Too early to make the leap to biological weapon? You just did. Bacteria and viruses have been on the planet far longer than we have. Perhaps they are just tired of the mess we are making and decided to take us out!

Just what I was thinking - maybe a test run by some malicious entities to see the effects and if they can get away with it without being caught.

alsooutsidethebox, fight for freedom said that it was the worst case scenario, not the actual scenario.

At the risk of sounding "cold and uncaring" (not true btw), look at this a little more objectively before submitting to the hype. The article mentioned numbers of deaths that were in the range of 20 or less for countries with populations in the millions. More people died of the (not so much of the pandemic we thought was coming) flu this last winter than are currently reported here. I'm sorry, but the "scare/hype" isn't working for me. All things considered, this is a relatively small number of people. It seems that in recent history, every year there is a "new pandemic scare/hype" for one disease or another that the public gets told "is gonna get you if you don't watch out" (SARS, H1N1, etc.), and we are told to go get this vaccine or another, and within a few months the feared "next big killer pandemic" never quite materializes ("Sorry, we thought it was going to be worse than it turned out to be."). I can't help but start to wonder if the bio-med and pharmaceutical companies are just playing on our fears to sell and test more products. I think "wolf" is being cried a bit too often. And for the "theorists": maybe it's so that when the "big one" does come, no one will pay any attention, and they'll get that big drop in population.

I'm saving this and posting it on my wall so that I can laugh at its bitter irony after the zombie apocalypse.

Except for the last sentence. That one's probably an accurate assessment.

I've felt for years that we have been long overdue for a supervirus of some sort, a culling off of the overpopulation on our planet. This one sounds bad, but I somehow doubt that it will be the one. Eventually something will happen to kill off at least 50-75% of the people. Ture, it would suck to be one of them, but it is a necessary evil for the good of the planet, people have been polluting, exticting (not sure if that's a word, but you get the point) and abusing its resources for so long, eventually we're going to push it too far unless it gets a much-needed break, in the form of a mass kill-off of the main problem, which is, US!!!

Now I've always thought the best way to go about cleansing our planet for its own good, instead of waiting for a horrible virus to do the dirty work, is to simply start taking warning labels off EVERYTHING, and letting natural selection do the job, that way its the stupid people that go, and those of us that are intelligent can continue to thrive. The alternative, unfortunantly, will just kill off the people that either can't develop a natural immunity, or else simply can't avoid areas where it is spreading the fastest (major cities, etc.), but it wont discriminate on intelligence level.

as we feed farm animals more and more anti-biotic, the bacteria learns to mutate into a more viral and residence strain .

Warning labels are there to protect companies from liability. If we abolish warning labels, we either have to A) open every company to massive lawsuits, affecting our economy in ways we can't even begin to imagine, or B) abolish the concept of liability. If we abolish the concept of liability, we abolish the concept of suing people. If we abolish the concept of suing people, society becomes altogether more anarchic and may collapse.

Also, warning labels are useful if you are using a product you've never encountered before.

saxon

as we feed farm animals more and more anti-biotic, the bacteria learns to mutate into a more viral and residence strain .

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

I really wish the media would do a little more homework on E. Coli and why it always seems to hit our food sources.

What more evidence that evolution is true does one need?

Liability is the crutch for stupidity. remember the lady that spilled cofee on herself, then sued McDonalds? That is the sheer definition of STUPID.

Absolutely abolish liability for peoples own stupidity. Now, if its something like a doctors malpractice, its a different story, obviously.

and if your using a product you've never used before, thats what the instruction manual is for. If someone's too stupid to ignore the instructions, let them. It's called "learning from our mistakes" if you fail to do so, then eventually you do something stupid enough to cost you your life, and we have one less stupid person in this world to worry about. Problem solved.

RTyp06, to play devil's advocate (ironically), creationists argue that there is a difference between microevolution and macroevolution.

Prohibtion doesn't work, you know what is the definition of stupidity? Repeating stories that have been proven to be embellished. First of all, the injuries she suffered were serious 2nd degree burns. You know how mobsters throw guys into bathtubs full of scalding hot water? That's very similar to what happened to this lady. How many times have liquids in fast food containers spilled when they were handled? Not often, but more often than at liquids at home. What she did probably saved more people from getting injured. Even if she didn't, she deserved every penny she got.

Define "peoples (sic) own stupidity". How could that be defined legally? It can't, meaning that every case will have to be examined on its own merits to see if it is frivolous or not. Oh wait, that's the system we already have today. Next!

and if your using a product you've never used before, thats what the instruction manual is for. If someone's too stupid to ignore the instructions, let them. It's called "learning from our mistakes" if you fail to do so, then eventually you do something stupid enough to cost you your life, and we have one less stupid person in this world to worry about. Problem solved.

"If someone's too stupid to ignore the instructions, let them"? So you think the instruction manual should be ignored?

Have you ever bought something without an instruction manual? Oh, I don't know, something that's been USED or RETURNED, perhaps?

"Learning from your mistakes?" Some mistakes are seriously harmful or fatal the FIRST time they're made. Warning labels help mitigate this problem.

Also, stupidity and intelligence are incredibly hard to quantify. A neurosurgeon could electrocute himself because he accidentally knocked his toaster onto a wet floor that he is standing on, for example. Would you say that would be "one less stupid person in the world?"

The truth is, most booksmart people are cloud cuckoolanders when it comes to practical tasks in the same way that practical people tend to be lost when it comes to academic tasks. Warning labels are meant to protect the booksmart and the clumsy, not the "stupid."

Prohibtion doesn't work

Liability is the crutch for stupidity. remember the lady that spilled cofee on herself, then sued McDonalds? That is the sheer definition of STUPID.

[SNIP]

Now I've always thought the best way to go about cleansing our planet for its own good, instead of waiting for a horrible virus to do the dirty work, is to simply start taking warning labels off EVERYTHING, and letting natural selection do the job, that way its the stupid people that go, and those of us that are intelligent can continue to thrive. The alternative, unfortunantly, will just kill off the people that either can't develop a natural immunity, or else simply can't avoid areas where it is spreading the fastest (major cities, etc.), but it wont discriminate on intelligence level.

It's a shame that the coffee/McDonald's lawsuit case has become the poster example of frivolous lawsuits. The reality is that the case in question was far more complex than that.

With regard to your suggestion to take the warning labels off of everything -- I wonder if you realize just how close your views are to the philosophy that led to Nazi Germany?

Is it because of undercooked meat or is it on raw vegetables?

Here's a real example of 'idiot thinking'. True, too! A man in Florida sued the makers of a very popular lawn mower for losing his hands while using said lawn mower as a hedge trimmer! So, do the truly stupid get what they deserve? Stupidity truly IS painful!

