Avian flu

[aminorthreat55]

A serious issue or just more of the culture of fear we live in? Remember when SARS was going to take over the world? And West Nile virus? Discuss.

[dangets]

serious issue for the CDC, paranoid armageddon theory for the rest of us. can't wait for the informercials...

"prevent Bird Flu for only $259 a bottle!"

[Oi!Oi!]

Actually Avian Flu Is Deadly, The Flu Virus Can Jump Very Easily From Birds To Humans, And when it meets other avian flu viruses they trade genes, making it easier to infect people. And It Can Trade genes With Human Flu Viruses. It does this in pigs, as pigs can be infected with both. Making them a mixing pot. So it is serious shit.

[dorkkintheboxx]

Definitly a serious issue. I worked at a bird sanctuary this summer and all of the other more experienced workers were concerned. When the hippie bird people get worried, you know its a big deal.

[WakingTheMisery]

this is the monkey movie all over again.

[YouMadeTheScene]

fuck this shit I'm killing every bird I see

[commatosa]

maybe those birds should have gotten their flu shots and not put it off to the last minute....jk. I refuse to believe that millions of Americans are going to drop dead very soon because of this. I just think the news networks are exaggerating and want to scare the public into paying attention to this so that when they're the first ones to deliver the story on it, you'll stay tuned.

[radiofriendly]

A serious issue or just more of the culture of fear we live in? Remember when SARS was going to take over the world? And West Nile virus? Discuss.i've seen your posts everywhere, but i've never thought to take a listen to driving in silence. really good stuff. back on topic though, i don't know too much on the subject, do you have a paticular link where i could brush up on it. im actually very interested, but never read up on it.

[noodledancer]

the bird flu won't cause people to just suddenly drop dead, but a highly virulent flu virus will cause a expansion in the number of people suseptible complications and deaths from influenza to include healthy adults (the typical "at-risk" groups are young children, the elderly, & people who are immunocompromised, etc.). millions of people could die world-wide in a matter of months. there were two flu pandemics in the last 50 years, so the threat is real, and it's pretty likely there will be a flu pandemic in the future, but the cause won't necessarily be of bird origin. flu viruses are very capable of mutation & genetic reassorment, so the pandemic strain could originate from one that is currently circulating in the human population. i think it's good for the public to be aware, but the news coverage is definitely sensationalizing the issue.

[aminorthreat55]

maybe those birds should have gotten their flu shots and not put it off to the last minute....jk. I refuse to believe that millions of Americans are going to drop dead very soon because of this. I just think the news networks are exaggerating and want to scare the public into paying attention to this so that when they're the first ones to deliver the story on it, you'll stay tuned.
Yeah, remember when we were all going to die of SARS? And West Nile?

Granted scientifically there are probably a lot of differences between the two viruses, but in terms of media portrayal, it barely changes from one health scare to another.

i've seen your posts everywhere, but i've never thought to take a listen to driving in silence. really good stuff. back on topic though, i don't know too much on the subject, do you have a paticular link where i could brush up on it. im actually very interested, but never read up on it.
Awesome, they're in the process of writing some really intense stuff as we speak. I'm headed up to their house/studio in the next week or two to press/silk screen shirts and hang out, so there might be an update on the main page following that. But be on the look out for them next spring, big things ahead.

And in terms of the actually specifics on avian flu, I don't really know too much, it's more just the way the media overblows every little thing to ever happen.

[Dan Hollister]

Don't forget, a lot of people DID die from West Nile, in the US. It wasn't like a giant plague, but people did die.

I'm slightly more concerned about the flu than about things like West Nile because unlike SARS and West Nile, which were all speculation, the flu is something that's been recurring for years and years now, and we know a great deal about it. And in the past, it HAS done some real damage. So don't lump it into the category with SARS.

However, I'm not saying to be paranoid, either. I doubt it will be a massive plague, but it will kill an unfortunate group of people, and I'd still do everything you can to get your flu shots and avoid it.

[aminorthreat55]

Don't forget, a lot of people DID die from West Nile, in the US. It wasn't like a giant plague, but people did die.

