|
|
|
|
"I Want My Mummy!"
Cancer HateAbortive ReasoningSubject: Abortion & Breast Cancer. Mr. Fumento, After reading some of your hate mail I realize you are once again writing about a subject you know absolutely nothing about. Those of us fighting breast cancer resent the lying you do to make a buck. Remember many thousands of us never had abortions. The flawed and low risk [sic] studies done by people with anti-abortion connections are just plain disgusting as how you try to link the two!! Where do men with breast cancer fit in to your anti-abortion crap? How many studies were done on other surgeries? Maybe it was because they had their gall bladder or appendix out!! I never knew until lately why so many people hate and mistrust your kind.. [sic] Regards,
I try very hard to be gentle with sick people. But in your case, I'm going to make an exception. Was your mastectomy so radical that they also removed a frontal lobe or two? First, I never came to the conclusion that abortion causes breast cancer. In fact, I wrote that "the best argument against a definitive abortion-cancer link comes . . . from the fact that despite the large number of studies showing a relationship, the average increase is only about 30 percent. In the inexact science of epidemiology, an increase of this size may not really mean anything." If somebody were paying me to show abortion-breast cancer causation, that line would certainly make them demand their money back. My main point was that the connection IS indeed weak, but it's at least as strong as any alleged cancer causes such as passive smoking. How could you get through my article without comprehending that?
Finally, let me take a great big guess. You had an abortion and since then were diagnosed with breast cancer, weren't you? And as Jack Nicholson once put it: "You can't handle the truth!" Or in this case, you can't handle the possibility that the act of conceiving a child you later decided you didn't want and then snuffing it may have led to your contracting a terrible disease. Well sorry lady, but it's not my job to lie about the science so that you can feel a bit better about yourself. If it's sympathy you're looking for, you can probably get it over the phone for $3.99 a minute. But you won't find any here. Sincerely,
Please Mrs. Please, Don't Hawk B17! If you know so much, well what do you think is causing one million people or so people to get Cancer [sic] in the West?? If it wasn't for people like this Dr. Epstein alerting the public to these dangers that our Governments [sic] are being paid off not to attend to, we would all still be living in houses made out of asbestos. If you really care so much about people's health (and not just lining your own pocket) and then maybe your [sic] should think twice before assassinating this fellows [sic] character. He isn't the only Dr./Writer/Scientist that is in agreeance [sic] with many of the things that Epstein is against. [No, I don't understand this, either.] We are hopefully at last coming out of the dark medical era, when poor misguided people thing [sic] doctors are gods and treat the symptom, not worrying about the causes of illness. The American Cancer research doesn't recognize the role of Vitamin B17 in killing cancer cells. Try telling that to the thousands of people that are now opting for this natural, no-toxic treatment rather than risk being killed by chemo. I sincerely hope you don't get cancer yourself, but if you do, I wonder if you will choose to kill off your body with chemo or take the God-given cure! Amanda [omitted]
Regarding your first question, as stated in Scientific American by Dimitrios Trichopolous et al., "Cancer seems to arise from the effects of two different kinds of carcinogens. One of these categories comprises agents that damage genes involved in controlling cell proliferation and migration. Cancer arises when a single cell accumulates a number of these mutations, usually over many years, and finally escapes from most restraints on proliferation. The mutations allow the cell and its descendants to develop additional alterations and to accumulate in increasingly large numbers, forming a tumor that consists mostly of these abnormal cells. Another category includes agents that do not damage genes but instead selectively enhance the growth of tumor cells or their precursors." Now that answers your question, doesn't it? Or perhaps you're talking about the INCIDENCE rate. In that case, just how many people in the West are SUPPOSED to have cancer? If you're implying that industrialization causes cancer, then you're ABSOLUTELY RIGHT – in a limited sense. People in industrialized societies live longer and die less from such things as malnutrition and infectious disease, hence they die more of diseases that tend to strike later in life. That would include cancer. Bet that never occurred to you, did it? I know it never occurs to Sam Epstein to tell anyone that. Regarding asbestos, as I have written it's quite harmless when left alone behind walls; yet doomsayers like Sam Epstein have wreaked absolute havoc by portraying it as some sort of black magic substance that has to be removed from anywhere at all costs no matter how tightly sealed it is. As such, he has assassinated his own character quite nicely without need of any help from me. Wasn't B17 part of an Olivia Newton-John song. "Please, Mr. please . . . " In any case, it's no treatment for cancer. It also goes by another name: laetrile. Laetrile is essentially a synonym for "quackery." There's so such thing as "the American Cancer research," but if you're thinking that all respectable American health authorities have condemned laetrile and those who hawk it, you're quite right. According to the National Cancer Institute, "Laetrile has shown little anticancer activity in animal studies and no anticancer activity in human clinical trials." It may be God-given in that it occurs naturally in apricot pits and those of other fruits, but if you contract cancer you're more likely to be cured by Olivia Newton-John songs. Sincerely, Chemical HateGlaring Errors A I caught several glaring errors in your critique of Bill Moyer's' coverage of the chemical industry and possible links to cancer. Yes, cancer rates have fallen since 1990, but rates for a number of major cancers are still rising, and overall the incidence is still much higher than it was decades ago. The reason for the downturn is probably related to fewer smokers in the U.S. population. Also, if anyone is going to represent the chemical industry "correctly," it's going to be the head of strategic communications, the guy Moyers had on the show. I doubt very much that they'd want to feature a corporate scientist, given that most of the chemicals in question are both mutagenic and carcinogenic. Anyway you may want to tone down what appears to be a blend of reporter's envy and overzealous reactionism, and recheck your facts. Mark N. [omitted], M.Sc.
