Originally Posted by hack

a few years back we used to play a web based game on "gamesforwork.com" that was quite similar. i forget the name. basically, select similar parameters as you indicated above and see how long it took to decimate the world or what parts of the world were able to survive based on their ability to minize interaction with the contagion. fun, but morbid.

edit: the game was Pandemic as linked above.

Originally Posted by grolby

It's one of those cases where the market really fails to deliver the most desirable outcome. It's a shame, since Ebola is apparently a very promising target for pharmaceutical treatment.

I think that industrialized nations will be much better equipped to deal with and contain an Ebola outbreak, should it reach these shores. From an email I received at work this morning, Boston hospitals are already preparing to treat Ebola cases, should it become necessary.

Originally Posted by big john

I broke the cassette body on my Campagnolo equipped Cole wheel at the end of May. Tried to find the part but Cole has been absorbed by another company and much phone tag yielded nothing. Same with e-bay and anywhere else we tried.

Decided to try and find a reasonable 20 spoke hub, eventually gave up on that, too.

Ordered Ksyrium wheels from the lbs and after weeks of trying, he said Mavic was out of stock and I should just buy something on-line. Called Colorado Cyclist to order Mavics on sale (Shimano cassette body) and had them add a Campy body to the order.
Today they wrote to tell me the Campy part is back-ordered and they will ship the wheels when that thing shows up.

Maybe I should have just bought a new bike, and it's a good thing I still have my old Gunnar to ride.

Originally Posted by Creakyknees

hi guys what's this thread about?

Originally Posted by carpediemracing

My understanding is that it is serious. First it's a virus so there's no known cure/treatment. Modern medicine just eases discomfort and isolates the patient. Normally the mortality is such that everyone dies before they can get too far. Ebola is a case where the disease is so fatal it burns itself out. It's like if a disease killed you in 10 seconds it would be hard to spread since everyone affected would be dead before they could pass it on. With this ebola having up to 3 weeks incubation (but only dangerous once symptomatic) it's easier for someone to travel before falling ill and becoming contagious. Even if the person is isolated in the new location it's still possible to spread the disease there, typically to health care workers. For example say someone flies from Africa to Europe and then to the US, arriving in JFK coughing a bit. It would be pretty tough to control exposure at that point.

Disease spreads exponentially and even though saliva/muscus doesn't carry as much virus as blood/stool it's still "some". I saw somewhere that there are 30k people that could have been exposed just from that one guy that went to Nigeria. When you do the exponential math the numbers get big really quickly. When you consider that the city where he died has 17-21 million people, depending on who you believe (the 21 million seems to be the number that is acknowledged to be more accurate). That's significantly bigger than NYC which has about about 8-9 million people (and I think a couple million people who commute in during the week - I remember 11 million for some reason).

What's also a bit worrying is the way the affected countries work. They're not quite as organized logistically so it's easy to get through screenings, at least as far as I understand. A friend of mine is originally from one of those countries, and although his info is a bit dated (I think he still has many aunts/uncles in Africa but his parents migrated here many years ago) it's still a bit worrying. Even Europe is a bit more "porous" if you will - my parents were told to leave a 100 mark/franc/something (I forget what the currency was but this was in Belgium before the euro) bill in their passport to "lubricate" the immigration process. They didn't, they almost got deported, then the next visit from the authorities they did and somehow all the paperwork was fine. You try that in the US and you're probably going to get called out. Over there it was common knowledge that it was a required step.

Originally Posted by waterrockets

Alamo is the greatest theater. This is in my neighborhood, about a mile from my house. They'll throw you out on your ear if you use a phone in the theater, no warnings. Beautiful. Really awesome old TV shows play before the movie, usually something to do with the movie. For LOtR, they had Leonard Nemoy singing about hobbits, for instance. The new Batman movies get the old 60s Batman and Robin shows, etc. Spiderman gets some ridiculous 60s Japanese Spiderman knock-off. Really fun.





Media hype. I bit on the freak out in the 90s and learned my lesson. It's bad if you get it, but none of us are going to get it.

Originally Posted by hack

As an aside...I've only marginally followed professional cycling before this year. There are so many flipping races. Sad it gets such minimal coverage in the US.

Originally Posted by shovelhd

A DT240 is an expensive hub. A $100 Novatec would do just fine. Pick one up at bikehubstore and take it to any decent ship that builds wheels. Let them order the proper spokes. I am not a fan or Mavic Ksyrium wheels.

Originally Posted by waterrockets

It's not as contagious as the flu though.

Originally Posted by rankin116

Well, it doesn't transmit through the air, so I suppose this is correct but the infection rate is much higher. The biggest fear with Ebola, and any virus, are mutations. If this happens to mutate and become transmissible through aerosols then we're all ****ed.

Originally Posted by kensuf

You should watch this.

Originally Posted by rankin116

Well, it doesn't transmit through the air, so I suppose this is correct but the infection rate is much higher. The biggest fear with Ebola, and any virus, are mutations. If this happens to mutate and become transmissible through aerosols then we're all ****ed.

Originally Posted by echappist

THe Reston (as in Reston, VA) strain does transmit via aerosol; so far it is shown to affect only simians but not humans. It does infect humans, but all the infect recovered.

Originally Posted by Creatre

I'm so glad the CDC is purposely transporting some sick Americans here to Atlanta. I mean I'm sure they will be careful, but why risk it.

Originally Posted by big john

I didn't know about the Novatec, should've asked here. The only 20 hole hub the lbs came up with was a White Industries for around $350, and I think the DT is more than that. The stupid wheel isn't worth that much.

Yes, I've heard the knocks against Ksyrium wheels, but remember, I've broken or had problems with every rear wheel I've ever used.

Originally Posted by mattm

pilots toying with engine settings just to see what would happen, ended up blowing up engine, busting a window, and a passenger got sucked out.. yikes.

Originally Posted by mattm

anyone read that book "Faster"? seems interesting so far, talking about the minutiae pros pay attention to in training, etc.

since I've been laid the f up for so many weeks and not riding, i figure I can at least train the mind. read "rough ride" (kimmage book), "half man, half bike" (Merckx book), and started that "etapé" book about famous TdF stages, it's pretty good.

also since planes have been falling out of the sky lately, read "air disaster 2: the jet age". really interesting to read about why planes crash.. lots of aviation lingo to learn, but a really interesting read. worst story there was pilots toying with engine settings just to see what would happen, ended up blowing up engine, busting a window, and a passenger got sucked out.. yikes.

Originally Posted by gsteinb

on order. I'm not an e-reader. His first book was great.