H1N1... is this the new xbox360?

OK, hear me out on this one.

Right now there is general confusion about the H1N1 vaccination clinics and procedures.

Now we are hearing that there may not be enough vaccine, that you may actually contract this flu virus before you have an opportunity to be vaccinated.

Supply and demand, people.

With the latest and greatest gaming systems, months in advance, information is slowly and deliberately leaked to the public. Even a supposed high price for a system is softened by 'reviews' from 'respected' sources within the video game industry and others who have been beta-testing the console and its limited array of games for months as they sit, slack-jawed in front of a monitor exercising their thumbs and potentially a part of their brains.

It all comes down to hype.

So, in a strange and convoluted manner, the same thing appears to have occurred with the H1N1 vaccine. Not all clinics are open at this time. Folks, supposedly those considered high risk, are lining up for hours to get a shot because they are scared. A week ago, I dare say that the majority of those people were going to side step the issue of an H1N1 shot. The media, in all its wisdom, has reported on regrettably isolated incidents and, perhaps (let’s hope) inadvertently, has created something bordering on near hysteria.

Why? To sell newspapers? To have more listeners or viewers tune in to their stations and thus create more demand for advertising dollars?

Let's hope not.

However, at this stage in the game, I'm just waiting for this headline:

"GET YOUR SWINE FLU SHOT NOW AND AVOID THE CHRISTMAS RUSH"

And, to make matters worse, this shot, is free.