I need someone to talk me off a ledge before I go postal on all the anti-vaccination nutjobs on my local parenting list.

It is not a "complicated issue." The only question you need to ask yourself is "Do I want my child to die of [insert childhood disease here]?" If the answer is no, GET THE FUCKING SHOTS. How many times does the autism myth need to be debunked before these people get it through their thick skulls that VACCINES SAVE FUCKING LIVES??????

Nora's back had better start behaving. Glad Taz is coming out of hiding, though.

I must say, my thought was whoever names a pet Taz (and I realize he was already named when you got him) is really kinda asking for it. Even if it's meant ironically.

A lot more if John McCain has anything to say about it.

Jessica, come off the ledge! Ignore the crazy talkers!

Vaccinations are just so simple, if you ask me. Do I want my kid to get polio? NO. And chicken pox may not kill you, but if you can avoid the itching and scarring and general ICK, why wouldn't you?

Don't explodiate the idiots, Jess. It won't make them any smarter, and we don't want you in jail. (That said, I second your ARGH)

Yeah, Jessica, I don't get that one either. Step away from the crazy.

Edited to delete discussion topic. Nebbermind!

Vaccinations are just so simple, if you ask me. Do I want my kid to get polio? NO.

EXACTLY.

Part of the problem is that the current generation of parents is extremely lucky to have grown up in a post-vaccination era where most of us have no firsthand experience with polio/measles/mumps/etc. And because of herd immunity (which I'm not entirely convinced exists in Brooklyn, based on the posts to this list), they'll never have to, so they can go happily ignorant and unvaccinated and probably be fine anyway. Not that I'm hoping their kids get polio of course, but COME THE FUCK ON.

people who had their tax refund direct deposited are the first to get their stimulus payments issued, and will receive the payment by direct deposit to the same account.

t does the dance of taxes completed/refund direct-deposited

How many times does the autism myth need to be debunked before these people get it through their thick skulls that VACCINES SAVE FUCKING LIVES??????

The problem is that recent government decision to pay the family of the girl in Georgia who developed autism after getting vaccinated. Her case is exceedingly complicated, but of course the news stories don't really get into that, so it's dumbed way down and ends up being ammunition for the anti-vaccination cartel.

I've never understood it, either. But there are a lot of things I don't understand about how a lot of other people raise their kids.

And chicken pox may not kill you, but if you can avoid the itching and scarring and general ICK, why wouldn't you?

There's a chicken pox vaccine? Cool.

I was on a mailing list with a woman who'd grown up in Africa and knew people who died of measles (well... so she said, anyway. And hundreds of children in Nigeria did die of measles when vaccination rates dropped in the early aughts). So she got pretty angry about no-vaccine talk.

By the way, since I see we're still on food a bit, I went shopping and had two Reuben sandwiches for dinner. And they were wonderful. In fact, after I was done, I sort of regretted not being hungry anymore because the taste was so good.

And my motto for the day: with great printers come great responsibilities. Also great frustration. Grarrrr!