Anonymous, I respect your technical expertise and fine input in
this forum, but I find myself in total disagreement with you about
the bird flu. Sorry 'bout that.
The bird flu is most decidedly not rampant! It's not even rampant
in Southeast Asia and China where almost all the cases have been
reported. Only some 65 people have died of the bird flu thus far.
Some 200 people are reportedly ill from bird flu in Asia but that's
not a number which should cause anyone to regard the bird flu as
"rampant".
Not one single case has made it to the US thus far, and nobody has
died from the bird flu in Europe, either. Nobody is justified in panicking
or in promoting panic among the populace. If Americans suddenly start
dying in the hundreds from provable cases of the bird flu, then it would
be wise to take precautions. In the meantime, enjoy Thanksgiving and
Christmas holidays (if you're so inclined) with your families and celebrate
the joys of the seasons.
I, for one, plan to enjoy turkey, quail, and chicken over the holidays. I
might even resort to eating parrots to demonstrate my contempt for
the imaginary bird flu pandemic panic. (Grin.) One stands a far greater
chance of being killed in an auto accident or from being struck by a
meteor than from dying of bird flu.