An Open Letter to the Medical Students Who Attended the NYU “Confronting Vaccine Resistance” Lecture
Autism, It Changed Everything

Age of Autism Weekly Wrap: Over the Top and Under Their Skin

AofA Red Logo Ayumi YamadaBy Dan Olmsted

Dear Readers: I’m kind of amazed to announce that you didn’t just meet our November matching fund drive goal, you doubled it. Anonymous Reader put up $5,000 if contributors could match it, and with 60-plus separate donations large and smaller, the total kept rising to just over double that amount.

This is our third year for the matching drive, and we’ve topped it each time. This was really a blowout and we thank you so much. And thanks to Anonymous Donor for not just putting up the match but supporting AOA every day.

--

I had to laugh this week when Josh Mazer sent an e-mail titled Congratulations! I am not above enjoying praise so I opened it with anticipation. “Hi Dan,” Josh wrote. “You made the Honor Roll. You must be doing something right.”

And what honor roll might that be? What collection of widely respected, even if controversial, worthies have we joined?

Oh. “The Worst Web Sites for Science 2016.”

“The Internet is full of misleading, incorrect, or even blatantly fake information,” Real Clear Science reported. “While optimistic futurists once hailed the Internet as an egalitarian source of knowledge – information for all – it has instead proven to be an equally powerful source of misinformation. The following websites are some of the worst contributors to this disconcerting trend.”

Drum roll, please. We are the third worst website for science on the whole darn web of world-wide wackiness! We actually beat Alex Jones’ InfoWars, number four, and lost out only to Mercola, number 2, and Natural News, number 1. To adapt the Miss America language, if at any time during the coming year Mercola or Natural News are unable to perform their duties, we will be the Number 1 worst science website. That is quite a burden to contemplate.

Here is the full citation, which I hope will be arriving soon in the mail, hand-lettered and suitable for laminating at FedEx Kinkos:

Age of Autism, "The Daily Newspaper of the Autism Epidemic," says it best themselves: "the autism epidemic is real, and excessive vaccinations are the cause." Rates of autism absolutely have increased, and the causes are up for debate, but the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence indicates that vaccines do not play a role. (A shift in diagnosis likely accounts for much of the rise.) Evidence does not factor into Age of Autism's reporting, however. Either ignorantly or willfully, they misconstrue science and mislead their readers into believing that vaccines are dangerous.

--

“Either ignorantly or willfully” – I love that concept. Either we are too stupid to know any better, or we know better but are too despicable to tell the truth. I don’t like my choices there, so I’m going to say we do know the truth, and we tell it.

A further point of pride – We are a lot smaller operation and Web presence than some of our fellow anti-science travelers. We are causing more trouble per post, per pound, per comment and contribution, than any other anti-science site out there.

And for that, dear readers, you have only yourselves to thank!

--

Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism.

Comments

Denise Anderstrom Douglass

I couldn't be prouder of you, Dan, and everybody at AoA! All top four are on my top daily news, as well as those other Russian spy, fake news sites: Drudge, Breitbart, The Sheeple, etc! I have high hopes for Age of Autism rising to # 1 next year. Yes, I somehow feel that, thanks to you, my tin foil hat now has a little deplorable halo over it.

Gary Ogden

Congratulations are in order from me as well. I don't know a lot about the other two, but Dr. Mercola is excellent company. An honor indeed has been bestowed.

angus files

Sorry guys Waldon is not going to be head of the CDC (today anyway)

UPDATE ON ARTICLE

Dave Weldon is NOT the New CDC Director

December 4, 2016 By Celia Farber 2 Comments


I told you late last night that a source close to the vaccine battle posted on FB that Dave Weldon was appointed the new director of the CDC.

It’s not accurate.

The source who told my source said something that the source misinterpreted and it took off from there.

I apologize for jumping the gun, but I clarified in the post what I had heard, from whom, that it was on FB, and that I was not 100% sure.

I wrote: “I hope this is still true tomorrow.”

Well, it isn’t.

Not as bad as Newsweek or Time (forget which) printing millions of copies of Hillary on the cover with the headline: “Madam President,” before the election, and certainly not as costly. But still, I owe you an apology for not waiting for more confirmation.


MMR RIP

AnneJ

Is that really true about David Weldon being selected as head of the CDC?!!!! Seems much too good to be true (but how wonderful if it were!).
I have so much respect for that fine man, and would LOVE to see him take over that corrupt hell-hole of a CDC we currently have.

Linda1

Re Weldon, I too got this from Celia Farber. I can't find it anywhere in the news.

