Like the ripples from a stone dropped in a pool on a still day, the resounding echoes of Bird Flu spread ever outward.
Growing daily like a rolling snowball into a billion dollar industry. Driving fear into the hearts of the layperson whilst the medical industry like a stealthy pickpocket, empties the punters pockets of their hard earned cash as attention is distracted.
Since 1918 we have know the impact of an H5N1 outbreak, since 1918 we have been vulnerable, since 1918 though, nothing has changed. Still no mutation, still no pandemic, still plenty of other things to worry about.
Remember Mad Cows, SARS, Global Warming, Fossil Fuels, Year 2000 bug? All have one thing in common as a starting point.
Money. Starting with a random comment published one day, one of thousands each month, that the public shows interest in. All made simple to analyze and detect through Internet search monitoring.
In first ripple of impact the issue escalates based on public interest to generate interviews and opinions of scientists. Scientists need funding to continue to do what they do. Funding follows fear, finally a return for research satisfying public thirst for information. Opinions are sought, the most newsworthy (translate valuable) being reported.
In the second ripple of impact the manufacturing chemists, vaccine makers the rainmakers, look for their angle. The carrot of hope for funding in advance of delivering a usable product. The Nirvana for companies that struggle with low return rates from high investment. Again more media commentary and public hope based on further cures for a non-existent pandemic. The crazier the news story the more who read it, the greater the fear, reinforcing the original concept.
In the third ripple everyone joins in the melee. Consultants to advise on actions to take to protect the corporate world. Project managers to implement risk mitigation strategies. Stock exchanges to encourage trading into bird flu safe stocks. Pharmacies to provide stocks of anything related to flu. Herbal remedies, religious instructions, military mobilization, undertakers, hospitals. Governments throw money to be sure of no blame.
Even that old faithful Nostradamus, that French physician & astrologer, a rhymed predictor of ambiguous phrases, gets wheeled out of his pyramid sarcophagus and the prophecies are expounded again to his intellectually vacuumous minions.
There is no bird flu pandemic. Just like there was no Year 2000 shutdown of the world, nor millions with mad cow disease, nor SARS spreading around the world, nor running out of petrol for cars, nor sea levels rising and drowning us all.
Growing daily like a rolling snowball into a billion dollar industry. Driving fear into the hearts of the layperson whilst the medical industry like a stealthy pickpocket, empties the punters pockets of their hard earned cash as attention is distracted.
Since 1918 we have know the impact of an H5N1 outbreak, since 1918 we have been vulnerable, since 1918 though, nothing has changed. Still no mutation, still no pandemic, still plenty of other things to worry about.
Remember Mad Cows, SARS, Global Warming, Fossil Fuels, Year 2000 bug? All have one thing in common as a starting point.
Money. Starting with a random comment published one day, one of thousands each month, that the public shows interest in. All made simple to analyze and detect through Internet search monitoring.
In first ripple of impact the issue escalates based on public interest to generate interviews and opinions of scientists. Scientists need funding to continue to do what they do. Funding follows fear, finally a return for research satisfying public thirst for information. Opinions are sought, the most newsworthy (translate valuable) being reported.
In the second ripple of impact the manufacturing chemists, vaccine makers the rainmakers, look for their angle. The carrot of hope for funding in advance of delivering a usable product. The Nirvana for companies that struggle with low return rates from high investment. Again more media commentary and public hope based on further cures for a non-existent pandemic. The crazier the news story the more who read it, the greater the fear, reinforcing the original concept.
In the third ripple everyone joins in the melee. Consultants to advise on actions to take to protect the corporate world. Project managers to implement risk mitigation strategies. Stock exchanges to encourage trading into bird flu safe stocks. Pharmacies to provide stocks of anything related to flu. Herbal remedies, religious instructions, military mobilization, undertakers, hospitals. Governments throw money to be sure of no blame.
Even that old faithful Nostradamus, that French physician & astrologer, a rhymed predictor of ambiguous phrases, gets wheeled out of his pyramid sarcophagus and the prophecies are expounded again to his intellectually vacuumous minions.
There is no bird flu pandemic. Just like there was no Year 2000 shutdown of the world, nor millions with mad cow disease, nor SARS spreading around the world, nor running out of petrol for cars, nor sea levels rising and drowning us all.
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