Another young victim of vaccine-preventable disease

Another family falls victim to anti-vaccination hysteria, another young child pays the ultimate price:

Orange County health officials said a baby died from whooping cough last week.

This is the first whooping cough death the county has seen in decades. Officials said it's been at least 20 years or more since someone died of the disease.

[…]

Officials said the family chose not to vaccinate their child. Some parents are choosing not to fully vaccinate their children because they worry there is a link between the vaccinations and autism.

Vaccines are safe, they’re usually cheap (when not free), and they work. This is scientific fact. The only people pretending otherwise are dingbats who don’t know any better and frauds focusing on their bottom line, both at the expense of an easily misled public.

Get your damn kids vaccinated, people.

(via @mistressmousey; RT: @BadAstronomer)

Daily Blend: 04/12/13

Audrie Pott (15)

Understatement of the Day: “It turns out that the Obama administration has not been honest about who the CIA has been targeting with drones in Pakistan.”
(via @ggreenwald)

I just don’t have the patience (or stomach) today to write about the horrific Kermit Gosnell case, other than to affirm how it’s the perfect argument for why abortion should be fully legalized and easily accessible to ensure women never need to resort to such barbarity out of desperation.

Ditto with Vox Day’s predictably pathetic rant about how pro-choicers are all worse than Nazis and so on.

Another teenaged girl ^[pictured] commits suicide to escape persecution resulting from the publicization of her student gang-rape. Now to watch the rape-culture-soaked media fret over those poor arrested rapists. (Again.)
(via Pharyngula)

Appeals court denies Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli’s petition to bring back anti-sodomy law.
(via Joe. My. God.)

Uruguay becomes latest country to legalize same-sex marriage.

And finally, Cracked presents some popular online myths, revised for accuracy.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: 04/09/13

Rehtaeh Parsons

Another teenaged rape victim ^[pictured] falls victim to rape culture and takes her own life.

Today in pearl-clutching hilarity: Exposing the top “facilitators” of the US’s “porn pandemic”, including Google Play and the American Library Association! (Also: Bonus video featuring Morality in Media’s resident porn-awareness girl scout.)

Westboro Baptist Church to complete Roger Ebert’s awesome legacy.
(via Joe. My. God.)

And finally, I break my practice of ignoring such things by pointing out that the US Interior Department’s Instagram gallery is chock-full of fuckin’ awesomeness like this:
(via BuzzFeed)

[source | full size (607×600)]

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Roger Ebert passes away

Well, fuck:

(Chicago Sun-Times)

Particularly upsetting (at least for his readers, amongst which I include myself) is how this news comes barely two days after he announced a temporary “leave of presence” as a new recurrence of cancer was forcing him to scale back his workload. He was even excited at the prospect of finally being able to indulge in a dream of his by reviewing only the movies he wanted to review. The man was forever an optimist.

Quoth PZ Myers: Goddamn motherfucking cancer.

And so departs the world’s most famous film critic, an uncommonly talented writer, an accomplished blogger (I’d never demean him with the label of “pundit”) and a profound and evocative thinker. He was also active in the social sphere, being a vocal supporter of equality and a proud liberal through and through (often to the vapid ire of wingnuts, so you know he was doing something right).

Of particular relevance to me, he was a noted defender of the Theory of Evolution and a large part of the process that introduced me to skepticism and atheism in the first place when I came across his timeless deconstruction of Ben Stein’s Creationist/ID propaganda flick, Expelled. (You can even see my [embarrassingly naive and amateurish] comment from way back when I still believed Evolutionary Theory and Intelligent Design were compatible. Though, in my defense, I was young(er), I was only a quasi-IDist out of ignorance – but of course, who isn’t? – and it didn’t last long).

But above all, Roger Ebert was a staunch humanist (even though he dodged the label of “atheist” as many agnostics do) who always strove to find the best in our fickle little world, and to ameliorate the grittier parts of it. But in simpler terms, he was just a fundamentally good and compassionate man whose ethos can be summarized by this timeless quote of his (which may as well be the motto of liberalism, itself): “I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.”

Farewell, ol’ chap. We were lucky to have you for as long as we did.

Daily Blend: 03/22/13

Richard Littlejohn

Today in “there ought to be a hell”: Fuckbrained bigot Richard Littlejohn ^[pictured] and trash-rag extraordinaire Daily Mail succeed in blithely bullying a transgender schoolteacher into killing herself.
(via Pharyngula)

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) officially signs civil unions bill.
(via @breakingpol; RT: @BreakingNews)

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) vetoes “Religious Freedom Act” that would’ve permitted anti-gay discrimination based on bigots’ “sincerely held religious beliefs”. Expect wingnut heads to commence exploding shortly.
(via Joe. My. God.)

