Comments for jrrl http://www.jrrl.com personal blog of a geek Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:20:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on 1,000,000 Americans have been Infected with Swine Flu and that's the Good News by Lisa85856 http://www.jrrl.com/2009/06/27/1000000-americans-have-been-infected-with-swine-flu-this-is-very-good-news/comment-page-1/#comment-25629 Lisa85856 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:20:20 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=153#comment-25629 Interesting stuff. Did you hear that there's a new strain which is resistant to the anti-flu drugs? Tamiflu etc? Found a really good website for tracking it's progress, seems to be updated every hour or so... http://www.swinefludeaths.co.uk. Interesting stuff. Did you hear that there's a new strain which is resistant to the anti-flu drugs? Tamiflu etc? Found a really good website for tracking it's progress, seems to be updated every hour or so… http://www.swinefludeaths.co.uk.

]]> Comment on The Bearing of Bad News: A Chronology by jrrl http://www.jrrl.com/2009/07/10/the-bearing-of-bad-news-a-chronology/comment-page-1/#comment-25512 jrrl Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:35:09 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=166#comment-25512 The technology aspect is a bit awkward. When my friend Greg died three years ago (complications after a lung transplant), I heard about it when a mutual friend read about it on Greg's blog. He had made sure that people had his passwords so the news would get to the people who knew him. And yeah it is going to keep on happening. My wife has just one aunt left on her side as well. We'll be part of the eldest generation sooner than it feels like it should be. I wonder at times if our parents' generation felt as unwise and unready for that responsibility as I often do. Peace. The technology aspect is a bit awkward. When my friend Greg died three years ago (complications after a lung transplant), I heard about it when a mutual friend read about it on Greg's blog. He had made sure that people had his passwords so the news would get to the people who knew him.

And yeah it is going to keep on happening. My wife has just one aunt left on her side as well. We'll be part of the eldest generation sooner than it feels like it should be. I wonder at times if our parents' generation felt as unwise and unready for that responsibility as I often do.

Peace.

]]> Comment on The Bearing of Bad News: A Chronology by Robin Melen http://www.jrrl.com/2009/07/10/the-bearing-of-bad-news-a-chronology/comment-page-1/#comment-25511 Robin Melen Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:24:15 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=166#comment-25511 Confused, yes. But finally the whole thing is straight. What is hard for me to get over is getting the news by email initially. seems cold, impersonal. But really, it isn't. Think about it -- news of death and dying, births and living traveled by mail, and slow mail at that, for centuries. My aunt would've written that letter to me, I would have gotten it, oh, a few days to a few weeks later... so email is the same, just instant, or nearly so. So how does FB fit in? No different, is it, really? A bit more public, unless you choose to go private, but the same vehicle. Anyway, a very nice man who was a part of my early life isn't going to be there anymore, and one who is a part of my life and my heart now is dying... this is just going to continue, no? Confused, yes. But finally the whole thing is straight.
What is hard for me to get over is getting the news by email initially. seems cold, impersonal. But really, it isn't. Think about it — news of death and dying, births and living traveled by mail, and slow mail at that, for centuries. My aunt would've written that letter to me, I would have gotten it, oh, a few days to a few weeks later… so email is the same, just instant, or nearly so. So how does FB fit in? No different, is it, really? A bit more public, unless you choose to go private, but the same vehicle.
Anyway, a very nice man who was a part of my early life isn't going to be there anymore, and one who is a part of my life and my heart now is dying… this is just going to continue, no?

]]> Comment on Over 100,000 Americans Will Die of Swine Flu in the Next 12 Months by Ethan http://www.jrrl.com/2009/05/16/over-100000-americans-will-die-of-swine-flu-in-the-next-12-months/comment-page-1/#comment-24181 Ethan Thu, 28 May 2009 06:14:07 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=132#comment-24181 This virus is all potential. Assuming the US had identified 95% of cases up until may 15th when they began only testing the very sick(+3831) I continued the trend accounting for recovered patients and got 250,000 to 560,000 infected in the US as of today. Im unable to find accurate updated data on hospitalization rates. If we assume all 3831 confirmed cases led to hospitalization thats at its worst 1.5% of the infected, with a death percent of .176% This shows us that h1n1 is mild and that hospital treatment is effective and antivirals and rehydration would be treatment for most so a surge wouldnt be a problem, IV saline bag and tamiflu next... If the virus mutates and follows pandemic trends by mutating into a more lethal virus then we have a problem. If the unspeakable happens and H1N1 and H5N1 combine a modest estimate would be 1,676,748,288 dead. This virus is all potential. Assuming the US had identified 95% of cases up until may 15th when they began only testing the very sick(+3831) I continued the trend accounting for recovered patients and got 250,000 to 560,000 infected in the US as of today. Im unable to find accurate updated data on hospitalization rates. If we assume all 3831 confirmed cases led to hospitalization thats at its worst 1.5% of the infected, with a death percent of .176% This shows us that h1n1 is mild and that hospital treatment is effective and antivirals and rehydration would be treatment for most so a surge wouldnt be a problem, IV saline bag and tamiflu next… If the virus mutates and follows pandemic trends by mutating into a more lethal virus then we have a problem. If the unspeakable happens and H1N1 and H5N1 combine a modest estimate would be 1,676,748,288 dead.

