Mel (& Paul) Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I read an article in the paper yesterday that might put this whole thing in perspective. Normal human flu causes between 12,000 and 26,000 deaths a year in the UK but since the latest outbtreak in 2003 there have been only 92 known deaths of the H5N1. Thank you!!!!!!! I think I will use that statistic when any one brings up the topic in a pathetic way (I dont mind if people are genuinely interested and concerned about the welfare of my chooks ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I love Mel and Paul's posting - made me chuckle The girl on our local radio the other day was whittering on such nonsense about "I think it might be best not to eat chicken and eggs anymore .." LA LA LA LA LA LA local radio My secretary's mum works at Tescos (the is for Tescos, not my secretary or her mum ) and she says that the sales of chicken has really dropped. The price has also dropped because there is an excess coming over from the continent. And, of course, its the cheap stuff which people will rush out to buy not thinking of the animal and its not the organic, free range happy meat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Boo hissss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 That's a good idea! Pantomime shouting! When someone starts wittering on about bird flu we could shout ITS BEHIND YOU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 The price has also dropped because there is an excess coming over from the continent. And, of course, its the cheap stuff which people will rush out to buy not thinking of the animal and its not the organic, free range happy meat Surely bird flu is on the continent and not here!!! (Aside from welfare issues). I read it may not be spread by wild birds at all, but intensive farming practices. It's on the BBC site, quote by an academic but I can't find the article now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Aparently we are importing a lot of meat - there is an excess over there so we get it cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I wonder why!!!!! If you're going to transport cheap meat all over the continent, no wonder we get problems. Local quality meat is the way forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spuddy Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 * Nerdy hobbies - I know! There's nothing nerdy about Doctor Who! (I'll give you the railway though ) I totally agree with you though about the tabloid media; it does seem sometimes that what they don't know they make up and the way they try to manipulate public opinion is incredible. I noticed the other day that even the ITV news seemed to be reporting in an opinionated manner rather than just reporting the facts. Dreadful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 What a shocker! How could they get Dr Who, sorry "The Dr" wrong!!! Science is rubbish, I have yet to find a good article in some papers that explains any actual science or discovery. You read through thinking, so what did they find out, yes yes background information, so what did they find out?! Science is reported in journals that only scientists can read, these are then summarised more accessibly in publications like New scientist, then the press quotes from New Scientist, it is like chinese whispers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianissimo Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 There's an interesting and (I think) rational Q&A about H5N1 on the BBC website. I don't know if it's new, but it is linked to from the BBC News front page. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4736888.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Choccy, I think I saw that article about AI being caused/spread by intensive farming practices, and it was repeated in the Mail too. I have to say that I agree with that. Louise has a good line on this one I think. But I reckon that they keep prices down by keeping extra large numbers of animals, jabbing them full of chemicals and not worrying too much about their welfare/hygiene. Our girls, by contrast should have stronger immune systems,and are watched closely by their loving owners, so are less likely to contract something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Don't start me on intensive farming and cheap meat Especially poultry from the continent that has been injected with water and collagen to make it heavier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Did you know we export our own meat? We send our very well hung and dark, soft and flavourful meat to France etc because they prefer it very well hung and dark, soft and flavourful and we're very good at doing it. The British public will not buy meat that looks like this, they want it bright red and unhung, tasteless and tough. So the enterprising (and who can blame them?) Europeans make their meat so and sell it back to us. I find 'gone-over' meat in Asda every week, 1/3 off because they've had to put one dark lamb chop or beef steak in a pack of four just to get rid, but no-one's happy with the colour of one so it doesn't sell. I'd rather have a pack of four and pay full price. Fat chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura007 Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 this may seem a bit odd but i am known for having holiday disasters, i have been to iceland and mount hekla erupted, new york and a couple of months later the twin towers, yugoslavia and 6 months later war broke out and i went to hong kong 2 days after we flew out the goverment stopped all flights due to the SARS outbreak. now i was there when this infectious flu was at its worst and everyone was walking around in face mask's. I DIDN'T GET SARS!!!! the moral to this is people are over reacting if you take everything literally you wouldnt do anything. and at this rate i should be locked up with my chickens and never leave beeston for fear of something happening. we might not even get it in this country. fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Cluck Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 sorry just had to join in on this one - I am also fed up with the ''arent you worried about Bird Flu'' comments as well - my reply is aways the same NO I am more worried about peoples ignorance on the subject and their attitudes as this causes more harm. Lyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 BREAKING NEWS: To thwart the spread of avian flu George W Bush has bombed the Canary Islands. Richard T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolinep Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 I think we can all have a break for a while - the money robbery last night will be occupying all media for a the next week or two so the bird flu epidemic will be forgotton (until the next "no news" day)... how true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 BREAKING NEWS: To thwart the spread of avian flu George W Bush has bombed the Canary Islands. Richard T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I think we can all have a break for a while - the money robbery last night will be occupying all media for a the next week or two so the bird flu epidemic will be forgotton (until the next "no news" day)... Unfortunately they are already questioning three people and have found 2 of the cars involved. Anybody fancy ringing up Scotland Yard and giving them a red herring to follow to keep the storey going (and if that doesnt work, just give the next person to witter on about bird flu a slap in the face with a wet fish ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 i was there when this infectious flu was at its worst and everyone was walking around in face mask's. I DIDN'T GET SARS!!!! That's probably why you didn't get it Laura!! (sorry - just being facetious ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 this may seem a bit odd but i am known for having holiday disasters, i have been to iceland and mount hekla erupted, new york and a couple of months later the twin towers, yugoslavia and 6 months later war broke out and i went to hong kong 2 days after we flew out the goverment stopped all flights due to the SARS outbreak. /quote] Ummm. Where are you planning your holidays this year Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura007 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 this may seem a bit odd but i am known for having holiday disasters, i have been to iceland and mount hekla erupted, new york and a couple of months later the twin towers, yugoslavia and 6 months later war broke out and i went to hong kong 2 days after we flew out the goverment stopped all flights due to the SARS outbreak. /quote] Ummm. Where are you planning your holidays this year Laura stockholm in june and vancouver in october. watch this space!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura007 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 i was there when this infectious flu was at its worst and everyone was walking around in face mask's. I DIDN'T GET SARS!!!! That's probably why you didn't get it Laura!! (sorry - just being facetious ) when we got there just a handful of people had face masks, by the time we left 80% of people had them. Paul is one of these people who sneezes numerous times all at once, you can only imagine how that went down on a packed underground train in rush hour!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
