Thursday, April 30, 2009

This whole naming brouhaha about Swine Flu cracks me up. First it's Swine Flu, but that offends both the people who depend on swine (hello powerful pork lobby!) and the people who find abhor swine (hello Jews and Muslims!). So, then somebody tries to name it Mexican Flu and as you can imagine, the Mexican government was not very accepting of that.

Personally I'm in agreement that Swine Flu is a terrible name just because the word swine generally has pretty negative connotations. Avian Flu might be a worse disease, but at least it has better marketing. Who the hell would admit to having something called Swine Flu? Yuck. If someone I knew came down with Swine Flu, I'd make fun of the little piggy all day long. Man, that would be good.

So, in less amusing news, I've spent the last few days home sick with a sore throat, cough, and fatigue.

11 comments:

urban farmhouse said...

Mexican flu? I had that in college, I'm pretty sure -something to do with tequila and street vendor tacos - and NOW they're offended? BTW, the only cure is the coldest swimming pool you can find, diet coke, and more street vendor tacos. And tequila.

Mike said...

Urban Farmhouse, so you're saying that the cure to my disease is to eat MORE bacon? Mmmmmm, congratulations you have just earned the title of Mike's Primary Care Physician. You'll enjoy that honor until the day I'm due for my first rectal exam. That won't be a good day for either of us.

Ms.PhD said...

I just love the flurry the names for it:

aporkalypse
epigdemic
snoutbreak

etc. endless funny

Mike said...

Those are pretty good. This is the best pandemic ever.

carey said...

My republican mother just sent me a joke:

It was once said that a black man would be president "when pigs
fly"! Indeed, 100 days into Obama's presidency...Swine Flu

Hardy frigging har, Mom.

BTW, my drunken cryptogram this time was "doodi". hehheh

Mike said...

Carey, your mom needs a blog.

urban farmhouse said...

Well, ahem , as your primary care physician, I'll be able to off-load you onto a specialist in universal hell-care land, who will probably spare you the "r-exam" (sorry, we don't talk about down-there around here), and instead send you for aversion therapy, probably bacon-bit boarding.

Had you stopped eating the entire first pan of bacon while you claimed to be making Saturday breakfast, and then rationing out the second pan to your sweet girls, you likely wouldn't be in this mess, now would you? Stop blaming it on the Mexicans and those cute little piggies!

Mike said...

Like anyone can stop after just one pan of bacon.

meg said...

Swindemic? I like Mexican Flu. It was less of an issue than the Asian flu we usually get. Our Vice Principal keeps posting on FB how her family is SO sick with the flu and I keep wondering why the heck we don't get a week off!

meg again... said...

...and a very good friend of mine has always maintained there are very few meals that can't benefit from the addition of pork product. (http://www.jdcooks.com/). His meals are better than any I've had at fancy dance restaurants in 'the city' or Las Vegas. He's a teacher by day, chef by night.

Mike said...

Your friend is right about pork. It's the chocolate of the meat family (and yes, I have tried chocolate bars with bacon and they're quite tasty!)