I need some help from the resident right wingers

[Extra Stout]

Why is it that two weeks ago, I read a bunch of liberal commentators who were bashing President Bush for not taking the avian flu threat seriously enough, yet now that he's begun addressing it, I'm reading liberal commentators bashing President Bush for exaggerating the threat? What is up with that?

Okay, so his ratings are a little low at this period. But how's about the dimm-o-craps ratings. They are much lower than his.

This is something that is rarely brought up. Bush and the GOP are polling very low right now. But the Democrats are polling even lower.

[SWC Bonfire]

A pointer: using terms like dimm-o-crap and repugs makes you seem REALLY intelligent. Don't do it.

AI (avian influenza, it's not called "bird flu") is a big thing for Texas. Not for people, but for the poultry industry. Migrating waterfoul can spread the disease to poultry houses. Once you get a positive infection, there is a mandatory 5 mile kill radius for all birds around the affected area. This happened in my native Gonzales county, and luckily it was in a "remote" part of the county without significant other poultry producers in the area. But if it hit south of Gonzales, let's just say you'd be paying top dollar for chicken for a year or more.

[Extra Stout]

^CBF, the WHO (not pete towshend) raised the alarm of avian flu long before the pres. And if you were more informed about it, you would know that once the virus mutates through 5 more stages, then human to bird contact will no longer be needed for it's travel.

In other words. It will be highly contagious!!!!!

A blind squirrel finds a nut.

This is substantively correct. Right now, H5N1, the virus in question, cannot be transmitted directly from human to human. Only humans in close proximity to birds are at risk.

But, all that has to happen is for an already infected person to come into contact with an ordinary human flu during the flu season, and for the viruses to form a hybrid. If both viruses show up in the same cell, that's exactly what will happen.

[spurster]

The annual flu scare is more predictable than San Antonio's annual water crisis.

Yes, the flu is serious, and people who are vunerable should get flu shots. But every year is predicted to be 1917 all over again.

[Extra Stout]

The annual flu scare is more predictable than San Antonio's annual water crisis.

Yes, the flu is serious, and people who are vunerable should get flu shots. But every year is predicted to be 1917 all over again.

Well, we need to develop a vaccine for this strain first...

The bigger scare is what this could do in Asia. But, anyway, that's not GWB's responsibility to handle that. PRC has millions of people they can pay 10 cents a day to fill vials.

[gtownspur]

A blind squirrel finds a nut.

Followed by a fly only up to nothing but .

[Cant_Be_Faded]

^CBF, the WHO (not pete towshend) raised the alarm of avian flu long before the pres. And if you were more informed about it, you would know that once the virus mutates through 5 more stages, then human to bird contact will no longer be needed for it's travel.

In other words. It will be highly contagious!!!!!

Yes I know. I never tried to imply the president or government started this.

What great breakthroughs in science we have, now that the World Health Organization can successfully predict exactly what year and what season of that year a virus will successfully go through 5 proper mutations of a specific nature to enable it to become very infectious.

Btw, anyone know of the latest SARS information? I'm still worried about that one.

[xrayzebra]

A pointer: using terms like dimm-o-crap and repugs makes you seem REALLY intelligent. Don't do it.

AI (avian influenza, it's not called "bird flu") is a big thing for Texas. Not for people, but for the poultry industry. Migrating waterfoul can spread the disease to poultry houses. Once you get a positive infection, there is a mandatory 5 mile kill radius for all birds around the affected area. This happened in my native Gonzales county, and luckily it was in a "remote" part of the county without significant other poultry producers in the area. But if it hit south of Gonzales, let's just say you'd be paying top dollar for chicken for a year or more.

SWC, you are right, using terms as you described above are childish. But unfortunately you are dealing with people who you can't really converse with. I have tried it on this forum and been ignored completely. the avian influenza is not a small thing. How the problem is going to be handled is something that, right now, is almost beyond comprehension. As you stated migrating birds carry the disease from place to place. Maybe you know, could the problem be tackled like rabies was in coyotes, that is spreading food with the vaccine in it to inoculate the migrating birds? I know it is impossible to fight it by "killing" off all the birds in the world. I also know one thing, I am glad Bush is looking at the problem, not because I am a "repug" but because it is a problem we are going to have to address.

[xrayzebra]

SWC, see my point. No one wants to talk about the problem, just point fingers.

[gtownspur]

Yes I know. I never tried to imply the president or government started this.

What great breakthroughs in science we have, now that the World Health Organization can successfully predict exactly what year and what season of that year a virus will successfully go through 5 proper mutations of a specific nature to enable it to become very infectious.

Btw, anyone know of the latest SARS information? I'm still worried about that one.

Now just show me where the WHO had predicted a pandemic for SARS. Dude quit being so partisan and attacking bush for tackling a problem that needed to be adressed.

[JoeChalupa]

Give everyone a flu shot and let's move on.

[Yonivore]

Give everyone a flu shot and let's move on.

Got 300 million doses laying around, Joe?

[JoeChalupa]

Get it done.

[Yonivore]

Get it done.

I get it! Joe thinks there is a magic vaccination fairy out there somewhere.

[ChumpDumper]

Okay, so his ratings are a little low at this period. But how's about the dimm-o-craps ratings. They are much lower than his.

Not true as of the 27th of October.

Bush's approval: 45%, disapproval: 49%

Democratic Party approval: 46%, disapproval: 37%

Complaints about polls' being complete bull should be forwarded to Fox News.

Haven't seen their latest poll yet.

[Yonivore]

Not true as of the 27th of October.

Bush's approval: 45%, disapproval: 49%

Democratic Party approval: 46%, disapproval: 37%

Complaints about polls' being complete bull should be forwarded to Fox News.

Haven't seen their latest poll yet.

Again, I concede this hampers his chances of winning a third term.

[ChumpDumper]

It certainly makes Ahnuld's schedule too full to fit in Bushy.

Social Security reform?

[Yonivore]

It certainly makes Ahnuld's schedule too full to fit in Bushy.

Social Security reform?

We'll see how long it lasts. There are three years left in this administration. A lot can happen.

[ChumpDumper]

I'll give it until the next invasion or terrorist attack.

[Yonivore]

I'll give it until the next invasion or terrorist attack.

You have your benchmarks...others have their's.

[ChumpDumper]

What's yours?

[Yonivore]

What's yours?

I have no concern over the President's poll numbers.

[ChumpDumper]

Actually, his approval ratings are up 5 points this week and expected to continue to climb.

[Yonivore]

Just a statement refutation in the context of a conversation about his poll numbers.

But, while we're on polls...and if you have any faith in polls (which I don't), you'd do well to check out this comprehensive summary of polling data on the California ballot propositions on
Real Clear Politics.

Is the prohibition on spending union dues on politics without the union member's consent leading by 28 points, or trailing by 11? Beats me, but it's hard to imagine how pollsters can get such wildly divergent numbers.

There's not much point in worrying about it until we get the real numbers, next Tuesday. It's worth keeping in mind, though, when evaluating national poll figures on things such a the President's approval ratings and such.

[ChumpDumper]

It's all about methodolgy. As I said -- take it up with the pollsters. It's more than clear that politicians, including Bush, pay attention to them -- so why shouldn't I? I usually cite the Fox News polls to avoid the liberal bias straw man.