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New Rumors Jan 1 to ...

by: Bronco Bill

Sun Dec 31, 2006 at 23:45:00 PM EST


( - promoted by DemFromCT)

New year, new month, new rumors. Continuation from previous discussion here.
Bronco Bill :: New Rumors Jan 1 to ...
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New Rumors Jan 1 to ... | 171 comments
I heard a rumour that there
are no new rumours ;-)

Eat pudding first - who know's what might happen next! - Anon
It's just a rumor, though... ;-) n/t

[ Parent ]
i was trying to get someone to confirm that
but I couldn't, so I wonder....



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...
[ Parent ]
Would that make it...
...an unconfirmed non-rumor?
[ Parent ]
You are both
lack-of-rumor mongers.

ITW(Joel J)
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.
- Mark Twain
 
[ Parent ]
Ah Jeez...
I start a new Rumors diary, I post it, I promote it, and nobody has any juicy gossip?!?

Oh woe is me...I've been the first to kill a diary! Oh, Lordy, forgive me!!

I'd go downstairs and jump out the basement window, but, I don't have a basement. :-( Maybe if I go out and leap off the curb....

I heard that
Hillbilly Bill changed is name to BB

There's a new poster on the old forum named BUMP

Cottontop's swearing off Krispy Creams
(now there's a rumor!)

;-) ;-)

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com

[ Parent ]
Karo clusters
I heard a rumor that there is two new clusters in Karo.  That are directly family related to the origional cluster from May.  But this may be from August, and a news recycle.  Anyone have the dirt?
This is posted on today's News Diary
and the report in the Manila paper says it is from Wikipedia News and the date on that article is August 2nd 2006.

Eat pudding first - who know's what might happen next! - Anon
[ Parent ]
Dead birds shut down parts of downtown Austin
AUSTIN, Texas -- Austin police have a troubling mystery on their hands.

Police closed off most of Congress Avenue Monday morning in downtown -- along with all side streets between Colorado and Brazos streets after dozens of birds were found dead in the area.

The several dozen dead birds were found along Congress between Sixth and Eighth streets overnight. A police spokeswoman said the area is expected to remain closed until about noon.

http://www.nbc5i.com...

A little more info on CNN
It states that officials are testing for "environmental contaminant or gas or chlorine leaks that might have killed off the animals"

http://www.cnn.com/2...

Natural selection is at work all the time.

[ Parent ]
why, that sounds so logical
mm-hm...
[ Parent ]
Re: Dead birds in Austin
Bird Flu Ruled Out On Dead Birds; Testing Continues Tuesday

It should be business as usual Tuesday around Downtown Austin, but there's still no word on what caused the deaths of more than 60 birds.

Preliminary tests showed no dangerous chemicals in the area, and the bird flu has been ruled out.

While officials search for answers, they say they're confident that there's no public health threat.

http://www.kxan.com/...

[ Parent ]
Is this how it will start?
I already wrote this on the "Not BF but close" diary.  Maybe this is a better place.

I seem to remember that there were quite a few stories where (in Indonesia, SK, etc.) farmers would come out in the morning and find birds, that were healthy the night before, dead. 
I don't think that this is BF but I do think this is how it will present WHEN it arrives here. 
Am I wrong?  Right? 
What do you think?

Plus all the odd or extra outbreaks of diseases?
"Chik", in so many places, the whatever-that-is flu putting "previously-healthy" children on life-support in N.America, whatever Asia has been calling all "pneumonia", or "died of cold", plus, whatever is going on in Africa, where people can probably test positive for a few local diseases at once; if you stop at first diagnosis, you might not know what else killed them (and we know people die every day, with no testing or notice at all).

could be, but, hindsight is 20/20; hard to tell from this end of history when a panflu year is starting.

:-(

[ Parent ]
The birds ate
contaminated grain from a farm, flew to the capital and died. ;-) ;-)

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
Awfully quick
It's funny how we have to wait 7-14 days to hear about a human case of H5N1 but a dead bird in Texas is seen, tested, and diagnosed in less than 24 hours.  They must have a great HMO.
LOL on both your comments! n/t

[ Parent ]
see, I wasn't too far
off the mark.

"One theory is that the birds ate fermented berries and were intoxicated,...."

This explaination is becoming quiet the norm, and it bugs me.
First, I do believe that wildlife instinctively knows what they can and cannot eat. For example, I planted foxglove plants around my patio last summer, and not one rabbit went near them.  We all know rabbits will mow down just about anything, as well as deer. No critter has touched those plants, i.e., the leafs. Foxglove is highly toxic.
Only the humming birds.

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com

drunk birds
I`ve seen birds that got very tipsy eating grapes on the vine that had started to ferment. They were pretty funny, but sure didn`t drop dead.I don`t buy it.

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it." -Mary Wilson Little
Chinese Sequences for sale
Those of you who have seen my posts and have read my Flu Wiki document "Becoming Self-Sufficient for Six Months" know that I am a devout prepper, a well-intentioned humanist, and that I travel quite a bit.  Just to put my travel into perspective, I logged 147 flights in 2006.  Among my most infamous flights was one in which I sat next to the Director of Virology from a major university from the southwestern U.S.  After that flight I posted my reflections, and some of you put up quite a stink.  Some of you even suggested that my reflections were fabricated.  Well, that flight was nothing compared to the one I had today.  So, listen up and pay close attention, because if any of you react the way you did last time, I may not be posting here any more:

Today, on a flight from DFW to ORD, I sat next to a Chicago-based patent attorney wh works for the People's Republic of China.  For the past 4+ years, this person has been working toward the acquisition of international patents for 42 individual H5N1 genetic sequences that are unique to China.

Did we talk PanFlu on the plane?  Yes.  Is he a prepper?  Not at all.  He is completely naïve about this subject, but he has been working on H5N1 genetic sequence patents for over 4 years!  Apparently, China is looking for international status and financial remuneration in exchange for its scientific data.  According to this patent attorney, China wants to barter its knowledge of H5N1 in exchange for vaccine royalties from large pharmaceutical companies and, or course, media recognition.  Roche, in particular, was mentioned more than once as a potential buyer of these sequences.

Now, that is all I have to say about this today.  Make of it what you will.  I am only the messenger.

You are running out of time.


http://tinyurl.com/37bl45

Not the first
I don't believe China is the only nation trying to profit from this. I believe Indonesia put up a big fight regarding the release of sequences for similar reasons. If a panflu breaks out, whoever has "the" vaccine rights will be rolling in cash.
[ Parent ]
Thanks Dr. Dave n/t


To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.
[ Parent ]
Thanks for the insight.

[ Parent ]
Dr Dave is right
The US patent office made a huge mistake in the granting of patents for genetic sequences.  And knows it.  It is SOP for every researcher in the world to have on staff attorneys whose sole responsibility is to patent sequences.

You don't even have to know what the sequence does, just the sequence is enough.  If you understand patent law and what it is supposed to do and protect, this alone is outrageous.

Anyway, I would be shocked if China wasn't attempting to patent their sequences.  And the license revenue is huge. I have dealt personally with the business development office at Roche (which would be the department negotiating for those sequences), and would attest that they would pony up for those patent rights.

And to really peg the irony scale,  China does not observe patents and patent rights in their country.  If you patent your product, you have just given someone in china the green light to copy your product.

