I am in a class about burden of mortality. The prof. Kirk Smith calls the total number of deaths in children < 5 years of age caused by vaccine preventable diseases as the "World's largest scandal".
I think this is probably a good description and a fantastic way to focus the world's attention on vaccine preventable diseases.
Good questions to ask:
1. Why doesn't India have cholera and typhoid vaccination programs or a Hib vaccination program?
I asked some simple questions - What do we need to know to justify the implementation of a vaccine program.
1. We need to have a vaccine that is successful in preventing the infection.
2. The disease must have high mortality/disability if people are infected. (NOTE: Pertussis,Diptheria don't have that right?)
3. We must be able to show that the cost of the vaccine is not greater than the cost of treatment or other prevention measures.
4. The vaccine must work irrespective of the load of the infectious agent
5. The agent must not have multiple strains/serotypes that making a vaccine difficult to prevent
6. How prevalent is the disease? what is the burden of disease and mortality rates?
7. Cynically, someone must have enough money to pay for the research.
Wednesday, August 29
Puerta
I suspect the best way to pay tribute to a sportperson is to highlight their acheivements. His goal in the UEFA cup.
Jokes
Why do we think something is funny enough for us to laugh or smile or feel something?
What is funniness?
The word "funny" is an American derivative of the word fun and probably means something strange or odd.
What is it in a joke that we find funny? the situation,tragedy,words used,imagery,irony or a complex interplay of all and more of this stuff that makes us think it to be funny.
Even more than that, what does funny mean to our brain? Interesting topic. I know there are courses which deal with humour in an academic way but if anybody has any idea what they think is funny,let me know.
Funnily enough, (pun unintended) the word "joke" is older than the word funny. It seems to be derived from Latin. See this for the exact etymology.
What is funniness?
The word "funny" is an American derivative of the word fun and probably means something strange or odd.
What is it in a joke that we find funny? the situation,tragedy,words used,imagery,irony or a complex interplay of all and more of this stuff that makes us think it to be funny.
Even more than that, what does funny mean to our brain? Interesting topic. I know there are courses which deal with humour in an academic way but if anybody has any idea what they think is funny,let me know.
Funnily enough, (pun unintended) the word "joke" is older than the word funny. It seems to be derived from Latin. See this for the exact etymology.
Tuesday, August 28
Apartment 6
This is a photo taken with my back to the futon and big bookshelf. It shows the small bookshelf at the foot of the bed and my in-wall closet. As you can see its terribly small which seems to suit my non-existent fashion sense. Another couple of chairs and the closet door is a full length mirror. Again something I don't use, although I know some people who when they visit might not be able to tear themselves away from it ;)
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