Haven't seen any topics here on the "swine flu."
Just wondered what everyone's take is.
I am pretty amazed at how the media takes a story and just beats it to death until people like me get fed up and stop reading the paper or visiting CNN.com for a few days.
Last time I had to boycott the "news" it was over the Anna Nicole Smith suicide.
Now, if I understand correctly, this is a strain of flu that has mutated so that it can cross from pigs to humans, and has been around once before in the 80's. It isn't deadly as long as the contracted individual is administered antibiotics, like Tamiflu.
It is mainly popping up in Mexico, where pollution levels are high and government standards regarding such matters are low. Initial reports of over 150 dead were corrected and greatly reduced to around 7 yesterday. ::) Perhaps there is also a shortage of antibiotics/healthcare in Mexico City, which could also lead to high mortality rates?
At any rate, I fail to see why the developed world, mainly the citizens of all North American and European continents in general, are even slightly concerned with this news story.
Perhaps there some bad water wells in Africa that are causing pandemics over there on a daily basis? But we don't hear about this.
When do you guys think that the media outlets will start reporting news again?
In all fairness, I would like to give props to KTUL, which has not run a tagline on the scare flu for about 48-hours now on their website. I complained in their comments section, pointing out that there are no cases of this flu strain currently in Oklahoma, and that they should stop with this.
I am grateful that they have.
Yea, it's been covered.
When Pigs Flu: http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=13278.0 (http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=13278.0)
This would have been so much better if the title was "The great flu scare of aught 9"
36,000 people die in the US a year from complications from the flu. 36,000~!
It is funny to see how people react when you tell them that all of this media coverage and concern over the swine flu in America (for now) is nonsense. Mostly people just think I am crazy.
Not one American has died from the swine flu.
Quote from: BierGarten on May 01, 2009, 12:41:21 PM
36,000 people die in the US a year from complications from the flu. 36,000~!
It is funny to see how people react when you tell them that all of this media coverage and concern over the swine flu in America (for now) is nonsense. Mostly people just think I am crazy.
Not one American has died from the swine flu.
actually, one baby died in texas so far. So one american has died
Quote from: custosnox on May 01, 2009, 12:57:51 PM
actually, one baby died in texas so far. So one american has died
Mexican baby. Visiting the USA for treatment of the flu
Quote from: custosnox on May 01, 2009, 12:57:51 PM
actually, one baby died in texas so far. So one american has died
That 23 month old in Houston was reported as Mexican.
Score as it stands now:
'Mercans 0
Mexicans 169
Quote from: Townsend on May 01, 2009, 12:58:35 PM
Mexican baby. Visiting the USA for treatment of the flu
quasi american? lol okay, got me. I just knew a baby in texas and assumed american. Started wondering that about the time I clicked post
Quote from: Conan71 on May 01, 2009, 12:59:45 PM
That 23 month old in Houston was reported as Mexican.
Score as it stands now:
'Mercans 0
Mexicans 169
That's sad no mater what the nationality of the child.
Mexico has deplorable medical care. I've been in a mexican hospital where I had to bribe the doctor to treat me because I was a Gringo.
I hope the parents have good medical insurance so they are not saddled with the financial burden of the child's expensive medical care. Oh, wait, never-mind.
As I understand it, the child (nationality not important) was in Mexico and got sick before they visited relatives in the United States. Once here, he got worse. After a couple weeks they took him to the hospital. At which point he was transported to the Houston Medical Center, where he declined for another week or so before dying.
Sad to be sure. But I really don't see how that points to a pandemic. Any flu outbreak in a population of 20,000,000 (Mexico City) would be expected to cause up to 7,000 deaths (33% infection - top range of infection of the normal flu in a season. .1% mortality, approx. range for common flu). Hence, 200 deaths in an outbreak are entirely within standard parameters.
I don't want to be the wolf that cries boy, but I just don't see a panic ready threat.
Quote from: cannon_fodder on May 01, 2009, 02:04:16 PM
As I understand it, the child (nationality not important) was in Mexico and got sick before they visited relatives in the United States. Once here, he got worse. After a couple weeks they took him to the hospital. At which point he was transported to the Houston Medical Center, where he declined for another week or so before dying.