Dr Dave,  Thanks for the heads up. 

The real question, I am sure you asked, was what segments were the patents covering and what type of virulence did they predict?


Just rolling along, making waves and causing trouble...

[ Parent ]
Thanks Dr.Dave Not surprising.
Shame on so many govt and big corporate players...

(Please travel safely, too.)

[ Parent ]
For a country that claims
To be completely Communist, that is awfully Capitalistic of them. (No politics intended, of course...)

Thanks for the insight, Dr. Dave. We'll have to see where this goes....of course Roche was mentioned. If they get the sequences, they can design their next-gen antiviral directly towards that virus. This could...no, WILL, be worth billions to both of them...

[ Parent ]
Patents not worth paper printed on in a pandemic
Does anyone really believe that international patent law will be upheld in a high CFR pandemic ?

Highly unrealistic.

It's already being broken in the case of AIDS drugs in Africa and patent meds in India.

China doesn't uphold patent protection NOW themselves.

Absolutely NO reason to think the western world will uphold a Chinese patent on an H5N1 pandemic sequence.

Roche can also be EASILY nationalized in a heartbeat.

While I have absolutely NO DOUBT this is what China is attempting to do, I do NOT think they will be ultimately successful.

-- "You're going to be staying home for one year. There will be no school, there will be no work... all we'll be doing is trying to keep ourselves alive." Richard Canas, NJ Homeland Security Director

[ Parent ]
Just saw this article about dead birds in Australia
Bird die-offs in Bangladesh & Azerbaijan
Bangladesh:
At least 60 chickens are dying every day in each poultry farm in Sherpur. There are about 3000 small and big poultry farms in the district having 500 to 3000 birds in each farm.

http://www.promedmai...

Azerbaijan:
A mass death of poultry has occurred in the village of Boyuk Bahmanli in the Fuzuli region, the villagers told the APA. [Map at http://www.fallingra... ]

They said that mass death of poultry was observed in several yards and they appealed to the veterinary service. The reasons for the deaths are unknown. Many dead fowl were found in the water basins of the village, as well as in the ponds on the neutral strip on border with Iran.

http://www.promedmai...

To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.

aduckorangemercurey
Dont know if everyone saw this.  This was posted over at PFI last night. 

ADuckOrangeMercurey

Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 1

  Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:05 pm  Post subject: Travel restrictions 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At my hen's coop, there was a meeting for all hens, quails, cocks, etc. convened by the head farmer. Some cackles from the hens that were rounded up are being heard only now, and being slowly compiled.

It was heard that when hail starts falling on multiple far away coops roofs, there would be slightly advanced warning from the public authorities of countries on both sides of the fences, and also from the Bar-Headed-Goose's gulls and swans, to our head farmer, so that little birds may leave the work coop, cross the fences and rejoin their homes, before the roof flies into the wind and they get soaked and hurt by inclement weather. This has been arranged because of the geographical location of my coop in the same town as the newly appointed Bar-Headed-Goose now squatting on top of the hill after the untimely demise of its Tae Kwon Do chief, and also owing to its proximity to the fences of Frogs' countries.

Two users' manuals were distributed, in the languages of Shake-the-Spear, Frog and Bullfighter versions. They contain interesting items which will be cackled upon in depth as soon as it can be arranged. From memory having read these at a glance, one could note that in a phase 4, which is slightly different to that of the hill top scale, all hen/peacocks travel would be halted. Partial or total closure of the coop would be envisaged fairly soon in a phase 5, with, at phase 6, only 2.5% of poultry being considered indispensable for maintaining minimal production. Such 2.5% would be fed on the coop's grounds. There are provisions for peer social/humane telephone/internet help. Hens may, under cover of a sanitary certificate, stay away from the coop to look after their chicks without loosing monthly feedingstuffs. It is envisaged that such monthly feedstuffs would continue to be delivered for long periods if needed.

The impression derived by a small quail was that the cries issued by the benchfull of peacocks and the head farmer were quite alarmist with shrill tones.

For the moment, the head farmer's peacocks have gone back to quiet preening, feeding and sleeping after the intensive work which was done for this henly gathering and the issuing of the manuals.

More cackles may be reported in the future, as and when the noises are heard over roasted-brown-coffee-beans which are usually consumed by the hens and quails once or twice a day to sustain the daily henly routines.
 

aduckorangemercurey Interpretation

So, I'm new to this language. Please all, check my interpretation...

There was a meeting at aduckorangemercurey's workplace.

Some new information was discussed.

When TSHTF in multiple locations where the organization has headquarters, the employees will be given some but short notice to return to their home countries if they desire.

Two user manuals were distributed in multiple languages (French, Spanish, and one other that I'm not sure) that contain interesting info to be expanded upon as soon as aduckorangemercurey can do so.

Phase 4 at aduckorangemercurey's organization is defined slightly differently than that of WHO. When aduckorangemercurey's organization reaches phase 4, staff travel is curbed. Normal operations would be curtailed upon reaching phase 5, and only 2.5% of staff would be required to maintain minimal operations in phase 6.

Those 2.5% essential workers will receive support with Internet, other (?), and food supplies. The 2.5% could opt to work from home if they have a family to care for, and food/supplies would be delivered to them for a long period of time.

There was a general tone of urgency to the meeting.

For the moment, the people in charge of presenting the material have gone back to normal routine.

Again, aduckorangemercurey will report more information as it becomes available.

Does this sound right?


[ Parent ]
that's about how I read it
perhaps more than a "general" tone of urgency, though?

(and I guess I hadn't thought "The 2.5% could opt to work from home" but that people with familiy responsibilities would be maintained at home, to keep from losing them as future employees? -I can't scroll and re-read it while answering you...)

[ Parent ]
"quite alarmist with shrill tones. "
(mmm and re-reading has made me crave a cup of coffee...)

ADOM does have a way with words...

[ Parent ]
I thought the 2.5% was the group who was expected to stay on the job, at the worksite. n/t


"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor
[ Parent ]
That's how I read it,
but I think that is too small for any organization to function. May be just a handful of essential IT staff.

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.
[ Parent ]
Depends...
2.5% of what? 10? 100? 1,000? 10,000?

It would depend on the context and the tasks to be completed. If the goal is to maintain information sharing and decision-making processes, it might work.


[ Parent ]
I don't think so...
Such 2.5% would be fed on the coop's grounds....Hens may...stay away from the coop to look after their chicks without loosing monthly feedingstuffs. It is envisaged that such monthly feedstuffs would continue to be delivered for long periods if needed.

I think what that is saying that of the 2.5% essential workers, if there are some who need to work off-site they will be supported with regular deliveries of food/supplies.

I, frankly, think this is a very progressive policy to ensure the mental/emotional welfare of the workers while at the same time maintaining the essential services.

Workers who are separated from and worried for their family members will be unfocused and possibly motivated to "fly the coop."


[ Parent ]
"monthly feedingstuffs" means paycheck.
ADUCK posted previously that paychecks will continue.

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.
[ Parent ]
Got it. Thanks.
This is only the third ADOM post I've attempted to make heads or tails of, so that makes sense. I was being too literal. Thanks for clarifying.


