11/5/2009 7:29 am
Last Read:
11/13/2009 5:28 pm
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I don't know about y'all, but I have had about enough of the H1N1 insanity. Holy frickin JEEEEEZUZZ. The whole thing has felt like manufactured drama since about Week 2 of the "outbreak".
On Monday, the CBC website posted this picture of folks in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia (population: around 1600) lining up to get the H1N1 flu shot. Looks like the only people who didn't show up are the ones already sick in bed with the flu.
According to my buddy wikipedia, the average number of deaths per year in the US due to flu (between 1979 and 2001) was 41,400. To date, the number of deaths in North America due to the so-called swine flu (between April and November 4, 2009) is 1476.
Soooo, I'm just gonna go ahead and relax over this one.
Seriously, I think people would die of anxiety if they didn’t have a threat-of-death to be anxious over.
{Hat tip to the Dawg for "Hamthrax"}
These things are lame.
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3018 posts 11/5/2009 11:00 am |
Hear hear!!!!
A physician friend from south of here is certain that H1N1 is a deliberately manufactured virus (not just some random, accidental confluence of avian flu/swine flu/human flu genes that arose de novo to take over the known universe) and that it was perhaps released prematurely. His particular theory involves the big pharmaceuticals and various government agencies as well. He's not normally a conspiracy seeker, so his ideas were interesting.
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8164 posts 11/5/2009 11:37 am |
Tori, interesting indeed. The Canadian government purchased 50.4 million doses of the vaccine (enough to give one dose to every Canadian or two doses to 75 per cent) at a cost of $400 million. Nice little stimulus package for GlaxoSmithKline there.
These things are lame.
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11/5/2009 1:04 pm |
I'm definitely all over this Swine Flu Conspiracy Theory thing. I mean, it must be one, right? Could you even hide a swine behind a grassy knoll? I think not! Anyway, I have been back and forth on planes all fall, and in airports and taxis and restaurants and etc. and of course handling all that dirty money and my many women, and still nothing. Do you think it's all the Purell?
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1884 posts 11/5/2009 5:30 pm |
My brother who is in Europe right now, told me how people there are floored about the long lines in the U.S. to get vaccinated. He said no one there is going for vaccinations and the government is sitting on the massive amounts of vaccines.
Then there is that whole aspect of vaccine shedding... I also decided to sit this flu out. Besides, I already had a stomach flu last week. That's enough.
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9905 posts 11/5/2009 7:15 pm |
HI Noise!!!
Is there hype down there in your part of the world too?
Bastard Pharmaceutical companies,
don't they make enough without manufacturing "cures"?
I find it much easier to just mute the sound when I hear the words "Flu, H1N1, immunization, or Keep yourself protected from the Flu".
Makes every day a little brighter.
Did I say Hi?
I been mostly gone of late.
Places to go, people to see, you know
stuff.
be well,
we are.
I'm easy, I'm just not cheap...
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2139 posts 11/5/2009 8:01 pm |
Where's Pac and Dharma to debate this?...and for you to poop on.
"The Qat w/an Arab strap..." -Belle&Sebastian AKA "catm*lester" according to LennyQueef
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15529 posts 11/5/2009 10:15 pm |
Satori, interesting info. The big Pharma is definitely the one to benefit from it, and, although I am not in favor of conspiracy theories, it's logical that the big Pharma would be interested in promotion of their vaccine.
Today on NPR they were talking about even crazier situation in Ukraine, where they closed the schools for 3 weeks. Ha-ha-ha, that's what I say. Although I have the utmost respect for all viruses. Heaven knows, I worked with retroviruses for 7 years. You gotta be careful, no matter what. And, if you are, there is no need to panic. That's what we've learned by working with them, and I believe it still holds true.
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15529 posts 11/5/2009 10:16 pm |
Forgot: kudos to Qat for hamthrax
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2139 posts 11/6/2009 5:39 am |
In all seriousness, I wonder how much of this in Canada is more of an anglophone-driven hysteria. While there is a bit of hysteria in Québec, many in the province are wary of the vaccine to the point where the Montréal Gazette ran a story with a doctor imploring other physicians to get the Hamtrax shot. (Rolls eyes). I'm curious what the kilt-wearing blogger has observed.
Of course, anglophone Canada are the idiots who still think it's a good idea to put the damn queen on the money. If you're going to put a queen on the money, make it Bowie from his glam days.
"The Qat w/an Arab strap..." -Belle&Sebastian AKA "catm*lester" according to LennyQueef
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9905 posts 11/6/2009 7:21 am |
OK seriously? Ever since I saw that Pfizer, to increase their profitability, acquired a company specializing in immunizations,
I became even more cynical,
surprized me, as I did not think that that was possible.
I'm easy, I'm just not cheap...
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2139 posts 11/6/2009 9:46 am |
Up in Qatnada, Harper is getting heat for the vaccine shortage and the dumbfuck Bob Rae is using it to hammer the Tories. While I find hammering Tories to be a fine sport, Rae irks me for crossing the aisle going from the "Labour" party (New Democrats-NDP) to the (Champagne) Liberal party. Out in Nova Scotia, the Liberals are also using Hamthrax to undermine the provincial NDP.
So, the two major parties in Qatnada are both fueling the hysteria in my book, which is indicative of why, also in my book, almost a third of Qatnada is NOT voting for either of the 2 major parties (Tories & Liberals) in Federal elections.
