OT, kinda has to do with security if you squint a bit :-)

[Blanchard_Michael () emc com]

I saw a link to this story after reading about the ITU.... 

Weren't we just talking about how the media over-hypes things?  Here's the
latest if you haven't already seen it:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Flu/story?id=1170432

  In the article is mentions "...has been a problem in southeast Asia for
several years, killing at least 65 people in four Asian countries since
2003. ..."   
  So, if this "bird flu" has been in 4 separate countries since 2003, and
has only killed 65 people (a number that I'm sure could be lowered when we
find out that 90% of those people probably dies of something other than the
"bird flu")  I don't see this as a real threat.  If it is supposedly able to
kill 150,000,000 people, and become a "pandemic", but in 2 years it's only
take 65 lives, I don't see how that's possible.

   Lets compare that 65 deaths in, almost, 3 years from this "bird flu" to
plain old influenza.  According to the United States own CDC,
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/pink/flu.pdf.  There are "~36,000 excess
deaths per year" due to influenza.  Greater 90% of those deaths are among
persons over the age of 65.  I had no idea the number was that high.  It's
also interesting that the number has risen since 1990 where between 1976 and
1990 there were approx 19,000 deaths per year (or influenza season).  Hmmmm
what started happening around 1990 here in the States?  Oh ya!  Flu shots
were started to be given out to the masses that think they need these shots
due to, what do you ask?, Media hype about the flu.... Ok the media hype
part might be a stretch, but it's interesting about the flu shots and the
rise of deaths per season, I thought the shots were supposed to help you?
  
   I feel this is yet another media hype that is making headlines because
there isn't another hurricane or the wildfires in California aren't drawing
enough viewers because the fires haven't killed enough people or something.

  Feel free to respond off list if you like (or on list), I just don't want
a discussion as off topic from security as this to get too out of hand
on-list :-) 


Michael P. Blanchard 
Antivirus / Security Engineer, CISSP, GCIH, MCSE, MCP+I 
Office of Information Security & Risk Management 
EMC ² Corporation 
4400 Computer Dr. 
Westboro, MA 01580 
email:  Blanchard_Michael () EMC COM  

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