This Whole Bird Flu Thing is So Retarded!

Over twenty years ago, when I was about eight years old, I used to keep racing pigeons.

Over twenty years ago, when I was about eight years old, I was aware of the health risks of working closely with birds and ingesting dust and other "stuff" from feathers and bird droppings.

Over twenty years ago, when I was about eight years old, I knew it was not safe to breath these things in, to work too closely with birds without any respiratory protection.

Over twenty years ago, when I was about eight years old, I knew that humans could contract some pretty nasty diseases from birds.

Over twenty years ago, when I was about eight years old, I knew all of this.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, we have enjoyed a SARS outbreak that nearly caused panic around the world.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, we have had several years of worrying signs of an existing threat from several strains of avian flu.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, we have had several years of concern about potential mutation of H5N1.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, we have suffered the illness and deaths of dozens of people who worked closely with poultry in Asia.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, we have seen avian flu spreading Westwards from Asia into the fringes of Europe.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, WE KNOW DAMN WELL that it is INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS TO WORK CLOSELY with poultry.

Over twenty years later, when I am thirty-eight years young, humans are displaying how incredibly retarded and ignorant they can be.

Over twenty years AFTER I KNEW IT WAS A RISK TO MY HEALTH TO WORK CLOSELY WITH BIRDS, when I am thirty-eight years young, we have several dead children and 14 human cases of avian flu infection in Turkey.

And this comes after months and months of illness, infection, health worries and culling of birds in Asia, as well as headline warnings about an impending pandemic?

Well I'm sorry. How many clear signs do humans need? This is the most retarded state of affairs I have seen in a long time.

And considering the state of the world and the behaviour or human beings in recent times, I think that's saying something, don't you?