Romanian Sick Birds want to Kill Us.

by Cluck Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:05

No siree, nor any other kind of 'movement' that might adversely impact business and profit margins. But schools and other public places where people congregate with no profit motive could be closed. Eh?!?! And know this, interested reader, anyone talking about restricting movement is fomenting panic. But, anybody talking about anti virals and vaccines is being oh-so-responsible. The paharmaceuticals must be rubbing their hands with glee. A pandemic on the way and the good little boys and girls in government maximising the potential for infection at the same time. Ker-ching! Ker-ching! Count those dollars, baby! Hell, we need a bit of a cull anyway.

by Mr Soya Bean Man Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:36

It is funny that a disease which was probably able to spread easily because of the cramped conditions in battery and intensive broiler farms should mean that free range birds will have to be kept indoors - in cramped conditions conducive to disease. Yay!

by Comedian Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:45

It will kill veggies as well.

by Question Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:51

the first person to get the virus was isolated before they had contaminated anyone else. The virus would have nowhere to go. Then what? How long before it would give up on itself as a bad idea that's not getting very far? Doesnt the same principle apply even where groups of people have contracted it? Wouldnt we be better off to take the effective step of limiting the possibilities for contamination as much as possible so the virus can play itself out sooner rather than later? So we stay put for a while? Is that so terrible? Watch some videos, make love, spend some time with the kids. Whatever.

by agcs Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:54

i notice that the Irish indo estimates up to 50,000 deaths here. That wouldn't make sense if the rates of infection are the same here as in Britain where the BBc also gives estimates of 50,000.
The Indo doesn't give any source for their figure other than "doctors say" .I wonder if it's genuine or just the Indo stealing from British reports and not doing their ratio calculations properly .

by scrufulous Mon Oct 17, 2005 14:25

how when the story first broke both here and in media globally, H5N1 was often accompanied by symbolic illustrations. Indeed the universal standard "biohazard" has gone from a little known logo, through the name of a marginal thrash metal band in the US, to one which is recognised now in every country. This in no doubt thanks to "our work" as activists, and whomever did (& inspired) the cover for Ken Follet's last global best-seller.

Thereafter the illustration of avian bird flu could go several ways. We could have been introduced to petrie dishes, but instead the very predicatable rash of "chicken" photos came. Observe the food chain, the western reader was told. This disease is killing asians, poor asians who live on top of bird cages on the side of the street, but the reader of quality Irish newspapers was only shown the base material stage of a chicken burger.

Last week, we moved up a level of panic. European TV happily depicted the scientists culling, it looked like an apocalyptic thanksgiving day organised by the NRA. We saw men in protection suits, occasionally a dead goose or chicken about to be dropped into the fire.

At this point, I assumed responsibility for shaping your attitude to these things, and chose that illustration above. This is my official H5N1 image.

Today, the European press have left "biohazard" behind them, so too the scientists and culled birds, now the image is (check your newspaper) :-
sparrows, cranes, crows, and general wild birds St. Francis Asissi style flying in the open sky.

Yes indeed, they're free and they're bad
& they're going to kill you ratio adjusted or not,
... next year.

by Dave M Wed Oct 19, 2005 14:54

Oh dear, it's pandemic season again.
i would refer anyone interested in watching history repeat itself again to do a little research into the much vaunted 'swine flu pandemic in 1976, which despite killing a whole ONE person, prompted the US to vaccinate 40 million people. The vaccinations killed 25 people and caused debilitative neuropathies in another 500. many others fell ill and many later deaths were attributed to the vaccine.
Needless to say the swine fever pandemic never emerged, just like SARS.
60 people have died of H5N1 in the last 36 months. Hardly a massive pandemic. to my knowledge all of the victims had contact with intensive poultry rearing units. That to my mind sounds like a normal (albeit elevated) level of mortality. I may be wrong, but i believe global mortality from the common cold runs into hundreds of thousands every year! (the actual WHO statistic claims 0.5 deaths per million world population, thats equal to approx 3 million deaths per year) so what exactly are we getting all hyped up over.
you should see how many people are dying of Malaria, TB, and AIDS. Now they are real pandemics that take millions and millions of people every year. So wheres the fire, the H5N1 'bird' flu is just that, a disease of Birds, it is not transferable between humans at this time, and human contraction has been related to the pitifully overcrowded and disease-ridden state of the intensive poultry-rearing industry.

by Orla Wed Oct 19, 2005 17:34

Even though our country have yet not had any reports of the bird flu, I myself will not take the chance....I am totally poultry free until I hear that this disease is gone and forgotten.

by iosaf Sun Feb 12, 2006 15:37

We're no longer talking about "hot countries" or "poor places". We can't blame the Rumanians or Bulgarians, we can't point our little fingers at the Turks or even the forsaken poor who sleep on bird cages in Asia.

