I have to admit, I never thought off humans being a herd, that is, until the TeaBaggers came to power within the GO P. But the concept of a herd is critically important. Some diseases can run amok, causing a huge loss of life. The Black Plague, the Influenza pandemic after WWI, Evangelical Christianity in the South. Each of these these has led to horrible suffering, loss of life, and stunted society's growth and stability.
Unfortunately, in no small part due to Andrew Wakefield, a british doctor who published faked studies which purported to indicate that mercury based preservatives led directly to Autism in children.
Even after his findings were proved to be a hoax, a fraud, a scam by which he would personally profit with "safer" vaccines, the Anti-vaxer movement took on its own momentum. Here across the Pond, two individuals should have been mentally hauled across a gravel parking lot, Jenny McCarthy and Robert Kennedy. Because of these two, the US' Anti-vaxer movement has caused or contributed to the illness and death in thousands of children who would otherwise have been immune.
Worse, previously eradicated diseases have made come-backs. Entire populations are now at risk for diseases that are nasty enough for children, but can be fatal to adults.
Even after mercury was removed, and proven not to cause autism, some in the anti-vaxer movement claimed that combining several vaccines into one shot were the cause. So, all that we can do, other than to direct unfiltered and limitless scorn upon anti-vaxers and those who led that dead horse to drink, we should have a silly sunday science quiz:
FROM THE CHURCH OF INEFFABLE STUPIDITY:
1. Antibiotics are used for treating:
a. Viruses
b. Bacterial infections
c. fungal infections
d. TeaBuggerism
e. nothing. Overuse in animals and over-prescription in kids has led to anti-biotic resistant diseases that cannot be treated by today's medicines.
2. Queen Victoria is responsible for the transmission of which disease in many houses of royalty?
a. hemophilia
b. anemia
c. dwarism
d. mental insufficiency
e. halitosis
3. A Human Fungus is
a. A single cell or cellular filaments with nucleus containing genes surrounded by cytoplasm but does not contain chlorophyl
b. Any of various simple submicroscopic parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause disease and that consist essentially of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat.
c. Any of the unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms of the class Schizomycetes, which vary in terms of morphology, oxygen and nutritional requirements, and motility, and may be free-living, saprophytic, or pathogenic in plants or animals.
d. The scientific term describing the current state of affairs of a current East Coast Governor, as his political future goes to rot.
e. A condition that leads to childhood psychiatric disorders characterized by marked deficits in communication and social interaction, preoccupation with fantasy, language impairment, and abnormal behavior. See Generally, Sarah Palin.
4. White Blood Cells
a. Are one of the components of a human's immune system, which protects against infection and disease.
b. Are proof positive that separation of the races is a great idea. To each their own blood.
c. Form scabs over lacerated areas.
d. React violently in the presence of TeaBagger Science.
e. Are irreducibly complex, meaning that there is no such thing as evolution.
5. Yeast
a. Is used to make bread
b. causes painful vaginal conditions
c. is made up of little angels, which are empowered by God to manufacture beer in microscopic breweries.
d. is the opposite of West in TeaBagger maps. (Kayne, I am SO glad you didn't think of this one)
e. Does not exist.
6. Which of the following is true?
a. White blood cells can't kill harmful micro-organisms
b. babies cannot grow antibodies in utero.
c. antibiotics like penicillin are a leading cause of autism.
d. Teabaggers hate science because it forces them to activate normally inert, unused, and untapped regions of their brains. Actually, that pretty much covers most of their grey matter.
e. Evolution has taken major league hits recently, because of the discovery of that rock-like fungus found by our Mars explorer.
7. A vaccination is best described as:
a. injection of dead or weakened micro-organism to stimulate production of antibodies
b. a fraud instituted by Big Pharma to increase their profits
c. A shot in the arm for herd health.
d. The innate inability to make a serious decision during times of stress.
e. Nature's way of exhausting TeaBaggers' lips when they try to "read" words that long.
8. Sterilization is the process wherein
a. A living entity is permanently prevented from reproducing.
b. Formerly healthy West Virginians drank water pre-treated by Freedom Industries.
c. milk is treated to remove some fat to make it semi-skimmed
d. TeaBaggers' newest election platform to rid America of evil liberals and democrats.
e. Cloning technology can reproduce any sort of cell.
9. The following are current practices in the field of Infectious Disease:
a. Hand-washing, use of protective gear, and religious cleaning of equipment will help prevent the spread of disease.
b. Religious prayer, plus tithing, can cure most infectious diseases, so long as your cult is the one and only true religious faith.
c. The use of gloves in lieu of hand washing is the preferred method of dealing with patients.
d. Commercial cleaning solutions must be changed each time and not stored for re-use. Additionally, changing the kind of cleaner can reduce hospital borne infectious diseases.
e. TeaBaggers believe that diseases are the result of liberal policies, over-regulation and too high of a tax burden on the rich.
10. DTaP stands for:
a. Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis
b. Dipsomania, Temper Tantrums, and Peroxide
c. Dingbat Teabagger Party
d. Nothing at all.
e. The mathematical notation for Pi in ancient Sumarian.