Autism and Vaccines

The debate concerning vaccines and the explosive increase in autism and autism spectrum disorders has flared up recently due to a court decision that vaccines aggravated a child's medical condition and resulted in autism.

Both sides are passionate about their views. One side because they believe the vaccines are directly responsible for a degeneration in their child's brain development. The opposing side because it will mean big bucks by means of multiple lawsuits if they are found to be covering up for incompetent medical decisions.

As a teacher and the grandmother of a child currently being evaluated for an autism spectrum disorder I side with those who believe these vaccines have played a significant role in compromising a whole generation of children. It's not just the thimerosol, the mercury based preservative used in the vaccines until recently; it's injecting multiple live vaccines into the bodies of infants and young children.

There are guidelines about the proper timing of introducing certain foods into a child's system. No honey before a child is 1 year old, no peanut products before the child is 2 years old. To give them these foods before the above stated ages increases their risk of an allergic reaction. Yet, the medical profession blithely pumps toxins into a newborn baby's body without batting an eye. How much sense does this make? (The oh-so-obvious answer is none.)

A recent article posted on ABC News stated:

"Major health authorities, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization, have all studied and rejected possible links between autism and vaccines."

So, to summarize, government funded studies show no link between autism and government mandated vaccines. To quote Gomer Pyle, "Sur-prise, sur-prise, sur-prise!"

The powers that be would also have us believe that they removed the thimerosol from vaccines in 2002 out of the goodness of their hearts. More likely it was to cover the wideness of their butts.

The truth about autism is a mystery. Much of the working of the brain is an unknown. But I think we're about to see some of the questions answered. Thanks to the persistence of family members who recognized the correlation between the administration of vaccines and the presentation of autistic behavior in their child. Thanks to doctors and child development experts who are willing to swim upstream and lend their voices to opposing a flawed system that is supposed to protect our children not leave them vulnerable.

No one suggests that our children should not be protected against diseases that could be life-threatening. But to treat them with vaccines that could potentially cause damage to their brains is not an acceptable trade off.

Dee

Change, change, change....change of fools

Everywhere you look, or listen in the mainstream media you encounter it. Pounding and incessant, the drumbeat for change spreads across the face of the nation. It grows louder and more irritating by the minute

Obama Barak cries out for us to "Believe". What should we believe?...That it's time for a change and he will bring it.

Hillary Clinton disagrees. She is the true choice, because only she has the experience, leverage, courage, decisiveness, etc. to be a true agent of change.

I saw a reporter ask a voter who she had voted for in the Texas primary. She gave him a wide smile and said, "Obama." The reporter followed up by asking her why she had made this choice. The smile faded and a look of confusion passed over her face before she replied very rotely, "For change." Of course, the interviewer never posed the proper follow up question: What kind of change do you want?"

Significant political change must be considered carefully, intelligently, measure for measure, tested for the purity of its content, and weighed for its worth Most of the time, you discover that what's being offered as change is recycled junk dressed up with new paint.

In my heart, I believe that a large part of America can be duped into thinking that change is a good thing - very modern, very stylish. After all, we are in the habit of change. We upgrade everything. We change jobs. We move. We change spouses and partners. We change cars, cell phones, computers and electronic paraphernalia with ease. Well...you get the picture.
We are no longer comfortable with hard choices, staying the course, or plans that don't show results in nintey days.

A point in case is the election of former Baltimore Mayor O'Malley to the governorship of Maryland in our last gubenatorial race. Maryland is an extremely Democratic controlled state, and ordinarily, everyone would have expected this candidate to win. Folks here voted to send a message to President Bush that they wanted a change in his Iraq policy. All the while the mayor promised changes for Maryland. Full funding of educational programs, health care solutions, higher taxes, etc.

They are living to regret their choice. O'Malley's current popularity hovers around the 3

Blah, blah, blah

I'm listening to Obama's victory speech - actually it sounds more like an acceptance speech. He is promising a Utopia when he is elected to the office of President. I assume he will accomplish this in the first 6 days of his Presidency. After all, even God rested on the seventh day!

