Swine flu - scaremongering

Is it just me or are the media, and maybe the government, using swine flu to scare people?

Several times recently the media have announced that people have died from swine flu - the doctor, that then turned out to have had heart problems & high blood pressure for years, and the 6 year old that died at the same time, then they said may not even have had swine flu.

And again in the past few days, saying that a 7 year old in kent has died from it, but they also haven't actually been confirmed as suffering from it!

So why say it? Why not wait until they are sure and THEN tell people, surely if that was the case and it wasn't speculation most people would then pay more attention and maybe take it seriously?

Or is this the governement's way of distracting attention away from the financial cock up that is called the economy and treasury department?

Wouldn't eb the first time that government's around the world have tried similar tactics!

Things ARE going to get worse.

Apparently there are two new reports out that detail that the economic situation is going to get worse before it gets better, and that this will result in more firm's going under and job losses. Hello! Where have they been? Did they really need a study and report (that cost's money) to tell anyone that? They have predicted that over the next few years hundreds of thousands of workers will lose their jobs. Whether it be through closure, cut backs or restructuring and losing dead wood. Horrible though it may sound, this will help the British, and world, economy in the long run. Many firms are employing too many people doing jobs that could be combined and save money - we have all seen it or work with it - 2 or 3 people employed doing the job that one person could do easily. And, how many people are employed just because they have been there for many years and it is to hard to get rid of them under the new employment laws and regulations.

Work for Free?

BA is the second big company in two days to give it's staff the option of working for free, or less money, to help save them having to make redundancies or even face bankcrupcy.

Yesterday the healthcare / insurance giant AXA PPP asked it's staff to make a decision - for everyone to take a small weekly paycut / hour's reduction or they would have to make 300 employee's redundant.

Today British Airways (BA) has asked its staff to work for free, not permantly but for either a week or a month depending on what they can afford. This is to help thems ave money, and therefore jobs, after the record losses that they have recorded this year.

Personally I think these are fair requests. In both cases the emplyee's are part of the success or failure of the company (whether it be sales or customer service) and surely it is better for everyone if they all pull toegther and try and work through these tough times.

What do you think?