Bad bugs in NYC subways? Worry more about bad people (and bed bugs).

Posted on February 10, 2015 by admin

A recent New York Times article highlighted the findings of a study conducted by a large group of scientists (and interns and medical students) under the direction of Christopher E. Mason of the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. This study, somewhat disarmingly titled Geospatial Resolution of Human and Bacterial Diversity with City-Scale Metagenomics, was published in the journal Cell Systems, and called attention to the wide spectrum of genetic profiles of microorganisms swabbed from various locations of the NYC subway system. The somewhat sensational treatment of the study’s rather dry findings were further augmented by a breathless, bordering on hysterical, news media treatment seeming to indicate that remnants of bubonic plague (the “Black Death” of the 14th century) and anthrax bacilli might somehow pose a health threat to the city’s commuters, theater-goers, and just plain folks.

Fortunately, in the following day’s Times, journalist Anemona Hartocollis found a cure for the histrionics in her article, Bubonic Plague in the Subway System? Don’t Worry About It…..To Read More…….

My Take - The infectious disease we really need to worry about is a mental disorder called media hyperbole. This is an article that should be read by everyone because we need reason and logic to overcome the emotions these writers stir up. We're now seeing children contracting and dying from childhood diseases that were almost eradicated decades ago because the media hyped the idea that vaccines caused autism. That was a lie perpetrated by a Dr. Wakefield from England and that eminent epidemiologist, Jenny McCarthy, who must have received her doctorate posing for Playboy, which she chose over nursing school. But she wasn't alone!

There’s her ex-husband, Jim Carey, who marched against vaccinations, and Bill Maher, who is…well… nuts!  But there’re prominent names like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who supports this claptrap.  The problem with Kennedy is he’s so full of horsepucky I wouldn’t believe him if he told me day was light and night was dark without looking to see for myself.  Then there’s Donald Trump, who might be brilliant at finding ways to squeeze money out of ….well….everyone, but I’ve seen him in serious interviews and other than his business acumen, I think he’s dumb as dirt.

Toni Braxton is an anti-vaccinator also, but thinks God cuased this affliction to her child as punishment for having had an abortion.  Now there’s a line of logic for you.   Of course the biggest named promoter of them all was Oprah Winfrey.  I stopped being impressed with her twenty years ago, and she and her self-appointed, scare-mongering “expert” celebrity friends  remained markedly blind to the actual science that there was, and is, absolutely zero medical proof that immunizations cause any kind of brain disorders including autism!   But, there are a few I find more disturbing than these other loons, such as Mayim Bialik, who played Blossom and appears on The Big Bang Theory.  She holds a PhD. in neuroscience.  Apparently she missed those days in class when they discussed chemistry and how facts trump speculation.

Everything they spewed out to the public has been shown to be speculative, fraudulent science and plain wrong, and children were unnecessarily sickened and died.  Now we need to ask – who’s accountable for all these poor children’s afflictions and deaths?  And why aren’t they being prosecuted, or at the very least sued by the parents who listened to these loons? 

I've posted comments so stongly in the past about this I was once called as subtle as a sandblaster.  If that will save children's lives then I say - "Thank you, I accept!"