Leavitt says pandemic will last 12 to 18 months

Hitech - just wondering what you would do if your neighbor or child's school teacher or your local grocery clerk suddenly died of flu like symptons and their familys would not allow any testing?  Most times, I disagree how the government is working but this is definitely one of those da??ed if you do and da??ed if you don't.

Gimme wrote: PonyGirl wrote: Am not blaming him for anything. Just as we endured 9/11 as a nation this may be another significant historical event that occurs on his watch. Yes they learned from Katrina and that is why they are saying every state is on its own. Am not sure a lot of states have the money to deal with something of this magnitude.   Hey Ponygirl - I don't understand what you mean by the statement "every state is on its own".  We always have been .. this is not new, it's the law and it is preferred.  Governor's of each state have the power, to call in their National Guard units, request Federal Assistance, etc. , and/or emergency assistance such as funds.  Bush requested .. so much money to be used to battle the Avain Flu.  A small portion of that was approved by Congress. They called it Phase 1.  I am guessing the money was distributed to each State by population count.  So there are more funds to be requested and released at Phase 2.  (not to be confused with Pandemic Phases). What would you have them do (the Federal Government), that they are not doing now? Just wondering?  They have given contracts to various vaccine makers for research and development.  The USA foots the bill for so much internationally.  I have thought about that too and agree with their planning and implementation, I thiink it's reasonable. Always more could be done but where would the money come from?

Hello hitech,

Replying to Brianages.... Why not talk to the THOUSANDS that have gone AWOL refusing to shoot civilians?  Why not talk to the THOUSANDS DYING from Depleted uranium munitions or having their limbs blown off.  Cindy Sheehan is but one vocal example of a VALID OPINION of those having kids slaughtered for Bush and Rumsfeld BUSINESS purposes.  Haliburton, Bechtel and Carlyle groups.  I have ZERO problem with the brave kids brainwashed into thinking they're defending this country while making these SCUM RICH!  I support our troops and we should BRING THEM HOME!

The 12-18 month pandemic would naturally include all of the 2-3 waves where there are a lot of infectious people in our country.  That is the way every influenza pandemic, and many other pandemics occur.  Most of the time during that period between waves there will be almost business as normal, or at least that is what planners presume.  Of course some businesses will fail during each wave.  Remeber they are assuming that 60% of the workforce will be working, that there will be food deliveries to stores most of the time, etc.  So why would anyone stock for more than one wave, even if you were afraid to go out when there were a lot of infectious people around?

Gimme wrote: Knowing people dont necessarily read details, just headlines.

hitech_47460 -

Dlugose wrote: The 12-18 month pandemic would naturally include all of the 2-3 waves where there are a lot of infectious people in our country.  That is the way every influenza pandemic, and many other pandemics occur.  Most of the time during that period between waves there will be almost business as normal, or at least that is what planners presume.  Of course some businesses will fail during each wave.  Remeber they are assuming that 60% of the workforce will be working, that there will be food deliveries to stores most of the time, etc.  So why would anyone stock for more than one wave, even if you were afraid to go out when there were a lot of infectious people around?   While Bush is not responsible for avian flu, the way he manages public health leaves a lot to be desired.  The Center for Disease Control and FDA used to be guided by scientific experts, now the political appointees overrule expert committees all the time.  When Bush responds to a disaster, he does it in a way that his friends and big businesses and stockholders will benefit the most, to hell with employees or the public.    There is the theory that the reason he wants so much of the pandemic funds in vaccine development (which won't help us at least in the first wave) is that Secr. of Defence Rumsfeld, former Secretary of State George Shultz, and other political heavyweights are big investors in Roche, who owns Tamilflu.  "I don't know of any biotech company that's so politically well-connected," says analyst Andrew McDonald of Think Equity Partners in San Francisco." http://cleveland.indymedia.org/news/2005/11/17763.php That makes some sense considering things like post 9/11 when the airlines were in danger of bankrupcy, the administrations plan made sure the corporations stayed in business, but many of the employees lost their jobs.  In Katrina, money went to a lot of contractors who could make a lot of money at inflated prices.  FEMA does not do things like put up trailers or repair houses, those things are contracted out to private business, mostly outsiders who charge inflated prices.  I was in Biloxi Mississippi and the poor people were getting practically nothing done for them, while the middle class were able to use their insurance and FEMA money to hire the out of town contractors.  If FEMA gives a poor person $50,000 for a ruined house, but labor charges and the housing market are now inflated by over 100%, that poor person will be out on the street in no time.  Then to recover the city, the city condemns the damaged poor housing and lets the casinos buy the property to increase their profits.  And of course we all know about Haliburton getting rich in Iraq.  So Bush is not responsible for a pandemic, but he continues to live up to his screwed up priorities.  Since 9/11 he has decreased state and local subsidies for all kinds of health and public safety measures.

Jhetta wrote:

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hitech_47460 wrote: The National Guard has been STRIPPED and material and equipment from various states for Bushy's WAR! Something the National Guard was NEVER supposed to be FOR!  Now they're setting up a DRAFT for boys AND girls.  Yes, you'll need all the AMMO you can GET!  Contracts are going no-bid style to FRIENDS of Bush and their ILK like to Rumsfeld's company for Tamiflu and other WORTHLESS ventures.  NO OVERSIGHT HERE!  This is the problem with recomending what to do.   We're being LIED to every step of the way.  We can't TRUST a single thing that spews forth from government / media sources anymore.  It'd be nice if INDEPENDENT doctors and medical personelle could organize apart from government efforts.  Something we could trust.   I still recomend independent PREPAREDNESS.  Food, supplies, medicines etc.  Stay away from their vaccines, quarantines and DETENTION CAMPS!   We've already seen the usurpation of the ballot box, the soap box etc... When they start spreading this Spanish Flu for real and implementing Martial Law, the time comes for us to use the CARTRIDGE BOX!   IF that is there are any of U.S. LEFT resisting Bushy's DRAFT for war on Iran.    ...WAITING FOR THE BIG BANG!!