[ Parent ]
yes, pretty much... n/t


Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little- Edmund Burke
[ Parent ]
Hi, Mama & crfullmoon
I know folks over at PFI have asked ADOM some questions but that s/he hasn't answered as of yet.

In your opinions, do you two think that this information was distributed in the course of normal business or because things are escalating?

Sorry to put you both on the spot.


[ Parent ]
that's ok Edna Mode, it's just my opinion after all :-)
IMO the information was distributed in the course of normal business, some of it being 'in the works' for awhile. The tone of the report does seem to indicate a growing sense of concern in the 'flock' though.

It's good that the plans are being conveyed to us by ADOM. I think we can expect a much more strongly worded message when the situation gets really serious.

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little- Edmund Burke

[ Parent ]
Thanks, Mama. n/t



[ Parent ]
because things are escalating (of course ;-))
Keep in mind I haven't even set foot in the land this ADOM might be for, uh, 27 years? And, I only see what you see "on the internets".

If it was normal business contingency plans, for some far future use,  I don't think the tone would have been so "shrill", right? Nor so detailed that/how workers would be having their needs met if they stayed safe at home- manuals and everything, handed out.

Forget paychecks - if this is a large international coop of VIP birdbrains, (cough) preparing to have the quality of employees they need alive post-pandemic, it may really include actual foodstuffs; bought previously to be doled out somehow. Perhaps?

We can think of how many places H5N1 is not able to be adquately monitored/reported? This could go pandemic any day (and I'm odd ; I've had to feel that way for ages -when common sense clicks with what Dr.Nabarro, et al, said, and the only believable govt thing is that they will not and can not save me.... I have to be thinking "we could have the world change as we know it" at any week.)(Tiring.)

:-/ Never ask a pessimist for their opinion if you want to hear "everything's normal." ;-)

[ Parent ]
I don't want to hear everything's normal. I don't think it is. n/t



[ Parent ]
...
...the cries issued...were quite alarmist with shrill tones...peacocks have gone back to..

sounds alot like the way people view us when we try to warn them - they feel that we are being alarmist (maybe not the shrill tones), and afterward, they go back to what they were doing (ie, not doing anything to get ready).

i hope that's not the case.

[ Parent ]
...
dunno...  alot of times in business, you plan contingencies, and once the plan is done, shelve it until it is needed; ie, contingencies for a re-org may be planned months ahead, and few know when/if it will actually go through... 

perhaps the shrill tones were in the discussion of impact of the measures to the business as it is today (cutting staffing to 2.5% would be hotly debated in non-catastrophic scenarios)..  there would be push-back from people that considered the plans alarmist...  perhaps those were the shrill tones.

[ Parent ]
edna
for what it's worth, I recall ADOM saying a month ago there'd be a meeting soon -- my understanding was, it had to do with the arrival of a new bar-headed goose (or the Head Farmer, is it?) to the chicken coop, not so much with any particular incident or groups of incidents heating up; i.e. the coop needed to wait for the head farmer to come before it would know which direction it was taking the...coop.... (-:

GetPandemicReady.org - non commerical website with practical ways for families to prepare.
[ Parent ]
Thanks, ACM. n/t



[ Parent ]
Other language is English n/t


To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.
[ Parent ]
Shake the spear = English?
As in war makers?


[ Parent ]
shake the spear as in William n/t


GetPandemicReady.org - non commerical website with practical ways for families to prepare.
[ Parent ]
Doh!
And I have a B.A. in English.


[ Parent ]
Hoist by your own petard! ;-) n/t

[ Parent ]
Funny.
Too bad I'm not feeling like laughing at the moment.


[ Parent ]
I try, I try...
don't want to cry...
[ Parent ]
I hear you.
Didn't mean to come across as snippy. Sorry if I did.


[ Parent ]
shake-the-spear, doh!
Even with the clues: Shake-the-spear, as in William, and the BA in English, this took me five minutes. I was trying to remember if William I or one of the other Williams of England had been called "William the Spear Shaker."

Then it finally hit me, oh, William Shakespeare, of course.

I am going to see if I can find some of those roasted-brown-coffee-beans in the feeding tray. It seems I really need it.

[ Parent ]
:) Put the pot on. I'll join you.



[ Parent ]
Shake-the-Spear
Shakespeare's language - English ;-).
[ Parent ]
a possible interpretation
At my hen's coop, there was a meeting for all hens, quails, cocks, etc. convened by the head farmer. Some cackles from the hens that were rounded up are being heard only now, and being slowly compiled.

(All the big time PTB met, only now is a little news leaking out about the meeting.)

It was heard that when hail starts falling on multiple far away coops roofs, there would be slightly advanced warning from the public authorities of countries on both sides of the fences, and also from the Bar-Headed-Goose's gulls and swans, to our head farmer, so that little birds may leave the work coop, cross the fences and rejoin their homes, before the roof flies into the wind and they get soaked and hurt by inclement weather. This has been arranged because of the geographical location of my coop in the same town as the newly appointed Bar-Headed-Goose now squatting on top of the hill after the untimely demise of its Tae Kwon Do chief, and also owing to its proximity to the fences of Frogs' countries.

(When TSHTF, some upper level scientists and folks from WHO and the like, will be given warning so they can get home before all travel shuts down.  This is happening because the hot spot is in the town or area where where Margaret Chan is located, who is the one appointed after the other Director General died.)

Two users' manuals were distributed, in the languages of Shake-the-Spear, Frog and Bullfighter versions. They contain interesting items which will be cackled upon in depth as soon as it can be arranged. From memory having read these at a glance, one could note that in a phase 4, which is slightly different to that of the hill top scale, all hen/peacocks travel would be halted. Partial or total closure of the coop would be envisaged fairly soon in a phase 5, with, at phase 6, only 2.5% of poultry being considered indispensable for maintaining minimal production. Such 2.5% would be fed on the coop's grounds. There are provisions for peer social/humane telephone/internet help. Hens may, under cover of a sanitary certificate, stay away from the coop to look after their chicks without loosing monthly feedingstuffs. It is envisaged that such monthly feedstuffs would continue to be delivered for long periods if needed.

(Some sort of booklet was distributed to all the people at this meeting, in English, Chinese?, and Spanish.  There will be another meeting to discuss the contents of this booklet as soon as these people can get together again.  When phase 4 is declared, which will be interpreted differently than how originally WHO described it, travel among the scientists and officials will cease. They will go home, or be at home due to advance warning. When phase 5 is declared travel will be curtailed or nearly totally stopped.  Once phase 6 is declared, 2.5% of the a group of people (all people? just scientists/officials?) will be considered necessary to keep things running.  Food and provisions will be brought to them. They may also work from home by phone or internet.  This might go on for a very long time.)

The impression derived by a small quail was that the cries issued by the benchfull of peacocks and the head farmer were quite alarmist with shrill tones.

(TPTB are very concerned and starting to shout, at least metaphorically.)

For the moment, the head farmer's peacocks have gone back to quiet preening, feeding and sleeping after the intensive work which was done for this henly gathering and the issuing of the manuals.

(All these people are back doing what they normally, and recovering from this intense meeting.)

More cackles may be reported in the future, as and when the noises are heard over roasted-brown-coffee-beans which are usually consumed by the hens and quails once or twice a day to sustain the daily henly routines.

(We may be given additional news in the mornings or evenings.)