There may be several glaring errors in my critique, but if so you didn't catch them. True, the rates for some cancers are rising. Likewise, the rates for some are falling. Stomach cancer, for example, is falling off the charts. If you're going to assign blame to chemicals for the rising ones, isn't it fair to say that chemicals must be the cause of the declining ones? Indeed, that's almost certainly the case. Stomach cancer appears to be dropping because of the decline in salting for preservation of meat and fish. Salt, though hardly a product of the chemical industry and though necessary of human life, appears to be a potent carcinogen in high doses. What has replaced salt preservation? It's refrigerators and freezers, pieces of plastic and metal in which the most important ingredients are coolants that are CHEMICALS. The downturn in cancer rates is independent of smoking-related malignancies. The Moyers article provided you with a link to the government's SEER data that show this. I'm sorry if I've yet to learn how to reach through my computer and force your hand to click a mouse. As I also pointed out in my piece, nobody represented the chemical industry on the show because the industry tried repeatedly to get on and Moyers kept them off. Finally, what the heck am I envious of? Shoddy reporters are a dime a dozen, even if few have the prestige and megabucks of Moyers. Those who report the truth are the elite. Next time you rip an article, why don't you try reading it first? Sincerely, My, how we fulminate! But briefly, let's be clear on a few things. [About a thousand words of pseudo-science, including that citing Sam Epstein, omitted.]
"The fact is, cancer rates (incidence and mortality) are still unacceptably [sic] high." Really? And what level IS acceptable? Eighty percent of the current rate? Fifty percent? I'd like to see zero cancers myself, but I don't go tossing around terms like "acceptable and unacceptable." These have no basis in science and no basis in anything but uninformed personal opinion. The fact is that the only correlation we currently have between high cancer rates in a large population is longevity. In other words, societies in which people live longer have more cancer because they have less infant mortality, malaria, TB, or other things that used to kill people in those societies but no longer do. You are a polemicist pretending to be a scientist. Sorry, kiddo; it doesn't work. Agent Orange HateTune in to NBC! Signed: A Vietnam Veteran sick with Agent Orange.
I think it's been pretty well established since World War I that chemical weapons kill people and established since then that nuclear and biological ones do as well. The problem with your thesis is that while Agent Orange was indeed employed to kill, it was to kill trees. It did that nicely. If you are a tree, you have my sympathy. Sincerely, "Solid Scientific Proof by Scientists (scientists)" Mr. Fumento; I came across your article from a few years back about the EPA panel masquerading fiction for fact about dioxin. Your article by far is the worst fallacy paper I think I have read so far about dioxin. I do not think you have one fact right here. First, the dioxin TCDD is NOT a by-product of agent orange, it is an ELEMENT of agent orange that was produced for the United States Government [sic] by private companies, including Dow and Hoffman-Taff. Vietnam Vets [sic] were NOT convinced by anyone of the effects of agent orange, they were DYING of the effects of the chemical. You probably do not even know what a DIOXIN [sic] is. TCDD is a 'Hormone' [sic], an environmental steroid, if you will, which closely resembles the 'Natural' [sic] hormone Estrogen [sic]. There is solid scientific proof by Scientists (scientists) [sic] all over the world, that they have shown in grave detail the exact reaction this chemical has on your body, on the cellular level. The evacuation of Times Beach was not on over reaction [sic]. Its [sic] idiots like you that have held back help for the people who have been intentionally poisoned, and continue to be poisoned by this chemical through their environment and food. They suffer and die at a younger and younger age. You help keep these chemicals on the market for sake of beauracratic [sic] monetary greed. While thousands of People [sic] die every day all over the world, and cancer is an epidemic in Missouri [sic] now, Cancers [sic] like Breast [sic], Testicular [sic], Ovarian [sic], and the like are soaring, Illnesses [sic] Like [sic] Endometriosis [sic], a horrible female reproductive disease has increased well over 200% and climbing in this country since 1965 in women before the age of 25. There is no cure. Before 1920, there was [sic] only 20 cases of this disease in world literature! Look at Vietnam, have you done ANY studies about the culture there lately , have you seen the crimes against humanity? Have you investigated the Horrifying [sic] effects that agent orange has had on that region of the Earth?. [sic] Babies are still being born their [sic] with gross deformities. This is on a GLOBAL scale. You are pathetic, and obviously work for the powers that insist that the good of these chemicals out weigh [sic] the consequences, open your eyes and look around you, obviously you worship for a [sic] different God than me.
I like the line about "solid scientific proof by Scientists (scientists)." You have an obvious flair for persuasive rhetoric. But you don't seem to understand that "Element" and "by-product" are hardly exclusive. The point is that dioxin was not intentionally made and was not an active ingredient. It was a by-product of the production not just of herbicides but other products such as cleaning agents, including one my mother used on me as a child. To put it at a more understandable level for you, it's like the creation of stool (not the kind you sit on) from eating. You don't eat to create stool (at least most of us don't); it just kind of pops out on you. Dioxin itself kills weeds no more than it kills people. Dioxin is also not a hormone; hormones are emitted by cells. It does have some hormonal-like effects though, which is why Dr. Steven Safe has patented it for use AGAINST breast cancer. Over the course of ten years, in a book and countless articles, I have given the evidence, published in one medical and scientific journal after another, that other than causing a severe form of acne upon contact dioxin is harmless to humans. You simply ignore these; though you're hardly alone in that. The ongoing study of those with by far the largest exposure to TCDD has implicated only one disease and it's one that you – and the other Agent Orange whackos – don't even mention, namely diabetes. Why do those with the greatest exposure suffer no harm while those with the least (and usually no exposure at all), suffer such great harm? Vietnam blames each and every birth defect and miscarriage in its population of 79 million on Agent Orange, regardless that the chemical was never even sprayed on the northern part of the country. Why? Well, the North Vietnamese never did have a good track record for truth-telling, among other things. But beyond that, they're hoping the U.S. will toss some of those nice greenbacks at them. Tough luck. I like how you pick out a few types of cancer that are indeed rising (along with one that's not, breast cancer), and ignore the fact that overall cancer rates adjusted for age are declining. If it's true that Agent Orange has made testicular cancer rates increase, then I think we must assume it's also responsible for the dramatic decline in stomach cancer. And it's also neat how you tie Agent Orange to endometriosis, but there are many possible reasons for the increase in this disease. A chemical to which virtually only men were exposed hardly seems a likely candidate. As to there being no endometriosis cases before the 1920s, that may have something to do with the name first being applied in 1925. Before that it was simply labeled other things, just as depression used to be called "melancholy." As to this horrible, incurable disease of you describe, I don't mean to downplay a medical problem that I'll obviously never have. But the American Academy of Family Physicians declares, "Endometriosis may hurt, but it doesn't cause cancer or affect