PZ Myers is dead on: Adria Richards did everything exactly right. It’s amazing how many men can’t stomach the idea of being called out publicly for misbehaving in public.

Pope Francis comes out swinging against Catholic Church’s track record with covering up clerical child abuse. Now to see if his actions match up with his words.
(via @BuzzFeedAndrew)

And finally, why is it still such a shock (to some) that women can be science aficionados, too?

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Monday, January 07, 2013

James Dobson

Most Transparent Administration In History^TM allowed to continue hiding every single detail about its drone war.

Dishonest like a Breitbart acolyte arguing against gun control.

Looks like the design & technology community also has its issues with subconscious bigotry … and knee-jerk twits who perpetuate it.
(via @pzmyers)

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson ^[pictured] laments: “Nearly everything I have stood for these past 35 years went down to defeat.” Coincidentally, my causes are only getting better!

Research indicates crime rates may be directly influenced by … leaded gasoline? First I’ve heard of this; while certain hazards increase risks of congenital defects, can they really have such a clear effect on complex adult behaviors decades later?

And finally, this is even more tragic than what’s happened to the History Channel:

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Friday, December 14, 2012

Laurie Penny

My sincerest wishes for any Connecticut readers and their families’ safety.

The Onion voices my thoughts on today’s horrors. (But remember, folks: NOW IS TOTALLY NOT THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT GUNS NO NEVER.)

Meanwhile, noted policy expert Vox Day proposes the “meaningful action” of banning public schools. And movie theaters, shopping centers and public rallies, of course.

I’m sure Laurie Penny ^[pictured] is just making it all up, too, ’cause we all know misogyny isn’t a real problem on the Internets. (Oldie but goodie.)
(via @BadAstronomer)

And finally, here’s a much-needed chaser for the day:

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Savita Halappanavar

Irish woman ^[pictured] has a miscarriage. Catholic hospital refuses to abort the dead fetus. Woman suffers and dies. To keep in mind for the next time some anti-choice asshat claims abortion doesn’t save lives.

Meanwhile, an ongoing study publishes preliminary findings: Women who have an abortion don’t fare any worse than those who are denied.
(via Wonkette)

Ed Brayton nails it: The Republican Party did everything in their power to bring about its latest crushing defeat, and they should absolutely be ridiculed for it.

Radley Balko at his most optimistic: Americans seem to be leaning away from punishment and towards reason and rehabilitation on drugs and crime.
(via The Agitator)

And finally, outsiders shouldn’t have any say in Illinois’s East Aurora School District’s handling of trans anti-discrimination policies, says group of hate-mongering outsiders.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Thursday, November 08, 2012

Bill O’Reilly

While President Obama has retained his job, it’s important to continue pressuring him to do much, much better on civil liberties and other Constitutional issues.

U.S. Bank sends militarized cops to evict Colorado woman who couldn’t pay her mortgage and Occupy activists protesting the move.
(via Uzza)

Claudia at Friendly Atheist provides some solid answers to some anti-abortionist questions for pro-choicers.

It’s so sad (and infuriating) how a man ^[pictured] who earned 99% of a perfect score on his SATs could wind up as the elite-hatin’ bullshit-daddy of Fox News. A living cautionary tale that playing to your audience costs your soul.

And finally, because she’s awesome, here’s Rachel Maddow’s fascinating breakdown of the election night results:
(via Joe. My. God.)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Thursday, October 18, 2012

Alber Saber

Deceased parent, leg injury, financial difficulties, and now (treatable) cancer: Please consider helping Greta Christina any way you can.

Egyptian lawyer’s rationale for arresting, imprisoning and brutalizing atheist Alber Saber ^[pictured]: He hurt people’s feelings and insulted God on Facebook. Or, Why Secularism Matters.

Christianist hate group goes antivaccination, fear-mongers about HPV vaccine to try and scare underage girls into not having sex.

Douche-meister Bradlee Dean is still very, very sore over losing his bogus defamation suit against MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Dinesh D’Souza

It’s hilarious infighting time as one misogynistic cesspit attacks another! I’ll get the popcorn.

Daily Caller writer really doesn’t like all we humorless, egomaniacal atheists and our civilization-saving ways.

The Illinois Family Institute is aghast that a local school district wants to help makes things better for “perverse”, “anarchist” trans students.

Today’s “family values” sex scandal: Obama conspiracy-monger Dinesh D’Souza ^[pictured] caught trying to divorce his wife in favor of his much-younger “fiancée”.
(via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)

Anti-gay lunatic Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) lesbian sister speaks out.
(via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)

And finally, we at last get the details on the Romney/Ryan tax plan.
(via Joe. My. God.)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

TJ Kincaid mocks bullied teen who killed herself [updated]

TJ “The Amazing Atheist” Kincaid

Those of you with the Internet connection to view this blog have also presumably heard about the tragic story of Amanda Todd, the fifteen-year-old Canadian teen who committed suicide shortly after posting a video describing the years of abuse she’d suffered through at the hands of bullies both online and off. Her story has veritably exploded across the media, with virtually everyone everywhere denouncing the dangers of bullying, dangers that so many insist on reducing to something that’s perfectly “normal” for children to go through (usually adding that it simply “toughens them up”). Because if you can’t bother to address a problem, you might as well try to rationalize it away instead.

