OT: the Plague has returned in the Mountain West
In the last throes of OT season, I feel like there should be more discussion of this story. It seems that prairie dogs across the Black Hills and Colorado have been afflicted with THE PLAGUE.
As you may know, plague can easily be transmitted between species by fleas. So maybe don't go hiking out west for awhile.
August 20th, 2019 at 11:37 PM ^
and don’t go to downtown Los Angeles.
August 21st, 2019 at 12:09 AM ^
Haha. True though. First LA smog has been replaced by the smell of dope and second I was walking from the hotel to the airport and there was a pile of human shit on the sidewalk. Lol.
August 21st, 2019 at 12:36 AM ^
Are you sure you weren’t in San Francisco? It’s easy to remember, LA is rat infested and in San Fran feces covers the land.
August 21st, 2019 at 2:19 AM ^
The official term appears to be defecation crisis.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:07 AM ^
Who would have guessed that people in columbus would appear more civilized as they at least put their coolers to good use.
August 21st, 2019 at 2:57 AM ^
It sounds like you think smog is better than weed...
August 21st, 2019 at 5:56 AM ^
I thought the real plague (west of the Rockies) was PAC 12 officiating... and Larry Scott.
August 21st, 2019 at 9:20 AM ^
Some say the end is near
Some say we'll see Armageddon soon
I certainly hope we will
I sure could use a vacation from this
Bullshit three ring circus sideshow of
Freaks
Here in this hopeless [redacted] hole we call LA
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away
Any [redacted] time, any [redacted] day
Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay
August 21st, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
I always wondered what the exact lyrics to that was so, thanks! The new song is good, long but good.
August 20th, 2019 at 11:38 PM ^
Obligatory
August 21st, 2019 at 8:04 AM ^
I’m Zubin
August 20th, 2019 at 11:44 PM ^
I think the prudent thing is to avoid the area and otherwise not worry. It's highly likely we've got this covered:
(1) Bubonic plague has had a measurable incidence in the U.S. for years -- something like 7-10 annual cases.
(2) There's not yet sufficient reason to think this prairie dog deal will change that
(3) Unlike the 1300s in Europe, antibiotics have since been discovered and industrialized.
August 20th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
Yes, exactly. I lived there for 15 years. Prairie dogs have always carried Bubonic plague. The problem comes when wind blows dust into the air, carrying prairie dog fecal material with it. People should keep windows closed and cover their faces if out in dry, dusty areas. The OP's concern warrants a new level of attention chiefly insofar as desertification occurs and Dust Bowl-like conditions return.
August 21st, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
The dry wind does up the stakes (both in contamination reach and because pneumonic is worse than bubonic).
But streptomycin, doxy, and ciprofloxacin will kill insufflated Yersinia just as well as Yersinia that accesses the body other ways. And the clinicians out there are so aware of this that the odds of missed diagnoses has to be significantly lower than if a person caught a sporadic case in, say, ... Ohio.
August 21st, 2019 at 7:56 AM ^
How long before someone says that those antibiotics cause autism? You know some guy will say it, show some PowerPoint slide with a graph, and people will believe it...
August 21st, 2019 at 4:29 AM ^
Prairie Dog Fecal Material is the name of my thrash metal band.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:02 AM ^
And the reason why I have to call mine “Fishbulb’s Prairie Dog Fecal Material” for legal purposes.
August 21st, 2019 at 8:28 AM ^
Thrash Metal Band is the name of my alternative rock band
August 21st, 2019 at 9:09 AM ^
Your last point doesn’t also state that incredibly high rates of antibiotic resistance that can eliminate large numbers/classes of antibiotics. Some diseases now have no good treatment. Add to this that very few.antibiotics are in the pharmacy pipeline, a real crises is on the verge of happening
August 21st, 2019 at 11:55 AM ^
*THE™ plague
August 21st, 2019 at 7:34 PM ^
It’s not a big deal here in Colorado. They just blocked off the area for a few days and treated them. No one even batted an eye here about it
August 20th, 2019 at 11:47 PM ^
Just rub some 'tussin on it, you'll be fine.
August 20th, 2019 at 11:53 PM ^
Once you run out, put some water in the bottle and shake it. Mo Tussin!
August 21st, 2019 at 5:53 AM ^
Tough actin' Tinactin?
