I'm Crushed. Kittens and Bedbugs Shooting French Vaccines!

I'm plowed under with editing/writing/responding to administrative crapola, so here is the lazy blog o' links.

1) Follow-up research demonstrates that MMR vaccines (measles-mumps-rubella) don't increase the risk of children getting Crohn's disease. This and autism have both been blamed on childhood vaccinations but without substantiation beyond rumor. The increasing diagnoses of autism obviously warrant study of possible causes. But once again, I say that the fashion among the wealthy and healthy to dissuade and defund (especially developing nations) from vaccinating in childhood is knee-jerk reactionism with malicious effects on the people who most need this lifesaving advantage.

2) Bedbugs are back! Why you ask, after their eradication decades ago, are we now encountering a springtime with these parasitic bloodsuckers? Because faulty research on DDT (the most effective wide spectrum pesticide ever) has been grandfathered into public consciousness as gospel. At least the first world can now suffer with the second and third who we won't allow to use DDT either, despite its undeniable effectiveness against skeeters and therefore malaria. The upside of this resurgence in bedbugs among high-class NYC hotels is that we'll finally see the well-heeled and influential become extremely motivated to take another, more reasoned look at DDT. I hope this will spare discomfort in America, but it could save millions of lives internationally.

3) You may know how the French view our ignorant, barbaric, hyperzealous theocratic citizens. But what do other Continentals think of the French? Not so much as it turns out. What's so funny about this article is that the uncontested condemnation came as a result of merely asking for a general description of French folk. (hat tip: Scrivener)

4) When you're stressed, annoyed, and overwhelmed, who couldn't use a kitten? Updated Mews every freakin' day.