Just wondering...one day it was all over the news that we were gonna die from it, then nothing.
Has it disappeared or just not interesting enough for the front pages anymore?

I think that it still kills people, in the Far East, that have had close contact with poultry .
The human-to-human transmission has not transpired.

Europe is keeping a watch as the bird migratory season starts around now.

Flu goes into hiding over the summer. In 1918, there was a minor wave in the first winter, then it 'disappeared' over the summer, then in winter it swept across the world, killing tens of millions of people.

Flu goes into hiding over the summer. In 1918, there was a minor wave in the first winter, then it 'disappeared' over the summer, then in winter it swept across the world, killing tens of millions of people.


Right...I'll put off buying that parrot then. :hihi:

Just as an afterthought on this...does any country have winter in our summer and summer in our winter? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Right...I'll put off buying that parrot then. :hihi:

Just as an afterthought on this...does any country have winter in our summer and summer in our winter? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Yes, of course, but the 'incubator' areas for the strain of bird flu we're waiting to mutate are countries in the northern hemisphere. :)

(I think.) :help:

Thought so, but having a brain dead moment due to gin!

Bird Flu panic has gone the way of all the other panics which seem to have threatened the world more and more recently.If only a few of them were true, we all ought to be dead or dying by now. Instead, the world's population is increasing and the proportion of healthy people in the world keeps rising!

The reason for the recurring panics is pretty obvious :-it satisfies and enriches so many people.Scientists and pseudo-scientists can claim more funds and go to more and more world conferences ; governments can be seen to be 'tackling this problem', with our money of course ;the media can scream it from the rooftops and sell more newspapers and so on ; the drama queens in our society and those who lead sad little lives can get a thrill from whatever the latest 'disaster' isdue to engulf us.

Many scientists believe that there is no proof that human activity affects global temperature changes. The world's climate has always been changing they say. I think they might well be correct.I wouldn't be surprised if, in a 100 years time people are being terrified by 'a new Ice Age'.[ They were on about it in the 1950's !].

It's a pity most of us won't be around to watch the fun.We'll have all dropped off the perch with Mad Kangaroo's Disease or perhaps Manic Media Dementia ........or old age?

So, Fareast, what you're saying is that the 1918 flu pandemic was just a light sniffle blown out of proportion by the tabloids?

I'd say, for instance, that the decimation of Africa by Aids merits media attention. Are you saying it's a lot of fuss about nothing?

Perhaps you'd like to cynically brush aside the tsunami?

'Many scientists' may say global warming is a myth. Many, many more say the opposite. Which proportion of world scientists is taking which side?

Flu pandemics are a fact of life, and another big one will happen. 'Many scientists' say so, so you're bound to agree.

I was just hoping that all the old folk would die so i could move into one of their terraced houses or Bungalows


just think, the pension's crisis and the housing crisis sorted in one go



see thats why I shouldn't be allowed on here when drunk:hihi:

I was just hoping that all the old folk would die so i could move into one of their terraced houses or Bungalows


just think, the pension's crisis and the housing crisis sorted in one go



see thats why I shouldn't be allowed on here when drunk:hihi:

Except ours of course.......well you can have the bungalow, but we shall fight to our last breaths to keep our Shackleton chairs! :hihi:

Maybe a Quack Doctor found a cure they aren't telling us about........or perhaps at our house we simply moved the chickens outside.

Who knows? :confused:

I'll allow you to live Shoey, the rest of them must forage in the woods

I'll allow you to live Shoey, the rest of them must forage in the woods

What on earth are you clucking about now? :)

What on earth are you clucking about now? :)

I just think that old folk should be let free to enjoy the woods and fields, and berries and poisonous mushrooms etc

I just think that old folk should be let free to enjoy the woods and fields, and berries and poisonous mushrooms etc

They should let them enjoy their Shackletons, never mind wandering about in the woods.

