Oh no, Swine Flu! Quick, see that you are unprotected. Run. Hide. Close everything.... and on and on the media drones on. Perhaps it's time to take a more pragmatic, nay, realistic, look at this Pandemic.
In the article posted here:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/04/30/20090430azswine-ON-CR.html
It states, "There are now more than 110 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States; people have fallen ill in 15 states." So let's do some math. I'll even jack up the numbers to illustrate my point. Let's say there are 30,000 cases in the US. Now, based on some estimates, there are 300 million people, legal or otherwise, living in the US. So the math would be 30,000 divided by 300 million to derive the percentage of the population affected by this Pandemic.
The answer is...
No peeking...
Doesn't even reach 1%. In fact it is: .01%. And remember, there are ONLY 110+ cases, NOT 30,000!
Now, let's take a look at last year. Boy howdy, this is gonna shock you! According the CDC, and here's the link:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5725a5.htm
During September 30, 2007--May 17, 2008,** World Health Organization and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System collaborating laboratories in the United States tested 225,329 specimens for influenza viruses; 39,827 (18%) were positive (Figure 1). Of the positive specimens, 28,263 (71%) were influenza A viruses, and 11,564 (29%) were influenza B viruses. Among the influenza A viruses, 8,290 (29%) were subtyped; 2,175 (26%) were influenza A (H1N1), and 6,115 (74%) were influenza A (H3N2) viruses. The proportion of specimens testing positive for influenza first exceeded 10% during the week ending January 12, 2008 (week 2), peaked at 32% during the week ending February 9, 2008 (week 6), and declined to <10%>
So what does it mean? Well, there are two things. First, the data was collected from Sep 30th, 2007 to May 17th, 2008, where just over 250,000 (¼ million) samples were tested. Of that, 28,263 were Influenza A and 11,564 were Influenza B, for a total of 39,827 positive tests. Okay, that could be considered a lot in the US where, again, there are 300 million people. Not! so are you ready for the shocker? Here it is: of the 28,263 Influenza positives, there were "2,175 (26%) were influenza A (H1N1)". Doesn't that H1N1 look familiar some how? Oh yes, I remember now. The CDC says it's, "H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)". Here's the link: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/. Don't take my word for it; they wrote it.
So how is it we have a International Pandemic, which was elevated yesterday, when we haven't even reached last year's recorded levels?
I'm thinking the Obama Administration is trying to play a "slight of hand" act. Something else must be going on if we're all concerned with a 100+ cases of the flu when we've already achieved THAT flu in the thousands last year. What's that I hear? Hmmm, my money being flushed down the toilet...again!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Offerings
I am so proud of my son, Rusty. Today, while preparing his tithing, and since it is Fast Sunday, Marie and I explained the process of Fast Offerings. We explained how the bishop of our ward would use that money to help those who could not afford food or rent. After this, Rusty was given the choice to pay this offering or not. He promptly went into his room and retrieved his last $5 bill and brought it out to add to his tithing as a Fast Offering, and even used that money for the Humanitarian Aid and Temple Construction as well. It is such a pleasure to see the Holy Ghost move in a child's life!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
WE Want OUR Money Back!
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/03/19/20090319aig-outrage0319-ON.html?&wired
Headline: House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses
"We want our money back and we want our money back now for the taxpayers," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Well, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK Speaker Pelosi! Unfortunately, the way the liberal mind works, they are doing us a favor by giving our hard-earned money to other countries, both domestic and foreign businesses, and people who just...don't...work! Do we get to pass a special tax over the Democratically-controlled Congress to tax them into oblivion to get our money back? Why is it that AIG, Citigroup, and the like, get millions, nay, billions of our needed money? What about my business? Isn't it worth something?
Truly, if ever there were a definition of the Gadianton Robbers (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadianton_robbers), Congress has just filled it. They are a not-so-secret criminal organization that is operating right under America's nose.
It was only a couple hundred years ago when we Americans had the Boston Tea Party for, what was it...oh yes, Taxation without Representation. Isn't that what is happening now. America is being taxed to death and they don't even know it. Where are these trillions of dollars going to come from? Certainly, you can't borrow money without repaying it. Yep, you guessed it, the next four generations are going to be paying for these decisions.
