So Long It’s Been Good To Know You

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine Flu, Disasters1 Comment

So… we're experiencing the deadliest outbreak of ebola in history.  It's so bad that the leading ebola doctor died yesterday.  Fortunately, it is all happening in Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa. But then this happens:   UPDATE:   They were checking out a patient who wanted to be checked out because s/he just came back from a country … Read More

Google Map Of Mass Animal Deaths

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine FluLeave a Comment

If you want to keep track. I assume you all know that animals dies en masse all the time, and what is "happening" now isn't unusual.  It's just that where paying attention and connecting dots, whereas we never did that in the past.

More Animal Carnage

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine FluLeave a Comment

Two million fish in Chesapeake Bay.  The somewhat unconvincing reason for their death, we're told, is "cold weather stress", because (I suppose) the Chesapeake never ever gets cold or something. Let's add this to the recent of spate of silly animal deaths: …hundreds of thousands of fish dying in the Arkansas River near Ozark (experts suspect some type of infection), … Read More

It’s A Bird — Nay, A Plane — Nay, It’s…..

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine FluLeave a Comment

Superbug!  And it's going to kill us all: BOSTON, Massachusetts (AFP) – A new superbug from India thought to be resistant to nearly every known antibiotic poses a global threat, scientists warned Monday, urging health authorities to track the bacteria. "There is an urgent need, first, to put in place an international surveillance system over the coming months and, second, … Read More

E Coli Conservatism

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine Flu, Health Care, RepublicansLeave a Comment

"E Coli conservatism", a phrase coined by Rick Perlstein several years ago, speaks to the call by conservatives to streamline or cut away at government services, and the consequences of such efforts. We're experienceing e coli conservatism now, in the most literal sense of the phrase. You've likely heard about the egg recall that's currently underway, in the wake of … Read More

Vaccine Waiver For Creationists

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine Flu, Godstuff, Health Care1 Comment

This guy has a good point.  If you don't believe in evolution, you should not be getting any flu or H1N1 vaccines.  Why not?  Because flu strains evolve each year, and since you don't believe that living things evolve, then why are you taking a vaccine shot every year?  Especially this year, when flu vaccines are in short supply? Instead, … Read More

Not Fearing The Reaper

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine FluLeave a Comment

Seeing as how the swine flu is no more deadly than the regular strains of flu that pass through every year, nor any more contageous, I'm officially calling this pandemic alert "overhyped" and removing info from the sidebar. (On the other hand, we've got tornado warnings here….)

Bachmania!

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine Flu, Economy & Jobs & Deficit, RepublicansLeave a Comment

Time to spread a little lovin' once again to "America's Worst Legislator"TM, Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN). First of all, she weighs in with her thoughts about the swine flu pandemic alert: "I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president Jimmy Carter," said Bachmann. "And I'm not … Read More

Swine Flu — How Bad Is It?

Ken AshfordAvian/Swine FluLeave a Comment

Not bad, but not good. The World Health Organization raised it to a Phase 4.  The U.S. stll has it at Stage 0, but expect that to go up tomorrow. P.S.  Yes, I know I'm blogging about this a lot.  I don't think we're at death's door, or the fall of civilization is imminent.  I just like the subject matter … Read More