August 20th, 2019 at 11:48 PM ^
Assumed this was going to be a AIRBHG affecting western mid majors thread
August 20th, 2019 at 11:53 PM ^
I've been living in LA for the past 17 years, mostly near the beach. The homeless problem in all parts has steadily gotten worse since then. Its really sad to drive through downtown these days and every free overpass is filled with tents. Dare to step through downtown to maybe buy some jewerly at the district, or go to a restaurant down there and you will be stepping over tents on the curbs of main streets down there. There are people holding signs at almost every street corner mid city. The tents are spreading further west, much closer to the coast than ever.
The fleas of the homeless's pets are carrying the plague through the city. Its out of control and the politicians here have no idea how to control it and assist those who are without homes who want to be helped. Some are completely happy living like that. Its crazy.
August 21st, 2019 at 3:31 AM ^
The 3 phases of reading this post:
1) oh wow, you live out there and are experiencing this, sad...
2) man this is more of a movie/tv series narrative but man it's juicy, nicely done, you had me for a moment
3) ...shiiiiiiit he does live there and this is real again and bad news AND coincidentally (or not?) how movies have realistically portrayed the beginning of the end
August 21st, 2019 at 11:22 AM ^
The politicians have been watching this happen the last 17 years and now you think they want to fix it? Oh California... you once great state.
August 21st, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
And it's gotten worse at precisely the same time that we have record low unemployment. What explains that? I'm open to suggestions but to me, what we tolerate in the name of being sensitive and giving we get more of.
August 20th, 2019 at 11:57 PM ^
August 21st, 2019 at 12:02 AM ^
Don't drink the water
August 21st, 2019 at 12:26 AM ^
Wendyk5, you're my hero
August 21st, 2019 at 12:09 AM ^
Speaking of OT, has anyone been keeping up with Bachelor in Paradise ? . This has been a crazy season that started out with Blake’s shenanigans, Jordan getting kicked off the show for fighting , Demi’s girlfriend “love triangle” , and now Caitlin getting into it with the mad Russian . Really anxious to see what kind of trouble the twins both stir up when they get to Paradise .
August 21st, 2019 at 12:39 AM ^
I will watch any show that includes Tayshia.
August 21st, 2019 at 8:32 AM ^
Stay thirsty.
August 21st, 2019 at 6:09 AM ^
Mad Russian, didn't know Hotel Putingrad was on the show???
/no politics
August 21st, 2019 at 7:58 AM ^
People actually watch this shit? WTF???
August 21st, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
Is there anyone Blake hasn't nailed?
What a scumbag!
Anyone find Kristina oddly attractive?
August 21st, 2019 at 12:10 PM ^
Kristina is a babe. This season they've really been adding the hotties each episode. Caitlin and Jen are smokes.
August 21st, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
I was wondering if Kristina was BiP hot or real-world hot... meaning did Bibi, Annaliese, Katie, Jane, Oneyka, Nicole, Sydney make her look better? Those others are in firmly in the 5-6 range on a scale of 10.
I dig Kristina though. Too bad she makes such horrible decisions.
August 22nd, 2019 at 9:03 AM ^
Haha that could be. They got Bibiliotecha, Annaliese , and Jane out of there quickly I think Nicole is pretty good looking tho
August 21st, 2019 at 12:29 AM ^
The plague has never disappeared. Obviously this is a bigger flare up than usual, but it's pretty common among rodents.
Regardless, I knew there was a reason I had the urge to re-read The Stand this summer.
August 21st, 2019 at 1:15 AM ^
P-dogs are everywhere in east of the Rockies in Colorado, much to the joy of foxes and hawks. The fields where Phish fans were to camp are in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuse adjacent to Dick's Sporting Goods (where M Club Lacrosse won some titles).
Bummer for the Phish fans as hotels are not cheap in metro Denver. Maybe they can head up to Chief Hosa Campground where all the Dead Heads camped when the Grateful Dead played Red Rocks ... sigh great memories of my youth.
Edit: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
August 21st, 2019 at 8:00 AM ^
Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuse?
Did they throw away the wildlife because of the plague?
August 21st, 2019 at 10:59 AM ^
LOL - Late night posting.... There is a major landfill just east of the Refuge where there is plenty of refuse.
August 21st, 2019 at 2:28 AM ^
The Black Hills are in South Dakota, not Colorado. Nothing about the plague has been on the news here that I have heard.