Purdyamos,

I didn't say that there wern't any natural disasters of one sort or another. How the hell could I say that? The Black Death, bubonic plague, earthquakes, Aids.......etc...
Also, I didn't say that the media or we could simply ignore disasters.What I WAS emphasising was the reaction to disasters or possible disasters by various groups.I feel sure the governments involved, the media, the scientists....et al, all have vested interests in getting hysterical about every real problem and every possible problem, whether it's epidemics, accidents or a natural disaster.

They always seem to push the 'worst-case' scenario to the giddy limit and such is the response of the drama queens and sensation-seekers and the gullible that they get their hoped-for response.All the groups are happy.They feed off each other, financially and emotionally.

I know that most scientists say that human activity causes some or all global warming but I'd hazard a guess that most scientists who had an opinion were predicting the imminent arrival of a new mini-Ice Age in the '50's.

I said I wouldn't "be surprised"................in a 100 years time, what scientists might be predicting. I didn't reject the idea out of hand..However, even if the Earth is getting slowly warmer, it's not beyond our intelligence to find various solutions. There is never any need to go 'over the top'.The human race recovered from the Spanish flu , the millions killed in the 2nd. World War and the Black Death which wiped out 2/3rds.of Europe. To listen to the media these days you would think we are threatened with similar disasters every year or so.

My patented bird flu placebos solved the problem.

My patented bird flu placebos solved the problem.

Rawmarsh seems to be on the verge of an outbreak............if you ever manage to obtain fresh supplies, you could make a killing........

it seemed to have just dissapeared lol

Oh yeah I forgot about bird flu!

I was just hoping that all the old folk would die so i could move into one of their terraced houses or Bungalows
/SIZE]:hihi:

Eventually, all I have will be yours Taxman, but you'll be pushing 80 by the time I fall off my perch - and I'll probably have squandered most of it on toy boys and retired greyhounds.

I didn't say that there wern't any natural disasters of one sort or another. How the hell could I say that? The Black Death, bubonic plague, earthquakes, Aids.......etc...


I was under the impression that the Black death was the bubonic plague.. :huh:

BobbyBunny,

To be honest, I'm not sure either-----but a rose by any other name?

The two I was thinking of, in particular, were the 14th.century one which affected most of Europe and then the 17th. century one which for us has the local Eyam connection.I'm not sure how much of Britain the 17th.century one affected but certainly it had a devastating effect in London, followed by the fire.

Maybe, medically, they are all connected?

Right...I'll put off buying that parrot then. :hihi:

Just as an afterthought on this...does any country have winter in our summer and summer in our winter? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

Australia, New Zealand, etc.

Yeah the 17th century one was Bubonic plague.. Other one must be too.

I was wondering about the bird flu thing too... They were scaring us in the papers and on the news and then BAM! It was gone... :suspect:

:hihi:

Bird Flu panic has gone the way of all the other panics which seem to have threatened the world more and more recently.If only a few of them were true, we all ought to be dead or dying by now. Instead, the world's population is increasing and the proportion of healthy people in the world keeps rising!

The reason for the recurring panics is pretty obvious :-it satisfies and enriches so many people.Scientists and pseudo-scientists can claim more funds and go to more and more world conferences ; governments can be seen to be 'tackling this problem', with our money of course ;the media can scream it from the rooftops and sell more newspapers and so on ; the drama queens in our society and those who lead sad little lives can get a thrill from whatever the latest 'disaster' isdue to engulf us.

Many scientists believe that there is no proof that human activity affects global temperature changes. The world's climate has always been changing they say. I think they might well be correct.I wouldn't be surprised if, in a 100 years time people are being terrified by 'a new Ice Age'.[ They were on about it in the 1950's !].

It's a pity most of us won't be around to watch the fun.We'll have all dropped off the perch with Mad Kangaroo's Disease or perhaps Manic Media Dementia ........or old age?


With the Supermarkets freezer full of Turkeys I was wondering, what happened to bird flu, I did a search and came across the above post.

This got me thinking do we rely too much on what Scientists tell us, what about when they said the world was flat, man would never fly or that Darwin was a fool.