You can't blame this one on antibiotics in farm animals or GM. Those countries are some the most anti-"industrial" ag in the world who embrace the organic way of doing things and shun GM.

It must be a result of global warming or a plot by the evil new world order to reduce the world population

When this happens in America, how many patients will go bankrupt paying for dialysis?

Ugh. If eugenics really had to make a comeback, why couldn't it have been positive eugenics instead of negative eugenics?

Here's a real example of 'idiot thinking'. True, too! A man in Florida sued the makers of a very popular lawn mower for losing his hands while using said lawn mower as a hedge trimmer! So, do the truly stupid get what they deserve? Stupidity truly IS painful!

Let me get this straight: because some guy tried to use a lawn mower as a hedge trimmer, he deserves to have no hands for the rest of his life? He deserved his fate? No one deserves to be punished for their intelligence level. Would you advocate euthanizing the mentally handicapped?

So what if he sued? Whether he won or not is the real question.

Txlady - absolutely no mention of that in our liberal media.

Most people have no idea that 1/2 the earth would starve if we had no manmade fertilizer.

And it comes from petroleum.

I guess those evil oil companies are just forcing over 3 billion people to live because of their product.

Same thing with Agricultural Technology. Those evil companies are just forcing people to live by making higher yields.

This is the insanity of the left.

They are anti business - and so the businesses leave.

They borrow money from China to handout to people so they don't have to work hard jobs like they have in China.

Then they have to feed the "poor", and now our "poor" face obesity as their number one health concern.

I don't think you could devise a better way to collapse a country.

And no one is going to bail out the US like Greece.

Iowan - It doesn't matter whether the lawn mower guy wins his lawsuit or not to the tin-foil hat crowd that uses these "cases" as"evidence" that we should outlaw suing corporations (which they euphemistically call "tort reform").

It's part of a well-focus-grouped GOP strategy that's based on throwing out outrageous outliers and flat-out make-up stories about any subject they have a political agenda on. They know most Americans (and certainly none of their Tea Party constituents) will take the time to do any research to find out whether it's true or what the eventual outcome actually was. (i.e. Discover that our Contitutionally-established judicial system actually works without their pre-emptive pro-corporate legislative gerrymandering)

See, then their "stories" carry the same weight in the debate as the factual evidence. And the stories are a whole lot cheaper to mass produce.

He probably did win, because there isnt a "warning label" advising against using the lawnmower as a hedge trimmer.

And we have a winner in our contest for the tin-foil hat........

RealAmerican? -

Our country IS the most litigious in the world.

We have warning labels that "Peanuts contain Peanuts".

If the Gov't was held to the same liability standards as business - they would barely function. Given that, it's a wonder we have any jobs left here at all. You can't really blame business for trying to hang on here - even though they are treated as the enemy.

Embarrased Iowan: "

Prohibtion doesn't work, you know what is the definition of stupidity? Repeating stories that have been proven to be embellished. First of all, the injuries she suffered were serious 2nd degree burns. You know how mobsters throw guys into bathtubs full of scalding hot water? That's very similar to what happened to this lady. How many times have liquids in fast food containers spilled when they were handled? Not often, but more often than at liquids at home. What she did probably saved more people from getting injured. Even if she didn't, she deserved every penny she got.

Define "peoples (sic) own stupidity". How could that be defined legally? It can't, meaning that every case will have to be examined on its own merits to see if it is frivolous or not. Oh wait, that's the system we already have today. Next!"

Its pretty simple, if your using something in a way other than what it was made for its your stupid fault, not the companies for not putting a warning label.

If your using a lawnmower to mow the lawn, then the bolt holding the blade on the lawnmower failed and the blade shot out from under the mower and cut off your leg/s, then its the manufacturers fault. If you using the lawnmower to cut hedges and cut off your hands its your fault. Wow, real logical leap ther to discern those differences.

And so what if she got 2nd degree burns? Coffee is hot, its hot when you make it at home and its hot when you buy it already made. That is the way coffee is made, any idiot that doesnt realize coffee is hot is too stupid to drink it in the first place. The way you learn from that mistake is, dont try drinking coffee while driving a car. Learn to BE CAREFUL, duh!

And yes he deserves getting his hands cut off, its absolutely just! Ooops you should have bought a hedge trimmer, stupid!

THe McDonald's legal question came down to : WHO SPILT THE COFFEE?

The lady did, so MCD, corp is not liable. Works the same way at a mom and pop place.

If MCD spilt it, they would be liable.

The rest was just the typical handout mentality on the part of the jury. They thought "this is a big company, so they can afford to pay."

As if stealing from WalMart is less of a theft than stealing from a tiny mom & pop store.

But since half of America can't even take care of their own needs without assistance - what do you expect?

There are literally hundreds of strains of E. coli out there. Many live in our guts and are helpful, many live in the guts of other animals and are helpful to them too. Many are soil bacteria that have no business in our guts. Then there are the few that are harmful. There are also millions of other bacterial species found absolutely everywhere. Microbes swap genes. It is only a matter of evolutionary time before a strain evolves and is extremely virulent to humans.

We might as well blame sewers and bathrooms for being the crucible for this evolution instead of blindly taking aim at the enemy du jour - biotech and GM. There is no reason to believe that antibiotics would create a more virulent strain. Antibiotics create antibiotic resistance - not increased virulence. This strain could easily have evolved in farm animals, deer herds, dogs and cats, birds, and anything else with a stomach, even on an organic farm. These types of outbreaks are anticipated by evolution and we should expect them from time to time around the world as our population continues to expand and our food production becomes more centralized.

Wash and cook your food - simple. This is not a plague.

GDP in America is back where it was before the recession (thanks to the "increased productivity" of our workers).

So tell me one more time why ALL of that went to the top 5%, and American workers' wages (adjusted for inflation) have lost ground since 1978?

Might explain why "half of America can't even take care of their own needs without assistance".

If your using a lawnmower to mow the lawn, then the bolt holding the blade on the lawnmower failed and the blade shot out from under the mower and cut off your leg/s, then its the manufacturers fault. If you using the lawnmower to cut hedges and cut off your hands its your fault. Wow, real logical leap ther to discern those differences.

I didn't say it was the manufacturer's fault. I said that it's a pretty cold thing to say that a guy deserves to live the rest of his life with no hands just because he made a stupid mistake.

And so what if she got 2nd degree burns? Coffee is hot, its hot when you make it at home and its hot when you buy it already made. That is the way coffee is made, any idiot that doesnt realize coffee is hot is too stupid to drink it in the first place. The way you learn from that mistake is, dont try drinking coffee while driving a car. Learn to BE CAREFUL, duh!

