Lessons learned from Bird flu and now Swine flu

Some timeline on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 1st case was discovered in Winter 2002, but nobody outside out Chinese government knew of outbreak. It's not until February 2003 http://www.who.int/ was notified. The economic impact of this epidemic toll on Asia some estimated at $11 billion (World Bank).



I remember people were canceling trips to Asia (40% of flight were canceled). And I heard lot of comment on the street regard to the colorful surgical facemask people wears in Asia. It comes in all kind of size and color...

Back to present day, I'm not making fun of those masks, now the outbreak of Swine flu (H1N1) is inside the U.S (CDC) boarder. I have heard Home Depot, Walgreens in the effected area (see google map) are selling out those surgical mask.

Of course the death toll of H1N1 has not reach the speed or the spread of H5N1 (media??) but if we do not taking a drastic step and react to this "outbreak" things may get even worst(by the media??). This will effect the already WEAKEN economic. Talk about "The Wold is Flat" (yes I'm reading Thomas Friedman's book, will have blog about it later).

The sales have plunged for pork producers around the world. Egypt began slaughtering its roughly 300,000 pigs on Wednesday, even though no cases have been reported there. WHO says eating pork is safe, but Mexicans have even cut back on their beloved greasy pork tacos.


Reference:
An archive article of business week 2003 on SARS
Google's experimental Flu Trends for Mexico (there is also one for United Stats).


I'll return with more link soon... after I buy my mask from a local drug store.

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Serp Rank.

Larry vs the Sun

Larry Ellison has decided to take over the Sun. This is totally like the way ninja would execute this buyout, right under the big blue (IBM). After weeks of speculation of IBM buying out Sun, which failed to produce a result, today Oracle have swept in and bought Sun. The deal is valued at approximately $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun's cash and debt, with Oracle buying Sun at $9.50 per share.

"The acquisition of Sun transforms the IT industry, combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. "Oracle will be the only company that can engineer an integrated system - applications to disk - where all the pieces fit and work together so customers do not have to do it themselves. Our customers benefit as their systems integration costs go down while system performance, reliability and security go up."

Appearly, the Board of Directors of Sun Microsystems has unanimously approved the transaction. I wonder what this means for Java developers. Are Oracle better owners of Sun than IBM? It's good for Solaris, does it have any effect on Java?

this remind me to review numbers of book on/about Larry... so much to read in so little time.

Book Review: Lone Survivor - The eyewitness account of operation redwing and the lost heroes of SEAL team 10

Taking a break from the biz related book. This book made me appreciate what our folks in the military do day in and day out for us. Also gives you great insight into how the media has changed the ways wars are fough and for the worse in my opinion. We need to hear more stories like this. I realize "human rights" and "rules of engagement," is senstive subject, but should the war time solider be held at same regard that on the battlefield? WE all owed a debt of gratitude from a nation who remains free because of their sacrifice.

Title: Lone Survivor - The eyewitness account of operation redwing and the lost heroes os SEAL team 10
Author: Marcus Luttrell (Author), Patrick Robinson (Contributor)
Publish Year: May 1, 2008

I don't want to give out too much plot, but WHAT'S UP with the communication when the team need extraction?! Some reviewer say the story was one-sided... so WHAT ....bad guys are shooting at them and there is no place to run (or take cover)! The store begin in SEAL training in Coronado, CA and some background on lone survivor, Marcus Luttrell. Once the action start you may not want to put the book down, it's one hell of the fight.

From the book:

Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to have a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive. Marcus Luttrell. This is his story.

Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell joined the United States Navy in March of 1999 and became a combat-trained Navy SEAL in January, 2002. After serving in Baghdad, he was deployed to Afghanistan in the Spring of 2005. He was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism in 2006 by President Bush.

The main characters:

Lt.Michael P. Murphy, USN, 29, of Patchogue, second in command of a platoon from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 (SDVT-1), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colorado from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2 (SDVT-2), Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, California from SDVT-1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Known to his colleagues as "Axel."

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell, USN, from SEAL Team 10 (ST-10), Virginia Beach, Virginia

RESCUERS KILLED ON CHINOOK HELICOPTER
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment	Age	Hometown
Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare	29	Danville, Ohio.
Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature	35	Clarks Grove, Minn.
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby	21	Pompano Beach, Fla.
Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles	33	Shelbyville, Ind.
Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III	36	Franklin, Tenn.
Maj. Stephen C. Reich	34	Washington Depot, Conn.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell	31	Stafford, Va.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach	40	Jacksonville, Fla.
Navy Seals
Chief Petty Officer Jacques J. Fontan	36	New Orleans
Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel R. Healy	36	Exeter, N.H.
Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen	33	San Diego
Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffery A. Lucas	33	Corbett, Ore.
Lt. Michael M. McGreevy Jr.	30	Portville, N.Y.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric S. Patton	22	Boulder City, Nev.
Petty Officer 2nd Class James Suh	28	Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey S. Taylor	30	Midway, W.Va.

SOURCE: Department of Defense

I salute these guys for their amazing courage and will power.

Automatic Wealth: The Six Steps to Financial Independence

Title: Automatic Wealth: The Six Steps to Financial Independence
Author: Michael Masterson
Publication Year: 2006

Most (good) books on wealth-building will advocate spending less than you earn and investing the difference from a young age. This is tried-and-true advice, and many of the people who follow this advice are comfortably well-off. Personally I think it's safe way to live... nothing wrong but little boring.

Michael Masterson’s Automatic Wealth also advocates saving, but beyond this he makes a bold claim: It doesn’t take 30 years of scrimping to be financially independent; he can teach you how to do it in 7 to 15 years! Michael's time table is reasonable... not sure about buying one rental property per year sounds too much like the "dollar cost average". Also I'm not sure if I want to keep lot'O cash at home or keep gold! I guess if this was 1930's I would. And "flipping" real estate is probably a no no in 2009.



I skipped part of 2-3 mostly for newbies, chapter 5 I skipped on picking the stocks.

Here are the 6 steps:
1. Recognizing reality - you won't get rich saving 10% or more in your pension plan or getting measly salary increases.
2. Plan to become wealthy - This is occurs one step at a time and requires planning.
3. Develop specific wealthy habits - basic stuff
4. Radically increase your income - Rental should yield 10%
5. Get rich while you sleep - by receiving passive income
6. Retire early - to live the lifestyle you want

Masterson believes one's primary goal is to accumulate enough capital to generate passive income to pay for life's necessities.... start with side-business, than move onto bigger things.
I forgot which chapter when Masterson talks about "pay your self first" I was smiling and thinking of the same thing.