Slashdot Mirror

Now, the only reason I even knew about this was because of someone I know that suffers from it... http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/photosens itivity.html Skip down to the #3 in the "How can you protect yourself against ultraviolet light?" section and you'll see that this law could adversely affect those that have this condition.

The government screws people and destroys lives all the time. The core concept of social democracy is screwing minorities in order to serve the "social will" of the majority. Those people will just have to learn to suffer in silence.

I have to agree on this. Doesn't seem like they bothered to even research it. I know someone that suffers from lupus which many people suffer from also suffere from photosensitivity: http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/photosens itivity.html Skip down to #3 in the "How can you protect yourself against ultraviolet light?" section.

Now, the only reason I even knew about this was because of someone I know that suffers from it... http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/photosens itivity.html Skip down to the #3 in the "How can you protect yourself against ultraviolet light?" section and you'll see that this law could adversely affect those that have this condition.

Since they are excellent UV emitters, they are not a good choice for a person who has lupus.

I wondered about the validity of their claim as well, so I went on a hunt for information about Lupus. One apparent cause of Lupus is UV radiation, which leads me to believe that shorter-wavelength radiation could cause it as well (link)

I'm not trying to contradict you or anything (it still sounds a bit fishy to me), but I suppose it could be plausible.

From the Lupus foundation of America
linky

In particular the reference to genetics, antibiotics and stress as possible causes.

I can guess the events leading to their health problems go something like this.

Sep 11. Fear and worry about terrorism. News blasts the gullible with images of death and destruction, and the possibility of the use of biological agents.

Family reacts by becoming a little isolationist and stocking up on serious antibiotics and other cleaning products to use around the house.

One year later levels of antibiotics and cleaning chemicals reach a critical point and the family starts falling ill.

Family goes to ill informed 2nd rate GP who spouts urban myth as fact. Or family just refuse to acknowledge that possibly all those cleaning products could be harmful, "after all they are cleaning products, how could something that is supposed to clean things possibly be harmful?" (Don't laugh, you probably all know someone who thinks like this ).

Family chooses to blame neighbours for failing health, typical delusions kick in. The fashionable cause for mysterious illness is radiation. Family erects aluminium sheets for "protection".

Neighbour politely asks for aluminium to be removed, family takes it as proof that something is up. Paranoia kicks in big time.

The final phase is their story turning up on slashdot where they are mocked and ridiculed.

But as parent posted, their money would be better spent on a psychologist. Still, someone should wander over there with the appropriate equipment and do some testing for radon and other harmful sources of radiation.

Rather than (or in addition to) a donation to an open source project, donate to the Lupus Foundation of America in honor of those of us with this dreaded auto-immune disease.