http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/pigs/ en-us Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:33:10 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2381509/posts Miss Piggy, the famed porcine muppet, knew a thing or two about mirrors. In fact, she was seldom without one. She may have been vain, but she was also one smart pig, given that researchers regard the ability to use a mirror as evidence of complex cognition. Now, it turns out, Miss Piggy isn't the only clever porker. Real pigs also understand the value of their reflection, according to new research, putting them in an elite group of animals. A team of animal welfare scientists at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom placed eight domesticated pigs (Sus scrofa),... sciencemag http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2381509/posts#comment Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:33:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2379281/posts WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that pigs in a commercial herd in Indiana have tested positive for swine flu, making it the first time the virus has been found in such hogs. The USDA said it discovered four tissue samples that tested positive for the virus using its swine surveillance program. The sample was collected in late October, and the USDA said the pigs as well as the people caring for the animals have recovered. Last month, tests confirmed that several show pigs at the Minnesota State Fair contracted swine flu, also known as the H1N1... Google http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2379281/posts#comment Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:51:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2379250/posts U.S. Capitol Police have rejected PETA’s plan to bring live pigs to the Capitol because of swine flu fears. In an Oct. 23 letter to the animal-rights group obtained by The Hill, Capitol Police cited a recommendation from the D.C. Health Department and said it was rejecting PETA’s request “due to significant health concerns about the possible spread of the H1N1 virus.” The letter also cited “nuisance concerns” with the plan by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to bring a group of pigs and gallons of swine urine and tons of manure to Capitol Hill. The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2379250/posts#comment Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:15:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2347973/posts LOS ANGELES (AP) - Susan Atkins, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson whose remorseless witness stand confession to killing pregnant actress Sharon Tate in 1969 shocked the world, has died. She was 61 and had been suffering from brain cancer..." Debra Tate, the slain actress's younger sister, told the parole commissioners Sept. 2 that she "will pray for (Atkins') soul when she draws her last breath, but until then I think she should remain in this controlled situation." Debra Tate noted that she would have a 40-year-old nephew if her sister had lived..." Atkins married twice while in prison.... ABC News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2347973/posts#comment Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:56:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344045/posts CAIRO — It is unlikely anyone has ever come to this city and commented on how clean the streets are. But this litter-strewn metropolis is now wrestling with a garbage problem so severe it has managed to incite its weary residents and command the attention of the president. “The problem is clear in the streets,” said Haitham Kamal, a spokesman for the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs. “There is a strict and intensive effort now from the state to address this issue.” But the crisis should not have come as a surprise. When the government killed all the... The New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344045/posts#comment Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:30:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2298842/posts Today's discussion about the virtues of electric stoves when compared with the perils of natural gas stoves brought to mind a personage of my early childhood. I only vaguely remember him, having met him when I was an infant, and he having died when I was seven years old, although there exists two old photographs of the gentleman and myself, myself admiring the pigs in the bed of his pick-up truck. This was in a small town alongside the Platte River of Nebraska, a county famously rich in agriculture and teeming with transport, the most important highway in America, and... conservativecave http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2298842/posts#comment Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:42:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2278948/posts Contrary to the popular assumption that the new swine flu pandemic arose on factory farms in Mexico, federal agriculture officials now believe that it most likely emerged in pigs in Asia, but then traveled to North America in a human. But they emphasized that there was no way to prove their theory and only sketchy data underpinning it. There is no evidence that this new virus, which combines Eurasian and North American genes, has ever circulated in North American pigs, while there is tantalizing evidence that a closely related “sister virus” has circulated in Asia. American breeding pigs, possibly carrying... The New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2278948/posts#comment Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:12:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271624/posts Family advocates are outraged by a prom held at Boston City Hall that was open to children apparently as young as 12 featuring crossdressers, homosexual heavy petting, suspected drug use and a leather-clad doorman who teaches sexual bondage classes. Children from middle schools and high schools across Massachusetts on May 9 attended a Youth Pride Day event ending with a prom inside of Boston City Hall sponsored by the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Youth, or BAGLY, a group seated on the Massachusetts Commission for GLBT Youth. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino issued a proclamation welcoming homosexual and... World Net Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271624/posts#comment Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:55:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2270393/posts WASHINGTON, June 11, 2009 (Reuters) — The new H1N1 virus, which has caused the first pandemic of the 21st century, appears to have been circulating undetected among pigs for years, researchers reported on Thursday. Although health officials have been watching for new influenza viruses in humans, animal health regulators have missed the opportunity to check swine, the researchers reported. Britons Andrew Rambaut of the University of Edinburgh and Oliver Pybus of Oxford University, and Yi Guan of the University of Hong Kong examined the genetic sequence of the new H1N1 swine flu virus. Like others who have done the same,... newsdaily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2270393/posts#comment Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:47:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2263485/posts Pigs offer new stem cell source Pig organs are similar to their human equivalents Chinese scientists have given cells from adult pigs the ability to turn into any tissue in the body, just like embryonic stem cells. They hope the breakthrough could aid research into human disease, and the breeding of animals for organ transplants for humans. It may also enable the development of pigs that are resistant to diseases such as swine flu. The study appears online in the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology. This breakthrough to produce pig stem cells potentially reinvigorates the quest to grow humanised pig... BBC News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2263485/posts#comment Wed, 3 Jun 2009 03:49:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2248067/posts A new fatwa published in Egypt determines that the source of all the existing pigs in the world is Jews, who were cursed by Allah. The new edict was issued by Sheikh Ali Osman from the Egyptian Waqf ministry. Due to their Jewish roots, Sheikh Osman says, it is permissible to slaughter all the pigs. The religious scholar was quoted as saying by a Jordanian newspaper that he personally believes the source of the pigs is Jews and thus the consumption of pork meat is banned in Islam. He added that a person who consumes swine flesh is considered as... al Bawaba http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2248067/posts#comment Sun, 10 May 2009 17:10:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243186/posts If the virus is indeed jumping from humans to animals and vice versa, as the Canadian case suggests, the seriousness of the disease will likely be heightened. The development could cause new problems for the pork industry, which has so far gone to great lengths to distance itself from the current outbreak as it has hammered trade and consumer sentiment. wsj http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243186/posts#comment Sun, 3 May 2009 14:35:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243164/posts A herd of pigs in Canada has tested positive for swine flu, after coming into contact with a human carrier. The pigs were apparently infected by an Alberta farm worker who had recently returned from Mexico. The herd, in the western province of Alberta, has been quarantined. Many new cases of swine flu have been diagnosed among humans in Canada, where the total number of sufferers has risen from 35 to 85. The London News.Net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243164/posts#comment Sun, 3 May 2009 13:59:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243532/posts Swine flu: Egyptian police battle Christians as they enforce pig cull Egyptian police fought running battles with stone-throwing members of the country's Christian minority after moving in to enforce a cull of pigs ordered because of swine flu. By Richard Spencer in Dubai 03 May 2009 Fires burn in Cairo as protestors try to prevent security forces confiscating their pigs Photo: EPA Pig farmers, many of whom keep their animals in the backstreet slums of the capital, Cairo, mounted a blockade against government workers moving in to slaughter their animals. When they began throwing stones at police trying to force... Telegraph (UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243532/posts#comment Mon, 4 May 2009 03:29:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243520/posts A farm worker in Canada has infected a herd of pigs with swine flu, the first documented case of the virus being passed from human beings to animals. The herd of pigs tested positive for the H1N1 virus after the worker returned from Mexico with the disease. The herd has been quarantined. Brian Evans, a senior official from Canada’s food safety agency, said that up to 200 pigs had been infected at the Alberta Farm, and that both the man and pigs are recovering, adding that the virus did not seem to have spread. He emphasised that there was no... timesonline.co.uk http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243520/posts#comment Mon, 4 May 2009 03:08:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243073/posts A US health official on Saturday did not rule out the possibility that the A(H1N1) influenza virus outbreak may have originated in California. "As we do our investigations here in the US, we may find that there were cases earlier," US Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) spokesman Scott Bryan told AFP. Several cases of infection were reported in California before the outbreak in Mexico, the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak, where the government has confirmed 427 cases of the disease as well as 16 deaths. The number of confirmed US swine flu cases stands at 160 spread... AFP via Breitbart.