[ Parent ]
language of Frogs = French n/t


You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.
[ Parent ]
After working in a large, intl corporation...
...this is actually very easy to read. And I only wish more "head farmers" would get on board and take this as a very good first step in prepping "the hens and quails and cocks" for the coming storm...
[ Parent ]
the roasted-brown-coffee-beans
"More cackles may be reported in the future, as and when the noises are heard over roasted-brown-coffee-beans which are usually consumed by the hens and quails once or twice a day to sustain the daily henly routines."

"(We may be given additional news in the mornings or evenings.)"

I interpret that to mean not that they will be given more news directly, but that ADOM overhears what the hens chat about during their normal coffee breaks.

[ Parent ]
Me, too. n/t



[ Parent ]
My impression is WHO is prepping the UN to brace for a phase 4 annoucement that soon can no longer be delayed.
Signs:

Emergency pandemic teams being formed in Vietnam and Indonesia.

Businesses have been warned to prepare for business continuity.

This announcement ADOM received, including plans to evacuate staff just before announcing phase 4/5.

WHO change in tone at the start of the new year. I have not heard so many WHO warnings before.

One more H2H2H or multiple concurrent H2H may be the trigger point for phase 4.

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.

I think you're right. n/t



[ Parent ]
Playing devil's advocate
First, let me say that I certainly am paying attention to what is going on in Asia right now. It is troubling. But, I am not convinced yet that WHO is about to declare Phase 4.

This is not the first time that WHO "swat" teams have been sent into a country.

The announcement of business continuity plans and ADOM's revelation of staff evac plans are not necessarily tied to what is going on in Asia right now. ADOM told us over a month ago that s/he anticipated more info to be coming forth. Also, the release of business continuity suggestions could simply be the end result of planning that took place in 2006. Don't forget that US president and congress requested over a year ago for there to be more in-depth pandemic planning. 

In regards to WHO messaging and the perception that the intonation has changed, that could be for a variety of reasons. A change in leadership or the realization that bird flu "fatigue" is real. They do seem to play a game of getting everyone jittery and then trying to calm everyone down. I think it is an attempt to keep everyone interested in panflu without causing a globalized freakout. And yes, they have not been very successful.

Regarding the uptick in cases, this was forecast back in May or June of 2006. They all knew that this was going to happen. There does seem to be some sort of seasonal component to H5N1. Whether or not everything clicks and panflu takes off this winter is anybody's guess.

If the hospitals in Indonesia suddenly become overwhelmed, or we have confirmation that there are indeed multiple clusters in and around Jakarta, that is when I would start to worry more. I think we are still in watchful waiting mode.

[ Parent ]
Banshee
If the hospitals in Indonesia suddenly become overwhelmed, or we have confirmation that there are indeed multiple clusters in and around Jakarta, that is when I would start to worry more. I think we are still in watchful waiting mode.

From a devil's advocate perspective, everything you say makes good sense, and I think it is important for everyone to keep this perspective in balance when nerves are set on edge.

Indonesian hospitals and confirmation of multiple clusters is absolutely what I am keeping an eye peeled for.

I just wish I felt more confident that such such news will make it out of Indo and WHO in a timely, transaparent manner.


[ Parent ]
An afterthought
While I was out running prep errands tonight, I had a further thought on my earlier reply.

While I think it is important to stay balanced, I also don't think the scenario described by anon.xyz is far fetched.

I don't view the events described in that post as
indicative of an imminent announcement. Rather, I think they are characteristic of a rolling out or ramping up process to such an announcement.

It does seem as if TPTB are positioning themselves for the next level of play.


[ Parent ]
US Semiconductor Companies Starting to prepare publicly
I have posted s few comments on this over the last 1.5 years and the openness is starting to become more common. I know of one very large Semi Conductor Company sending notices to all their vendors last Feb in 2006. Just yesterday another vender company has announced their employees that pandemic preparedness is a must for business continuity. I did press them on this issue and they did not have any concrete plan they wanted to share with me. As things start too developed further more companies will be increasing their planning and implementation speed of these plans.

Even Joseph prepared during 7 years of plenty.
[ Parent ]
Any links ???
I'm working with a very large company in a related field on another business continuity issue.

So far they are completely and totally whistling past the graveyard on the pandemic issue.

I'd like to have some "competitor" information to get them off of top-dead-center.

Links to articles or press would help.


-- "You're going to be staying home for one year. There will be no school, there will be no work... all we'll be doing is trying to keep ourselves alive." Richard Canas, NJ Homeland Security Director

[ Parent ]
Company Preparing for Pandemic
Bird Guano - Since these are internal communications, I can not release the information. However there are some companies who may be start to prepare very quietly. Even though my company did mention it, when I pressed them for details on the subject they had none to offer. So being aware of the situation and really having a plan are two separate issues I am afraid.

Even Joseph prepared during 7 years of plenty.
[ Parent ]
Is it true
that the Rothschild family has promised to give money for the poor nations to struggle against bird flu?

Life is a narrow bridge. Most important is to have no fear. Have no fear at all.
Link
I couldn't fing the link any more. At first it sounded like a cynical joke, so I'd like to get a confirmation. Anyone heard? (Maybe it was a joke...?)

Life is a narrow bridge. Most important is to have no fear. Have no fear at all.
[ Parent ]
just a rumor, don't shoot me!
I got this a couple of days ago from a fellow prepper here in the islands. He has relatives back in the mainland, and keeps in contact with one in particular who is - like him - someone concerned and up-to-date on the pandemic threat. She had a recent visit from a nephew who is a marine stationed in Indonesia. She asked him what the current situation was re bird flu there. This is her letter to my friend relating the nephew's response:

"As far as the bird flu goes....it's getting hotter over there.  There are small clusters of H2H cropping up again ( he said "AGAIN ? IT NEVER STOPPED !") 

But he was looking more to China and Egypt...  China is still keeping mum, but they are seeing more.....Then southern Vietnam is getting over-run with H2H clusters !  But the outbreaks in Egypt are getting hotter too,
along with bigger clusters."

Now, I look in the threads for Egypt and the news link, and I don't see this. And I know that the fluwikie toggle-text newshounds work 24-7 to find any and everything. So
maybe this is just bogus, or enormous exagerration, but then again we have evidence in the past that many governments have been less than forthcoming with news of outbreaks.

In any case, it's been bothering me enough since I got this email that I felt I should at the very least put it out there as a rumour to you all.

Always have a plan B.

Egypt...
Well, there was the 3 family member cluster a couple of weeks ago.  That is new (as far as we know) for Egypt -- to have a cluster like that, I mean.  Up until recently, there were only single cases officially reported from Egypt.

Proud FAF-er.
[ Parent ]
Egypt note...
Oh -- there were two sisters (children) confirmed from Kafr ash Shaykh governorate in early 2006.  Never heard any officials refer to them as a cluster, though.

Proud FAF-er.
[ Parent ]
Perhaps we do know more than the authorities?
Egypt seems to have become more stable to us but then we're watching it under a microscope. A week seems a long time when information is coming in thick and fast from another area (Indo).

I doubt that any marine will be getting as much accurate information as our wonderful news hounds are feeding us. It's only the 14th of Jan, a mere 3 weeks since Egypt was high on our priorities. I can imagine news of it is only just beginning to register with non fluspotters.

