I now I’m an old fart.  But, that’s why Iam so dismayed.  I remember seeing people in Iron Lungs.  I remember kids who died of whooping cough.  I remember how devastating measles and  the mumps were  I remember when the Salk vaccine was the only thing between us and Polio- and then came the sugar cube and the Sabin vaccine.  There were new vaccinations for whooping cough (pertussis) and none yet for the mumps or the measles.

I am also a scientific, techie type.  Who is flabbergasted that folks can be bamboozled by morons  (sorry, I don’t believe in political correctness) parading around claiming all sorts of calamities that befall children who get vaccinated.  (Here is one of my responses to this stupidity.)

Then, there are those parents who are positive that all childhood diseases are under control , with no chance of infecting their own.  They, too, are sadly mistaken.

Both sets of folks are putting all other children- and adults- at risk. Because they are letting their kids succumb to these diseases – and infect every other child with whom they come into contact!

This situation has gotten so bad, that grandparents (like me) who want to meet their nascent grandchildren must now get new vaccinations for diphtheria and pertussis (the vaccine is now called tdap).    To insure that folks we have met that were not vaccinated did not make us carriers (we are presumably immunized against developing full blown infections- but not from being carriers) and infect our newest relatives.

(There is another reason to get this immunization.  When I was little, we used the DTP vaccine.  It employed whole cells of the Bordetella pertussis microbe, which also meant there could be side effects of high fevers or even a few seizures.  But, it created full-blown immunity. To preclude that, we now use only proteins from that same bacteria- and it (immunity) doesn’t last as long.  Now, we seem to find the vaccine effectiveness to last about 10 years or so.)

This non-vaccination process means that our previously considered eradication of measles (as of 2000) is no longer true.  This year alone, there have been more than 590 cases of measles in the US alone!  The same is true for measles and mumps.

So, do the world a favor- and especially your kids.  Get the required vaccinations- when (the proper time) they are best administered to your kids.

It is the 13th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on US soil.  One perpetrated by deranged members of the Moslem faith.  We, those NOT of the faith, must remain diligent and also insure that we don’t group all members of that faith in this basket of terrorism.  (It’s no different than blaming those adhering to the Christian faith as responsible for the Aryan Brotherhood.)  But, we can expect that leaders of their religions insure that education and guidance is provided to dissuade any new increase to the ranks of the deranged terrorists.

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