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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 26, 2009 9:26:29 GMT -5
I thought I'd start a thread for news of the day -- subjects that may come and go, and whatever captures our interest. What to do in Sydney, Australia on your lunch hour? Rally against the Shooters Party and the government's proposal to allow them to start hunting in the national parks.That was the gist of the impassioned email from a friend who lives in Sydney -- she's going to a rally Tuesday at noon in front of the NSW parliament building. She's very upset -- she's not a "cause" person but she is an animal lover, and she also said in her email that there are plenty of other places to hunt without taking to the parks. I think if we tried that here there would be huge uproar.*  Hunting in the national parks? C'mon, matilda and Kasman, please give us the inside track on this story. Kind of puts a scary slant on that nice family camping vacation . . . .  * What am I sayin'? Sarah Palin probably does it already! |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 28, 2009 15:55:01 GMT -5
A little comic relief from the daily grind, courtesy of The Onion: |
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Post by hoosier on Oct 28, 2009 18:35:18 GMT -5
Argh! All this talk about the swine flu is one thing that bugs me big time You can't turn on the tv or the radio or look at a paper without being bombarded by it. And what really gets me is that for the middle aged person (does that include me   ) the shot (H1N1) is not really necessary. I just wish someone would come out with the facts and leave the scare tactics at home! |
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Post by Katryna on Oct 28, 2009 19:45:47 GMT -5
Argh! All this talk about the swine flu is one thing that bugs me big time You can't turn on the tv or the radio or look at a paper without being bombarded by it. And what really gets me is that for the middle aged person (does that include me ) the shot (H1N1) is not really necessary. I just wish someone would come out with the facts and leave the scare tactics at home! I apologize in advance to you if talking about H1N1 is already "bugging" you! But as I work full time for a hospital and part time for a Pediatric practice (neither in direct patient care), H1N1 is an unavoidable subject for me. Since the people on this board are from diverse geographical areas, I wonder if this strain of the flu has hit where you all are. We are seeing quite a bit of it in our area, but scarcely any of the vaccine has reached us. The children of two of my coworkers in one office have it and there are two people in my department at the other job who have it. My granddaughters in RI will be getting it at their school, but not until December 8! And as you, Hoosier, I have been told by two doctors that I am of an age where I "probably" was exposed to the same strain when it was around in the late 50's. It is the "probably" that concerns me! |
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Post by rducasey on Oct 28, 2009 20:36:24 GMT -5
I apologize in advance to you if talking about H1N1 is already "bugging" you! But as I work full time for a hospital and part time for a Pediatric practice (neither in direct patient care), H1N1 is an unavoidable subject for me. Since the people on this board are from diverse geographical areas, I wonder if this strain of the flu has hit where you all are. We are seeing quite a bit of it in our area, but scarcely any of the vaccine has reached us. The children of two of my coworkers in one office have it and there are two people in my department at the other job who have it. My granddaughters in RI will be getting it at their school, but not until December 8! And as you, Hoosier, I have been told by two doctors that I am of an age where I "probably" was exposed to the same strain when it was around in the late 50's. It is the "probably" that concerns me! We are seeing lots of it now in RI, and the children in our particular school are not scheduled to get the vaccine until Dec. 3. Vaccine has not been received in our state yet, and it is all by lottery as to which schools will receive it first. We even very sadly on Monday had a death of a seventh grade student in our school district. It was confirmed today that she had the H1N1. We are instructed to wash down all desks, computer keyboards etc a few times a day, and wash hands frequently. I have had very few children out but the teacher across the hall from me had ten children out today. So I wonder if soon it will be my class affected. I worry about my own children in their thirties who are within the parameters of those most affected and of course my grandchildren....it is very scary. |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 28, 2009 23:51:13 GMT -5
According to local health officials, H1N1 or the "swine flu" is the only type of flu in San Diego County at present. Most schools have been affected and, sadly, a five-year-old girl has died from the flu. Unlike many victims of the disease, she did not have any underlying health problems, and it's not known why the disease turned deadly in her case. The H1N1 vaccine is somewhat available in our area, but only health care workers and high-risk groups are receiving it at this time.
One theory about why people of our age (meaning Kathy, Mary and myself) are less affected by H1N1 is that we may have some residual immunity left over from the "swine flu" of the 1970s. I had some type of flu this summer but have no idea if it was H1N1 or the "regular" flu. Maybe that will give me some immunity, but I'm not counting on it. I'd like to get both vaccinations if possible.
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Post by Colorado girl on Oct 29, 2009 0:15:42 GMT -5
From what I understand from people who believe that they have had the H1N1 is that they have a high fever, chills, they cannot get warm and have a bad headache and stomach issues. I got a virus, but I don't think it was the same thing. IT is so tragic to hear of children dying of the swine flu.