But wait, isn't there a problem with this "special legislation" that Congress is enacting? Could it be a violation of the very core of the Constitution? Aren't all laws supposed to be enacted for the good of ALL Americans, not a select few? And how does a special tax work? When in history have special taxes ever worked? Let's review, the Sheriff of Nottingham? Hitler? Rome? Nope. I don't see it ever working.
Once again, the American people have been robbed!
Headline: House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses
"We want our money back and we want our money back now for the taxpayers," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Well, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK Speaker Pelosi! Unfortunately, the way the liberal mind works, they are doing us a favor by giving our hard-earned money to other countries, both domestic and foreign businesses, and people who just...don't...work! Do we get to pass a special tax over the Democratically-controlled Congress to tax them into oblivion to get our money back? Why is it that AIG, Citigroup, and the like, get millions, nay, billions of our needed money? What about my business? Isn't it worth something?
Truly, if ever there were a definition of the Gadianton Robbers (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadianton_robbers), Congress has just filled it. They are a not-so-secret criminal organization that is operating right under America's nose.
It was only a couple hundred years ago when we Americans had the Boston Tea Party for, what was it...oh yes, Taxation without Representation. Isn't that what is happening now. America is being taxed to death and they don't even know it. Where are these trillions of dollars going to come from? Certainly, you can't borrow money without repaying it. Yep, you guessed it, the next four generations are going to be paying for these decisions.
But wait, isn't there a problem with this "special legislation" that Congress is enacting? Could it be a violation of the very core of the Constitution? Aren't all laws supposed to be enacted for the good of ALL Americans, not a select few? And how does a special tax work? When in history have special taxes ever worked? Let's review, the Sheriff of Nottingham? Hitler? Rome? Nope. I don't see it ever working.
Once again, the American people have been robbed!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Glendale Charges the Little Guy, Gives the Big Guy a Pass
http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2009/03/04/20090304gl-coyotes0304-ON.html
Headline: No penalty for Coyotes' missing payments to Glendale
The Phoenix Coyotes won't have to pay any penalties to Glendale for missing eight months of rent and other charges at Jobing.com Arena. Glendale's contract with the team doesn't stipulate any fines for late payments. The Coyotes have an "unlimited" amount of time to repay or rectify any missed payments, the contract reads, as long as the team "commences to cure such breach within 30 days after the team's receipt of such notice."
So what does 8 months of payments look like? The NHL team shells out $42,708 each month to Glendale for rent at the city-owned ice hockey arena, as well as a percentage of parking fees, sales taxes, security costs and repairs. That's $341,664.00 in rent alone, not counting the "other fees" Glendale is not getting. Mind you, this total continues to increase when another month is not paid.
So what happens when you or I miss our monthly water payment, that is around $75.00? We get disconnected! Let's look at this. We'll assume 1,000 Glendale utility customers don't pay their monthly bill of $75.00 and they get disconnected two weeks later. That comes to: $75,000.00 due. Now factor in that an employee of Glendale must make physical contact with each address to disconnect the water, so now we're adding in gas, trip time, employee wages, printing of the little piece of paper they hang on the door to say your service was disconnected, and finally, maintenance on a fleet of vehicles to do all of this. And let's not forget the multiple mailers with paper, envelopes, postage, and the person who now assembles everything. Now they are losing money. Have no fear, if they can't get YOUR money for the $75.00 bill, which now adds a disconnect/reconnect fee, adding another what, $50.00, they go after the rental landlords (see http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2009/01/30/20090130gl-rental0130-ON.html, "Glendale wants landlords to pay tenants' overdue utility bills"), if there is one, now incurring legal and court fees, attorney's fees, and who knows what else. Now the deficit is probably hovering over $140,000.00, or more, to collect those 1,000 customer's due.
Wow! That's amazing! All that for a thousand customers in default. For the Coyotes, they send a well-worded letter that costs maybe a buck total to produce and then just wait...and wait....and wait...and WAIT.