I'm slightly more concerned about the flu than about things like West Nile because unlike SARS and West Nile, which were all speculation, the flu is something that's been recurring for years and years now, and we know a great deal about it. And in the past, it HAS done some real damage. So don't lump it into the category with SARS.

However, I'm not saying to be paranoid, either. I doubt it will be a massive plague, but it will kill an unfortunate group of people, and I'd still do everything you can to get your flu shots and avoid it.
Yeah, but part of my point is how all of these things are portrayed as huge killer diseases that are going to ravage us all. It killed maybe a few dozen people at most? That's a bad thing no doubt to have people die, but out of the nearly 300 million people living in this country, it's probably #100 or lower on the causes of death list, yet it was made out to be a killer disease that was going to effect as all in such a big way. And this happens all the time, and it's really getting old.

[richter915]

why do birds hate freedom?

[youcomebeforeyo]

It's a threat but like SARS overblown.

Remember the coverage dedicated to SARS, it only had a 90% survival rate! Deadly stuff.

The world at least seems well prepared, we've got to remember so far the only times it has mutated is in the third world is terrible living conditions.

Living in New Zealand I guess I feel a little more security being two isolated islands than a Europeanen nation but I can't help but feel sceptical.

[broknxparachute]

ugh...seems really scary. but yes, the media usually makes it bigger than it is.

[Alex Djaferis]

this is definately a serious issue...but its not worth panicking over yet.

the last time it broke out in the last few months in south east asia, it only killed 30 or so people. not exactly an epidemic yet in my opinion. more people are killed by the common flu still...

although the fact that it is spreading is somewhat scary. Romania and Turkey are killing all their chickens/turkeys etc

[believethehyph]

its pretting serious. its already spread from asia and is now in greece, and out of all the people that have been confirmed to have had it, around 50% have died.
also there could be the first 'human to human' transfer of the virus in greece.

[allelish]

its pretting serious. its already spread from asia and is now in greece, and out of all the people that have been confirmed to have had it, around 50% have died.
also there could be the first 'human to human' transfer of the virus in greece.We must quarantine ourselves.

[youcomebeforeyo]

its pretting serious. its already spread from asia and is now in greece, and out of all the people that have been confirmed to have had it, around 50% have died.
also there could be the first 'human to human' transfer of the virus in greece.The people affected with it so far live in squaller conditions in the third world with third world hospital facilities. That should be kept in mind. They also spent the majority of their day around the birds or the birds waste.

The spread of the diasease with birds is inevitible. Birds have migrating patterns and will transfer it to each other. It can only be slowed.

[believethehyph]

We must quarantine ourselves.
haha

[Rebs]

I am absolutely obsessed with it. I know I may be dumb for panicking, but I watch every news story on it and read every article, I want to make sure if it does mutate and come near VA, I'm one of the first to know.

[Alex Djaferis]

its spread into greece now. and a smidgen of it near croatia or something. its spreading. ;)

i dont know why everyone is panicking. not one person has been infected yet in europe.

[splitsecond]

I hear if you choke your chicken, you can't get the bird flu. Just a thought.

[aminorthreat55]

Am I surprised that nothing has happened since this thread was created? No.

[richter915]

Am I surprised that nothing has happened since this thread was created? No.
nobody cares if a few Turks get sick cause of this.

oh wow I just realized...Turkey...Bird Flu...the possibilities are endless.

[aminorthreat55]

nobody cares if a few Turks get sick cause of this.

oh wow I just realized...Turkey...Bird Flu...the possibilities are endless.
Booooo.

[Salomonbz90]

its a serious issue, but calm down. we are doing everything we can to prevent it and look at the other scares we've had before.

[ClapClapSnap]

i ain't scared!


hah no it's not a big deal to me. me and my mom think the whole "you need to get your flu shot or you'll die!" thing is a bunch of crap...me and her have never had the shot, never had the flu...i think you're setting yourself up to get sick if you get the shot...
the only person i'm concerned about is my grampy, and i think he'll be fine

[justinevans]

damned if you do, damned if you don't.