Unless you're a pig, I wouldn't worry about it.

I thought flu season was behind us?

Close the border right now and deport anyone whose last name ends in -ez, -oza, -ada, -ista, -ero or -eda. Problem solved.

Close the border right now and deport anyone whose last name ends in -ez, -oza, -ada, -ista, -ero or -eda. Problem solved.

#2 | POSTED BY COOKFISH

Don't forget -ish.

"Unless you're a pig, I wouldn't worry about it."

Tell that to the thousands of people who have it in Mexico.

it is a flu spread from pigs to humans to humans. it's but one way to narrow down the population.

Tell that to the thousands of people who have it in Mexico.

Let's get our facts straight. Authorities are not even sure about their count.

The WHO's Gregory Hartl said the strain of the virus seen in Mexico -- which may have killed as many as 68 people there, according to that nation's health agency -- is worrisome because it has mutated from older strains.

More than 1,000 people have been sickened in Mexico, and officials are trying to determine how many of those patients have swine influenza, the country's health minister, Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos, said.

"Let's get our facts straight. Authorities are not even sure about their count."

Yes, get your facts straight.

When they talk about case numbers, they're actually talking about REPORTED cases (people who seek medical intervention) and the numbers are of course understating the actual number of people that have contracted the virus.

They have no idea how many people really have it but it's more than likely significantly higher than the 1,000 mark.

"Let's get our facts straight"

As if that ever mattered around here.

"Let's get our facts straight"

As if that ever mattered around here.

When they talk about case numbers, they're actually talking about REPORTED cases (people who seek medical intervention) and the numbers are of course understating the actual number of people that have contracted the virus.

Underestimate overestimate, who the hell knows? Authorities have a reputation for exaggeration, so I would be skeptical until the facts are more certain.

"Underestimate overestimate, who the hell knows? Authorities have a reputation for exaggeration"

But at least you never do.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA~!

this strain may have been cultured in a laboratory:

But at least you never do.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA~!

#11 | Posted by LetUsPrey

The difference between you an me is that I know what I'm talking about. I don't exaggerate.

"this strain may have been cultured in a laboratory:"

No, Nanc, he's saying that the strain they cultured in the lab FROM the patients has never been seen before.

"Underestimate overestimate, who the hell knows? Authorities have a reputation for exaggeration, so I would be skeptical until the facts are more certain."

Exactly.

More concerning than the numbers is the fact that it's a new virus that is now present in multiple locations in the US amongst a naive population (if the New York cases are confirmed as this strain).

"I don't exaggerate."

#13 | Posted by Ray at 2009-04-25 09:28 PM | Reply | Flag: exaggeration

OBAMA`S FAULT.............

oh good, something to distract us from elite lying, cheating and stealing that's going on.

"it's a ruse - planned."

#12 | Posted by nanc at 2009-04-25 09:26 PM | Reply | Flag: idiot

This has been predicted for a long time, I very much hope the CDC folks are wrong, as I am sure they hope too. The Spanish Influenza of 1918 was the closest we come to understanding the plague. I hope this is not a replay of history.

AHHHHHH!!

SHUT THE BORDERS!! DEPORT PEOPLE!!

THE TIME IS NOW TO OVERREACT!!

This may become a "pandemic" in the sense of the worldwide spread of an epidemic of a bug, but it is nowhere near as virulent as the infamous H5N1 strain or the H1N1 strain of 1918. This is a swine-adapted H1N1 strain that has probably reassorted with (essentially fucked and made babies with) a human-adapted strain and acquired the ability to be transmitted efficiently. We aren't completely naive hosts to this strain, thankfully - but enough so that it is potentially problematic.

This is a wake-up call. If some nasty H5N1 virus had evolved the capacity to transmit efficiently between humans like this strain has, we would be in a world of hurt right now.

I don't exaggerate.

#13 | Posted by Ray at 2009-04-25 09:28 PM | Reply | Flag: Biggest fish story of all time

This is a wake-up call. If some nasty H5N1 virus had evolved the capacity to transmit efficiently between humans like this strain has, we would be in a world of hurt right now.

It's just a matter of time until something comes up that we can't fight. If AIDS was more communicable, we'd be there now. Mother Nature always wins in the end.

Captain Trips, anyone?

"I don't exaggerate.

#13 | Posted by Ray at 2009-04-25 09:28 PM | Reply | Flag: Biggest fish story of all time'

#23 | Posted by nullifidian at 2009-04-25 10:37 PM | Reply | Flag: exaggeration

"Captain Trips, anyone?"

#24 | Posted by goatman at 2009-04-25 10:38 PM | Reply | Flag: Decades too late, but someone who was there owns the rig.

