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Crank up the Fear Machine

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I just heard this story yesterday about some people in Guinea playing "Weekend at Bernie's": http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32877392

The authorities said the body was seated upright in a taxi, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans with sunglasses and sandwiched between three others.:S

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

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It has all the ingredients of a good scare story.

Step 1. Tell people they should be frightened
"Lassa fever — a frightening infectious disease from West Africa"

Step 2. Use the "officials say don't panic. . . . BUT . . ." line
"Health officials said they don't think the case is cause for public alarm. . . . But as a precaution, the CDC [is] trying to track down and monitor anyone the man was in contact with during the past week."

Step 3. People think "but could I be infected? What about my kids?"
" . . . .people who sat close to him on his recent flight"

Step 4. "But what if I was on that plane? or in the airport? What's the worst that can happen?"
"But in severe cases, patients can suffer fever, vomiting, organ failure, shock and even bleeding from the eyes, nose and gums. It's fatal in about 1 percent of cases. Sometimes, those who survive are deaf for the rest of their lives."

Step 5. "But we have all sorts of protections against that, don't we?"
"Health officials regularly note that exotic illnesses are only a plane ride away."

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Andy9o8

***And make absolutely sure you leave out "In 80% of cases, the disease is asymptomatic."



Step 7. - Show photographs with a caption of the disease superimposed over Africans so, you know, people get The Point. Like this.

NOOOOOO, why did they have to put that caption over brown people?:o
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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>Step 7. - Show photographs with a caption of the disease superimposed over
>Africans so, you know, people get The Point. Like this.

Last (and most important) step - "keep THEM out."
"The risks of epidemic are far too large for us to allow unimpeded commercial flights."

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billvon

>Step 7. - Show photographs with a caption of the disease superimposed over
>Africans so, you know, people get The Point. Like this.

Last (and most important) step - "keep THEM out."
"The risks of epidemic are far too large for us to allow unimpeded commercial flights."

What about the Blame Obama step? Where's Ted Cruz when he's needed?
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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piisfish

Step 7 : Provide flamethrowers to LEO just in case...



Have the attorney general file a civil rights suit of some kind.
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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champu

Don't forget to put signs up in airport security lines (yes, even in domestic terminals) that say, "Traveling to West Africa...? Be aware you are only allowed 3 ounces of Lassa fever."




They asked that of my 86 year old nearly blind mother in a wheel chair when she flew home from Seattle a couple weeks ago. I just looked at the ticket agent and asked really?????


Common sense has left our airports

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Amazon

***Don't forget to put signs up in airport security lines (yes, even in domestic terminals) that say, "Traveling to West Africa...? Be aware you are only allowed 3 ounces of Lassa fever."




They asked that of my 86 year old nearly blind mother in a wheel chair when she flew home from Seattle a couple weeks ago. I just looked at the ticket agent and asked really?????


Common sense has left our airports

The correct response is "Ungawa, Bwana!"

'Ungawa,' of course, translates precisely the same as does Lassie's 'arf!' - it means whatever the writer wishes it to mean at the moment.

It goes over with security a lot better than "I could tell you - but then I'd have to kill you..." TSA has no sense of humor.


BSBD,

Winsor

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