This coffee was way hotter than it needed to be. This stuff burned through skin. McDonald's still sells hot coffee, just not as hot. As a side note, what's the point of making coffee that's too hot to drink? I usually have to wait an hour or two for it to cool down before I can take a sip. Warm coffee is the way to go.

And yes he deserves getting his hands cut off, its absolutely just! Ooops you should have bought a hedge trimmer, stupid!

You're like the kid who points and laughs at a legless war vet for not being able to climb a flight of stairs. Classy.

THe McDonald's legal question came down to : WHO SPILT THE COFFEE?

The lady did, so MCD, corp is not liable. Works the same way at a mom and pop place.

If MCD spilt it, they would be liable.

The rest was just the typical handout mentality on the part of the jury. They thought "this is a big company, so they can afford to pay."

As if stealing from WalMart is less of a theft than stealing from a tiny mom & pop store.

But since half of America can't even take care of their own needs without assistance - what do you expect?

I can understand both McDonald's argument that the lady spilled the coffee and the lady's argument that the coffee should have never been that hot in the first place. I'm just tired of people assuming that the lady's lawsuit was frivolous when it was actually legitimate.

Actually, the company could afford to pay. Didn't the lady get $640,000? I couldn't find information on how many McDonald's shares were outstanding in 1994 but as of 2010 McDonald's had 1,075,355,896 shares outstanding (I'm sure it was a similarly high number in 1994).

$640,000/1,075,355,896 = .000059 dollars per share.

In other words, each McDonald's shareholder paid less than a cent. Legal fees would push this figure higher by a few fractions of a cent or so. No one at McDonald's even noticed the money was gone. So yes, stealing from Wal-Mart would be VERY different from stealing from a mom and pop store. When organizations become large enough, stealing from them has infinitesimally little impact.

Oh so you'd rather the human population keeps reproducing, polluting our planet, killing off species left and right, until we've used up all our natural resources and the planet is nothing but an empt shell?

Or maybe we finally do get a super disease outbreak that kills billions of people and leaves only a few million, so that our planet can be left alone and replenish some of its natural resources at a rate faster than we can actually use them up for once? But remember, in this scenario, theres no "natural selection" to kill off these people, we still have a random mixture of smart and stupid.

Instead, we just let stupid people kill themselves, or, if they actually make a small mistake or two and learn not to be stupid anymore, then good for them. But the stupid people that do kill themselves, do so for the betterment of our planet. A happy solution for everyone.

As for the legless vet, he didnt get his legs cut off through his stupidity, the real stupidity there is the politicians that sent him/her to fight a stupid war, ie, Vietnam or Iraq. And even moreso for Vietnam, when the stupid politicians were drafting men, they had no choice but to go and be sacrificed.

Oh so you'd rather the human population keeps reproducing, polluting our planet, killing off species left and right, until we've used up all our natural resources and the planet is nothing but an empt shell?

I'd rather the human population keeps reproucing, polluting our planet but keeping it in check with technological development, killing off species left and right but only when absolutely necessary (which, again, can be mitigated with technological advancement), until we've used up all our nonrenewable natural resources, the planet is nothing but an empty shell, and we've colonized space and extraterrestrial objects.

Or maybe we finally do get a super disease outbreak that kills billions of people and leaves only a few million, so that our planet can be left alone and replenish some of its natural resources at a rate faster than we can actually use them up for once? But remember, in this scenario, theres no "natural selection" to kill off these people, we still have a random mixture of smart and stupid.

I would not like this scenario either.

Instead, we just let stupid people kill themselves, or, if they actually make a small mistake or two and learn not to be stupid anymore, then good for them. But the stupid people that do kill themselves, do so for the betterment of our planet. A happy solution for everyone.

Except for the people that die and those they leave behind, of course. What's so irritating about you Prince Philip types is that you think you arrived at your viewpoint through a cold and rational analysis of the facts even though you really came to that conclusion because of an alarming lack of vision.

To all you myopic people out there who want to get rid of the stupid: Would you really say "no" to an 18 year old blonde who's got perfect breasts, washboard stomach, legs that go for miles, an ass that won't quit, and a brain dumber than a box of rocks?

Most straight guys would say, "of course not!" In fact, if pulled off correctly, the "ditzy airhead" routine can be hot as fvck.

Next time any guy considers culling stupid people, they should remember that they're going to have a hard time getting laid when the only females left are b!tchy feminists who let themselves get fat because "men should accept them for who they are."

Besides, like I've said before, warning labels are for head-in-the cloud academics who don't have very much practical experience or skills. Would you consider it "one less stupid person in the world" if a Nobel Prize for Literature winner fell off a ladder because he didn't secure it properly as he was painting his house?

As for the legless vet, he didnt get his legs cut off through his stupidity, the real stupidity there is the politicians that sent him/her to fight a stupid war, ie, Vietnam or Iraq. And even moreso for Vietnam, when the stupid politicians were drafting men, they had no choice but to go and be sacrificed.

If you were consistent, you would see the legless vet and say, "And yes he deserves getting his legs blown off, its absolutely just! Ooops you shouldn't have joined the military, stupid!" You may be able to duck this issue with Vietnam vets but not Iraq/Afghan ones.

Besides, like I've said before, warning labels are for head-in-the cloud academics who don't have very much practical experience or skills.

Embarrassed Iowan - you are a total, complete hypocrite. You criticize other posters for implying that the world has no use for stupid people, but you condone allowing academics, the few people in the world who might be able to find a cure for cancer, save the environment, etc., to be injured or killed by eliminating warning labels. Wow, you must still be holding a grudge against your teachers for flunking you out of high school!

BTW, the woman who sued McDonald's is stupid for putting a cup of hot coffee between her legs in the first place. She had no right to sue anyone for her stupidity. Some people like their coffee hot, which is why it's served hot. Just because you want to let yours sit until it reaches room temperature doesn't give you the right to impose your wishes on others who like hot coffee.

The same goes for the man who tried to use a lawnmower as a hedge clipper. No, he didn't deserve to lose his hands. No one deserves a punishment like that. However, he also did not deserve to be allowed to sue for using a piece of equipment in a manner for which it is clearly not intended. A third grader would know better than to try to cut hedges with a lawnmower. You are every attorney's dream because you are so in favor of suing major corporations and everyone else when stupid, ignorant people take stupid, ignorant actions of their own accord. You are obviously waiting for the day when you can hit pay dirt by suing someone for your own irresponsible actions.

Embarrassed Iowan - you are a total, complete hypocrite. You criticize other posters for implying that the world has no use for stupid people, but you condone allowing academics, the few people in the world who might be able to find a cure for cancer, save the environment, etc., to be injured or killed by eliminating warning labels. Wow, you must still be holding a grudge against your teachers for flunking you out of high school!