Fox news is making the biggest noise about it so my guess is some pharmaceutical company has a vaccine they want to scare everyone into buying. Fox never reports news that is not backed by big money.

Ringmaster - tamiflu, rumsfeld, google.

Avoid crowds. Wash hands.

You are all going to die anyway.
I have long since outlived my childhood friends.

Mother Nature's a bitch at heart and now she is pissed. No one beats her!

This week, Obama met a guy in Mexico who died the next day of flu.

Coincidence?

Or is this starting to sound rather suspicious to anyone else?

thankfully it hits only those between 25-45 - which leaves my immediate family OFF the hook.

thankfully it hits only those between 25-45 - which leaves my immediate family OFF the hook.

God made it that what to protect you Nanc

This week, Obama met a guy in Mexico who died the next day of flu.

Coincidence?

Or is this starting to sound rather suspicious to anyone else?

No.

I have long since outlived my childhood friends.

www.virtualwall.org

#28 | Posted by Zatoichi at 2009-04-25 10:59 PM | Reply | Flag: Just like Superman!

This week, Obama met a guy in Mexico who died the next day of flu.

So is Mexico going to charge Obama with involuntary manslaughter, or what?

"Just like Superman!"

One little detail, asshole.

Bill Malone was a real person who died when he was 21.

Ringmaster - tamiflu, rumsfeld, google.

Thanks, I should have guessed that. Me bad!

Any way after, clap, gonorrhea, herpes, genital warts, black clap, hepatitis, meningitis and crabs, and aids, fuck the flu.

This week, Obama met a guy in Mexico who died the next day of flu.

Coincidence?

Or is this starting to sound rather suspicious to anyone else?

No.

#33 | Posted by nullifidian

LOL. Very good.

Congrats on a most excellent retort.

"Congrats on a most excellent retort."

#39 | Posted by BENDOR at 2009-04-25 11:43 PM | Reply | Flag: self-retort

Any way after, clap, gonorrhea, herpes, genital warts, black clap, hepatitis, meningitis and crabs, and aids, fuck the flu.

You forgot syphilis - bigpox.

#26

Yea, WHO bases everything on Fox News.

It looks as though this swine flu virus may actually be a pandemic, something the medical field says has been long overdue.

While this swine flu virus has killed people of all ages, according to all the news reports "most of the dead were aged 25 to 45, a worrying sign because a hallmark of past pandemics has been high fatalities among healthy young adults."

Normally the flu usually kills only the elderly and the very young who have weakened and/or undeveloped immune systems. A pandemic will kill all ages, as was seen during the influenza outbreak of 1917-1918.

#36 | Posted by Zatoichi

Oops. Sorry about that, Zat. I blame it on the blackberry kush.

Chris- seasonal influenza kills hundreds of thousands every year. This bug has only killed a few dozen, and it has likely infected many thousands to have spread this far. As far as excess deaths go (this is measure of pandemic severity) this one isn't bad. Yet. It may be more virulent than circulating human H1N1 strains, but my gut tells me that humanity is getting off easy this time. We'll see what happens next - if there's one thing influenza does reliably, that's evolve incredibly fast. As far as developing into something that spreads worldwide, I would not be surprised if that happened. I don't think it will compare to 1918, though.

Humans have been exposed to H1N1 strains since 1918, and they have circulated constantly since 1977, Though this is a new H1N1 strain, it is not completely new to humans. The deaths in young, healthy adults are generally a sign of a new, poorly-adapted strain that kills you by ramping up your immune system to the point where the immune response does more damage than the virus. Predisposed individuals can really be messed up by these viruses, especially if they get a bacterial infection on top of it (MRSA pneumonia or something like that on top of your flu).

Anyway until we get the all-clear from the CDC, I would advise not sharing crackpipes.

We should be fine. Ted Kennedy is not pounding on the pulpit yet.

"Chatter" intercepted by NSA...

Oink oink... oink oink oink... Obama.... Oink!

Hot dog... oink oink... hot dog..... wiener...

Oink oink... oink oink oink... Obama.... Oink!

Oink oink... cough... I blame Pakistan. Somehow, this is your fault. Probably because you do not eat pigs, so you thought you would be safe. But then your creation mutated into something that could get passed around between people.

Hot dog... oink oink... hot dog..... wiener...

I eat kosher hot dogs, thank you very much. I prefer not to eat mystery-meat sticks made with the reprocessed scrapings from the bottom of a meatpacking plant.