]]> Comment on Over 100,000 Americans Will Die of Swine Flu in the Next 12 Months by Chris Curvey http://www.jrrl.com/2009/05/16/over-100000-americans-will-die-of-swine-flu-in-the-next-12-months/comment-page-1/#comment-23847 Chris Curvey Tue, 19 May 2009 01:18:52 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=132#comment-23847 Interesting post. I'm fairly well convinced that this story has gotten more play because it's genesis occurred during "sweeps week," but it's worth watching. I *do* think that the publicity surrounding this will lead to a lower R0 rate, because people are being more careful. And I think that if it really took off, people would change their behavior (read: stay home) to decrease their exposure. In fact, I've heard very little flu news from Mexico since they closed everything for five days. (Correct me if I'm wrong about this.) I also know that hospitals would change their admission policies -- canceling elective surgeries for instance. Of course, there are still a limited number of ICU beds, and that is apparently what is needed when this flu gets bad. So, my take is "vigilance but not panic." And I'm making sure that I have enough emergency supplies (cookies and ice cream, mostly) so that I can stay at home for a few days. Interesting post. I'm fairly well convinced that this story has gotten more play because it's genesis occurred during "sweeps week," but it's worth watching.

I *do* think that the publicity surrounding this will lead to a lower R0 rate, because people are being more careful. And I think that if it really took off, people would change their behavior (read: stay home) to decrease their exposure. In fact, I've heard very little flu news from Mexico since they closed everything for five days. (Correct me if I'm wrong about this.)

I also know that hospitals would change their admission policies — canceling elective surgeries for instance. Of course, there are still a limited number of ICU beds, and that is apparently what is needed when this flu gets bad.

So, my take is "vigilance but not panic." And I'm making sure that I have enough emergency supplies (cookies and ice cream, mostly) so that I can stay at home for a few days.

]]> Comment on Over 100,000 Americans Will Die of Swine Flu in the Next 12 Months by Sue Derkins http://www.jrrl.com/2009/05/16/over-100000-americans-will-die-of-swine-flu-in-the-next-12-months/comment-page-1/#comment-23755 Sue Derkins Sun, 17 May 2009 04:28:33 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=132#comment-23755 I too hope you´re wrong, but the whole train of numbers seem awfully solid. I too hope you´re wrong, but the whole train of numbers seem awfully solid.

]]> Comment on The First Week of an App's Life by Ryan Sobol http://www.jrrl.com/2009/04/22/the-first-week-of-an-apps-life/comment-page-1/#comment-22395 Ryan Sobol Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:38:14 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=112#comment-22395 Thanks for sharing your experience and insight! Thanks for sharing your experience and insight!

]]> Comment on Birthday by Betsy http://www.jrrl.com/2009/01/20/birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-6117 Betsy Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:03:17 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=106#comment-6117 This is so beautiful. Did she tear up when she read it? (I did.) This is so beautiful. Did she tear up when she read it? (I did.)

]]> Comment on Uncle Bob's Christmas Miracle by jrrl http://www.jrrl.com/2008/12/23/uncle-bobs-christmas-miracle/comment-page-1/#comment-568 jrrl Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:43:36 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=88#comment-568 The story is already in at least one collection: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0880884037?ie=UTF8&tag=steampunk0b-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0880884037" rel="nofollow">Christmas: A Time for Family by Lois L. Kaufman</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=steampunk0b-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0880884037" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />, which is why I am not sure how kosher it was to post it here. In any case, if the appropriate folks ask me to take it down, I will. The story is already in at least one collection: Christmas: A Time for Family by Lois L. Kaufman, which is why I am not sure how kosher it was to post it here.

In any case, if the appropriate folks ask me to take it down, I will.

]]> Comment on Uncle Bob's Christmas Miracle by Nita http://www.jrrl.com/2008/12/23/uncle-bobs-christmas-miracle/comment-page-1/#comment-567 Nita Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:25:23 +0000 http://www.jrrl.com/?p=88#comment-567 John that was very sweet. Your family should make that into a children's book. Along the lines of The Mitten. John that was very sweet. Your family should make that into a children's book. Along the lines of The Mitten.

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