Your reading comprehension seems to be quite low. Nowhere did I condone removing warning labels; in point of fact, I was saying that since warning labels protect the clumsy and the booksmart, we should keep warning labels.

BTW, the woman who sued McDonald's is stupid for putting a cup of hot coffee between her legs in the first place. She had no right to sue anyone for her stupidity. Some people like their coffee hot, which is why it's served hot. Just because you want to let yours sit until it reaches room temperature doesn't give you the right to impose your wishes on others who like hot coffee.

The issue isn't whether or not it's hot, it's the degree to which it's hot. She made the decision to place it between her legs under the impression that A) the cup wouldn't break and B) if the coffee spilled, it would be painful, but not hot enough to melt her freakin' skin off! In other words, she was making reasonable assumptions with only imperfect information--information that should have been improved by McDonald's with warning labels on the cup like "Caution! Coffee is hotter than normal! Can melt skin!" and "Cup is prone to breaking!"

The same goes for the man who tried to use a lawnmower as a hedge clipper. No, he didn't deserve to lose his hands. No one deserves a punishment like that. However, he also did not deserve to be allowed to sue for using a piece of equipment in a manner for which it is clearly not intended. A third grader would know better than to try to cut hedges with a lawnmower. You are every attorney's dream because you are so in favor of suing major corporations and everyone else when stupid, ignorant people take stupid, ignorant actions of their own accord. You are obviously waiting for the day when you can hit pay dirt by suing someone for your own irresponsible actions.

Again, reading comprehension! Build it! All I was arguing was that yes, the guy did not deserve to have his hands chopped off for making a stupid mistake. I made NO comment on whether or not he should have won in court. Anyone should be allowed to sue anyone because if the lawsuit is frivolous, the judge will throw it out before it even goes to trial. So yeah, I do support lawnmower man's right to sue because the issue isn't whether he sued or not, the issue is whether he won or not. If I had to judge the case based on only the facts given to me here, then from a purely legal standpoint, I don't think the guy should win.

As far as waiting for the day when I can hit pay dirt, read my McDonald's calculation above. I'm not going to lose sleep over the shareholders of major corporations having to pay a tiny fraction of a penny per share.

Iowan - the McDonalds shareholders didn't pay - it just took $1,000 raises from 1000 workers.

I guess you don't mind sticking it to the little guy.

I thought managers/franchise owners were responsible for raises for individual workers.

Prohibition doesn't work:

I've just gotta say this. Under your plan for letting the stupid people die, you'd have to be one of them. See, what you don't seem to understand is that INTELLIGENCE IS NOT:

a) Definitely inheritable. Intelligence is not necessarily a heritable trait. Sure, you're more LIKELY to develop intelligence if your parents were smart, but the fact is that intelligence is very much based on environment and development, rather than pure genetics. It's not clear just how much of each part influences intelligence. Regardless, evolution doesn't select for what you think of as "intelligence," it selects for SURVIVAL. Computer programmers, arguably highly intelligent people, will not be evolutionarily selected for in "the wild," as it were. And, just because only the "intelligent" people survive, that's no guarantee that intelligence will survive.

b) Chosen by natural selection to survive. Other prospects such as population drift (essentially randomized), inbreeding and interbreeding, and the other effects that make up the theory of evolution aside from natural selection, yet are definitely all interwoven with natural selection, will have their say, too. For instance, Einstein. He was arguably one of the most highly intelligent people that has been known (popularly). However, he married his cousin. Stephen Hawking? Brilliant theoretical astrophycisist, who's work has given us extreme and wonderful insight into the way the universe works. He's confined to a wheelchair, and would not survive if not for the work of countless others, including many you would consider "stupid." Truth be told, much of what we think of as intellect is due to specialization of the human species. We can have people devote time to learning new and different things through specialization, and that benefits us all, but because they are spending time learning how a computer works and how they can build a better one, they may not have time to learn how to properly use a gun, as well as how to cook and clean properly to avoid spreading disease. Hence, doctors.

c) Immune to disease. Your biggest fallacy seems to be predicated on the idea that somehow, if we kill off the "stupid people" and bring the population down to lower numbers of more intelligent folk, then the big, bad supervirus will never happen and we can all sing kumbaya forever with nature. While it is somewhat understandable that with a drastic reduction in population there is less chance of diseases spreading, nature doesn't give a rat's ass how many people there are. So much of epidemiology is based upon chance encounter. Things like washing hands, vaccines, etc. are protections against many kinds of transmission, but not all. Air-borne viruses and bacterial spores, for instance, don't care about personal hygiene. Viruses of a different strain don't care if you've been vaccinated for one kind of virus. Your sad, pathetic idea that with just a great reduction in numbers, we will reduce our susceptibility to disease, well, I guess I said it already: sad and pathetic.

The truth is, with greater numbers comes greater genetic variety. Genetic variety is the key to developing new immunities, to producing hardier people capable of weathering more crises. True, it proves a greater strain on our natural resources, which is something that we will have to deal with through responsible population reduction over generations. But to have a massive die-off, you clearly haven't thought through the potential consequences. In other words, you're pretty f-ing stupid, and should probably go ahead and drink some drain cleaning fluid under your pathetic plan.

I was cheering you until this point:

True, it proves a greater strain on our natural resources, which is something that we will have to deal with through responsible population reduction over generations.

What about 1) developing ever more efficient and renewable technologies and 2) developing space and extraterrestrial objects? No need for population reduction or likely even stabilization.

IE,

Your defenses are weak. She should not have been given standing. On the other hand, perhaps McDonald's should not be handing out distractions to drivers day in and day out. Maybe McDonald should pay a tax for the clean up of the litter they put into the hands of their consumers. Coffee and cooze was her idea. Get it straight, McDonalds steals every cent of profit they take.

Embarrassed Iowan - you need to go back and reread your own posts before attacking the intelligence of others.

How can any sane person argue that anyone with two cents worth of common sense would put a cup of hot coffee between her legs because she assumed "A) the cup wouldn't break and B) if the coffee spilled, it would be painful, but not hot enough to melt her freakin' skin off!??? First of all, burns do not cause skin to "melt". A deep, second degree burn extends deeply into the dermis and can cause blistering, which might eventually result in peeling skin, such as might be experienced from a bad sunburn. A third degree burn extends throughout the entire epidermis and appears stiff and white/brown. Again, no "melting". Second, coffee is intended to be served hot unless it is served as iced coffee. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that McDonald's should have to place warning labels such as "Caution! Coffee is hotter than normal! Can melt skin!" and "Cup is prone to breaking!" If we follow that frame of reasoning, then ice cream manufacturers should be required to use warning labels such as "Ice cream cold! May result in brain freeze!"