Has Barry received medical treatment for any afflictions after his BLAME AMERICA TOUR like prior to the election.
PS: Where are the BIRTH RECORDS, Medical Records, School Application Records and FUNDING for Haaervaaard. WHY ARE THESE SEALED TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY? (BHO Spent Approx $100 M to defend lawsuits re: his

Spent $199 m to defendend Birf Records

Spent $199 m to defendend Birf Records

Has Barry received medical treatment for any afflictions after his BLAME AMERICA TOUR like prior to the election.
PS: Where are the BIRTH RECORDS, Medical Records, School Application Records and FUNDING for Haaervaaard. WHY ARE THESE SEALED TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY? (BHO Spent Approx $100 M to defend lawsuits re: his

#50 | Posted by JROD at 2009-04-26 01:20 AM | Reply | Flag:

Spent $199 m to defendend Birf Records

#51 | Posted by JROD at 2009-04-26 01:29 AM | Reply | Flag:

Spent $199 m to defendend Birf Records

#52 | Posted by JROD at 2009-04-26 01:29 AM | Reply | Flag:

I'm convinced. Who can refute such an awesome barrage of facts wedded with wit and erudition?

I eat kosher hot dogs

Same here. Made in Pak... so it's not like I can have pork, LOL. Chicken or turkey, usually... sometimes beef.

I blame Pakistan.

That's what the Aussie Cricket team once said... we gave them diarrhea, or something... and they lost the match. Sore losers, the Aussies, swear. They bitch and moan like you won't believe.

My dad still hasn't retired and still a world traveler at 73 YO with his business will eat anything except sausage, he says. He said you have no idea what can be in it.

My dad still hasn't retired and still a world traveler at 73 YO with his business will eat anything except sausage, he says. He said you have no idea what can be in it.

That is very wise of him actually.

"President" Karsick of Afghanistan was once an owner of a kabab-house in Quetta where the khanzeer (swine) lived as a refugee.

Everyone got sick as a dog who ate his kababs. Probably made them out of dog-food...

I eat kosher hot dogs

Are they circumcised or what?

Tosser-
When you write "dog-food", I'm not sure what you mean.

Probably made them out of dog-food...

There was a Mexican restaurant in Dallas in the '60s, Pancho's Jr. that made some of their dishes out of dog food. An investigative reporter rooted through their trash and found the cans.

At least it was Alpo.

When you write "dog-food", I'm not sure what you mean.

It's what I would feed you.

Confusion finished?

Now read Goatee's post for better explanation.

Are they circumcised or what?

It sez "halal" on them....

ZombieHunter

Chris- seasonal influenza kills hundreds of thousands every year. This bug has only killed a few dozen, and it has likely infected many thousands to have spread this far. As far as excess deaths go (this is measure of pandemic severity) this one isn't bad...Yet....

"Yet" is right. Coast-to-Coast did a segment on this swine flu tonight and had some author who wrote a book about pandemics on the show. He said one of two boys who had gotten sick with the swine flu (but have both since recovered) had been on an airline trip to Dallas (before authorities knew he had been infected) but no one knows where the rest of the passengers are now.

The author also said a tell-tale sign things are much worse than authorities are letting on will be when you see the President on tv telling everyone "things are being handled and under control" and that that's the time "to get the hell out of Dodge" lol. He also said so many hospitals and clinics have cut their staff numbers to save money so many larger cities are extremely shorthanded and wouldn't be able to handle it. Guess we'll just have to keep aware and follow the numbers of people who get sick. Already Kansas and NYC have been hit and of course CA and TX.

They also said if the Mexican government tries to quarantine which they have said they would do it more got sick, then a lot of people will refuse and try and leave the country.

Tosser --

Meant to get back to you for awhile now on your 4-part video about the flower show in Pakistan. Yes, I watched them all! Your friend Shabaz Hasan did a nice job for his first video attempt. I liked the different music he played for each of the four segments (kind of quirky and cool and fit in well). Also like the beginning and ending shots of the video (zooming in from high in the air for the first segment and then zooming back out again at the end of the 4th segment) was a nice touch. Tell him he did pretty good for his first try.

Were you kidding when you said the guy in the middle at the ending shot of the 4th video was you? It wouldn't surprise me if it was as you are more mature and knowledgeable than the 14 yr old kid you're often accused of being. lol!

Were you kidding when you said the guy in the middle at the ending shot of the 4th video was you?

Yes, I was kidding. He's over 80 years old and is the president of Pakistan Horticultural Society.

Also like the beginning and ending shots of the video (zooming in from high in the air for the first segment and then zooming back out again at the end of the 4th segment) was a nice touch.

Made with Google Earth and screen capture software.

Tell him he did pretty good for his first try.

I'll tell him.

This week, Obama met a guy in Mexico who died the next day of flu.

Coincidence?

Or is this starting to sound rather suspicious to anyone else?

#30 | Posted by BENDOR at 2009-04-25 11:07 PM | Reply | Flag:

Are you suggesting that Obama is 'Typhoid Mary.....or perhaps 'Flu Barry'?

