Preparedness for when

craigywv

wondercollie, hope your ok, chin up and we all here for you xxx last year i was in a depressed state over jobs etc and this group helped me greatly hang in there xxx always someone lurking on here if you ever need to let off a bit of steam xxx

GreyQueen

(((((wondercollie)))) take care of yourself, and remember, if you need to "vent" we're here for you.

Well, been reading this week's and last week's Archdruid Report, a blog of a very thoughtful writer in the USA, which I commend you to, although I know some others who post here read there *waves to thriftwizard*. Or, if it isn't the same person, someone else is using your MSE handle over there.

Mucho thinking going on in the deep sludgy stuff in the ole braincase today.

I work with people from their twenties to their sixties, and am myself just past the halfway mark, as are a substantial tranche of my colleagues.

To a man and woman, they're interesting and intelligent people, with a wide variety of life experiences. One thing I do notice about the late-twenty-something age cohort (me minus 20 years, IYSWIM) is that there is a general lack of awareness of what is going on around them.

By this I mean not reading newspapers, either in dead-tree format or online, not paying attention to much which is outside their immediate orbit domestically and socially. Very knowledgable about some things but with no background or even awareness that there is a background. And that things going on will impact them dramatically.

What I'm trying to articulate here is what I see as an obliviousness to the deep trends in history and society which will leave people totally-unprepared for the inevitable changes which will be hitting us in coming years.

It's more important that the twenty-somethings understand and act in their best interests now, than it is for the middle-aged like myself, as I could reasonably anticipate only another 30+ years at best, as opposed to their 50-60 years.

I'm very cynical about education. I went to one of the last state grammars but even our history lessons stopped at 1644. What would have happened if we had studied radical policital movements of the last few centuries? Might we have got very very angry about how so many people got scr*wed by TPTB?

Ach well, time to hit the road. Anyone "seen" Mardatha today? I know she posted yesterday about being down with ME. Sending you good vibes, if you're reading, pet.

elona

Wondercollie

Could you just do something spontaneous and nice for yourself
and have a short break from it all?

I hope things get worked out in a way that will be best for you eventually.

Mrs L.
108 cases and 23 deaths as of late yesterday but they don't seem to be totalling up new cases coming up.

Having some tea before taking dd for blood test and might treat ourselves to lunch.

See you all later and don't let the you know what grind you down.

[Deleted User]

Hi ELONA I noticed a distinct lack of current information yesterday on all the sites offered online, most of what was available was earlier on in April. I wonder if TPTB are trying to calm the situation after the news of the Taiwan case yesterday? The WHO have said the next three weeks will tell if there will be a spread of the virus so I guess they are not wanting to put out imformation to Joe Public until they are sure of things themselves, very sensible I think, Cheers Lyn xxx.

GreyQueen

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Hi ELONA I noticed a distinct lack of current information yesterday on all the sites offered online, most of what was available was earlier on in April. I wonder if TPTB are trying to calm the situation after the news of the Taiwan case yesterday? The WHO have said the next three weeks will tell if there will be a spread of the virus so I guess they are not wanting to put out imformation to Joe Public until they are sure of things themselves, very sensible I think, Cheers Lyn xxx.

I've been noticing that we're looking at a mortality rate of nearly 25%.

We all know regular seasonal flu kills millions every year, but its mortality rate is a lot lower than this. Flu is a fascinating virus in that it constantly mutates, which is why science runs so fast to keep up with it, and thank goodness they do. As a person whose pre-existing conditions leave her with a weakened immune system (I am vaccinated against the known seasonal flu each year) I take a very close interest in pandemic flu.

We will know SHTF when a region cuts itself off from the rest of the world, such as not allowing flights in or out. Here's hoping that it doesn't get that bad.

Righty, off to the saltmine for a few hours. Laters, GQ xx

maryb

My antennae twitched when I read a comment by, I think, a WHO official saying their worst fears do not appear to have been realised yet as there is no sign of sustained human to human transmission (my italics). which to me implies that they suspect or believe that there has been a case or cases of direct transmission. And the case in Taiwan involved someone with no known contact with poultry

Sunshine4

Hi everyone,
Its been awhile since Iwas on here, I have been having my own personal S.H.T.F. period.It is still on going I will only be online for the next couple of weeks and then we will have to move.
As we dont have any where to go to at the moment I will use the internet at the libary for awhile.

Hope everyone is keeping well

Denise

[Deleted User]

To sit and worry about maybes will be like Knut on the beach trying to halt the tide, to be aware of potential future problems is another ball game altogether and to make sensible arrangements to do your best to keep safe in trying times is only right and proper. If we do have a problem with this particular strain of Flu there is nothing that will stop it at present so the wherewithall to stay in your own home and not have to come into contact with others for a few weeks is just common sense if it can be achieved. We might still catch it, but it will give us a better chance of not doing so and thereby not adding to the problems that will inevitably be part of life for the duration.

elona

Maryb

One of the sites mentioned that the man in Taiwan now has hospital staff who treated him showing symptoms.

Not of course proof of "sustained" "easily transmitted " or whatever the latest phrase is that is being used.

maryb

COURSE not.

Will it have an impact on back garden chicken keepers if it does start to spread outside Asia? I remember during a previous bird flu there were proposals that would have required domestic chicken keepers to keep them indoors/under cover - but that was when the spread was from migrating birds in the first instance and, here, it seems that migrating birds are NOT affected - it's a disease that apparently originated in commercial poultry. But maybe make plans now in order to be ready if the order comes?

I remember reading a book about the 1918 flu in which there was a theory that it originated in pigs or spread to pigs from birds. Pigs can apparently act as a breeding ground for viruses to mutate into a form which can pass more easily to humans.

And a few weeks before this latest strain emerged I remember reading about literally thousands of dead pigs being found in a river that supplied water to Shanghai, I think