According to the files on the McDonald's case, the woman "placed the coffee cup between her knees and pulled the far side of the lid toward her to remove it. In the process, she spilled the entire cup of coffee on her lap. She was wearing cotton sweatpants; they absorbed the coffee and held it against her skin, scalding her thighs, buttocks, and groin." Again, following your line of faulty reasoning, the manufacturer of the sweatpants should be required to use warning labels that say, "Absorbent material. May contribute to burns if wearer places hot cup of coffee between knees and spills said coffee." Maybe the manufacturer who provided the cotton for making the sweatpants fabric should use labels warning that the cotton should not be used to manufacture sweatpants worn by stupid people who place hot cups of coffee between their knees.

So yeah, I do support lawnmower man's right to sue because the issue isn't whether he sued or not, the issue is whether he won or not.

Wrong again, Embarrassed Iowan. The issue has nothing whatsoever to do with whether he won. It has to do with the fact that taxpayers had to pay for a frivolous lawsuit instigated by someone using a dangerous piece of equipment for a purpose for which it was not intended. Lawnmower manufacturers are already required to build mowers with a safety bar that immediately shuts off the mower if hands are removed from the handle used for pushing the mower. This bar is situated far enough away from the blades that no one can get close to the moving blades when the bar is properly held in place so that the mower will operate. This Florida Einstein had to find a way to deactivate the safety bar in order to keep the blades turning while he lifted the mower to trim the hedge. In other words, not every crazy thing that a stupid user might do with an object needs to be listed for a manufacturer to escape being held financially responsible for the user's mistakes.

(BTW, Snopes.com states that no one can verify whether the lawnmower incident actually occurred.)

I thought managers/franchise owners were responsible for raises for individual workers.

It doesn't matter who issues raises for individual workers, Einstein. Money used to pay damages that are a result of a frivolous lawsuit comes out of someone's pocket. That big, evil corporation that you think can spare the money used to pay for the lawsuit is owned by individuals, many of whom are middle class workers who have invested a few bucks in McDonald's because it is their favorite fast food restaurant or whatever. Loss of that money affects individuals whether they are shareholders or employees.

Embarrassed Iowan - you need to go back and reread your own posts before attacking the intelligence of others.

Why do you assume that I didn't?

How can any sane person argue that anyone with two cents worth of common sense would put a cup of hot coffee between her legs because she assumed "A) the cup wouldn't break and B) if the coffee spilled, it would be painful, but not hot enough to melt her freakin' skin off!??? First of all, burns do not cause skin to "melt". A deep, second degree burn extends deeply into the dermis and can cause blistering, which might eventually result in peeling skin, such as might be experienced from a bad sunburn. A third degree burn extends throughout the entire epidermis and appears stiff and white/brown. Again, no "melting". Second, coffee is intended to be served hot unless it is served as iced coffee. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that McDonald's should have to place warning labels such as "Caution! Coffee is hotter than normal! Can melt skin!" and "Cup is prone to breaking!" If we follow that frame of reasoning, then ice cream manufacturers should be required to use warning labels such as "Ice cream cold! May result in brain freeze!"

I used the term "melt" because several people in the conversation--on both sides--used it to describe her injuries. I was speaking in a colloquial fashion, that's all. I was wrong about one thing, however: she suffered 3rd degree burns, which was even worse than I stated. I never said coffee wasn't supposed to be served hot (Notice how I prefaced my "warm coffee" comment with "As a side note..."? It wasn't meant to be part of my argument, just a conversation topic.), I said it shouldn't be served too hot. The comment I made about "Cup is prone to breaking!" refers to the fact that several customers had complained about the flimsy construction of McDonald's coffee cups before the incident; they were unsafe. No ice cream manufacturer has to use that label because no one has ever been seriously injured or killed by brain freeze, smart one.

BTW, next time you buy coffee from McDonald's look on the side. Notice the label? It should say something like "CAUTION! HOT!" or something similar (I don't have one in front of me, but trust me, the label is there), so, yes, it is a good idea to warn people.

According to the files on the McDonald's case, the woman "placed the coffee cup between her knees and pulled the far side of the lid toward her to remove it. In the process, she spilled the entire cup of coffee on her lap. She was wearing cotton sweatpants; they absorbed the coffee and held it against her skin, scalding her thighs, buttocks, and groin." Again, following your line of faulty reasoning, the manufacturer of the sweatpants should be required to use warning labels that say, "Absorbent material. May contribute to burns if wearer places hot cup of coffee between knees and spills said coffee." Maybe the manufacturer who provided the cotton for making the sweatpants fabric should use labels warning that the cotton should not be used to manufacture sweatpants worn by stupid people who place hot cups of coffee between their knees.

Sweatpants are a general use article of clothing, not a protective overgarment. If they were meant to protect from hazardous materials, then yes, a label would be required. But since the sweatpants were used in a manner that a reasonable person (yes, this is an actual legal term and not a vagary) would not use them for, the sweatpant manufacturer was not at fault. Incidentally, this is the same reason why the lawnmower man probably didn't win his lawsuit.

As an aside, I take issue with your claim that only stupid people place coffee between their knees. I've seen many a smart fellow (including people with doctorates) do so with my very eyes.

Wrong again, Embarrassed Iowan. The issue has nothing whatsoever to do with whether he won. It has to do with the fact that taxpayers had to pay for a frivolous lawsuit instigated by someone using a dangerous piece of equipment for a purpose for which it was not intended. Lawnmower manufacturers are already required to build mowers with a safety bar that immediately shuts off the mower if hands are removed from the handle used for pushing the mower. This bar is situated far enough away from the blades that no one can get close to the moving blades when the bar is properly held in place so that the mower will operate. This Florida Einstein had to find a way to deactivate the safety bar in order to keep the blades turning while he lifted the mower to trim the hedge. In other words, not every crazy thing that a stupid user might do with an object needs to be listed for a manufacturer to escape being held financially responsible for the user's mistakes.

(BTW, Snopes.com states that no one can verify whether the lawnmower incident actually occurred.)

How did taxpayers pay for the lawsuit? Because they had to pay the courtroom workers to determine whether or not it should go to trial? Screening out frivolous lawsuits is part of their bloody job description. It's what they're SUPPOSED to do. If it did go to trial, then obviously there was some merit to the case. If you have a problem with that, blame the damn judge. To invert a phrase, "hate the players, not the game."

I never said the manufacturer was responsible. I said that the guy had a right to sue simply because everyone has a right to sue when there is potential wrongdoing. IF A LAWSUIT IS FRIVOLOUS, IT WILL NOT GO TO TRIAL.

I agree that manufacturers are not liable for every crazy stupid thing someone might do with a product if there is no label warning against it. How do we determine if something needs a label or not? Liability lawyers and, in the worst case, lawsuits.

