>That would be the Mike Davis who said that we were all going to die
>of avian flu?
If you're referring to this: "...yet the avian flu researchers I have recently spoken to are more worried about the potential for a global pandemic to erupt first in the suburbs of Jakarta or elsewhere in Java." you'll notice that he is quoting sources, i.e. he's asking people questions and reporting what they say.
>Entertaining writer, but plainly not a reliable source.
'Plainly you're not familiar with his work. This is another of your drive-by cherry pickings that are neither reliable nor entertaining.