In which we stretch an analogy a little ...

I was talking with a lovely young person earlier today about her idea for an hp_religion fest. Despite the fact that I am a godless heathen, I find religion endlessly fascinating and think that it works very well as a lens through which to view the Potterverse (obviously, since the author was consciously constructing a Christian allegory in parts).

Thinking about this, I had an epiphany of sorts, which relates strongly to the current brouhaha* on mpreg among my fandom friends.

My atheism does not affect the religiosity of some of my friends. Their beliefs do not affect my atheism. I would consider it the height of rudeness to tell them they cannot believe in their sundry gods, and they, after a cursory effort to convert me in a few cases, do not tell me that I must believe in one of their religions.

Some of them do believe that I am going to hell. Some of them believe that I am missing some basic truth of the universe. I believe that they believe in something a bit basically odd. Every now and then I have one of those conversations that goes: 'But how can you believe there's nothing?' 'How can you believe in something that is obviously an anthropological artefact?' 'No seriously, nothing? How?!'

However, in both cases, it doesn't matter. My lack of belief, my friends' beliefs, they are things that are important to US, not things that we need each other to adopt. The things that unite us, that bind us, are far deeper and more important.

Similarly, I think that there are lots of things in fandom that we take very very personally, but they are important to us as individuals, and when we try to make the personal public, it's just a recipe for disaster.

One of my friends loves mpreg because it soothes her soul, one of them loves it because it allows her to investigate whole new ideas in stories. I think it's fairly daft because I think stories about babies and pregnancy are essentially daft, just as I don't like avocado and am the least romantic person in the world. It doesn't matter! I leave more avocado for pushdragon ! My mpreg atheism does not weaken anyone's mpreg faith! It's exactly the same as the way that gay marriage doesn't weaken straight marriages.

Anyway, heathen_archive , come back! Maggie and Liz, chins up! And everyone else, like what you like, even if it's not me ;-)


* It's certainly more than a kerfuffle, but not yet a schism, and too personal to some to be considered wank.

In which we stretch an analogy a little ...

I was talking with a lovely young person earlier today about her idea for an hp_religion fest. Despite the fact that I am a godless heathen, I find religion endlessly fascinating and think that it works very well as a lens through which to view the Potterverse (obviously, since the author was consciously constructing a Christian allegory in parts).

Thinking about this, I had an epiphany of sorts, which relates strongly to the current brouhaha* on mpreg among my fandom friends.

My atheism does not affect the religiosity of some of my friends. Their beliefs do not affect my atheism. I would consider it the height of rudeness to tell them they cannot believe in their sundry gods, and they, after a cursory effort to convert me in a few cases, do not tell me that I must believe in one of their religions.

Some of them do believe that I am going to hell. Some of them believe that I am missing some basic truth of the universe. I believe that they believe in something a bit basically odd. Every now and then I have one of those conversations that goes: 'But how can you believe there's nothing?' 'How can you believe in something that is obviously an anthropological artefact?' 'No seriously, nothing? How?!'

However, in both cases, it doesn't matter. My lack of belief, my friends' beliefs, they are things that are important to US, not things that we need each other to adopt. The things that unite us, that bind us, are far deeper and more important.

Similarly, I think that there are lots of things in fandom that we take very very personally, but they are important to us as individuals, and when we try to make the personal public, it's just a recipe for disaster.

One of my friends loves mpreg because it soothes her soul, one of them loves it because it allows her to investigate whole new ideas in stories. I think it's fairly daft because I think stories about babies and pregnancy are essentially daft, just as I don't like avocado and am the least romantic person in the world. It doesn't matter! I leave more avocado for pushdragon ! My mpreg atheism does not weaken anyone's mpreg faith! It's exactly the same as the way that gay marriage doesn't weaken straight marriages.

Anyway, heathen_archive , come back! Maggie and Liz, chins up! And everyone else, like what you like, even if it's not me ;-)


* It's certainly more than a kerfuffle, but not yet a schism, and too personal to some to be considered wank.

I'm going on about vaccines again!

I had my H1N1 vaccine this morning. No side effects so far, and it didn't even hurt! I far prefer flu vaccines to tetanus!

