back to article Bill Gates cried to make the world a better place

Is there a connection between an alleged coke-addicted CEO with a prostitute lair and open source? You bet there is - on Open Season. Episode 18 of our fine show kicked off with a look at ex-Broadcom chief Henry Nicholas and his current travails with the legal system. If you've yet to hear about this story, you're in for a …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good for Bill

    "Apparently, Bill Gates let some lass from 23 and Me have it when she tried to draw a link between vaccines and autism. Touchy stuff, I know. But Bill loves his vaccines."

    Good. The vaccine autism link has been shown repeatedly to be bullshit. All they are doing is spreading "penis panic" (see wikipedia if you don't get the reference)

  2. Andrew
    Thumb Up

    O'rly?

    I noticed.

    Luckily I read the attached article before making note of it. Har.

  3. David Pollard
    Boffin

    Post hoc propter hoc - autistic spectrum symptoms

    There is a certain amount of evidence to suggest that autistic spectrum symptoms are reduced by fever. Given that vaccination may induce mild fever it is not implausible that some parents/carers may have noticed signs of autism or worsening symptoms as such a fever abated. Hence, post hoc propter hoc, some may have assumed that 'the jab caused the autism'.

    If such an association does actually exist, then to maintain that there is absolutely none will serve only to sustain the myth that the relationship is causal.

  4. Martin Owens

    Probably

    The only time when I'd back Big Red's Bill on issues.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @AC

    >>Good. The vaccine autism link has been shown repeatedly to be bullshit. All they are doing is spreading "penis panic" (see wikipedia if you don't get the reference)>>

    Excellent. You know this because you... have an autistic child, right? You've seen the impact the main "combiner" vaccines have on a child susceptible to Autism? Because if you can answer no to either of those questions, you're full of s**t

    Long and short of it is there is no proof showing the link ... but there isn't any proof that the link is not there. Bottom line is, when you're unsure, you don't play with kid's futures.

    Here in the UK, did Tony Blair's kid get the "combiner" vaccine (MMR), despite insisting it was ok? No. Hell No.

    Makes you think.

  6. Philip J.F. Quinlan
    Gates Halo

    @@AC

    As you say yourself there is absolutely no proof of the link, however there is a link between a failure to immunise and the ability of a pathogen to live in human hosts and so be transmitted throughout the comunity leading to outbreaks of diseases fatal to children.

    Of this we are very sure and so as you say, in the absence of evidence to the contrary we shouldn't play with children's futures by failing to immunise our kids on the basis of a rumour.

    St. BillyG because this is the first time I've approved of his behaviour in a very long time (~DOS 6.2)

  7. teacake

    @AC

    "Long and short of it is there is no proof showing the link ... but there isn't any proof that the link is not there. Bottom line is, when you're unsure, you don't play with kid's futures."

    But you don't mention an even bigger problem - not wearing a red woollen mitten on the left hand. There's no proof that this prevents nut allergies, but there's no proof that it doesn't, ergo we should make children wear red woollen mittens on their left hands, just to be on the safe side. Bottom line is, since when did logic, reason or evidence have any part to play in safeguarding kid's futures?

  8. Doug
    Thumb Up

    just found Open Season - good show

    Just wanted to say I've just found another tool for shaking some dust off of my computer speakers. Good stuff and I look forward to checking out the previous episodes and future episodes.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    @teacake

    Superb deduction Holmes!

    Next I expect you'll be saying there's no link between the rise in guns in free circulation and the increased murder rate in the US.. hey. guns don't kill people, people kill people right?

    A brilliant deduction indeed! Rejoice for teacake has found the solution!!

    On the other hand, you could stop being a prat and understand the issue. The issue has never been, "immunizations cause the problem". It's actually been about how the immunization is delivered vs it's consequences on an undeveloped immune system.

    I guess we could toss some facts out there:

    "In 1978, at Boston Floating Hospital that the incidence of autism was one in 10,000 children"*.. ok, we have a rough starting figure. 1 in 10k.. not a low number, but far lower than other infant issues such as heart murmurs, organ misplacement, etc (surprising how high those issues are).

    The MMR vaccine got introduced in 1988; and it has been since then that various issues have started cropping up in our children. In 1999 (this is a full decade after the first concerns about the MMR combination was raised, back in late 1989) 'full spectrum' or profound, autism had increased by 273 percent among diagnosed Autistic children - which in itself is the rarest form of Autism.

    As for Autism? It is estimated that the current real statistic has risen to 1 IN 150. I don't know about you, but if I was a parent that would be enough to concern me - and I'd want to know that either it DOES have an effect, or it DOESN'T - but, you know what answer politicians give? Only time will tell.

    Do you want your kids to be the proof factor? If the statistic keeps rising, with everyone shouting that nothings causing it - this statistic WILL rise to 1 in 50, then 1 in 20... 1 in 2... then? Draw a line somewhere.

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