Sad to be sure. But I really don't see how that points to a pandemic. Any flu outbreak in a population of 20,000,000 (Mexico City) would be expected to cause up to 7,000 deaths (33% infection - top range of infection of the normal flu in a season. .1% mortality, approx. range for common flu). Hence, 200 deaths in an outbreak are entirely within standard parameters.
I don't want to be the wolf that cries boy, but I just don't see a panic ready threat.
Also, as I understand it, that baby had another condition that contributed to the baby's death. I haven't been able to find out what that was, but that's perfectly logical considering privacy issues, even if the child was not a citizen of this country.
I don't get this crazyness, the normal flu has killed more people than this flu. There must be something more behind it that they are not telling the people. They closed down all the schools in Fort Worth, Texas over this flu. They don't even do that for the regular flu during flu season.. Glenn Beck was saying it's about a big flu threat like the one we had in 1918 and this flu may mutate into a dangerous flu bug. -Whatever- I think it's all over hype.. I don't get it.. ???
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 01, 2009, 03:28:37 PM
I don't get this crazyness, the normal flu has killed more people than this flu. There must be something more behind it that they are not telling the people. They closed down all the schools in Fort Worth, Texas over this flu. They don't even do that for the regular flu during flu season.. Glenn Beck was saying it's about a big flu threat like the one we had in 1918 and this flu may mutate into a dangerous flu bug. -Whatever- I think it's all over hype.. I don't get it.. ???
Openly admitting you watch/listento Glenn Beck speaks volumes... :o
Quote from: Hoss on May 01, 2009, 04:12:32 PM
Openly admitting you watch/listento Glenn Beck speaks volumes... :o
But maybe he is from around here..
Quote from: Hoss on May 01, 2009, 04:12:32 PM
Openly admitting you watch/listento Glenn Beck speaks volumes... :o
Yeah, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingrham, Sean Hannity, Mark Lavein, Mike Savage and the king of 'em all Rush L. I keep well informed.. :D
They are now saying that the flu may be overblown, and maybe it's nothing to get excited about. The regular flu kills more people each year than this thing. I figured as much. A bunch of over hype. :-\
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 02, 2009, 10:51:02 AM
Yeah, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingrham, Sean Hannity, Mark Lavein, Mike Savage and the king of 'em all Rush L. I keep well informed.. :D
Have you learned the 'Glenn Beck technique of forcibly crying' yet?
The old thread on this disappeared, just like the hype around the swine flu.
Hospitals are saying the hysteria caused by people hyping the swine flu has killed many times the number of people that the flu has. Some hospitals had to stop accepting paramedics because they were full with the "walking well." Too many people shouting panic.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/02/worried.well.hospitals/index.html
The regular flu kills 36,000 Americans a year, so saying the regular flu kills more people than this is an understatement.
This is overblown to the extreme.
Quote from: Hoss on May 02, 2009, 01:45:43 PM
Have you learned the 'Glenn Beck technique of forcibly crying' yet?
That is strange. I don't understand why he crys. Men should never cry...Glenn Beck is also very emotional. Most of the time Glenn Beck is very level headed and talks common sense- But when he weeps- something is wrong there, he is also against cap. punishment and that makes no sense to me at all. ???
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 03, 2009, 01:52:45 PM
he is also against cap. punishment and that makes no sense to me at all. ???
Yes, if you're against capital punishment, something must be wrong with you. After all, what's wrong with accidentally executing a few innocent people along the way? Think of all the money we save! ::)
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 03, 2009, 01:52:45 PM
That is strange. I don't understand why he crys. Men should never cry...Glenn Beck is also very emotional. Most of the time Glenn Beck is very level headed and talks common sense- But when he weeps- something is wrong there, he is also against cap. punishment and that makes no sense to me at all. ???
Level headed? Wow. This is the same guy that says of Boss Limbaugh:
QuoteHis consistency, insight and honesty have earned him a level of trust with his listeners that politicians can only dream of.
He needs to pass the bong.
