Hysteria

We've seen in the past day a veritable stampede of people to clinics to be vaccinated against the swine flu. They're lining up at five a.m., waiting hours for the shot. They're swallowing holus-bolus the scary scenario presented by medical authorities that in my opinion is unjustified.

The Australian winter and flu season has just ended. They didn't have the vaccine and H1N1 related deaths totalled 186 out of 36,991 confirmed cases. This compares with an annual toll of 2500 to 3000 fatalities for the regular flu despite large-scale vaccination programs. So go figure.

Why is flu more prevalent in the cold season when the virus is around all year? Perhaps because we have little sun exposure. I have never been vaccinated and have not had a flu in 40 years. In that period of time I have been a heavy user of vitamins and minerals and, more recently, vitamin D3, the sunshine vitamin. A good immune system must be maintained.

One result of this panic is that it takes resourses away from more important isues. Emergency rooms are crowded with people with sniffles. Evidence that swine flu is so dreadful is sketchy at best and the vaccine has not been proven. The rush to produce it begs the question of adequate testing and research. Most people in North America have mild symptoms and a quick recovery. Most of those who develop serious problems have chronic illnesses or other health problems. So why should we all be stampeded?

For my part, I'm not getting the shot. Instead, I might buy shares in the big pharmeceutical companies that are raking in the dough.

The French term idiot savant refers to a person with an IQ of less than 25, but is a genius in certain matters such as music, mathmatics, art, etc. Such a person was portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man. He could give you the square root of 140,625 in an instant, but couldn't tie his shoes. Other such idiots can play every note of a Chopin etude after hearing it once, but can't tell the time on a clock. Others have shown artistic genius.

The term is often used derisively, if incorrectly, to those who may have a high degree of education, but who are not adept with the talents of a normal life. We know them as Learned Fools, and I have met and worked with a number of them, often university professors, over the years. Lots of book learning but no common sense. Having said that, I come to the subject of this posting.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to President Obama. The decision was arrived at by ten Learned Fools in Oslo. The Prize may be an albatross around Obama's neck. The criticism has come hot and heavy from the Republicans and others who wish to know what Obama has actually accomplished, other than nice speeches about hope for the future. The Peace Prize has had damaging effects. In 1991, after Aung San Suu Kyi won the prize for her struggle against the Burmese military dictators, she was imprisoned and is still under house arrest. Students were rounded up, universities closed and opposition leaders harassed. Two years earlier, The Dalai Lama was awarded the Prize and it was followed by a vicious crackdown in Tibet by the Chinese. So who benefits? And who gives these Norwegian Fools the right to interfere in the affairs of various countries? Their stated purpose is to promote all good things, but they might better mind their own business.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch here in Canada, our own Learned Fool is making a mess of the Liberal Party. (See previous postings.) There is now the distinct possibility of a Harper majority if an election is called. That would be a disaster, but given the mind set of the average voter, I'm not optimistic. Forgive them, Lord, they know not what they do.