I will give you credit for admitting that this case may not even be real.

It doesn't matter who issues raises for individual workers, Einstein. Money used to pay damages that are a result of a frivolous lawsuit comes out of someone's pocket.

If the lawsuit was frivolous, damages would not be paid, Heisenberg.

That big, evil corporation that you think can spare the money used to pay for the lawsuit is owned by individuals, many of whom are middle class workers who have invested a few bucks in McDonald's because it is their favorite fast food restaurant or whatever. Loss of that money affects individuals whether they are shareholders or employees.

Yeah, it affects them like only a tiny fraction of a cent per share can. And don't try and bring up stock price, either. No sane investor would sell off their shares in McDonald's because of $650,000 in damages and a requirement that McDonald's slap "CAUTION! HOT!" on their coffee cups.

FYI, the overwhelming majority of large corporations are owned mostly not by ordinary individuals but by wealthy owners, giant funds, and investment banks.

IE,

Your defenses are weak. She should not have been given standing.

Why not?

On the other hand, perhaps McDonald's should not be handing out distractions to drivers day in and day out. Maybe McDonald should pay a tax for the clean up of the litter they put into the hands of their consumers. Coffee and cooze was her idea. Get it straight, McDonalds steals every cent of profit they take.

I disagree. It is the customer's choice to litter and be distracted, so McDonald's should not be held responsible. How does McDonald's steal every cent of profit they take?

Embarrassed Iowan - you are absolutely delusional. You have no grasp of reality.

Your rebuttal is flawless. I particularly enjoyed the part where you actually addressed my points.

It seems like every day or so, there is a new sign apocalyptic sign showing up. This time it's a new pestilence. What next? another earthquake, tsunami, animal die off?

Zombies

Harold Camping

Harold Camping

Aliens for sure

No, Congressman Weiner zombies!

America - the world's only industrialized country where e coli is not only a possible health death sentence but a possible financial death sentence as well.

RealAmerican? -

What are you talking about?

Even an illegal Alien can go into a hospital here and get treatment for E. Coli, including dialysis.

Perhaps you should check out the Chinese model. They have 1/1000 of the doctors we have per person - and they outlive us.

The Chinese actually go to the doctor more times per year than Americans. They just use naturopaths a lot more than we do, who aren't MD's and therefore aren't included in your "doctor" count.

Sure, you can get treated for e coli. But you know all that registration information you fill out? Things like an "emergency contact" and your Social Security number? Those go out to the collection agency.

So unless you're playing an identity fraud, your credit rating is trashed. And try doing without a decent credit score in this country - no job, no housing, higher car insurance rates, etc. All thanks to one bad cucumber. Great country we live in, ain't it.

So you want people not to pay?

Maybe you should think that one through.

Let me in on something: there is no free lunch.

Don't believe me? Try it at any restaurant. Tell them you need to eat to live, but you won't pay.

And you might want to research your "statistics" - the US has 2.3 doctors per 1,000 people, China has 1.51 per 1,000. That's not "1/1000".

Why is the right so bad at math? Or are they just pretending?

Ever tried the Canadian health care system? (I have)

They pay $2,998 per capita for comprehensive health coverage.

The United States pays $5,711 per capita.

And we have shorter life expectancy.

It's not "free" but it beats the hell out of the US system.

how do you get .3 doctors or .51?

Do you cut them in half or is this a person who is only half way to becoming a doctor? hmmmm the mysteries of the world... sarc

The Canadian system is subsidized by their massive natural reasources and very tiny population.

Thanks to recent education initiatives - China has twice as many doctors, but over 4 times the number of people as the US.

So roughly half the per person per thousand number as the US.

Not about the same.

It is an old arguement, and I made the mistake of using old data.

However, just over 20 years ago, the number of doctors in China was tiny and there were 1/1000 of the doctors per person there as here - and they outlived us then as well.

We simply have too many people who are unwilling to be healthy, or save for medical expenses.

It's not my job to feed you, cloth you, house you, and pay for your doctors bills just because you have found better things to do other than work, or better things to spend on other than your healthcare.

If you feel otherwise, no one is stopping you from donating to medical charities.

That's called freedom.

Ryan in TX. To reply to your statement that Fertilizer comes from Petroleum and the earth would starve without it. Only NH3 comes from LP gas. The rest is mined from natural earth deposits. There is other sources also, for Nitrogen, than just NH3. As to, just pay your bill then, from you. Many hospitals use agencies to make payment arrangement for your bill. This doesn't mean people are deadbeats at all. It shows up on your credit report as outstanding debt. That effects your credit score. It also is part of your health record report shared nation wide. I was shocked to see my Dr. records from near 25 years ago, from 2000 miles away, in my file here. I'd never had reason to ever mention that to my current Dr. but they was in a database. All this is used by, for profit, health insurance companies as to sell you insurance or not.

CHARLEY 60, that reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine had to travel all over New York state because the doctors kept writing about her in her file.

Charley - Nitrogen is the most important part of Fertilizers.

Your not going to achieve much with Potassium and Phosphorus only.

Google "Fertilizer"

Wikipedia (not the best source, I know) says:

Fertilizer (or fertiliser) is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants.^[1] A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use.^[2]

Mined inorganic fertilizers have been used for many centuries, whereas chemically synthesized inorganic fertilizers were only widely developed during the industrial revolution. Increased understanding and use of fertilizers were important parts of the pre-industrial British Agricultural Revolution and the industrial Green Revolution of the 20th century.

Inorganic fertilizer use has also significantly supported global population growth — it has been estimated that almost half the people on the Earth are currently fed as a result of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use.^[3]

we don't need bio terrorists, we have Monsanto and the FDA.

Yeah, reading about some of the things that companies like Monsanto and Cargill have been doing is kind of scary. The potential detrimental effects of the GM seeds is really scary.

Germany has laws against genetically modified products - and yet - here is an e. coli outbreak.

Without the advances of modern agriculture including GM, output would be far lower.

And since people still starve to death everyday, you can imagine the millions more who would die from famine without our Agricultural Technology advances.

Of course, it's easy to be against agricultural technology here.

Our "poor" face obesity as their number one health problem.

Quite a luxury. I only wish more Americans travelled to where there are people who are really poor.

You come back with the ability to look our "poor" right in the eye and tell them: "You are just lazy. I shouldn't have to pay to make you what is middle class for the majority of my fellow humans."

Yeah, Ryan, because I'm sure that fits on your bumper sticker of "What Would Jesus Do?"

Maybe you could just shorten it to "Die, poor, die"?

This has nothing to do with GM, bioterrorism, the FDA or any other feels-good-to-hate-because-I-don't-know-any-better enemy.

