i was at a Very Legit policy event recently and some Very Legit guy from the frickin' White House is on a panel, lamenting how government responsibilities are divided up weirdly:

"if a chicken wandering around DC has avian flu and it dies on the Natl Mall, it's the responsibility of the Natl Park Service. if it dies on the sidewalk NEXT to the mall, it's the responsibility of the DC metro police. if it dies on the front steps of one of the federal agencies, it's the responsibility of the Dept of Agriculture. but if YOU eat it and get sick, it's suddenly the responsibility of the CDC. does anyone see a problem with this?!"

and another person on the panel, a Very Legit academic researcher, leans forward, looks him dead in the eye, and says, "yeah, 'cause birds aren't real."