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Post by matilda on Oct 29, 2009 6:21:22 GMT -5
I thought I'd start a thread for news of the day -- subjects that may come and go, and whatever captures our interest. What to do in Sydney, Australia on your lunch hour? Rally against the Shooters Party and the government's proposal to allow them to start hunting in the national parks.That was the gist of the impassioned email from a friend who lives in Sydney -- she's going to a rally Tuesday at noon in front of the NSW parliament building. She's very upset -- she's not a "cause" person but she is an animal lover, and she also said in her email that there are plenty of other places to hunt without taking to the parks. I think if we tried that here there would be huge uproar.* Hunting in the national parks? C'mon, matilda and Kasman, please give us the inside track on this story. Kind of puts a scary slant on that nice family camping vacation . . . . * What am I sayin'? Sarah Palin probably does it already! Where does one start darl? Suffice to say I'm with your mate. I REALLY don't think it will happen as while the odious Shooter's Party (we joke not) does have representation in the Upper House of the NSW Parliament (Westminster system so like the House of Lords but elected in a strange take on representative democracy) so do The Greens. And of course it was a Shooter's Party proposal, not a Government one, but the SP has the Govt by the short and curlies because of its numbers in the Upper House. All legislation of course has to pass through there so they have to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate ... We really love our National Parks AND some are subject to Native Title AND the ecological balance is fragile enough with so many species of flora and fauna introduced over the last 220 years or so that I just can't believe it will happen. Well I hope not and while I didn't go to the rally this week I will if I have to and so will lots of people I think. The Shooter's Party was started by an ex-radio journalist aka shock jock (not one of the worst I have to say, sadly) oh colour you all surprised. They are foul - Sarah looks informed by comparison with some of them and their tactics are unbelievable, even by the standards of the hard Right. Imagine if the NRA had paliamentary representation - you get the gist. A real highlight here in the never dull State of NSW. Personally I don't get the whole hunting/shooting thing in the slightest, call me odd but I do find killing things strange so I'd outlaw it completley if I ran the world, let alone NSW, but sadly I don't. Comments? Thoughts? M |
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Post by matilda on Oct 29, 2009 6:29:37 GMT -5
Re swine flu - we've just lived through a winter of it here in Swine Flu Central (or so it seemed at the time) and you are right to worry, it isn't pleasant BUT IT WASN'T AS BAD AS PREDICTED so don't worry too much ok?
That's terrible Kathy and there were school closures in Melbourne as well, it didn't hit so badly here in Sydney (not as cold). I imagine the harsh weather will affect how it impacts in your neck of the woods?
There was a lot of mask-wearing here in Sydney, especially on public transport and I have to say I did worry a bit - I work in a large building in town and catch trains, and of course have school age children. My husband (said Big Fulla) had a REALLy bad flu that I think was it but being a man he of course didn't go to the Dr so we don't really know. None of the rest of us got it.
Hope this helps?!
M
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 29, 2009 12:42:28 GMT -5
If you want something to take your mind off the swine flu, check out the first letter of each line in the second and third paragraphs of this veto message from the Governator to the California Legislature. You can decide whether it was intentional, but given the dysfunctional state of California's so-called "government," anything is possible.   |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 29, 2009 13:26:39 GMT -5
Hunting in the national parks? C'mon, matilda and Kasman, please give us the inside track on this story. Kind of puts a scary slant on that nice family camping vacation . . . . * What am I sayin'? Sarah Palin probably does it already!Suffice to say I'm with you mate. I REALLY don't think it will happen as while the odious Shooter's Party (we joke not) does have representation in the Upper House of the NSW Parliament (Westminster system so like the House of Lords but elected in a strange take on representative democracy) so do The Greens. . . . We really love our National Parks AND some are subject to Native Title AND the ecological balance is fragile enough with so many species of flora and fauna introduced over the last 220 years or so that I just can't believe it will happen. Well I hope not and while I didn't go to the rally this week I will if I have to and so will lots of people I think. . . . Personally I don't get the whole hunting/shooting thing in the slightest, call me odd but I do find killing things strange so I'd outlaw it completley if I ran the world, let alone NSW, but sadly I don't. We may not have hunting in the national parks in the U.S., but beginning in February, people are going to be allowed to carry loaded, concealed guns in the parks. Congress (in the pay of the NRA, of course) passed the measure as part of the credit card reform bill, so Obama couldn't veto it. Well, of course we need to be able to carry loaded, concealed firearms in our national parks. After all, if you don't have your gun with you, what are you going to do when you get drunk and want to blow away that annoying kid at the adjoining campsite? And if you don't have your gun with you, how are your kids going to find it and "play" with it? Sheesh. |
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Post by hoosier on Oct 29, 2009 18:48:26 GMT -5
Yikes, didn't mean to upset anyone! I don't mind talking about it, I just feel that the media is scaring everyone with all the doom and gloom surrounding it.
We have had cases of the swine flu aka H1N1 in our area; one man had to be put into a chemically induced coma as a result. More of the vaccine arrived yesterday but seems to be staying in the larger metro areas. Working in a public building, you think about it and worry about germs etc. that are floating around, especially with kids and the inevitable runny noses. You do the best you can.
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Post by bjobsessed on Oct 29, 2009 19:17:41 GMT -5
I don't know what to do. I do think the media doesn't always help the situation and tends to create more panic. But at the same time, I do understand the seriousness of the whole thing. Just last weekend a 13-year-old healthy hockey player got sick on Saturday with a sore neck and throat. That's how it started and two days later he was dead. Here's the link to the article if you want to read it. www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/10/27/11538396.htmlIt's a little scary how this one happened. Working with kids makes me wonder if I should get the vaccine or not. I'm not overly worried--just concerned as to what to do. (and being sensible too.) |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 29, 2009 23:21:35 GMT -5
The odds of Schwarzenegger's hidden message being random are at least one in 10 million and maybe as high as one in 2 billion, according to this article. |
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) the shot (H1N1) is not really necessary. I just wish someone would come out with the facts and leave the scare tactics at home!