In a couple of hundred years time will people look back and ridicule what Scientists are telling us today?

Bird flu conveniantly got brushed aside as not being a problem when some women actually got struck down with a dose of man flu and realised quite how bad it can be.

With the Supermarkets freezer full of Turkeys I was wondering, what happened to bird flu, I did a search and came across the above post.

This got me thinking do we rely too much on what Scientists tell us, what about when they said the world was flat, man would never fly or that Darwin was a fool.

In a couple of hundred years time will people look back and ridicule what Scientists are telling us today?

Maybe you just believe what 'scientists' tell you. Personally I use my brain to evaluate the data they are relying on and the conclusions they are drawing.
This is the good thing about science, it's accessible to anyone.
PS - I'm not sure any scientists every claimed the world was flat, I think that was the church.
PPS - Darwin was a scientist, one of the most famous ever.

It's still a fear of sorts here in SE Asia, but since no westerners have been killed recently, it doesn't surprise me that the media has gone quiet.

Cock fighting is still at large, where I live at least, and there is still a risk of the spread of Avian Flu amongst the breeders - or at least the birds they are breeding - and those in close proximity to breeders. Some breeders have dozens caged up at a time, so the threat is still real. But like I say, no westerners have been affected, so obviously there's nothing to worry about...

Why do all diseases originate in Asia?
Plague
Flu
Bird Flu
Various others that I cannot remember the names of..
Is this why they have religions obsessed with cleanliness?
To try to stop these diseases spreading?

Is this why they have religions obsessed with cleanliness?


That's rather amusing coming from somebody who lives in a society that disinfects everything, thus reducing the body's ability to build up any resistance to bacteria...

Thanks for making me chuckle :)

Maybe you just believe what 'scientists' tell you. Personally I use my brain to evaluate the data they are relying on and the conclusions they are drawing.
This is the good thing about science, it's accessible to anyone.
PS - I'm not sure any scientists every claimed the world was flat, I think that was the church.
PPS - Darwin was a scientist, one of the most famous ever.

I know Darwin was a Scientist but it didn’t stop him being ridiculed and accused of blasphemy, after all god greated the world in seven days !

We will have to leave the flat world bit I thought that was the order of the day,

Yers, blasphemy. That would be religious nuts making the accusations though presumably, not scientists.

Yers, blasphemy. That would be religious nuts making the accusations though presumably, not scientists.


Religion, Scientist, government, what ever, it was the accepted thought at the time, like global warming or bird flue is now, time will tell who is right.

Apparently Lloyds TSB are making plans for the bird flu.

They are planning to order thousands of masks for their staff just in case the flu does arrive.

Looks like it's finally arrived http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/6327193.stm

Looks like it's finally arrived http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/6327193.stm

Bootiful! :o

In Bernard Mannings, erm, I mean..... Matthews case it might increase the quality of the meat :D

Looks like it's finally arrived http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/6327193.stm

Now confirmed as the nasty form that can infect people according to News24.

160,000 turkeys face a early demise.

Pigeon racing banned :hihi:

It's very hard to know how much importance to attach to a threat like H5N1 bird flu. The chances of it mutating into a strain which can be passed from human to human are very, very small; but, if it DOES so mutate, it will kill hundreds of millions of people across the globe.

The press, of course, eager to sell their newspapers and have people watch their TV programmes, ignore the "very very small" and concentrate on the "hundreds of millions" until some other molehill comes along for them to blow up to mountain-size. Since most people do not read scientific journals but get their information on things like bird flu from the press, most people get the impression that the *scientists* have been panicking about imminent worldwide disaster, and now think the scientists were talking through their hat, when in fact no respectable scientist ever said any such thing.

There are, scientific research is increasingly finding, a huge number of things which MIGHT happen and cause massive death and destruction worldwide. We're getting better at spotting these things. We also know full well that the chance of any one of them actually happening in the near future is remote; but it behoves us to be aware of the risks, and if there's anything we CAN do to reduce those risks, we should do it, within reason. Research into H5N1 may prove to be unnecessary in direct form, because H5N1 may never mutate; but *someday*, *some* version of influenza will do so (it did in 1918) ... and whatever research we're doing now, will come in useful then.