your overall health, although it might make it harder to get pregnant," and "A number of medicines might help with your pain." That doesn't seem to match your description too well. Regarding God, you seem to have a strong streak of nature worship in you and a deep scorn for science and scientific methodology. That might make you a Wiccan. In any case, you sure can spew a witch's brew of nonsense. Sincerely, Mike, By reading your reply, you really do not know anything about TCCD or how dioxins and furans affect your body, [268 words omitted, for obvious reasons]. The fashion in which TCDD and dioxin 'like' [sic] chemicals affects your body, and the planet, forever and can be passed on to your offspring (reason why govt [sic] extended Vietnam vets' offspring relief under the AO act, their offspring are sick too) [Eighty-five words omitted.] Agent Orange [Note: It was lower case in the first letter; now it's upper.] WAS NOT USED TO KILL BUGS.It was a defoliator !!! [Apparently he saw "Dioxin itself kills weeds no more than it kills people," but read: "Agent Orange is not a weed killer; it's a bug killer.] You spout off all this knowledge and do not mention one single scientific nor true fact, you haven't a clue what this chemical is, where it came from or what it was used for. Because, if you did, you wouldn't have the ignorance in knowledge that so blatantly comes shining through in your written words. If you are an American, you don't even know your recent American History [sic]? Another clue that you are the blabbering idiot is, you know nothing about the global efforts in labs all over the world [As opposed to global effors all in one country?], repeating the conclusion over and over [Nice triple redunndacy here.] that TCDD causes endometriosis, you don't even know what these cancers are or what part of the body they affect, I am just overwhelmed of [sic] your vast acclaimed knowledge concerning this subject, of TCDD dioxin and cancer you are a fraud and a cheat, and should be prosecuted for your deception, if in fact your book was ever used in a court of law for material evidence against a sick patient seeking medical help. [sic] from these polluting scoundrels. Its [sic] people like you who get your non-sense [sic] books published without scientific backing, just propaganda filled, that has cost hundreds of thousands of deaths. By you writing and publishing these out and out [sic] lies not only scientific lies but mis quoted [sic] historical fact as well I don't understand that if I am trying to prove a fact, I must have well documented concrete scientific clinical evidence over time and it must be able to be repeated. To disprove theories all I need is a radical, republican [sic], big-business butt covering, kissing, paid governmental bullet dodgers like you,, [sic] while Millions [sic] of Men [sic], women, children die of horrible diseases as I write this, in horrible suffering on a global scale. [Why is "men" in uppercase but not "women"? Must be a male chauvinist hate mailer.] (It is so Obvious [sic] you don't even get out of the armchair to look out your window). I wonder how many children have died because of your blubbering misleading, untrue words written to protect the guilty. [Forty-five words omitted.] Your analogy of my religion is very interesting also, I am not sure what or why you are getting at by the comments you made, but sounds on the line of government when they want to label something like 'Witch' 'Communist' 'Terrorist' to project your hidden agendas. [Insert your own sics, I'm getting tired.] God has nothing to do with evil men, they take their own paths unfortunately the innocent bystander and the uninformed suffer the worst consequence. I am very passionate about my environment, because, its [sic] the only one I have basically. We all share it to survive, but not all of us share the same ethics to preserve it or human quality of life. One of the many great things about the US is you still have your right to your opinion. The difference between opinion and fact is scientific proof, (which there [sic] are train loads of supporting me). I have been in the physical science field all my life. I hold degrees in Engineering [sic], and many other technical degrees; [sic] to include electronics and lasers and worked in the Aviation [sic] field for 12 years. [One hundred and seventy words omitted.] That will be your torch song, hey, you got your 15 minutes of fame out of your BS ,, [sic] hope it's worth millions of deaths on your head.
Tell me, did dioxin exposure cause your Get-a-life-itis? Never mind, you'd probably send another screeching volume and I really don't have time. Now if you don't mind (just an expression; I really don't care if you mind or not), I only have 14 minutes of fame left and I'm not going to blow them on you. Sincerely, This Is Not Hatemail HateA Real Gem well, surprise, surprise, this is NOT hate mail! hate solves nothing and, in fact, gives the hater health problems. however, [sic] this is a grievous complaint against industry per se, as i believe that 'progress' is what is responsible for present world conditions. i am NOT a church-goes [sic], nor a scripture-quoter so let me just say that i AM deeply interested in saving this planet. your remards [sic]certainly do not seem to support that end. sincerely, in the end, only kindness matters.
Far be it from me to criticize anybody who quotes the greatest philosopher of our time. But by "world conditions" do you mean that more of us are being fed (if not, alas, overfed) than at any time in history, that people are living longer than ever, that infant mortality is the lowest it's ever been, that some diseases have been wiped off the face of the earth, and that by great coincidence the places where conditions remain the worst are those where government retains the most control over industry? mf "He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot." Accutane HateNot as Smart as the Hal 9000 Hal [omitted]
I never intended to say that "nobody anywhere at any time in history has ever tried to show an association." There's a tremendous amount of advertising literature associating magnet therapy with curing every disease known; it just happens to be false. If O'Donnell is so knowledgeable on the subject, why is it that a Medline literature search on him reveals no publications, much less none on the topic at hand? And if you think that somehow testifying before Congress gives a person credibility, you should read one of my articles about the veteran who testified before Congress that every day during physical training for 10 straight months he threw up glow-in-the-dark vomit and that each time (five work days times 43 weeks; do the math) he was then rushed to the hospital where he was given an IV. Finally, I have read O'Donnell's testimony. That's how I know he's not with the University of Chicago, as you say, but rather an associate professor at Rush Medical College. It's also how I know that he's raked in bucks as an anti-Accutane "expert witness" in suits against Roche. Did you not know that Hal, or did you just forget to tell me because Accutane addled your brain? Sincerely, First Let's Ban all the Drugs! Gosh, you hit the nail right on the head about this drug! They will never be able to prove scientifically that Accutane causes depression and suicide. I'm sure Roche Pharmecutical [sic] is thanking it's [sic] lucky stars that it's impossible to reproduce, in the lab, the side effect of suicide. You can hook up an animal to a smoking machine, thereby proving that tobacco kills, but an animal cannot complete the act of suicide. Convenient, don't you think? Only those of us who have taken Accutane, and suffered it's [sic] dire consequences, can fully appreciate the fact that Accutane was no scapegoat for Bart Stupak's son's suicide, it was the REASON. God help you, for you know not of what you speak. patyputer@[omitted]
Sincerely, Seems like you're doing a lot of fumin', fumento, over something you can't possibly grasp. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, Mike. What you're passing on to young people ,is an endangerment to their very lives. Where's your anger coming from? I know where mine is coming from. My life ruined by a prescription drug I didn't have to take.
