# Is That TB Guy The Biggest Asshole Ever, Or What? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 31, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240 "2007-05-31T20:49:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/121 "2007-06-01T15:21:55Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] I wouldn’t cite ThinkProgress, being that it’s a left-wing rag and all. [/QUOTE] Yeah, well you’re a libertarian for God’s sake. You, like many Republicans, probably approve of cutting essential government services. > [@](#): > > The funny thing is that ThinkProgress took the information it laundered from this report by a House Democratic Caucus… ‘This report’ that was written in 2001? How is that it can contain numbers for cuts in FY 2008? Your ‘analysis’ is obviously flawed. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/122 "2007-06-01T15:23:25Z")
I’m no mathematician, but the stat quoted before said 17% of cases of TB are spread this way…does that mean this guy will infect 17% of the people he shared a confined airspace with (meaning at least all the ones on the planes)? That seems like it’s worth a pitting even if it doesn’t turnb into the next SPanish Influenza. It’s not like people said “At least Dahmer wasn’t Hitler.” Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/123 "2007-06-01T15:24:06Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] More and more I think that ‘Recreational Outrage’ is a very apt phrase; it seems some folks get their jollies by working up a nice big head of steam over pretty much anything. I guess it’s an adrenaline high or something. Just seems a pointless waste of time to me. [/QUOTE] What I see is that most people are upset about a matter of life and death. And then there’s you, hysterical and mewling over a message board thread. You, of all people on this board, have no cause to talk about anyone else’s recreational outrage. You’re making outrage into a sport. You are the winner of the Special Olympics of Hysterical Indignation 5km Hurdle. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/124 "2007-06-01T15:30:58Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] Yes, and if you’d read what I wrote instead of immediately flying off the handle, you’d see that I said that the guy didn’t do a good thing, however there’s no need to overreact because the danger isn’t that great. [/QUOTE] I think people are mostly pissed because 1. the guy was blatantly irresponsible and 2. People whose job it is to screen for issues like this _let it slide._ This doesn’t follow the pattern of an RO thread, which is usually the OP posting a link to some gruesome story (usually a kid getting raped and/or murdered) and then simply putting a “Why oh why is the world so fucked up?” Usually the story is a common one that is in the news a lot. This isn’t to minimize its tragedy, but it is pretty useless to start a thread about every kiddie-diddler that shows up in the news. This OTOH is not a common event. This guy is a tool and the people that let it slide are criminally negligent and now the CDC has hell to pay for this PR nightmare. These are the things people are pissed about. If you don’t know the difference between Lovejoy-esque hand wringing over the Children vs. some tool causing a public health and public relations nightmare, then I don’t know what to tell you. Whether he’s a walking pandemic or not is up for debate. Everything I have read says that Andy’s sputum is showing up negatively for bacillus - probably not contagious IOW. But if he were, this would be devastating for anyone with an immuno-compromised system. TB is thought to be the leading cause of death for HIV patients. Showing up on ABC with wifey-poo all masked up isn’t going to soothe the public’s fears either. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/125 "2007-06-01T15:34:57Z")
[QUOTE=Sailboat] I’m no mathematician, but the stat quoted before said 17% of cases of TB are spread this way…does that mean this guy will infect 17% of the people he shared a confined airspace with (meaning at least all the ones on the planes)? [/QUOTE] No. It means that of the people who have TB, 17% of them got it that way. That doesn’t reflect on how many people have to be exposed in order to get it. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/126 "2007-06-01T16:02:29Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] More and more I think that ‘Recreational Outrage’ is a very apt phrase; it seems some folks get their jollies by working up a nice big head of steam over pretty much anything. I guess it’s an adrenaline high or something. Just seems a pointless waste of time to me. [/QUOTE] Well, then, feel free to **GET THE FUCK OUT!** ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/127 "2007-06-01T17:16:05Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Yeah, well you’re a libertarian for God’s sake. You, like many Republicans, probably approve of cutting essential government services. [/quote] Not me. I’m in favor of actually establishing essential government services that you and many Communists ignore in favor of pointless government crap. > [@](#): > > ‘This report’ that was written in 2001? How is that it can contain numbers for cuts in FY 2008? Your ‘analysis’ is obviously flawed. You don’t even read your own sources. Or your own posts for that matter. Here’s what you pasted from the ThinkProgress site: – **2002** : Proposed a $174 million cut.Emphasis added to help your eyes find the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/128 "2007-06-01T17:16:09Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] With luck, they will _merely_ bring back sanitariums… IMO, they ought to. [/QUOTE] _Sanatorium_ ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/129 "2007-06-01T17:21:43Z")