It's what I would feed you.

Confusion finished?

Now read Goatee's post for better explanation.

#60 | Posted by Tosser at 2009-04-26 02:34 AM | Reply | Flag:

C'mon, over there in that shit-hole you call home, it's probably a delicacy.

C'mon, over there in that shit-hole you call home, it's probably a delicacy.

And in the debt-ridden, swine-flu infested, shit-hole YOU call home, dog-food is probably looking good right now... but no, we only keep it to feed you lot if you ever show up. LOL

...dog-food is probably looking good right now.

Actually, it's looking pretty good to me right now. We just had one of those very, very rare bad meals on the rig. Fortunately that happens only once or twice a year.

Actually, it's looking pretty good to me right now.

If you are in an emergency... and I am being serious now... I have been told, it is far better to have tins of cat-food (not dog-food) with you than human-food.

We just had one of those very, very rare bad meals on the rig.

Was it fish?

I hate fresh-water fish.... I love ocean salt-water fish. The worst fish I ever had was fresh-water fish.

Or maybe the cook was just bad at cooking river-fish (army cook...).

If you are in an emergency...

When I was in the Navy, we had a fire fighting substance they called 'protein foam'. When mixed with water with a special aerating nozzle, it created a foam that would blanket a fire. The stuff was made out of bovine blood.

We were always told that if the ship went down, to grab one of the 5 gallon buckets of it to subsist on in case the C-rats ran out.

What is special about cat food? I heard that cat food had absolutely no vegetable matter whereas dogfood was mixed with sorghum or some other grain.

Was it fish?

No. But yesterday we had a tuna someone had just caught. The grill was fired up for steaks. The fish was great.

This isn't the one we had Saturday, but it is one I helped land (I didn't hook it) a couple of years ago. It was 116 lbs, 7 lbs short of the rig record:

I hate fresh-water fish....

Have you ever had trout? Grilled or broiled trout is to die for.

Fried catfish is very good, too, but it is an acquired taste. You may not like it. But I don't know how a fish eater could dislike trout.

I don't think it was trout. It was called "rao" in the local language. Trout is called something else.

Tuna me likes. That pic is great.

I don't think I have ever had trout. Most times the fish I have is a deep ocean fish called "paplet" (pomfret). It's fried in thin slices like a biscuit.

And about cat-food... it's very energy rich. Two spoonfuls of the disgusting crap should keep you going for a day or two.

Some cat-food I get is in gravy, some is "in jelly". I have no idea what which is less disgusting... both smell.

I think what I have heard about cat-food applies mainly to those crunchy cat-biscuits. They don't seem disgusting.

The big one upthread was a yellow fin, of course. Here is a pic of a smaller yellow fin from a couple of months ago: (yes, that's pig again. He's a good fisherman)

It was called "rao" in ...

That's not 'carp' is it? Asians (especially chinese) eat it. Nasty bottom feeder. I would never touch it.

Fishing in Washington state is where it is at.

I love salmon

carp has too many bones. I had it in a Vietnamese all you can eat once.

It could have been carp. Looked like it.

Nice pics.

It is also just as likely that the cook didn't know what he was doing.

Army cooks cook healthy but they have no idea of taste. All they do is cut up everything throw it in a pot and then it's eat or fuck off.

Navy cooks are different. They know their stuff. But they have have other problems... seem to have an antagonistic relationship with the sailors... specially with the special marine forces.

In fact, in the test for OOD (officer on duty) they have a hypothetical question:

"Suppose Cookie goes crazy, picks up a gun and goes out of control, what will your response be as OOD?"

Another Barack Obama effort to distract Americans from his FAILED ECONOMIC POLICIES. First, it was all the torture news and now this.

Facts are that 36,000 Americans die every year from the regular seasonal flu here in the U.S. alone. 200,000 Americans are hospitalized every year from the regular flu. 40 cases or so in the U.S. and the liberal media goes nuts. Nice work with the Panic Button libs. I am sure the pig flu will used to push national healthcare.

Check the facs that the Obama administration would tell you:

I meant to say check the facts that the Obama Administration WON'T tell you.

By the way, why hasn't Obama picked a Surgeon General or Director of the CDC if he is so in to healthcare?

#86 | Posted by utastaff

I would guess that (1) the SG is mostly an advocacy position and not essential to "health care" per se, and (2) Sebellius was just confirmed a few days ago for HHS.

Next.

Why the panic over the pig flu when there are only 40 cases in the U.S. with no deaths while the commoon flu kills over 36,000 and hospitalizes 200,000 every year in the U.S.?

If this was such a big deal, why is the President out playing golf?!!!!! He shook the hands of one fo the guys who died from the pig flu when he was in Mexico.

