swine flu, coming pandemic?

[themadscientist]

One could be forgiven for panicing. http://www.who.int/csr/disease....htmlh ... /swineflu/

We are long overdue for a pandemic. I don't mean I want one, but statistically it should have happened already.http://www.lacrossetribune.com...d.txtQuote »Ready or not, a flu pandemic is coming, says Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[/quote]Now, I think the question of whether this goes pandemic is above us all, no epidemiologists in the house I am guessing. The fun question, the one that should turn this thread into one bumpy-a** ride.

Is it a man-made virus purposefully released to1. depopulate the world to a certain extent2. allow the governments of the world to suspend civil liberties and enact martial law3. paving the way to, a. forced immunizations of whatever they choose to fire into you, RFID perhaps.b. forcing people into concentration camps, "quarantine"c. seizure of privately owned firearms in the "interests of public order"4. making a weakened populous ready for consolidation under an oppressive world government

That is the nightmare scenario that a great deal of people firmly believe.I believe certain things.

I don't believe it is man made but I am open to the possibility if concrete proof can be presented.

I do believe there will be quarantines and

I do believe this administration will take advantage of this to try to expand power over Ameican citizens. To what extent I don't know, as far as they think they can go. Not ready to wrap my head just yet but I trust government slightly less than a used car salesman.

Here is Mexico City today.

Some interesting historical reading.http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...=5778Some results of that.http://www.haverford.edu/biolo...s.htm

[themadscientist]

Way to swing for left field foul line Jan.http://www.foxnews.com/politic...e-flu/

The United States has activated an emergency plan to combat swine flu as the Obama administration announced measures Sunday to contain the sometimes deadly virus.

Behind the curve but ok.

Travel advisories have not been issued by the State Department, Napolitano said, nor is the United States going to screen passengers on flights arriving from Mexico.

So it's an "emergency", but not enough to screen passengers coming from WHERE WE KNOW THE DAMNED THING IS COMING FROM!?

You will seize my laptop and demand full access to it without reasonable cause but you won't examine people coming from another country that has quarantined its capital city? What?

"If you are sick, stay home," Napolitano said. "Take all of those reasonable measures that will help us mitigate and contain" the illness.

Because the U.S. government is doing the same right?How about this one?

"If you are sick,MEXICO stay home," Napolitano said. "Take all of those reasonable measures that will help us mitigate and contain" the illness. BECAUSE WE ARE'NT ACTUALLY GOING TO DO ANYTHING

Quote »However, Baxter International Inc. of Illinois is working with the World Health Organization on a potential vaccine, the company announced Sunday.[/quote]Time to buy stock in Baxter International methinks.

[Pento240sx]

Well I think that some people are reacting really chaotic, but is just something that in a few months there will be a anti-virus, but may not. I think that is a mutation of the flu and that is much stronger as we see, but also it could be something like the SARS. I bet you that USA probably is going to say that is a terrorlst attempt or something like that. Anyways this world is on it ways to a rough road on these upcoming years. My .02 cents.
Modified by Pento240sx at 5:40 PM 4/27/2009

[WDRacing]

They can TRY to take my guns...lol. But this is TX, everyone on my block is armed. The kids walk around with airsoft guns at age 4...yeah, bring it.

[HashiriyaS14]

Is this for real?

What is WITH the paranoid conspiracy-theory Bull5hit on this board?

Who said anything about guns? Obama could've been pushing for the lifting of the assault weapons ban for the last 100 days, but you'll notice he hasn't. Why? He doesn't care, he wants to avoid it for as long as possible. It's a stupid issue.

What in the BLUE HELL does swine influenza have to do with GUNS?

LOL at *anyone* who thinks the government is orchestrating calamity in order to gain some kind if iron grip on citizens. It won't happen. Come out of your caves, stop stockpiling MRE's, get the f**k over it. The educated world is laughing at you.

[WDRacing]

HEH, I'm just trying to instigate a revolution

[smockers83]

The fun question, the one that should turn this thread into one bumpy-a** ride.

Is it a man-made virus purposefully released to1. depopulate the world to a certain extent2. allow the governments of the world to suspend civil liberties and enact martial law3. paving the way to, a. forced immunizations of whatever they choose to fire into you, RFID perhaps.b. forcing people into concentration camps, "quarantine"c. seizure of privately owned firearms in the "interests of public order"4. making a weakened populous ready for consolidation under an oppressive world government

Sure, only if people in 1580 understood genetics.

[OriginalWheelman]

Who said anything about guns? Obama could've been pushing for the lifting of the assault weapons ban for the last 100 days, but you'll notice he hasn't. Why? He doesn't care, he wants to avoid it for as long as possible. It's a stupid issue.

