Monday, August 8, 2011
11:12 AM
What's the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?
Apparently, the difference is between the borders closing or staying open. Ed and I were watching the news four days ago on an american channel, and there were odd reports of a killer virus, with the usual precautions, including a stop on international air travel. No big deal, there's a different one every year around the fall. I laughed and told Ed that I guess this year's superflu wanted an early start.
This morning after I sent the kids off to a friend's, I turn on the tv and suddenly the news is announcing that Canada has closed its borders due to the rising pandemic of ... oh hell, I don't even remember, some combination of letters and numbers. Why can't they just call it a bloody superflu?
But seriously, closing the borders?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
10:04 AM
Boooored.
More than half of my favourite internet sites seem to be down. It's bad enough that we don't get high-speed out here, and when I can actually get online, nothing loads. Even the news channels seem to be re-running content from last week. Daytime television is not my idea of a good time, but at this point it's better than staring at the pile of laundry that I don't feel like folding this afternoon.
Jason and Daniel are outside trying to build a treefort, and Ed's at work. I really have no excuse for sitting here, doing nothing. I should go outside, or something, but dinner is in the oven, the house is kind of clean, and I just feel lazy.
Oh dammit. Make that ALL of my favourite internet sites are down. Did somebody finally pull the plug on american media?
Friday, August 12, 2011
5:28 AM
There are some crazy rumours going around about this flu. At coffee this morning Jess and Olivia said that it doesn't seem to actually kill people, because they get better all of a sudden, but they aren't the same, they come back as psychopaths. David Wright overheard us at the next table and told us that they are most definitely DEAD, they just get up again anyway. He said he just came back from Thunder Bay and the whole city is preparing to lock down. The airport has been closed for days. I told him he's been watching too many science fiction movies if he thinks people actually die and come back to life.
Jess looked pretty spooked about it, though, so Olivia took her home. I have to admit, things are getting weird: I mean, no internet sites, nothing on the news channels except the early reports about the superflu, and others around town have said they can't get a hold of their relatives in the U.S.. I almost want to call up Frank Hesper and get his take on things, he's always been big into government conspiracies and hush operations.
