Pandemic

Yes...I have to go there just because somethings I encountered during the start of it are too good to not be shared.

Well first off...the "swine flu" just seems fishy to me to begin with. A combination of flu strains that should only infect different species. What was it...swine, avian, and human strains combined. It sounds "designer" but I'm not going to go there. I've had to hear enough about the Avian flu and West Nile Virus to make me what to smack people around. I work at a place that houses a lot of birds and people would refuse to visit because of these things. I got calls regularly when they started talking Avian flu. But I digress...

Back to where I wanted to go...being in New Jersey and in an area where there were confirmed cases made things very interesting. Places were canceling public events for fear that it may spread. A family event at a local college was canceled "just in case." I often wonder for how easy it is to get a hold of hand sanitizer how things can spread so quickly. I have issues with hand sanitizer but I'll go there some other time.

We can discuss misinformation and panic here. Think back to Y2K and all the craziness that occurred with that. People panicked for no real reason there...so some computers made it 1900 instead of 2000...that wasn't going to make the world end. With the H1N1 (I think that's it) people apparently forget that the "regular flu" kills a bunch of people every year as well. While I was giving a tour for a school group I heard something I couldn't even believe I heard. One adult said to a child "don't lean on that tree you might get the flu." I can understand being concerned but honestly...can a human get the flu from a tree? I heard lots of things like that.

I had the flu at the end of last year...even had to go to work with it. I didn't spread it to anyone since I was careful with everything I touched. My 83 year old grandmother didn't even get it and we live in the same house. If you know to wash your hands and wipe down phones after you use them there shouldn't be that much of an issue. Don't they teach cleanliness early on in the schools...washing hands and stuff. I know they have hand sanitizer in all the classrooms.

I'm just going to stop there...when I teach survival programs..I always say that panic is the worst thing you can do...I think that applies to life in general. This is all just my thoughts on the situation and hopefully it doesn't offend anyone.

I've made it back here finally

spider
Originally uploaded by naturegirl 78

So much for my New Year's resolution of posting something everyday..or even every week. Such is the life of someone with 3 jobs.

I've found some interesting things this year so far. I got to hear a bunch of Pine Barrens Tree Frogs a couple weeks ago during an astronomy event. Oddly(well not really) I spent more time listening to the frogs than looking through telescopes. I've been hearing stories of bears and now the possibility of bobcats being in the Pines which is awesome. I've been seeing more wildlife in general this year. I even have a pair of Orioles nesting in my yard which has never happened before.

As for the picture...I'm just excited my new camera can let me get pictures like that. The previous camera I just scared them away before I could get close enough for a picture like that. Gotta love the crab spiders.

There will be another entry after this on a topic I just have to touch on.