We can all imagine that China has a lot more going on than it knows or is willing to admit. I noted that they didn't say anything about that farmer until he was on the road to recovery.

There are other countries that will be hiding (deliberately or by accident) cases that we would like to hear about. North Korea springs to mind.

[ Parent ]
...
i'll take the word of a marine on the ground over govt approved media publication of posted reports by indigenous media that got a prep class on the subject and how to report it.  thanks, tho.
[ Parent ]
...
marines move about on navy boats...  can anyone think of a widely known navy resource in the area?  given that forces get sensitive and classified briefings daily, i would consider information that a soldier relates to his family back home very accurate; it isn't driven by an agenda.
[ Parent ]
you're assuming he's got his info first hand
Nobody's saying he's not telling it how he sees it but much of his information may be second/third hand. And as such slightly out of date.

Are the marines better informed than the local news papers? Unless there was a plan to evacuate or protect embassies or he was connected to a medical corp, I doubt he'd get insider information.

I doubt you could get much more up to date informtion (than has been presented here) unless you went from hospital to hospital. Kudos to the translation teams :-)

There will come a point when military personnel will be given specific pandemic instructions. Then the guy will be in no doubt where from and when the pandemic is on it's way. He may get this info ahead of us, but will he have time to pass a warning on?

[ Parent ]
...
no, i'm not assuming that he got it first hand; he may have, he may have gotten it in a briefing, he may have heard it on a boat -- we don't know.  we do know the authoritative lab is navy. we know that the navy and the marines are tightly coupled.
[ Parent ]
I would speculate that NAMRU would have marine guards. n/t


To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.
[ Parent ]
...
and i think the translators here do an excellent job - they have far more patience, than i.
[ Parent ]
it sounds like he's been briefed officially
Here's the other part of that email (I snipped it for brevity, but it seems it answers some of your questions)

We just put R... on a plane back to Indonesia this morning !  He was here for 2 weeks, to see his wife & girls over the holidays.  He will finish out
his assignment there; about 18 more months, ( I think ).  But his wife & girls are staying in St. Louis, where it's safer.

He says he has a job to do; and as long as he's on the last plane out ( before their PTB close everything down) he'll stay. ( That's the old Marine in him, ya know. )

I have no idea what kind of job this guy does over there, but it doesn't sound like regular marines. (Getting to fly home for xmas, talking about getting on the "last plane out" etc.) Maybe he's attached to the embassy, but that's just speculation on my part. But it does sound like he's been given briefings, and not just making offhand observations.

Always have a plan B.

[ Parent ]
I'm not questioning the vilidity of what he said
Just the timing. Did he get the info in the last few days or has there been a time lag. From the event to his source, then from his source to him, then from him to his aunt, then from his aunt to you and finally from you to us. A couple of days each time would add up.

If he'd been worried about Indo it would have made more sense.

[ Parent ]
As long as it's not a combat zone
Christmas leave in the military is commom.  MAC flights out and  into Indonesia would be free, though you would be on standby if not priority.

To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.
[ Parent ]
An officer might know, but I doubt the rank and file.
They are likely kept in the dark until operation starts and therefore even more fearful than us.

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.
[ Parent ]
...
i have no idea whether he is officer or enlisted - do you?
[ Parent ]
The marine is either some one who 'needs to know' or not.
If yes, he/she will have to keep this secret, even to the family. A private 'heads up' to the family from an insider would not be so explicit, and may be in codes (like ADOM). Imagine the diplomatic repercussions if this opinion is quoted as sourced from some one who 'knows'.

If not, then the rumor is personal opinion, and we hear it at least 3rd hand.

No, I don't know if this is an officer. Just saying ...

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.

[ Parent ]
...
if correct, it would certainly be sensitive to the respective countries; i'm not certain that makes it information that would be considered need to know within the military.  as for whether he's an officer - i have no knowledge - or bias.  we don't know if it's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 30th hand information, nor how he converses with his family.  relative to us, it's a rumor. it's not corroborated.  take it for what you will.
[ Parent ]
I hear you :-)
http://www.newfluwik...

and it's OK.


You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.

[ Parent ]
...
no, i said i had no bias about whether he is an officer..  i definitely have a bias regarding the media (mostly spin control, imo). likewise - quite.
:-)
[ Parent ]
Rank is not really that important..
his duties would be more important.  Its the privates and buck sergeants that decode the messages before they are passed on.

As a staff sergeant while stationed in europe I had classified information and access to things my commanding officer did not either know or have access too.  Both because of "need to know" and because some of my duties.  If certain situations did arise, I would be authorized to brief him, but not until.

[ Parent ]
marines in places 'over there'
Many/most embassies have Marines for protections.  More than likely their senior member will attend some sort of weekly meeting to discuss the situation in the local area.  Needless to say, stuff gets out of these meetings. 
Good source, if you can find it.
Thailand
I found this remark over on another BF site today:
Overnight there were 7 new cases, 3 Egypt , 4 Thailand.
I found the Egyptian cases.
Does anyone know about Thailand?

Be Prepared
Found them
4 bird flu suspects found in northern Thailand
http://news.xinhuane...

I will post to news

Be Prepared

[ Parent ]
Where are the rumors???
There certainly has been a lot of news lately.  The funny thing about all of this news is that it leaves a lot of questions, questions that leave a void for rumors to fill.  Also, all of this news leads to increased anxiety which leads to hyper-observancy.  I don't know if that's a real word but it sounded good. Anyway, I have to say, I am surprised by the lack of rumors.  The 'newshounds' are doing a wonderful job however the word on the street seems to be staying there. 
Has anyone else made this observation?  Shouldn't we hear more.... more? 
I've heard several people mention on here that it's  possible the CDC, WHO and/or US.gov know a little more than they let on.  If so, with all of this news popping up, wouldn't they be going into higher gear, trying to stay ahead of not just the bug but the system?

So I ask,
Where are the rumors???

we are the rumors ;-)
we have so much access to news, and so much analysis, discussion, and speculation of what is happening, that I suspect other people are using our discussions as source for rumors....

You think?



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

[ Parent ]
but that was just a rumor n/t




All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...
[ Parent ]
with great power, come great responsibility
The fluwiki could start some doozies!
Doozies
I heard a rumour the Doozies were started yesterday.  They ran for a little while, but then their cold fusion fuel reactors heated up and...well, you know how cold fusion fuel reactors are...they give you results for a little while, but not the reproducible kind.

Anyway, the new rumour is that the Humdingers are ready for their beta testing phase, but (there's always a but) the bad weather we're having in the midwest have delayed the Thingamajig thermal profiling...so it goes.  Those Thingamajigs are so fussy during cold snaps.  You need a spare...always keep a spare Thingamajig.

Finally, (and this isn't a rumour), the Doohickies are finally producing.  I know we are all happy about that.  The more Doohickies we have producing the better.

Maybe the rumours will be better tomorrow.  Let's hope so.

(If any non-english speakers are running this through a machine translator...well...sorry about that.)

