ATS Sensationalizing Flu Scare?

Originally posted by venividivici

Now if I could only figure out how to customize "myATS" to block certain forums.

At the top of every forum their is a subscribe or an unsubscribe button. subscribe to the forums you like and they will show up in your "MyATS" page. Get tired of them go to the forum and click unsubscribe.

Hope that helps.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Alright, now this is just a thought. An observation I've noticed over the past couple of weeks of heavy posting and new members.

Now this Flu has got the whole world glued to their TV sets and internet attempting to figure out how bad it's gonna be, and who is to blame and all that regular jazz.

However this is only day what..4? And we already have an amazing ammount of threads claiming this is from Drug Cartels to the CIA to population control, right down to mother nature herself.

Does anybody else think that we here at ATS, although un-intentionally, have a habit of acting like hyperchondriacs? It seems that everytime some major story breaks we are all over it, yet the majority make wild claims and the thing turns angry.

I think perhaps we need to take a breather and come to the conclusion that perhaps not everything is conspiracy based.

Sometimes it feels as though some members (including myself at points) will sensationlize things, and I don't mean on purpose, I almost didn't notice I was doing it.

But it is far too soon to start dooming and glooming and attempting to decipher this event. All we can do is wait and see what will happen.

Anybody else got the same idea?

~Keeper

Here is the thing my friend.

The swine flu is barely a month old and has only affected a relatively small number of individuals, and it has had high mortality rates. We do not currently have any natural immunities or a vaccine, so the entire populous is susceptible.

The Spanish Flu was the worst pandemic in world history. The flu that year killed only 2.5 percent of its victims, but more than a fifth of the world's entire population caught it, and so it's estimated that between 50 million and 100 million people died in just a few months.

There is a great possibility that this strain will prove not to be the killer bug that some think it is. The point I am making, is that it is better to be scared and informed than blissfully ignorant if this thing comes your way.

Some may interpret it as fear mongering, but the past has shown that silence in times such as these can be very costly.
Please see this link bkmarcus.com...

We are adults here, and we can see what is over the top and what may constitute factual information. Given the Medias behavior during or last great Pandemic it is good to have such an outlet and sharing of information as is found here on ATS.

I think it is important to know that even if you did catch the swine flu your much more than likely not going to die from it, so you know maybe containment suits and the like are uncalled for.

The open and free discussion found here will only aid in education about the swine flu, and may well prove the most reliable means of tracking its progress.

it’s good to question all sides of an issue regardless of how “out there” some ideas may seem.


[edit on 28-4-2009 by Donkey_Dean]

reply to post by mrwupy


Yep I understand that the members make the site but at the same time a balance is needed, like a FAQ thread regarding the Swine flu stickied at the top of the Pandemics forum.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Anybody else got the same idea?

Not me. In the case of this swine/avian/human hybrid mexican flu, we are keeping in mind what happened with the 1918 flu ... how it started mild and then mutated into a killer that wiped out 40 million people worldwide including 650,000 Americans.

Education and monitoring of the situation is very important.

The news doesn't tell the whole story, many times it just tells agenda.

As was said - ATSers dig down and connect the dots.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I give you a S&F Op, not because it's such an original thought OR because it's necessarily an ATS demographic, but because I think it's a whole media outlet anamoly.

It doesn't take much in human behavior to go from moderate to full-blown panic. I would like to think that we here at ATS are really the cream of the crop when it comes to finalizing situations by rational thought. NOT by media sensationalism.


AB1

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Not me. In the case of this swine/avian/human hybrid mexican flu, we are keeping in mind what happened with the 1918 flu ... how it started mild and then mutated into a killer that wiped out 40 million people worldwide including 650,000 Americans.

Education and monitoring of the situation is very important.

The news doesn't tell the whole story, many times it just tells agenda.

As was said - ATSers dig down and connect the dots.

Right.

Which is why, along with this, ALL outlets should be also describing how the progression through the decades shows that during the Spanish Flu pandemic, an estimated 40 to 50 million global deaths occurred, during the 1957-58 Asian Flu an estimated 1 to 2 million global deaths occurred and the 1968-69 Hong Kong Flu an estimated 1 million global deaths occurred.

This would suggest that the WHO's ability and healthcare professionals in general ability to detect and properly treat these pandemics have increased many-fold, which is why we should not be so sensationlist about it.


AB1

Oh let's see..Are things blown out of proportion??

