The Next Great Epidemic?

I live by a great peril of wisdom from one of the greatest minds of our times, Bullet Tooth Tony (from the cinematic flick “Snatch”). Tony states, “Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity” after being held up by three men with the words “replica” carved on the side of their guns. Sadly, the human species in general is not immune to such acts of stupidity, even when it involves highly contagious diseases that have the leeway to turn into the next great epidemic.

The media reported that a 31 year old man diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB) was advised by his doctor not to travel. TB is a bacterial infection that can affect countless bodily system, but is commonly found in the lungs. But his doctor did not understand that this man (his name has yet to be released) had been planning his wedding in Europe, so the man traveled anyways. It wasn’t until he was in Rome that he was informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that he actually had acquired XDR TB, a rare drug resistant strain of the disease.

The CDC classifies the disease as drug resistant due to the fact that it is immune to first and second line drugs. Last year over 500K cases of XDR TB were reported world wide, occurring on all 6 of the inhabitable continents. Only around 30% of those who acquire the disease survive, which is why this act of stupidity is filling up our airwaves. TB itself is highly contagious and can be spread by talking, sneezing, or coughing; which is why the CDC is attempting to track down those who were on transatlantic flights with the man due to prolonged exposure.

Currently, the 31 year old is back in the U.S. and has been moved from CDC headquarters in Atlanta to a hospital in Denver that specializes in treating XDR TB. The media is undoubtedly going to blow this story out of proportion, confounding the masses into a state of perpetual paranoia. Chances are the disease was not spread to anyone on the transatlantic flights due to the air filtering mechanisms located in jumbo jets. Needless to say, anyone with the slightest bit of common sense should know the risks associated with TB and should listen to their doctors on the issue, not their conscience.

Ask And You Shall Receive

Today on the Stephen A. Smith (a piece of work in his own right) Show, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant demanded a trade from Lakers’ ownership. Evidently, Bryant learned that team management gave Phil Jackson and himself two differing accounts about the future of the team. Bryant just learned that the team is interested in rebuilding, while Jackson has known of the rebuilding scheme the entire time. It appears as if Kobe is mimicking his on court antics with 110% pure selfishness. Apparently we have all forgotten that it is the Kobe Bryant show.

As I typically state in my various ‘rambles,’ I do not doubt the athletic ability of Kobe Bryant what so ever. He has proven himself as one of the premier players in the league over the past decade by playing consistently and winning three NBA titles with the Lakers. But like most NBA stars, Bryant possesses one weakness: vanity. The true test of greatness by an athlete in any sport can be measured with a simple test of humility. Bryant’s humility reflex seems to have taken a back seat to the idea that once pervaded NBA halls; that he was going to be the next Michael Jordan, “the air apparent.”

Bryant has proven that he can score points like Mike, but that’s about all. Bryant’s style of play has more in common with a game of solitaire than that of a team sport. When Kobe takes the floor it is all about Kobe and no one else. My father told me of a line he heard Michael Jordan state after he dropped 63 points against the New York Knicks. Jordan said that if he scored 63 points every game, the Bulls were not going to win many games. That is an example of the key differences between humility and vanity; being great and being terrible. Hopefully Kobe is traded so we no longer have to listen to every word he says due to the LA media market. One can only hope that he ends up in Memphis.