Some bird flu notes from all over - 4-Nov-05 - Generational Dynamics

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 4-Nov-05

Some bird flu notes from all over

A Dutch politician was asked what advice he'd give to people traveling to Turkey, where H5N1 bird flu had been discovered. His response to the BBC interviewer: "We ask people traveling to Turkey to wipe their feet before they leave Turkey, so that they won't track bird flu back to Holland."

Speaking of politicians, here's an important bird flu announcement from President George Bush:

"Bush Orders Mass Bald Eagle Slaughter To Stop Spread Of Bird Flu

November 2, 2005 | Issue 41•44

WASHINGTON, DC—As experts issue increasingly dire warnings of an avian flu epidemic, President Bush signed an executive order Tuesday authorizing the mass slaughter of "all bald eagles found anywhere within our borders."

"As president, my first duty is to protect the American people, whether the threat is terrorists or deadly, fast-mutating bird viruses," said Bush, standing on the lawn of the National Mall before a specially built pyre stacked with recently killed bald eagles. "This proactive initiative will rid our nation of this potentially disease-ridden winged animal."

Bush added: "I want these birds rounded up, tied down, and their throats slit."

Executive Order 1342A, which calls for the annihilation of the bald eagle, specifies that each carcass shall be wrapped in a single American flag, doused with gasoline, and burned.

...

Administration critics have suggested that the president's plan is too narrow in scope, and leaves Americans susceptible to contact with a wide variety of other dangerous birds.

"What about less prominent but far more abundant fowl common to residential areas, such as bluebirds, cardinals, or geese—shouldn't they die, too?" said Democratic Party strategist Elaine Quigley, appearing on MSNBC's Hardball. "Benjamin Franklin once said that the wild turkey, not the bald eagle, should be the emblematic bird of America. Why aren't we executing those, too?"

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/42166

On a more serious note, I've been told that the following passage from the Bible may be an early case of bird flu:

NUMBERS 31-34: 31 Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea. The wind brought the quail down all around the camp to a depth of about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers [600 bushels]. Then they spread the quail out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

Of course, everyone's being hit with the bird flu these days.

Did you hear the news? Bird flu has reached Disneyland. I'm sorry to have to inform you that Donald Duck is dead. Daisy requests no flowers.

Then there's this:

"BIRD FLU - The panic is spreading! -- Better safe than sorry!"

"BIRD FLU - The panic is spreading! -- Better safe than sorry!"

(4-Nov-05) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 4-Nov-05 Some bird flu notes from all over

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 4-Nov-05
Some bird flu notes from all over