This whole "pandemic" has been a hype job from the start. I promise, there is a power grab or money distribution scheme to be issued yet... just wait.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 04, 2009, 09:58:08 AM
This whole "pandemic" has been a hype job from the start. I promise, there is a power grab or money distribution scheme to be issued yet... just wait.
I heard this morning on one of the talking head shows that the 100 or more people who have died in Mexico is actually 22 people.
Quote from: Gaspar on May 04, 2009, 10:52:15 AM
I heard this morning on one of the talking head shows that the 100 or more people who have died in Mexico is actually 22 people.
Yeah, something is very weird about this whole flu thing. The regular flu kills more people than this one did. Remember that "Bird Flu" scare and that "Sars" flu scare of past years? How could they mistake 100 flu deaths for 22 flu deaths in 2009?
News Story: Swine Flu, EVERYONE PANIC!
New Story: Everyone Panicked because of the Swine Flu.
Coming Story: Did the media over hyper Swine Flu?
Soon After: Swine Flu might come back, everyone panic!
Rinse, repeat.
SARS, West Nile, Avian Flu, blah blah blah blah blah.
Drew Curtis hit this on the head years ago in his book:
It's Not News, it's Fark: How Mass Media Tries to Pass Crap Off as News. (http://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-News-Fark-ebook/dp/B000V5075M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241452852&sr=8-2)
Step 1: Story
Step 2: Retracting
Step 3: Talk it to death: mostly opinionated diatribes (not news)
Step 4: Report sidebar issues (ie. the panic cause by the Swine Flu. Hospitals overwhelmed by walking wounded)
Step 5: Report on "has the media gone too far?"
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Does this mean we get to see Joe take the subway again?
If you aren't tired of this coverage email Nancy Grace something along the lines of Natalie Holloway was abducted to Mexico and she was a carrier of the Swine Flu. That will get beaten into the ground for another three weeks.
Talk about pedantic.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 04, 2009, 02:58:20 PM
If you aren't tired of this coverage email Nancy Grace something along the lines of Natalie Holloway was abducted to Mexico and she was a carrier of the Swine Flu. That will get beaten into the ground for another three weeks.
Talk about pedantic.
Just like her meatloaf
The real problem is all this "crying wolf"- byrd flu, swine flu, that flu, & this flu, then when a serious flu hits the warnings get ignored. The people are burnt out.. It's clear to me this swine thing was all hype. This is like TV weather stations going nuts when a rain cloud floats overhead. They bust into TV shows and have split screens warning about serious weather, crawlers, and then nothing happens. Then when a real tornado hits people ignore it..
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 05, 2009, 10:13:12 AM
This is like TV weather stations going nuts when a rain cloud floats overhead. They bust into TV shows and have split screens warning about serious weather, crawlers . . .
I like to call that a "stormgasm."
Looks like as the swine flu scare breath's it's dieing breath, it manages to take it's first american citizen, and hopefully it's last.
QuoteHARLINGEN, Texas – This week should have been a joyous time for Judy Trunnell, a 33-year-old schoolteacher who had just given birth to a healthy baby girl.
But the friends and relatives whose cars lined the quiet street in front of her home in a quiet subdivision Tuesday instead were mourning her, the first American with swine flu to die.
"We're grieving now," said a woman with tear-streaked eyes who declined to give her name.
In Maryland, her cousin told WMAR-TV in Baltimore that Trunnell had died after spending two weeks in the hospital. She slipped into a coma, and her baby was delivered by Cesarean section, Mario Zamora said.
"She was just a beautiful person, warm at heart. She worked with disabled children as a teacher," Zamora said. "Those that knew her will always remember her."
Texas health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused Trunnell's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the schoolteacher had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any more details.
She died early Tuesday after being hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist.
Trunnell's death came as life in the areas hardest hit by the outbreak began returning to normal. In Mexico, where the current strain is thought to have originated, stores, restaurants and factories were officially allowed to reopen Tuesday. And U.S. health officials withdrew their recommendation that schools with suspected swine flu cases shut down for two weeks.
