Very good article. I wouldn't be worried myself if it weren't for air travel, where you can be a continent away in just several hours.
The US is what I call selectively capitalist. When I moved to FL in 2004, you could flip a house in what was a very hot housing market and make $30,000 in a month. However, if you flipped a concert ticket, you were called a "scalper" and arrested. (The law changed in 2005--you can now resell an event ticket in FL at any price w/o fear of being arrested. Other states' laws may vary.) In other words, only certain people were allowed to make a profit.
Pharmaceuticals here are big business. Americans bear the huge costs of new prescription drugs because those manufacturers pay huge amounts of money to advertise those drugs on TV and in magazines. "Talk to your doctor about Vesicare," I'm urged. (Fortunatley I don't have overactive bladder!) Then there are the many drug-related toys and such--paper weights, pens, key chains, etc. that drug reps give out to doctors when they pay them a "courtesy call." We pay for this through high drug prices.
I'm not surprised that Rumsfeld had a personal interest at stake. It's how things work here. Americans profit on others' illnesses, and many of us (I exclude myself) see healthcare as a luxury, not a necessity.
I would rather err on the side of safety and take precautions now. Some of you have invested huge amounts of money in coming here, I understand that. However, we're one country away from ground zero and our borders are wide open. And just like the tone of the article, I wouldn't be surprised of they were held open in the name of making a profit with international trade.
The US is what I call selectively capitalist. When I moved to FL in 2004, you could flip a house in what was a very hot housing market and make $30,000 in a month. However, if you flipped a concert ticket, you were called a "scalper" and arrested. (The law changed in 2005--you can now resell an event ticket in FL at any price w/o fear of being arrested. Other states' laws may vary.) In other words, only certain people were allowed to make a profit.
Pharmaceuticals here are big business. Americans bear the huge costs of new prescription drugs because those manufacturers pay huge amounts of money to advertise those drugs on TV and in magazines. "Talk to your doctor about Vesicare," I'm urged. (Fortunatley I don't have overactive bladder!) Then there are the many drug-related toys and such--paper weights, pens, key chains, etc. that drug reps give out to doctors when they pay them a "courtesy call." We pay for this through high drug prices.
I'm not surprised that Rumsfeld had a personal interest at stake. It's how things work here. Americans profit on others' illnesses, and many of us (I exclude myself) see healthcare as a luxury, not a necessity.
I would rather err on the side of safety and take precautions now. Some of you have invested huge amounts of money in coming here, I understand that. However, we're one country away from ground zero and our borders are wide open. And just like the tone of the article, I wouldn't be surprised of they were held open in the name of making a profit with international trade.
I know what the facts are, but I'm going to Florida in 11 days to get married, so if it were cancelled it would be devastating!
I know how you feel - I spent Monday - Wednesday this week in tears about how our trip was ruined, and worried about how the flights were going to be cancelled. Then I realised that in America (apart from the tragic child in Texas) the symptoms seem no worse that normal flu and are FULLY treatable, in a lot of cases without any drugs apparently. And also the WHO are plainly saying there is no point whatsoever in restricting travel. 
