2364 E-Bull

I read a passionate article about how us folks in the US are overreacting to the Ebola threat. Which is ironic. So much of the hype about the threat of Ebola has come from the media whipping folks into a frenzy of fear about this deadly disease. And now the media is doing stories about the frenzy itself that they actually caused with their hyperbole? Or is that hype-ebola?

Let's face it, to the ordinary person a few months ago, Ebola sounded like e-coli, a threat sure, but a manageable one. Even more innocuous, it reminded one of some kind of online bowling game. "Dude, I won 40 bitcoins in an e-bowler competition!"

Until the media got involved, it didn't measure up to real threats, like the damage done to humanity everyday by the ravages of malaria or typhoid, or obesity.

Then there was and is the hype of being "Ebola free." One country in West Africa was the first to declare itself "Ebola free" when the last known person with the disease died or moved away. Likewise a couple of weeks ago the US declared itself "Ebola free," which seemed an empty boast, as the only Ebola victim we had most recent to the declaration was flown in voluntarily for treatment. 

To put the hype in perspective, the Washington Post published a comparison. Given current infection rates, Americans have, roughly, a 1 in 3,934,300 chance of dying from Ebola. They have a far greater chance of being killed by an accidental discharge of a firearm, 1 in 6,492. 

For those of you who can't sleep at night for worry of Ebola, worry about this: You have a greater chance, 1 in 983,574, of having your pajamas catch on fire. 

So where's the media hype about flaming pajamas?

America, ya gotta love it.