So, what did Santa bring you this year?
Yay! Measles!
Image credit: Ironically, ABC Family.
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About Bad Astronomy
Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He's written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic and fights the abuse of science, but his true love is praising the wonders of real science.
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December 26th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Haven’t read your posts in months, come back to read out of curiosity … wow more boring flames of Jenny McCarthy. Obsession man.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
quasidog (#1), that’s a perfect example of non-critical thinking. Were you to look at the several hundred posts you missed you might find, y’know, other stuff I wrote about. But I do appreciate the example of how thinking goes wrong on the internet.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I’d be interested, if she got her shots first.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
My wife had the “Santa Baby” movies on when I got home from work on Wednesday. J. McC is really boring with her clothes on and in a bad need a fresh die job to cover her roots. But I digress. I disagree with quaisdog’s “obsession” observation. I am glad Phil is standing up to her anti-vax nonsense. Lives are at risk every time she espouses her unqualified opinions on the matter.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Ever since I got vaccinated, everything’s gone wrong! Oh wait, that’s because I’ve been getting vaccines since before the beginning of my memories.
I agree with Phil’s previous condemnations of McCarthy’s (as well as other antivaxxers’) ludicrously inaccurate claims. I also agree with Mr Fisher (#4), and further would like to ask the British courts to prosecute these people for libeling vaccine manufacturers. I’m only half-kidding about that last one.
Also, Phil, nice work as a guest on the last SciFri! That must have been a fun recording.
December 26th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I, for one, like the antivax updates. It’s nice to have that kind of information readily available at my neuron tips.
December 26th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Why does Santa always bring Phil measles and i get some lousy sweater
December 26th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Or mumps:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5845a5.htm
December 26th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
There was a notice in this morning’s paper that an unvaccinated adult woman came back from traveling overseas with measles. They listed all the places she had been to, including an acute care clinic.
I am also disgusted that she blames the MMR vaccine for her son’s seizures when he was at least two years old. The problem is that he had the vaccine over a year before he had the seizures.
December 26th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Ah, so that’s what she looks like… with clothes on…
December 26th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Oops, I misremembered the news story, I checked the county health department page and they listed “Evergreen Urgent Care”, along with a restaurant, movie theater and a pharmacy.
Yea, measles.
December 26th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Ho Ho Ho
December 26th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Wow, quasidog, you don’t read a post in months, and just happen to return in time to be the first commenter on one that you don’t like? I’m flabbergasted.
December 26th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
@Thanny:
It’s an obsession, man.
December 26th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Did you see that horrible game where she tries to get you healthy? Ha.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Is she still married to that talentless hack, Jim Carrey?
December 26th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
I emailed the stations carrying that santa baby trash asking them (nay begging them) not to air that hag… She needs to be kicked to the curb like the brainless bimbo she actually is!
December 26th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Seeing her all the time pushing her exercise game for the Wii. Yes it is a good thing for people to get exercise but why her.
December 26th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I will agree with quasidog. Phil, the majority of your site is interesting and intelligent. This post is not. It is a bit petty. Yes, she is not too smart about vaccines….you have said this multiple times. There is really no reason to say anything more. If there was some story that went along with this fine…but there isn’t.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Gary, she is not, nor has ever been married to Carrey. They are just paramours.
There are better ways of getting exercise than jumping up and down in your living room using electronics connected to a television. Personally I am fond of walking (usually to places I am going), gardening and swimming laps. Somehow I don’t think the Wii will get me to class, to the store, down to the lake, get the weeding and pruning done, nor let me feel the sensation of water as I swim laps.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
It is better then just sitting there in front of tv, but you are right Chris.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Jeff, not everything has to have a story. The tree, the cookies, the Doctor Who posts… those are for fun in a slow part of the blog season. But this one does have a point: it’s a reminder, and sometimes satire is a most pointed way of reminding.
December 27th, 2009 at 12:40 am
aaarrrrrghhh! My eyes! Phil mate, that needs a warning
December 27th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Jeff, there is a difference between being “not too smart about vaccines” and actively working to make more kids sick, and even kill a few. The first is a bit understandable. The second is just inexcusable.