Even the dumb libs know this is a set-up to push nationalized healthcare.

Even the dumb libs know this is a set-up to push nationalized healthcare.

Posted by utastaff at 2009-04-27 02:03 PM

Riiight! Maybe Obama started the pandemic! Yeah, that's the ticket!

There is no pandemic as of yet. Even if there were he would not be anymore responsible as George W. Bush was for causing Hurricane Katrina.

There is no question that Obama will exploit the situation in Mexico to push nationalized healthcare in the U.S.

I find it interesting that as his press war room causes pandemic panic while Obama is out golfing. Really shows he doesn't give a rats ass.

UTA-
Obama wishes to cause a panic, so he behaves as if everything is under control...

Clever bastard!

Be consistent. Katrina was Bush's fault.

Now Obama is even more complicit. He goes down to Mexico and the "epidemic" begins and now is manifesting itself in the U.S.

Wait until Jeffndenmark and Buffalo Bob begin to work with this. Well, not Buffalo since Obama is a sacrosanct object of worship. But Jeff will have a go at it.

I would like you all to keep in your consciousness that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Now with Obama fancying himself as the Messiah, and with many of his worshippers also convinced of his status, why doesn't Obama cure all folks suffering from the flu, any sort of flu? Why is he requiring this use of regular resources in an attempt to minimize the flu's impact? Come on Obama. Haven't your followers proven their devotion sufficiently yet for you to exercise your powers.

We'll see what the clown-in-chief will do. Maybe he should hold a mass meeting copying some of the good old evangelists, and "save" America by intervening and destroying "the flu," which has afflicted his people. Obama could at least emulate Moses, and tell his followers what they need to do to avoid the modern-day plague of the flu.

Do you believe - in Obama? Come on, Moses did it.

Wait until Jeffndenmark and Buffalo Bob begin to work with this. Well, not Buffalo since Obama is a sacrosanct object of worship. But Jeff will have a go at it.

He's already on it.

Idiot Fundo....

Why open mouth when we already know what will come out?

212 words, btw... in one freaking post..... but who's counting?

Johnson doesn't want to remember the fact that Obama's "stimulus plan" had flu preparedness funds set aside - and republicans (Johnson's party of choice) raised hell about it.

Why open mouth when we already know what will come out?

He has to purge himself of the bullshit that builds up inside of him every day.

Johnson doesn't want to remember the fact that Obama's "stimulus plan" had flu preparedness funds set aside - and republicans (Johnson's party of choice) raised hell about it.

#95 | Posted by ZombieHunter

Writing in a column in the Wall Street Journal in February, Rove attacked Democrats for what he dubbed as reckless spending stimulus money being doled out to industries "that added jobs last year."

Among them? Education and healthcare.

What nefarious programs were Democrats trying to insert? Among other things, Rove cited $900 million for "pandemic flu preparations."

What nefarious programs were Democrats trying to insert? Among other things, Rove cited $900 million for "pandemic flu preparations."

Brilliant! Karl Strangerove, riding the Republican Party down to it's inevitable demise.

Haha I didn't notice it at first, but it's kind of an "Engrish" version of the word "Strangelove".

He has to purge himself of the bullshit that builds up inside of him every day.

Swear... book publishing here is dirt cheap.

I can find a publisher for this idiot and he can collect all the drivel he has put down here and make a big fat book out of it which he use to bang on his head whenever he feels an episode coming on.

Is Texas getting any antiviral medication from the federal CDC as Perry has requested?

Does this mean that secession is off the table for a while?

It was the Democrat contolled Congress that removed funding for pandemic flus.

"The House of Representatives had included $900 million in pandemic preparedness funds in its version of the massive stimulus package, but it appeared that all but $50 million was removed by the conference committee that ironed out differences between the House and Senate versions, said Richard Hamburg, government relations director for the nonpartisan, nonprofit group Trust for America's Health (TFAH)."

"The $50 million left in the bill, listed as a Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, is for improving information technology security at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Hamburg said."

I can find a publisher for this idiot and he can collect all the drivel he has put down here and make a big fat book out of it which he use to bang on his head whenever he feels an episode coming on.

We don't want him to finish his manifesto too soon. There's a thing about American terrorists - they like to write a bunch of crazy incomprehensible shit for posterity before they go off to blow something up. It's the insane pseudo-intellectual's equivalent to ululation... though somehow I don't think that terrorists in your neck of the woods actually do that. Anyway I'd like to keep Johnson working on his rant for as long as possible. It could very well save lives.

It was removed to appease Republicans, dumbass.

You SOB's also seem to think of volcano monitoring as "pork".

As far as ululation goes, well, I'd like to see what happens if a woman tried to do that while giving me a blowjob.

