Man, if your are going to allow people to put quotes in your mouth, do a little research first...
Where Are the Bermuda Shorts?
March 30, 2005
I'm not going to pretend that the reunion of the classic Anthrax line-up--responsible for such incomparable records as Among the Living and Persistence of Time--isn't a cause for celebration in Shawnworld. But I am a bit disturbed by the political spin the band that put fun in thrash metal is injecting into their reunion tour press conference, which is also being used to push the agenda of the Slave to the Metal Foundation, an organization that purports to "raise awareness and provide funds to those organizations and individuals that fight against the misuse of heavy metals."
These folks have led musicians to say some lamentably stupid things, Anthrax singer Joey Belladonna's statement that, "It has come to us from the most legitimate and politically correct activist circles that our headbanger support is sorely needed to make the public aware of these atrocities," being just one. Eh, actually Joey, the only thing headbanger support is good for is...selling heavy metal records. And even for that it's sometimes not so good, as you can surely can attest.
Well, "poppycock" says my associate Timothy Sheahan. And he should know: Aside from playing in a fine rock band, Finishing Move, he is also a scientist and a PhD candidate studying infectious diseases such as SARS at UNC-Chapel Hill. (Sheahan has likened fighting diseases to rock n' roll in previous conversations.) Meanwhile, Bob Merrigan asks the salient question of Mr. Sheahan, "How long do you have to take guitar lessons to become a scientist?"
Tim Sheahan's unfettered analysis:
"So, first off...I'd like to say that just because you can shred on guitar clearly doesn't mean you can sort out good scientific information from bad scientific information. Someone please tell Scott Ian that NOT everything on the internet is real.
"One thing is clear after reading that rubbish, the Slave to Metal Foundation needs to review their sources of information! The data on the side effects of the Anthrax vaccine is unclear and incomplete. (Although the creation of a
vaccine against future Anthrax records seems like an attractive but quixotic
endeavor.) A report pertaining to the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is to be finished and presented to the FDA in 2007. So, it was a bad idea to administer the vaccine to the armed forces when it's safety was not yet qualified--BUT drastic times call for drastic measures.
"If you search the internet for vaccine safety issues, thousands of sites come up. Most of the sites quote outdated of incorrect data and a lot are mouthpieces for new age homeopathic e-commerce websites that are out to get your money! They say 'Vaccines bad! Chinese Root extract GOOD! Give us $100 for these gelatin pills containing green tea!'
"The following quote from the Slave to the Metal Foundation foundation is
misleading and overblown:
For the last 20 years, the heavy metal, "mercury," has been covertly injected directly into the arms of almost every child in this generation under the government's mandated childhood vaccine program. The resulting brain damage has produced a generation of hyperactive, learning disabled, autistic, asthmatic children with behavior disorders that doctors treat with suicidal and
homicidal drugs like Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the CDC, FDA and Congress have not seen fit to remove
the heavy metal out of vaccines.
"The claim that brain damage, learning disabilities, autism, etc. is related to vaccinations is totally false. I can't find any data to prove this. Since they are basing their alarmist claims on opinion and not science, I'd could just as easily make the likewise silly claim that autism, learning disabilities, and asthma are caused by the Anthrax record that came out when I was in 11th grade.
I haven't been a big fan of Anrthax since after "Got the Time" hit Headbanger's Ball, so it makes no difference to me musically speaking. But when people make claims based in hearsay and Internet propaganda, it really makes me mad.
Timothy P. Sheahan
tim@fairplanfilms.com
P.S.: I've posted some quotes and sources of real data pertaining to these
issues below.
According to the CDC : At a glance: Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930's. No harmful effects have been reported from thimerosal at doses used in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site.
However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service (PHS) agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.
Today, with the exception of some Influenza (flu) vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative.
"So 'The Man' has already already removed the mercury from the pediatric
vaccines. Oh...and the link between the MMR vaccine and autism has never been show to be true!
A 1999 report from the California Department of Developmental Services showed an increase in cases of children with autism. A reason for the increase has not been identified. To view or print the actual report, go here.
A follow-up analysis of the data published in 2001 showed that there is no association between autism rates in California and the proportions of young children in this state who have received Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine. There are no recommended childhood vaccines or any other vaccines that are known to cause autism in children. The complete study by authors Dales L, Hammer SJ, Smith, NJ. Entitled 2001 Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in California, published in JAMA 285, 1183-1185.