[ Parent ]
Hehehehe!!!
...so funny! ;)
[ Parent ]
Laughing so hard tears are running down my face

[ Parent ]
LOL! Oh Thanks - I needed that! n/t


I am not like other birds of prey....
[ Parent ]
I think I won't even log on, April 1st. n/t


medical information provided is for discussion purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. if you believe you have a medical problem, consult your practitioner.
[ Parent ]
New Rumor
As some of you may remember I have a DS stationed in Japan. Well I hadn't heard from him in awhile so I sent a message asking him about the recent culling there. He told me they are restricting access to the base, anyone from Indo not aloud on base. And more importantly he said his friend who works in the science labs said things are really really bad in China. That nothing that is actually going on there is under control. Said friend is totally drained from hours working trying to find ways to stop the spread. DS also told me that China is the place we need to be worrying about more then Indo.
thanks for the heads up

[ Parent ]
What a rumor! I'm not
surprised at this, given China has reported little, and as I've stated before, the air of confidence that "it's under control, nothing to worry about, we'll get rid of this", has lent a false sense of security to everyone. So, I'm not surprised that "China is the place we need to be worrying about more than Indo." Scarey, yes. Surprised, no.

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
CHINA? NO WAY!!! n/t
[ Parent ]
JWB your not surprised are you? n/t


United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
looks like sarcasm font, to me ;-)
JWB wasn't asleep all these years.
[ Parent ]
China
I would love to know why "they" would be more worried about China. Specifics. Makes you wonder if what is going on in Indo is also going on in China. Ahhhh...perhaps it is a good thing that we don't know such things. PPFs would be off the charts.
[ Parent ]
Aw jeez...
I don't like that rumor one little bit.  That made my PPF do a little bump.  Sigh, another prep run this weekend looks to be in my future.

Anyone remember madamspinner?  She was always good for some good rumors.

[ Parent ]
I'm afraid we've lost
some wonderful people when the old forum closed. I'm hoping they will decide to come back to the new hive.

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
...
you should buzz over to Monotreme's PFI site, too.
:-) The more hives, the merrier.
[ Parent ]
AzNewBe
could you post that over at PFI?  I know there are a lot of people who would find it very interesting- TomDVM, monotreme, etc.  Or I'll do it if you give permission.
[ Parent ]
Yes, AzNewBe
I would like to take this to CE with your permission.

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
Cottontop
which thread over at the old forum are you referring too?  I checked it out and just found older stuff.
[ Parent ]
lohrewok
thread "Suspected BF Clusters in Indonesia"
I was just there a little while ago. Did you take the link from here(over to the right in the box?)

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
ok. that thread is from May? n/t

[ Parent ]
try this lohrewok
http://www.fluwikie2...

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
China strives to wipe out bird flu by 2015
it sounds like China is working on the problem.  They will have it worked out by 2015.
I just thought I would give a positive "rumor".

Beijing, Jan 17: China will spend more than 1 billion dollars over the next two years in a bid to stamp out animal-borne epidemics such as bird flu which it hopes to "eradicate" by 2015, state media said on Wednesday.

China has reported a total of 22 human cases of bird flu, including 14 fatalities, since 2003 and, with the world's largest poultry population and millions of backyard birds roaming free, it is seen as a centre in the fight against the virus.

"The authorities hope to control or even eradicate severe animal disease like bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease by 2015," the China Daily said. .....

http://www.centralch...

Be Prepared

[ Parent ]
well, is that a target or an affirmation?
or a prayer?

sorry, just a rhetorical question...

:-(



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

[ Parent ]
delirium from BF n/t


United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
I fear that China will be wiped out by 2015.

[ Parent ]
China can't be wiped out
they're positioning themselves to be the new world power by 2027 or something like that aren't they?

=^..^=
[ Parent ]
china
You`ve gotta text,call that kid more often.luv ya.

  He`s not only her DS,but my loved grandson.
  He thought we were nutso about the birdflu thing,until he got shipped to Japan. He`s a MP, whatever cops are called in the navy.

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it." -Mary Wilson Little

[ Parent ]
SP -- Shore Patrol n/t


To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.
[ Parent ]
China out of control: birds or people?
AzNewBe - thanks for keeping us posted!

Does your son know if the thing out of control in China is infections in birds, people, or both?

[ Parent ]
China
You all are free to post the rumor where you want. I'd do it but working crazy shifts again this week so getting ready to head out the door. And need to do another store run as well tonight after work so will be vack in late tonight.
Thanks AzNewBe n/t


United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
In regards to China Rumor
Just got off phone with DS. He tends to forget time zones..lol He can't tell me the level of lab friend works in. But he did say friend works in the field, and that our labs are working with china on this. And he told me to watch what our Military does, not what they say. He did tell me when friend returns to base he'll either come here himself and update everyone or he'll have me do it. Best I can do at this time. He did read through this site while on phone with me. And he did say he'd show to friends at his base as well.
thank you! n/t




All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...
[ Parent ]
RE: china rumor
Now if we add this rumor to the rumor on the news thread about China is denying that dozens of people are sick with bird flu or SARS, we have a confirmation of a rumor that was denied.  Or does 1 rumor+ 1 rumor= the truth

{Int'l Herald Trib. story on Guangzhou rumors 
Chinese health officials deny reports of suspected cases of SARS, bird flu
The Associated Press / International Herald Tribunt / http://www.iht.com/a...

Monday, January 22, 2007

BEIJING - Chinese health officials Monday denied reports that dozens of people have been sickened by bird flu or the SARS pneumonia in southern China and quarantined in a local hospital.}

This was taken from the news thread.

 

tinyurl - http://tinyurl.com/2nvrtx - n/t

[ Parent ]
link to article
[ Parent ]
Not BF related, but what if it is?
Military to enforce ban on public gatherings

The military yesterday tightened the screws on militants in the restive South by enforcing a controversial stipulation of martial law that prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people.

[Snip]

Chamlong said exceptions would be made for religious ceremonies, such as mass prayers at mosques, or activities in line with local customs.

[Continued]
http://www.nationmul...

To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.

While China seems sketchy...
Here's an article validating our concerns.  The implications of what the article reveals about the media culture there are very unsettling. 

Copied from my orig. post in News 1/25:

***  ***  ***  ***  ***

Chinese media story: Media Manipulation 
Interesting that this popped up on MSNBC now as we've been talking about how murky the situation is in China.  What the article says is not so surprising, but I think it calls out the pink elephant that I have felt has been there.  Bottom line, the article claims, is that when it comes to reporting there, money talks.  I've heard this even happens in the U.S. too, but it's really a bad thing when it comes to AI.

---- http://www.msnbc.msn...  -----

...was another instance of the blackmail journalism metastasizing through China's news media. Bai's money was supposed to buy silence on alleged wrongdoing at her health clinic in this southern Chinese city. But more generally, journalists and officials say, Chinese reporters are demanding such hush money with increasing regularity from businesses and government agencies in exchange for the withholding of unfavorable news...

...the case involved 480 reporters and others pretending to be reporters who asked for "shut-up fees" to keep news of a mine flood out of the public eye....

...In the everybody-does-it atmosphere, even non-reporters have found ways to get in on the take by posing as journalists...

And the article conveniently delivers its own punchline:

..."I would say there are problems in the Chinese media world," one of them commented.

 

Meteorologist in Florida!?!  Now we're talkin'!!!

by: AzNewBe @ Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 01:32:50 AM EST
Is there any follow-up to this post? AzNewBe, do you have any updated information about this? Thanks!

