A LESSON During a Pandemic; Get the Vaccine: Anti-Vax Radio Host Dies of COVID ‘ .

 There is no celebration in the death of anyone, no matter how much they try and hurt others or purposely feed them wrong information that leads to their demise. A life is a life. During the weekend of August 7, an Anti- Vaccination right-wing radio host died a horrible death of COVID 19. 

   He laughed in the face of science and encouraged his listeners NOT to get the COVID vaccine and risk their own deaths. He mocked Dr. Anthony Fauci and called him a "Power tripping lying freak," that encouraged his listeners to threaten the doctor. 

     Now, he's dead. Before he died, though, he changed his mind about the vaccine. It was far too late. I post this as a LESSON to those people who still refuse to get vaccinated for the greater good of society and themselves and their family and friends.  This man was foolish and realized it on his deathbed. Don't do the same. Here's the story:

Anti-Vaccine Radio Host Encourages Friends to Get Vaccinated Before Dying From COVID-19 Complications

Variety, Aug. 8, 2021

 

Dick Farrel, a right-wing Floridian radio host, has died of complications from COVID-19, according to local news station WPTV.

Farrel was vocal about his opposition to vaccination and general skepticism about the severity of the pandemic. On July 1, he made a Facebook post claiming to personally know two people in critical condition with COVID-19 despite being vaccinated. On July 7, he called Dr. Anthony Fauci a “power tripping lying freak.” These posts were among several others of the same sentiment, including at least one removed by Facebook for including misinformation, according to The Hill. 

But once Farrel contracted the virus himself, his opinion changed. WPTV reported that Amy Leigh Hair, Farrel’s close friend, decided to get the vaccine because of him. “COVID took one of my best friends! RIP Dick Farrel. He is the reason I took the shot,” she posted on Facebook. “He texted me and told me to ‘Get it!’ He told me this virus is no joke and he said, ‘I wish I had gotten it!’ I was one of one the people like him who didn’t trust the vaccine. I trusted my immune system. I just became more afraid of getting COVID-19 than I was of any possible side effects of the vaccine. I’m glad I got vaccinated.”

 “He fought like a tiger. Please don’t put off getting attention for this illness,” Farrel’s longtime partner Kit Farley wrote on Facebook. “Yes, for some it has minimal effects, but others it is deadly.”

According to another post by Farrel’s friend Mick McCabe, Farrel struggled with COVID-19 for three weeks before he died. He was 65.

Farrel’s death comes as Florida battles a new surge in COVID-19 cases, having reported on Friday its highest number of daily reported cases since the start of the pandemic.

Idiot of the Week; Dr. Mercola - Dangerous Conspiracy Theorist, Anti-Vaxxer, Quack, Scammer

    This week's IDIOT of the Week has been around for years. It's "Dr." Joseph Mercola. He even has an asinine theory about neutering your dog.  You may know this fool from his right-wing conspiracy theories that he publishes under his website "Natural News." There's nothing natural about his "news" other than his stupidity. **WHY IS HE THIS WEEK'S IDIOT?   This week, a neighbor sent me a "warning" about the COVID vaccines that came from  him and other conspiracy theorists. The email said "the COVID vaccine will alter your DNA (it won't), AND that in each vaccine are tiny microscopic nanobots (little robots) that will take over your body."  In fact, this idiot sells tanning beds and says they don't cause skin cancer (I know MANY people who got carcinoma from sun tanning).  SERIOUSLY. People actually believe this crap. 

   Further, he has been BILKING people out of money with his "Natural cures" and stands against vaccines and he's made a big profit as a scammer. There is nothing more despicable than someone who purposely scares others, so they will give you money to supposedly "Keep you safe."  This idiot  tells women not to get mammograms to screen for breast cancer. Instead, he says, use his products.  

   As a dog dad, who has spayed and neutered 6 canine kids, I can tell you his "science" is asinine. He said "By spaying or neutering your dog, you are dooming your canine friend to an eventual cancer diagnosis." None of our kids developed cancer from spaying and neutering. In fact, all veterinarians will tell you spaying and neutering actually REDUCES cancer risk in dogs and cats.  

    This guy is a total Fraud. He was exposed in a 2019 article by the Washington Post and from Chicago Magazine all the way back to 2012. You'll see how much of a scammer this guy really is. READ ON (I did a LOT of research)>>> 

A major funder of the anti-vaccine movement has made millions selling natural health products 

 Washington Post: By Neena Satija and Lena H. SunDec. 20, 2019 at 5:50 p.m. EST 

The nation’s oldest anti-vaccine advocacy group often emphasizes that it is supported primarily by small donations and concerned parents, describing its founder as the leader of a “national, grass roots movement.” But over the past decade a single donor has contributed more than $2.9 million to the National Vaccine Information Center, accounting for about 40 percent of the organization’s funding, according to the most recent available tax records.