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2243073/posts#comment Sun, 3 May 2009 05:19:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2242885/posts OTTAWA — The Canadian Press has learned federal officials are set to announce the swine flu virus is believed to have infected pigs in Alberta. A government source says the animals were thought to be infected by a farm worker who had recently been to Mexico and fell ill upon his return. This may be the first time this particular swine flu virus has been found in pigs. The H1N1 virus, which is made up of swine flu genes, is believed to have jumped to humans some time back and has been passing person to person. The World Health Organization... theglobeandmail.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2242885/posts#comment Sat, 2 May 2009 21:29:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2241513/posts The people who do TV news -- the big-time, ostensibly serious, 24/7 stuff -- know what the audience likes. One of the things they've found out about us is there's nothing we find more entertaining than a crisis. We love that hint of danger -- vicarious, of course, but not so far removed that we can't put ourselves in the shoes of the real people who are going through something kind of scary. Governments love crises, too. Crises offer the chance to sound concerned look busy and tell us what good care they're taking of us. And made-up crises are... Cleveland Plain Dealer http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2241513/posts#comment Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:26:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2240951/posts Egyptian leaders ordered the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of pigs today to help protect against swine flu, prompting angry protests from the poor Christan farmers who feed their animals with a country's food scraps. The decision was also criticised as a "real mistake" by a senior UN food expert. The Arab world's most populous nation has been been badly hit by the H5N1 bird flu virus in recent years and the move to cull up to 400,000 pigs - seen by Muslims as unclean animals - was designed to calm fears of an impending pandemic. But it left Egypt's... The Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2240951/posts#comment Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:28:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2240478/posts CAIRO (AP) - Egypt began slaughtering the roughly 300,000 pigs in the country Wednesday as a precaution against swine flu even though no cases have been reported here, infuriating farmers who blocked streets and stoned vehicles of Health Ministry workers who came to carry out the government's order. The measure was a stark expression of the panic the deadly outbreak is spreading around the world, especially in poor countries with weak public health systems. Egypt responded similarly a few years ago to an outbreak of bird flu, which is endemic to the country and has killed two dozen people. Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2240478/posts#comment Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:37:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2240608/posts While there have been no cases of the swine flu in Egypt they have made the decision to kill all the pigs there. Are they genuinely concerned with the flu or are they using the issue to continue their persecution of the Christians there? Islam in Action http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2240608/posts#comment Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:48:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2240710/posts CAIRO – Egypt began slaughtering the roughly 300,000 pigs in the country Wednesday as a precaution against swine flu even though no cases have been reported here, infuriating farmers who blocked streets and stoned vehicles of Health Ministry workers who came to carry out the government's order. The measure was a stark expression of the panic the deadly outbreak is spreading around the world, especially in poor countries with weak public health systems. Egypt responded similarly a few years ago to an outbreak of bird flu, which is endemic to the country and has killed two dozen people. Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2240710/posts#comment Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:18:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2238397/posts When a new animal virus emerges in some crowded corner of the Third World and the experts start talking gravely about pandemics, the inevitable question is: How much should we worry? Well, it probably isn't time, quite yet, to be heading for the hills but the emergence of a new and deadly strain of swine flu in Mexico is a matter of serious concern. If we are lucky, we will see something like a rerun of the SARS or bird flu scares seen earlier this decade - scary but containable outbreaks of disease which have (so far) killed a few... daily mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2238397/posts#comment Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:04:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2236746/posts Travel advisory warns of severe respiratory illness in Mexico 20 die from severe respiratory illness in Mexico Canadians who have recently returned from Mexico should be on alert for flu-like symptoms that could be connected to a severe respiratory illness, federal health officials said Thursday in issuing a travel advisory. A severe respiratory illness appears to have infected 137 people in south and central areas of Mexico, with cases concentrated in Mexico City and three other areas, including 20 deaths, the Public Health Agency of Canada said. In the United States, health officials in Texas and California were scrambling this... CBC News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2236746/posts#comment Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:04:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2207729/posts Anonymous: A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. In the midst of his story he looked at... notoriouslyconservative.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2207729/posts#comment Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:57:51 GMT