He has quoted every popular Democratic President and maligned the current Republican one. He's plugged his own book. I assume both he and his supporters think this is one bang-up, inspirational speech. But as an over-50 year old whose father was very involved in politics on a local level and watched all the primaries and conventions, I can assure you, I've heard it all before.

"Trust me...I have a new vision...I'm going to usher in a new age (apparently single-handedly),...BLAH, BLAH,BLAH, BLAH, BLAH".

These politicians are starting to sound like the adults in the Charlie Brown movies...wha wha wha wha wha.

The Obamarama Phenomenon

Be afraid...be very afraid.

We have entered into the Age of Obama which is destined to outshine the Age of Aquarius. I have recently seen an Obama ad (new at least for my local area). In a carefully constructed montage of music, evocative images, audios, and voice overs, we are being promised our salvation as a people and a nation.

According to this ad, Obama, once elected is going deliver tax cuts for the middle class, incentives for U.S. based businesses, return the troops from Iraq, achieve world peace, and save the planet environmentally, and we will be doing it with him because we are all one. By "believing it's time for a change" and that he is that change everything will be right with the world.

In general I don't trust politicians, but I wonder about the bandwagon that's attached itself to this senator. Oprah , who is wrapped up in her favorite thing, the cult of the Secret, has ordained him "brilliant" and has become his personal 'John the Baptist". Senator Kennedy has passed off the scepter of Camelot to him. Then there are the gaggle of artistic types who worship at his altar who are totally awestruck.

For heaven sakes! This guy is just a first term senator who hasn't even cut his political teeth. Are we becoming so like the Roman Empire that we embrace anyone that will tell us what we want to hear? What we need is the courage for someone to step up and tell us what we don't want to hear- that no one in the time span of a presidential term can deliver what it will take
to right the course of this nation. That a president cannot make change happen without the support of the legislature.

Oops! times up for now. Talk to you later.

"D"

The Declaration of Independence

In watching Sunday's Superbowl coverage, I think the most moving thing I saw was telecast before the game. The viewing public was gifted by a recitation of the Declaration of Independence by players, sports figures, members of the armed forces, politicians, etc. delivered with respect, emotion, dignity and meaning behind a background of monuments, historical places, and military groups.

I truly wish to thank and congratulated the NFL players and owners who gave us this gift. The public presentation of our historical documents can only benefit the people, reminding them of their great freedoms, and the legacy of of those who thought these wondrous things and devoted themselves to securing and protecting those blessed rights we possess.

As an end note I'd like to give a "hats off" to Jordan Sparks, who gave a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Thank you to whoever made that choice.

"D"

Whose house is it?

"The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object." Thomas Jefferson

To all those candidates out there who are claiming their intent to "take back the White House" I urge them to re-read the preamble to the Constitution. Surely they're familiar with it although they seem to have forgotten it's meaning. "We the people of the United States" - not we the Democrats - is the cornerstone set down by our founding fathers. The Presidency belongs to no group by divine right. We discarded that notion when we left England and fought a revolution. If 'We the people' choose to allow you to hold the office of President for a limited amount of time, don't let it go to your collective heads. If you fail in your responsibility to the people you will be tossed out on your collective butts come the next election.

As Napoleon said, "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."

More political rules

NO ENDORSEMENTS! I'm so sick of hearing that someone else has decided who I should vote for. I'll make up my own mind, thank you. It really doesn't work. When I read that Ann Coulter was endorsing Romney it was an an immediate turn-off. I don't care who Ah-nold thinks is the best candidate. The Kennedys need to realize that the country no longer hangs on their every word. And how about a rule that says spouses fall under the same gag order as the candidate?

NO DROPPING OUT! If you're in the race you stay in the race until it's over. No behind the scenes deals that vie for the former candidates supporters. Learn a lesson from the Olympics. You do your best, you cross the finish line, you don't quit just because you think (or know) you don't have a chance. It says something about your character. Who wants a quitter for President? (that's if you decide to run again the next time as so many also-rans do.)

Dee