In regards to China Rumor 
Just got off phone with DS. He tends to forget time zones..lol He can't tell me the level of lab friend works in. But he did say friend works in the field, and that our labs are working with china on this. And he told me to watch what our Military does, not what they say. He did tell me when friend returns to base he'll either come here himself and update everyone or he'll have me do it. Best I can do at this time. He did read through this site while on phone with me. And he did say he'd show to friends at his base as well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

by: AzNewBe @ Sun Jan 21, 2007 at 01:32:50 AM EST 

no follow up as yet
My DS works graveyard and with time differance I usually don't here from him til his days off. But I'll certainly update as soon as I here from him
[ Parent ]
Rumor-massive Russian bird deaths???
This site looks a little too wierd to me, but received this just now from a friend-anyone familar with this site-

http://english.pravd...

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.

Pravda, from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia..... Pravda (Russian: ??????, "The Truth") was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1918 and 1991. This paper was closed down in 1991 by decree of President Yeltsin, but a paper with the same name is still in operation in Russia and the unrelated web based [b]Pravda.ru is now a tabloid-style Russian news source.[/b] The earlier Pravda is most famous in Western countries for its pronouncements during the period of the Cold War. A number of other, less famous, newspapers both also were and are presently called Pravda.

So this article comes from the tabloid. Though alarmist, it is a good synthesis of the progress H5N1 achieves in animals and insects. In essence, it combines in this article what we comb through the news everyday.

Be careful though, I tried to go to the forum and my computer displayed two computer virus alerts.

Let me be blind to wicked text, deaf to wicked words, mute to wicked comments.

Military Plans for Avian Flu in Europe
Not sure where to post this, but I know there has been discussion on this board about military, so here it is...

http://www.military....

snip
..."STUTTGART, Germany - The U.S. military in Europe would consider restricting the movement of troops, families and civilians as a way to combat the outbreak of the avian influenza, in the event the virus mutates and starts spreading from human to human."...

[ Parent ]
Air Force Lt. Col. Ron "Grumpy" Sanders, all the best to you, sir!
..."Plans are already in place in the U.S. and elsewhere to facilitate the speedy development and distribution of a vaccine, according to Air Force Maj. Dana Dane, EUCOM's chief of force health protection.

"Part of the big-picture response has been the priming of that system," Dane said. ...

According to Air Force Lt. Col. Ron "Grumpy" Sanders, the European Plans and Operations Center's contingency response chief, in case of an epidemic",(sic) "the military's priorities* are

to protect its people,

carry out missions as usual,

and help others cope,

if possible.

"Our planning effort is not to contain the avian flu," Sanders said.

"It's to manage the environment if it (becomes) a sustainable, human-to-human pandemic, if it comes to that."

The military is also planning a medical-response exercise in May or June to test its capabilities, Sanders said."

*Another clue for local officials?

[ Parent ]
Stars and Stripes Article from 2006
Article from January 31 2006
Here's a military video
https://fhp.osd.mil/...

Several links to military info

Heres a page for military vaccines
The PTB are monitoring...
The link is to a pdf presentation on some of the monotoring "TPTB" are using and also increases they plan for 2007 and 2008.

http://www.geis.fhp...._(8_Jan_07).pdf

Found it interesting because of the increase in capacity they plan on having in 07 & 08.

CNN'S Latest
Been listening to CNN this morning 02/04/07. Just heard the reports on the BF in the UK for the third time. One of the last lines in the report was that Bird Flu is BIRD FLUE CAN BE PASSED TO HUMANS ONLY THROUGH DIRECT CONTACT WITH INFECTED BIRDS. Well...isn't that hunky dory....no need to worry we can all go home.
Now the question will be how many times are they going to repeat this crap before someone with a bit more knowledge actually listens and Edits the report. Or will they????
Or perhaps it's one of those spins, humans can't catch "Bird Flu" but they can catch the mutated variation. (Also putting this in the rumors thread, searched CNN site but the wording is not the same as they are spouting on the television.
Electric Company
Finally got a chance to speak to my Son in Person this weekend. He works for Progress Energy in Florida. As I told him the latest on the flu he asked all kinds of questions. I was so proud. When he asked about the vaccine and if there was one in the works, he had heard it on TV that there was. He asked is this years regular flu vaccine would help at all. A the end of that part of the conversation he said "No wonder they were Pushing The Flu Shot At Work". He has been with them for several years and they never Pushed the shot before. He did get one.
To me this shows they are listening, just Not Talking.
Rumors or humor, not sure...
I subscribe to an e-mail list at a place called Maplecroft Maps that tracks world economic, environmental, and political threats.

The list moderator sent out a message this a.m. to which some numb nut did a "reply all" when sending an inquiry to the list moderator.

All day long, I've been (as, presumably, has everyone else on the international mailing list) receiving autoresponder "out of office" messages. Most say the person is out for the next few days or next week.

I've blacked the name out below to protect the person's identity, but check out her autoreply message.

Wish I had her job!

Do you think she's started her SIP early?

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 8:51 AM
Subject: [MM] XXXXXXXX is out of the office.

>
> I will be out of the office starting  12/04/2006 and will not return until
> 11/28/2016.
>
>
>


vacation trip to Jupiter, sounds like.n/t


medical information provided is for discussion purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. if you believe you have a medical problem, consult your practitioner.
[ Parent ]
Bird flu in Laos?
Rumour from Crawford Killians H5N1 website:

A journalist in Asia sent me the following this evening (names removed):
Dear Crawford, I received the following message from one of my colleagues who works for a UN agency in Laos. As you know Laos is closed to the international media. Can you put this request out on your blog, asking your readers whether they've heard anything?
Thanks so much

  Really sorry that we are so late with this. We are working in crisis mode right now as a result of a series of fresh AI outbreaks in Vientiane. XXXX has been working on this and says she will try to finish tomorrow, though we will both be working in the field for most of the weekend. We will stay in touch and perhaps send an abbreviated report if needed.

I'm not aware of any readers in Laos, but information flows in wondrous ways. If anyone else knows about H5N1 in Laos, please let me know.

For that matter, I do have visitors from Indonesia and other countries dealing with avian flu. If they have any news from their localities that they're willing to share, I'll be grateful to hear it. If they prefer to remain anonymous, that's OK.
http://crofsblogs.ty...

To calm the wife buy cases of chocolate, to calm the husband buy cases of booze, and to calm the children...... heck the booze and chocolate should work.

It's obviously a concern there
http://www.worldpoul...

Women of Laos fighting bird flu// 02 Feb 2007

For more than a decade, women from the hilly northern part of Laos, have been encouraged to go into poultry breeding as a way of earning a living in Southeast Asia's poorest nation.

Abdulai KaiKai, project officer at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) office in Laos, said in an interview from Vientiane. "The income from the sale of eggs and chicken helps supplement the family income." This initiative came up against a daunting challenge with the onset of the deadly bird-flu virus in many parts of Southeast Asia in recent months.

To counter this, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is again turning to women as the best defenders of their communities. Manoshi Mitra, senior social development specialist at the ADB said, "Giving women the knowledge and tools to stop the spread of avian influenza is absolutely imperative. They will be taught how to identify the disease and equipped with first-aid kits, too."