H5N1 arrived in Italy and Greece brought by one of the most noble and mythical birds, "Cygnus Coscoroba" (the Swan).

H5N1 is now one short step of the migratory journey from Barcelona where I live, and one longer step on the return route through Ireland.

There's not much genuine reason "to panic", because "panic" lowers your immune system.

I want you all to take pleasure and wonder from little things.
The coincidence that a small town in Iran, Yzad gave birth to the presidents of Iran and Israel, and that the Swan, whom we may not kill, the children of Lir, the hellenic representation of Helen of Troy has brought us H5N1.

Or maybe in our fight against mother nature, we will simultanously call on the Gods of Science and Capital and take the baseball bat of our age, so polluted with over-reaction and bludgeon the Swans to death, breaking one of our last "taboos".

Most Irish readers will think of Lir.
But I remind you, the virus came from where Troy once stood.

by - Wed Feb 15, 2006 21:48

Oh Ledean swan
you have arrived in Germany!
Jazyzhus sayzhe Germany was nowhere near Troy.

At the last moment the sick swans were averted from bringing their weapons of mass destruction to the city where I live by a surprise change of planetary winds which brought Saharan air northwards and with it dust, the dry insanity of the "mistral", the whining noise and of course isotopic traces of French secret nuclear testing in the 1950s. Sure we're all used to radioactive isotopes. But we're not used to bashing Swans brains in with a cudgel.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0215/birdflu.html

by i Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:55

The saharan wind has saved both Iberia & the islands of Ireland and Britain for the moment. But two of our contributors are in Hungary, are they prepared to scorn the swan?
Don't panic. Don't eat undercooked swan. Despite their mythical associations (see above) of Troy, Helen, Ledea and Lir they are in fact aggressive territorial birds and strong enough to break your leg with one peck. For that reason you need not worry about contracting a "mutated form" of H5N1 from your local swans. For the good reason that they generally won't let you near them. If you're worried you acn form an orderly queue at the local health centre (if there is one under the FF/PD regime) and ask for a "flu jab". This will make you feel rotten for a few days, and in a week's time you'll feel splendid and forget all about it. Or else, you can eat fresh vegetables and fruit. Fresh vegetables and fruit are nature's way of giving you vitamins and minerals. Your body uses vitamins and minerals to work its immune system. Consult your local supermarket for details.

info on H5N1 at link (how the story began)
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/68157

by iosaf Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:00

a dead swan has also been found in Niger.
Niger is in Africa. There are very few health centres or 'flu jabs in Africa.
There is no deeply embedded cultural taboo from either Troy, Helen, Ledea or Lir in Africa.
In Africa the swan is a great big bird which carries lots of meat.
Meat is one of nature's way of giving you protein and fat.
You need protein and fat to live.
H5N1 will not and was never going to mutate in Europe.
Swans fly back north from Africa on the western side of Europe.
Ireland is on the western side of Europe.
Consult your local atlas for details.

info on H5N1 at link (how the story began)
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/68157

by io Fri Feb 17, 2006 17:53

& the good news for those with taboos or dietary requirements is that the dead bird was a common duck. The dead duck was found in the department of Ain this afternoon. Ducks are great food, and are very popular worldwide. They are a friendly creature willing to take crumbs of bread from any human, so you'll be able to get more proximate to these carriers of pandemic then the noble but cranky swan.

info on H5N1 at link (how the story began)
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/68157

by iosaf Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:03

As you will all most probably realised, H5N1 has quietly arrived in Africa where it will most probably mutate most virulently. Meanwhile with much fanfare, people found dead swans and ducks all over the shop, and some cantons of Switzerland placed bans on cat-owners allowing their feline friends out of the house unaccompanied.
"I'm not letting you out un-accompanied, miaow. I'm going up that tree with you, oh! look a lovely mouse, now lets sing a while."

This is for the good scientific reason, (all the humpty dumpty science of western civilisation has proved it) that cats eat birds.