Have no fear, though, if the Coyotes ever leave Glendale "early" we are entitled to a $750 million penalty. Of course, if the Coyotes ever leave, it'll probably be because no one is attending their games and they are bankrupt. You see, those same 1,000 customers who can't pay their measly $75.00 water bill can't afford the $15.00 to $300.00 dollar tickets, plus parking, plus the heavily taxed food and beverages, and any memorabilia, that, oh wait, the Coyotes aren't giving to Glendale anyways.
Explain to me again how Glendale made a good choice to bring the Coyotes here.
Headline: No penalty for Coyotes' missing payments to Glendale
The Phoenix Coyotes won't have to pay any penalties to Glendale for missing eight months of rent and other charges at Jobing.com Arena. Glendale's contract with the team doesn't stipulate any fines for late payments. The Coyotes have an "unlimited" amount of time to repay or rectify any missed payments, the contract reads, as long as the team "commences to cure such breach within 30 days after the team's receipt of such notice."
So what does 8 months of payments look like? The NHL team shells out $42,708 each month to Glendale for rent at the city-owned ice hockey arena, as well as a percentage of parking fees, sales taxes, security costs and repairs. That's $341,664.00 in rent alone, not counting the "other fees" Glendale is not getting. Mind you, this total continues to increase when another month is not paid.
So what happens when you or I miss our monthly water payment, that is around $75.00? We get disconnected! Let's look at this. We'll assume 1,000 Glendale utility customers don't pay their monthly bill of $75.00 and they get disconnected two weeks later. That comes to: $75,000.00 due. Now factor in that an employee of Glendale must make physical contact with each address to disconnect the water, so now we're adding in gas, trip time, employee wages, printing of the little piece of paper they hang on the door to say your service was disconnected, and finally, maintenance on a fleet of vehicles to do all of this. And let's not forget the multiple mailers with paper, envelopes, postage, and the person who now assembles everything. Now they are losing money. Have no fear, if they can't get YOUR money for the $75.00 bill, which now adds a disconnect/reconnect fee, adding another what, $50.00, they go after the rental landlords (see http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2009/01/30/20090130gl-rental0130-ON.html, "Glendale wants landlords to pay tenants' overdue utility bills"), if there is one, now incurring legal and court fees, attorney's fees, and who knows what else. Now the deficit is probably hovering over $140,000.00, or more, to collect those 1,000 customer's due.
Wow! That's amazing! All that for a thousand customers in default. For the Coyotes, they send a well-worded letter that costs maybe a buck total to produce and then just wait...and wait....and wait...and WAIT.
Have no fear, though, if the Coyotes ever leave Glendale "early" we are entitled to a $750 million penalty. Of course, if the Coyotes ever leave, it'll probably be because no one is attending their games and they are bankrupt. You see, those same 1,000 customers who can't pay their measly $75.00 water bill can't afford the $15.00 to $300.00 dollar tickets, plus parking, plus the heavily taxed food and beverages, and any memorabilia, that, oh wait, the Coyotes aren't giving to Glendale anyways.
Explain to me again how Glendale made a good choice to bring the Coyotes here.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
President Obama Bucks Tradition and Spends More
http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/decor/articles/2009/02/18/20090218obamahotel0219.html
Headline: President Obama bucks Biltmore tradition by checking in to Montelucia
So I'm reading this article about how Mr. Obama bucks tradition which is really a non-story in itself, but the hidden story is what got me. He decided to stay at the Montelucia in Paradise Valley (which, incidentally, is in foreclosure at the same time). That's all fine and dandy except that it cost $3,000 to $4,000 per room per night. The Montelucia was booked solid "...Tuesday night with Obama's entourage and other guests."
Now here's the rub. He could have stayed at the Biltmore, which is not insolvent, and is kind of tradition, which is actually irrelevant, but didn't. The cost: $1,600 per room per night.
So where is the change? He's passing legislation to help America out of this economic turmoil and he's spending money, that we don't have, flying staff and who knows who all over the country and staying in swanky, over-priced, hotels. This, of course, leads me to the next logical question. How many people are flying with him that they can FILL a hotel?
