TB or Not TB

Last Friday afternoon, our office received an email that all staff is required to attend a meeting this Wednesday hosted by the Department of Public Health. More information about the meeting was to be placed on our desks.

No big deal. A lot of folks here travel to Asia and most of us thought it was just another training about personal safety when traveling. Then we received the more information from the City and County of San Francisco on official letterhead.

“Dear Sir/Madam:

The San Francisco Department of Public Health has confirmed the diagnoses of active pulmonary tuberculosis in a coworker. Our investigation indicated that anyone working in [office address] was significantly exposed to the disease.

For you own health you will be required to be screened for tuberculosis.”

The letter goes on, but other than asking the entire staff to work on Saturday ala Lumberg in Office Space, there may not be a worse way to start the weekend. Everyone was mostly joking about who Patient X was, but it was hard to make jokes because: a) the dire language used in the letter made everyone slightly concerned, and b) not many folks knew of the symptoms of tuberculosis to even make a joke about it.

Our Human Resources department must have received a number of concerned emails and calls because on Saturday morning, we received a follow up email stating, “No one is contagious at this time from this incident and there are no changes you need to make in your life.”

While it’s nice to know that folks were getting worked up over nothing, I’m still expecting Dustin Hoffman to walk into the office at any moment wearing a germ-free space suit and yanking a co-worker from their office, Outbreak style.

We’ll see.

(Update 6/29/07: My blood test came up negative. Others in the office were not so lucky and had to get chest x-rays now. Apparently if you grew up in Asia, its fairly common to have TB in your system.)

Hollywood Stars??

For as long as I could remember, my squad--The Los Angeles Dodgers--, hold an annual Hollywood Stars Night where before a Dodgers game, some exhibition game featuring a bunch of actors is played and has become a staple of the Dodgers home schedule. Makes sense, right? They play in Los Angeles. Most actors and actresses live in L.A. Its an easy match.

I just took a look at this year's list of potential participants for this Saturday's 49th annual game. Based on the released list, the game should be changed to "C-List" Stars Night or "Have you ever heard of these?" Stars night. From the Dodgers website:

The roster of stars scheduled to appear in the game includes Antonio Villaraigosa (Mayor of Los Angeles), Luc Robitaille (LA King legend), James Denton ("Desperate Housewives"), Dave Annable ("Brothers and Sisters"), Gary Valentine ("King of Queens"), Oscar Nunez ("The Office"), Michael Clarke Duncan ("Talladega Nights"), Adrian Pasdar ("Heroes"), James Van Der Beek ("Dawson's Creek"), Neal McDonough ("Flags of Our Fathers"), Corbin Bernsen ("PSYCH," "Major League"), Shemar Moore ("Criminal Minds"), Larry Joe Campbell ("According to Jim"), Wallace Langham ("CSI"), Robert Gossett ("The Closer"), David Berman ("CSI"), Danny Strong ("Gilmore Girls"), Michael Rosenbaum ("Smallville"), Joel McHale ("The Soup"), Sam Page ("Shark"), Kenny Johnson ("Grace," "The Shield"), George Stults ("7th Heaven"), Jon Wellner ("Evan Almighty," "CSI"), Joe Mantegna ("Starter Wife"), Aylin Mujica ("Marina"), Mauricio Islas ("Prisionera") and more.

Of this illustrious list, I have picked out seven names that I actually recognize, four programs that I never heard of (PSYCH, Grace, Marina, Prisionera) and zero people that I would care to see in person, let alone play slow pitch baseball. I really only have an opinion about Joel McHale. He's hilarious on The Soup and was even funny on the Burger King commercials he used to do, but do I care whether he can hit a breaking ball or field a grounder moving to right?? negative. I guess this clearly illustrates my point. The only guy playing in the "Hollywood Stars" game that I have an opinion on is famous for being on a mock cable news show and fast food commercials.

In defense of the Dodgers organization, the game isn't called "Famous Hollywood Stars" night. They don't give fans any illusions that the participants will be recognizable, only that they hold a SAG card and presumably live in Los Angeles County.

Then again, maybe I'm the one whose out of touch. Perhaps Wallace Langham is the next Leonardo DiCaprio and I'm just late to the party or George Stults will turn his fame from 7th Heaven into an Oscar for lead actor in a movie directed by Martin Scorcese. You never know I suppose.

GO DODGERS!!