Archive for 2009

NEUROTIC MEN IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF WOMEN, but not vice versa.

FACEMASKS ARE top items on Amazon. (Via Drudge). As I suggest below, the panic may be excessive. But maybe people will keep these on hand for later. Some good-news/bad-news perspective here. “Now of course, we have no idea currently what kind of levels of illness or hospitalization H1N1 would cause if it becomes established in the population, but this is a situation where there’s a small chance of a very bad situation, and so we need to prepare for it as best we can. . . . for now, we’re still seeing cases increase, and the prudent thing to do is be careful and prepared. Weren’t any of these nay-sayers ever Boy Scouts?” Seems sensible. And I do like the term “aporkalypse.”

UPDATE: Mexican Ambassador Says Flu’s Reach Exaggerated.

AN INEXPENSIVE PORTABLE ROUTER that turns 3G into WiFi.

WHEN ROBOTS ATTACK: “Man is apparently no match for machine. Although the worker tried to defend himself, he suffered four broken limbs and nearly lost his life. The company was fined 25,000 kronor ($3,000) for negligent safety precautions, but the robot managed to evade assault charges.”

Gosh, I hope he was insured.

UPDATE: A couple of readers point out that the original source says broken ribs, not limbs as in the quote above. Either way, remember: When robots grab you with their steely claws, you can’t get away, because they’re stronger than you, and they’re made of metal.

THE KOH NOMINATION: Sovereigntism’s Last Stand? Many Americans will be surprised to hear that there is such a thing, or that it’s having its last stand.

SWINE FLU VICTIM: “It’s not so terrible.” It’s just the flu. Well, “just the flu” still kills a fair number of people, but on the other hand, with only seven deaths reported so far this may turn out to be an Emily Litella crisis. Let’s hope — though if there’s a lot of overreaction, followed by a fizzle, it’ll make it harder to get people to cooperate next time, when things might be more serious.

CAN THE TESLA MODEL S BE PROFITABLE at $57,400?

WAS HARRY TRUMAN a war criminal? In the future, everyone will be a war criminal for fifteen minutes.