Overreaction To "Swine Flu"

This H1N1(erroneously referred to as "swine flu") virus has people's panties all in a wad. The main stream media would have all of us believe that our lives are in jeopardy. This LA Times article puts it in a little more perspective.

In fact, the current outbreak of the H1N1 virus, which emerged in San Diego and
southern Mexico late last month, may not even do as much damage as the
run-of-the-mill flu outbreaks that occur each winter without much fanfare.

That's not surprising. The media nowadays seems bent on a high drama style of reporting or manufacturing facts. The World Health Organization indicated that the number of cases is up to 257 (two HUNDRED fifty-seven). See this article. It seems the WHO is going to try to stop the swine flu misnomer.

"Let's not lose track of the fact that the normal seasonal influenza is a huge
public health problem that kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. alone
and hundreds of thousands around the world," said Dr. Christopher Olsen, a
molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin School
of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.

Tens of thousands in the U.S. and hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Two hundred fifty-seven versus hundreds of thousands. That's startling. Any chance the current administration is propagandizing to assist in its ambitious health care reform program?

Just a thought.