I usually take a few rounds when I reply to the firey political stuff, but  I am - best wording here - in favor of working to improve our main organizations now working to combat Avian rather than work against them.

You can check out polls and so forth and come to the conclusion most Americans at this point are unhappy with the current situation.  However, I think realistically, you should understand politicians do have to go back to the public for votes, and are watching (probably even here) the pulse beat of the people far more than you give them credit for.

This is not a political debate arena and our main focus is the to fight the bug. There are various levels of alarm concerning new laws and SOPs being drafted and in place to deal with the Pandemic.

We do not want to be arguing over who owns what and is making how much money, over mass graves and lines of cots filled with people coughing up blood.

Clearly, the first 6 months, and I have confirmed this with virologists and nuts and bolts make the virus serum people, we aren't going to have a weapon. So, we need to reduce the idea of horror film quarantine camps, and teaching troops to police and work with citizens rather than insurgents.

Behind the scenes I see a huge effort by major government organizations to rework the system and you should see this if for nothing else, their own survival. If there is social collapse, these organizations become simply names.

The Pandemic will be everywhere - especially the Middle East. People, such as in Iran will be struggling to stay alive and many of the more ambitious efforts will (unless the opportunity occurs to hit a weakened U.S.) to survive.

You do not even want a situation in which America become divided and because of infighting open as a target.

BF is everyone's enemy. Please focus on it.

    Of course it is Bush's fault...when you are President, you get the credit when things go right and the blame when they do not. And, as President, he certainly had access to the best information available at the earliest possible moment and he could be on TV every night telling his fellow Americans how important this is --          

whispering wind wrote: PLEASE stop with the politics!!! There are plenty of other forums on the net to gore any ox you wish. May be time for another small rule.

Hear hear..

Never2late wrote:      Of course it is Bush's fault...when you are President, you get the credit when things go right and the blame when they do not. And, as President, he certainly had access to the best information available at the earliest possible moment and he could be on TV every night telling his fellow Americans how important this is --

Kind of like being a Mother, huh? When they are horrid monsters or things aren't going their way who get's blamed?? You get lots of disapproving looks and tssks from strangers. BUT when they are being angels, do we get the credit? Do people say "you must be a fantastic mother, your children are angels". NOOOOOO. It goes with the territory. If Bush doesn't want the heat, he should have worked at Wal-Mart!

hitech_47460 wrote: Replying to Brianages.... Why not talk to the THOUSANDS that have gone AWOL refusing to shoot civilians?  Why not talk to the THOUSANDS DYING from Depleted uranium munitions or having their limbs blown off.  Cindy Sheehan is but one vocal example of a VALID OPINION of those having kids slaughtered for Bush and Rumsfeld BUSINESS purposes.  Haliburton, Bechtel and Carlyle groups.  I have ZERO problem with the brave kids brainwashed into thinking they're defending this country while making these SCUM RICH!  I support our troops and we should BRING THEM HOME!   And NO, I don't like Bush and have had Secret Service visits due to comments on BOTH Bush and Clinton.  BOTH along with Bush SENIOR and their ilk are guilty of HIGH TREASON and deserving of:   IMPEACHMENT CONVICTION EXECUTION   But I'm not gonna hold my breath that our TREASONOUS Congress critters will do THEIR job by doing so.   It's not possible to NOT talk about this since depleting our AMERICAN KID RESOURCES is part of the overall NWO scheme / SCAM!   Kill of our kids and use FOREIGN TROOPS for domestic pacification.

Remember, the bird flu virus doesn't care about politics, it will affect everyone, Let's keep our eye on the ball or should I say virus.

Hmmmmmm.......I could swear I typed in Avian Flu Forum.  These new bifocals aren't worth cr*p.      Oh.....I guess I am in the right place afterall.

Maybe Albert can setup a room for such discussions because I'm starting to loose some respect for those whose information I've respected.  This way, I'll know where all those discussions are located so I can SKIP them rather than have to plow thru all this compost to get to what I came here for.

whispering wind wrote: <FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color=#cccccc size=4>PLEASE stop with the politics!!! There are plenty of other forums on the net to gore any ox you wish. May be time for another small rule.

    
I, too would happily support institution of said "small rule". Please, please, please?

If that won't fly, what about that aforementioned "ignore" function? There's enough political chaff going around from some sources, quite long-winded political chaff, I might add, that it's hard to see the posts we're here to find. And that chaff tends to make members of this forum look like a bunch of raving lunatics. Yes, I know that today's raving lunatic is tomorrow's visionary. But one or two such visionaries can kill a forum's credibility, particularly when their visions aren't on topic.

Again, how about a rule, small or otherwise. Isn't that what a moderator/administrator is for?

Could we get back on topic guys PLEASE.  I doubt someone who has figured out that they should be prepared wants to wade through all this..........

The length of time the virus is around not a huge concern as long as it has mutated to a non lethal form.