And thus a german cat has become the first observed mammal to die from H5N1.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4758632.stm
And as we know, anything the Germans do, the Austrians do too.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4780066.stm

Remember, we have about 2 years. In that 2 years we have to change the minister of Health, coz like between you and me and the cat litter, she's not up to the job of pandemic when the birdies come back from Africa. & worrying about it too much will not help. You need good stuff for your immune system.

info on H5N1 at link (how the story began) ( or rather how i began it )
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/68157

control your cats more.

by pat c Tue Mar 07, 2006 18:29

i'm addressing this to you but its more a general point: how can cat owners ensure their cats are in at all times? its not practical. ever had a stir crazy cat on your hands? as for that picture it looks more as if the feline fiend has snaffled a household canary.

by John O'Driscoll Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:33 jodprc at gmail dot com

H5N1 is extant at least ten years in the PR China, where 80% of the 1.3billion population live in medieval conditions, cheek-by-jowl with their barnyard animals, eating with relish the inner organs of beasts and fowls. Often without even cooking them first.

In that time; amongst that population, this virus has killed less than 200 people. Those it has killed have died from direct ingestion of infected birds.

There is no impending pandemic. Do not be fooled by the propoganda of the power complex that wishes to keep you scared and quiescent and unquestioningly accepting of the outrages and obscenities that are perpetrated in the name of Western "Freedumb and Dumbockracy".

by cool j Mon Mar 13, 2006 05:14 jimmyobyrne at yahoo dot com

Totally agree with John O 'D above. The whole thing is nothing but trashy media hysteria. WEe heard the same nonsnese about SARS not so long ago.

by iosaf Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:21

4 african states have confirmed H5N1 deaths amongst their migrant birds which have now gathered to do what they do best - breed.
Breeding is nature's way of mutating things. its very reliable and when you take a long view on it, its called "evolution".
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=14...48000
The richer European states have now stockpiled "tamiflu" which is great news for the makers, because no-one has asked them to tinker with their intellectual copyright / patent profit margin. When you take a long view on that its called "capitalist stupidity".
Note well, that Tamiflu is not a vaccine, its just a very good flu drug.
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=10...30130
No african state can afford tamiflu, and in any case its way down the list after "anti-biotics", "clean water", and "anything you can treat AIDS babies with". Oh yes "condoms" come into it too. When you take a long view on them they're called "population control".

The Swiss who introduced the emergency measures to "keep the cat indoors" have also isolated their chickens and other food poultry.
This is great news for the Swiss. The Swiss are past masters at looking good and ready for crises, but the truth is, in winter and early spring its so cold in the Alpine nation that cats don't really want to go out anyway. http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=10...00The Irish don't really get a look in on the migrant (bird) routes till late Spring. Not till then will we see ducks, geese and swans carrying the virus. Please bludgeon them-

"How to control your Cat more".

Really very easy, all you have to do is drug it. Then stick it in front of the TV for about 9 years showing it the best of "itchy and scratchy", applying pavolovian methods od mind control . You can get grants for this sort of thing and help further our scientific knowledge. If you're one of our younger readers, you could ask your teachers to help you apply for a "BA young scientist competition stall".
The cat won't mind much, because chances are, its already been neutered, had its claws clipped, been fed utter shite courtesy of Master pet food PLC, and if a continental european cat, will have a little microchip in the nape of its neck, in case it gets lost or wants to move country.

by - Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:13

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=14...17000
they've found a wild bird with some type of Flu and will confirm today if its H5N1.
note that are not supposed to be on the current bird migrant path like Barcelona which was spared the arrival of sick birds by freak saharan winds. That would be the wrath of God or something like a coincidence.

here's a map of H5N1 fly paths in 2005. its out of date but gives you something to look at and the birdies generally fly the same way unless the temperature of the air changes, and some other species damages the finely tuned climate system, (which is ridiculously inconceivable for surely any other species capable of such wickedness would also be intelligent enough not to do so) they will continue to follow the same wind currents, coz its hard work flapping around the biosphere for a shag twice a year, and the little wingèd creatures are as much brought by the winds as send themselves.

the usual routes for our winged foes

by goose Sat Mar 18, 2006 19:15

Well.

The Mother Earth has now for a long time been infected.
With a horrible decease, humans.

The stitch into her, polute her skin, make it grey and dull.

It spreads cancer like patches and scars on her fine skin,
even likely irridiant at night. (look when you fly over)

So she has been prescribed this cure (by the DNA moglers
of pentagon)

And all soon will be well.

BTW most will die from under nurishment when killing off all the
birds should be for feeding.

by H5N1 Thu Apr 06, 2006 00:57

take that advice.

The British Hun occupied Scoaturlund, is testing a swan for H5N1.

We're next.

Sister Kathleen of Scotland won the Ryanair millionth customer prize. (2003) is she at risk from H5N1?

by Duine Thu Apr 06, 2006 14:57

Ná bí dian ar Albain, an t-aon choilíneacht amháin a bhí riamh ag Éire!

