Society and bird flu

Do people think that society will break down similar to that of hurricane Katrina?
I would like to know, in case I should start stocking up on weapons for protection.

No I don't. Nor do I think society broke down during Katrina near as much as it was portrayed to have done so.

Besides that, we'll all be too busy coughing a lung up and falling over dead to be shooting at each other.

Try spending your money on nonperishable supplies, water, N95 or better face masks, and cranberries...it will be a much more productive investment.

Originally posted by Valhall
No I don't. Nor do I think society broke down during Katrina near as much as it was portrayed to have done so.

Besides that, we'll all be too busy coughing a lung up and falling over dead to be shooting at each other.

Try spending your money on nonperishable supplies, water, N95 or better face masks, and cranberries...it will be a much more productive investment.

I agree - and just add green tea to the shopping list.

We have started hoarding. The loungeroom has a big pile. Mum has got

cans of meat and vegetable stews
canned fish
canned meat
baked beans
canned vegetables
huge 10 kilo bag of rice
five kilos of pasta
dried peas and lentils
sugar
salt
flour
15 litre bottles of water
gas bottles
gas cookers
gas lights
camping equipment
disinfectants
her herbal mixes
vitamins
nebuliser
generator
fuel
oil
fishing things

we have got a month or two of supplies now and more to come, supplemented hopefully by fishing.



[edit on 16-10-2005 by Eye Of Ra]

I would think that a simple sign that reads "Beware: This house is quarantined. Occupants tested positive with H5N1" would be sufficient.

This is my current list:

10x Gallon jugs of water
10x Cases of MREs
10x Water purification tablet bottles
10x Vitamin supplement bottles
10x Iron Rations
50' Rope
50x Antibiotics
50x Oxycotin
50x Valium
50x Paxil
50x Phentermine
25x "E"
25x 20-oz bottled water
25x Glowsticks
2x Fog generators
2x Audio-controlled lasers
1x Coleman Lantern
100x "D" Batteries
1x 120/240V generator (preferrably Coleman/Honda)
1x ICOM 32W HT
1x 12V solar recharger
2x 50-gallon drums of gasoline
1x Complete DVD set of the show "Paranoia Agent" (subtitles)
1x Flare gun
3x Flare refills
2x Pumpkins
20x Party Poppers
2x AK-47 assault rifle
50x AK-47 clips
6x 1/4lb C4 blocks
3x electronic detonators
1x Small Lithuanian child
2x Book on nuclear war survival from the late 50s
1x KGB "suitcase nuke"
1x Urine-to-water thing A-la "Waterworld"
1x Chemical Suit
1x Bio Suit
1x Zoot Suit
3x "I Went to Indonesia and All I Got Was this Lousy T-Shirt (and H5N1)" T-shirts
1x Combination Bible/Torah/Koran/Necromicon
1x Sack of coffee beans
2x Technics turntable
1x Speakers set
1x Happy hardcore vinyl collection
1x Monitor headphones
1x Set of Monster cables
1x Cat/fox/furry mammal-ears headband thingy
1x NordicTrack(TM)
1x Inflatable raft
10x Size "E" Rocket engines
50x Prophylatics
2x Hardy Azalea bushes
10x Various incense sticks
1x "Deadwood" season 1 DVD
10x Razors
10x Shaving cream (green gel type)
1x Interocitor
1x Geiger counter
1x Sack of doorknobs
1x "Dr Strangelove" DVD
1x Neo-Geo
1x Set of Berkley Breathered (Opus/Bloom County/Outland) comic compilations
5x Shovel
5x Towels
10x Blue tarps
1x Hammer
1x Swiss army knife
1x Old VHS tape with episodes of "MacGuyver" and "Knight Rider"


[edit on 16-10-2005 by Toxic Fox]

My question is, why don't you already have a weapon? It isn't wise to wait until something is going to happen to own and be familiar - if not proficient- with a firearm.

It'd be hard to imagine a worst case scenario that would cause one to resort to shooting neighbors as far as the H5Ni is concerned, but asa we don't know what is on the tracks and heading toward us next year or two years from now.....

Originally posted by mashup
Do people think that society will break down similar to that of hurricane Katrina?
I would like to know, in case I should start stocking up on weapons for protection.

Why would you need a weapon against Avian Flu? You going to shoot any Flu that walks down your driveway
I would think an inoculation would maybe suffice, but then again, ya cant be sure what kind of flu is going to come knocking at your door.

Seriously though. I think that this is being taken too far. We have only our Governments that are advising us,via scientists etc, that things are bad. They always seem to have a knack at doing that. They will always want you to think the worst, then when a cure is found, they will be the ones who will be reaping the benefits of saving a nation.

My advice is, until it happens, and that is a big IF, enjoy life and don't panic. Live it to the full. What will happen, will happen. We have no control over it.

Originally posted by Toxic Fox
This is my current list:

10x Gallon jugs of water

List edited for brevity
1x Old VHS tape with episodes of "MacGuyver" and "Knight Rider"


[edit on 16-10-2005 by Toxic Fox]

PMSL here at your list. Excellent mate. If there was an award for the most imaginative, i would vote for ya





[edit on 17-10-2005 by Thomas Crowne]

why don't you already have a weapon?

If you're talking about a firearm, I'm a 16 year old living in London. I do have sufficient baseball and cricket bats though. What I think I'll do, is get a load of army ration packs as they are easy to heat up, sealed and can be eaten anywhere including after a nuclear holocaust.
I might try and buy a gas mask, although my parents will probably think there's something wrong with me. Also, if society breaks down, I'll go to my school and bust the place where they keep practice rifles and an empty magazine so that I can threaten people.

Originally posted by mashup
I'll go to my school and bust the place where they keep practice rifles and an empty magazine so that I can threaten people.

Why? you scared in case the big bad flu runs up and gets you? You don't need a weapon against it. You need inoculation.

Maybe you heard about inoculation with a cricket bat that we don't know about yet

Avian flu really is nothing to sneeze at - Good Lord, did I REALLY just say that???

Seriously, I am a little concerned. I recall the near-panic that erupted in the US over the limited availibility of vaccine for the regular old flu last year. A vaccine effective against h5n1 is still not proven to be effective and - if the flu mutates enough, the vaccine will be useless. See www.cidrap.umn.edu... for more info on the vaccine.

The h5n1 flu is a close cousin to the avian flu responsible for the 1919 pandemic. This is currently the most lethal pandemic that ever afflicted mankind. With modern travel technology, it is quite possible to spread a flu throughout the world in short order.

www.stanford.edu... is a site describing the 1919 pandemic.

I agree wholeheartedly that the breakdown of the social order in the aftermath of KAtrina and RIta is greatly overblown. This is not a regional disaster, however. The basic premises fictionalized in the movie Outbreak is not too much in the realm of speculative science fiction.

I'm not saying that I'm laying in more ammo, but it does have me concerned. I do have an evacuation plan - but I live in a region that may be hit by hurricanes, so I'd have a plan anyways.

Don't cash in your IRA's to buy weapons, but there's nothing wrong in being prepared....