Move along Ebola, here comes H7N9 Bird flu to end the world

originally posted by: Indigent
a reply to: pikestaff

Global shrinking is among my top ten concerns that keep me awake at nights

Especially since global warming is turning the world colder now! And when global cooling escalates, global shrinking will be one of the effects for us menfolk!

Oh good. I so thoroughly enjoyed being insulted and yelled at for not running around in a blind panic the last handful of times one of these "pandemics" hit the news waves. I'm TOTALLY looking forward to it again...

there will only be a "worldwide epidemic" when they can find a disease that only kills poor people, and the wealthy have already been vaccinated with the anecdote.

a reply to: Rocker2013

2. Massive germophobia, meaning millions of people are increasingly developing ineffectual immune systems.

What is meant by "massive germophobia" and why would it cause the development of ineffectual immune systems?

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: Rocker2013

2. Massive germophobia, meaning millions of people are increasingly developing ineffectual immune systems.

What is meant by "massive germophobia" and why would it cause the development of ineffectual immune systems?

The delusion that we're surrounded by bacteria ready to murder us all in our sleep, with millions of people now using masses of chemicals to destroy any bacteria on any surface under the nonsense belief that it's going to kill us.

Every time I see an ad claiming that something "kills 99% of bacteria" on your kitchen counter, or that there's more bacteria on your chopping board than on your toilet seat, I want to throw something heavy at the TV.

These bacteria obviously do not kill us all, because we'd never have made it this far. Kids are SUPPOSED to ingest various bacteria, and they're supposed to occasionally get sick from things, it's how they build up an immune system.

Precious parents far too ignorant of basic biology seem to think that they should be cleaning everything ten times a day and destroying any possible chance of any possible bacteria ever encountering their child, and this is ultimately creating massive problems for the future.

if you never encounter a flu virus when you're strong, a small variation in a common one 20 years later when you're weaker has more potential to do you significant harm.

originally posted by: tallcool1
a reply to: Rocker2013
I hate to break it to you, but these things are highly exaggerated in order to sell more American meds. These people that you seem to be putting on a pedestal are only concerned with making money - not with our welfare. If they can get people paranoid enough to get every shot and "medicine" that they peddle, then it's a win for them. Money money money - that's their only concern.

And when we get tired of their complete and utter fear mongering and start ignoring their doom predictions, then we'll have government mandated vaccinations to fill their coffers. Oh, wait...

What people am I putting on a pedestal?

I've stated, factually, that there are thousands of people who dedicate their lives to treating those affected by a lot of these diseases, those in poorer nations with poor sanitation and poor health care who risk their own safety to treat those with Ebola, and others.

I have not for one second praised the big pharmaceutical companies, nor the media companies promoting fear. Read my comments again.

This thread is really giving me the impression that Americans are incredibly unaware of the world outside their borders, as if Ebola was somehow magically fixed through prayer and good luck. Do you people seriously not understand what actually happened, what was done to stop is spreading? Do you all genuinely think Ebola didn't kill thousands of people, and risk spreading to other nations and infecting potentially millions of people?

So many people worked damn hard (and still are) to stop the spread of Ebola in several countries, and without that preventative action you would have already seen thousands of deaths in the USA.

originally posted by: Rocker2013

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: Rocker2013

2. Massive germophobia, meaning millions of people are increasingly developing ineffectual immune systems.

What is meant by "massive germophobia" and why would it cause the development of ineffectual immune systems?

The delusion that we're surrounded by bacteria ready to murder us all in our sleep, with millions of people now using masses of chemicals to destroy any bacteria on any surface under the nonsense belief that it's going to kill us.

Every time I see an ad claiming that something "kills 99% of bacteria" on your kitchen counter, or that there's more bacteria on your chopping board than on your toilet seat, I want to throw something heavy at the TV.

These bacteria obviously do not kill us all, because we'd never have made it this far. Kids are SUPPOSED to ingest various bacteria, and they're supposed to occasionally get sick from things, it's how they build up an immune system.

Precious parents far too ignorant of basic biology seem to think that they should be cleaning everything ten times a day and destroying any possible chance of any possible bacteria ever encountering their child, and this is ultimately creating massive problems for the future.

if you never encounter a flu virus when you're strong, a small variation in a common one 20 years later when you're weaker has more potential to do you significant harm.

Thanks for the clarification. I have a distant relative by marriage who's married and his wife is pregnant with their 7th child. They've been married 10 years. They live "off the grid" on 10 acres in the woods in a single-wide mobile home. They live in filth and dirt and their kids are never sick. That may well prove your hypothesis.