When I get angry, and I do, I don't blame a pharmaceutical company; I blame myself. I'll grant that it's easy to point the finger at somebody else for a mess you've created in your life, but that's not going to make you any better now is it? Sincerely,
Sincerely, He Knows from Personal Experience, the Drug Causes Psychosis I find it incredible that an academic such as yourself can write so much rubbish and get away with it, although I am sure many people ignore what is written. The inconsistencies in your writing are many and you never back up what you say : For example: And: This is the second time you have written such nonsense, I remember you stating this in your last article. The reason that nobody has found any conclusive link between Accutane and depression is that Roche have [sic] not been forced to fund studies that will prove there is a link. The truth will out in the end, however articles like yours do not help and look like they were written by a Roche spokesperson. In any case you might want to read the following study at some stage on hypervitaminosis A as you clearly have no idea what you are talking about when dismiss the link between hypervitaminosis A and psychiatric reactions : Points of not include [sic] [Points not included, due to stupidity.] In closing I will just add that Accutane is not just about suicide but has left many people with permanent long-term debilitating side effects that were never warned about, however you fail to mention that. Further to this did you realize that the FDA indicated last year that Accutane ranks forth [sic] in the top ten list of drugs attracting serious adverse drugs reactions out of 500,000 prescription drugs. Drugs in front of Accutane [sic] have sold billions where as [sic] Accutane has only sold around 11 million world-wide. You might want to bare these facts in mind next time you write further biased articles. Yours,
You seem incognizant that only a small part of the article even concerned possible harmful effects of Accutane because A) there were so many reasons for the victim to have committed suicide, and B) there's no evidence that the alleged victim, Charles Bishop, even took Accutane. My previous Accutane piece, which you claim to have read, went into great detail on the relatively high number of adverse event reports. In short, it's because the media and people like you have given it a bad rap. Take an aspirin and commit suicide and nobody would ever think of blaming the aspirin; take Accutane and commit suicide and it hits the front pages, Larry King, and ultimately the court system – which by the way has just ruled on the first Accutane-suicide case. Truth won; the trial lawyers lost. No drug is without side effects and nobody contests that this drug can cause terrible birth defects. The FDA knows this; doctors are supposed to talk about this and other possible side effects. The drug insert mentions every possible side effect including – yes – the possibility of suicide because this is the FDA's way of playing it safe. So each and every patient and his or her parent knows about this, yet the drug remains widely popular because it is very effective for a serious medical indication. The people have chosen and they chosen what you don't like. So you're ticked. Well, excuuuuuse me! Sincerely, Like I stated [sic] before, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. You conveniently side-stepped addressing the numerous inconsistencies I highlighted in my previous email and confine [sic] your response to counting how many words I wrote, quite pathetic!!! [sic] I am one of the many people who have suffered serious long-term side effects from taking the drug and before you come up with some cheap ass reply and state that I was warned in the documentation about them etc.. [sic] for your information I was not. The main long-term side effect that plagues me got added to the documentation as of January 2002 due to a detailed report I wrote to the licensing body on the cause and effect link, a condition which Roche had had many reports of over the last 20 years but failed to add it to the documentation. Anyway if it makes you happy keep on writing your biased tripe, I'm not worried as no ones [sic] listening!! Yours, P.S [sic] Charles Bishop did take Accutane up until the day he died.