Also, there is a story that does with this. She has still not been stopped. She is still out there, telling lies and being proud about it. I happened upon a youtube video of her giving some talk, describing an encounter with the CDC like she was some kind of hero. She actually said to the CDC, “I am not anti-vaccine, I’m anti-toxins” and that she wants to talk to someone important to create policy to get rid of the toxins. The best part is that at the end she makes a call back to someone at the CDC on her fancy phone and is both unable to get it on speaker phone and remember that the speaker part of the phone is at the top. Yet she is still somehow qualified to make policy about medicine?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WTciw_vXrY
December 27th, 2009 at 2:08 am
I never thought that credulity could be such an unattractive quality…until I learned about Jenny McCarthy and then saw this post
December 27th, 2009 at 2:55 am
Who’da thunk that evil would come in pretty packaging.
December 27th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Personally I get ALL my medical advice from women who pose naked in Playboy.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:12 am
i thought that any post with her would require a ‘The stupid, It burns” tag =(
December 27th, 2009 at 7:27 am
24. David Says:
I never thought that credulity could be such an unattractive quality…until I learned about Jenny McCarthy and then saw this post
Nice wrapper, dumb present inside.
Oh, I’m sure she looks better when her clothes are off – and her vaccines are in!
Still a McCarthy Xmas? Think I’ll pass in favour of a Skepchick one!
@26. Lugosi Says:
Personally I get ALL my medical advice from women who pose naked in Playboy.
Aren’t you lucky?
Or, … wait … are you?
Playing “doctors & nurses” with ‘em would be one thing – actually *using* Playboy “bunnies” as your medically (un?)qualified Drs & nurses, I suspect, would quite another & likely quite bad for your health.
*****
PS. I don’t come here for the anti-vax updates or satire personally … But I sure don’t mind getting them when the BA chooses to post them either. You go ahead & post what you want Dr Phil Plait – not that you wouldn’t anyhow!
December 27th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Yay! Measles!
Hey, how do *you* know what’s in the present there – its still wrapped up ain’t it?
Unless, somebody’s been a naughty boy and taken a peek there when they’re not supposed to haven’t they?
December 27th, 2009 at 8:03 am
@22. Phil Plait Says:
Jeff, not everything has to have a story. The tree, the cookies, the Doctor Who posts… those are for fun in a slow part of the blog season.
For sure, even on Pluto, sometimes you’ve just gotta have *fun*!
@16. Gary Says:
Is she still married to that talentless hack, Jim Carrey?
Well, I gotta admit I don’t think Jim Carrey is all that bad! Come on, he’s actually pretty clever & a lot more talented as a comedian and probably an overall human being that Ms McCartney yeah?
December 27th, 2009 at 8:06 am
That is the lamest sexy Mrs. Santa outfit ever.
December 27th, 2009 at 9:23 am
A link that explained what this is about would have helped those of us who only know Jenny for being a pretty blonde.
She’s got the measles? Hope she gets better soon!
(Lazy blogger, making me use Google on a Sunday.
)
December 27th, 2009 at 9:53 am
As a Dutch friend once pointed out about Einstein “He can’t be too smart. He’s not even rich.”
So, by that criteria, she must be REALLY smart???
Then of course, there’s PAt Robertson,,,
Equating wealth with smarts is just bad but while it seems to ring true for a great many people in our society I doubt Jesus would agree.(Hey, the Dude hung out with hookers, thieves and murderers. My kinda man,,,).
GAry 7
December 27th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I just HAVE to point out: during the next great wave of famines, she won’t survive for ten fraking minutes.
I loves me women with a three month supply of food on their bones. Twiggys are for stirring my coffee,,,
GAry 7
December 27th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
As a parent of a child with autism, I have had my fair share of run-ins with the anti-vaxxers. Every time they mention Jenny McCarthy, I ask just what about taking her clothes off for Playboy and being a less than mediocre actress qualifies her to tell me not to get vaccinations for my child. I always get a strange look, then they shut up and go away.
