the neighbor has an autistic daughter who was vaccinated and a non-autistic son who was not. So that, to her, is PROOF!

You know, I get that when it's personal, like your own kids, it feels like proof. But even so, a sample size of 2 proves nothing. The plural of "anecdote" is not "data."

after trimerisol was removed from the MMR shot "just to be safe

That's the kicker - Thimerisol was NEVER in MMR vaccines!!

I know a couple people who had shingles recently, which is UGH. My little brother got the chicken pox when I did, and despite the week of hell, I think my mom was glad we were all done with it.

Phone: You're gonna love this. *Ring*

Me: Oh, fuck you.

FuckCake O' the Day: HUGE ISSUE blah blah blah LEGAL ACTION blah blah blah FILE CHARGES OF FRAUD!!!

Basically, it boils down to this: The company that FCO'tD was working for went through a major transition, the nature of which changed its status re: COBRA eligibility. He was let go during this transition and was offered COBRA and has been paying his COBRA premiums for a few months now. Now he need surgery (scheduled for FRIDAY) and is being told he's not covered.

I feel for the guy, I really do. He's scared, he thought he was covered and they're saying he's not...it's a HUGE deal, I get it.

Thing is: We're on his side. We were under the impression he was covered otherwise we wouldn't have offered COBRA in the first place or accepted his payments. We're arguing with the insurance company to cover his ass.

But he needs to learn Rule Number One of dealing with Customer Service, which is: The guy who picks up the phone has no authority whatsoever. If he did, he wouldn't be picking up the phone to talk to your bitchy ass. He'd be telling some other hapless schmoe to pick up the phone.

So asking me if I, personally, am prepared to answer to charges of fraud is stupid. The answer is "No, no I'm not and I am in no way able to do so for the company as a whole, either. I have no authority."

Seriously, understand this: It doesn't matter if I think you're right or wrong, it doesn't matter if I think you're an asshole or Jesus reincarnate; I can't do jack. And if the people who can do jack are "unavailable" there's nothing I can do about that either so huffing "Of course they're in a 'meeting'" and waiting expectantly wastes everybody's time.

So, now...I hope that on Friday his surgeon leaves a sponge or forceps or something in him.

That's the kicker - Thimerisol was NEVER in MMR vaccines!!

Ye gods, I can't spell or read today. Thanks for correcting me there.

Thiomersal.

(Sorry; it's what I do for a living. We've edited a LOT of stuff about the flu vaccine, which *does* have thiomersal in it.)

Is that the same stuff they're always quick to say is not in contact solution anymore?

And now for something completely different, I give you a ridiculously small kitty with a ridiculously large dog: [link]

I think the lack of faith in science that a lot of people have bodes ill for our society. I mean, there's a lot of complex shit out there, and the scientific method is really the only way we have to understand it....

Not that there's never been bad science. But the antidote to bad science is good science, not conspiracy theory o' the day....

TINY KITTY!