Wouldn't you know it, just as I was compiling the list of pharmaceutical companies and board members profiting from The Bird Flu, I got an e-mail from Dr. Kulkarni in India where chicken is a mainstay of the diet plus the economy.  The same India where the scare tactics permeating the air waves and pulp leave people hungry, broke and confused.

Here's what he has to say on the issue....
---Laura Dawn Lewis
 

Dr. Pushkar Kulkarni takes on The Bird Flu

First of all, I would like to tell every one that bird flu is nothing but a money generating gimmick of certain companies/politicians.

So far only 55 [regional.  Reuters reports 113 worldwide] people have died of the so-called bird flu (7,000 died by lighting last year alone) so are we having a lighting epidemic, rubbish?

These deaths were due to respiratory symptoms, but not confirmed for H5N1. How many people handling birds have died because of diarrhea? Must be more than 55 in the last few years; then we can say we are in a Salmonella epidemic???

Next, who stand [sic] to gain by all this? Roche, by selling -Tamiflu. Who has the patent for Tamiflu? A lesser known company named Gilead.

Who is the major shareholder of this company? Can anybody guess?

Donald H. Rumsfeld. He was chairman of the Board of Gilead Sciences, where he remained until early 2001 when he became defense secretary in Bush's Cabinet.

The model suggests the parallel to the brazen corruption of Halliburton Corporation who's former CEO is Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney's company has so far gotten billions worth of US construction contracts in Iraq and elsewhere.

Who else stands to benefit?

Bush campaign funders, Bilderberger spokesman Etienne F. Davignon and Reagan-Bush former secretary of state George P. Shultz, both of who are also on the board of directors of Gilead. Another member of the Bush circle is Lodewijk J.R. d eVink, who sits on the board of Hoffman-La Roche, Gilead's partner.

In other words, bird flu will generate outrageous profits for insiders like Shultz, Rumsfled, Davignon and deVink.

By the way, what is Tamiflu (Generic name: Oseltamivir Phosphate)?

It's an extract from Star Aniseed (our very own Garam Masala) and each dose is $100; so even if 15% of the world has one dose - then the total sale will be just $100 billion.

Since last year media started this "Tamasha" by highlighting the news from other countries. Our Poultry Industry suffered losses due to those rumors during that year and now millions of farmers will loose their jobs & be bankrupt but only a few people will make money.

I know it is going to be late & millions are going to loose their livelihood in India; chicken is being sold at Rs. 4/kg in some places.

Think of the state of the farmer & unlike other countries he is not going to be compensated (only farmers in Navapur and Nandurbar are being compensated).

So, it my sincere request to all of you that spread this information to everyone.

Buy, cook and eat poultry products (chicken & egg) without hesitation and try to save the livelihood of millions of poultry farmers in India.

** Remember that anything cooked over 70 degrees is safe.

 
Regards,
Dr. Pushkar Kulkarni
Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry
Bombay Veterinary College

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Kulkarni remains pretty clear that this threat is not a threat. I think it is safe to say America and the rest of the world...let's move on and start focusing on real issues like prosecuting those responsible for manufacturing evidence used to invade other countries, the stripping of civil rights within America and abroad and the US focus on reshaping the world in an image contrary to the values we represent, (one of which is allowing others to live as they see fit). I'd say these issues are important and pose a clear and present danger to the US and the International community at large, wouldn't you agree?

As for the Bird Flu...case closed.