Pandemic Flu
Piggy Piggy Piggy, Can’t You See, Swine Flu Can Incapacitate Me….
Monday, May 11th, 2009After the initial panic, the concern over H1N1 influenza has waned. This is understandable; unlike the Outbreak-like pathogen that the cable networks were promising, H1N1 is so far just a slightly milder version of the regular flu. This isn’t the Spanish Flu, or even SARS, at least so far. Panicking is not the proper response. [...]
An Innocent Farm Girl Raised by the Aliens
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009Oh, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., never stop talking. Every time you open your mouth, such funny things come out of it! Take today. You managed to discover a factoid about the swine flu outbreak that not one other person in the whole world had: I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s [...]
I Was Once Misinformed
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009Auguste is right — this really might be the dumbest cartoon ever in the history of the entire universe. And this is not just the universe where Chris Muir lives, but the one Bruce Tinsley lives in, too! I’m not sure what my favorite part of this little slice of wingnuttery is. I think it’s [...]
I Know the Truth, I Know the Whole Shebang
Monday, April 27th, 2009The anti-choice activists have completely dispensed with reality, and have gone on to just making stuff up: The Obama administration’s actions to respond to the outbreak of swine flu, including its declaration of a public health emergency, smacks of an attempt to cover up this week’s Senate vote on the confirmation of Kansas Gov. Kathleen [...]
What Matt Said
Sunday, April 26th, 2009This has been another edition of What Matt Said. (What ______ Said concept shamelessly stolen from Duncan Black. I am aware of all internet traditions.)
I’m Half-Sick on the Drinks You Mixed
Sunday, April 26th, 2009Okay, there’s no need to panic, but the H1N1 outbreak in Mexico may well be cause for concern. But hopefully not too much of one: So swine flu has come out of nowhere. It has unfortunately killed some people, and analysis shows it’s a brand-new virus with unknown potential to kill many more. That doesn’t [...]
Bird Flu Cluster in Indonesia
Wednesday, May 24th, 2006So far appears to have been spread by human-to-human contact; no evidence yet that it’s mutated. The WHO is concerned, and rightly so.
Turkey for Me, and Turkey for You
Thursday, January 12th, 2006A handy timeline of the H5N1 outbreak in Turkey. If there’s any hopeful sign, it’s that the mortality rate there seems to be lower than in East Asia.
H5N1
Thursday, October 6th, 2005Avian flu is one of those things that scares the hell out of me, and should scare the hell out of you, too. The Strib reports today that if an Avian Flu pandemic struck Minnesota alone, 1.25 million residents would likely contract the disease, and 20,000 could die. To say nothing of the other forty-nine [...]