This Bird Flu Pandemic "FORECAST" is complete BULLSHIT!

[fooj]

I was talking to a friend this am and I was voicing my concern re: the WH and it's sudden "urgency" re: bird flu. I stated that I thought we were being set up. How can they predict a pandemic that doesn't exist? It's ridiculous. It's diabolical. IMO, it has the BFEE fingerprints all over it. Think about it. What better way to create chaos, hysteria and panic? Martial Law?

I realize that my theory is just that. A theory. Imagine my surprise (not to mention- relief) when I ran across this post at firedoglake.com!!!

http://www.firedoglake.com/

Read for yourselves:

64 Thesaurus Rex says:

May 3rd, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Re: The White House Bird Flu announcement.

This was a combination of pure spin and a behind-the-hand warning that we are at their mercy. So far, we aren’t seeing strong indications that Bird Flu is rapidly mutating into a human disease, so I think that the WH announcement is, in fact, an attempt to divert the current discourse away from other issues that Chimpy McFlightsuit and friends don’t want us to talk or think about.

What was genuinely disturbing to me about the announcement was that the government seems to be saying:

1. If you get sick, we can’t help you.
2. Medicine will be rationed to the people we want to have it.
3. A pandemic is not like a hurricane. It’s like a war, so we can impose martial law and strip you of your rights to travel and communicate.

They have effectively laid the groundwork to impose armed restrictions on the rights of the populace while simultaneously absolving themselves of blame or responsibility for the population’s welfare.

Then Bush said he would restrict the Congress’s ability to allocate funds for it, touting (of all things!) “fiscal responsibility”. (Cos, you know, why spend money to save lives when we can spend money to kill people in other countries?)

The whole thing is frighteningly disingenous, but (get your tinfoil hat to read beyond this point) the thing that really frightens me is how the administration seems to be laying out a blueprint to seize power and keep it beyond the fall elections if they can declare a pandemic emergency. These people are so power-crazed and desperate to escape punishment that it makes me wonder how far-fetched it would be to think that they would breed and release a killer flu. Sure, it would kill a large swath of the populace, but they could hide out in their bunkers and cancel the elections and turn the country into an armed camp.

Yes, I said that. I’m sure the NSA will be knocking on the door of my office any moment.
<snip>
****************************************
I knew that I wasn't the only American worried about this. It's happening in PLAIN SITE.
IMO, we need to start talking about this possibility. NOW. All of the tell-tale signs are there.


:grr:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

1. Can you spell

DISTRACTION?

[fooj]

3. Yep.

My fear is that they actually DO IT.

Peace.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. Read between the lines, as you have - MARTIAL LAW

The final take-over.

Of course the "internets" will be controlled, and free communication will cease.
TV news will broadcast horrific sights and sounds and serious looking GOP clones and clonettes, all of them talking about how bad it is in parts of the country.
THis is evil incarnate.

[fooj]

5. Don't we have an obligation to float this theory out there then?

I'm really worried about this. Seriously.:scared: What freaks me out the most is that I've suspected this for close to a year now. It gets pretty frightening when they become so predictable. Damn.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. I hope you are correct.

Because if we get one like 1918 it won't be a good thing.

But I can see it as a hoax...only thing is I'm not sure. So I'll just hope and pray you are correct.

[fooj]

11. You and me, both,.

What scares me is that the ability to spread infection DOES exist. What if it's not a hoax? What if it's a plan? I'm honestly not trying to frighten anyone. I would be remiss not to share my feelings on this, yes?

Peace.

[katty]

6. right,well they did with WMD-that didn't exist either

[fooj]

7. The ability to spread an infectious disease DOES exist, though.

That's what I'm referring to.

[Vickers]

8. Weren't they just saying a few months ago that people warning about the

bird flu were alarmists?

:shrug:

[fooj]

16. Something's wrong.

I just felt an obligation to talk about this. I'm truly concerned.

[babylonsister]

9. K & R! nt

[Jackpine Radical]

10. YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL FLAMING PARANOIDS!!!

(Unfortunately, that is an adaptive trait in these times.)

[fooj]

13. Tragically...it's a new reality that Americans must face.

The citizens of this country are not safe. We've got terrorists alright...

Our government.

Peace.

[mcscajun]

14. You're not paranoid if they really *are* after you.

You're right...and adaptive behavior ensures better odds of survival. :)

[fooj]

15. How come they moved this to the Sept. 11th forum?

This is happening in REAL TIME, right?