You SOB's also seem to think of volcano monitoring as "pork".

Ah, swine flu is our punishment for too much pork in the budget. God works in mysterious ways, according to Nanchre the Wanker.

ululation... though somehow I don't think that terrorists in your neck of the woods actually do that.

Only Arab women do that (at weddings).

It is not physically possible for any other human to make that awful sound.

Or you can ululate while bike jousting.

OK, so the guy is off his bike and in the dirt. What is the need to beat up on him and trash him even further? LOL

I think the Swine Flu originated within the walls of Congress with the pork saturated budget, bailout, and stimulus.

It is not physically possible for any other human to make that awful sound.

I'm neither Arab nor a woman, and I can do a fair job. It's a hit at parties... do a little "lalalalalala" and then suck down a 32 oz beer bong.

I do think it would be quite interesting to get a blowjob that way... what with the tongue motions that are required. Hell, I can think of a way that I could please the ladies, too... the next person I perform cunnilingus on will thank you for giving me this idea.

Is "ululate" not the coolest word ever?

OK, so the guy is off his bike and in the dirt. What is the need to beat up on him and trash him even further? LOL

What's the need for a stripper to put tassels on her nipples? The boobs are already there for everyone to see.

Is "ululate" not the coolest word ever?

It would probably be in my top 20 coolest english words. Along with "titillate".

I think the Swine Flu originated within the walls of Congress with the pork saturated budget, bailout, and stimulus.

And the disease is making ordinary Americans suffer...

A titillating ululation?

What's the need for a stripper to put tassels on her nipples?

usually it's a local ordinance requiring the nipples to be covered.

usually it's a local ordinance requiring the nipples to be covered

What?!

Here I go thinking that there's this strange sub-population of men that actually likes that sort of stuff (or that strippers have gnarly nipples that they don't want to show).

It was removed to appease Republicans, dumbass.
#105 | Posted by BetelG
___________________________

What wisom the Democrats have! They control the House and the Senate with such numbers that they did NOT need one single Republican vote to pass the Stimulus Bill. Fact!

So they threw out $900 million for pandemic flu prepardness and replaced with with "$8 billion for high-speed rail projects, for example, including money that could benefit a controversial proposal for a magnetic-levitation rail line between Disneyland, in California, and Las Vegas, a project favored by Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.). The 311-mph train could make the trip from Sin City to Tomorrowland in less than two hours, according to backers."

No to flu but yes to a Disneyland levitation train. Nice! Democrats are smart. Not!

#119 | Posted by utastaff

But apparently smarter than some posters who are stuck in old, discredited talking points.

(By the way - its looks like a major portion of the rail money is going to go to LA. Not L.A.)

But apparently smarter than some posters who are stuck in old, discredited talking points.

what talking points? he posted a Washington Post article. It would appear as though there is $8 billion included for this rail project.

It would appear as though there is $8 billion included for this rail project.

#121 | Posted by eberly

There was 8 billion included in total for ALL high speed rail and mass transit projects. There were no specific projects funded. All mass transit projects were eligible to compete for those funds, with those most "shovel ready" getting preference.

Did you notice the article was 2 1/2 months old?

They control the House and the Senate with such numbers that they did NOT need one single Republican vote to pass the Stimulus Bill. Fact!

False. They need to reach 60 votes, which they do not have.

(You fuckin' idiot, UTA)

Let's be brutally honest here Democrats. The Democrats in Congress did not need one single Republican vote in the House or the Senate to pass the stimulus bill because of their clear majorities in both chambers. Fact! Fact! Fact!

If there was not $900 million for pandemic flu preparedness, it is because the Democrats in Congress decided they did not want it in there.

End of discussion. There is no debate here on this issue.

End of discussion. There is no debate here on this issue.

Posted by utastaff

Standard "final" post by one who has completely and utterly failed in their argument.

UTA-
re: "The Democrats in Congress did not need one single Republican vote in the House or the Senate to pass the stimulus bill because of their clear majorities in both chambers. Fact! Fact! Fact!"

You are simply wrong. It has become the norm to require 60 voted in the senate to pass anything that is contested.

Don't you get tired of being so fucking wrong, UTA, or do you even notice?

You're an idiot, UTA.

Adios!

Fact! Fact! Fact!
#124 | Posted by utastaff

The depth and breadth of your ignorance is of Marianas Trench proportions.

"What wisom the Democrats have! They control the House and the Senate with such numbers that they did NOT need one single Republican vote to pass the Stimulus Bill. Fact!

#119 | Posted by utastaff at 2009-04-27 04:17 PM"

Cloture? What's cloture?

Utastiff

Cloture?

Pffffffftttt! That's when blood stops bleeding, idiot.

