Re: SARS - I'm in Shanghai and Dr. Horowitz comments are WRONG

What has you in such a tizzy? Please explain to anyone including myself how the simple easy to understand easy to explain and easily verifiable and clear facts and situational circumstances which I pointed out in my post are as you put it "insulting garbage"? HE is the one making all kinds of very questionable claims and assertions, not ME. I am just stating the simple reality of what IS going on, not some fantastic assumptions from 8000 miles away, to cut through the baloney and I happen to think that's an important thing to do which is why I posted.

Next...I am NOT so sure I know more than him...but I DO know the facts that are in my original post....I clearly did not slander him and I clearly stated that I will respect him for the scholar he is but that I also will say my piece and not blindly follow the mystical magical man whose presence I cannot "feel" here in Shanghai...my God friend please wake up to the reality of existence because you sound like a worshipper of a demiGod and in fact I'd rather believe NO ONE needs such a guru and a real guru teaches people to be their own guru....you sound like a very spiritual person, me too, God's presence is in everything here but Dr. Horowitz still puts his socks on one at a time and as a leadership figure making claims as an expert is reasonably subject to such remarks regardless of his charisma, presence, aura, track record, # of books he authored, school he graduated from, etc.

I posted behind his back? That's crap. His quiz is on the main page!!!! I ASSUME he checks the SARS forum site frequently enough to read the posts since his quiz was posted on the site!...

I don't NEED credibility beyond the simple research available to me as stated....I just stated simple facts....I'm sorry if those simple facts bother anyone but NO ONE has yet refuted them because they can't be refuted. That's the thing about simple TRUTH, it takes a great effort and alot of spin and emotional BS to try to dance around it.....here are his key questions....and the obvious answers refute the questions!! ..." Why was there nearly no mention about this widespread mortality from flu in previous years, compared to SARS this year, which to date (April 16, 2003) has killed no one in America? .."why has so much media attention focused on this newest microscopic menace?"...""Would SARS's irrelevance help or harm newspaper sales?""

ANSWERS: BECAUSE IN PREVIOUS YEARS 5 OUT OF 6 HOSPITAL WORKERS IN VIETNAM DID NOT DROP DEAD, DR. URBANI DID NOT DROP DEAD, SCORES OF OTHER HOSPITAL WORKERS IN HONG KONG DID NOT DROP DEAD, ETC. ETC. ETC...THIS DID "NOT NOT NOT" HAPPEN LAST YEAR FROM THE FLU!! I can't figure out the man's point because the answer to these questions is so easy to identify.... And this was just the beginning of the similar cases since. From this sad reality, why is Dr. Horowitz asking about the relevance of newspaper sales?...Excuse me for trying to bring clarity to the picture while two of the world's biggest cities are short on respirators and hospital beds....

I have NO interest in discrediting anyone, to make trouble, or without cause. As I said before, it seems Dr. Horowitz has some fine research and things to say which I am happy to respect, but other things which are clearly out of line in comparison to the situational facts. I don't like that and I'm not going to sit idly by without responding. I responded, clearly, directly and a bit aggressively...that was intentional to wake people up a bit...I don't apologize for it. I don't think I was overly insulting and I don't think it was cowardly or behind his back in any way shape or form.

I'm sorry you're so upset. Really I am. But after reading all the responses and considering the matter even more seriously, I stand by my post.

Lastly, AN UPDATE....I received yesterday from a colleague here....his boss in Hong Kong really did get SARS, was literally on his death bed for 2 weeks on a respirator unable to breath because of the pneumonia, ie. fluid in his lungs and the lungs can't exchange oxygen. He recovered like many others have....here in China, they are doing alot of restricting and quarantining... no one can leave Shanghai or visit places without signing forms, having health cards confirming you're not sick, all dormitory campus students are now quarantined, sick or not, businesses are 70% down...its not an easy situation at all, and yet here in Shanghai, there is virtually no outbreak.....so all these actions are really tough but to make sure there will not be one.....this is the scenario all over China today to make sure there is no continued outbreak.....