Wow, we're only a month into his presidency and we are over a trillion dollars in debt and he's spending money as fast as Washington can print it. Hmmm. Where will we be in four years?
Headline: President Obama bucks Biltmore tradition by checking in to Montelucia
So I'm reading this article about how Mr. Obama bucks tradition which is really a non-story in itself, but the hidden story is what got me. He decided to stay at the Montelucia in Paradise Valley (which, incidentally, is in foreclosure at the same time). That's all fine and dandy except that it cost $3,000 to $4,000 per room per night. The Montelucia was booked solid "...Tuesday night with Obama's entourage and other guests."
Now here's the rub. He could have stayed at the Biltmore, which is not insolvent, and is kind of tradition, which is actually irrelevant, but didn't. The cost: $1,600 per room per night.
So where is the change? He's passing legislation to help America out of this economic turmoil and he's spending money, that we don't have, flying staff and who knows who all over the country and staying in swanky, over-priced, hotels. This, of course, leads me to the next logical question. How many people are flying with him that they can FILL a hotel?
Wow, we're only a month into his presidency and we are over a trillion dollars in debt and he's spending money as fast as Washington can print it. Hmmm. Where will we be in four years?
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Day The Earth Stood Still ... A Review ... And a Rant
Last Saturday, I took my son, Rusty, to see "The Day the Earth Stood Still" with Keanu Reeves. We both enjoyed the movie and the special effects were great, but the message was tainted.
I'm really tired of Hollywood "preaching" to me about their issues. First it was "Boston Legal" espousing the wrongs of the Iraq War and so forth. Now, they have taken the premise of the original movie, which was to save humanity from itself, and made it about saving the planet from humans. Really?!
So let's take a look at the duplicitous behavior of Hollywood. They get all "in your face" about saving the environment and conservation and the like. But, they are the first ones to blow something up. How much of a "carbon footprint" are they leaving when they explode countless cars, buildings, homes, etc.? Let's talk about the wasted resources as well. All the wood and fabrics that are used to construct their sets and then destroyed. Let's talk about the number of cars that a destroyed either by collision, but usually incendiaries. Oh yes, I'm sure they are all sitting in a junk yard somewhere rotting...unrecycled. But wait, there's more. When they burn a car, it is not just the car burning, it is the fuel, the paint, and worst of all, the tires. All of that gets released in the atmosphere as well. And here's a kicker....when they blow up working computers, how many poisons do you think enter the air, given that each of them is made with Boron, Arsenic, and other "extremely hazardous" materials.
Isn't it time to tell Hollywood to listen to their own rants and preachy object lessons. I think we all get that we should take care of the "only" planet we have, but it should not be the object of our entertainment. We are not bad people, we have just made a few bad decisions.
I'm really tired of Hollywood "preaching" to me about their issues. First it was "Boston Legal" espousing the wrongs of the Iraq War and so forth. Now, they have taken the premise of the original movie, which was to save humanity from itself, and made it about saving the planet from humans. Really?!
So let's take a look at the duplicitous behavior of Hollywood. They get all "in your face" about saving the environment and conservation and the like. But, they are the first ones to blow something up. How much of a "carbon footprint" are they leaving when they explode countless cars, buildings, homes, etc.? Let's talk about the wasted resources as well. All the wood and fabrics that are used to construct their sets and then destroyed. Let's talk about the number of cars that a destroyed either by collision, but usually incendiaries. Oh yes, I'm sure they are all sitting in a junk yard somewhere rotting...unrecycled. But wait, there's more. When they burn a car, it is not just the car burning, it is the fuel, the paint, and worst of all, the tires. All of that gets released in the atmosphere as well. And here's a kicker....when they blow up working computers, how many poisons do you think enter the air, given that each of them is made with Boron, Arsenic, and other "extremely hazardous" materials.
Isn't it time to tell Hollywood to listen to their own rants and preachy object lessons. I think we all get that we should take care of the "only" planet we have, but it should not be the object of our entertainment. We are not bad people, we have just made a few bad decisions.
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