[mcscajun]

17. This makes NO sense at All.

There'd be a lot of places this belongs...but NOT in the 9/11 Forum.

You may want to message the admins.

[fooj]

19. Thanks. I think that I will.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

32. Yes, that seems a bit odd.

Try to keep all the nuts together, I guess. If they are going to do that, they need a more generic conspiracy forum.

[mcscajun]

12. I've said this before, If it were only BushCo screaming about it,

I might be tempted to agree that's it's all just distraction bordering on hoax.

As it is, the EU takes this far more seriously than we do. Governments around the world take this far more seriously than we do. Predating any noise coming from Chimpy, I've read extensively on this in numerous articles and publications both domestic and international, scholarly and journalistic, and I'm convinced of the potential, I say again, potential threat posed by the H5N1 virus. Given the time frame to isolate the required viral components in a safe form to manufacture a vaccine, given our pitiful distribution systems, given the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria we've bred from overuse and misuse of antibiotics, we're not in a position to minimize either transmission of the disease or its consequences. If it becomes a pandemic, it would cause widespread personal, economic, and political disruption. All that is just potential risk at the present time. It's not a certainty that that disease will impact us.

It's entirely possible that the virus may not mutate or recombine with a "normal" flu strain to make itself transmissible from human-to-human. That would be great, and whatever precautions we've taken might look silly, even wasteful. Yet it would be criminally negligent not to have plans in place (even though we all know how horrible BushCo is at planning, or execution of a plan, or handling ANY kind of disaster) in the event this virus does make the leap to human-to-human transmission. I'm not counting on this pitiful excuse for a government to keep me safe, and ignoring BushCo's pronouncements, (which as usual are too little, too late) I'm not shaking in my boots or cowering in my basement, but I will make my own preparations to allow me to stay at home for at least six weeks should this thing hit. Duct tape and plastic sheeting are not involved. B-)

BushCo never saw or found a fear it wouldn't or couldn't exploit, and they'll exploit this one, too. They can't help themselves, it's like flies drawn to shit. BushCo didn't manufacture this threat; it doesn't mean they aren't poised to take political and economical advantage of it. If I pick up a hammer, yes, I'm likely using it as a tool. Doesn't mean the hammer wasn't there before I picked it up.

[Karmakaze]

20. Human Influenza...

has killed 2500 TIMES as many people in the last year as Bird Flu has EVER killed. On average over 250 THOUSAND people die from ordinary Human Influenza world wide EACH YEAR. Bird Flu has killed less that 2 HUNDRED in its entire existence.

Be far more woried about Huamn Flu than Bird Flu - it is far more deadly.

[mcscajun]

21. Get the facts...the 1918 Pandemic was caused by a strain of

"avian flu". Some 30 to 40 million people died worldwide, with the highest death rate occuring in young men and women. In the United States, 675,000 people died, including over 40,000 G.I.s -- 40 percent of all of those who perished in World War I.

[Karmakaze]

27. What has that got to do with it?

The 1918 pandemic is NOT under discussion, what is under discussion is "Bird Flu" in its current form which is orders of magnitude less dangerous than normal human flu. You can specualte all you want on the ifs, maybes and possiblys, but the fact remains that even SARS was more deadly than Bird Flu and that was the ultimate paper tiger.

[mcscajun]

29. You may not be discussing it, but it has relevance.

Avian flu in its current form is only a potential risk, but that does not mean we should ignore it or refuse to consider its implications, merely because the moran in the White House and his ignorant lackeys are exploiting it for their own purposes.

Repeating, you believe it's a con, I don't.

Have a nice week.

[Karmakaze]

31. So while you and...

all the others panic about something that is probably never going to happen, you ignore what IS happening. The more money spent on "preparing" for imaginary Bird Flu, the less money spent on fighting REAL Human Flu.

680 people died from Human Flu today. How many died from Bird Flu?

[mcscajun]

33. I am not panicking. I ignore nothing. I am fully capable of multitasking

as are most of us here at DU.

[Sinti]

18. Elderberry extract has been shown in lab tests to cure the current strain

HN51, I think it is. Sambucol, or regular elderberry extract, you can get it at the health food store, or vitamin store. It's good stuff, kills regular flu quickly, and it's cheap. Wash your hands. Try to keep enough food in your house for a week at all times. Unexpected things happen when you least expect them. Get rest, and don't worry too much (stress reduces your immune system's capabilities).

