Is the Clock Ticking?

Political Correctness On a Grand Scale?

Or are we witnessing missed opportunities as a result of political correctness.

And on a scale that will result in the death of millions?


You decide.

The present flu endemic is an almost amusing affair to behold IMO. I say almost amusing, as it would be amusing if it weren't potentially deadly. Presently the authorities in many countries around the world, seem hesitant to classify it as either an epidemic or pandemic. Yet a simple recounting of the facts over the past week, should reflect rather clearly that the virus has at the least reached epidemic level.

In a week's time, we have seen this virus go from an eruption in Mexico, to a world wide scare. I personally realized that the situation was a bit more than was being reported, when I read of the first cases being reported in New Zealand by last Saturday. I knew then that it would only be a matter of days before the rest of the world began experiencing their own outbreaks. Such are the wonders of modern air travel and the global community. It makes one wonder how did these little microbes manage to get around 100 years ago. And how did the pandemic that killed millions in 1918 manage to reach around the world so quickly back then.

In any event, this little bugger? Is presenting itself as more than a handful to all involved. Here in America, our trusty leaders have pre-staged Tamiflu and antivirals. Enough to treat roughly 1/6th of the population for symptoms, as they admittedly have absolutely no vaccines either capable or in production to deal with it. For the past several days and since Sunday, we have been treated to the calming words of our president and his rogues gallery of secretaries of various federal agencies. First telling us that there was nothing to fear, but offering no indication of any official actions either anticipated or planned.

Then the vaunted Centers For Disease Control (CDC) basically came out of the starting gate and immediately said that there was absolutely nothing that they could do. Janet Napolitano our Secretary of Homeland Security said Sunday that there were no plans of closing the US Mexico border or restricting air travel etc. That was then, this is now.

As of today, the president has indicated that school systems where there are identified cases, 'should consider closing.' And as of right now? There are about a dozen states with confirmed cases in America. And that is in a week's time. I figure that by this time next week, that number will increase two fold.


Meanwhile, here are some headlines from the front page of the Drudge report over recent days. If you click on them, they will enlarge to become readable.

Drudge Headline of April 26th 2009


Drudge Headline April 29, 2009


It is going to be interesting to see what becomes of all this over the next six weeks.