Reported confirmed cases in the folowing countries:

Switzerland, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand,
Mexico (2028 infected155 DEAD), Mexicali, Canada, U.S.,
France, Denmark, Norway, U.K., Israel, Peru, Chili, Bolivia, Columbia, Russia, Tiland, Tiwan,
Austria, Germany, Austraila (70 new cases in last 24 hrs.) South Korea...etc.

Does a lack of Death in countries other than Mexico make this Pandemic something the populace should not be concernd with ??

This strain of Swine Flu is far from trivial.
See for your self. When you look at a map it becomes very scary !!


www.idemc.org...

maps.google.com...,9.316406&spn=34.792294,79.101563&t=h& z=4

Wha.. huh?! People blowing stuff out of proportion, and linking multiple conspiracies together to increase the weight of another new theory? On THIS board? Say it isn't so!

Considering some of the incredibly far-fetched theories I've seen (and supported.. and dissected.. in great detail), at least in this case, people are getting frantic about something real and existant. Of course, there is stil the high level of lunacy in regards to incredible reaching in trying to come up with theories about it (aliens? oy..). But at least people get to be involved in a real thing for once. Probably quite exciting for some, considering some folk's penchant with disaster and hardship. I know some are slavering at the thought of a good ol' fashioned disaster, as baffling as I still find that.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Alright, now this is just a thought. An observation I've noticed over the past couple of weeks of heavy posting and new members.

Now this Flu has got the whole world glued to their TV sets and internet attempting to figure out how bad it's gonna be, and who is to blame and all that regular jazz.

However this is only day what..4? And we already have an amazing ammount of threads claiming this is from Drug Cartels to the CIA to population control, right down to mother nature herself.

Does anybody else think that we here at ATS, although un-intentionally, have a habit of acting like hyperchondriacs? It seems that everytime some major story breaks we are all over it, yet the majority make wild claims and the thing turns angry.

I think perhaps we need to take a breather and come to the conclusion that perhaps not everything is conspiracy based.

Sometimes it feels as though some members (including myself at points) will sensationlize things, and I don't mean on purpose, I almost didn't notice I was doing it.

But it is far too soon to start dooming and glooming and attempting to decipher this event. All we can do is wait and see what will happen.

Anybody else got the same idea?

~Keeper

Last night I asked at work what people thought about it to all of the night and PM staff every single one was more or less, "mmm they say that every year big deal if it isn't a bird it's a pig next year it's pry the hippo's turn"

No one really gave a rats patoot about it.

Out of 50 plus people only one had any concerns at all.

At this point I think it's just a good way to further propagate conspiracy theory's in certain circles.

Now, unlike Alex Jones, if it tuns out to be really nasty I have no problem saying I was totally wrong, but at this point it's no worse than the bird flu we heard about the past few years, which was made out to be the same as this is, it just had less media time because of the type of people that were at risk of dieing as opposed to this time.

reply to post by Chadwickus


Day 5

The infectious spread of FLU threads have been unstoppable. No amount of alternate thread topics have stemmed the tide. It's hopeless


I feel the end is near....










[edit on 28-4-2009 by SLAYER69]

Having a medical back ground even though I'm in the orthodontic field now I still have under grads in biomedical engineering and this is a joke. It's no more to be alarmed about than any other flu strands. It has the same structure single strand RNA (ribonucleic acid) as well the same 2 protein spikes hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Guys it's no big deal... you treat it just like any other flu get some rest see your doctor and dont wipe your snot all over your neighbor and stop acting like the end of the world is coming. The ONLY thing we should worry about are third world countries who don't have medical support, thats where the strands will change and can take on some super bug pandemic strands. And all of you who insist this is the end of the world...here let me twist this for your wacked out brains...
O.k. remember all those flu shots we have been giving out???? Well really what the government along with the NWO and other ultra power groups decided they would use the flu shots to get our bodies adjusted to fighting certain strands. Then they bio-engineered this strand with the flu shots this past winter and they linked a remote protein that stays slumber inside the host untill the host become infected with a certain strand of flu that is the bio-catalyst causing this flu strand to develope into plasminogen activators and kow-a-bunga!!! Here we are...Does that make more sense to you bunch sissy's who can't catch a cold without running to the Dr?

[edit on 28-4-2009 by tsloan]

No wrong
The swine flu has been around for 45 years or longer. I'm sorry this has been with us all along it's not new I worked with this strand in college in 1991 it's not new it's no more deadly that any other flu. What makes it deadly is lack of medical infrastructure in 3rd world countries. People who act like Captain America when they are sick and refuse to rest when they go to work with a 103 temp are whats a danger.