PEDDLING HIS "CURES," INSTEAD OF GETTING VACCINATED 

That donor, osteopathic physician Joseph Mercola, has amassed a fortune selling natural health products, court records show, including vitamin supplements, some of which he claims are alternatives to vaccines. 

 In recent years, the center has been at the forefront of a movement that has led some parents to forgo or delay immunizing their children against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles. 

Health officials say falling vaccination rates contributed to the infectious virus sickening more than 1,200 people in the United States this year, the largest number in more than 25 years. Measles outbreaks are surging worldwide, including in Samoa — where nearly 80 people have died since mid-October, the great majority of them young children and infants. 

WHAT TRUE EXPERTS SAY

“The information he’s putting out to the public is extremely misleading and potentially very dangerous,” opines Dr. Stephen Barrett, who runs the medical watchdog site Quackwatch.org. “He exaggerates the risks and potential dangers of legitimate science-based medical care, and he promotes a lot of unsubstantiated ideas and sells [certain] products with claims that are misleading.”

*********************

QUACKERY EXAMPLES

 The Northern Virginia-based National Vaccine Information Center lists Mercola.com as a partner on its homepage and links to the website, where readers can learn about and purchase Mercola’s merchandise.  A page that was recently removed said that “vitamin C supplementation is a viable option for measles prevention.” Elsewhere on the site, a page about vitamin D includes the headline, “Avoid Flu Shots With the One Vitamin that Will Stop Flu in Its Tracks.” 

IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING MONEY FOR HIM

 Mercola, whose claims about other products have drawn warnings from regulators, has also given at least $4 million to several groups that echo the anti-vaccine message. 

His net worth, derived largely from his network of private companies, has grown to “in excess of $100 million,” he said in a 2017 affidavit. He declined to be interviewed and did not respond to questions about how much profit his vitamin D and C supplements generate relative to the rest of his wide-ranging merchandise, which includes organic cotton underwear and pet food. 

WHAT SCHOLARS SAY ABOUT HIS PRODUCTS

 Steven Salzberg, a prominent biologist, professor, and researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, calls Mercola “the 21st-century equivalent of a snake-oil salesman.” 

Some of the articles on Mercola’s site, Barrett and others say, seem to be as much about selling the wide array of products offered there—from Melatonin Sleep Support Spray ($21.94 for three 0.85-ounce bottles) to Organic Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum ($22 for one ounce)—as about trying to inform. (Your tampon “may be a ticking time bomb,” he tells site visitors—but you can buy his “worry-free” organic cotton tampons for the discounted price of $7.99 for 16.)

ANOTHER ARRESTED IN SAMOA FOR THE SAME

 Earlier in Dec. 2019, Samoan anti-vaccine activist Edwin Tamasese, who touted vitamins as an alternative to vaccination, was arrested for allegedly claiming on social media that measles vaccinations would result in mass deaths. Mercola referred The Post to materials he said showed evidence that vaccines can be harmful, including some studies on vaccines no longer in use. Experts and government health officials say medical evidence overwhelmingly supports the safety and efficacy of vaccines. MY QUESTION: WHY HASN'T MERCOLA BEEN ARRESTED FOR THE SAME THING?

THINGS MERCOLA  CLAIMED WILL GIVE YOU CANCER.

Cut.com reported this Wacked out list of things that supposedly will give you cancer, according to the Idiot of the week:  Root canals. Tattoos. Birth control. Bras. Microwave popcorn. The H1N1 vaccine. The HPV vaccine. Actually, most vaccines. Cellphones. Landlines (if they’re cordless). Fructose. Antiperspirant. Tamoxifen (a cancer treatment). Heartburn medications. Tap water. Power lines. Burning incense. Electric blankets. Hair dye. Pringles. Carbs. “Dirty” electricity. Cereal.   Basically, everything causes cancer — except, apparently, Mercola’s top-secret way to prevent cancer: using tanning beds.

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU GIVES MERCOLA AN "F" 

The Better Business Bureau has tagged Mercola.com with an F rating, its lowest, due in part to customer complaints that the company doesn’t honor its 100 percent money-back guarantee. That black mark isn’t exactly the kind of thing that tends to boost revenues. 

THE FDA TOLD HIM TO STOP MAKING FALSE CLAIMS

Chicago Magazine did a large investigation about Mercola. He has had many recurring run-ins with the Food and Drug Administration. Last March, the agency slapped the doctor with its third warning to stop making what it describes as unfounded claims. Specifically, the FDA demanded that Mercola cease touting a thermographic screening he offers—which uses a special camera to take digital images of skin temperatures—as a better and safer breast cancer diagnostic tool than mammograms. (As of presstime, Mercola’s site had not removed the claims.) 

