Megan Hazen

I think this article is well worth reading.

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/10/ff_waronscience/

For the record, i think there is room for people to evaluate their vaccination approach. Something i like about this article is that is discusses many of the details in the debate which i think are too often poorly understood or just plain ignored by people.

There are a number of things i would quote from it, but perhaps the most salient for today is “The choice not to get a vaccine is not a choice to take no risk,” he says. “It’s just a choice to take a different risk, and we need to be better about saying, ‘Here’s what that different risk looks like.’

While people are wondering about flu vaccines, and novel H1N1 vaccines, i think we should keep this in mind. I do fall prey to the tendency to want to avoid the vaccines - both of them - because it is an unknown, and because i am currently healthy under the status quo. Why take a risky action when i can avoid it? The answer, of course, is that inaction is also a decision that carries some risk*, and all the current evidence suggests that for me, and my family, at this time, inaction is far more dangerous than the actual action. But, while my head can accept that, my gut still gives me trouble.

My out, of course, is that H1N1, the vaccine that i, particularly, should have this fall, but which is also more frightening because i haven't had it before, isn't available. So i have to hope that no one with exposed symptoms of swine flu rides the bus with my pregnant self, but i'm saved from a decision so far.

* complete aside - this, of course, applies to other areas in my life. Like my job.

My friend Courtney says:

1. The reason there are no few people of color west of the U District and north of the ship canal is because they weren't legally allowed to live there until after 1968. There were restrictive covenants that only allowed white people to buy the houses in most neighborhoods around town.

The covenants were deemed illegal in 1968, but the racist practices went on with the real estate agents for a good while afterwards.

The way I see it, my generation is the first to have lived our whole lives in a non-racially-restricted Seattle and then come of house-buying age able to buy houses anywhere we want, regardless of the color of our skin.

*****

I've been thinking about race relations lately. I suppose, more so, i've been thinking about how homogenous my peer group is, and what, if anything to do about it.

My NPR station is having a wake for our late Seattle PI (newspaper). They are interviewing a number of reporters (who get interviewed pretty much weekly on this show, going over current events, etc.) and focusing on the history of the newspaper and the future of newspapers. This segment is usually interesting because the people are very intelligent, and educated, and thoughtful. The show is presented as an extemporaneous conversation, and it is both thought provoking and witty.

This particular show is really quite fascinating because we are hearing war stories from young reporters, and great tidbits from history. As usual, it is both thoughtful and witty.

It makes me sad to think of the newspaper (and these people) going out of business.

It also makes me wish i could be reporter - it sounds like such a vital, interesting, and important life.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002498412_fremont16m.html

shouldn't affect too much. (for me)