[edit on 28-4-2009 by tsloan]

reply to post by tsloan


This is not the general strain of Swine flu we are dealing with here. It's not just H1N1, it's a combination of multiple strains. At least that is what I have understood over the past 4 days.

The normal strain of swine flu would not be able to propagate itself this far in such a small ammount of time.

~Keeper

Originally posted by worldwatcher
I don't know about calling it sensationalism, intentional or not, I think that ATS members have more dots to connects that others and once you start playing that game of connect the dots, you cannot help but to see a possible conspiracy where they may or may not be one... in the end though it's really up to each one of us to decide how much we want to act upon the information, ideas and theories being tossed around here.

With a page full of dots, I can connect them to form a flower or heart while you or another can use those same dots to form a knife or skull, it's all in your perspective...

I seems to me a person who does not assume the dots are connected is a far better researcher. The alternative is more a form of paranoia.

Reality is that so far this flu appears to be mild. I heard it suggested yesterday that the deaths in Mexico really mean that there may have been millions of cases we don't know about accounting for the deaths which are actually lower than the normal seasonal flu.

If they were to release a man engineered virus, would it not be truly lethal and virulent. Does not the fact it is likely a weak flu scream it is natural?

Originally posted by azureskys
Oh let's see..Are things blown out of proportion??

Reported confirmed cases in the folowing countries:

Switzerland, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand,
Mexico (2028 infected155 DEAD), Mexicali, Canada, U.S.,
France, Denmark, Norway, U.K., Israel, Peru, Chili, Bolivia, Columbia, Russia, Tiland, Tiwan,
Austria, Germany, Austraila (70 new cases in last 24 hrs.) South Korea...etc.




www.idemc.org...

maps.google.com...,9.316406&spn=34.792294,79.101563&t=h& z=4

I used the link you provided .....

I randomly checked Norway and Ireland ......

Two people have been hospitalized in Tromsø, northern Norway, on suspicion of swine flu, reported yesterday. Tests of the patients showed no sign of the swine flu virus.

Four samples are being tested in Ireland in connection with the swine flu virus. Dr William Hall, Chairman of the Pandemic Expert Group, said one sample had been tested last night and proved negative. He said the public would be informed if and when any case proves positive over the coming days and weeks.

posted by azureskys

Reported confirmed cases

No confirmed case of Swine Flu in either of the two i checked , i would imagine there are more unconfirmed or negative.

Sensationalism



[edit on 28-4-2009 by UmbraSumus]

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by pazcat

 

lol well I've decided to get in on the absurd theories too.


My theory is that we let miss Piggy's promiscuity run rampant for too long...it was bound to happen.

There I said it! it's hanging out there now!

Well apparently Miss Piggy was so good they kept coming back for more!

off post: I adore your avatar.

on post: If this is just another round of flu why are people fussing so much over it? The tally of auto accidents to swine flu death right now is way higher.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by tsloan

 

This is not the general strain of Swine flu we are dealing with here. It's not just H1N1, it's a combination of multiple strains. At least that is what I have understood over the past 4 days.

The normal strain of swine flu would not be able to propagate itself this far in such a small ammount of time.

~Keeper

Mods please just understand what I'm posting...O.k. people this is from the CDC website....o.k...Read this and stop being panic babies!!!

What is swine flu?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza >viruses< that means more than one virus..hello. that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people

o.k. now we get the idea so here so more info.

How serious is swine flu infection?
Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

o.k. now moving along

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

and yet more....

What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

www.cdc.gov...

Now this is just like any other flu....Get a hold of your selves and stop being a (5 lettered word for a common house cat)!

reply to post by tsloan


I aplogize, but if you want to trust what the CDC or any government agency says about anything, feel free to do so.

You looked up swine flu, however, this is not swine flu, as I said, multiple different threads. We are not panicking, were simply monitoring the situation closely, as we all should.

It's called precaution, and it's well warranted.

~Keeper

reply to post by tothetenthpower


if you saw the warning video that came online 2-3 weeks ago then you might think different

its sort weird we get a release like this .... and now this breaks out in mexico.... and swarfs crop up.... well, NBC measures implemented...
this could be the start of kill the masses and then mop up whos left.
hows that for fear mongering....

you got to love fox.... and get ready to short the crap out of Express Scripts .... I'm charting it U2U if interested in trading it. also, check out DXD etf. sorta scary huh...