Nice day – here, at least

While the rest of the world fights each other over land and religion and money and politics, I’m hiding down in the bottom left corner of Africa, sitting in the sunshine and drinking a beer. It’s been a bit of a heavy week in many ways, and so I’m giving myself the luxury of a bit of a day off.

After an early start collecting the Boy Wonder from a Clown Boxing sleepover, I forced myself into a 9km trail run. Well, I say “trail run”, because I did cross a grass verge at one point, so that counts, right?

It’s all pretty relaxing and pleasant sitting here and wondering which football matches I’m going to watch later, but then I made the mistake of clicking on a news site.

Foolish. Very foolish.

WARNING FOR BRAAI LOVERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

baited the headline. It’s a difficult one, because actually, given that the Venn diagram for Braai Lovers and South Africans is a perfect circle, this means it’s a warning for the whole country. But mentioning the braai bit gets everyone very anxious and so they inevitably click through. I know I did.

So what’s the warning?

Food prices are going up. Thanks, Detective Professor Sir Sherlock Einstein. None of us had noticed that, at all..
It’s worth pointing out that all food prices are going up, not just those specifically associated with braais. Look at the onion stat above. Great on Boerie Rolls, 63% more pricey than 2022.

This Business Tech headline comes less than a month after their previous warning for Braai Lovers in South Africa:

Someone is being very lazy with the headlines and stock images, hey?

This warning was essentially “Fire burns things. Be careful.” Good advice, although, I suppose as long as it’s not the expensive onions you bought, it’s probably not that bad.

All this braai talk (not least the warnings) are making me think about the possibility of having a quick one this evening (careful now) before it gets too expensive and dangerous

Ebola: Headlines vs Facts

I’m not saying that the Ebola situation is in any way “good”, nor am I saying that it is “under control”. But those facts aside, we still need some degree of perspective.
And stuff like this doesn’t help with that approach:

Ebola ‘could become airborne’: United Nations warns of ‘nightmare scenario’ as virus spreads to the US
Exclusive: Anthony Banbury, chief of the UN’s Ebola mission, says there is a chance the deadly virus could mutate to become infectious through the air

 

And technically, I suppose, he’s correct. In the same way that I “could” win tomorrow’s lottery. It “could” happen, but actually it’s “not going to” happen.
AndĀ you only have to read the pieceĀ to see how his words have been… ironically… mutated to fit theĀ article’sĀ agenda.

BecauseĀ then, further down the article, this:

Although experts agree that the risks from Ebola are severe they do not believe the virus could become airborne.
Professor David Heymann CBE, chairman of Public Health England and professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said no virus transmitted by bodily fluids – as Ebola is – had ever mutated to airborne transmission.

Note the somewhat smaller typeface. And the lack of drama. That’s simply because when everyone is writing about Ebola, you need to make your piece stand out if you want it to be read and:

Experts say there’s ‘no danger’ of Ebola becoming airborne

 

just doesn’t cut the mustard in terms of attracting readers to your column, your site and its adverts.

Really, you’d expect better of the Telegraph. Although perhaps not of 2Oceansvibe.

UPDATE: Katherine Rushton tweeted her article like this:

Hmm. Business Editor writes Microbiology story.

Hmm.

 

UPDATE 2: WHO

Speculation that Ebola virus disease might mutate into a form that could easily spread among humans through the air is just that: speculation, unsubstantiated by any evidence.

This kind of speculation is unfounded but understandable as health officials race to catch up with this fast-moving and rapidly evolving outbreak.

“Speculation, unsubstantiated by any evidence.”
Again. Not great for The Telegraph.