Sadly, some people seem to have been born without the common decency gene, which frees them to scrape ever deeper. Which brings us to notorious YouTuber TJ Kincaid (who I cannot in good conscience refer to by his moniker, “The Amazing Atheist”), famous in equal parts for his anti-religious rants and his flaming misogynistic and rape-baiting assholery, who recently added this new milestone to his ugly history of ridiculing suicide victims:

In a sense, I suppose his odd claim to having “died today” is understandable as a wish; I agree that it’s preferable to be dead than to live as a walking piece of shit.

He subsequently posted this attempt at explaining himself:

Daily Blend: Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Whitney Kropp

Antivaccinationists can revel in their latest victory as a record-shattering outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) sweeps through the United States. 14 are already dead, most “among infants younger than 3 months of age”.
(via Rob F)

Today’s crack Daily Caller exposé: Retired military official posts his opinions about government corruption on the Internet! Also, he likes Keith Olbermann, so he’s obviously a hostile operative.

“Carrie with a happy ending” ^[pictured]: Michigan high school full of losers trumped by small farm town full of awesome.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: pertussis • whooping cough • antivaccinationists • antivaccination • Daily Caller • Mike Russell • Keith Olbermann • Whitney Kropp • West Branch, MI

Daily Blend: Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Andrew Wakefield

Predictably enraging, but Stephanie Zvan at Almost Diamonds showcases some of the sexist victory laps over Jen McCreight’s leave.

In the single most shocking development of all time, Democrats cave in and re-insert ‘God’ into their party platform, with sources saying President Obama himself was behind the move. Almost makes all their hype about inclusivity seem the tiniest bit disingenuous.

And finally, the always-useful Cracked.com provides a decent rundown of antivaccination hero Andrew Wakefield’s ^[pictured] disgrace (and four other lies that fooled the world).

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Jennifer McCreight • Blag Hag • Stephanie Zvan • sexists • misogyny • misogynists • atheists • atheist movement • Democratic Party • Democrats • God • Barack Obama • Cracked.com • Andrew Wakefield • antivaccination • antivaccinationists • antivaccine • antivax • antivaxxers • MMR vaccine

Daily Blend: Friday, August 31, 2012

Clint Eastwood

Ten-year-old Maine babysitting girl and her mother charged with manslaughter over baby’s accidental death.
(via @thedailybeast; RT: @radleybalko)

Wonkette presents the best summary of the Clint-Eastwood-berates-an-empty-chair ^[pictured] spectacle. I still love him and his movies, dammit.

And finally, it seems that Ray Comfort is running out of ways to deliver his “Darwinism leads to Hell!” mulch.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Brooklyn Foss-Greenaway • Nicole Greenaway • manslaughter • Clint Eastwood • Republican National Convention • Barack Obama • Republicans • Mitt Romney • Ray Comfort • Theory of Evolution • Charles Darwin • Darwinism • Hell • Christianity

Daily Blend: Friday, August 10, 2012

Phil “Thunderf00t” Mason

Phil Mason/“Thunderf00t” ^[pictured] escalates his vindictive obsession with Freethought Blogs from scorned twerpishness into raging, possibly criminal assholery. Fitting that his excuses amount to, “Okay, I broke into your house and stole your bank account and credit card info, and I told a few people what your balance is, but how dare you imply that I might steal your money?!”

13-year-old boy who tried to sell hot dogs to help his disabled parents before being shut down by a city ordinance is now homeless.
(via @radleybalko)

Old gem: “You are 8 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than by a terrorist”
(via @normative; RT: @radleybalko)

And finally, a handy flowchart to help determine whether your belief that gays shouldn’t be allowed to marry is well-founded:
(via Joe. My. God.)

[full size (800×693)]

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Thunderf00t • Phil Mason • Freethought Blogs • listservs • Nathan Duszynski • Lynette Johnson • Doug Johnson • food carts • Holland, MI • terrorists • National Safety Council • flowcharts • gay marriage • same-sex marriage • Christianity • Bible • Old Testament • New Testament

Anti-vaccine propagandists claim another young victory

Antivaxxers must be so proud. Here’s the latest statistical blip they can add to their list of victories over the evil Big Pharma:

Francesca Marie McNally

February 24, 2012 - May 17, 2012
Resided in Franklin, MI

FRANCESCA MARIE McNALLY, May 17, 2012, of complications from Pertussis. Age 3 months.

