The TB Follies

So why am I making a blog entry at 1:36 AM? 'Cause I'm more than a little pissed about ol' TB Andrew and his Transcontinental Tuberculosis Tour. Reading the lastest stories on it make Stephen King's "The Stand" seem eerily too close for comfort.

I hardly know the mind of Mr. Speaker, and can't purport to know what he thought in Rome right after he was informed that he had not just a bug, but a Bad Bug. Current reports state that he feared he could die if he stayed in Italy; after doing a little checking on the state of medicine there, he may have had a point. Hell, even after being flown to what's probably the best place on the planet to get treatment, he might pull through this only after having part of his lung removed. And while I abhor his decision to expose hundreds of people to a potentially terminal illness, I do understand his motivations - survival is a primal instinct, and it's astonishing what other ethical considerations can fly out the window in such times. So altruism =0, survival instinct=1.

Luckily, we have people who are supposed to weigh the greater good for the nation and the welfare of the American public. We have people trained to guard against threats entering our nation. We have a dedicated staff of individuals whose sworn duty is to safeguard the "homeland"...oh, my bad! I'm thinking of that hypothetical alternate reality where the government can do the One! Damn! Thing! it still has adequate funding for - national border security. Unfortunately, some highly trained and sensitive government employee took a look at his computer screen - which was giving him such tidbits as "highly dangerous", "approach with caution", and "don protective gear" - let me say that again, "don protective gear" - and decided to give him a pass, 'cause DAMN if the boy didn't just look healthy as all get out! DELICIOUS. Hear that, all of Those Who Seek To Do Us Harm (R)? Remember, lots of skin product and good grooming before you hit a border checkpoint - looks SELL. Who needs a pesky computer warning that a guy has an infection that could kill 70 percent of the people who get it when you can plainly see that the guy has a knockout tan?

Ladies and gentlemen, I think I've decided to hit the mountain hideout a little earlier than expected. I might have enough food for two or three more people, but you'll have to draw straws. We can come down when it's all over and raid the supermarkets, just like in "28 Days Later". (banging head on keyboard)