Swine flu. Gimme a freakin break. A Google News search of 'swine flu' gives over 400,000 responses. A search for 'genocide' yields only 10,000 results. Which one do you think kills more people very day? The NY Times has a fantastic interactive map that shows how many cases there are, and how many deaths there have been. So, here's the thing: according to that map, the W.H.O. is reporting 1,490 confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu virus known as swine flu. In the world. Population: 6.7 billion. Just to put that in perspective, that's .0000002% of the world population.
Ok, sorry, had to stop for some Chinese food. But I'm back now.
More numbers to throw at you: in the US, there are 403 confirmed cases of swine flu. Out of 304,000,000 people. That's .0000013% of the population. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than of meeting someone infected with swine flu. Here's an even better comparison: so far, 2 people have died in the US from swine flu. 2. That's more than one, less than 3. Know how many people died last year from regular old comes-around-every-year-and-we-have-an-inoculation-for- it flu? 36,000. Wait. I'ma say that again. Thirty-six. Thousand. Thirty-six thousand. That's 18,000 times more deadly than swine flu. So can we lay this panic to rest and go on with our lives? Oh, and one more thing: YOU CAN NOT GET SWINE FLU FROM EATING PORK. YOU CAN'T. DUMBASSES. So, please, STFU and move on, ok?
In other news: Mia Farrow has announced that she's going on a hunger strike for 21 days to protest the human rights violations in Darfur. Look, Mia, we all want to do something to help Darfur, but that's just not going to do anything. I mean, if you want to motivate people, get somebody that we give a damn about to go on a hunger strike. Like A-Rod. Or Britney Spears.
Now for things that are awesome: Fringe. Seriously. This show kicks butt. If you ever even remotely enjoyed the X-Files, you need to watch it.
Also: hot tubs. They're hot. They have jets. What's not to like? Except for when you're at a hotel that's renovating it's health club and so the hot tub is closed. That kinda sucks.
"Never believe anything until it has been officially denied."
1 comment:
Good stuff. Glad you're back,
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