You know Accutane causes psychosis because you took Accutane (or so you claim) and you have since been sick yourself. Well, things are starting to fall into place. This may help explain why you don't seem to realize that the vast majority of psychotic people have never taken Accutane. It definitely seems to be the best explanation for why I never read your name when I pored over the documentation that went into the new label that comes with Accutane. Finally, it makes clear how you would you know that Bishop took Accutane up until the day before he died when the medical examiner says he found no trace in his blood. Do you get your information from a talking dog like that other psychotic, "Son of Sam"? Is the dog a chow-chow, Mr. Chow? As to whether Charles took so much as a single tablet, the only people who would know would be Charles (who is somewhat dead at the moment) and his mother, who has a $70 million lawsuit riding on the issue. Sincerely, Ok you want to debate whether Bishop actually took the drug, this is going to be easy and I'm going to enjoy this. He did take the drug and you clearly are sitting in the dark on this one, wake up, buddy!! There are prescription records showing that he took it from April 2001(20mg dose) to January 2002 (60 mg dose). On the debate about the corner [sic] reporting that Bishop had no Accutane in his system and had not taken the drug ( which you seem utterly convinced is the truth), not only was there only around 10% of the boy's blood available to sample, but it is impossible that Charles Bishop had no Accutane in his system. This is because Accutane or 13-cis-retinoic acid is a natural metabolite of vitamin A which is found in minute amounts in the blood of everyone. It is part of the vitamin A metabolism. If the corner [sic] found no 13-cis-retinoic acid in his system then clearly the equipment was not sensitive enough. More correctly, he may have had levels of 13-cis-retinoic acid that were assumed to be physiologic and not therapeutic. Further to this it took Roche 10 years to develop equipment that could actually trace 13-cis-retinoic acid effectively in the human body and it is highly unlikely that a corner [sic] in Tampa would have this type of specialist equipment, this fact I am sure you are no doubt unaware of!!! [Three paragraphs edited for brevity and acute schizophrenia.] No doubt you will have an answer to these re-challenge cases like 'ohh [sic] their [sic] rubbish/don't mean anything." All you biased closed minded [sic] guys with chips of their shoulder [sic] with lawyers/media, respond like that and clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Like I initially said, the truth will out, then people like you will just whittle away in the background and find another controversial issue to latch onto, it [sic] always the same. Yours,
How does somebody who can't even spell "coroner" know all this? Moreover, not only do you pretend you have access to these records but that you are more qualified to interpret them than the "corner" is. You even know what kind of equipment the Tampa "corner" has access to. I enjoyed the article you sent [part of what I omitted] citing anecdotal evidence linking Accutane to depression, but somehow I sensed something was missing. It was. When I looked it up, I found you had sliced out the part that read, "Dr. Chapman says that he has only seen two or three patients out of the thousands to whom he has prescribed it get depressed. None have committed suicide. Moreover, patients get happier as skin clears up." This supports the reasonable position that Accutane can help counter depression, insofar as it treats one of the causes. It's also probably pertinent to note that about a fourth of the U.S. population is currently receiving pharmaceutical treatment for depression. About half a million Americans use Accutane a year. Have the chow-chow do the math for you and you'll find that the normal background rate of Accutane users who are depressed – aside from the depressive effects of suffering severe acne – is going to be over 100,000 people per year. Does the dog understand the concept of background rates? I've never been accused of having a chip "off" my shoulder, but I certainly think the media are sloppy and I don't like trial lawyers. Considering, however, that I'm part of the media and a member of the bar it would seem that I would have to cut them some slack on those occasions when they're right. It happens that much of the damning material in the very piece you attacked originally appeared in the popular media. Yet no journalist reported the findings that you report. Maybe you should give reporters your dog's cell phone number. Sincerely, [Three rambling paragraphs omitted.] Anyway the reason for my rather short reply is that I have just seen your website. It seems you are an incredible [sic] hated man and latch onto controversial issues to make money etc.. [sic] Therefore I can now see exactly where you are coming from and why you [sic] comments are so biased. Yours,
Sincerely, Gulf War Syndrome HateA Blanck Mind Subject: Just another reminder... May 2, 1996 "'Clearly, there is some evidence of low-level exposure' of U.S. troops to Iraqi chemical-warfare weapons, acknowledges Maj. Gen. Ronald Blanck, commander of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Army's chief physician, speaking at a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses." This Blanck guy must be some sort of kook! He has clearly been subverted by Iraqi Intelligence agents.
Yes, there was low-level exposure of some troops to some types of chemical weapons. On the other hand, you may have heard that during World War I there was MASSIVE exposure of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from many countries to many types of chemical weapons. Ever hear of Great War Syndrome? No, don't bother trying to look it up. Sincerely, So World War 1 [sic] chemical technology is the same as state of the art 90's biological warfare? I suppose you would have been the first one in line to say the WW1 [sic] vets who did get gassed were crybabies too.
Sincerely, Depleted Gray Matter Excerpts from http://www.web-light.nl/VISIE/extremedeformities.html ... Both the Pentagon and the British Ministry of Defence officially deny that there is any significant danger from exposure to DU ammunition. And whilst it is conceivable that the US led attacks on Iraq's nuclear power stations could be a contributory factor, most reseachers point to DU as the most likely source of both deformities and cancers. The rising number of cases in Iraq, particularly in the South where the greatest concentration of DU was fired, is simply staggering. Iraqi physicians have never encountered anything like it, and have made the perfectly reasonable point that similar increases in cancer and deformities were experienced in Japan after the two US atomic bomb attacks. Cancer has increased between 7 and 10 fold; deformities between 4 and 6 fold. Now I dont [sic] know where you spent the war, Mr. Fumento ESQ [sic]. Somewhere safe, I trust? Away from all that icky fighting. So beneath you! But I spent a few weeks vacationing in and around the city of Basra. Located in sunny Southern [sic] Iraq. Such a charming area. Pay no mind to the thick, black smoke. Your skin will stop burning in a few days. Ignore that dark mucous streaming from your nostrils, perfectly normal for a man your age. Oh how I loved seeing that marvel of civil engineering, the "Highway to Hell". Such a quaint name. The carrion eaters, cute little critters, will have all these bloated bodies cleaned up in no time flat. Hmm, A-10's sure make quite a mess now don't [sic] they! Good thing I had a buddy snap a few photos of us crawling around on dead Iraqi tanks. Who knows how long it might be till we see one again? Wow! kinda messy in there! [sic] Now far be it from me to place the findings of real, live medical types actually INSIDE Iraq above that of you, our esteemed and all-knowing seeker of truth. This is not my intent, sir. I assure you. I simply with [sic] to draw to your attention the unbelievable possibility that there may indeed be those on this planet that, and this is hard for me to say, have some "proof" that opposes the immaculate and blessed commandments laid down by you, oh mighty all-seeing one. With absolutely absurd statements such as... "Aerosol DU (Depleted Uranium) exposures to soldiers on the battlefield could be significant with potential radiological and toxicological effects. Under combat conditions, the most exposed individuals are probably ground troops that re-enter a battlefield following the exchange of armour-piercing munitions." ...how can we, your blindly faithful and trusting servants continue to march behind your elegant and graceful pied piper-ism towards ultimate spiritual and intellectual peachy-ness with such distractions? I mean, who do these silly military experts think they are, anyway? They better get on the bandwagon and QUICK. Dont [sic] they KNOW that The Holy Reverend Michael Fumento has spoken on this issue? Those who would question the finality of your Fatwa must indeed be utterly insane! So wont [sic] you shed your flawless light upon us, your unworthy minions yet again? Settle this issue once and for all, Your Omnipotence. And one last thing Your Emminence [sic]. We want the next generation of soldiers to know the Glory that is You. In order to do this, we must crush all vestiges of dissent. Be they from on high, or the great unwashed. Here is an example... "DU ammunition is now possessed by more than 12 countries, and was used during the NATO led bombing of the former Yugoslavia. Western forces stationed in the region have recently been advised not to drink the local water or eat locally produced food." ...wont [sic] you please advise these poor misguided fool soldiers that there is NO need to fear, NO need to worry, NO need to fret. We are all held in the benevolent gaze of our Patron. Our Knightly Saint. The One And Only Michael Fumento. *Cue Heavenly chior* [sic] Never let it be said, Oh Learned One, that you did utter "Dont [sic] drink the water!" We ask this in Your name, Amen.
