Day: August 20, 2010

I like to read Pro-MED, the newsletter of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, to learn what deadly diseases are circulating around the planet.

Today’s newsletter offers news stories about incidents involving rabies in Virginia, Idaho, South Carolina, Montana and Florida. These stories have a real Americana feel to them, with unintended humor and commentary by Pro-MED moderators. However, these are not tales about the cute, clever, endearing critters found in children’s books — these are crazed, deadly, demons with saliva that can rot your brain. Enjoy!

Chesterfield County authorities say a cat that was attacked by a rabid raccoon has been euthanized. Chesterfield County police say the cat fled after he was attacked last week. The raccoon later tested positive for rabies. The cat eventually returned home with severe injuries. Because it had not been vaccinated, the cat was euthanized in accordance with state law.

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The state Department of Health and Welfare says a boy was scratched by a rabid bat while swimming at a pond in southwestern Idaho earlier this week.

The agency says the child, who was visiting from Oregon, is undergoing treatment for exposure to rabies, which can cause a deadly viral illness without medical attention.

Bats are the only animals in Idaho known to naturally carry the rabies virus. The bat that scratched the Oregon boy is the 3rd in Idaho to test positive for rabies this year. Last year, 8 bats tested positive for rabies in Idaho.

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[…]

The depth of ignorance among these Christian extremists is unbelievable:

“I think the president’s problem is that he was born a Muslim, his father was a Muslim. The seed of Islam is passed through the father like the seed of Judaism is passed through the mother. He was born a Muslim, his father gave him an Islamic name … Now it’s obvious that the president has renounced the prophet Mohammed and he has renounced Islam and he has accepted Jesus Christ. That’s what he says he has done, I cannot say that he hasn’t. So I just have to believe that the president is what he has said.”

First of all, the president’s father and mother were both atheists. Secondly, the president was named after his father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr.

Third, and most important, it is wildly inappropriate (not to mention a serious sin) for purported Christian leaders, even ones who achieved their leadership the old fashioned way — by inheriting it — to cast doubts on a professed Christian’s faith, even if it’s done by using weasel words like “he has renounced Islam and he has accepted Jesus Christ. That’s what he says he has done, I cannot say that he hasn’t. So I just have to believe that the president is what he has said.”

Franklin Graham’s problem is that he is a hateful bigot who is hellbent on destroying the semi-moderate legacy of father, Rev. Billy Graham, 91, while his father is still alive. Franklin is doing this by pallin’ around with the likes of Sarah Palin, and by spewing hate speech against New Orleans, gays, Hindus, Muslims and others.

CBS News:

This is Mr. Obama’s 9th vacation since taking office. As of today, he has spent all or part of 38 days on “vacation” away from the White House. He has also made 14 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 32 days. It brings his total time away to all or part of 70 days…

As of this point in his 1st term, Mr. Bush had made 14 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 102 days. He also made 40 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 123 days. His “vacation” total at this point in his presidency was all or part of 225 days away.

For example, Bush was on vacation on Aug. 6, 2001, when he and Condi Rice received the intel briefing titled, “Bin Laden determined to strike in US.” Bush curtly replied to his briefers, “You’ve covered your ass now,” and went back to working on his abs. He and his team ignored the warning, and, of course, bin Laden did attack four weeks later, on Sept. 11, 2001.

Religion News Service:

Fire officials in Gainesville, Fla., have denied a permit to a church that wants to burn Qurans on Sept. 11, but church officials said they’ll go ahead with the protest that has garnered worldwide attention.

Leaders of the Dove World Outreach Center say “Islam is of the Devil” and plan to burn copies of the Islamic holy book on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Gene Prince, interim chief of Gainesville Fire Rescue, told The Gainesville Sun that he informed the church on Tuesday (Aug. 17) that the protest violates local fire-prevention laws, which include rules against burning corrugate cardboard or office paper, which includes books.

“It wouldn’t matter what the book is they’re burning,” Deputy Chief Tim Hayes told the newspaper.

H/t Glenn Greenwald on Twitter. Reverse the role of the factions here and imagine the hysteria it would create: http://is.gd/epFsX