This is the inevitable and predictable course of microbial evolution. We should anticipate these new virulent strains from time to time. Even on organic farms. This is simply the product of centralized food production allowing a single colony of bacteria to spread far and wide with distribution. This is a sad but inevitable bump in the road for a sizable population like ours as it moves forward.

RealAmerican? -

I've seen people who are really poor. Please don't let your ignorance of the world insult the real struggles of actual poor people.

The poorest person in the US is still middle class in the majority of the world.

If I was going to give my money to help the poor, there would be over 3 billion people who have a greater need than anyone in the US.

But more importantly, the handouts have put our country in massive debt, and destroyed our competitiveness.

Surely you have been to a National Park where they say feeding the animals is bad for their ability to survive. It makes them slow, fat and complacent. Ripe for a predator or in our case, for a competitor.

Ryan, there will always be people who don't need welfare. Our own predator class will act as a counter to foreign predators while protecting the prey class.

Iowan - I'm sure you have noticed that as our handouts increased our competitiveness decreased. Scientifically that is just a correlation, but it also happened in the other countries that increased their handouts, even when they did it decades earlier than we did.

Obviously, there is a need for a safety net. But you don't live on a safety net. You use it in an emergency, then get off it so the next person can use it.

With Medical Care, it's actually simple. If we used the IRS to collect delinquent medical bills, the cost for all payer would decrease dramatically. Millions of people can make payments of some level, but don't because they know hospitals must provide care. This model wouldn't work in any other industry (and doesn't in medical care). I don't begrudge people getting care that they cannot afford, but then that means no computer, tv, cable, cellphone, new car or any other luxury until you pay the bill. Essentially you might have to live like the average American 75 years ago. Which they were able to do. If they decide that they would rather have their toys than the care - that would be their decision.

But at least the price for care would be lower for everyone.

Modern farming techniques should be outlawed. The land should be allowed to revert to it's natural state to protect and promote plant and animal diversity. Siltation of our rivers and streams would be reduced considerably, reducing the frequency and intensity of flooding. The elimination of fertilizers that flow into the rivers and eventually into the oceans would greatly decrease the size of oxygen-depleted dead zones such as the one the occurs annually in the Gulf of Mexico. It would also greatly reduce our nations demand of imported oil plus reduce green house gas production, reducing the intensity of global climate change.

chickenshoot -

And don't forget we would also get rid of 3-4 BILLION pesky humans through starvation if we didn't use modern farming techniques.

Ryan, you are correct in saying that correlations are not causations. Our competitiveness decreased because of NAFTA and massive offshoring. The competitiveness of other countries decreased because of draconian anti-business regulations put in place by socialist governments.

In other words, we can have the best of socialism (welfare) with the best of capitalism (minimal regulation).

Again, there will always be lifers in the system because no system is perfect. They should be considered as simply the natural cost that arises from having an imperfect system.

Now as far as your IRS idea goes, for fvck's sake, having the IRS collect our TAXES has been a tyrannical disaster. Now you want them to collect payments on our unpaid medical bills too? Listen, you seem like a good guy and your heart seems to be in the right place (mostly), but I respectfully submit to you that you really REALLY need to reevaluate your proposal.

Ryan

you are dangerously ignorant of your own welfare.

Apathy starves people, a full one third of the food produced is wasted.

Ryan - There are a number of countries with much bigger safety nets than the U.S. that are kicking our butts economically right now. Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland come to mind.

Do you realize the U.S. is now 8th in the world in income per capita? And EVERY country ahead of us is what the Tea Party would call "socialist".

I believe it was Monsanto that went to India to show them how to switch over from "traditional" (i.e. - "old school") farming methods to modern corporate farming methods. They "created" 1 million new jobs (while putting 5 million "old school farming" people out of work). Add to that the many farmers that went bankrupt and killed themselves because they couldn't afford to keep paying the higher costs of modern corporate farming and "trademarked" products and methods that they ended up being almost forced to depend on. If I remember correctly, that's part of the reason that Haiti turned down the offers of agricultural "assistance" from Monsanto (free GM seeds) after one of their more recent natural disasters - the Haitians saw what was happening in other countries like India.

And don't forget we would also get rid of 3-4 BILLION pesky humans through starvation if we didn't use modern farming techniques.

Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea. PETA and the EPA would have such an easier job. The desert dune lizard and the green sea turtles could live their lives in peace.

Troll identified.

If I was from Iowa, I would be embarrassed too

If you were from Iowa, you'd troll more effectively.

Seems I've lit your fire - have a happy day.

You are female?

Why? You looking for a date? Forget it, no cornfed Iowans for me!

The way these governments are acting is childish and should be condemned! Hundreds are ill and fighting for their lives while others have died. And here we have Spain and Germany playing the blame game and pointing fingers at each other. If countries can't be responsible and act mature how can we expect their citizens to?

I don't give a f*^k where it came from let's just find the source and destroy it. It's not as if it was intentional or planned. It's a disease for goodness sakes. It does not make a nation, country, city, or nationality look bad or be perceived as such. Sheet happens, so work together and find the source so it can be eradicated.

And for goodness sakes...grow the eff up!!

It actually does make nations look bad. Russia has banned all imports of food from Europe and Spain has destroyed tons of produce. This is another economic disaster for Europe and its farm workers. Spain is mad because Germany accused them with little or no proof and now Spanish workers are unemployed.

Anyway, when was the last time that governments couldn't be compared to 6 year olds on a playground? Let's face it, the emotional age of large groups of people decreases with the size of the group.

Only by people with small or prejudiced minds. And if it did come from Spain their workers would be unemployed anyway.

As for your last paragraph...I completely agree.

Governments are not like 6 year olds on a playground; they are like a bunch of prison gangs. Because might makes right on the international stage, all governments have to think rationally and amorally if they want to survive.

I think you will find that it is an organic product that is at fault just like the spinach and peppers and other e coli contamination in the last few years. I use commercial fertilizer and have had no problems. If you want to pay more for substandard produce you are welcome but don't blame me when you get sick.

The e coli contaminations from the last few years were largely the result of feral pigs (a largely ignored problem despite how widespread and destructive they are) breaking into fields and contaminating crops with their waste products. None of the outbreaks were linked to organic food production.

soylent green is the next step;-)

Illegal immigrants do NOT wash their hands and that contributes to the spread. We need to teach people basic hygiene.

Yeah, cause people who are not illegal immigrants ALWAYS wash their hands. This is just an ingorant statement...

Illegal immigrants in Germany don't wash their hands? Every day I learn more and more about Germany. Thank you, professor.

This makes no sense.

