7/03/2009

I am branded, not like Prada or Luis Vuitton

Matilah has branded me as alarmist and even irresponsible for highlighting the high cost of H1N1 test. My fear is that some people will not seek treatment or test because the fee is too prohibitive. You only need 5 people infected and walking around, not seeking treatment, and you will have an epidemic in your hand. This is alarmist? Denis Distant also wrote to the paper on the same issue of cost. Not everyone can throw away $85 or $214 just to confirm if one has contracted H1N1. It is not cheap. Let me list down a few things of what alarmist is. 1. Voting an opposition party into govt will chase all foreign investors away. 2. Voting an opposition MP will turn the estate into a slum. 3. Holding a party in a park can be a security issue, maybe rioting going out of control. 4. Our wives and daughters may become maids if we vote the opposition in. 5. If we give handouts, the people will develop a welfare mentality, a crutch. I could go on and on. If I am alarmist, I am in great company. I am not in the naming game or else I would give matilah a brand as well. But that will be cheapo. When has matilah joined the branding clique?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

two countries where this h1n1 originated seem to be slowing down or hardly any news of new cases are being reported while everywhere there seem to be a new case every day and increasing...

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

for the US, Japan and Australia, it was too late to control as the virus was too widespread. so they just treat whatever cases that turned up. also, the H1N1 is not as deadly as Sars. there will be some death for the weaker victims.

i think we are doing all right. but it is impt that infectious diseases must be treated differently as it affects the whole community. the cost must be treated differently, even free. it is not just a private affair of the victims.

Wally Buffet said...

"You only need 5 people infected and walking around, not seeking treatment, and you will have an epidemic in your hand. This is alarmist?"

It would be naive to think that this isn't taking place already.

My stand is still to face the virus head on. Get it over with. Treat it as a seasonal flu as what some countries are doing instead of spending so much national resources on something that cannot be controlled with the current means we have.

I am still perplexed why H1N1 is till treated as a much virulent and more dangerous disease than seasonal flu when the latter kills 300,000 people annually worldwide.

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to know from the statistics how many of those who died worldwide were actually caused by the H1N1 virus, and how many deaths were actually the result of the infected person having some other serious ailments.

The death ratio does not appear to be that serious as SARS or even the normal flu.

Lost Citizen

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

redbean's logical fallacy du jour

http://skepticwiki.org/index.php/Argument_from_Misleading_Definition

> I would give matilah a brand as well. <
What name could you possibly come up which is better and more "alarmist" than the slogan "Matilah Singapura"? Go ahead and try. But until you can trounce me, I rock! :)

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

my dear matilah, i am not here to trounce you or anyone. i just state a point, agree or disagree is up to you.

what i can say is that all political and economic theories are based on certain assumptions which on themselves are flawed or variable, unlike hard sciences. thus all these theories will fail if run fully on those assumptions. your free enterprise system has failed, gold standard has failed, fiat currency has failed, free welfare system has failed.

the free dental system provided in our school days had not failed. i never encounter any problem with all the dental treatment given to me nor have i heard of any. they were as good as one could get without having to pay them the sky.

the american health and welfare system have failed. their insurance system has failed, their financial system in a mess. what else can work?

our own motor insurance is like a scam too.

the funny thing is that the worst system or combination of sytems ppears to working, totalitarian or communist govt and a capitalist economy.

so what else in your proposal can work?

so do i want to call you a dreamer, a preacher of theories that don't work except in the books? no, let's just enjoy the chat and stop behaving like little boys or politicians going around calling names : )

Anonymous said...

Ya, let us talk anyway we want, just remember not to attract ISD's attention unless YOU ARE SURE OF YOUR FREEDOM AND SAFETY. Some dabates due to differences in views, ideas and wishes are what we are here for. Discussions amongst strangers can be more candid, direct and plain naughty and vulgar, lots of fun.

Must say 'Matilah Singapura' sounds the ultimate, can't be any more fatalistic or vicious. Me likes the nick too.

Beannie is kind and gentle and always wish the people to deserve and get the best care from our leaders. And because we have yet to feel cared for, worse, most feel exploited, bullied and neglected, it makes people like Beannie and You can add me in, to hope and hope, call and call for conscience in our State Managers.

Can our wishes come true ??

patriot