Drug stores are stocking up, preparing for the manufactured recession Trump caused.
I have also noticed shelves getting a bit thin in the early days. Stock up yourselves folks. It might be a wild ride this year.
Incidentally, I was in for an outpatient visit to the clinic a couple weeks ago. They recommended I get a Covid booster as long as I was already there. I got the booster. Maybe they knew Trump & Co. was going to restrict access to them.
There’s a lot of hysteria going on about the flu shots, both the season and the swine flu one. GeekDad points out that you’d better get your kids vaccinated as they are a primary audience for the swine flu.
Follow the links in that story for some good information.
Not that this surprises me much but sales of hand sanitizer are way up. That, in theory, is a good thing but I hope we don’t overdo it. That said, I still see guys who take a leak and don’t wash their hands. Yes ladies, it probably happens more than you think.
One of the things that stops me for calling myself a progressive rather than just a plain vanilla liberal are the kinds of folks who call themselves progressive. Bill Maher is one of those folks. I mean, he’s funny, and sometimes he absolutely right.
And then there are times he thinks reality revolves around him, rather that being something he has to endure along with the rest of us. Things like, he keeps calling out the President for not pushing policies that he – Bill Maher – would like passed. As if somehow Barack Obama had mischaracterized what his agenda was at some point.
The relevant part to this discussion is that Maher is using his media soapbox to scare folks – particularly pregnant women – to not get the H1N1 shot. This is reckless, and it is going to get some woman – and probably her baby – killed. And Maher? He’s not going to give a shit. He’ll just shrug and light up a joint until he burns out the brain cell that reminds him he told her to risk her life for an anti-government talking point.
Just in case you think I’m being hard on the guy, his stance is in line with both Beckkk and Rimjob. The company ya keep, ya know?
Daily Kos has some good info, and then there’s this from The Daily Show.
I heard this on NPR just over a month ago, but figured the info was mostly relevant.
Wired post some material on a visual representation of the flu’s spread.
Some additional info on the flu, plus news today of a viable vaccine.
From listening to Here and Now today, troubling news of a Tamiflu-resistant strain, along with discussion on how businesses aren’t prepared for the worst (audio link).
Never mind their advertising mouthpiece, Smithfield has got more than just public relations issues due to being the likely source of Paula Deen Flu. It also has a laundry list of bad practices and abuses to it’s name.
From Political Irony, a writeup on the GOP’s response to the swine flu. Pigs.
Also, some actual facts about the flu. Important note: you CAN NOT get it from eating pork. So please, ladies, quit taking bacon away from your men. I have heard about a half dozen stories of guys losing access to bacon and this HAS TO STOP!
More info from Wired as well as the first non-Mexican story linking the flu outbreak to Smithfield Farms.
Also, NPR has a blog called Flu Shots that I plan on returning to throughout the outbreak. Just in case.
Google has a map of reported incidents of possible and confirmed cases of flu exposure. Give it a look.
Meanwhile, Nevada now has it’s first case as do nine other states.
I’m not ready to panic but I sure the hell don’t plan any major road trips for awhile either.
Look Kids! It’s the Paula Deen flu. The second story in this article covers something I heard yesterday on how a Smithfield Farms pig lot in Mexico may be the source of the swine flu ravaging Mexico City.
The more racist of Americans have been blaming this on Mexico. Instead, they should be blaming an American agribusiness giant if any of this is true.
As for me, I’d rather blame their “let’s cook everything in lard” spokeswoman, Paula Deen. Why? I don’t know why, but I do know that I just don’t like that lady.
If anyone dies in this country from the swine flu, you can blame the GOP. They cut the last bit of funding for pandemic supplies that Bush had originally ordered from Obama’s stimulus bill.
It is no surprise that Karl Rove was at the head of the “let’s screw the safety of our nation” crowd. It is only slightly more surprisingly to find Maine’s Senator Gail Collins in the same boat. Indeed, to earn her vote for the stimulus, killing pandemic preparedness funding was one of her conditions. And one she is truly proud of.
Here are some sensible items concerning the flu.
Honestly, I do not think we’ll see much dire consequences of the swine flu, but it is good to know we have a government that is trying to be prepared and trying to inform the public without starting a riot. And if it weren’t for the backstabbing Fifth Columnists, we might even be more ready.
Meanwhile, in jackass conspiracy lands, Glenn Beck thinks this is all made up instead of a government being responsible. I kind of get his point as he’s never seen a Republican administration that isn’t playing games with people’s lives or has any ethical moral fiber to actually care for American citizens. This whole concept confuses him.