Soapbox, Go back into the box, it will be safer for you, and always wear a helmet, foil is optional.The only thing static on this planet are some peoples heads. Everything changes from the tiniest things on the planet to the migrating magnetic poles. It could be from fertilizer or it could be from moon beams, but I would say it is just things evolving. This article is just a couple of clicks away from Dancing With The Stars, not a medical journal nor a sceintific publication. It is a shame those people are sick and that some have died and others will have health complication for the rest of their lives.

Changes yes, but usually with help. Thanks for the tip but my tin foil is quite intact. Google is your best friend.

Soylent green for sure..and most should be served up with mint sauce.

Barney,

It's coming. They're just playing around with it now. They just have to make sure it doesn't take out the wrong groups of people, haha. I think they're trying to perfect it so that it only kills liberal free thinkers.

Thanks edl, you beat me to it.

great 2 spelling/grammar nazi's in 1 group

if the message is understood, nuff said

dont use 500 words where 10 will do

Why bother with either, if you have one you have many how about bacilum?

great 2 spelling/grammar nazi's in 1 group

if the message is understood, nuff said

dont use 500 words where 10 will do

Translation:

Oh great! There are two spelling/grammar Nazis in one group, much to my chagrin. If the intended message was communicated well enough to be understood, then there is no need to nitpick. It is not necessary to use an over abundance of words. In one case, I knew of a person who required the use of 500 different words to express a thought whereas 10 well chosen words would have been sufficient. By the time the recipient of the 500 word communication had cogitated to the apex of enlightenment, the primary purpose was befuddled. Oh, how I rue the condition of America's inferiority in the realm of English education.

translation please

Translation: There are many ignorant folks out there...and the meaning gets lost in the message....

stoopid - if 10 words are sufficient, why are you rambling?

lilbear68

Please do not refer to me as any sort of "Nazi". Some of my relatives suffered under the National Socialist regime. I have no kind thoughts for the Nazi party.

If you disagree with my feeling that correct spelling is important, so be it. Just leave the pejoratives out, okay?

Have a nice day.

I learn something new everyday. The accusation of "spelling/grammar Nazi" is unfair. In fact, I found the point of grammar rather interesting....I certainly wasn't aware of it, myself.

Dear Steve

Would not the same principals apply to viruses?

Re: HIV, AIDS

krasna understand that the term today 'nazi' does not actually refer to them per se

and dont cry to me about your family, my wife is a jew and her family suffered under them too

This is obviously not the "big one". When it mutates, we will all know it. But it will be too late. Evidenced by how long it took for them to even vector the small epidemic that started and spread to Texas and beyond. Human race is fragile at best, but we are conceited enough to think we will be able to get past anything. Eventually I predict it will be awfully quiet on the face of ole mother Earth.

I understand your sentiment from a perspective of supporting local business and whatnot but it really has squadoochie to do with preventing E. Coli breakouts. Your local organic farmer could have E. Coli tainted vegetables from manure the same as any other organic famer in the world. Which is why there were earlier E. Coli breakouts in Japan and Canada and now one in Europe.

Great comment, Bert. It needs to be said that many people don't bother to wash their fresh veggies. They actually believe they're cleaned by the producers! OMG

A mild white vinegar and water solution, folks. So easy.

From 20 people dead (as compared to thousands who die from the flu in North America every year) to "liberals" cheering the death of billions.

Well played The Beev...Well played indeed....

Can you provide a quote where George Soros says the planet needs to lose 2 billion people?

On as side note, I would point out that some people view future population densities as threatening to the entire planetary ecosystem and thus view managing human population growth as a way to protect the entire biosphere. I don't think too many progressive people are actively cheering for the death of billions. That would seem to be polemical hyperbole.

I personally think the planet can support a much denser population.

Ironically, since the 3 major world religions are all eschatalogical in nature, they view human destruction as paramount to fulfilling major theological doctrines. I would venture to say it's hard core conservatives/religious people who are gleefully awaiting the death of the human race. Final Judgement, Armageddon, Rapture, etc, etc. (Harold Camping and Co.) They can't wait for a biblical wasteland on Earth.

People who view this life as only a precursor test for the chimerical afterlife tend not to value what goes on in reality if it isn't sanctioned in their interpretation of some bronze age text. Hence suicide bombers, Jehovah's refusing blood transfusions, etc, etc.

Notice it says some people had language and other neurological problems? Makes you wonder what the effects are, and how close it mimics mad cow.

I agree with everything you've said and would add that food is one of the most important things in life...right behind water and air, actually...yet we (society) seems to treat it with such little thought.

It seems clear that the current economic system is failing with regard to our food supply.

Actually, this happened in Europe, if you've ever visited there, you'd realize that our "organic" trend isn't quite so big there. That's because it's the way they already live. They don't inject their food with unnatural hormones and steroids to make it "grow faster", so their food supply doesn't need an "organic natural" alternative, it's already natural! They do still have alot of pollution however, which I would tend to think might have something to do with this.

The schools need to bring back Home Economic classes and make them a require requisite for a high school diploma. Our kids don't even know the basic methods of sanitation/prep for food safety. Why do we want people to be so clueless about everyday-type situations?

This isn't coming from meat. This is from vegetables. Stop giving people the wrong information on this particular outbreak.

They thought it was vegetables originally. Now they are not so certain. It was definitely not the cucumbers they blamed originally, so they are looking elsewhere.

I disagree in one aspect Doc , this is about normal hygiene but not human.This could be coming from contaminated animal fertilizer ,which we here in the US are very careful not to use.

Well said JMK. It should also be noted that the pathogens are not always on the outside of plants, rather they have been drawn into the plant cells. That is why rinsing the veggies does not do any good. Cooking is the only way to ensure safety.

I agree competely, ZOMBIES! It's time to go resident evil status... P.s. Nice pic of the skyline that is the best car ever.

Think we need to setup the S.A.R.S command center. The Zombies are almost at hand.

Love the Skyline, wish I had one. That pic is from the game PGR3 I think

Excuse me, but GOD made ADAM, so HE also made me.

Benjoh take a biology and health class.

Okay KA - You first.

Dear KA

I am glad you are not reproducing.

It's a go to everyone else.

Lets not mix up creation and evolution. Nobody knows for sure if God dropped a human on this planet after the reign of dinosaurs or just decided that aside from dirt, something alive would thrive. Maybe what we call Gods greatest creation will succumb to time and its own "advanced brain", and that e-coli will be the dominant force, once our carcasses turn into a chemical they can use for fuel.

A book or two from thousands of years back was written when the "advanced mind" was still only capable of fire and death. There may be one of a number of reasons humans will die. Other humans are the most obvious, but who can be sure.

Agreed. Also merely washing the veggies will not do anything unless someone can wash veggies by hand in 160F.

I can. My hands are fire retardant.

silver works and has worked for generations but its frowned upon just for that reason

and its inexpensive and lo tech