Congratulations on turning my position around 180 degrees. Far from saying that Gulf vets were never exposed to anything, I've said they were exposed to EVERYTHING. That is, they have the same exposures to the world that everyone else does. That's why they have the same rate of cancer, miscarriages, birth defects, and deaths as the rest of us. It is you who are apparently convinced that service in the Gulf should have conferred both immunity to all illness as well as immortality, rather like the promises made to Crusaders a thousand years ago or – those made by bin Laden to his followers today. I think Saddam Hussein would be delighted to know that some Americans like you completely trust him, which is to say you trust his doctors – you know, those "real live medical types." Never mind that in the past Saddam has proven – how shall we say – just a tad bit prone to deception and outrageous acts of evil. I have no way of knowing if you served in the war or not. But I do know that repeated studies have found no link between the petroleum fire smoke and ill health, among them those showing that the men who put the fires out had no subsequent related health problems. And to be honest, your letter is the first time I've ever seen buzzards and A-10 attack planes alleged to be causes of Gulf War Syndrome. I'll have to look into that. I enjoyed your unattributed quotes about DU, especially the one that leaps from DU being present somewhere in a country to warnings not to eat the food or drink the water. I assure you, most of the world's water supply would make you sick if you drank it and DU has nothing to do with it. In fact, repeated studies show that – Saddam's and your insistence to the contrary – the only people DU harms is those who are struck by a projectile made of it. Most Gulf War Whiners such as yourself never got closer to DU than seeing a picture of it in the newspaper. That you are ill with SOMETHING there is no doubt. But Gulf War Illness is becoming rather passé. It's mold toxicity that's IN THIS YEAR; I'd suggest you get with the program. Sincerely, Hmm, Dr. Siegwart Horst-Gunther...doesnt [sic] SOUND Iraqi. But I guess Ill [sic] take your word or [sic] it. You wouldnt [sic] lie...right? So in this we can assume Saddam; A)Imports sick babies for PR benefit. You are clearly a military expert, so I know that YOU know the A-10 uses 30mm DU shells for its internal GAU-8A Avenger cannon. Now I know I am a lowly anti-armor infantryman, not a world class lawyer/journalist/hack like yourself. Enlighten me. Shed your pearls of wisdom! You must also know the firefighters MUST have been given the VERY SAME innoculations [sic] we were given. As well as forced to take the same pills. Each day. That is the only way to be sure the results would be remotely equal. Of course you know that. And of course you would not cite a study that does not include the above. Anything less would be irresponsible journalism. I would rather kill or die before that accusation were to be dropped at your feet, my good friend Mr. Fumento. On a serious note, I have to thank you for stepping on your dick over the DU issue. I couldnt [sic] have asked for a better response. At this rate youll [sic] have hung yourself with your own words in no time flat. As my platoon daddy used to say "Stupid people seldom feel that they are stupid". Such a statement could not possibly be more true then in this instance. I was told you and your ilk were becoming less and less vocal about this issue as more facts (note I say facts, not legalistic conjecture) come to the front. [No, let's not. Three hundred and forty-two words cut.] I for one am glad we have such people as you Fumento. You add comedy to life, if nothing else. And on a personal note, I have pictures of the war as well as me prancing around in it. And since I have yet to verify that you were even in the military at all let alone in a war zone...Ill [sic] make you a deal. You show me yours, and Ill show you mine =) [sic] How do you walk around with that foot in your mouth? Does it taste funny? Balls in your court now, twinky. Dont [sic] puss out now! REMF. P.S. Can you add me to the Hate Mail page? Thnx in advance!
You're the one who provided the clip referring to Iraqi doctors, not to German ones. But regarding your Dr. Siegwart Horst-Gunther, you didn't bother to enlighten me that his "study," if you will, is essentially an op-ed posted on an obscure website. The National Library of Medicine database of science and medical journals, Medline, lists 82 articles on depleted uranium. None are by your buddy. In fact, your buddy appears nowhere in Medline. How interesting that he is your authority. As to your assumptions, what we can actually assume is: A) That most of those alleged Iraqi babies don't exist but that anybody can comb through a few hospitals and find some babies with birth defects. B) It's easy to limit your fake numbers and selected exhibition babies to newborns or toddlers or whatever you want. C) The International Yellow Cross may or may not work with Saddam but it works to the same end. And I will point out what you failed to do, that it's an ad hoc group with a single purpose – to spread disinformation on DU and health problems. Your friend Siegwart is affiliated with it. And it should be called the "International Yellow Streak," insofar as it gives comfort to Gulf War Wimps such as yourself. Moreover, both people like you and the International Yellow Streak, insofar as you labor mightily to have DU removed from our arsenal, are in fact providing aid and comfort to the enemy. DU is the best armor-penetrator and protective shielding we have. It's one of the main reasons for our stunning victory in the Gulf with so few causalities. If you and your cronies managed to yank it from our arsenal, countless brave Americans would die in future wars. So yes, maybe the International Yellow Streak does work for Saddam. As for you, I think the mustachioed one would find you a bit, well, unstable for his purposes. The A-10 Thunderbolt entered service in October, 1975. The first use of DU shells in combat was 1991. Therefore, for sixteen years the A-10 was shooting SOMETHING other than DU. Obviously, it still does. DU is very expensive and used for limited purposes in the A-10, namely busting armor. Therefore equating A-10s flying around with exposure to DU is like saying that anybody who has been near a B-52, which was built to carry nukes, has been exposed to massive amounts of radiation. You originally blamed the petroleum fires for Gulf Wimp