[QUOTE=Subterraneanus] _Sanatorium_ [/QUOTE] It’s just an [alternate spelling](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sanitarium). ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/130 "2007-06-01T17:35:01Z")
Question: can this guy be sued? I forsee a big windfall-hundreds of plaintiffs. and the guy is employed by a law firm-surely they have some cash? Love to see this turn into a class-action lawsuit-and take every nickel the guy has! ---
**Author:** ![Capatalist\_Lion\_Tamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@Capatalist\_Lion\_Tamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capatalist_Lion_Tamer)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/131 "2007-06-01T17:35:45Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Question: can this guy be sued? I forsee a big windfall-hundreds of plaintiffs. and the guy is employed by a law firm-surely they have some cash? Love to see this turn into a class-action lawsuit-and take every nickel the guy has! [/QUOTE] By whom? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/132 "2007-06-01T17:38:40Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Question: can this guy be sued? I forsee a big windfall-hundreds of plaintiffs. and the guy is employed by a law firm-surely they have some cash? [/QUOTE] Are you saying the law firm should be sued? I’m confused. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/133 "2007-06-01T17:39:35Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] You don’t even read your own sources. Or your own posts for that matter. Here’s what you pasted from the ThinkProgress site: – **2002** : Proposed a $174 million cut.Emphasis added to help your eyes find the spot. [/QUOTE] If you’ll look very closely at the quote, you might see that it _also_ contains figures for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/134 "2007-06-01T17:44:04Z")
From [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/06/01/tb.flight/index.html): > [@](#): > > An Atlanta lawyer infected with a rare, often fatal form of tuberculosis said he has a recording made before he flew to Europe that shows health officials told him he was not a risk to others. > > In an interview broadcast Friday on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Andrew Speaker, 31, said his father asked health officials whether Speaker was a risk to anyone, and health officials said he was not. “My dad taped it,” he said. I like this response, though: > [@](#): > > Asked about the tape, Steve Katkowsky of the Fulton County Health Department told CNN, “If such a recording was made it was without the consent and without the knowledge of Fulton County Health Department officials.” Were I in his shoes, a little common sense, I feel, and a little common fear would probably keep me from travelling, but if he had been given the assurance that he was not a risk to others, I can see him opting to at least make the first leg of his journey. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/135 "2007-06-01T17:44:10Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] If you’ll look very closely at the quote, you might see that it _also_ contains figures for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. [/QUOTE] Duh. And if you look closely at my response to you, it said, “ **For example** , your **first item** mentions a $174 million dollar cut for the CDC.” If you’ll agree to strike it from your list, I’ll bother to check the rest of them. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/136 "2007-06-01T17:57:26Z")
I wonder if he will run advetisement trying to collect clients in a class action against himself? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/137 "2007-06-01T18:04:26Z")
If any Canadians end up with TB due to this fellow’s transit, I expect that he would be charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/138 "2007-06-01T18:08:16Z")
Quiddity, why do you have so much difficulty in conversing with others? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/139 "2007-06-01T18:10:17Z")
I think it’s funny that people have an expectation that Lawyers be more responsible than the average. With the amount of frivolous personal injury claims, I would think that lawyers are LESS responsible than the national average. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240/140 "2007-06-01T18:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Duh. [/QUOTE] Certainly. I’ve no desire to discuss how only communists could possibly support the concept of a public health agency, or such similar tripe today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-that-tb-guy-the-biggest-asshole-ever-or-what/406240.md?page=8)