How is it possible, in one breath, to doubt the effectiveness of a vaccine because it has not yet been thoroughly tested (a valid argument, one would think) and yet recommend the use of homeopathic pills, herbal extracts and vitamin C which have ALL been tested and have ALL been shown to work no better than a placebo? Maybe we could also do a little ju-ju dance and offer prayer to St. Anthony to ward off infection.

Personally, if I was worried about the swine flu (which I'm not, based on current estimations of its level of lethality) I'd much rather take my chances with a less-than-ideally tested vaccine (because its development is at least based on sound science) than in proven quackery. Votes: +9

I used to read HuffPost as a daily ritual, for its political content mainly. But eventually the large dollops of congealed stupid made my mouse inoperable, so I dropped it from my roster of daily web reading. I prefer Salon and Slate. Salon has Garrison Keillor and Glenn Greenwald, and Slate has Christopher Hitchens -- all admirable writers in their chosen fields. I think Arianna may be showing her age with these viscous, vapid verisimilitudes dressed up as "news." (Apologies if that appears as "agist," but I'm writing from the worldview of boomer.
Votes: +1

I agree that the Huff post (or any other media) should not promote this kind of thing, but I don't know why Phil describes it as "far-left New Age nonsense". What is far-left about New Age gobbledegook? I must have missed that chapter of Marx's writings. Votes: +9

If you didn't vaccinate your children, be thankful that your neighbors did. Votes: +2

Viscous? Yes she is thick and slimy, but I don't think that's what you meant!
. Votes: +3

Hopefully, the vaccine will be available before I get sick with the H1N1 flu. Many students at my daughter's school have come down with this version of the flu so it may only be a matter of days before she brings the virus home to my wife and I. But, there is no question that I will get the vaccine if it were available right now.

One thing I don't understand is why the "New Age" is called the "New Age" when in fact these people promote ancient and unproven remedies? The other article on this site about crystals in Sedona is an example. Belief in crystals, homeopathy and acupuncture is really "Old Age" as these "treatments" predate the rigorous use of the scientific method to evaluate medical practices and medications. Logic tells me that "New Age" is modern, science based medicine and "Old Age" (like an "Old Wives Tale"?) is what woo woo is all about. Votes: +3

"Viscous? Yes she is thick and slimy, but I don't think that's what you meant!"

That's eerie! Just this morning, in my head, I played out a conversation of someone misusing "viscous" for "vicious," and of playfully correcting them like that. FOR REAL!

I don't know what made me think something like that. HMMM... I must be psychic... Million dollar challenge, here I come!!! Votes: +2

The don't-use-this-because-it's-not-tested argument is doubly absurd. For one thing, it's been tested...it's been tested a lot. It's known to have few short term side effects. True, there may be some long term side effects but since medical science has been making flu vaccines for a long time, I doubt there's a whole lot new about this.

The side effects are what we should be concerned about, which is the second absurdity. If you get the vaccine and don't get the flu, there's no way to know whether the vaccine was effective or whether that was just the luck of the draw. I'm the control group for this. I never get flu shots and I have never gotten the flu that I'm aware of. Last time I had anything I could characterize as the flu was a good 25 years ago. So I can say with certainty that whether or not you get the flu shot, you might avoid getting the flu.

BUT...if you get the shot and there's no side effects, you're still better off than if you didn't. There's no downside to getting the shot (which makes me wonder why I don't since I'm sure someday my track record is going to go bust.)
Votes: -2

Because if it's far right then it's the occult, you know, like the nazis.

Oh no I di'nt just go and Godwin this thread! Votes: +0

Good idea, but I get half. After all, you and I have a psychic connection. It won't work without both of us...
. Votes: +0

It seems likely that the vaccine opponents will have a higher mortality rate, so there should be fewer of them around for the next pandemic. Eventually we may be rid of them. Votes: +1

Because ignorance and silliness know no political boundaries.... Votes: +4

BUT...if you get the shot and there's no side effects, you're still better off than if you didn't. There's no downside to getting the shot (which makes me wonder why I don't since I'm sure someday my track record is going to go bust.)

Since it is known that this flu is most dangerous for children and elderly, they should have priority in receiving the vaccination and then everyone else (sort of the 'women and children first' strategy for evacuating a sinking boat). I won't give Phil any guff since he is doing it as a family. That makes sense. In my case, I'm not very much travelled or in much human contact and am in the less deliterious range so vaccination is more a matter of how the flu proceeds (Colorado City has already closed its entire school system from apparent cases of H1N1).

