Comments on: School Days, School Days, Dear Old Snow and Flu Days… http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/ JFK: ''we choose to go to the ...'' Tue, 22 May 2012 13:54:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Keera http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19670 Keera Fri, 29 May 2009 20:51:26 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19670 Norway's like Canada: We don't have snow days, either. As for the swine flu: It is more contagious than "regular" flu, but nowhere near as severe or as deadly (in its current form). However, the media managed to thoroughly confuse "pandemic" with "epidemic" and thus throw themselves and the rest of us into a panic. Norway’s like Canada: We don’t have snow days, either.

As for the swine flu: It is more contagious than “regular” flu, but nowhere near as severe or as deadly (in its current form). However, the media managed to thoroughly confuse “pandemic” with “epidemic” and thus throw themselves and the rest of us into a panic.

]]> By: Frank the curmudgeon http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19647 Frank the curmudgeon Fri, 29 May 2009 02:07:38 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19647 Brian - Your name is now guaranteed to be included in every "hit list" discovered in schools all across the country. Suggest a sojourn in the safety of Afganistan or even Pakistan. Brian - Your name is now guaranteed to be included in every “hit list” discovered in schools all across the country. Suggest a sojourn in the safety of Afganistan or even Pakistan.

]]> By: L Wy http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19642 L Wy Thu, 28 May 2009 21:12:43 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19642 Actually, I just heard today that this outbreak of swine flu was less bad in the US than anticipated, particularly among senior citizens, because it is genetically similar to the flu targeted by the most recent flu shots given in the US. Makes sense to me. Actually, I just heard today that this outbreak of swine flu was less bad in the US than anticipated, particularly among senior citizens, because it is genetically similar to the flu targeted by the most recent flu shots given in the US. Makes sense to me.

]]> By: Brian http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19637 Brian Thu, 28 May 2009 16:53:02 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19637 Firstly, Bill, although there have been flu (or quarantine) days in the past, I don’t read Alix’s exclamation as implying a regular occurrence. Indeed, that her sister didn’t hear about it implies that it’s an unusual year that the school calendar has been extended. Any rural school system or school system in the North should have some snow days built into its calendar. Of course, this would be moot if the U.S. would discard its archaic 185-day school year and create a 220-day school year of four quarters each consisting of eleven weeks. We could work both snow & flu days into the schedule & still be ahead of the current school year. Firstly, Bill, although there have been flu (or quarantine) days in the past, I don’t read Alix’s exclamation as implying a regular occurrence. Indeed, that her sister didn’t hear about it implies that it’s an unusual year that the school calendar has been extended.

Any rural school system or school system in the North should have some snow days built into its calendar.

Of course, this would be moot if the U.S. would discard its archaic 185-day school year and create a 220-day school year of four quarters each consisting of eleven weeks. We could work both snow & flu days into the schedule & still be ahead of the current school year.

]]> By: Usual John http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19636 Usual John Thu, 28 May 2009 16:31:16 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19636 Oh, in answer to CIDU Bill's original question: The reason why swine flu is being attacked so aggressively is that, if we can stop a new disease in its tracks, we prevent not merely the deaths of the people immediately at risk but every person who may ever be threatened by the disease. That's quite different from diseases that are already in the population, where there typically is no real chance of eradication. For society as a whole, therefore, it makes sense to take much more aggressive steps against a new disease like swine flu, even though people who come into contact with it are individually less threatened by it than by other threats to their well-being. Oh, in answer to CIDU Bill’s original question: The reason why swine flu is being attacked so aggressively is that, if we can stop a new disease in its tracks, we prevent not merely the deaths of the people immediately at risk but every person who may ever be threatened by the disease. That’s quite different from diseases that are already in the population, where there typically is no real chance of eradication. For society as a whole, therefore, it makes sense to take much more aggressive steps against a new disease like swine flu, even though people who come into contact with it are individually less threatened by it than by other threats to their well-being.

]]> By: Scott http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19635 Scott Thu, 28 May 2009 16:09:01 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19635 CIDU Bill, while I agree that we've overreacted, other countries have been even worse. I was just at a conference where a fair number of people from Japan and Europe canceled at the last minute because their countries wouldn't let them back in if they returned with a cough. CIDU Bill, while I agree that we’ve overreacted, other countries have been even worse. I was just at a conference where a fair number of people from Japan and Europe canceled at the last minute because their countries wouldn’t let them back in if they returned with a cough.

]]> By: JosePluma http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19630 JosePluma Thu, 28 May 2009 15:07:34 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19630 No, swine flu is not more likely to kill healthy kids. There have been four fatalities in the US; one was a child who came from Mexico and had other health problems. No otherwise healthy kids in the US have died from the current H1N1 strain. No, swine flu is not more likely to kill healthy kids. There have been four fatalities in the US; one was a child who came from Mexico and had other health problems. No otherwise healthy kids in the US have died from the current H1N1 strain.

]]> By: Bill http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19626 Bill Thu, 28 May 2009 12:18:25 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19626 I used to live in Minnesota, and in the mid 1970's we did close for the flu one year. The deciding factor was that more than 25% of the students were already out with the flu, and the impact of the disease could be lessened by preventing any more close contact at the school. I used to live in Minnesota, and in the mid 1970’s we did close for the flu one year. The deciding factor was that more than 25% of the students were already out with the flu, and the impact of the disease could be lessened by preventing any more close contact at the school.

]]> By: Carl http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19625 Carl Thu, 28 May 2009 11:09:29 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19625 "Alix" as a name is at least 1,000 years old. It's a French equivalent of "Alice". “Alix” as a name is at least 1,000 years old. It’s a French equivalent of “Alice”.

]]> By: Usual John http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19616 Usual John Thu, 28 May 2009 04:11:20 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/school-days-school-days-dear-old-snow-and-flu-days/#comment-19616 It's fairly common for schools to be closed during a local flu outbreak. The one in the strip did not necessarily have anything to do with swine flu. It’s fairly common for schools to be closed during a local flu outbreak. The one in the strip did not necessarily have anything to do with swine flu.

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