The assault weapons ban expired a few years ago.

[smockers83]

I also heard tonight that influenza dates back millions of years to the water swallow. No sarcasm, true statement.

[HashiriyaS14]

The assault weapons ban expired a few years ago.

DOH

You got me.

I meant to say that he could have been pushing for the REINSTATEMENT of the Assault Weapons ban.

Good catch.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

DOH

You got me.

I meant to say that he could have been pushing for the REINSTATEMENT of the Assault Weapons ban.

Good catch.

And now we all know you secretly want a gun in every house...

[HashiriyaS14]

And now we all know you secretly want a gun in every house...

Huh?

I mean, yeah, I think it'd be a good idea, but I'm not sure what you're getting at.

I was just trying to illustrate that for as much as gun owners seem to fear Obama, he's gone out of his way in the first 100 days not to make so much as a peep about any kind of new gun legislation, including delaying any kind of reinstated Assault Weapons ban.

He doesn't want to touch the issue. He knows that there are plenty of Rust Belt Democrats out there that are firearms owners and he'd rather not alienate them if he can avoid it.

Frankly, I think he should not EVER reinstate the ban. Not because I care about owning 30 round mags, I think it's f**king stupid either way, but because I think that a Democratic party that can be tolerant and inclusive of the "2nd Amendment" crowd would be a hell of a thing, politically. This has long been a GOP bastion, and I'm curious to see whether or not the Dems can make inroads with this group.

Anyway, back to the f**king Swine Flu. How did this thread ever get hung up on guns? How do guns get into EVERY POLITICAL THREAD?!

[szh]

How did this thread ever get hung up on guns? How do guns get into EVERY POLITICAL THREAD?!

Look at item 3c in the original post in this thread ...

Z

[CakeDaddy]

I think the H1N1 has hit some of you that are talking crazy and rambling about sheit that doesnt even pertatin to the original post Go get some tramaflu and then come back and post something useful.

Guns......

[HashiriyaS14]

Look at item 3c in the original post in this thread ...

Z

Ah, yes. Hence the reason why my original post in this thread was made primarily to point out that the OP was absolutely ridiculous.

That said, I still don't know whether TMS actually buys into this stuff or if he's just lampooning it. The tone wasn't clear to me.

[szh]

Ah, yes. Hence the reason why my original post in this thread was made primarily to point out that the OP was absolutely ridiculous.

That said, I still don't know whether TMS actually buys into this stuff or if he's just lampooning it. The tone wasn't clear to me.

I thought he was joking.

But, as a result of that, the thread direction outcome is not particularly surprising!

Z

[audtatious]

a. forced immunizations of whatever they choose to fire into you

They tried this in 1976 already (not forced but the public was running scared due to the Gov and news media) and the results were disastrous due to side effects.

[themadscientist]

Ah, yes. Hence the reason why my original post in this thread was made primarily to point out that the OP was absolutely ridiculous.

That said, I still don't know whether TMS actually buys into this stuff or if he's just lampooning it. The tone wasn't clear to me.

Read what I wrote.

That is the nightmare scenario that a great deal of people firmly believe.I believe certain things.

I don't believe it is man made but I am open to the possibility if concrete proof can be presented.

I do believe there will be quarantines and

I do believe this administration will take advantage of this to try to expand power over Ameican citizens. To what extent I don't know, as far as they think they can go.

Obama wants our guns, his whole crew is slobbering at the mouth thinking about it. When your whole entorage is on the same sheet of music, you don't have to say the same thing for it to be obvious you feel the same way.

My concern is not just second ammendment, it is civil liberties as a whole. Gun ownership is one strong barrier against out of control government so I see attacks against it as the opening salvo of full blown war against the citizens of this country.

I comment on this budding epidemic because it represents a golden opportunity to make sweeping inroads into our personal freedoms.

From his chief of staff's own foul mouth.http://online.wsj.com/article/....html

"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste,"

If you refuse to look critically at the behavior of this administration, choosing only to sway dutifully as the messiah claims to have no intention of doing what his entire staff overtly does intend to do, I can't help you.

[CakeDaddy]

alright... back on topic. Im too fast for it to catch me.

1976http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMdcRLIrJBI

[HashiriyaS14]

Obama wants our guns, his whole crew is slobbering at the mouth thinking about it. When your whole entorage is on the same sheet of music, you don't have to say the same thing for it to be obvious you feel the same way.

See, and I disagree.

It is politically expedient for him to be "soft on guns" from a Democratic perspective, even if other Dems give him hell for it. At the very least, I'd expect his indifference towards the issue to continue until the 2012 re-election.