But the most exciting thing for me was reading the government information leaflet -- it's really good! Along with a section explaining that Panvax is not a live vaccine, so it's perfectly safe for foetuses (H1N1 influenza disproportionately causes miscarriage and serious maternal illness), it had a section addressing Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). GBS is a serious neurological syndrome that unexpectedly affected about 500 people in New Jersey after a mass vaccination programme in the US in 1976. Since then, there has not been another proven connection between flu vaccines and GBS, and the research done on the event suggests that it was probably a single batch infected with campylobacter, a known precursor to GBS (and a REALLY horrible stomach illness, trust me!)

Since 1976, although GBS has been raised as a concern by people who are not in favour of mass vaccination, there has not been any proof of a subsequent link between GBS rates and flu vaccination. Nevertheless, because governments and scientists generally err on the side of caution, a risk of 1 additional case of GBS per million vaccinations is given, and is stated on the Australian information sheet. Something aside from campylobacter that is known to cause GBS is influenza, and, as the info sheet says: "you are four to seven times more likely to contract GBS after an attack of the actual influenza than after the vaccination".

In actual fact, the risk of GBS from influenza seems to be more in the realm of forty times more likely, as rates are around 4 to 7 per 100,000 cases of influenza.

However, reading that paragraph in the surgery, I gave a little cheer. FINALLY a statement of risk that contextualises it sanely!

Why does this matter? Because people are being told by bad media reports and social networking scares that flu vaccine is not safe, that it contains chemicals that are known to cause harm and that it is not tested. In fact, H1N1 vaccines around the world are being made by the same companies that make seasonal flu vaccines, using the exact same methods. Flu vaccines save tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of lives every year, with excellent safety records. Most, like Panvax, contain no live vaccine -- people who are allergic to eggs are offered a version with live vaccine in many places, including the US, as it is safer for them.

H1N1, on the other hand, is not a safe nor mild disease. It has had a very serious impact on people between 20 and 50, who are normally minimally affected by seasonal flus. In fact, the death toll for old people, the usual flu victims, is statistically low for H1N1. And the people aged 20-50 being affected are not the usual immune-compromised set, either, but both the healthy and those whose only health issue is being overweight. If you're up for it, check out this excellent article from New Scientist on swine flu myths and how they are endangering people's health.

Having seen the incredible impact of H1N1 on the health system in Australia last year -- a warm country in which flu is not as dangerous as it is in cold countries -- I had no hesitation in getting the jab. Well, aside from my usual disorganisation delay ... Fourteen hours later, not even localised swelling. And if you're in Australia and have a Medicare card, it's free! Obviously, talk to your doctor and read the info from your health authorities if you have concerns.

You can read the Australian info sheet as a PDF, downloaded from here, it's available in several languages in the vaccination information sheet category down at the bottom right.

I'm going on about vaccines again!

I had my H1N1 vaccine this morning. No side effects so far, and it didn't even hurt! I far prefer flu vaccines to tetanus!

But the most exciting thing for me was reading the government information leaflet -- it's really good! Along with a section explaining that Panvax is not a live vaccine, so it's perfectly safe for foetuses (H1N1 influenza disproportionately causes miscarriage and serious maternal illness), it had a section addressing Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). GBS is a serious neurological syndrome that unexpectedly affected about 500 people in New Jersey after a mass vaccination programme in the US in 1976. Since then, there has not been another proven connection between flu vaccines and GBS, and the research done on the event suggests that it was probably a single batch infected with campylobacter, a known precursor to GBS (and a REALLY horrible stomach illness, trust me!)

Since 1976, although GBS has been raised as a concern by people who are not in favour of mass vaccination, there has not been any proof of a subsequent link between GBS rates and flu vaccination. Nevertheless, because governments and scientists generally err on the side of caution, a risk of 1 additional case of GBS per million vaccinations is given, and is stated on the Australian information sheet. Something aside from campylobacter that is known to cause GBS is influenza, and, as the info sheet says: "you are four to seven times more likely to contract GBS after an attack of the actual influenza than after the vaccination".

In actual fact, the risk of GBS from influenza seems to be more in the realm of forty times more likely, as rates are around 4 to 7 per 100,000 cases of influenza.