And I find it interested that the Dakota pipeline reports are largely coming from sources outside the US. BBC reports a Canadian journalist traveling over the border to cover the pipeline has been stopped and had his personal items confiscated. It appears that all we have left, literally, is each other, sites like AOA and whatever news we get from abroad.
At the beginning of the Cold War, the US government funded Radio Free Europe to broadcast *uncensored news* to countries behind the iron curtain. One can only imagine what they're broadcasting today (and I'm beginning to wonder about what they broadcasted then).

Patience (Eileen Nicole) Simon

Dan, Ross Pomeroy blames AoA for misconstruing science and misleading its readers. But AoA readers are participants in daily conversations that reveal the horrific nature of autism. His picks for top science websites all promote establishment viewpoints.

Conversations on AoA rightfully question authority. The academic authorities continue to promote stigmatizing genetic ideas, like autism traits in parents and siblings. Thus it is easy to brush aside requests by parents for investigation of vaccine effects on the brain. I am so glad to hear that those of us who engage in AoA discussions have also donated to provide ongoing financial support.

I have been sending comments almost daily to president-elect Trump urging investigation of the medical establishment, and federal agencies like HHS, CDC, and NIMH. I hope finally we have a leader who is unafraid to push back against these useless often dangerous components of medical opinion.

Bob Moffit

Dave Weldon appointed Director of the CDC???? REALLY!!!!!!

I cannot thing of another appointee that I would preferred.

My God .. has President elect Trump actually begun taking the very first critical steps in WALKING THE WALK .. that is now expected of him?

Linda1

Dave Weldon in charge of the CDC. CDC employees were reportedly crying in the halls after the election.
OH, to see the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth now!

david m burd

Tim, Great to see another who appreciates Celia Farber!

IF Dave Weldon becomes CDC Director, this is HUGE. Thanks for the heads-up!

Tim Lundeen

Celia Farber reports Dave Weldon has been picked as the new head of the CDC.

http://truthbarrier.com/2016/12/04/dave-weldon/

Richard

I notice that four of the six websites on their list (including the top three) are ones whose primary focus are anti-establishment views on medicine and/or food. Out of all the vast number of scientific fields out there, they put most of their effort into supporting big pharma and food industries. The more extreme they get with this witch hunt, the more they'll be shouting in echo chambers as everyone else stops paying attention to what "science" says (I put it in quotes because as readers of this site know, plenty of science doesn't fit with the industry-funded politicized stance on science put out by the media). It's a shame what it's come to, as I do see science as a tool and method that can do much good if used right, but at this point what's likely to happen is a collapse in the prestige of science as a whole as what's claimed by the media as what science says gets more and more distant from our lived experience. Expect the voices of people like the RealClearScience folks to get ever more shrill.

Doug Troutman

The website should be called Real Clear Propaganda.

go Trump

I would suppose most of those who visit the AoA site regularly would give it a 90% + approval rating.

At present, the $$$ mainstream news $$$ has an approval rating somewhere between 10 and 15%. They wish it was campaign season all the time, as they love the ad revenue. They now have to live off the ad revenue of the “American drug lords” until the next election.

As before, those with some web site skills could set up a simple site for the ... 62,000 AAP members ... where they could sign up by State to take the “two month baby vaccines” and a mercury flu shot.

... better yet of course, have the shots adjusted to their body weight... surely some husky pediatrician will sign up to receiver 30 o 40 shots on the same day.

A "chirping crickets" soundtrack might be needed.

susan

Congratulations! As this is my favourite website, I am disappointed that you didn't come 1st. Keep up the great work. You are obviously getting to them.

Jesus Baby

It is a very unfair article. You guysl would barely make my top 3 anti-VAX sites, let alone anti-science.

Jeannette Bishop

I'm so glad you didn't name this site, Real Clear Autism News! I keep coming here pretty much daily (ok, several times daily). Thank you also to Anonymous Reader!

Tim Lundeen

LOL! “The Worst Web Sites for Science 2016.”

I find that "debunking" sites are good sources of information: just go read the stuff they tell you not to; they are very helpful when I'm researching something new. And here they go again, continuing their public service.

Rae

For "worst" could be substituted the more accurate "most-feared by the Powers That Be, especially Big Pharma and Big Medicine." This is high praise indeed! Congratulations, A of A, for a job well done (and ongoing).

Janet

Natural News and Mercola are my other two favorite sites besides yours. Keep up the good work. I am incredibly thankful for all your hard work and appreciate your willingness to hang in there. So many of us have been helped in many ways by your efforts. I pray you and your family have a wonderful holiday!