-University of Texas-Arlington Custodial Staff

There was 8 billion included in total for ALL high speed rail and mass transit projects. There were no specific projects funded. All mass transit projects were eligible to compete for those funds, with those most "shovel ready" getting preference.

Fair enough.

You are simply wrong. It has become the norm to require 60 voted in the senate to pass anything that is contested.

How did the senate vote on this? what was the tally?

I am feeling like all these white Democrats are ganging up on me all at once because I am black. I am racially sensitive and I am deeply disturbed by all this apparent racial hatred.

I am awaiting my apologies Democrats. Please start typing them now.

Cloture?

That's what your mommy tells you to clean up, right?

-University of Texas-Arlington Custodial Staff

"I am awaiting my apologies Democrats. Please start typing them now.

#132 | Posted by utastaff at 2009-04-27 05:02 PM"

Shut your piehole, Buckwheat.

Do these dumb Democrats think that the Republicans would have tried to filibuster the Stimulus Bill over $900 for flu pandemic prepardness but let all the other billions in pork go through?

Come the fuck on! Please!

And Montecore,

Love the Buckwheat comment. Typical liberal Democrat racist remark. Nice to see that Democrats have have not given up on over 150 years of racism from Confederate General Robert E. Lee in 1850's to Bull Connor in the 1960's to Montecore today. Well done.

I am feeling like all these white Democrats are ganging up on me all at once because I am black. I am racially sensitive and I am deeply disturbed by all this apparent racial hatred.

I am awaiting my apologies Democrats. Please start typing them now.

#132 | Posted by utastaff

Stupidity and ignorance know no color lines.

Two More Mexican Flu Cases Reported in the US.

Mexican Flu. Mexican Flu.Mexican Flu.

"Well done.

#135 | Posted by utastaff at 2009-04-27 05:23 PM"

Thanks, Darkie!

Sorry--but I have very little confidence in the gov't and the CDC or Mexico for that matter.

Of course other countries will do more to protect their countries than we will do here for the US.

Oh and don't use the "Q" word (quarantine) that is not a PC word used by the PC crowd running the political CDC.

Because the borders are open--illegal immigrants are coming over--will be sick and go to our hospitals and pass along the swine flu to everyone there.

WHO raised the threat level to 4 out of 6. When was the last time that happened?

I am awaiting my apologies Democrats. Please start typing them now.

You'll have my apology the day I see you bend over and toss your own salad.

I love what Fox is doing on Wednesday. Barack Obama is having yet another primetime news conference (no doubt about the pig flu but no remarks on the White House authorizing a low fly-over NYC scaring the crap out of millions) but Fox will not show it. They are airing an episode of the series "Lie To Me" instead. Awesome! You just can't make this stuff up.

#141 | Posted by utastaff

Excellent! I'm sure you'll tune in. It will help keep your record of being completely uninformed intact.

I think the U.S.A. is about to be reminded why it has borders.

Could we even secure the Mexican border?

Could we even secure the Mexican border?

We could secure it against illegal immigrants if we had the political will to do so - but even then a few would still get across. It would be even more difficult to truly seal the border against all travel. It would be next to impossible to seal it against a virus capable of airborne human-human transmission. Not unless you wanted to shoot anyone who approaches it before they get within sneezing range.

Besides, it is already far too late to take that step in this situation.

We could secure it against illegal immigrants if we had the political will to do so - but even then a few would still get across. It would be even more difficult to truly seal the border against all travel. It would be next to impossible to seal it against a virus capable of airborne human-human transmission. Not unless you wanted to shoot anyone who approaches it before they get within sneezing range.

Besides, it is already far too late to take that step in this situation.

#144 | Posted by ZombieHunter

I can't argue with anything you just stated.

The question is...

...is it good or bad that we can't affectionately close the border?

Should we have already invested the needed resources and political will to make closing our borders a possibility - in time of war or national catastrophe, some would argue that capability to be reasonably necessary.

Or, would that be a fools errand without any hope of actualization? Are we simply stuck with open borders?

Glad I stocked up on surgical masks over the weekend - shortages are everywhere now.

Affectively, not affectionately! Yep - that was a gay mistake.

This is looking more and more like a bio engineered threat..

I have always wondered about the possibility of nationalistic corporate espionage in the form of a bio-engineered virus in order to gain economic advantage.

Let me coin the new phrase..

State Sponsored Bio-Corporate Terrorism.

In this case the virus seems to be tailored to Mexican nationality to cause maximum pain..who would gain from that?

I have always wondered about the possibility of nationalistic corporate espionage in the form of a bio-engineered virus in order to gain economic advantage.

24 Season 3...I mean 4?

"This is looking more and more like a bio engineered threat.."

