Rhett and Link talk about a criminal with a weapon you don't usually see.
Plot[]
Following a short, and somewhat, dangerous demonstration of Kotula's stun cane, Rhett reports of a man, 41 year old Fred Parker, who robbed western Pennsylvania internet cafe threatening to spread a staph infection, MRSA. Link first notes there aren't really internet cafes anymore. Though, Rhett says he spent a lot of time in internet cafes during his trip to Slovakia. Back to the topic, Rhett continues to read the report that claims Fred entered the cafe, did not go on the internet, but instead began touching the walls and the gambling machines with his bacterial infection and uses this as his weapon. It was ineffective, however, once the cashier said no and soon reported Parker to the police.
Link confused, Rhett explained Parker's likely motives: "If I go in there with a gun, I'll be arrested with armed robbery. But if I go in there without a weapon and only my infection, I'll just be arrested for infested robbery or something." Link adds, they might even have to make a new charge. Rhett continues, "I think it's completely legal. I think he thought he completely bypassed the system. He found a loophole. But he was arrested, so maybe he didn't find a loophole."
Link pauses briefly and asks the audience to comment what you would use to rob an internet cafe. Though, he quickly tells them, you shouldn't rob anyone, but if you did, don't use a gun or a knife or a weapon, something more creative.
Rhett, getting back to the conversation, shares how this is a threat. Not this man with the infection, how we've developed very resistant bacteria because we've overdone the antibiotic thing. Because growing up you'd get sick and be like, "Oh, man. I gotta get me an antibiotic." Rhett continues to mention how people take an antibiotic when their not needed and the antibiotic adapts to the bacteria. He also mentions how people don't finish the course of the antibiotic and stop after the first day because they feel better again, and they quit. It doesn't make them sick again but the bacteria is left over and it perpetuates the problems we've been having in the population and it has us end up with things like MRSA.
Rhett then goes on to tell about when his 2 year old kid had MRSA. When he got it, Rhett and his wife were freaked out because he had this boil. They took him to the pediatrician and when the got there, they were all freaked out. But the doctor said this happens all the time. The doctor said two years ago we got two cases of MRSA in kids a year. Now, we get, on average, nine a month and it's not like "you let your kid play in the kitty litter". It's happening everywhere. Rhett made sure, though, to say he's fine now. He's three now, and there's no recurring infection, and he's not robbing banks either. But it's a serious problem.
Before they dig thereselves in a bigger whole of bacteria stories, Rhett suggests they spin the Wheel. They do just that and it ends landing on "Improv Ending Song"
Links[]
- http://sharonherald.com/local/x1267396529/Police-Robber-used-infection-threat, Sharon Herald reports of Parker's infectious crime.