Cherry Misra

I notice that all these websites seem to have this in common- They are anti vaccines that pose danger to some or all children. Seems that the anti-science deciders only care about vaccines and autism. I wonder why? Aren't there any other errors to worry about in the world of science?

AnneJ

Thanks to all of you at the Age of Autism for everything you do to get the truth out there!
I don't post much, but read your articles everyday. You are the best source of autism news available anywhere (and sadly, most mainstream pediatricians are the worst source IMO. I'm so angry at their profession for not rising up to stop the damage to our children years ago. Most of them are cowards).
Keep up your good work and thank you again!

Carol

Last week I saw pro-vaccine propaganda pieces pop up in New York Magazine and The Atlantic. The NY mag article featured the execrable Gravid Dorkski; the Atlantic thing was disguised as an article on the placebo effect.

I'd say we're in the middle of a public relations push.

Jenny Allan

"The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about." Oscar Wilde

If the publicity brings people to the AoA web site, they can read and decide for themselves whether or not all the different contributions, evidence and parent experiences, are 'bad' science, or whether 'science' as defined by Forbes and their contributors is more about vested political and corporate interests. ( Remember Emily Willingham's article BLAMING Dr Wakefield for the lack of research and treatments for autistic children & now adults with bowel disorders?)

Until recently, the so called 'mainstream ' health press and media outlets denied any links between bowel disease and autism, but this is now officially admitted with one survey finding bowel problems in autistic persons to be as high as 70%.

Maurine Meleck

And yesterday I saw an article that said people should stop buying organic food because it takes up way too much land to grow it. The twist is only a dance and a kind of candy. Here's a drink to AOA.

Linda1

Congratulations, AOA, for being in the top 3 anti-scientism sites on the web. May you make #1 next year :o).

John Stone

""Great fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite 'em, And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum. .."

As I understand it Real Clear Lies are 51% owned by Forbes, and Forbes are 51% owned by the privately owned Hong Kong company Integrated Whale Media Investments, and who owns that is anyone's guess: Bill Gates, the US Government...? But we at AoA all took it as a mighty honour.

Benedetta

Not only are a lot of articles on Age of Autism pointing to just vaccines cause autism, but sooooo very much more.

Bob Moffit

It seems in my later years .. I just can't avoid being listed among the most "deplorable" people in our country today .. in fact .. I feel somewhat honored that AoA has now been "officially" labeled "deplorabable".

As a young child so many years ago .. I learned a valuable lesson that has lasted throughout my life .. "Sticks and stones may break my bones .. but .. names will never hurt me" ..

Apparently .. Real Clear Science .. believes otherwise.

e of other websites.

Rates of autism absolutely have increased, and the causes are up for debate, but the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence indicates that vaccines do not play a role. (A shift in diagnosis likely accounts for much of the rise.) Evidence does not factor into Age of Autism's reporting, however. Either ignorantly or willfully, they misconstrue science and mislead their readers into believing that vaccines are dangerous.

*************

So let me get this straight. A website that calls itself 'Real Clear Science' , is judging the scientific caliber of other sites.

And their scientific explanation for the exploding incidence of autism, is ' A shift in diagnosis likely accounts for much of the rise.'

Well shame on the rest of if us, for not realizing that real science is so rooted in definite, possible maybes.

Sharon DeNunzio

Given our recent Presidential election, the news has recently stated that fewer than 20% of citizens trust or believe mainstream media.

I applaud you AofA for being so highly respected among other Internet sites that I have mined for years to get some of the best, evidence-based, trustworthy news. I love Mercola and Mike Adam's Natural News. I sometimes read or watch some of the InfoWars material. I read your blog every day! You are in esteemed company. The Age of Autism book I view as one of the best books I have ever read. At the time that I first read the book, I suspected that vaccines had some implication in my son's Asperger's diagnosis. Over time, as my entire family became crippled by mercury toxicity and Lyme disease, your book was very helpful in better understanding that journey. Keep it up!

angus files

The world as we know it Jim/Dan.
Sickness the new norm.
The " deplorable`s" win the American election.
Our food is not feeding us anymore.
The health service makes you ill/dead preferably half dead zombie/sheeple like.
More web time is spent on a sit com than all the pro-nature programmes.
Via movie games kids are rewarded for being violent.


That all aside don't forget its the parents to blame and keep away from dangerous uniformed web sites such as AOA.
Congratulations Dan we`ve arrived AOA is getting there. If we really put in a power of spade work lets aim for No1 next year.

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. Mahatma Gandhi"

Fight stage I think were just coming to.

MMR RIP

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)