Syndrome. Now it's petroleum fires plus an exact number of a specific kind of inoculations plus pills. In other words, you've set up a non-falsifiable argument – except for one thing. Among the tens of thousands of Gulf War Wimps, many never took the pills (and have said so), and many were nowhere near the fires. The inoculations they took are the same ones that hundreds of thousands of other vets have taken with no ill effect. Apparently you're unable to substantiate your original claim that flesh-eating birds cause GWS, replacing it with a series of ad hominem attacks on me. Good; we're making a bit of progress. Finally, as to photos, I've repeatedly stated that while I am an Army Combat Arms veteran, my service time (1978-1982) was long before the Persian Gulf War. Therefore your insistence that I show you photos indicating that I DID serve in the war would seem rather unfair. As to you, I have no idea of what you look like – though in my mind I picture you spitting tobacco and scratching at your red neck while sitting in an old pickup truck with naked women silhouette mudflaps.. I do know that every time I've asked vets for copies of their medical records to prove they were sick with something, ANYTHING, they always chose to call me lots of nasty names instead. I expected nothing better from you. Say "Hello" to your "platoon daddy," for me, you know the one who speaks Arabic and has a big thick mustache. And make sure he plants a nice kiss on your traitorous forehead when he tucks you into bed. Sincerely, "I don't know this "platoon daddy," of yours" Ok this is getting funny. Have you ever been institutionalized? Seriously! Platoon Daddy = Platoon Sergeant. YOU REMF! Haha! Never try to bullshit a bullshitter. Fumento = Combat Service Support. *pimp slap* [A web search turned up a single reference to a "platoon daddy."] "but maybe he would offer an alternative theory that people of 'my ilk' are becoming less vocal because there's simply nothing new out there." ARE YOU ON cRaCk?! Been suckin' the glass DICK, have ya? Item dated MAY 12 , 2002. Random extracts... Honorable Anthony J. Principi <-- Remove cranium from rectum, Fumento. Secretary of Veterans Affairs <-- Yup...its not looking good. [Screeching edited for brevity.] And the crowd goes wild! Fumento last reported frantically masturbating in a dark corner! Oh this is too good to be true *wipes away tear of hilarity* "Gulf Wimp Syndrome has been studied to death and nobody ever finds anything, although the occasional crackpot here and there claims to. Writing about nothing can get pretty boring." Hot damn, well you would know best about THAT, eh? Must be "Impotent Reporter Ailment" Fumento, seek medical attention immediatly! [sic] Does the VA and DoD qualify as "nobody", jockstrap? Or is that title reserved for all persons who are not Mikey Fumento? A complete reversal of DoD policy is nothing new, says Fumento. [The reference is probably to the VA saying it would make presumptive disability payments to the handful of Gulf vets who have contracted ALS, and I did write about it.] Mr. Fumento also stresses that the world is indeed, flat. Story at 11! Ya know Fumento, let me give you some fatherly advice. If you hate yourself, its [sic] for a reason, Peckerwood. "You're the one who provided the clip referring to Iraqi doctors, not to German ones. But regarding your Dr. Siegwart Horst-Gunther, you didn't bother to enlighten me that his 'study,' if you will, is essentially an op-ed posted on an obscure website." You never cease to amaze me, dickweed. You yet again walk right into a steamy pile of fecal matter. Strategically placed my yours truly [sic] = Did you even BOTHER to SKIM OVER the URL's [sic] I added, rump-ranger? LOOK CLOSELY MORON! FOLLOW THE BOUNCING BALL, TAILGUNNER! - Excerpts from the July 1990 Science and Applications International
Corporation report: ' Kinetic Energy Penetrator Environment and Health
Considerations', as included in Appenix [sic] D [This "bouncing ball" is 12 years old. I've looked at it and the operative word throughout is "may."] WOW! Setting new levels of stupidity, even for yourself! Bravo! *applause* Ok penis, I cant [sic] help but use your own words to make you look like yourself...an asshole. You question the viability of any information from the Yellow Cross. Fine, we can do this. I dont [sic] know enough about them, but I do know enough about you. If you cant [sic] attack the message, attack the messenger. So lets [sic] bitch slap you around a bit...yeah you love it, dont [sic] ya? Whos [sic] yer daddy? ME! Just because your [sic] my bitch, dont [sic] mean you can get nasty =) [Six hundred and eight words cut.] A) Where did I mention birds? [His original reference was to "carrion
eaters."] Think clearly now hosebag. You have two choices here, Fumento. None of that bisexual deviancy you so enjoy. Ill [sic] make it even simpler! If you love women, say YES. If you like men say NO Fumento. You will in effect be answering both questions. How much cock could a Fumento suck if a Fumento could suck cock. Im [sic] bettin a whole lot. [A lot more cutting.] Bow before your Master [sic], Fumento. Beg for mercy and I may be forgiving. Each day you deny me, you deny the truth. You are my whore. You are my slave. Your lot in this life is to service my needs in whatever manner I see fit. The torror [sic] and confusion that clutches at your heart will never cease, for you know I am always here. You fear me because I am truth. You can lie to yourself, and you can lie to the world. But you cannot lie to me. Surrender. It is inevetable [sic]. As is your ultimate defeat. It is...your destiny. Join with me, and serve as my waterboy, maybe poolman...I dunno yet. Ill [sic] find some task equal to your skills. Shoveling shit comes to mind. We will eventually obliterate your feeble utterings with cold hard fact [sic]. And on that day, you will finally know, it was me that made you squeal like a piggy. P.S. Did you add me to the hate mail page yet? if not, hurry the fuck up bitch. [I was absolutely torrorfied. In any case, after I stopped responding he sent three more rather vulgar letters demanding responses and demanding that he be posted to the hate mail page. All things come to those who wait.] Strange MailSwamped hey whats [sic] happening. well what i am emailing you about is that there should be another swamp thing because i loved it when i was younger and i think many will like it now
Not entirely sincerely,