However, reading that paragraph in the surgery, I gave a little cheer. FINALLY a statement of risk that contextualises it sanely!

Why does this matter? Because people are being told by bad media reports and social networking scares that flu vaccine is not safe, that it contains chemicals that are known to cause harm and that it is not tested. In fact, H1N1 vaccines around the world are being made by the same companies that make seasonal flu vaccines, using the exact same methods. Flu vaccines save tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of lives every year, with excellent safety records. Most, like Panvax, contain no live vaccine -- people who are allergic to eggs are offered a version with live vaccine in many places, including the US, as it is safer for them.

H1N1, on the other hand, is not a safe nor mild disease. It has had a very serious impact on people between 20 and 50, who are normally minimally affected by seasonal flus. In fact, the death toll for old people, the usual flu victims, is statistically low for H1N1. And the people aged 20-50 being affected are not the usual immune-compromised set, either, but both the healthy and those whose only health issue is being overweight. If you're up for it, check out this excellent article from New Scientist on swine flu myths and how they are endangering people's health.

Having seen the incredible impact of H1N1 on the health system in Australia last year -- a warm country in which flu is not as dangerous as it is in cold countries -- I had no hesitation in getting the jab. Well, aside from my usual disorganisation delay ... Fourteen hours later, not even localised swelling. And if you're in Australia and have a Medicare card, it's free! Obviously, talk to your doctor and read the info from your health authorities if you have concerns.

You can read the Australian info sheet as a PDF, downloaded from here, it's available in several languages in the vaccination information sheet category down at the bottom right.

On a cheerier note ...

This is one of THOSE days, a day when so many fabbo people were born that you start to see why people believe in astrology. So ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, to:
annes_stuff , you're such a lovely young lass, and you put up with me very well. I hope that this is a year in which everything comes together as you deserve it to, and your matchless glare of good sense is met every time with people saying 'Hmmm, good point, I will fix that right now!' Except when it's wanting me to be less tardy, I've spent YEARS perfecting this ;-) There will be a gift, it will be from Paris. Unless it's from London.

painless_j , not only do you chronicle your fave picks from so many fandoms, but you do it with a gentleness of touch and such good humour and openess that fandoms I have no interest in start to seem insanely attractive. I think it's you! May the present fairy be lavish!

frances_veritas , never in my life did I think I would care about soap opera stars, but you make me want your Luke and Noah to be happy and fulfilled, because they make you happy. And your generosity and kindness cheer me, thank you for both! I hope that there is cake abungo for you!

josanpq , I miss you! I hope that you have a lovely day and that life is treating you well.


Woah!!!!!! All week I have had Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill running through my head. For no reason at all, I am watching Robert Pattinson on Letterman, and they just played the ads in and out with that music! It is not a sign! I do not have time to go to Bath and the Costume Museum! I have to go to Canterbury instead. *Is firm*

On a cheerier note ...

This is one of THOSE days, a day when so many fabbo people were born that you start to see why people believe in astrology. So ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, to:
annes_stuff , you're such a lovely young lass, and you put up with me very well. I hope that this is a year in which everything comes together as you deserve it to, and your matchless glare of good sense is met every time with people saying 'Hmmm, good point, I will fix that right now!' Except when it's wanting me to be less tardy, I've spent YEARS perfecting this ;-) There will be a gift, it will be from Paris. Unless it's from London.

painless_j , not only do you chronicle your fave picks from so many fandoms, but you do it with a gentleness of touch and such good humour and openess that fandoms I have no interest in start to seem insanely attractive. I think it's you! May the present fairy be lavish!

frances_veritas , never in my life did I think I would care about soap opera stars, but you make me want your Luke and Noah to be happy and fulfilled, because they make you happy. And your generosity and kindness cheer me, thank you for both! I hope that there is cake abungo for you!

josanpq , I miss you! I hope that you have a lovely day and that life is treating you well.


Woah!!!!!! All week I have had Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill running through my head. For no reason at all, I am watching Robert Pattinson on Letterman, and they just played the ads in and out with that music! It is not a sign! I do not have time to go to Bath and the Costume Museum! I have to go to Canterbury instead. *Is firm*