I Speak of Dreams

Autism and Orgasm

At The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, Lindsay Nebeker wrote a frank and matter-of-fact article on autism and sexuality. Although I am neurotypical, I wish I had had advice like this when I became sexually active.

The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism: Autism and Orgasm.

Let’s make one thing clear: people with autism do experience orgasms. But how different is the orgasm experience for an autistic individual? Is it more intense? Is it less intense? Is it the same?

There has yet to be a scientific study conducted on orgasm and its effect on people on the autism spectrum. So just for entertainment’s sake, we will discuss the possible hypotheses, address the possible challenges unique to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or sensory sensitivities based on personal perspectives, and wrap up with final thoughts.

More from Lindsay Nebeker: she blogs at http://nakedbrainink.com; you can follow her on twitter at @autismisarose

 

Did Paul Offit "Vote Himself Rich"? No, Just an Oft-Repeated Lie

The most recent public promulgation of the lie was from Jake Crosby on May 12.  Mr. Crosby stood up and claimed that Paul Offit, while sitting on the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices,  voted three times to approve a competitor's rotavirus vaccine to "open up the market for a rotavirus vaccine".  Mr. Crosby went on to  allege that the votes were in themselves  an unethical conflict of interest.

It's a lie. 

The RotaShield vaccine was voted onto the US  immunization schedule early in 1998. 

In an email to Kim Wombles, Dr Paul Offit wrote (emphasis added):

1) Although I was brought onto the [Advisory Council on Immunization Practices ]ACIP because of my expertise in rotaviruses and intestinal immunology, I didn't first vote until October 1998. So I didn't get to vote RotaShield onto the infant vaccine schedule. However, I did vote to approve RotaShield for the VFC [Vaccines for Children] program, which in those days could follow the vote to put a vaccine onto the schedule by several months. I was allowed to vote because I was not involved with a competing vaccine (our vaccine was still years away). Ironically, when I voted to approve RotaShield for the VFC program, I couldn't imagine how anyone could declare a conflict of interest because the product would only compete with the vaccine we were working on. But I guess I was dammed if I did and dammed if I didn't.

2) I left the ACIP in June 2003, three years before our vaccine (RotaTeq) was voted onto the schedule (which was in February 2006).

Further reading:

• A detailed and factual analysis of Paul Offit's "vaccine payout".
• Paul Offit on continuing payments from his rotavirus vaccine patent
• Short, factual sources for countering vaccine misinformation: Vaxfax.me

The Glorious Fourth!

A revised reprise from 2006

This is for Mark Carbanaro, who thinks that calling this holiday "The Fourth of July" means a lack of patriotism.  He said in an article published July 4, 2006 San Jose Mercury News (no longer available online)

"We lose a certain acknowlegement as to what the meaning of the Declaration of Independence is and why our nation was founded when we just say "Happy Fourth of July."

Carbonaro speculates that the growing use of ``Fourth of July'' is the result of a language prone to shy away from multisyllabic words and an increasingly commercial culture.

Geoff Nunburg (who was quoted in the Merc article) at Language Log says much ado about nothing.

Referring to "the Fourth" instead of "Independence Day" has a long history.   James R. Heintze of American University. Washington, D.C. of has a whole page of late nineteenth and early twentieth century postcards --Fourth of July greetings.  Heintze maintains a database of Fourth of July celebrations.

In 2007, Heintze published   The Encyclopedia of Fourth of July Celebrations:

This is the first comprehensive reference work on America’s Independence Day. Bringing attention to persons, places, and events of historical significance, the book focuses on the Fourth of July as it has been commemorated over the span of more than two centuries, starting with the first celebrations: public readings of the Declaration of Independence that occurred within days of its signing.

At any rate, Independence Day or the Glorious Fourth, wishing you and yours a day of joy and freedom.

I particularly salute the men and women of the military and their families.  I honor their service and their sacrifices.

 

Home News: An Evening Chez Les Scholars

Hung out with the Scholar family last night. 

ScholarWomanPhD makes a baked rice and chicken dish that includes oranges, olives, red bell peppers and onions that is very tasty.

They are in their 5th abode since arriving in the US in December 2008.  Oh, and that same time period includes finishing both of their doctoral programs and having a second child.  ScholarMan of course had friends from his childhood, but ScholarWoman knew no-one (except the family) here, so she had to build a whole social life, too.   I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

How Often Does This Happen? Teacher accused of testing fraud to avoid special education referral for her student

A Palo Alto school teacher has been accused of filling in test answers for a student in an effort to disguise the fact that the girl was struggling and needed special education help.

The district is the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD).Evidently, the district has not yet engaged in Response to Intervention (RTI).

The very short version of this story:  a child with significant, unidentified learning issues, evident in 1st grade,  had the same teacher for 2nd and 3d grade.  Over the course of those two years, that teacher actively concealed how little progress the student was making, and blocked proper assessment of the child's issues.

I wonder how often teachers manipulate students' output to reduce or delay special education referrals. Details below the fold.

I'm Not Being Hostile, I Just Disagree With You

I agree with this. Emphasis addedFrom a comment chez Respectful Insolence

Another thing that really struck me ...was the comment that we are being closed-minded. This is a typical response to criticism by cranks; I'm not saying Freedman is a crank, but the fact that the criticism is so frequently leveled by them is illustrative. There is none so blind to their own closed-mindedness than a closed-minded person....

There are a lot of people who equate "open-minded" with "friendly" and "closed-minded" with "hostile". And furthermore, they confuse "friendly" with "doesn't attack my assertions, or at least not too much." But is it really friendly to let nonsense go unchallenged, at least nonsense with a potential to hurt people? I don't care what God you do or do not believe in; for the most part, that won't hurt anybody. You can believe in invisible purple unicorns if that's what feels right to you. But if you tell me that homeopathy works, and I should try it, then I'm going to rebut that. People have died by using homeopathy instead of actual treatments. (Yes, they seriously have. There's the harm.)

It's probably good to be diplomatic when correcting a friend, and you have to choose your moments; it's not worth alienating a friend over their decision to do cleanses or whatever, as long as they're not directly threatening their health that way -- just as it's not worth alienating a friend over them spending lots of money on their ceramic unicorn collection of whatever. And when something *is* threatening their health, then you need to talk to them, give them the information, and let them decide what to do with it, respecting whatever they choose -- they are your friends, after all.

But articles in the print media are another matter. These are disseminated over a wide audience, and so the potential for harm due to misinformation is much greater. It is the duty of bloggers and journalists alike to respond vociferously to such things, as the opportunity presents itself.