A review of PBS's “Influenza 1918” (American Experience)

“I had a little bird
Whose name was Enza,
I opened the door
and ‘in-flew-Enza.’ ”

– A popular ditty sung by children, at the time that the deadly epidemic was still going on

Two-thirds of a million Americans died from a deadly influenza strain called “Spanish flu” …

In the United States, more than two-thirds of a million Americans died in an influenza epidemic in 1918 – a particularly deadly strain of it that Americans call the “Spanish flu.” This is more American deaths than from all of the wars of the twentieth century combined. As a percentage of our population, we didn't lose as many people in World War One as many of the other nations did. For some other nations, World War One was actually more devastating than the flu epidemic. But the Spanish flu (not to be confused with common flu) was a worldwide epidemic, and killed comparable percentages of the population in many other nations. Nonetheless, this documentary focuses on the United States, as you might expect from a series calling itself “American Experience.” They show the full horrors of the Spanish flu epidemic, and bring them to life for a generation that have seldom heard of them.

A review of “The Plague” (History Channel)

The greatest outbreak of disease in recorded human history (the Black Death) …

It is still the greatest outbreak of disease in recorded human history. Some estimate that the plague killed 30 percent of the European population, but many others place it around 50 percent. To many Europeans of this time, the apocalyptic Plague seemed like “the end of the world,” and there may have been reason for them to see it this way. No war has ever killed as many people as the “Great Plague” did, and the death toll was easily numbered in the millions. Small wonder, then, that this massive outbreak of the fourteenth century is sometimes known simply as “the Plague,” as it is called in this documentary's title.

A review of Dan Snow’s “How the Celts Saved Britain” (BBC)

Every year on the 17th of March, Christians around the world celebrate “St. Patrick’s Day,” particularly if they are of Irish descent. The name of the holiday clearly indicates whom it is named after, but who is this “St. Patrick,” anyway? And why was he so important to the church, particularly in Ireland? A television program from the BBC tries to answer this.

Saint Patrick

Setting maximum healthcare prices doesn't really help consumers (price controls never do)

You're applying for a dream job at a particular organization. You “just know” that this occupation is right for you – or, at least, that it will lead you to a great career. But then you are told that the position doesn't actually pay you. You have to work for free if you work there, and you won't get compensated with anything else, either. Are you likely to stick around by working for this organization? If you're particularly altruistic, you might stick around just for the rewarding feeling of “helping people.” But most people would quickly abandon the job, and move to something that actually pays – particularly when they've got kids or other obligations to take care of.