I fully expect this to be the first big issue wherein he pushes back on the rest of the party. I actually think the White House is pushing back already, generally telling legislators: "Don't bring it up, we don't want to hear about it". The Dems are on the cusp of finally pushing through health care reform, which would be their biggest victory in half a century. Banning a few weapons with larger magazines or scary appearances isn't worth jeapordizing the larger initiatives. Anyone in the Democratic party with a brain realizes that.

At any rate, the worst that would happen is an assault weapons ban reinstatement, which is a total non-issue anyway. The Democrats are not going to try to make the United States a gun-free nation, it would be political suicide. They'd effectively surrender 100% of rural America right when they're starting to get a hold back on it. Why would they want to do that?

This all comes down to whether or not you think that things like assault weapons bans and registration are part of a larger move to seize ALL firearms or not. I don't think that they are, you probably disagree, and somehow I bet we aren't ever going to convince one another otherwise.

Furthermore, I don't think that EITHER party is interested in limiting personal freedoms just for the sake of limiting personal freedoms. NEITHER party is conclusively the "party of individual liberty", as both seek to expand and restrict different such liberties (i.e. Dems want to restrict gun ownership, GOP wants to restrict abortion, there are dozens of examples). When Rahm said "a crisis is a terrible thing to waste", he meant that this presents a unique opportunity to push through big pieces of the Democratic agenda, like health care and clean energy. He didn't mean that he plans to strip us all of our liberties and put us in concentration camps. I don't think that Bush/Cheney were somehow out to squash all individual freedom either, even though they pushed for things (wiretapping, etc) that could be construed as such.

There are no evil conspiracies. No one is out to get you. Anyone who thinks otherwise is not exhibiting a healthy sense of skepticism and self-preservation, they are a delusional cave-dwelling MRE-hoarding Y2k-fearing moron.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

assault weapons ban reinstatement, which is a total non-issue anyway.

Now back to your regular tinfoil hat thread.

[themadscientist]

In Hong Kong now. Phase 5 pandemic in effect. Let the festivities begin.http://www.reuters.com/article...90501

They could have locked Mexico down at the first sign and possibly have prevented this but governmental incompetence knows no bounds. We had a mariachi band arrive from Mexico yesterday for Cinco di Mayo. My wife works there so if they have it, she will get it, and then so will I. I haven't really been hit hard by a flu since 97' but this strain seems to have a taste for healthy people.

[HashiriyaS14]

blah blah blah bothering me in every thread I post in after we specifically agreed to leave each other the f**k alone and I stopped accosting him long ago blah blah blah

The assault weapons ban is a non-issue in and of itself. Tons of weapons have been imported during the lapse, it'll still be easy enough to get all of them, and it doesn't even cover that many weapons.

No one needs 100-rd dual-drum mags anyway. If you need crazy shxt that bad, go get a Class III. Then you can have whatever you want.

A 10rd semi-auto handgun (in each hand, lol) or a semi-auto shotgun is all anyone needs for home defense against criminal intruders. Anyone who says they need a 100rd drum on their AR to defend against US govt stormtroopers is automatically robbed of all credibility.

But, you know, feel free to disagree, you're allowed. I have no interest in telling you what to think, I'm just giving my opinion. You can feel free to be belligerent about it also, but then you'll disappear.

[themadscientist]

I would love to have a 100 round drum but they don't currently make one in 6.8 and at current prices for ammo that would be one expensive load!

I don't fear stormtroopers, I fear losing my rights in any form. That "nobody needs,,,," argument is a dangerous one. See if you like it when they come after your fuel burning cars. With the coming of electrics, you don't "need" it.

Anybody busting in my house is getting ventilated.

[HashiriyaS14]

I would love to have a 100 round drum but they don't currently make one in 6.8 and at current prices for ammo that would be one expensive load!

I don't fear stormtroopers, I fear losing my rights in any form. That "nobody needs,,,," argument is a dangerous one. See if you like it when they come after your fuel burning cars. With the coming of electrics, you don't "need" it.

Anybody busting in my house is getting ventilated.

And I guess that's just it.

We're allowed to have cars, but we're not allowed to drive open-wheeled racing cars on public roads. People regard this as generally being a reasonable restriction.

We're allowed to own firearms too, but we're not allowed to own RPG-7's. People generally also regard this as a reasonable restriction.

There are other restructions also, maybe a law against super-loud exhausts, or laws against running catless, or laws prohibiting private ownership of machine guns, or super high-cap mags.

Everyone (just about) agrees that there need to be SOME kind of regulations. You can't have convicted felons buying Miniguns at Best Buy anymore than you can have people driving Funny Cars on public highways. The real question is WHERE to draw that line, not whether you should draw it at all. I think that one place to draw the line is OK, you might think somewhere else is a better idea. It's 100% subjective and thus there is little point in arguing over it.

