It's not surprising that the news of the aftermath (be it about Virginia Tech or American Idol) is dominating headlines, much in the way Anna Nicole Smith is drinking a TrimSpa Martini in her pink vomit stained slippers laughing at all of us from the pearly gates - overpowering, slightly tingly, and a borderline freakshow.
I'm not trying to say that these things are inconsequential. (For the most part they are but I'm trying to straddle a fence here and my legs are too short and the fence posts are skewering my balls and my ass simultaneously and that is just not a good way to go.)
What I'm saying is: Dwell for a bit and move on. That being said, with media and sad, tormented people spewing forth like a pox on the world (or just the States) I bring you something from the other hemisphere.
Herpes hits 132 racehorses in Hong Kong
HONG KONG: A strain of equine herpes has infected 132 racehorses in Hong Kong, host of equestrian events at the 2008 Olympics, the South China Morning Post has reported.
Equestrian events were switched from host city Beijing to Hong Kong because of difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone in mainland China and this outbreak is certain to raise concerns about the suitability of Hong Kong.
For now, containment measures at the Hong Kong Jockey Club in Shatin in the New Territories appeared to be working and there was no obvious threat of the outbreak worsening, the newspaper quoted Brian Stewart, head of veterinary regulation and international liaison, as saying.
"The horses are showing elevated temperatures but they seem to have recovered after a couple of days of rest. Overall, the symptoms are very mild," Stewart said.
The club was not immediately available for comment.
The viral outbreak comes as Hong Kong police investigate a device that was found embedded in the city's other horse track turf in Happy Valley in late March.
The device, which was uncovered during a routine check, was designed to shoot poison darts into horses at the start of a race.
The plot shocked the city and the Beijing Olympics equestrian chief in Hong Kong quickly pledged that security would be tight for the 2008 Games.
My love for this is simple. There is a man, or an organization, plotting to take over the world by spreading herpes though the competitive equine population. How he spreads the disease, I'd rather not discuss for I am not an expert, but if I'm allowed to have a dinner party where I get to invite anyone I would like, Catherine the Great will definitely make the short list. In court, an expert opinion can go a long way. I feel like watching Pinky and the Brain.
On a different note, as I was writing this entry from a sun soaked (finally! oh wait, it's gone.) room in NY, I realized that once again, I'm trying to straddle the fence. I seem to enjoy it more than I thought I did. There are definite parallels between poison darts in horses and recent events. And the question all of a sudden became: do I continue on, as put forth earlier, and pretend I didn't notice, or do I all of a sudden have to find cutesy, non-threatening, silly fun time news that won't in any way contribute to our collective psyche? And in doing so, am I compromising? And in admitting those thoughts in writing, am I compromising?
S'pose so. I think I'll just go get some coffee and shut the fuck up. My brain hurts.
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