A Knight in Dragonland

I’m now Blogging Forgottonia. Check it out!

Andrew Wakefield, whose 1998 Lancet article set off a wave of anti-vaccine hysteria, “changed and misreported reported results in his research” according to a Sunday Times investigation. Put in simpler terms, Andrew Wakefield is a liar and a fraud.

The Lancet article was thoroughly unconvincing even if the data behind it was sound. A study on TWELVE children was used to make broad conclusions regarding the safety of the MMR vaccine. Well, it turns out that the fundamentals of this limited study were not sound – they were exaggerations and complete fabrications.

Thanks to Wakefield and the hysteria he created, measles is a resurgent problem in the U.K. According to the Times, in 1998, when Wakefield’s “study” was published, there were 56 cases of measles in the U.K. In 2008, there were 1348. In 2006, a 13 year old boy in northwest England became the first measles DEATH reported in the U.K. in 14 years. We’re starting to have measles outbreaks here because more & more people are delaying or avoiding vaccines based on “science” from attention-seeking cretins like Wakefield.

I certainly hope that this story serves as a wake-up call, but I fear that Wakefield’s lies and their dangerous consequences will unravel far too slowly.

Hat Tip: the Pundit

Apparently my old theme was causin’ problems. Thus the new look.

What Obama said to the Muslim world in his inaugural address, he could have just as well said to the Republican Party, “People will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”

Cenk Uygur, of the Young Turks, at HuffPo.

Like I’ve said before … G.O.P., it’s easy to sit back and fling poo, but what do you stand FOR???

59-0.

About freaking time!!!

I’m glad my wife called Sunset Hills School this morning to see if the children would be watching the inauguration of President Barack Obama. The answer was no. They were going to talk about the inauguration, but the children would not be watching the event.

My children stayed home from school today. They’re not missing this piece of history.

What reason did they give my wife? The children would not be watching the inauguration of the 44th President because … [drum roll] … there would be RELIGION involved.

Say WHAT?!?!?!

OK … I’m all for separation of church & state, but that’s just stupid. This is a historic event. Besides, didn’t my daughters sing “Silent Night” and several other Christian-themed carols at their CHRISTmas concert in December, an official school event? Why yes they did!

Religion excuse = COMPLETE B.S.

Was this just isolated idiocy at Sunset Hills, or did the whole of District 108 fail to observe the inauguration? Since the religion excuse is utterly absurd, that leaves us to come up with our own reasons why Pekin school children didn’t watch the inauguration of the first BLACK president.

Given Pekin’s reputation, what reason do you think many people will come up with???

The eight year nightmare of incompetence is over, and we finally have an adult in the White House again.

Now the hard work begins.

Jake Grys has his independence, and that is truly wonderful … but this is not the end of the story. Jake still has a severe form of osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. This charming little boy with the infectious smile will still break bones with painful frequency. No matter how safe his new home may be, this amazing ambassador of hope is still at great risk of dieing far too young. That hasn’t changed. Nor has this event changed the lives of the many other children with OI (estimated at 20-50 thousand in the U.S.) or equally disabling conditions … unless we do something about it.

If you have been inspired by Jake’s story and the Grys family, please give in whatever way that you can to organizations such as the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, Easter Seals and Special Olympics. The hard work has only just begun.

* Unbreakable Spirit is the motto imprinted on the charity wristbands put out by the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.

Watch the local special at 6 and the show itself at 7 on ABC tonight!

I’ve come out of the closet. For the Monmouth Review-Atlas, interviewing me for an article in their “People to Know” section, and my new community, I felt I had to be honest about who I really am.

Most people had it figured out anyway, or at least suspected.

Yes … I’m a nerd.

Judge me harshly if you will, but I’m proud. I’m a nerd, and I shall be heard!

Tim McGinnis … I’m with you, brother! I’m the very first fan of your blog on Facebook.

The Pekin Times ran an article today about the Facebook group promoting Frank Mackaman for governor of Illinois. I am a proud member.

Yeah, yeah … Pat Quinn gets the job if Blago gets canned. We know that. But what about Mackaman 2010???

It’s been a crazy, crazy year – a see-saw of highs & lows. On a personal level …

Little Dragon #5.

Quit old job; started new job.

Trying to sell our current house … UGH.

Trying to find a new house that will fit us all!

And locally …

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition & the Grys family.

Death of Pekin Mayor Dave Tebben.

And more broadly …

Obama.

Blago.

The Economy.

The Cubs 100-Year CHOKE.

Here’s to a not-so-crazy 2009!

In my last post I stated that it would be great if Frank Mackaman was chosen as the next Mayor of Pekin.

Forget that!!! I mean, he’d be great as mayor again. However, there’s a much more important office for him to take on, assuming Blago gets his just desserts … governor of Illinois!

Mackaman would be the perfect choice. He’s extremely competent, even-tempered and familiar with the intricacies of governance. He did a fantastic job putting Pekin back on the right track after the Lyn Howard debacle. Who better to fix Illinois?

Hey, I still live here … on the weekends, at least.

So, from the Daily Times Weekend edition:

* CityLink now has hourly routes between Pekin & Peoria for only $1. Covenient & affordable public transportation … now there’s a novel concept! Kudos to the City of Pekin and CityLink for making this happen.

* The Times editorial board thinks the Pekin City Council should choose someone outside their ranks to serve the remainder of Dave Tebben’s mayoral term. I concur. Any chance that Frank Mackaman would be willing to go another round??? I’m guessing no, but I think he would be fantastic choice.

* Speaking of the Times editorial board … Michelle Teheux has been chosen as the new editor of the Pekin Daily Times, effective December 29. Congratulations, Michelle!

Teheux will step into the opening left by Rick Wade’s rather rowdy departure. I’m still eager to hear more details about that particular event.

* The back page of the Lifestyles section has a half-page advertisement declaring that my old office (Suite D) in the Park Court Medical Center is being transformed into the new Pekin UrgentCare. The reason given is “to better serve you and your family.”

What’s the real reason? Because of its current location contiguous with the Emergency Department and within Pekin Hospital proper, a hospital surcharge is added to the bill of everyone who uses the UrgentCare. This is speculation on my part, but I’m thinking the surcharge can be eliminated in this new location, improving Pekin Hospital’s competitiveness with the Pekin Methodist Medpointe in regards to Urgent Care services.

However, I’m not sure that makes up for the loss of seven physicians in the last year – three of them to Methodist.

Republicans need to quit this “guilt by association” nonsense brought on by the national focus on Blago and figure out what they stand FOR …

It’s not fiscal conservatism. They supported the most massive expansion of government since LBJ and ran our government by running up the national credit card.

It’s not social conservatism, family values or strict constructionist interpretation of the Constitution. Just look at the sex scandals (Craig, Foley, etc etc etc), corruption scandals (Stevens, DeLay, etc etc etc), and carte-blanc support of torture & wiretapping.

What does the Republican Party stand FOR?

Abortion is bad. Oh, and they don’t want gay people to get married.

Wait a minute … those are things that Republicans are AGAINST. Other than getting re-elected and maintaining political power for themselves and their privileged cronies, what do Republicans stand FOR???

Cue the crickets.