Before measles vaccine, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years of age. Each year in the United States about 450-500 people died because of measles, 48,000 were hospitalized, 7,000 had seizures, and about 1,000 suffered permanent brain damage or deafness. Today there are only about 60 cases a year reported in the United States, and most of these originate outside the country.

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The 2nd Amendment was ratified on December 17, 1791 along with the other nine amendments that make up the Bill of Rights.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

What does it really mean?  Bill Whittle explains.

H/T to Sharon.
From Twitchy:
Yesterday, reservist Nathan Cirillo was murdered while guarding Canada’s National War Memorial. Today, Halifax Chronicle-Herald cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon paid tribute to Cirillo — in an absolutely gorgeous way:

Pittsburgh sings “O Canada” in support of Ottawa

In the past month, a video has been circulating on social media of a young woman, Brittany Maynard, who has terminal brain cancer, and has moved to Oregon so that she can take her own life before the ravages of cancer cause her death.  Here is her video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0eVum0weKg
Last week on Facebook, a family member of mine posted a video made by my cousin, Anne Roberts, who lost her battle to breast cancer about a year ago.  Anne was a Facebook “friend”, and I was surprised that I had not seen this video before during the past year, posted by her, or by her sisters or mother, who are also my “friends”.
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What is the purpose of poetry?  Why do we write in verse, when we could say directly what we have to say much more easily?
What has been said about the subject?  I found the following quotes:

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstones of our judgment. The artist, however faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an officious state. The great artist is thus a solitary figure. He has, as Frost said, “a lover’s quarrel with the world.” In pursuing his perceptions of reality he must often sail against the currents of his time …  John F Kennedy

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