Let's see . . . they travel around a whole hell of a lot to do a huge amount of heavy mouth-breathing in the middle of many geographically separated crowds of thousands of people in various urban areas.

Yeah, it's a travesty that they should get the vaccine first.

I have no idea how likely it is that a bunch of flu-infested pro-hockey players could infect a given member of the audience at a given game. But there are a lot of people in those crowds, and large public gatherings are a great place for airborne diseases to spread. And there aren't thousands and thousands of NHL players, so is this really such a squandering of vaccine?

Besides, it's not like the NHL couldn't pay extra for it.

Anything to be outraged at a sensible health care system.

That is poutrageous.

Uh, this actually makes sense. With all the travel and time spent at airports professional athletes could be a very effective transmission vector were they to get infected. Not to mention all the screaming fans, immune systems temporarily compromised by gallons of Molson Canadian.

Says it all. Joe Hall is the one seated without gloves.

gilgamesh23: Uh, this actually makes sense

'nuff said.

capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

capitalist medicine at work: I would rather watch you die than make less money for my company's shareholders.

proteus_b: capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

i admit that i haven't been following it too closely, but isn't it available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars because the federal government ordered a shiatload of vaccines at taxpayer expense?

subby is probably a Leafs fan.

The massive cross-expenditure of blood may have something to do with it. Ahh, sport.

jennyz: subby is probably a Leafs fan.

Subby wanted the Leaves to go down in swine flu

I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

still no cure for the trap.

i'm not advocating the overthrow of the gov't. just pointing out that if anyone is personally worried and wishes to get a vaccine, that they are also available if you buck up. or you can wait in line for 4 hours to get it, if you believe cnn's hype. or you can move to the west bank, where they surely don't have that.

proteus_b: capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

Socialist medicine at work: I got my H1N1 vaccine today at the county health office for FREE.

Shaggy_C: I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

Not many, considering H1N1 doesn't kill old people, it kills young/middle aged people.

Shaggy_C: I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

We must save the hockey players, they're our most sacred canadians!

Subby's headline is misleading. It wasn't all NHL players. It was just the Calgary Flames. The Edmonton Oilers didn't even request the vaccine and they had a player with confirmed H1N1.

This has nothing to do with socialized medicine, and everything to do with the perks of being famous.

fine by me

welcome to obamas canada

This morning I heard my local right-wing radio nutjob spouting off about how the vaccine hasn't been properly tested yet and the govt. is just going to use the resultant side-effects to further justify Marxist socialized medicine. I wonder if in this case they'll take the "OMG ELITISTS!!!1" approach, or that one.

/probably both

Don't you know that Glenn Beck told me not to get H1N1 vaccine because it could might possibly freakin kill me?! I feel BAD for those hockey players cause now they will get sick because big bad gubment is giving those them their evil vaccine.

However, I am still outraged that these damn rich ass hockey players will get the vaccine before I do! I mean, I'm not taking it, but if I was, why should these assholes get it? This whole "risk" thing is bullshiat! What does that word even mean?!

Got mine last night. Hooray for living in isolated communities!

Socialist medicine at work: I got my H1N1 vaccine today at the county health office for FREE.

shouldn't you buck up and save the freebies for someone who can't afford an internet connection? just sayin...

The Politics tab has gotten mighty stupid in the past couple months. What gives?

jennyz: subby is probably a Leafs fan.

[insert Kids in the Hall reference here]

Actually, they just gave the Canadian Olympic hopefuls the H1N1 vaccine. Everyone else got a kuru booster shot.

/see you in Vancouver, suckers!

Yeah, I bet the NHL leaned on the massive influence it has with all 500 fans in the US to get this vaccine early.

People in America actually watch Hockey?

Been waiting for hours for a new politics thread and you give us SPORTS?!

jennyz: Not many, considering H1N1 doesn't kill old people, it kills young/middle aged people.

No, it just infects younger people more often. It kills older people and kids more than anyone. Not surprising, as young people actually have social lives.

Health Care Favoritism, not Socialism. When Government manages the Health Care of its citizens, it determines who gets Health Care. Who did you vote for, citizen?

/I'll take my chances with FedEx over the Post Office

ColdFusion: People in America actually watch Hockey?

Not in Real America^TM. It's just us urban socialists in Union states.

proteus_b: capitalist medicine at work: the vaccine is currently available at walgreens for less than 20 dollars.

Thanks to the government ordering a shiatload at your expense.

WFern: The Politics tab has gotten mighty stupid in the past couple months. What gives?

jennyz: subby is probably a Leafs fan.

[insert Kids in the Hall reference here]

Last few months? Seriously? Have you read the politics tab... ever?

/... what i'm sayin' is that it's always [extremely] stupid
//that's how they get suckers to pay for the site. der

Canada does not have socialized medicine. They have socialized health insurance.

you are a puppet: welcome to obamas canada

+5

RussianPooper: Canada does not have socialized medicine. They have socialized health insurance.

Too much nuance for these mouth-breathers, my friend.

Shaggy_C: jennyz: Not many, considering H1N1 doesn't kill old people, it kills young/middle aged people.

No, it just infects younger people more often. It kills older people and kids more than anyone. Not surprising, as young people unmarried people actually have social lives.

ftfy

proteus_b: Socialist medicine at work: I got my H1N1 vaccine today at the county health office for FREE.

shouldn't you buck up and save the freebies for someone who can't afford an internet connection? just sayin...

the US paid 1.5 billion for vaccines and 10 billion to track/treat the swine flu this year.

$600 free market dollars a shot!

There's a flu evaluation clinic on my way to work and I just love seeing all those people standing in close quarters for hours while waiting to get in to be told that they are sick and should go home and self medicate. When will the media realize they're playing with a loaded gun?

Oh wait... I guess that's why this flu has been brought to us by Merck and Coca Cola.

/call 911 if you have serious flu symptoms
//no, seriously... Link (new window)

RussianPooper: Canada does not have socialized medicine. They have socialized health insurance.

It's the same with our justice system. I mean legal system. There's no justice.

What a National Socialist hockey player may look like

/the rest of the story (new window)

Shaggy_C: I wonder how many elderly will die because a bunch of young fit men in excellent physical condition stole the vaccine that they should have received.

Zero. Absolutely zero elderly people will die because a hockey team who actually have a legitimate need for it were vaccinated.

Glad I could help.

WFern: The Politics tab has gotten mighty stupid in the past couple months. What gives?

Cliff's Notes version: Republicans started talking honestly about what they believe.

Poopspasm: WFern: The Politics tab has gotten mighty stupid in the past couple months. What gives?

Cliff's Notes version: Republicans started talking honestly about what they believe.

Hurrrrrrr

That actually does seem to make alot of sense. They could spread it to each other and alot of other people.

OTOH, did the airline pilots and stewardesses, and other non-famous people in high exposure situations get preferential treatment?

Wait a second, last I checked wingnuts were saying that the vaccine was a plot to impurify our precious bodily fluids. Now they're mad because a relatively small, easy-to-reach, and high-risk group gets theirs first?

cchris_39: That actually does seem to make alot of sense. They could spread it to each other and alot of other people.

OTOH, did the airline pilots and stewardesses, and other non-famous people in high exposure situations get preferential treatment?

I'm sure. I think they are pretty much priority.