RUMOR MONGERING - Adding Confusion To The Search For The "Truth"

It is unsurprising that there is a rumor circulating about an H1N1-H5N1 hybrid flu. Call it a "super flu", if you prefer - that's easier to remember than the scientific alpha-numeric designation - and, supposedly, it is able to leap tall antibiotics in a single bound and kill you faster than a speeding bullet.

My research into this claim is naturally inconclusive, because one can only do so much searching before becoming mentally numb... unless they are looking for facts that will support their theory. That's not my style. However, the only information that I can find that is even close to authoritative, is at the Center for Disease Control's website. All of the other information is on blogs, which doesn't necessarily make that information incorrect, just suspect. On the other hand, I can say exactly the same thing about http://www.cdc.gov website. (Isn't it a sad state of affairs when we can have so little confidence in our government being truthful with us?)

The CDC tells us that, since about 2005, they have been experimenting with a man-made hybrid of the H1N1 and H5N1 viruses. Ostensibly, this Frankenvirus was created to enable them to cope with such a thing actually occurring in nature - which doesn't sound unreasonable. It's been created under "controlled conditions" in a laboratory with rooms that are essentially biosafe compartments, and with extremely high security. The only concern is that the security is less than perfect, as are all things made by man. There is a very remote possibility that almost any experimental virus could accidentally escape from the facitlity. There is an equal chance that somebody working in a top position could intentionally remove a virus from the confines of the center for nefarious purposes. The greater possibility - in many minds - is that the government has developed such deadly viruses to use in Top Secret chemical warfare scenarios against... whom? Enemies? External enemies or domestic "enemies"? Or does the government not differentitate between the two? Is it one of those "If you ain't with us, yore agin us!" philosophies?

My only reasonable conclusion is one of, "Yes, a super 'flying pigs' flu does exist, and it is a cross between swine flu and avian flu." One of the charters of medical research is a pro-active stance of getting a jump on potentially deadly health threats, rather than a reactive position of "let's wait until it happens to begin work on fixing it. Our CDC is probably the best in the world for identifying and developing antigens to immunize against, and antibiotics to eliminate, various health threats. Unfortunately, the CDC is also an agency of the federal government... which frequently makes their motives suspect. The why of such a man-made virus is fairly clear if you trust our government (does anybody besides me remember the first atomic bomb tests at White Sands, New Mexico, in 1945? Who were the test subjects?). The big question is:

DO YOU? AND IS THAT TRUST JUSTIFIED?

I would certainly like to be able to trust those on Capitol Hill. But, as I look around me, I see no hint of the Easter Bunny to support that desire. QUESTION AUTHORITY!