Lig do na héin urchóideacha teacht!

by Pushkin - VLL PISFI (ICR) Thu Apr 06, 2006 14:58

Cat bird flu risks 'overlooked'

Cats who eat infected chickens can contract the deadly H5N1 virus
It is vital to restrict the spread of bird flu in cats in order to protect human health, scientists warn. Writing in Nature, scientists from Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, say the risk is being overlooked.

They say cats can contract the virus by eating infected chicken or through close contact with other cats - both new ways of mammals becoming infected.

by - Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:48

The river Bann is in the north of Ireland.
olé!
H5N1 has arrived in ireland before spain.
yiz win the competition.

Now here's what you have to do :-

* Change the minister of Health. She's not up to the challenge.
* Bludgeon the Swans, and all the birds, from Cock Robin to Thrush, Lark to Finch, Crow to Dove.
* Keep your Cats indoors and on drugs.
* fill up the waiting rooms of your health centres demanding vaccines that don't exist.
* wear masks and look like japanese tourists.
* don't panic.

about to cross the Bann

by phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wed Apr 26, 2006 22:13

as we know the dirty swans of Scotland who had H5N1 didn't infect the suspicious dead birds east of the Bann in our own wee Ulster, and as a result, Ireland true to her august destiny, was spared the dreaded bird flu'.

Thus saving Harney the outlay on tamiflu.

Now today the Swiss, who have being taking the whole thing very very seriously, have announced that the ban on "cats leaving home" and "poultry being let out" is to be lifted for May 1.

workers day.
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Outdoor_poult...18000

by Barry Thu Apr 27, 2006 16:15

.

Cure found

by pat c Thu Apr 27, 2006 16:19

barry could you rjig that to have a phoenix rising out of the mug?

by Barry Thu Apr 27, 2006 16:21

how about a duck ?

by Pegasus Tue May 02, 2006 19:37

"National Farmers' Union Calls For Poultry Price Rise, UK
29 Apr 2006 - 0:00am (PDT)

A price rise for poultry is being called for by the NFU (National Farmers' Union) to help farmers facing losses due to rising energy costs."

Wow ! Theres panic sspreading everywhere, demand is down for fowls. What do the farmers want? A price rise! I put it down to Mad Cow Disease.

by Raymond Mcinerney - Global Country o fPeace Tue May 02, 2006 21:10 raymond.mcinerney at ul dot ie Limerick

The Hague - The Netherlands on Monday lifted most of the measures put in place to protect Dutch poultry from getting infected with bird flu, saying that chances of infection were slim.

As of Monday, Dutch poultry kept indoors as a precautionary measure during the bird migration period for the last two and a half months were now allowed to roam outside again, the Dutch ministry of agriculture said.

by gawking yoke of mediocre complacency Tue Jun 13, 2006 01:54

That the State had accepted responsibility for the care of avian flu victims whose place of lawful or habitual residence was the territory of State but not excluding visitors of other states with which the State had lawful and legal relationship be they ratified or not by convention prior to the really good work done by the UNWHO.
http://indymedia.ie/article/76558

was this a unanimous decision by all branches of the State?

Having defeated the input of clerical orders in world health provisioning, yes this was utterly unanimous, we all did our part, you put the chicken costumes back in the wardrobe now, the sick romanian birds will not kill us. However one trot voted no, and a senator jumped to his feet and said splendid.


Is this the end of H5N1?

No. H5N1 has earned substantial sums of money since its commercial / media / political exposure and pick-up. We may prudently await a 5 year term before selling off all stock. but it is the end of the story in Eire. We don't need any more stories. The reader may read this whole thread & see - H5N1 didn't cross the Bann Our top scientists, drug buyers and national security advisors will now move on to genital warts.


Is it ok now if the budgie or canary dies? do I still have to phone the emergency services? Will we really need the extra Gardaí?

yes. Unless of course you work down a mine in bad or third world labour conditions. Always phone the emergency services. Be short and concise. Unless of course if you're the culprit. It really depends what the extra Gardaí do.... if they enter our centres of education and show graphic pictures of horrible diseases and associate them with graffiti for the youngsters in an attempt to instill mass protection of private and state or municipal property whilst also encouraging them to keep their virginity.


I am regular tourist having availed of the national budget airline's offers. If I catch H5N1 or syphilis whilst on a short weekend break outside the limits of the State will I still get a vaccine?

Probably best to stay where you are. With either you'll need a spot of bed-rest and we don't have that many hospital beds in Eire... they're unconstitutional or something.