On topic, at one time I respected the Huffington Post for its correct political criticisms. As time has progressed and it has devolved into pseudo-science, unchecked liberalism, and new-agism, I have distanced myself more and more. Bad science, myths, personal agendas and politics should never be mixed (all the time realizing how much mixing goes on there). Votes: +2

You're supposed to drown the flu right? as in take in and replace all the fluids you are losing.. so perhaps homeopathic medicine is a good course of action, take in lots of water to stay hydrated! I hear the municipal services in many countries offer homeopathic medicine in bulk for pennies a gallon. Votes: +1

@hopfen

It seems likely that the vaccine opponents will have a higher mortality rate, so there should be fewer of them around for the next pandemic. Eventually we may be rid of them.

You might think so, but they probably breed faster to compensate. Votes: +1

i don't know ... i'm going down to my local homeopath now and i'm going to dowse for the correct homeopathic remedy . Hold on, just checked my horoscope and it warned me to be careful, and that "recuperation comes through mental relaxation and a change of scenery." Who needs rigorously tested scientific medicine that actually works when i have water that remembers stuff and the planet saturn looking after me .... now, "recuperation comes through mental relaxation and a change of scenery" sounds to me like a holiday, is this horoscope sponsored by ebookers??
Votes: +2

The 'New Age' term probably came about because of the Age of Aquarius crap from the hippy era... Votes: +2

Actually, it's the other way around - the Age of Aquarius is part of the woo-wwo New Age philosophy which has been going on for some time. Its roots go back to the Victorian era craze for spiritualism but was rekindled in the 1960s and popularized in the 1970s (thus, the 'Age of Aquarius' popularity). Votes: +1

I've not taken the swine flu medication, yet. It needs to be more serious before I consider taking it, as it stands now more people die from regular flu so it's very blown out of proportions. I'll consider the medication when people start dropping like flies around me. Votes: +1

I admire Huffington and worked on her 2003 campaign. When HuffPo launched I was disturbed by all the celebrity stuff. I contributed anyway, but mostly post at www.DailyKos.com (as MakeChessNotWar).

I eventually caught on. The gossip drew viewers. At first, it wasn't too bad because it was kept in the right-most column and I just went down the center aisle, where the serious stuff was. But that segregation is gone. I observe that th list of most emailed stores and most viewed stories usually has a lot of the silly gossip.

If that drew people to read the serious progressive stuff, I was okay with it.

But the populism has gotten worse, and Huffinton's irrational involvement with New Age stuff threatens our health. Thanks to your article, I will try to comment more frequently and remind people of the true scientific facts.

Her political writing is insightful and she would have made a fine governor, though the New Age stuff might have to be rigorously fought.

Everyone is deluded. That is the basis of www.coolreligion.org and explained there. Many people I admire hold ridiculous beliefs. I know of no exceptions. Even our beloved Randi holds the absurd position that historical roots of words influence modern semantics.

He won't use "creature" because it implies a connection with the word creator (only in his mind, th3e pronunciation difference is even more important than spelling. And yes, I have a Ph.D. in linguistics and his lexical ghosts are no more real than any other supernatural entities). He also refrains from terms with religious morphemes as if "Goddamn!" is somehow an assertion that a deiuty exists. Or that "Holy Sh--" is a similar assertion.

So I never dismiss someone just because they are deluded. Without delusions we would have trouble surviving. That's why religion persists. People find the lies about Heaven comforting.

So don't forget all the good done by HuffPo. Weigh in against alt-med frauds in comments. Complain to the editors.

I will likely blog about this at DailyKos soon. The progressive community should be informed. And about the relation between alt-med fraud and waste in health care. Homeopathic remedies should be heavily regulated and taxed, as alcohol and tobacco are ( but sadly not guns and marijuana).

Thanks again for raising the issue. Votes: +2

"far-left New Age nonsense"
What's with the 'far left' stuff? If belief in nonsense has any political bias I would guess the right wing is more of a home to nutters than the left.
I don't come to the JREF site to hear your political prejudices. Votes: -3

I'm not sure why they are saying that you shouldn't get vaccinated... it seems like a bunch of hogwash to me. I don't believe it is anything politically related, as I know many on both sides that definitely agree that one should get vaccinated for both the H1N1 strain and the regular strain of flu. My wife and I both got vaccinated. We didn't vaccinate our newborn for obvious reasons, but made sure that we both got it.

-Charley Brown, the Floor Steam Cleaner and Carpet Steam Cleaner aficionado. Votes: +1

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