What I disagree with is the idea that drawing ANY line represents some kind of effort to outlaw ALL firearms. That a ban on 100rd drums is the first step toward a ban on all guns. I don't think this is the case, and while I'm sure a few extreme liberals want this to occur, America is a gun-owning nation and I don't think ANYONE is ever going to get the political support to turn the US into, say, the UK, from a gun standpoint. I view this as a GOOD thing, but that doesn't mean I don't support SOME regulation.

Some people, many in here, view *any* effort to regulate any part of firearms ownership as the first step in a nefarious conspiracy to eventually outlaw all guns. This then causes them to take extremist arguing positions as a hedge against what they perceive as being a slippery-slope. I understand the logic, but the problem is that this rationale has framed American gun owners as a bunch of wild-eyed crazies, not as sensible human beings who understand that most freedoms are subject to SOME regulation for the sake of the public good. Most American gun owners aren't wild-eyed crazies, but the normal ones are allowing the vocal wackos within their ranks to paint them in an undesirable light. The "sensible majority" of gun owners need to take back control off their reputation and message.

Free speech, freedom of religion, and most other constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms are subject to certain regulations here and there. You can speak freely, but you can't spread lies about someone that causes them material damage. You can worship where you choose, but if you're religion involves, say, cannibalism or ingesting peyote.....you still can't do it. Everything is always subject to a "reasonableness check", and this check is always a subjective line reached via discussion and compromise. That's how America works, majority sentiment generally dictates where the line is drawn. Luckily for gun owners, majority sentiment will ensure that guns don't disappear, because America is a nation of gun owners. It is not, however, a nation of people who own select-fire FN P90s with 100rd box mags and silencers. The middle will decide the fate of the fringe, majority rules, welcome to democracy.

As majority sentiment in the US changes over time due to changes in average demographics, the regulations applied to certain constitutional freedoms will also change, with the Supreme Court acting as a backstop to ensure that the intentions of the founders is not encroached upon. Nothing is hard and fast, regulations will ebb and flow over time, becoming more, then less, then more substantial, and so on.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

The assault weapons ban is a non-issue in and of itself. Tons of weapons have been imported during the lapse, it'll still be easy enough to get all of them, and it doesn't even cover that many weapons.

No one needs 100-rd dual-drum mags anyway. If you need crazy shxt that bad, go get a Class III. Then you can have whatever you want.

A 10rd semi-auto handgun (in each hand, lol) or a semi-auto shotgun is all anyone needs for home defense against criminal intruders. Anyone who says they need a 100rd drum on their AR to defend against US govt stormtroopers is automatically robbed of all credibility.

But, you know, feel free to disagree, you're allowed. I have no interest in telling you what to think, I'm just giving my opinion. You can feel free to be belligerent about it also, but then you'll disappear.

Wait, what? Listen, I don't bother you in every thread. We disagree a lot, so I do end up opposing you in many threads, but I even keep that in check because I do not want it to feel like I'm e-stalking you.

And an agreement about not accosting? Did I miss something? The closest to an agreement I moved for was for you to stop seemingly coming down on every post I make counter to you with your mod-hammer. You can accost me all you want, I just wanted the "I'm a big mod and when you disagree with me I'll make threats about kicking you off of NICO, etc, etc."

Whatever, man. You're logic is nicely flawed and you constantly fall back on your mod powers. I love our conversations and your moderation, they're both a fountain of the free exchange of information.

On Topic: So how about that swine flu?

[themadscientist]

It seems to have petered out like SARs did. I wonder if it will make a comeback at flu season?

You guys play nice or I'll shoot you with my unregistered .50 caliber machine gun that I use for "hunting".

[RiceRocketGal]

Every year we have influenza pandemics that wipe out 36,000 people in this nation alone. No one raises the pandemic threat level to 5 for that. We have been battling an AIDS pandemic for decades. No WHO announcements on that every 3 hours.

At the time this thing went to a level 4 pandemic with the WHO... we had less than 100 people IN THE WHOLE NATION with it and less than a thousand WORLD WIDE.

We have pandemics every year. Why the WHO and CDC made such a huge deal out of this one is anyone's guess and considering that the budget is being debated in congress and HUGE money is in there for the CDC... I would bet it has more to do with an excuse for more money to go their way than any real concern for life.

[RiceRocketGal]

The assault weapons ban expired a few years ago.

Isn't it nice when you can kill propaganda with a simple well known fact.

[themadscientist]

Isn't it nice when you can kill propaganda with a simple well known fact.

Like the fact that it was a typo he didn't intend?

DOH

You got me.

I meant to say that he could have been pushing for the REINSTATEMENT of the Assault Weapons ban.

Good catch.