Comments on: A Personal Attack By J.B. Handley

By: Autism Blog - A Comparison of Autism Prevalence Trends in Denmark and Western Australia. « Left Brain/Right Brain

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 06:02:43 +0000

[...] I bring this up because there is a common argument that the autism “rates” in places like Denmark and Sweden are much lower than those in the US and elsewhere. This is used to try to negate studies using those country’s populations in, for example, showing that there is no increased risk from thimerosal or the MMR vaccine. This error often stems from comparing “incidence” to “prevalence”. [...]

By: Science-Based Medicine » Chemical castration for autism: After three years, the mainstream media finally notices

Mon, 25 May 2009 08:01:42 +0000

[...] the antivaccine movement has a tendency to launch vicious ad hominem attacks, as they recently did against Steve Novella and have done multiple times in the past against [...]

By: Terry Simpson

Terry Simpson — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:57:13 +0000

As a fellow skeptic, physician, and someone who enjoys the podcasts from Skeptic Guide to the Universe I was greatly bothered by J.B. Handley’s attack.

For me vaccination is deeply personal. My father was raised in an orphanage in Alaska. An orphanage, because too many Alaska Native families were lost from communicable disease that were preventable.

Dr. Novella did a marvelous job defending himself, so I shall not repeat. As a surgeon, we are more pointed, not as kind as our neurologist brethern. So when an attack goes to someone who I respect, it is difficult to keep my keyboard in check.

I cannot imagine how it is to live daily with an autistic child. I cannot imagine how hard one looks for correlations and to wish to lash out against something. To find some cause.

Dr. Novella and myself were classically trained in the scientific method – for which we apply with passion for the process. I would think our passion is for reason, for process, for detail.

Handley is not trained as such. He is tortured daily by a disease, and then by a cause. I am not a father, I am not a kind man, but I have deep empathy for his personal pain.

We are generations from when communicable diseases destroyed families, took away function, and left many with diminished intellectual capacity. It is that history Mr. Handley does not feel. And as he promotes a non-scientific approach to his cause, he dangerously is supporting a return to the dark ages.

So while I wanted to sharpen my knife to take apart Mr. Handley – Dr. Novella did that well. While I am empathetic to Mr. Handley’s personal pain – but his views would lead to a body count that makes the epidemic of autism a small footnote.

By: Science-Based Medicine » The Huffington Post’s War on Medical Science: A Brief History

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:01:31 +0000

[...] I discussed here) and “Fourteen Studies” website (discussed by Steve, leading to an all-out personal attack on him by J.B. Handley; Mark; and me). Suffice it to say, the intellectual incompetence on display by Carrey was very [...]

By: Science-Based Medicine » The Huffington Post’s War On Science

Science-Based Medicine » The Huffington Post’s War On Science — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:00:53 +0000

[...] blog entries criticing their 14 studies website with a detailed analysis. Handley responded with a full frontal personal assault sprinkled with irrelevant accusations. He ignored the vast majority of our actual criticisms, and [...]

By: jo5ef

jo5ef — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:04:06 +0000

I posted a comment, doubt it will get published but what the hell.
I wonder how the anti vax loons are spinning this:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8020837.stm

By: happy humanist

happy humanist — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:56:07 +0000

Kim Evans replied to my posts, but only gave anecdote, not data. I know this is a shock!!

You should know that several people have posted similar fact-based replies. It’s a start.

HHC, I had a colonoscopy last summer. I do NOT care to repeat that hell on earth! You’re on your own!

By: mindme

mindme — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:59:36 +0000

||Most estimates are that the average person has ten or more pounds of stored waste just in their colon, and I'd argue far more throughout their body.|| Has anyone over there ever heard of a footnote? Geez. ||Kim Evans is the author of Cleaning Up! which outlines a powerful body cleanse to help remove the years of built up waste that the average person has stored in their body. || How do I get my own column on huffpo to basically advertise my product or services?

By: HHC

HHC — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:45:11 +0000

happy humanist, Gosh I should colon cleanse instead of vaccinate according to the Huffington Post. Well, I don’t want to do it alone so everyone can have a bowel preparation cleanse recipe. Breakfast: Clear soup, strained fruit juices, flavored gelatin, soft drinks, black coffee or plain tea. Noon: Same as breakfast. 1:00pm Drink 1 full 8 oz glass of water or clear fluids. At 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm, Drink 1 full 8 oz glass of water or clear fluids. 5:00pm Do the same as breakfast and lunch. 5:30pm Add contents of packet ofMagnesium Carbonate, Citric Acid and Potassium Citrate to 8 oz cold water in a 16 fl oz glass. Stir gently. After fizzing stops,stir, and drink the entire glass. Bowel movement will begin within 30 minutes to 4 hours. 6:00pm Drink 1 full 8 oz glass of water or clear fluids. 7:00pm Do the same as 6:00pm. 7:30pm Put 4 Bisacodyl tablets with 1 full 8oz glass of water. Tablets must be taken 2 hours after drinking the 5:30pm Magnesium drink. Tablets will begin to increase your bowel movements within 30 minutes to 4 hours. 8:00pm Drink 1 full glass of water or clear fluids. 9:00pm Do the same as 8:00pm. Be sure to have 4-5 toilet rolls on hand by the toilet.Merry Cleansing!

By: happy humanist

happy humanist — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:49:13 +0000

RickK: Sorry, the wingnuttia has started at Huffpo (is that an oxymoron?)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kim-evans/swine-flu-protect-yoursel_b_191550.html

I’ve got the same username there as here.