Statement from TB researcher father-in-law of quarantined TB patient.

[pnwmom]

This is from a statement by Robert C. Cooksey, a research microbiologist in the CDC's tuberculosis elimination division.

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/UPDATES01/70531015

SNIP

I am the father-in-law of Andrew Speaker, who was recently publicly identified as a person infected with extensively drug resistant tuberculosis. I do work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I have worked at the CDC for 32 years. I'm a research microbiologist in CDC's Division of Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination, and my work does involve working with a wide range of organisms, including TB. As a research microbiologist, my laboratory work involves identifying the characteristics and features of bacteria.

As part of my job, I am regularly tested for TB. I do not have TB, nor have I ever had TB. My son-in-law's TB did not originate from myself or the CDC's labs, which operate under the highest levels of biosecurity.

I wasn't involved in any decisions my son-in-law made regarding his travel, nor did I ever act as a CDC official or in an official CDC capacity with respect to any of the events of the past weeks.

As a parent, frequent traveler, and biologist, I well appreciate the potential harm that can be caused by diseases like TB. I would never knowingly put my daughter, friends or anyone else at risk from such a disease.

SNIP

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Shit, folks. DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY WE ARE?

This is precisely the kind of event that can be hyped by the boy king into an emergency event, giving him martial law powers.

this is no joke. His executive order is that broad. I guess karl was too busy worrying about some subpoenas instead of taking advantage of this scare.

[pnwmom]

2. This isn't over yet.

:shrug:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. gee thanks for that. I was about to eat, too.

but you are 100% correct. dammit.

[IChing]

3. This event or the dollar collaspe.

"National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51"

It defines a “catastrophic emergency” as “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government function.” http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html

US debt could trigger dollar collapse, UN warns ( could this be a disruption also?)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1014840

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Don't even think it. Please. nt