"...potential to spread around the world, sickening and killing people whose immune systems have never faced a threat like it." Key words there. First everyone panicked about Ebola, then Measles. In a few months vaccination for this will be shoved down our throats. People will scare, demand laws, laws get written. Anyone who has a brain and brings up the ingredients or concerns will be labelled 'sick and stupid.' Typical. At this point you can't expect more from general populations.

a reply to: Rocker2013

The flu is not a bacteria. It's a virus.

Anti-bacterial is the worst idea ever. You can't live in an anti-septic world and it only encourages bacteria to learn how to survive the most common anti-septic agents which should only be used for when you verifiably DO need an uncontaminated surface. Everyday life ain't it.

originally posted by: misskat1
So if tamaflu isnt in your budget, stock up on some Star Anise. It tastes like licorice and makes a great tea.

It is nice and licorice-y, and dogs really love it. But, alas:

In its original form as a spice, star anise offers little or no help to flu sufferers. Shikimic acid is extracted from the fruit's distinctive seedpod only by a lengthy and complicated process-and the details are Roche's trade-secret.

originally posted by: Flesh699
"...potential to spread around the world, sickening and killing people whose immune systems have never faced a threat like it." Key words there. First everyone panicked about Ebola, then Measles. In a few months vaccination for this will be shoved down our throats. People will scare, demand laws, laws get written. Anyone who has a brain and brings up the ingredients or concerns will be labelled 'sick and stupid.' Typical. At this point you can't expect more from general populations.

The flu vaccine is the least successful one. Even if they manage to come up with a vaccine for a new flu strain, it would not offer very good protection against it. Flu mutates too rapidly and readily.

Look at what happened this year - the strain they used mutated so that the one in the environment was different enough that the vaccine was only about 30% effective. Most years it's about 60%. Now if we are talking about a flu that has a 30%+ mortality rate ... that 60% might be worthwhile. However, if the shot is only 30% effective, what would be the point?

originally posted by: Rocker2013
What people am I putting on a pedestal?

I've stated, factually, that there are thousands of people who dedicate their lives to treating those affected by a lot of these diseases, those in poorer nations with poor sanitation and poor health care who risk their own safety to treat those with Ebola, and others.

I have not for one second praised the big pharmaceutical companies, nor the media companies promoting fear. Read my comments again.

Well then I humbly apologize for misunderstanding your point. I thought you were singing the praises of big pharma and if you say that's not what you were doing, then I can admit I was wrong and am sorry.

I have a sister-in-law who is a nurse and just got back from Africa only to jump a plane to Haiti to help out there. I believe this was her 2nd trip to Africa and will be her 3rd to Haiti. No one pays her way - she goes and helps these people on her dime. I'm just pointing that out because I am very aware of people in the medical field who truly want to help cure people - even when it comes out of their own pockets. Big Pharma on the other hand - especially in 'Merica - only wants to help themselves to your money. There's no money in curing anything - only in "treating" disease.

originally posted by: jimmyx
there will only be a "worldwide epidemic" when they can find a disease that only kills poor people, and the wealthy have already been vaccinated with the anecdote.

So the rich are going to tell stories about the disease and become vaccinated?

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
So the rich are going to tell stories about the disease and become vaccinated?

It's a lot more fun to read, if you do it in a Popeye voice. Then "anecdote" works perfectly.

Son of Bird Flu, eh? I read somewhere the other day that measles were killing more people in Africa now than ebola. I figure the ebola vaccine was a non-starter so they've switched focus. Sigh....

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
I figure the ebola vaccine was a non-starter so they've switched focus. Sigh....

Nah, they're probably about to try foisting off some draconian new emissions policy, so they need something for a stick. "If you don't stop global warming, then WE ALL DIE OF (disease of the week) CAUSED BY EEEEEEVIL POLLUTION!!".

Yah. Right. You betcha.

a reply to: ketsukoI have been led to believe that Spanish Flu on its own was NOT the reason for the mass deaths but the treatment or 'overdose' with the the new 'wonder drug' aspirin.

I also believe that a 'virus' becomes LESS dangerous the more it mutates and not more dangerous.

A virus is also NOT technically alive or able to feed, respire, move, take in nutrition, sense anything, grow and do much other than reproduce. There are also interesting theories about what a virus is which therefore cause even less concern.

Therefore I choose not to panic, worry or take any new 'wonder drug' that the travelling snake oil merchants choose to suddenly produce.

Everyone dies.........or so they say.

Also, the flu vaccine in the uk was said to be only 3% effective.

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
Son of Bird Flu, eh? I read somewhere the other day that measles were killing more people in Africa now than ebola. I figure the ebola vaccine was a non-starter so they've switched focus. Sigh....

There are a bunch of diseases in Africa that kill more people than Ebola every year, but we don't hear about them much.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Yep, kill, blind, otherwise hurt.