Got Cancer? A farmer that milks a cow represents a calf that wont [sic] let go. A calf that wont [sic] let go represents a threat to itself as well as the rest of the herd, if it doesn't learn to eat eventually it would starve, as well as making it and the mother more prone to attack as well consuming an excessive amount of food since milk is designed for accelerated growth which would create waste once the calf no longer can utilize that fact. Being a threat it becomes undesirable so the milk is altered to get rid of it, perhaps to weaken it to make it unable to breed or be singled out for disease or predation. Humans don't live on milk as a total food source but have a history of drinking milk, so that over centuries can develop, to the point where it has an effect even though the person doesn't drink milk i.e. [sic] leukemia. I had a pain in one of my testicles that had been there for a number of years and was getting more acute, gave up milk by making a commitment to change to soy and within 3 days the pain was virtually gone while this is obviously not enough it is an indication that milk has the capacity to cause reaction. Calves on the other hand are fed this toxic milk from birth, in countries of intense farming such as England it has had centuries to evolve and in such countries the evolutionary process is sped up as a result of intense breeding. Mad cow disease was found primarily in the brains and spinal columns of cattle-prime target for a chemical messenger. Unfortunately many scientists would rather find a cure for the smptoms [sic] than the cause, allowing the cause to reinvent itself. mark
Sincerely, Introduction to Hate Mail and Other Hate Mail Volumes A Review of Michael Fumento's Hate Mail
|
|||
|
Unless
you're a complete stranger to the 
Dear
Breast Cancer Patient,
RE:
Your attack on Sam Epstein
quick
message to Michael Fumento:
Lastly,
be careful about who [sic] you call shoddy. You may be able to dupe a
scientifically illiterate public with your righteous ranting, and perhaps
even a few scientifically literate folks (Lancet seems to have a penchant
for superficial reviews), but it's going to catch up with you some day.
The precautionary principle is the only sane way to view potential environmental
health threats. The fact that so many of these poorly-studied-but-widely-used
chemicals are turning out to be mutagenic, carcinogenic and tetragenic
[sic] should at least give us pause. Do you have any children?
Dear
Sir; As you have never seen the Department of Defense's Manuals [sic]
on Nuclear, Biological & Chemical Defense (Warfare), then you obviously
are ignorant of their statements that chemical warfare Agents [sic] have
been proven to kill human beings. You also have not seen the DOD'S program
for human experimentation on human beings. Then you obviously don't know
what the DOD already has known for years; Chemical [sic] warfare agents
kill people & are capable of destroying every vital organ of the human
body. AGENT ORANGE KILLS PEOPLE!! Wake up and smell the toxins; better
yet, do some real research by looking at the DOD'S NBC Manuals.
From
slcios@[omitted]
Slcios
responds:
The
proof is there, look it up, do some real research , then we can debate
maybe. You are a patsy for the government and big business pharmaceutical
makers [sic] butt kisser, though your thoughts are obviously NOT your
own, or maybe you just don't know anything about American History [sic],
toxicology, science research, genetics or current developments in the
field. The CDC has moved dioxin to 'carcinogen' [sic] and considers it
a global 'Crisis' [sic] obviously you weren't aware of that either. [No,
I wasn't. The CDC doesn't classify carcinogens; other agencies do that.]
But hey, you may know more than the CDC, you have done such extensive
research.
From:
CloudMama@[omitted]
FYI,
you are quite mistaken in 
Dear
Mr. Fumento:
I'm
sorry I didn't make myself more clear. I didn't mean to infer that I am
communicating with Bart Stupak's son. I only meant that you cannot understand
what Accutane does to your mind and body unless you've actually taken
it yourself. When you have suffered with the side effects as I have, it
gives you an edge in understanding it over some one [sic] who has not
taken it – and I'm sure you've never taken it, or you'd be singing
a different song. A sad lament to be sure.
Well,
my life is not a mess. I have a beautiful family (pre-Accutane) thank
God, wonderful home and all the extras. What I don't have is my health.
When your health is gone, everything pales in comparison. It's not your
fault that you don't understand what happens to the body after Accutane.
As I've said before, it has to happen to you to fully appreciate. Don't
you think one life lost to a drug you don't have to take is one too many?
Dear
Mr. Fumento
Dear
Mr. Fumento:
Dear
Mr. Fumento:
I
see the Fumento is wobbling on [sic] his strong belief that Bishop did
not take Accutane, very interesting, clearly you are trying to back track
[sic] now that someone has put you in your place, ( I thought this would
be fun :) ) [sic] I am not going to reveal the source of my information;
it's much more enjoyable to see the misinformed dig greater holes for
themselves.
From:
AMF [omitted]
Looked
over your "research" on Gulf War Syndrome. I worship you! I found some
of your other articles quite informative and only somewhat prone to hyperventilation.
We can safely assume you kind sir, in your infinite wisdom, have decreed
not one Gulf War vet was exposed to any toxin of any form in any way whatsoever.
Indeed, from reviewing your "facts" we can deduce Gulf War vets are nothing
less then the cream of Americas [sic] crop. Veritable supermen!
Your
Supreme Omnipotence,
Lets
[sic] review.
OMFG!
[Oh my f*****g God!] ROFL! [No idea.] H0m0! Dewd, you slay me! >=)
Dick?!
Phallus Face?! YES JIT STAIN, IT SAYS >>>>U.S. ARMY<<<
"The National Library of Medicine database of science and medical journals,
Medline, lists 82 articles on depleted uranium. None are by your buddy.
In fact, your buddy appears nowhere in Medline. How interesting that he
is your authority."
Subject:
swamp thing
Chinese
don't drink milk and have very low incidence of cancer. A factor in milk
that was suspect was dismissed by scientists because it was destroyed
by stomach acid. Logic dictates that nature does not create without reason
therefore if it is not absorbed by the stomach it is utilized before.
The only place being the mouth, therefore a chemical messenger sent to
the brain and not a nutrient. The most obvious being for the purpose of
weaning, to encourage the calf to develop an appetite for grass.