The only other swine flu death in the U.S. was that of a Mexico City toddler who also had other health problems and had been visiting relatives in Brownsville, near Harlingen. He died last week at a Houston children's hospital.
There have been 29 other confirmed swine flu deaths, all in Mexico. Hundreds of cases of the disease have been confirmed in several countries, but mostly in Mexico and the U.S.
Trunnell was from Harlingen, a city of about 63,000 near the U.S.-Mexico border, and taught in the Mercedes Independent School District about 15 miles west of her hometown.
She was first seen by a physician April 14 and was hospitalized on the April 19. Zamora said she had complained of difficulty breathing and was put on life support.
Doctors knew she had a flu when she came in, but did not know what kind, Lopez said. The area is undergoing a Type A influenza epidemic right now, and swine flu is one variety of that, he said. She was confirmed to have swine flu shortly before she died, he said.
Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville campus, said the woman was extremely ill when she was hospitalized.
Mercedes school district officials announced that it would close its schools for the rest of the week and reopen Monday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090506/ap_on_re_us/us_swine_flu_texas
Quote from: cannon_fodder on May 05, 2009, 11:03:56 AM
I like to call that a "stormgasm."
That is a good name for it and we may be seeing that soon. They are saying in weather reports that on Thursday night severe storms may be moving in. Don't plan on watching any local TV Thursday, stick with cable shows... IMO I think that hype needs to be stopped, it'll cost lives when a real storm hits. Too Much crying "wolf".. I sent off e-mails to to TV stations about all that storm hype and they write back telling me it's their job to keep the boradcasting area informed of bad weather. I don't know why they have to break into shows when they can use crawlers instead. "Crying Wolf" all the time serves no one and is dangerous. :(
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 06, 2009, 10:19:47 AM
That is a good name for it and we may be seeing that soon. They are saying in weather reports that on Thursday night severe storms may be moving in. Don't plan on watching any local TV Thursday, stick with cable shows... IMO I think that hype needs to be stopped, it'll cost lives when a real storm hits. Too Much crying "wolf".. I sent off e-mails to to TV stations about all that storm hype and they write back telling me it's their job to keep the boradcasting area informed of bad weather. I don't know why they have to break into shows when they can use crawlers instead. "Crying Wolf" all the time serves no one and is dangerous. :(
Tell that to the City of Fort Smith who tried to sue the NWS Tulsa when they were a little abrupt in their forecasting of a tornado that cost lives some years ago. Then you understand the kneejerk. I've seen the destruction these things do up-close. If you're gonna whine and complain about having your television show interrupted, talk to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and then talk to those whose lives have been saved by just these broadcasts. Then tell me what's more important.
wow.
Quote from: Hoss on May 06, 2009, 10:26:41 AM
Tell that to the City of Fort Smith who tried to sue the NWS Tulsa when they were a little abrupt in their forecasting of a tornado that cost lives some years ago. Then you understand the kneejerk. I've seen the destruction these things do up-close. If you're gonna whine and complain about having your television show interrupted, talk to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and then talk to those whose lives have been saved by just these broadcasts. Then tell me what's more important.
wow.
Talk to the ones who ignore the weather because they think it's just some more of "Crying Wolf" and they get hit by a twister, or people who change the channel because of all the nutty weathermen going bonkers. It does them no good.
Quote from: sauerkraut on May 06, 2009, 10:31:52 AM
Talk to the ones who ignore the weather because they think it's just some more of "Crying Wolf" and they get hit by a twister, or people who change the channel because of all the nutty weathermen going bonkers. It does them no good.
Did you even read my post? Do you even live here?
wow.
Hoss, your point is noted, but many of us have noticed (and discussed on here) in the last couple of years that the severe weather coverage has gotten over-done. Sure, it's about public safety to a degree, but there have been "potential events" which were totally beaten into the ground. I don't know if it's the need to exploit better radar and tracking equipment or the competition for ad revenue or all the above. I don't always agree w/ Sauer, but people will start to ignore warnings if they are over-used and over-blown.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 06, 2009, 11:19:18 AM
Hoss, your point is noted, but many of us have noticed (and discussed on here) in the last couple of years that the severe weather coverage has gotten over-done. Sure, it's about public safety to a degree, but there have been "potential events" which were totally beaten into the ground. I don't know if it's the need to exploit better radar and tracking equipment or the competition for ad revenue or all the above. I don't always agree w/ Sauer, but people will start to ignore warnings if they are over-used and over-blown.
