When the head of the World Health Organization says a new virus is her "greatest concern right now," people worldwide may wonder whether they should be concernedAnd, of course we have this not at all alarmist story, in which the Grand Mayor of WHOville, Dr. Margaret Chan, said in Geneva on Monday that the respiratory coronavirus MERS “is a threat to the entire world.”
In the course of my long career with the State Department, I don't know how many times I had to deal with the impending end of the world as declared by the WHO, the CDC, the media, and a host of "experts" who inevitably demanded (and got) more money for their organizations. By now, of course, we all should be dead from AIDS, SARS, swine flu, global warming, depleted ozone layer, mercury in our fish, etc. It, however, would appear from anecdotal evidence that we're not.
I guess one of these days we might have the real deal. Even the boy who cried wolf eventually got it right, but who (no pun intended) will believe the warnings?
If, however, this time it is true--even if it's not--this is a perfectly good excuse to cut off immigration from the Middle East where this virus apparently originates.
So, by all means, let's hype this "threat" to the heavens!
Do it for Gaia!
Do it for the children!
I wonder how much of this exaggeration (let's not forget red food dye, acid rain and asbestos) is due to a subconscious desire on the part of our "leaders" for the simpler set of problems offered by a dystopian world?
ReplyDeleteCut off Middle East immigration? I don't know. I don't see the danger posed by Armenians, Maronites, Lebanese and Syriac Christians, Persian Zoroastrians, and Mizrahi Jews.
ReplyDeleteI see what you did there...
DeleteThe late Michael Crichton's "State of Fear." That's what drives the world, its bureaucrats, and their funding: a perpetual State of Fear.
ReplyDeleteSo, by all means, let's hype this "threat" to the heavens!
ReplyDeleteTaking that as a cue, all we gotta do is link all the WHO stuff up with the HAF crowd. (HAF = Hot Air Fanatics [anthropomorphic global warming - not to be confused with the Hot Air blog]).
Arkie
I'd generally Jack accept out of hand what you've typed.
ReplyDeleteBut then, "generally speaking" I'm of the opinion some rock from outer space will intersect "our" placemark.
(Of course I get into trouble at Sunday School - to which I've no recourse - but "Eventualities [given enough time, usually prove out] are Actualities" in Time).
It's difficult Jack my friend, to stay up with all the links you provide.
Then again I suppose, reading each is a better occupation than counting asteroids.
Arkie
Arkie, my friend, I hope you noted that I agree, with "eventually, we’ll get impacted again." = "some rock from outer space will intersect "our" placemark." (cleverly said BTW, Arkie) = knowing that "this too shall pass." which could apply to the earth itself even existing after impact, as well, eventually, let alone just changed. Of course, we human species might have been long gone, by then, who knows?
ReplyDeleteMuch sorrow about the copius links, better than counting asteroids, or microbes, like the asteroid I've known about for a few days, again whizzing past tommorrow, somewhere in our neighberhood, too close for comfort again, but "a miss is as good as a mile", five miles or so in diameter.
The best or most important link, is the one I forgot, I wrote to quickly, but here is the best that I didn't include, even:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/05/30/global-warming-alarmists-caught-doctoring-97-percent-consensus-claims/ those cheaters, again.
Much sorrow about that error, as I was going to put in only the three Forbes links, but then noticed several worthy additional links to build a bigger better picture, including hussein doing his dictator wannabe behavior.
He's about as intelligent as idi amin, the vicious dictator who reigned terror in Uganda, in the wild 70's, and made remarks quoted herein, chillingly familiar to some we've heard in our own government these days from more than just the one individual, actually scary, when you know what amin did:
"In any country there must be people who have to die. They are the sacrifices any nation has to make to achieve law and order.
If we knew the meaning to everything that is happening to us, then there would be no meaning.
You cannot run faster than a bullet.
Sometimes people mistake the way I talk for what I am thinking.
I am the hero of Africa. idi amin"
from brainy quotes.com.
Such is life, Arkie, too much "past is prologue", these days.
Jack
The "Who" huh. Can they still "Not get fooled again"? Or are they in the prediction business again "I can see for miles and miles"? Haven't heard about public transportation in a day or two "Magic Bus"!
ReplyDeleteCan't hardly argue with that Jack.
ReplyDelete(I suppose it's more a problem for me if only 'cause I take the time to read every link you post - very many repeat stuff I'm familiar with - but too, you're one of the few who've been aware [quick & replied] the Alawites observing some Christian "holidays.")
Unlike "poor befuddled" John McCain who travels to Syria only to find himself smiling alongside and alongside someone he'd rather not (or should've known better) than appear on US TV with.
Of course the McCain would, if he could, overdo Libya.
It'd be better "we" limit the whys of exposure to Obama. At least until after the mid-terms.
Arkie
so fed up with the end of the world thing. nobody knows when it comes in the first place.
ReplyDelete