Emmessem

I refer my learned friend and both of my readers to yesterday's post regarding Mr Dr Andrew Wakefield.

http://tiomarvo.blogspot.com/2010/05/willy.html

And now I will explain why I still back him. There is a comment on that post from a "Barracuda", someone I know (but he will deny it), someone who also knows Andrew's family.

Everything I've read, including the much-respected Ben Goldacre, refers to "evidence" gleaned from the MSM (Mainstream Media). Such as the Daily Mail, Daily Express, News of the World. But also from The Times, a paper which is probably less partial than some of the others. The investigative journalist Brian Deer has filled his boots on this one - but don't take my word for it, read all about it.

The MSM. The papers, the telly. Must be right.

Many years ago, in a different life, I was in the paper. I'm actually in it quite a lot, usually in the little column describing what happened in court yesterday. But this one was a bit more special. I'll try to summarise what the paper said:

PILOT'S SKILL SAVES PREGNANT WIFE FROM DISASTER

Pilot Philip Foster's skill and raining saved his pregnant wife from certain death yesterday when his aircraft's engine failed whilst returning to his home airfield. He averted disaster by landing in a field, avoiding surrounding villages ...

What a hero, eh?

This is the reality.

Philip Foster (the name they used, and nothing like mine) was actually buggering off somewhere else because the weather was nice, rather than returning home, and was skiving off work. The wife at the time was indeed a bit pregnant as I remember, and was reading a book, oblivious to the engine failure which the hero, Marvo, was addressing with what can only be described as the full three degrees of incompetence.

Having looked around for a suitable landing site and found something vaguely greener than most other possibilities, Marvo proceeds to fail to turn off the fuel. He then descends, because this what aircraft do when they have a buggered engine, normally. He fails to apply the flap, then careers into a field of winter barley, about two feet or so hight than the wings, at a rather unusual angle and exectues what can only be described as a "crash" which, had it not been for the height of the crop, would have taken out a small village, church and sub-post-office.

Marvo then finds the nearest pub and proceeds to drink it dry.

Now, compare that to the MSM article above? Any similarity at all?

No, didn't think so.

So, please. There are two sides. Don't bury Andrew yet.