As for those griping about the post, the best blogs always cover many topics. As with most blogs I read, I came for the main topic, but stayed for the “off-topic” posts. As a science related blog, I think its very on-topic to point out the dangers of pseudoscience as much as possible, and this certainly falls in that category.
December 27th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Well I got Death from the Skies for Christmas, so it all works out.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Kenny:
I think it would be best to stay away from poisoning the well with her past Playboy feats, and ask them why you should listen to her on a more factual basis: her son had his seizures when he was at least two years old (something like 2 and a half), more than a year after his MMR vaccine (given about age 15 months). You might get an even more baffled look.
Then ask why one should take medical advice whose only qualification seems to be that she is a “mommy”, versus someone who actually went to medical school (including many of those who are also mommies).
(I read about the history of her son’s seizures on the Leftbrainrightbrain blog, you’ll have to do a search for it)
December 27th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Gee, I thought this was a pretty Christmas package, until I read that it was Jenny McCarthy. Boy, talk about being pwned!
December 28th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Um no Phil. Actually its a good example of critical thinking. Actually I have read many of your posts regarding the anti-vax issue, and most of which I tend to agree with. However, this particualr post with its sarcastic overtone and lack of any real meaning other than to … flame .. well .. its boring. It has nothing to do with critical thinking. Its just a flame. Other well thought out articles you have written regarding her stance on immunisation ( of which I am on your side ) have not been boring. 2 different things.
December 28th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Jenny – Mouth shut, legs slightly spread..perfect.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Man, Santa is such a bitch.
December 28th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Mumps may be survivable, but the damages to the body can be truly devastating. I have a good friend who survived a bout of mumps at age ~19. He is now a very healthy adult, but is sterile.
Just heartbreaking when you think that a moment’s pain of a pin prick could have prevented this.
December 28th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
@quasidog #40: After admitting you haven’t read any articles here for months, you instantly declared Phil to be “obsessed” with a particular topic. Invalid deduction?
Basically, if her position on immunization and anti-science has not changed, then Phil’s post/sarcasm/flame is warranted.
(Sorry to everyone if I’m feeding a troll, not sure if quasidog is or not.)
December 29th, 2009 at 6:18 am
She’s smiling, but it’s not a warm smile. Must be all that botulinum toxin she’s injected into her face. Gives the lie to her “anti-toxin” mantra.
December 30th, 2009 at 2:49 am
lol … sorry I forgot .. its suck up , or be declared a troll. Forums are funny that way.
December 30th, 2009 at 6:14 am
@quasidog
You’re not a troll, but you were wrong. You said:
First, this has been the only mention of Jenny McCarthy in the past month. So, if anything it would be a flame. I wouldn’t call it obsession at all. Obsession would be if he posted repeatedly about her in a short time span. I also don’t recall seeing you complaining about him being obsessed when he posts about pareidolia or Dr. Who.
Second, Jenny McCarthy has not changed a bit. She still is quite actively promoting her anti-vaccine stance. That makes her fair game for criticism and, in this case, satire. It is not merely flaming, as you contend, unless you think that all satire is nothing more than flaming. It does serve a purpose: to shine a light on her irrational and dangerous ideas.
If you have something substantive to say about why he should not post anything about Ms. McCarthy, say it. If you feel that Phil should not be sarcastic or satirical, then elaborate your reasoning.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:39 am
quasidog, as others have pointed out, you’re wrong. What I said initially is still correct. You left for a long time, come back, don’t go through any of the intervening posts, and then declare I have flamed her — which I did not — and that I am obsessed — which I am not.
January 1st, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Tom, it is a myth that mumps causes sterility, mumps can cause a swelling of the testicles, however this does not mean sterility. Did your friend have a sperm count done before the mumps to determine his fertility? If not how can you claim it was mumps that made him sterile? It is most likely that you are making this story about a sterile friend up to support your pro mmr views.
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:52 pm
David, it is not a myth. It can happen in a small number of those with mumps orchitis. Here is an article:
dub dub dub dot ncbi.nlm.nih dot gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633545/?tool=pubmed that says: