"Where the hell it got all these genes from we don't know"

Nature and independent reporting ^ | April 27, 2007 | Greg C.

[FreedomFighter1013]

Nature April 27, 2009 Delcan Butler and independent reporting

"The scary thing is that this virus seems enormously transmissible," "Genetics are so novel, that humans are unlikely to have any immunity from it..." "But this is a real super-mixed-up virus." "For me this is the time to start deploying national pandemic plans — we need to act now." "Humans unlikely to have any immunity to it."

Researchers are puzzled over the origins and spread of the current H1N1 human borne influenza and that has health officials around the world worried.

The current virus mixes an existing triple combination of human, avian and swine influenza identified in 1998 with two new swine virus genes from Asia and Europe, both of human origin. More here

[April Lexington]

I'm supposed to believe that this thing constantly mutates into a more and more evil bug? If it keeps mutating, it will mutate in and out of the danger zone. Why assume this thing only mutates from bad to worse. Remember this day. Six months from now we will know and, frankly, I doubt many will even remember this episode.

[SoldierDad]

I’m betting it is man made - and I’m betting it was released intentionally. The question will be by whom?

[April Lexington]

I haven't been to concerned up to this point but this sort of talk has me wondering. "Virologists think they may be in for the long haul. "Will this fizzle out? It doesn't look like it to me," says McCauley. "For me this is the time to start deploying national pandemic plans — we need to act now."

Go for it Obama. Nationalize all of the pharmacies! That's the ticket. Those greedy pharmacists are worse than car manufatureres and bankers! Plus they hold the fate of humanity in their greedy hands!!! NOT!

[Nachoman]

Just think of this as a back drop for Obutthead to pitch his national healthcare plan.

[April Lexington]

However, there is one other possiblity. CIA found someone working on a deadly form of this virus and US labs engineered a relatively "benign" form that would protect the world with immunity. It would be like the old live polio vaccine they used to use that would occassionaly cause the disease itself but mostly protected everyone else.

Nice theory. However, this would require a CIA that has not just recently been burned by Obama.

[April Lexington]

I’m betting it is man made - and I’m betting it was released intentionally. The question will be by whom?

Remember Dolly the cloned sheep? Man doesn't do well playing G-d. The stuff never works.

[rintense]

An easy scenario, really. Terrorists make their way to central/northern Mexico and release the virus. With our borders, they know it will travel quickly. And with this administration, they know nothing will be done about the border. Its a dream scenario for out enemies, and one this administration will likely blame on Bush.

[April Lexington]

If this is true, the Mexican government should be really upset. Used as fools and peasants by some evil world power to get to the USA. I can see this, but its sickening...

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

The bigger question is, is it man made or just a freak of nature?

More important. Is this biological terrorism say by the ROP. Or, are the variant lunatic Marxists who believe the worlds populations need to be reduced by 90 percent now acting to implement their beliefs?

For most of my life, the worst flues have come from China as a result of subsidence animal husbandry practices. All of a sudden we see a release in Mexico which is the biggest vector that penetrates the United States. Call me paranoid. I got my reasons.

[April Lexington]

I hope they held their breath when they let the stuff go!

[DB]

All I can say is it is mighty interesting that the curator of the museum in Mexico Obama shook hands with died the next day. What are the odds of that? That seems pretty extreme. Was Obama the target?

[April Lexington]

Call me paranoid. I got my reasons.

IF this is man made, you may be on to something. I just don't think this has legs. Unless that someone is trying to nationalize USA health care. Then, maybe it has legs.

[DB]

See #31.

[FreedomFighter1013]

The Phylogenic trees for the HA and NA proteins for the current virus have also been posted at Greg's Blog

[rintense]

I keep replaying Battlestar Galactica in my head... ‘It happened before. It will happen again’. God doesn’t like man playing God.

[rintense]

A sacrifice for Allah.

[DB]

Too soon to tell. First it takes 7 to 10 days to incubate. So the actual number of infections is really difficult to gauge and can be silently spreading.

Also, spring/summer limits the spread of the flue due to dry air. The 1918 breakout initially happened in spring and disappeared until fall/winter when it came back with a deadly vengeance.

[BattleHymn]

I found this article a couple weeks ago, before any of this flu thing started:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/51913.php

I am no doctor or scientist, but he does seem to make at least a plausible case for vitamin D deficiency to blame for the flu problems we have been having.

[Publius]

I’m betting it is man made - and I’m betting it was released intentionally. The question will be by whom?

Here's a blast from the past: Operation Raindance

[El Gato]

What are the odds of that? That seems pretty extreme. Was Obama the target?

Or the vector?