We will have to leave the flat world bit I thought that was the order of the day,

Astronomers have known the earth was (roughly) a sphere since the days of the Sumerians, some five or six thousand years ago.

The average person, for almost all of that period and long before it, has neither known nor cared what shape the planet is, provided they can find the next meal on it. And there are still some lunatics who insist that every single word of the Bible is sober, literal truth, when even the people who wrote it knew damn well that much of it was parables designed to instruct, and not historical recording. Those people will still argue that the Earth is flat, because the Bible mentions four corners. (They never argue that the Earth is in fact a tetrahedron ... not sure why.)

It's very hard to know how much importance to attach to a threat like H5N1 bird flu. The chances of it mutating into a strain which can be passed from human to human are very, very small; but, if it DOES so mutate, it will kill hundreds of millions of people across the globe.


And it would be a serious setback to our efforts to halt global warming. Hundreds of millions of cremations, I assume the bodies would have to be burned, - would be an environmental disaster.

Very sad for the relatives of the victims too.

it came back in norfolk today

This is worrying isnt it,all those birds being killed makes you wonder if we will ever be safe again from this kind of outbreak.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6328889.stm

Our 'factory farming' methods safeguard us to a large extent though.
Not many people come into contact with the live birds.

This is worrying isnt it,all those birds being killed makes you wonder if we will ever be safe again from this kind of outbreak.

What exactly are you scared of?

There were loads of chickens going cheap in asda tonight.
I think its brilliant











*cough This is what you need (http://www.shof.msrcsites.co.uk/hensip.jpg) :thumbsup:

What exactly are you scared of?

Spitting feathers?

it came back in norfolk today

*SUFFOLK* please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't confuse the two - it's a bit like asking a United supporter how his team Sheffield Wednesday are doing!!

*SUFFOLK* please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't confuse the two - it's a bit like asking a United supporter how his team Sheffield Wednesday are doing!!

sorry it's because it's bernard mathews turkeys i'll stand corrected:thumbsup:

*SUFFOLK* please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't confuse the two - it's a bit like asking a United supporter how his team Sheffield Wednesday are doing!!
There is a difference.

NORFOLK (http://www.luds.net/fanarts/cletus.jpg)
SUFFOLK (http://home.freeuk.com/markaldridge/ugly/male/cletus.jpg)

not much by the looks of it:thumbsup:

In addition, when we had Spanish flu in 1918, we didn't have worldwide travel. Even during the last pandemic (1970s), there wasn't as much travel as there is nowadays. Comparing the possible threat of H5N1 with these historic pandemics is all well and good, but if H5N1 does mutate into a strain that can pass from human to human, we're going to be in much more trouble, because it will spread further and faster than it has done before.

I agree that the media do scare-monger, but a pandemic is going to happen sooner or later.

Plus, we can't catch bird flu from eating chickens.

Apparently if it is caught early enough in humans it can be treated. Men are less at risk of being killed by this strain. Men have been warned today that if they start acting irrationally, shopping unexpectedly and have major difficulties reversing their cars. They should report to the nearest hospital with quarantine facilities which have been specially set up with driving simulators and clothes shops in order to quickly diagnose any such cases!:hihi: :hihi:

Apparently if it is caught early enough in humans it can be treated. Men are less at risk of being killed by this strain. Men have been warned today that if they start acting irrationally, shopping unexpectedly and have major difficulties reversing their cars. They should report to the nearest hospital with quarantine facilities which have been specially set up with driving simulators and clothes shops in order to quickly diagnose any such cases!:hihi: :hihi:

oooooo steady on might get a slap mate :suspect:

oooooo steady on might get a slap mate :suspect:
Ha ha yeah but it is funny! init? thought i might get a good tellin off, from someone:hihi:

I thought all birds had a flu