And the evidence for that is what?

And the evidence for that is what?

Articles posted by Skidmark and transmissions from CIA satellites that he can hear in his head.

As far as I can tell, there are no reports of infected pigs that could have passed on the virus. How did it get the name 'swine'?

I don't know. It's one of those important details that bothers me.

Pigs are proverbial witches cauldrons of virus production.

Authorities believe this virus is a combination of swine, bird, and human flu virus strains - brewed up in a pig somewhere down in Mexico.

Or, at least that's the story.

Brewed up on a pig? Some mad scientist? One pig? Doesn't make sense.

Should we have already invested the needed resources and political will to make closing our borders a possibility - in time of war or national catastrophe, some would argue that capability to be reasonably necessary.

Or, would that be a fools errand without any hope of actualization? Are we simply stuck with open borders?

It is possible to close the border with the military, but in the time it takes to do so, a highly contagious disease would already have entered the country, and there is the very real risk of the border guards being infected themselves. The US can close its borders, but I bet it is impossible to do that quickly enough to stop the spread of a disease. By the time that a government decides it needs to close the border, there are likely already people in the country who are infected.

I wouldn't mind if they deployed the military along the border to deal with immigration - that's a job better suited to them. A reverse quarantine of an entire nation is not exactly feasible, but ordinary border defense is. The influx of immigrants from mexico needs to stop, and then the issue of those that are already here can be addressed.

As far as I can tell, there are no reports of infected pigs that could have passed on the virus. How did it get the name 'swine'?

There are A/H1N1 viruses that circulate in pigs, and back in the day there was a situation where people caught some nasty ones from infected pigs. It spurred pandemic fears, I think in the '70's. I think the name stuck.

Brewed up on a pig? Some mad scientist? One pig? Doesn't make sense.

#154 | Posted by Ray

Yes. With just a single pig (or bird or human) it is always possible a pandemic virus can be hatched and released into the environment.

A single virus can mutate (combine useful features from one or more flu strains into an entirely new strain), reproduce itself, and spawn an epidemic or pandemic.

24 Season 3...I mean 4?

#148 | Posted by kanrei

never watched that shitty excuse for a show..

And the evidence for that is what?

Articles posted by Skidmark and transmissions from CIA satellites that he can hear in his head.

#150 | Posted by ZombieHunter

By the express probability that a virus with the genes exhibiting both avian, swine AND human markers decides to rear its head in one of the largest cities in the world. Coincidence.. I think not..

BTW Zoonotic diseases are quite common (E Coli, Campylobacter,Salmonella) even reverse Zoonosis..but multiple species with no common genetic compatibility is odd.

and to whom it may concern.. I have canceled my satellite subscription to the CIA voices in my head since 1- its not in HD and 2- too many commercials..

"By the express probability that a virus with the genes exhibiting both avian, swine AND human markers decides to rear its head in one of the largest cities in the world. Coincidence.. I think not.."

Still no evidence I see.

By the express probability that a virus with the genes exhibiting both avian, swine AND human markers decides to rear its head in one of the largest cities in the world. Coincidence.. I think not..

What you have in these different influenza viruses are a bag of weed, rolling papers, and a lighter. Nature is a pothead.

but multiple species with no common genetic compatibility is odd.

Not when you look at the biochemistry. Influenza gets into your cells by binding sialic acid on the outside of your cells. Birds, dogs, horses, pigs, humans... we all have sialic acid on the outside of our cells.

Humans have sialic acid attached by one sort of linkage in their respiratory tract, and birds have sialic acid bound by a different linking pattern in their GI tract (flu is a GI disease in birds). Pigs have both kinds in their respiratory tract and can catch all sorts of influenza viruses - not just swine-adapted ones. This is very bad for us.

Influenza has a segmented genome, so each individual piece of the genome can float around in the cell and when new viruses are made, there is no discrimination between the origin of the segments when they are packaged into new viral particles. If a pig happens to be simultaneously infected by a human-adapted strain and a bird-adapted strain, for example, you can get progeny that are basically a mix between the two. The process is called "reassortment". Pigs also have their own influenza viruses that can add their genetic material into the blender - the genetic makeup of this new strain isn't a complete surprise. The ecology of these viruses is very important - and pigs play a central role in the evolution of new human pandemic strains.

This has happened a lot in the history of influenza - reassortment is how a pandemic is born. Influenza has two main "antigens" - the proteins your immune system recognizes and attacks - and they're contained on different genome segments. The H1 and N1 in H1N1 refer to the specific antigens and their family, so to speak. There is considerable diversity within these antigen families, though, and even more between them. If a human influenza virus acquires a new antigen through reassortment, and humans have never been exposed to it before, it can be bad news for us.