Saturday, April 22, 2006
DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY
Despite all the hysteria about how TERRIBLE things are in the country today, the statistics don't support the mass media and the dims fear mongering. For example, these are excerpts from an ABCNEWS.com article by Mike Stobbe(my comments in bold):
ATLANTA Apr 19, 2006 (AP)— In what appears to be an amazing success for American medicine, preliminary government figures released Wednesday showed that the annual number of deaths in the U.S. dropped by nearly 50,000 in 2004 the biggest decline in nearly 70 years.
The 2 percent decrease, reported by the National Center for Health Statistics, came as a shock to many, because the U.S. is aging, growing in population and getting fatter. Old and fat but still kickin'! In fact, some experts said they suspect the numbers may not hold up when a final report is released later this year. Of course, good news must always be "qualified"
"We will not make much of this until the final data come out," said Elizabeth Ward, director of surveillance research for the American Cancer Society. Hey Lizzie, why so bummed. I guess if we do ever cure cancer, you'll be out of a job?!
Improvements in medical care, particularly in medications aimed at preventing heart disease, at least partly explain the improvements in the heart disease death rate, said Ken Thorpe, an Emory professor of health policy. Oh, I didn't think anyone could afford medicines here anymore? A health care CRISIS!!
Also, the flu season for 2004 was milder than 2003, which helped explain the more than 7 percent drop in the influenza death rate, Minino noted. And the supposed flu vaccine shortage figures into this figure how???
The government also reported that a baby born in 2004 could expect to live to nearly 78 an increase of almost half a year from 2003. Women now have a life expectancy of 80.4, up from 80.1. Male life expectancy is 75.2, up from 74.8.
The life expectancy for whites 78.3 was up only slightly from the previous year. The increase for blacks was larger, with a rise from 72.7 to 73.3.
Of course, many would have you believe that Bush and the evil Republicans are trying to kill you every day but, once again, as is almost always the case, the facts fail to support the histrionics. Live long and prosper!
ATLANTA Apr 19, 2006 (AP)— In what appears to be an amazing success for American medicine, preliminary government figures released Wednesday showed that the annual number of deaths in the U.S. dropped by nearly 50,000 in 2004 the biggest decline in nearly 70 years.
The 2 percent decrease, reported by the National Center for Health Statistics, came as a shock to many, because the U.S. is aging, growing in population and getting fatter. Old and fat but still kickin'! In fact, some experts said they suspect the numbers may not hold up when a final report is released later this year. Of course, good news must always be "qualified"
"We will not make much of this until the final data come out," said Elizabeth Ward, director of surveillance research for the American Cancer Society. Hey Lizzie, why so bummed. I guess if we do ever cure cancer, you'll be out of a job?!
Improvements in medical care, particularly in medications aimed at preventing heart disease, at least partly explain the improvements in the heart disease death rate, said Ken Thorpe, an Emory professor of health policy. Oh, I didn't think anyone could afford medicines here anymore? A health care CRISIS!!
Also, the flu season for 2004 was milder than 2003, which helped explain the more than 7 percent drop in the influenza death rate, Minino noted. And the supposed flu vaccine shortage figures into this figure how???
The government also reported that a baby born in 2004 could expect to live to nearly 78 an increase of almost half a year from 2003. Women now have a life expectancy of 80.4, up from 80.1. Male life expectancy is 75.2, up from 74.8.
The life expectancy for whites 78.3 was up only slightly from the previous year. The increase for blacks was larger, with a rise from 72.7 to 73.3.
Of course, many would have you believe that Bush and the evil Republicans are trying to kill you every day but, once again, as is almost always the case, the facts fail to support the histrionics. Live long and prosper!
