fact: in 2007 over 36,000 people died from the flu and complications from the flu. over 200,000 were hospitalized. no major global panic. no state of emergency being declared.
fact: flu vaccines are always hit or miss. researchers try to guess the strain that will be prevalent. if they guess correct the vaccine works. if they don't...well it is not an exact science.
fact: it takes seven to ten days for tamiflu to work. it takes seven to ten days for the flu to run its course.
fact: in 2009 politicians and the media have determined the best course of action is to keep us sheeples in a constant state of fear over a flu outbreak.
before you buy into the hysteria please think about it. yes, be smart and do the same things you do during flu season. but do not lock yourself up in a sealed safe room and horde all the milk and bread.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
why i buy lottery tickets
you know a lot of people are against lotteries. they see them as a form of gambling or a total waste of money. they fear people will become addicted to buying the tickets. they claim that only the poor buy them (shades of 1984?). but not me.
when i buy a lottery ticket i am fully aware that the odds of my winning are small and the odds of my winning big are astronomically smaller! but the ticket costs me a buck. and it saves me the calories of a coke, a candy bar or a bag of chips (who says lotteries aren't healthy).
the reason i buy the tickets is simple...i'm buying a week or two of a fantasy. a week or two where i can daydream about what it would be like to have so much money that i never have to worry about money again. it is the daydream of free time, family time, education, time to work out, time to volunteer. it is the daydream of paying my bills without having to chose what not to pay. it is the daydream of my family being taken care of no matter what.
those dreams are worth the price of a $1 ticket for powerball or megamillions.
hope springs eternal and while my chances are not great the dreams are worth it.
now to go buy more tickets!
when i buy a lottery ticket i am fully aware that the odds of my winning are small and the odds of my winning big are astronomically smaller! but the ticket costs me a buck. and it saves me the calories of a coke, a candy bar or a bag of chips (who says lotteries aren't healthy).
the reason i buy the tickets is simple...i'm buying a week or two of a fantasy. a week or two where i can daydream about what it would be like to have so much money that i never have to worry about money again. it is the daydream of free time, family time, education, time to work out, time to volunteer. it is the daydream of paying my bills without having to chose what not to pay. it is the daydream of my family being taken care of no matter what.
those dreams are worth the price of a $1 ticket for powerball or megamillions.
hope springs eternal and while my chances are not great the dreams are worth it.
now to go buy more tickets!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Living Documents - Reality or BS?
I am not a fan of politically correct speech. I am even less of a fan of corporate doublespeak. Unfortunately in today's world the speech of both creep into every crevice of ours lives.
One of my least favorite words/phrase is "Living Document" (aka Dynamic Document). The technical definition of this term is:
So in the simplest terms a living document is a document that says what I say it says today. That means if I decide tomorrow that it means crackers and edit this post to say it means cracker that it means crackers.
Living documents are bullshit. Our Constitution (probably most often cited as a living document) is no such thing. Our founding fathers were educated men who knew and understood the law. They knew what they were writing when they wrote it. And the original text, when read with standard definitions and understanding states exactly what they wanted it to mean. There is no need for reinterpretations by our judicial system.
All men are created equal...yes they are. We do not need laws saying specific groups are equal. It's already there.
We have a right to bear arms...yep, that means we have the right to own guns.
free speech? no permit needed. no special free speech zones required.
get the picture.
the same theories apply to the corporate world. you know contracts are now living documents. that means they aren't worth the paper they are written on. misson statements look great and impressive but rarely say anything of true substance.
why can't we just say what we mean? why can't we believe that something written over 200 years ago is simple and straightforward?
One of my least favorite words/phrase is "Living Document" (aka Dynamic Document). The technical definition of this term is:
A living document or dynamic document is a document which may be continually edited and updated by either a limited or unrestricted group.
So in the simplest terms a living document is a document that says what I say it says today. That means if I decide tomorrow that it means crackers and edit this post to say it means cracker that it means crackers.
Living documents are bullshit. Our Constitution (probably most often cited as a living document) is no such thing. Our founding fathers were educated men who knew and understood the law. They knew what they were writing when they wrote it. And the original text, when read with standard definitions and understanding states exactly what they wanted it to mean. There is no need for reinterpretations by our judicial system.
All men are created equal...yes they are. We do not need laws saying specific groups are equal. It's already there.
We have a right to bear arms...yep, that means we have the right to own guns.
free speech? no permit needed. no special free speech zones required.
get the picture.
the same theories apply to the corporate world. you know contracts are now living documents. that means they aren't worth the paper they are written on. misson statements look great and impressive but rarely say anything of true substance.
why can't we just say what we mean? why can't we believe that something written over 200 years ago is simple and straightforward?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Why YouTube is Not for the Criminally Stupid
Seven people were arrested for arson in Maine after posting video of their crime on YouTube.
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090402/ap_on_hi_te/arson_youtube
Does anyone remember the Simpson's episode where the bully kids were doing the same thing? They stole several items and videotaped themselves driving down the street with them. In this day and age you would think that people would be more aware of what videotaping an action can do.
Dumbass criminals.
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090402/ap_on_hi_te/arson_youtube
Does anyone remember the Simpson's episode where the bully kids were doing the same thing? They stole several items and videotaped themselves driving down the street with them. In this day and age you would think that people would be more aware of what videotaping an action can do.
Dumbass criminals.
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