A-tishoo, a-tishoo: we all fall down

[caddyman]

Ah, the luxury. For the first time in a fortnight (almost exactly) the trip in to work was stress and hassle-free. The Northern Line is working properly and is not too crowded. The interchange at Euston was flawless, and I managed to get a seat. All in all, I managed a decent doze pretty much all the way in to Victoria, arriving in the office at about 10.03, which is not quite spot on time for core hours, but near as damn it is to swearing.

I have been giving some thought to this avian flu which the media is doing its damnedest to scare us witless about. One budgie in Greece sneezes and suddenly the pandemic is upon us. The EU has apparently suspended all movement of birds across frontiers in Europe.

Do the birds know?

Expect to see hunters with shotguns lining the cliffs at Dover blasting away at every blessed thing that comes within range.

I have never had flu, but I am lead to believe that whisky and lemon is effective in alleviating the symptoms. Get the birds pissed; if they’re all sitting on perches nursing hangovers, they aren’t going to be flying around coughing and hacking at all and sundry.

Mind you, the sight outside every Off Licence every morning is going to look like a scene from Hitchcock.

Comments

[failing-angel.livejournal.com]

Mind you, the sight outside every Off Licence every morning is going to look like a scene from Hitchcock.

Or High Anxiety

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

"Expect to see hunters with shotguns lining the cliffs at Dover blasting away at every blessed thing that comes within range."

The rest of Southern Europe does that every year during the migration anyway so we might as well join in. Why they feel the need to shoot birds that themselves are barely bigger than a shotgun shell I have no idea, but they do it.

One flu overr the Cuckoos nest

[romney.livejournal.com]

It is a bit more serious than a few sneezing budgies.

The danger is not that the birds get ill, although this will seriously affect Joe Public when the price of Chicken McNuggets goes up.

The danger is not that the virus will not be able to infect humans - it can already do this if one tries hard enough to catch it.

The danger is that the virus adapts to being transmitted BY humans. And Influenza travels by air rather then shared needles, unsafe sex or toilet seats.

If you ever get a dose of the 'real' flu to which we have resistance, you will nonetheless get very ill, may need medical assistance to get better, and may die. Each year it's the method used by many of our infirm coffin-dodgers use to leave the planet.

The big Influenza pandemics of the last century killed millions and a new strain against which we have no defence will certainly do the same.

A responsible government might be able to take steps, if only we had one.

Re: One flu overr the Cuckoos nest

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Have the poles shifted or something?

I write a facetious entry and you post a starkly dire and serious response. Now, if I'd posted something serious, you would have come in with some ill-judged madness.

Re: One flu overr the Cuckoos nest

[romney.livejournal.com]

Of course my comments are ill-judged, it's part of a package that includes badly-timed, off-colour, in-applicable and un-welcome.

I'm unhappy that after the unreal threats of foot'n mouth and BSE were met with such dreadful and draconian economic and socal responses, that now a real hreat is on the horizon it's danger is going to be under-appreciated.

Keep up the facetious entries 'though!

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

Quick bid now - bid now or we'll all die !

http://search.ebay.co.uk/Bird-Flu_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

I have a full NBC suit and S10 Respirator at home (best not ask why ok!)

I think I might try coming to work in the gear while carrying a squished pigeon.

I bet that way I'd finally get a bloody seat on the train to London Bridge!

[bluesman.livejournal.com]

I think I'll stay where I am. You know where you stand when stepping out the door to see a coyote, bear or bull snake in your yard.