Follow-Up To Idiots of the week: Read What they did- 250,000 Maskless Biker Rally in SD

Those people that attended the biker rally in South Dakota were not only Idiots for 1) gathering in large crowds during a deadly pandemic, and 2) Not wearing protective masks (pandemic), but the things they DID were disgusting. 
   Would you take part in these things: bikini modeling, "Beers and Burps," air sex events and fake orgasm competitions? That was their entertainment.
   In addition to the "F*&# Coronavirus" tee shirts, the crowd was a massive rally for the current WH resident. The ignorance, class-less behavior and stupidity was astounding. SO, it needed a follow up Idiot of the Week post.
Here's the story from Yahoo News with disturbing photos.

Photos from Sturgis, SD, where 250,000 Unmasked bikers Partied Like COVID19 Isn't Real 
80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, Aug. 10, 2020.
The small city of Sturgis, South Dakota, welcomes more than 700,000 bikers each year for its annual motorcycle rally.

This year, the 10-day event fell in the middle of a pandemic. While 60% of locals responded to a government survey indicating they didn't want the event to take place, health and city officials believed there was no way to keep visitors out.

Instead of attempting to cancel the event, they prepared by organizing grocery delivery services for at-risk residents, establishing hand-washing stations, and giving away free masks to those who wanted them, City Manager Daniel Ainslie told Insider

The city canceled nearly all of its daily events in an effort to prevent the dense crowds that normally gather at them.

The hospital increased staffing among other extensive preparations, anticipating an increase in emergency room visits. By the time the rally started on August 7, the Meade County had only seen around 80 coronavirus cases.

Mark Schulte, president of the local Monument Health Sturgis Hospital, told Insider that if the event did turn out to cause a spike in cases, the providers were ready to offer care.

Outside of these efforts, Ainslie said the city's hands were tied in terms of putting mask or social distancing mandates in place. Those requirements must be ordered by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

Noem, a Republican, has been vocally opposed to stay-at-home orders. As for masks, Noem discourages their use, even at schools which she has pushed to reopen.

As thousands poured into Sturgis over its opening weekend, few donned face masks.
Bars were packed and, for many, social distancing was not an apparent concern.
At the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, it is like the novel coronavirus — which has killed more than 744,000 people around the world — didn't exist.
Here are photos from this year's event.

Every year up to three quarters of a million bikers ride through the scenic Black Hills to Sturgis, South Dakota, for its annual motorcycle rally.

This year's 80th anniversary event fell in the middle of a pandemic, but you might not be able to tell based on the crowds there alone.

On their way, visitors might visit Bad Lands National Park, Mount Rushmore, or the nearby Native American reservations. This year, though, the Cheyenne River Tribe asked those traveling to Sturgis not to cross through the reservation in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

When they arrived, they participated in outdoor contests like bikini modeling, "Beers and Burps," air sex events, cherry pie eating, and fake orgasm competitions.

One of the BIGGEST IDIOTS 

Despite concerns of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of bikers and tourists flocked to bars and shops.  Many at the rally opted to go maskless, despite advice from local officials who hung signs around the small city.

With temperatures in the 90s, hanging out in the sun all day can make for sweaty leather.
The local hospital prepared for an uptick in emergency room visits from bikers — an aging demographic — who might experience heat exhaustion, cardiac issues, or strokes. .
Some bikers at the rally said they enjoyed the freedom of coming together in groups, something that many states had prohibited over the last few months.

Up to 20 percent of locals will rent out their homes or yards to the annual visitors. This year, some opted out, the city manager said.  The city of Sturgis canceled the daily events it would have otherwise held in order to discourage crowding. It didn't seem to help.

It's not just humans who take in the sights at the Sturgis Rally. Jim Urquhart for Business Insider
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attracts many supporters of President Donald Trump.

Trump 2020 swag and conservative t-shirts are hard to miss.

Bikers felt the breeze as they rode around the city, some of them topless.

Leather, body paint, and fishnet are popular attire at the annual event.
Some attendees opted not to wear masks, even when social distancing wasn't an option. A few of them reported that they were subjected to scoffs or dirty looks when they did.

Real Pinard, who recovered from 15 days with the coronavirus, said many rally goers were of the belief that COVID-19 is a hoax in an effort to throw the re-election of Trump. He knows it's real.
Business owners in Sturgis and surrounding towns depend on the revenue that the annual event generates.

Restaurants were filled with hungry patrons.
Some vendors took advantage of the unfortunate timing of the event by selling coronavirus-themed swag.

Vendors come in from around the country to cater to the crowds. Jim Urquhart/Insider
Confederate flags have been targeted and removed during the ongoing "racial reckoning" and related anti-racism protests around the US. But they were plentiful at the Sturgis Rally.

Nobody was tearing these Confederate Flags down. 

Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, Budweiser, and Rockstar Energy Drink are among the many sponsors. 

A week after the rally ends on August 16, the city of Sturgis and the local hospital will host mass coronavirus testing to see if, and how, the virus had spread.

Locals were encouraged to stay home and avoid the dense crowds that invaded their city.