The project, which gets under way in February, is geared to help poverty-stricken ethnic-minority families that are already disadvantaged because they speak a language that is different from the Lao used by the majority. An estimated 17,000 households in 400 villages are expected to gain from this initiative.

[ Parent ]
more on that story
http://www.atimes.co...

[snip]
Laos has proved a mystery, since the deadly H5N1 strain first appeared in the winter of 2003 in this region and kept reappearing subsequently as temperatures dropped during the winter. Laos has had very few bird-flu outbreaks in its poultry population and none of the country's 5.4 million people has fallen ill.

[ Parent ]
New rumor
Ok. Get your hats out, this is the only info posted as of now:

This courtesy of Nawty Bits on the P4P Tin Foil section. Link provided but membership is required to view this section.

Caveat Lector:

"As of a phone conversation 1/2 hour ago. The situation of H5N1 in Russia is getting out of control."

I've asked for details.

and. . .

An update. Caveat lector:

"First of all its good to converse with you again my friend. My understanding is there are villages in complete quarantine right now. There are over 12,000 people being monitored. They are getting conflicting data on H5N1 and regular influenza. Health ministry is in a bit of chaos and WHO on scene."
http://www.planforpa...
 

lohrewok, thanks for informing
us. I can't see I'm surprised. I just had a feeling based on the news coming out of russia, that it had gotten out of control. And I'm willing to bet, Russia already has a first confirmed case of H5N1 in a human.

Thanks again.

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com

[ Parent ]
Ive had a bad feeling for a couple of days,
In the past, it seemed whenever a country has said "Theres no more bird flu here, we have it contained", a few days later there would be dreadful news.

The news from Russia has just seemed hinky to me.  I'll defantly stay tuned!

Thanks for sharing!

[ Parent ]
Wack-A-Mole .... crisis in Russia, Laos - exhausted officials
Hope they are successful in containment.

On the other hand, there are only so many WHO teams you can send. Are they still in Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, and now Laos?

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.

I'll start my own Rumour.
I've been watching tons of articles on DBD (Dengue) since the floods.  I haven't opened them, not tracking them.  In the back of my mind, I thought, if it's Dengue, o.k.....but if it's not.....it will be out of control shortly.  Then today, I get these articles...KLB is similar to our "State Of Emergency" in the States.

**KLB {for Dengue} in Several cities in Lampung
...collected data on the increase in the number of patients in the month that was same from the year beforehand reached 200 %.

**In the meantime, the Director General I Nyoman Kandun in a tepisah manner in Jakarta said, apart from Banten, the West Javanese Province also has official was stated by KLB for the case of the DBD illness....
Kandun also admitted to at this time monitoring six other provinces that reported the increase in the DBD case that was significant that is Lampung, South Sumatra, the Special Capital District of Jakarta, Central Java, East Java and East Kalimantan.

**The Child's ward the Capacity Surplus

the maintenance Ward of the child RSUD Hadji Boejasin could not still accommodate the patient or over the capacity.
The policy of the use of the room of the VIP of becoming the ward could not overcome the jump of this patient.

Observation BPost, on Monday (19/2), all the room was full.
Moreover one room there are those that was filled up as far as five patients.

In the normal condition (the function of the VIP), the room only for one patient.
Plt Director RSUD Hadji Boejasin Pelaihari H Abdul said, the utilisation of VIP space became the ward was applied since last February 2.

This article is out of Banjarmasin.
Banjarmasin is located in South Kalimanten.  Banjarmasin is right on a major river, that I can't seem to get the name of.  Kalimanten is an Island.  Not affected by the floods of Jakarta....

I am not like other birds of prey....

Hoax bird flu email rumor
Hoax bird flu email sparks panic

A spoof email claiming bird flu is killing people across Sussex has caused panic.

The hoax contains a link to a fake BBC News internet page, with the headline "Government denies human outbreak of bird flu in Sussex".

It reports how, over the past three weeks, hospitals and GP surgeries have been inundated with people suffering flu-like symptoms.

advertisement
It reads: "There have already been 15 deaths in as little as three weeks that are directly associated with this killer bug and, while most of them have been elderly people, at least three were otherwise fit and healthy professionals in their 20s and 30s."

Julie Boucher, 30, of Baden Road, Brighton, contacted The Argus after receiving the email.

The mother of three said: "It really frightened me, as myself and my children have had these exact symptoms for over a week now.

"One of my friends, whose daughter was sent it via MySpace, called the doctor for fear of having contracted the condition."

The man behind the site is Larry Pickleman, a fictional character created by Brighton online animator Dave Watson, 37. Mr Watson told The Argus: "I've had several people coming back to me, some in tears."

He said the hoax, the second he has based on the BBC News site, was a way of making people take a "second look", citing the internet film Loose Change, which claims 9/11 was a Government conspiracy, as an example of people being drawn into believing things that are not true.

Angela Iversen, of the Health Protection Agency, said there was no change in the "pandemic flu alert status level 3", where there is limited transmission between humans.

She said: "We are not aware of any cases in Brighton and Hove."

A BBC spokeswoman said the corporation took copyright infringement seriously and would be contacting the site's owner

Be Prepared

Dennis C
Link?

Be kind, for everyone you meet is engaged in a great struggle.--Philo of Alexandria
[ Parent ]
link
Well that is why I put it under rumors - I was not sure of the source, but this is what I have:

http://www.theargus....

Be Prepared

[ Parent ]
rumor
Now this is a rumor. 
My Germany exchange student said her parakeet just died (W of Berlin).  Her parents tried to replace it and the pet shop said that several people had just (last week or two) lost their birds as well. 

Most likely nothing- just a rumor.  The area has several ponds with migratory birds that have just started arriving. I seem to recall that about this time last year is when Germany started to see bird/cat problems.

again relax it is JUST RUMOR.


Be Prepared

Oregon Legislature considers quarantine bill
I am putting this under rumors since I have not found the source yet.

Oregon health authorities would be able to quarantine large numbers of people who had been exposed to disease-causing organisms under a bill being considered by the Oregon Legislature.

The bill, praised by the ACLU of Oregon but criticized by hospital and law enforcement officials, aims to streamline state health officials' response to public health emergencies while protecting individual rights.

The measure, House Bill 2185, was submitted to the Legislature by Gov. Ted Kulongoski on behalf of the Oregon Department of Human Services. It has been referred to a working group of the Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Ocean

Be Prepared

HB 2185 web link
DennisC,

  Hi. The "Community control measure" implies quaranteen but it is not specified

  Source:
http://www.leg.state...

Kobie

[ Parent ]
Oregon bill is fact, not rumor
HB 2185 would require the appointment of a Public Health Director, and would enable state public health officials to take steps to protect public health in the event of a pandemic.

A public hearing on the bill was held on March 2 by the Emergency Preparedness and Ocean Policy committee. According to the committee chairperson, amendments are currently being worked on by the Legislative Counsel's office and the bill should return to committee on or around April 10th.

The bill authorizes the Public Health Director to impose "public health measures" which are defined as:
a test, medical examination, treatment, isolation, quarantine or other measure imposed on an
individual or group of individuals in order to prevent the spread of or exposure to a communicable disease, toxic substance or transmissible agent.

The current language of the bill is here:
http://www.leg.state...

[ Parent ]
New Rumors Jan 1 to ... | 171 comments
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