Article

2007-02-06 Southeast Asia

Two more Indonesians have bird flu - ministry

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Posted by phil_b 2007-02-06 04:22|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hopefully, we won't care about the bird flu, because WWIII or IV will have already erupted after the shapeshifting reptiloid posing as the "Mahdi" comes out of its well. That's a relief.

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-02-06 11:56|| 2007-02-06 11:56|| Front Page Top

#2 I've been greatly relieved by some of the common sense ideas I'm seeing as to how to respond to Avian flu when it does happen. The end result is far more predictable and better when people think things through first.

Stupid people will do stupid things that get themselves and their families killed. That part is unavoidable, as is the loss of unfortunates who just had bad luck.

Municipalities and States that want to screw around, like New Orleans and Louisiana, who knew about the hurricane problem long ago yet did little, deserve what happens to them, as cruel as that sounds.

There will be municipalities and States that do stupid things, or through omission, neglect to do inexpensive and common sense things, that will get many of their residents killed. This can be both from under or overreaction. There will be local martinets who see the epidemic as a chance to seize great personal power.

But as a rule, the vast majority of our public will respond by not just listening to good advice and instructions, but taking them as well. And that is a powerful thing.

The vast majority of Americans who will perish will be those who embrace illusion instead of realism, those who are mentally imbalanced, and those who cannot control their behavior enough to save their own lives. In other words, there will be a sharp decline in the numbers of the mentally ill after the pandemic.

It is already obvious who these people will be.

The religious, who flock together to pray the plague away; the mentally ill who meander into the path of the disease unaware or indifferent to it; those people whose daily routines are so rigid that they cannot waver from them, or rationalize that they "have to" continue performing their personal rituals. Being unemployed is better than dying.

Lots of others will join them. People who volunteer to help the sick and dying; those who steal from the dead; those who cannot bear to stay away from their sick and dead loved ones and pets. And those who are incautious about their personal hygiene.

There will also be those who have other medical conditions who will be denied care because of a lack of available care. Routine sicknesses and injury can become deadly if untreated.

Finally, though probably not widespread, there will be some panic, resulting in otherwise sane people doing risky and dangerous things, like trying to break a quarantine against armed guards.

But if enough sane people do smart things, it will fire break the epidemic, both in range and time; and thus a disease that will last for over a year in Asia, may be effectively ended in the US in a month or two.

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-02-06 13:11|| 2007-02-06 13:11|| Front Page Top

#3 I agree, be prepared. I also see many co-workers that feel it is 'up and above' the call of duty to come into work and share whatever plague they are fighting. Guys - put your think'in caps on.

Posted by CB 2007-02-06 15:55|| 2007-02-06 15:55|| Front Page Top

#4 ...'up and above'...

Is this the same thing as 'above and beyond'?

Posted by Thrulet Clineth3512 2007-02-06 18:42|| 2007-02-06 18:42|| Front Page Top

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