Comments on: Monday Book Review: Vaccinated! Halfway House! The Path to the Spiders’ Nests! And Taking on the Gates Foundation, To Boot! http://wackymommy.org/blog/archive/2007/07/16/monday_book_review_vaccinated_halfway_house_the_path_to_the_spiders_nests/ Because I Said So Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:46:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: WackyMommy http://wackymommy.org/blog/archive/2007/07/16/monday_book_review_vaccinated_halfway_house_the_path_to_the_spiders_nests/comment-page-1/#comment-8691 WackyMommy Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:31:14 +0000 http://wackymommy.org/blog/archive/2007/07/16/monday_book_review_vaccinated_halfway_house_the_path_to_the_spiders_nests/#comment-8691 The Gates Foundation donating big cash for vaccines is what got to me. Because, yes, it's awesome that they're trying to help. But as much good as they do with their money (money that would have been taxed, anyway, and lost, anyway, by Gates... So it's all one big tax write-off and big whoop, way to go, Bill and Melinda! You're saving MORE money!)... where was I going with this? As much good as Gates does, they're doing an even larger amount of UNgood. (Is that even a word?) To wit: L.A. Times expose of bullshit that Gates is pulling abroad: "The Gates Foundation has poured $218 million into polio and measles immunization and research worldwide, including in the Niger Delta. At the same time that the foundation is funding inoculations to protect health, The Times found, it has invested $423 million in Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and Total of France — the companies responsible for most of the flares blanketing the delta with pollution, beyond anything permitted in the United States or Europe. Indeed, local leaders blame oil development for fostering some of the very afflictions that the foundation combats." Check here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gatesx07jan07,0,6827615.story and here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gates14jan14,0,5906621.story To quote Pink Floyd, "Don't give me that do-goody-good bullshit." The Gates Foundation donating big cash for vaccines is what got to me. Because, yes, it’s awesome that they’re trying to help. But as much good as they do with their money (money that would have been taxed, anyway, and lost, anyway, by Gates… So it’s all one big tax write-off and big whoop, way to go, Bill and Melinda! You’re saving MORE money!)… where was I going with this?

As much good as Gates does, they’re doing an even larger amount of UNgood. (Is that even a word?)

To wit: L.A. Times expose of bullshit that Gates is pulling abroad:

“The Gates Foundation has poured $218 million into polio and measles immunization and research worldwide, including in the Niger Delta. At the same time that the foundation is funding inoculations to protect health, The Times found, it has invested $423 million in Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and Total of France — the companies responsible for most of the flares blanketing the delta with pollution, beyond anything permitted in the United States or Europe.

Indeed, local leaders blame oil development for fostering some of the very afflictions that the foundation combats.”

Check here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/na.....7615.story
and here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/na.....6621.story

To quote Pink Floyd, “Don’t give me that do-goody-good bullshit.”

]]> By: Pink Haired housewife http://wackymommy.org/blog/archive/2007/07/16/monday_book_review_vaccinated_halfway_house_the_path_to_the_spiders_nests/comment-page-1/#comment-8674 Pink Haired housewife Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:28:12 +0000 http://wackymommy.org/blog/archive/2007/07/16/monday_book_review_vaccinated_halfway_house_the_path_to_the_spiders_nests/#comment-8674 No. We can't just leave it at that, WM. We need to tell them why we were unable to even discuss Vaccinated, muchless "review" it... The first half of the book is generally informative, and fairly interesting. Maurice Hilleman is a fascinating guy, and when Offit delves into the politics, intrique, and questionable ethics of the science industry, it feels a little like a Tom Clancy novel. Which is to say that this isn't a "dry" science. The second half of the book is where things go horribly awry. Offit - the great and terrible champion of Maurice Hilleman (apparently defenseless) and spokesperson for vaccine safety steps into the light and - quite literally - begins staging written attacks on vulnerable members of the population (parents of Autistic children) who have dared to question the science science scinece of vaccines, etc. It's tyrannical at best, and ill-informed bullying at worst. He rants, he raves, and he throws punches accusing the anti-vaccination "team" of mass hysterics and media hype, suggesting that they are nothing more than an angry mob out to destroy the work of great men like Mr. Hilleman...and himself. (Mr. Offit, you see, was once an employee of Merck. OOPs. Houston we have an ethcial breach!) It'a a big disappointment, because the vaccine argument is well worth pursuing in this context. WM - take it home, Sister! No. We can’t just leave it at that, WM. We need to tell them why we were unable to even discuss Vaccinated, muchless “review” it…
The first half of the book is generally informative, and fairly interesting. Maurice Hilleman is a fascinating guy, and when Offit delves into the politics, intrique, and questionable ethics of the science industry, it feels a little like a Tom Clancy novel. Which is to say that this isn’t a “dry” science.
The second half of the book is where things go horribly awry. Offit – the great and terrible champion of Maurice Hilleman (apparently defenseless) and spokesperson for vaccine safety steps into the light and – quite literally – begins staging written attacks on vulnerable members of the population (parents of Autistic children) who have dared to question the science science scinece of vaccines, etc. It’s tyrannical at best, and ill-informed bullying at worst. He rants, he raves, and he throws punches accusing the anti-vaccination “team” of mass hysterics and media hype, suggesting that they are nothing more than an angry mob out to destroy the work of great men like Mr. Hilleman…and himself. (Mr. Offit, you see, was once an employee of Merck. OOPs. Houston we have an ethcial breach!)
It’a a big disappointment, because the vaccine argument is well worth pursuing in this context.
WM – take it home, Sister!

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