Yeah, the big beneficiaries are Phrma, which may be the least the politicians in Qatnada feel they could do, given price controls on most pharmaceuticals. At least Snottawa got a decent price. There's talk that the price per dose for "wealthy" countries may climb to $20, compared to the $7.93 Qatnadian pricetag.
Tsssssssssssssstttttt!!!!
"The Qat w/an Arab strap..." -Belle&Sebastian AKA "catm*lester" according to LennyQueef
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11/8/2009 2:17 am |
Hmmmm...why are you breaking the social contract? I am expecting responses! No one gives response like Noisy! It's like a calligraphic orgasm!
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613 posts 11/8/2009 11:45 am |
Do you really say "y'all," Noisy? I find that kind of disturbing. Not that I'm against the expression. It's just that it's so . . . I can't wrap my head around Noisy Int saying "y'all." Anyway, years ago my kids pediatrician who's conventional doc and homeopath said she thought the flu vaccine was a big scandal to enrich the pharmaceutical companies. Is that a conspiracy theory? Just sounds like common sense to me.
I do have to say that a lot of kids have been sick at my school, and they do seem to get harder hit than adults with whatever it is; however, doctors aren't even bothering to have kids come in or to diagnose.
My strategy has been to act like I'm immune to all disease. I'm the kind of person who eats a dropped m & m off the train station floor. I figure the more I'm exposed and survive, the tougher I am.
But then, here I am, fighting off something like a flu. Sore throat, feeling weak. Oh hell. Maybe that's just middle age.
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8164 posts 11/9/2009 6:59 am |
cowboy, never fear, I have returned. I kept meaning to check in on the weekend and respond to everyone, but then I kept saying to myself, eh, fuckit. Anyway, there's nothing like a return to work on Monday morning to motivate one to reply to one's blog comments, n'est-ce pas?
Anyway, what were you on about? Some conspiracy bandwagonning? I find Purell and other hand sanitizers strange and discomfitting. The idea of washing without rinsing does not seem right. Where does the dirt go? Absorbed back into your skin? By the way, there are Purell conspiracies out there too.
dal, I am so not surprised to hear that Europeans are laughing at us again.
mimples! Where you been, punk?! Thanks for the drop-by, and the big pharma hate. Always welcome.
Qat, pac thinks I'm a loser and Dharma done killed himself. But from what I understand, they are engaging in a FASCINATING discussion on FBK, complete with shrill righteousness and detached, unemotional condescension. Dang, I miss those guys.
Gypsy, they closed schools for three weeks?! I don't know whether to laugh or lament. I wish paranoia around here would manifest into a shut down of society for a couple weeks. Anyway, agree, the best medication in these instances is a good ole dollop of Common Sense.
Qat, well I'm sure many in the francophone population in Quebec are automatically distrustful of any sort of decree originating from the federal government. Interesting point - I wonder if the francos are less inclined to the mass freakout happening in anglo Canada.
Some day we will see a return to Bast and Sekhmet on Canadian currency.
mpls, yeah, the whole immunization thing - I never realized what a racket it is until I started seeing the anti-vaccine movement starting to hit the mainstream. Seriously, I wouldn't have known about it if it weren't for Jenny McCarthy on frickin Larry King.
Qat, are you back again? Good point about a large chunk of the Canadian electorate turning their backs on the two "mainstream" political parties. I appreciate that there is choice up here and that a protest vote can actually have an impact on how government is conducted. Anyway, it seems we can all agree that the hysteria is fueled in large part by big pharma. They are very busy activating the FEAR buttons they long ago planted in the hearts of all good American consumers. Lots to do these days.
maggs, oh, "y'all" is one of my favourite ironic audience monikers. I use it on my blog all the time. Not as often in real life. I am curious to see the trajectory of this flu virus this season. As much as I can tell, I've never had the flu (have had some tough colds that came with fever which I guess could have been mild flu?). The flu shot is free in Canada and actively promoted this time of year but I've never bothered with it. I guess I just don't feel all that threatened. And though I've never spent a lot of time contemplating it consciously, I think I am vaguely uncomfortable with the notion of interrupting my body's natural immuno process by injecting foreign viruses into it when there does not seem to be a precedent for it.
These things are lame.
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7328 posts 11/10/2009 4:38 pm |
I have no plans to get the vaccine, nor subject my kids to it. We never get 'regular' flu shots. Not even during pregnancy. Hell, I figured I had another being fighting off the shit anyway.
As for conspiracy theories, I don't put anything past these greedy mofos who suck in 99% of income in this country.
Who would believe that so small a space could contain the image of all the universe?
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4464 posts 11/10/2009 5:53 pm |
On vaccinations and rackets...The latest I've seen is a new push for the adult population to get the varicella vaccination.
"Have you ever had chicken pox? If you have you could come down with shingles! Vaccinate now!"
Okay, Shingles is a BITCH but every adult I have ever known has had the chicken pox and I only know one person who has had shingles. So what are the chances really? I think the chances are that Big Pharma found another way to make use of the varicella vaccination to make some big money.
And ya, that conversation on FB grew a little out of hand AND prompted someone to disinvite themselves from my table. Whatever.
I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve,
I have a history of losing my shirt
~ Bare Naked Ladies
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9905 posts 11/10/2009 6:59 pm |
thanks yer grace.
nice ta see ya 'round aboot these parts again.
I'm easy, I'm just not cheap...
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