My nickel's worth...

I wasn't really sure which way to go on the title line since with inflation, two cents worth is more like a dime, but with the economy maybe it's more like a nickel?

I don't know...

So is anyone worried yet about the swine flu other than the media... a.k.a. the panic/fear mongers? Obviously if we choose to ignore it, it doesn't mean it will go away. BUT... in the grand scale of the world's population, the number or reported cases and related deaths are low. More people die from... and I'm stealing a line from Jon Stewart... the bullet flu.

Today's big story is that the U.S. recorded it's first death related to swine flu down in Texas. While sad that it was a 23 month old boy, the child was Mexican whose parents (or whomever) came here seeking treatment... a little too late I'd say. While this is tragic, I don't think it qualifies for the first death recorded here... but it causes me to pause and ponder.

So... if a man is standing on the Mexican/U.S. border or the Canadian/U.S. border and is shot... wait, maybe that's not a good analogy. How about this... if a man it shot in Mexico or Canada and staggers over the border into the U.S. it's counted as a U.S. death? What if the man crosses the border and once on U.S. soil a bullet is fired from across the border and kills him... is this counted as a U.S. death? For my money, if that man was a U.S. citizen than yes... it's a U.S. death. I know pointless nonsense really.

Anyway, now we've created panic in people who just might have the "regular" flu... that is to say that if anyone experiences any flu like symptoms... now especially... they will make a dash for the local hospital. A question kinda begs to be asked here. Without all the press this is getting and all the momentum, if you were feeling like you had the flu, would you go in, or is it more likely with this being all over the news that you will now... thus boosting the number of reported cases which in turn creates more panic and so on? You can see how this is... in a sense... a self perpetuated panic.

Common sense mandates that you should wash your hands before eating and take (in some ways) the same precautions that dictate normal hygiene habits. Right???

Oh wait... therein lies the problem... counting on common sense as your guide.

Non Polish polls...

Just needed to comment on a silly poll I saw. I've seen many silly polls and never took the time to comment on the absurdity of them. This poll was on weather.com, it was a poll about the weather... I know shocking that the poll was about weather on a weather website. So the question was this...

What part of your everyday style depends most on the weather?

I guess the question itself (or more specifically a particular word itself) made me laugh a little... "style". My "style" these days consists of making sure all body parts that should be covered are in fact covered and the kids look only fairly representable and somewhat kempt should they be accompanying me.

Back to this particular poll...

So the answers you had to choose from were as follows

Shoes

Hair

Jacket

Makeup

Fragrance

Shoes... yes, I have some on.

Hair... a moot point since me head's buzzed to a fine velvety sheen.

Jacket... Only if needed.

Makeup... next.

Fragrance... does the scent of a one day old shower tell you anything?

So anyway the results (as of my writing this) had jacket leading the way with 57.8%. Followed by shoes 25.5% and hair at 13.9%.Makeup scored 1.14% and fragrance scored 1.49%.

So if it's going to be too hot, then skip the makeup for fear of it melting? Or too cold for fear of it cracking? Again, if it's too hot, then you don't want anything on (scent wise) that had the potential to break bad on you should you be a sweaty type person.

I think I'd like to meet the person(s) that answered makeup and or fragrance and see if they live in the real world. For the record, I answered jacket simply because... and read this aloud in your best Thurston Howell... because who'd dare wear cashmere lovie when it's hot and humid in August or July?

Until the next wave of stupidy overtakes me...