Wait, what’s that you say? You mean dead babies (and the elderly, and the immunocompromised) aren’t the goal of antivaccination advocates? Then why are they trying to hard to spread all this doubt and blatant misinformation against the only form of protection we have for the vulnerable against these illnesses? Surely, no-one can possibly be that stupid and delusional?

Then again …

[full size (1024×768)]

I have the horrible feeling that I’ll be using this graphic more and more often in the foreseeable future.

(via @BadAstronomer)

Tags: Francesca McNally • antivaccination • antivax • antivaxxers • antivaccine • Pertussis • Whooping Cough

Daily Blend: Saturday, April 28, 2012

Thomas Clark

Troubling exposé on how the Bush administration torture regime began.
(via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)

Meanwhile, a U.S. Senate probe finds no evidence that torture ever helped uncover or foil terrorist plots.
(via ThinkProgress)

Police shoot man dead, then arrest man’s father ^[pictured] and brother for getting upset over it.
(via @radleybalko)

Doggycide slideshow. Alcohol probably required.

Another six-year-old arrested for throwing a tantrum at school.
(via @davidkozin)

Today in chutzpah: President Obama wants to sanction other nations who punish whistleblowers, shield torturers and evade accountability … because doing that is the U.S.’s job, dangit.

Catholic columnist wants Catholic protestors to be more like “da’ man” Bill Donohue.
(via Catholic League)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Larry Siems • Bush administration • United States • USA • enhanced interrogation techniques • Senate Intelligence Committee • James Clark • Jake Smith • Gwinnett County Police Department • puppycide • Radley Balko • Jessica Greene • Hendricks Elementary School • Michael Turner • Patrick Lumbley • Jessica Poe • Barack Obama • Matthew Archbold • Bill Donohue • Catholics • Catholicism • protestors

Daily Blend: Saturday, April 14, 2012 – One hundred years later

“I know this isn’t scientific, but this ship’s warning me she’s gonna die and take a lot of people with her.”
— Thomas Andrews, Managing Director of Harland and Wolff Shipyards

“Many brave things were done that night, but none more brave than by those few men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea … the music they played serving alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recorded on the scrolls of undying fame.”
— Lawrence Beesley, survivor

[full size (1313×1050)]

Your links:

Canadian Supreme Court strikes down law allowing warrantless wiretaps during emergencies.
(via Rof F)

Make that successful doggycide: Pembroke Pines, FL dog who was shot six times after nipping at a cop’s ankle died three weeks later.
(via @radleybalko)

Which is more predictable: That an obvious “miracle” was debunked, or that the Indian skeptic who debunked it was then charged with blasphemy?

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Titanic • Canada • Supreme Court of Canada • Section 184.4 • warrantless wiretaps • wiretap laws • Pembroke Pines, FL • Baxter the Australian Shepherd • Lido Isle • Frank Jones • Cindy Jones • Cameron Jones • Chris Chacon-Chang • Sanal Edamaruku • India • miracles • blasphemy laws • debunking

Daily Blend: Monday, March 19, 2012

Trayvon Martin (17)

I shall be offline for most of tomorrow as I head out in the hopes of finding myself some employment. Try to keep yourselves entertained (and stay the hell away from my Faberge eggs).

The American Taliban’s vision: A Texan woman’s account of suffering at the hand of ideological, lie-mongering lawmakers in order to end her doomed pregnancy. Words just can’t.
(via Pharyngula)

PZ Myers in short: “The Reason Rally will be addressed by prominent celebrities who will bring crucial recognition to atheists, but they believe or said some kooky things, so screw ’em!” Definitely siding with Hemant Mehta and Jen McCreight on this one. And if PZ really can’t see the critical importance of having even any elected representatives support the godless movement, particularly a sitting U.S. senator, regardless of what else they may believe in, then he truly is blind.

Everything you need to know about the tragic and outrageous Trayvon Martin ^[pictured] case. Not that Fox News is interested in telling you.
(via @todayspolitics)

The (apparent) libertarian defense of Citizens United: It allows for crazier and longer campaigns than ever (and corporate money is totes a good thing!).
(via The Agitator)

Wheelchair-bound 3-year-old gets TSA’d.
(via The Agitator)

Yet another graphic failure from Fox News: Gas tax edition.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Carolyn Jones • Texas • PZ Myers • Hemant Mehta • Jennifer McCreight • Reason Rally • atheists • Tom Harkin • Bill Maher • Penn Jillette • Lawrence Krauss • Trayvon Martin • George Zimmerman • murder • racism • vigilantism • CNN • MSNBC • Fox News • Citizens United • libertarians • Reason Magazine • Tim Cavanaugh • political campaigns • TSA • Transportation Security Administration • Media Matters for America • taxes • gas • graphs