I agree and see your point about some of the overdone; I think some stations are worse about it than others. I've noticed that KJRH is a little less about interrupting and more about crawlers which is fine during heavy rain events, flooding and the like. I think the worse about continuous coverage when not warranted used to be KTUL, now I think it's KOTV (no coincidence that the wx director from one went to the other).
When it's tornadoes, the broadcasters face a dilemma. Do they interrupt and face the fury of those not affected simply because of the geography of their broadcast footprint, or do they simply do a crawler and HOPE that the affected people receive the news. I think it's better for them to err on the side of caution, and would hope that people would think about that before going off half-cocked. Me, I really don't worry too much because I'm one that has a NOAA weather radio. Not all have the option or the means. I was lucky enough to get my radio on clearance at Wallyworld for $10. The same model now costs about $30.
Not saying I don't get PO'd myself, but I always temper that anger when a fav show of mine is interrupted by thinking to myself about those scenes I've witnessed, where a 2500 sq foot home is leveled to the slab by mother nature. I think about that infant in the Moore tornado who was carried several hundred yards and deposited into a tree, alive.
I think the Kraut just gets under my skin for..well, you know the reason. Appearing to be a resident when he isn't. Commenting about current events in this city blind.
There is a difference between a stormgasm and reporting on actual dangerous weather.
If it might rain and it looks really good on radar, they are all over the news. Super duper double doppler dapper dan damn that radar is cool flashing all over the screen, people driving to get in the rain, scrolling text. Woo!
But thunderstorms in Oklahoma are not really news. I encourage them to report it, and I am glad that they do so. But the fact that they get so excited and go nuts over almost every storm and the "potential" for trouble is often worth mocking. OOooh baby, here comes a storm!
Now, if there is a tornado watch, a severe storm warning, or a tornado warning then report it as deemed fit. If there is a storm coming that will likely produce weather that will be dangerous to people unless precautions are taken, then hit the button and go nuts. If some wind and lots of rain are coming, just calm down and keep it in your [TV studio]. No stormgasm needed.
On a bit of a side note, how many people are "saved" each year by reporting of a thunderstorm coming? I'm guessing just about none. Tornado warnings, probably yes (and again, I encourage going nuts when danger is imminent). But warning about thunderstorms in the spring in Oklahoma is a bit like warning about trucks backing up at 5pmh going "beep beep beep" behind Wal-Mart. People are (should be) aware of them and in most instances can see any danger coming. If you're watching TV, presumably you are already inside... which is the course of action to be taken when a thunderstorm approaches anyway.
But I just really like the word Stormgasm.
The trend now is to use commercial time to broadcast information like watches, and only break into programming when there is a warning issued by the NWS or another government agency (think wildfires or toxic gas leaks).
That, however, includes the entire area that the station covers.
The competition between weather departments is just a by-product of the FCC requiring the stations to provide that information in order to keep their licenses.
Quote from: Hoss on May 06, 2009, 10:58:37 AM
Did you even read my post? Do you even live here?
wow.
Yes I read it, but it's the same crap all over. Even in winter they go nuts. Last year the weathermen went nuts over a snow-storm. They were saying their super-dupper dopler said this front will hit and moisture from the gulf will move in and we'll get 2 feet of snow and if this happens we'll get 3 feet of snow. They had the city in a panic, people ran to stores to stock up... Come morn. we had a dusting of 2" of snow. The "crying wolf" is dangerous people tune out, I do, and I know other people who do. The weatherman should not bust into a TV show over a thunderstorm or rain storm, there is no precautions to do for those storms anyhow. They need to only bust in when there is a tornado threat. It has got way out of line, and the "crying wolf" will get people killed and it happens in many states & cities not just Oklahoma. I guess the weathermen have all those new fancy toys and like to show them off. :-X