| 2006 | |
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BERNARD GUSSET -
AFTERTHOUGHTS (Updated... now and then)
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| STOP PRESS : | |
| February 20th 2006 | |
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LOCK UP THE HENS? Not clucking likely!
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 "Clara, stop ranting on about the government running around like headless chickens over the bird flu thing. You're making me nervous." |
It seems to be a case of "Over
my dead body!" The British Veterinary Association have said of
bird flu the deadly H5NI strain; A one-off dead bird isn't necessarily
something to worry about... Really?! The official UK line from the Health Minister Ben Bradshaw is that there is no reason to panic. I see. Right! The time to do that therefore is when? When bird flu is here and out of control? God forbid that we should panic and take preventative measures like the French and the Dutch who are putting their birds inside. But as the British farmers union have said, that would be a "...massive over-reaction." So then, presumeably, if we do get hit by bird flu and it rises to epidemic proportions as a result of no one doing anything to stop it in the first instant, and bird farmers have to cull their flocks, they will not be seeking huge compensation payouts which of course would be a... a massive over-reaction? Right? Yes what a terrible thing to do to over-react about preventing the poultry industry from taking measures before the event. |
| Ho, ho, no need for that,
just throw another Range Rover on the barbie, top up the green wellies
with surplus EU champagne, bully off to the drag hunt for a spot of
R&R and wait for it all to happen... we presume. "Don't worry,
there'll be another EU subsidy along any time soon. It's funny. There's
nothing for a month or two, then suddenly, three come along together."
You have to wonder why something like the last devastating foot and mouth epidemic and the mad cow debacle didn't reduce British farms to deserted scrublands. Probably because unlike any other business venture, there are funds and schemes and subsidies a-plenty to bail out farmers and keep them in 4x4s until the next plague descends on them. For once, it would be sensible after so many warnings to be prepared for the worst. Or does that mean farmers putting their hands in their own pockets first. Somebody please tell me. In other words, why do anything when we'll get compensated anyway. It's either a chicken and egg situation or a case of a bird in the hand. And for the British public, well we'll be up shit creek without a paddle paying more for imported chicken when it all goes belly pork up! |
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