypt didn't even have the flu. And, using the same logic, why not kill all the birds and all the humans? Presumably it was an opportunity for an Islamic thumbing of the nose at the infidels who eat pork. Can't see any other reason. Nasty piece of work.

So far there are about 30 confirmed deaths from this flu.

But, every year, thousands die from common or garden flu and are unlamented by the media.

Every year people die on the roads; from cigarette smoking; from food poisoning.

Every year 30,000 Americans die from gun related injuries. Is that a pandemic?

Perspective, ladies and gentlemen, is nowhere to be seen.
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Yes Sir!!

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Honour among thieves? I don't think so.

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Full marks to the Americans for rescuing the captain of the Maersk Alabama from the pirates, off Somalia. It is about time someone drew a line in the sand, uh, surf.

But what do you make of this:

In Somalia itself, other pirates reacted angrily to the news that Captain Phillips had been rescued, and some said they would avenge the deaths of their colleagues by killing Americans in sea hijackings to come.

“Every country will be treated the way it treats us,” Abdullahi Lami, one of the pirates holding a Greek ship anchored in the pirate den of Gaan, a central Somali town, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying in a telephone interview.

Every country will be treated the way it treats us?

Hey fellahs, we are talking piracy, kidnapping and theft, here.

A bit late to be claiming the high moral ground.
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Surely this is just rape?

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Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has attempted to allay international fears that the rights of the country's women are being dragged back to where they were under the Taliban.

He last week signed a law which says a woman has to have sex with her husband once every four days and cannot leave home without him.

Women's groups say it sets a frightening precedent, and the new law has been condemned by US President Barack Obama, the United Nations and NATO.

Mr Karzai is reviewing the law but says its wording may have been misinterpreted outside Afghanistan.

- ABC News

We are sending our troops to fight to defend this?

How unfeeling!

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Confession time

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Yes, all my posts yesterday were inspired by April Fools day.

A Curate's Egg - Eel skin wallets and their effect on credit cards.

The Curate After Dark - Clomipramine, the drug that makes you have an orgasm when you yawn.

Hen Buddhism - The Second Coming Project, aiming to clone Jesus from DNA in old Holy Relics.

The Odd Angry Squawk - The call sign, N166ER, on Air Force One.

The Chemist's Kitchen - Tha Celery has negative calories.

As it happens, all sounded suitably April Foolery, but two are true and three are false.
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Can it be coincidence?

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(Click to enlarge)

The call sign is N166ER on the tail of Air Force One.

Grand Prix

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The Melbourne Grand Prix is on this afternoon.
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A short history of Australia.

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