This gets better and better...
Where Are the Bermuda Shorts?
March 30, 2005
I'm not going to pretend that the reunion of the classic Anthrax line-up--responsible for such incomparable records as Among the Living and Persistence of Time--isn't a cause for celebration in Shawnworld. But I am a bit disturbed by the political spin the band that put fun in thrash metal is injecting into their reunion tour press conference, which is also being used to push the agenda of the Slave to the Metal Foundation, an organization that purports to "raise awareness and provide funds to those organizations and individuals that fight against the misuse of heavy metals."
These folks have led musicians to say some lamentably stupid things, Anthrax singer Joey Belladonna's statement that, "It has come to us from the most legitimate and politically correct activist circles that our headbanger support is sorely needed to make the public aware of these atrocities," being just one. Eh, actually Joey, the only thing headbanger support is good for is...selling heavy metal records. And even for that it's sometimes not so good, as you can surely can attest.
Well, "poppycock" says my associate Timothy Sheahan. And he should know: Aside from playing in a fine rock band, Finishing Move, he is also a scientist and a PhD candidate studying infectious diseases such as SARS at UNC-Chapel Hill. (Sheahan has likened fighting diseases to rock n' roll in previous conversations.) Meanwhile, Bob Merrigan asks the salient question of Mr. Sheahan, "How long do you have to take guitar lessons to become a scientist?"
Tim Sheahan's unfettered analysis:
"So, first off...I'd like to say that just because you can shred on guitar clearly doesn't mean you can sort out good scientific information from bad scientific information. Someone please tell Scott Ian that NOT everything on the internet is real.
"One thing is clear after reading that rubbish, the Slave to Metal Foundation needs to review their sources of information! The data on the side effects of the Anthrax vaccine is unclear and incomplete. (Although the creation of a
vaccine against future Anthrax records seems like an attractive but quixotic
endeavor.) A report pertaining to the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is to be finished and presented to the FDA in 2007. So, it was a bad idea to administer the vaccine to the armed forces when it's safety was not yet qualified--BUT drastic times call for drastic measures.
"If you search the internet for vaccine safety issues, thousands of sites come up. Most of the sites quote outdated of incorrect data and a lot are mouthpieces for new age homeopathic e-commerce websites that are out to get your money! They say 'Vaccines bad! Chinese Root extract GOOD! Give us $100 for these gelatin pills containing green tea!'
"The following quote from the Slave to the Metal Foundation foundation is
misleading and overblown:
For the last 20 years, the heavy metal, "mercury," has been covertly injected directly into the arms of almost every child in this generation under the government's mandated childhood vaccine program. The resulting brain damage has produced a generation of hyperactive, learning disabled, autistic, asthmatic children with behavior disorders that doctors treat with suicidal and
homicidal drugs like Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the CDC, FDA and Congress have not seen fit to remove
the heavy metal out of vaccines.
"The claim that brain damage, learning disabilities, autism, etc. is related to vaccinations is totally false. I can't find any data to prove this. Since they are basing their alarmist claims on opinion and not science, I'd could just as easily make the likewise silly claim that autism, learning disabilities, and asthma are caused by the Anthrax record that came out when I was in 11th grade.
I haven't been a big fan of Anrthax since after "Got the Time" hit Headbanger's Ball, so it makes no difference to me musically speaking. But when people make claims based in hearsay and Internet propaganda, it really makes me mad.
Timothy P. Sheahan
tim@fairplanfilms.com
P.S.: I've posted some quotes and sources of real data pertaining to these
issues below.
According to the CDC : At a glance: Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930's. No harmful effects have been reported from thimerosal at doses used in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site.
However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service (PHS) agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.
Today, with the exception of some Influenza (flu) vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative.
"So 'The Man' has already already removed the mercury from the pediatric
vaccines. Oh...and the link between the MMR vaccine and autism has never been show to be true!
A 1999 report from the California Department of Developmental Services showed an increase in cases of children with autism. A reason for the increase has not been identified. To view or print the actual report, go here.
A follow-up analysis of the data published in 2001 showed that there is no association between autism rates in California and the proportions of young children in this state who have received Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine. There are no recommended childhood vaccines or any other vaccines that are known to cause autism in children. The complete study by authors Dales L, Hammer SJ, Smith, NJ. Entitled 2001 Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in California, published in JAMA 285, 1183-1185.
This gets better and better...
