bird flu from asia?

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

Originally Posted by Strangelet

i guess this is the only point I was trying to make about the media. their value should be measured primarily by how much they themselves function as a kind of education system.

And returning home with reports cards that show they are problem children at school who are failing miserably.

There's a certain pupil who I'll give a passing grade, &, no, I'm not doing him.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by cacophony

WHO is also considering changing the terminology since the vast majority of the public doesn't understand what the word "pandemic" means. surveys have shown that most people think it's a portmanteau of "epidemic" and "panic" rather than the application of "pan" to mean "widespread." you can have a mild pandemic, but no one seems to understand that.

I hate hearing that things like the word "pandemic" could be modified for these reasons. How is the general populace ever supposed to get any better informed or more intelligent if we cater to ignorance?

Anyway, that being said, nice that the media went nuts with the story during a slow news cycle, and ignore now.

[Deckard]

OMFG everyone.... now's the time to PANdemIC!!!

In fairness to the BBC, they've been providing pretty measured coverage compared to their commercial rivals.

BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh says it is true that the word "pandemic" sounds scary. But it simply means a global epidemic of an infectious disease. He says it is not a signal that the virus is getting more virulent - only a measure of its geographical spread.

More from his BBC blog:

It will probably be months before most of us come into contact with the virus, and when we do, the vast majority will experience mild flu symptoms. It is not an indication that the virus is becoming more virulent. If those messages can be effectively communicated to the public, it could prevent a lot of unnecessary alarm.

(hyeah... right..... if that message has to go via the commercial news media, expect a LOT of unnecessary alarm)

/ EDIT: OK, that Sky news link was a couple of years old, but point stands.

[cacophony]

i think public perception is pretty calm at this point. check out google trends. it'll change over time but at the time of this posting H1N1 pandemic doesn't show up until #45 and swine flu pandemic doesn't show up until #90. behind several references to the palins. and it ranks lower than crohn's disease and granuloma as a health term.

Hmmmm... this guy ran only through half the process...normally a star is created in a talent show and then disposed of in the jungle show... this one is just supposed to be disposed of in the jungle show...well: why not? if dont hear from him again afterward ....

[cacophony]

what?

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

One of many puppets, cacophony, pay no heed.

I wonder if the last boss in Akatsuki Temple is 5 or 6 different "types" like when you are Naruto. I have done it with that team but it is my regular team that I am there with now. So is it 5 or 6 different types?

[//\/\/]

6. if somebody tells you it's 5, smash their teeth in.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

Per below, read comment #2. Old people are funny!

http://wellness.blogs.time.com/2009/...oing-the-math/

As well as comment #1, which I plan to double check on.