Shots Across the Bow

So even the doomsayers are admitting that the swine flu might not end up being that big of a deal at the end of the day. And while some are criticizing the government's response as overreaction and fearmongering, I for one applaud their quick and well coordinated response. As the saying goes, "had this been an actual emergency..."

Speaking of which, I find it somewhat strange that America seems to be drawing the conclusion that we ought to be less worried about pandemic disease outbreaks, not more. It's as though, following too close to the car in front of us, we managed to avoid a serious collision by mere inches when that car stopped... but while driving away somehow came to the conclusion that following that close was a perfectly safe and acceptable practice, and immediately resumed doing so.

There's a good piece in the economist drawing attention to this idea, and here's an interesting interview that touches on the connection between industrial pig farms and new virus creation.