First and foremost, don't believe a word the admin says until you prove it with another, more credible, source. If it removes something damaging to them from the news, it's probably BS. :)

[mcscajun]

23. Frequenty hand washing is always the first line of defense

against transmitting diseases.

Not Believing the government without credible secondary sourcing is a primary survival skill.

We're on our own.

[Taxloss]

28. Elderberries cure H5N1?!

It must be potent stuff if it can "kill" a strain that doesn't exist yet! Get this information to the CDC! NOW!

:sarcasm:

[Sinti]

34. There are actual tests, run in a lab, it "kills" the current strain

in those lab tests. There will be more tests - geez. :eyes:

[Grateful for Hope]

30. Googling Sambucol and flu

I found some concerns about Sambucal taken alone as an anti-viral for Avian Flu. But, it seems that, if combined with an anti-inflammatory, it might be helpful. However, for other strains of flu, it has been found to be effective.

Thank you, Sinti, for passing this info on. I didn't know about Sambucol, and, my line of defense for flu has been Echinecea and green tea. Sounds like there is something out there more effective.

Elderberry / Sambucol


"Elderberry is a controversial herb with respect to H5N1. There is evidence that black elderberry extract (trade name: Sambucol) can reduce the risk of contracting ordinary influenza strains, or shorten the course of disease in those who contract the typical flu. It does so (at least partially) by increasing the production of inflammatory cytokines like IL-1, IL-6, and TNF! (citation) While black elderberry extract be appropriate for ordinary Type A influenza, there is a concern it could make avian flu more lethal. Ordinary strains of flu do not trigger massive production of TNF, and ordinary flu viruses are generally susceptible to the action of TNF. Avian flu, by contrast, does trigger massive production of TNF, while the virus is relatively resistant to the anti-viral effects of TNF. If TNF is a significant cause of the illness and mortality in avian flu, anything that increases TNF would be undesirable.


It has been pointed out that black elderberry does not just increase TNF and other cytokines. It also may reduce the spread of the virus through inactivation, or exert anti-inflammatory effects as well as contributing to the cytokine storm. It may be that combining elberberry with other anti-inflammatories may allow it to check the infection without producing tissue destroying levels of cytokines. But there is insufficient evidence to make a solid conclusion, while there are significant red flags that should be raised about the mode of action of elderberry."

But, the site does discuss some interesting alternative therapies:

http://med-owl.com/health/H5N1-Virus-Therapy.html


Concerns here also:

http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Consequences.Elderberry


Some positive comments on Sambucol for flu:

http://www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/kidszone.asp?article_ID=95

http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/ops/hsc-scen-3_flu-pandemic-medicine.htm

http://www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=6002

Thanks for the info, Sinti. I don't find your advice laughable at all.

[autorank]

22. This is a very important post. K'ing it but no R's allowed.

I agree that this probability needs to be placed high on the list. Right now, my understanding is
that you need physical contact with diseased birds right before eating ribs or something like that
in order to pick this up.

Its quite reasonable to say, if the * people did WMD and the other lies to get at Iraq's oil, lied in other words, why wouldn't they use a disease threat to further control us. Sounds a bit like V for Vendetta, which is probably where they got the idea.

I'm sorry we're not allowed to discuss this in the company of the other yardlings but it's useful, nonetheless.

N.B. This forum ought to have the equivalent of a street "barker" -- some way to give notice that
there's a hot topic.

Excelent post.

[mirandapriestly]

24. Can't believe how often I've heard "The gov't can't help you"

and that's on NPR, which has become just more propaganda, but it is very clear they are trying to get people ready for something bad.
Why is this in 911? Does anyone know any good 911 forums, btw?

[Sinti]

25. Thinking about it, really, other emergencies could also happen

Given the current state of misadministration, I would not trust the government to do anything constructive at all, even tell you where the "safe places to go" are. We should probably all have a kind of backup plan in case of natural disaster or other. It wouldn't hurt to talk with your family/extended family about a plan (where to go, what you need, leaving no man behind), in case of such, especially if you live in a an area with wild weather, i.e., tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes.

Seeing the destruction of Katrina, I bet a lot of people wish they hadn't assumed their relatives were getting out and/or doing fine on their own.

Just a thought.

[DoYouEverWonder]

26. That's why

they've castrated FEMA.

Only the military will have any capability to respond to any emergency and we all saw how good a job they did the first week after Katrina.