I can't remember, ita. I remember seeing the pics is all.

Right. Spend billions on the potential for a devastating disease -- okay. Influenza can be pretty bad (although epidemiologists have been blatting about 1918-redux since I was a teenager). But I've seen my fair share of medical hysteria, and it seems usually to end with people taking cipro needlessly and duct taping themselves into their houses.

(Actually, I have a great article by Margaret Talbot in my files, called "Hysteria Hysteria," about the rash of psychogenic illnesses that cropped up in the winter of 001-02. And about how angry people got if they got wind the illness was being called psychogenic -- i.e. "it's all in your head.")

I remember seeing the pics is all.

This is what you get for going places that aren't here, you know.

Okay. I have to get back to work.

Which is in the other room.

Wow. Astonishing lack of motivation.

(although epidemiologists have been blatting about 1918-redux since I was a teenager)

Yeah, and people have been blatting about a big hurricane hitting New Orleans for at least ten years and nobody listened. In this particular case, the boy crying wolf is right.

Personally I've come around to thinking that universal health care is necessary in one form or another. That would be a help in fixing our health care delivery system. I think it's good that the government is preparing for the bird flu. Hopefully there is some long term thinking involved here too since the pandemic probably won't happen this time around, but almost certainly will occur at some year down the line.

I think universal health care is going to be a big issue in 2008. Health care is such a pain in the ass for businesses and individuals alike that someone is bound to jump on it.

Izzo (H.O.V.A.) is not conducive to working. It is, however, conducive to team building. We're having a dance party in my office. "GET YOUR DAMN HANDS UP!"

and I got it backwards.

...or possibly not! I tell you, this x - (-1)^n thing is annoying. I'm all, so if it's even it's... positive! negative! positive! Brad! Janet! The frogurt is also cursed!

by the way Yay for Emily!

Thanks! It's only a preliminary licensure, and it turns out I'm not going to need it anyway (I figured I'd need it if I were going to get a job during my student teaching, but I'm not, and once I'm done I'll get an initial licensure), so actually it's only a waste of $100, but who cares! I get a license! I'm a teacher in potentia!

Health care is such a pain in the ass for businesses and individuals alike that someone is bound to jump on it.

I think that the only way this country is going to get universal health care passed is when Corporate America realizes how damn much they're going to save overall when the government is paying for health care instead of them. Only if all the other business groups (and their associate lobbyists and duly-paid-for politicians) gang up on the medical and insurance groups (and their associate lobbyists and duly-paid-for politicians) will the thing go through.