Mania! Gold, Nukes, and Plagues! - Part II


 
by Aaron Emery

 
 

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Mania!  Gold, Nukes, and Plagues! 
Part II 
Plagues: What Wrath Hath We Brought?
This plague phenomenon that we've seen over the past decade is pretty absurd.  The most recent was the swine flu that "overtook" the world.  In reality only 4,000 cases have been documented in the U.S. and 3 people have died as of May 14th, 2009, this according the National Center for Infectious Diseases.  Contrast that with the 36,000 Americans that are killed by the plain vanilla, regular flu every year.  No less than 800 people have been killed from that no-nonsense flu in ANY particular week this year.  I would be surprised and impressed if swine flu managed to compete in the same league.  We don't hear about the regular flu though, it's not sensational.  No doubt legislation will be introduced to "protect us" from further outbreaks of this not-so-serious-swine flu down the road.  Maybe we'll get a "swine flu czar".  Another government program, more tax dollars wasted, all in the name of a pretty lame virus.  
Remember SARS?  Oh yes, think WAY back to late 2002.   Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome gripped the world with fear until mid 2003.  Media was calling it the next black plague.  It had spread to 37 countries in a matter of weeks.  People stocked up on staples for the end times were near.  Pictures of families wearing gas masks circulated.  In total it killed an underwhelming amount, 774....WORLDWIDE!  Just over 8,000 cases were confirmed.  Turns out the Four Horsemen weren't on their way, yet.   Then we had Bird Flu.  This was another nightmare scenario; we could practically look to the sky and see our impending doom coming down on us.  Oh wait, that was just droppings.  As of January, 2009 the World Health Organization has confirmed 431 cases worldwide resulting in 262 deaths.  Combined, SARS, bird flu, and swine flu have killed less people WORLDWIDE than the very unsexy human flu, otherwise known as "the flu", does EVERY WEEK of the year in the U.S. alone.  Maybe we should stop worrying about all these peripheral diseases and get a "human flu czar".  Alas, the dividends aren't there for a run-of-the-mill sickness.  It's not enough to get people worked up.  How would the media and government convince us that we need more legislation and tax money to prevent something that we've been dealing with everyday forever?  
Every sniffle, sneeze, or cough entices government to "protect public health", but these diseases are really not a big deal.  Yes, tragic deaths do occur, I don't discount the human element, but to claim anything to be of "bubonic" proportions in this day and age is quite simply, silly.  A little perspective:  Bubonic Plague - otherwise known as the "Black Death" or simply the "Plague", has killed 200 million people throughout its lifetime.  Relative to the plague - swine flu, bird flu, and SARS in the past decade have killed less than 1/1000th of 1 percent of that amount.  So when we hear of the next human-exterminating virus or disease try to keep some rational thought and don't succumb to the mania.  If we do we simply invite more government intrusion into our lives in the name of "protection".  It takes hysteria to pull that off....call it "Disease Democracy".
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