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Let's Rename Swine Flu As "Colbert Flu"

Bruce Perens writes "The World Health Organization will no longer refer to Virus A(H1N1) as 'Swine Flu,' citing ethnic reactions to 'swine,' for example among middle-eastern cultures who feel that swine are unclean. Or, is it because meat packers are concerned that people might stop eating pork in fear of the virus? WHO suggests that the public select a new name for the virus. I suggest that we all start calling it The Colbert Flu, after the comedian and fake pundit who asked his audience to stuff a NASA poll so that a Space Station module would be named after him. What can we do to make the name stick?"

46 of 607 comments (clear)

  1. Other news: an outbreak of political correctness by levell · · Score: 2, Funny

    Given the pandemic of meaning obscuring, "politically correct" names, I'm surprised that swine flu hasn't been renamed to "porcine repressing influenza" or some such.

    --
    Struggling to find a day everyone can make? WhenShallWe.com
  2. Re:Dear Bruce... by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 4, Funny

    Flus are annoying, they show up wether you want them to or not, right in the middle of something else you were doing.

    Ok, so how about The Thompson Flu.

  3. Reddit had it right by MBCook · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Bacon Lung"

    Much better name.

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
  4. Re:Dear Bruce... by Smidge207 · · Score: 4, Funny

    How about the kdawson flu?

    =Smidge=

    --
    Is it just my observation, or is eldavojohn an idiot?
  5. Choosing name on similarity by Gorm+the+DBA · · Score: 5, Funny
    Let's see....

    Characteristics of a flu...

    • Overrated in impact
    • makes you feel sick if you come in contact with it
    • Those who pay the least attention to science will be impacted by it the worst
    • makes you feel much better once you're beyond it
    • Costs the nation billions of dollars in lost productivity
    • invades countries without any concern for borders
    • the world would be a better place without it.

    given all these, the choice is obvious...

    I hereby dub this latest flu the CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN FLU

    1. Re:Choosing name on similarity by penguin_dance · · Score: 1, Funny

      Okay I'll play....

      Which is different from the Liberal Democrat flu, signs of which are,

      * Extreme nausea
      * Delirium
      * Can't move beyond it
      * Can't be stopped at the border
      * Can't afford the cure

      --
      If you've never been modded as "flamebait" or "troll," you've never tried to argue a minority viewpoint here!
  6. Yes, it's important that deadly viruses. . . by JSBiff · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not be named after 'unclean' animals after all. I only get kosher diseases, thank you very much!

    1. Re:Yes, it's important that deadly viruses. . . by TheCarp · · Score: 2, Funny

      Niether of you know what you are missing.

      Sure swine may be dirty, and their flu may be bad but....

      fucking bacon. Whats wrong with you people? Seriously.... bacon comes from swine! How can you heathens deny the one true breakfast meat!

      -Steve

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
    2. Re:Yes, it's important that deadly viruses. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      the one true breakfast meat!

      Sssh! My wife thinks that's cock.

    3. Re:Yes, it's important that deadly viruses. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      That'd have to be one charmin' mothafuckin' cock.

  7. Re:Let's not by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know, science doesn't take too kindly to being anthropomorphized.

  8. Re:Colbert != comedian by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    Are you a conservative by any chance?

  9. Prescott Pharmaceuticals by Sporkinum · · Score: 3, Funny

    You can bet that Prescott Pharmaceuticals is working on a nostrum to exploit this latest panic. Includes such side effects as trotter lip, spleen bristles, and toe hams.

    BTW.. I'm a Colbert too, you insensitive clods!

    --
    "He's lost in a 'floyd hole"
  10. My Submission by Greyfox · · Score: 4, Funny
    Space herpes. Let's try it on:

    "I can't come in to work today. I have space herpes."

    "Some guy on the subway gave me space herpes."

    "CNN Reporting today that another 35 cases of space herpes have surfaced in New York."

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  11. Re:Dear Bruce... by Thornburg · · Score: 5, Funny

    How about the kdawson flu?

    =Smidge=

    I second that motion.

  12. Re:Dear Bruce... by wjousts · · Score: 5, Funny

    Flus are annoying, they show up wether you want them to or not, right in the middle of something else you were doing.

    Mother-in-law flu?

  13. Edit the wiki by spooje · · Score: 3, Funny

    How about editing the Wiki page to call it the Colbert flu. And while we're at it let's say the flu is a direct result of saving all the elephants.

    --
    Tea and kung-fu. Life is good. Rising Phoenix
  14. Now to be called "Pandemic Influenza Germ" by presidenteloco · · Score: 3, Funny

    Or P.I.G. Flu

    - suggested by CBC radio's "The Current" program this morning.

    --

    Where are we going and why are we in a handbasket?
  15. Re:Dear Bruce... by ShieldW0lf · · Score: 5, Funny

    Try to exercise a bit of sensitivity... they're concerned that a disease is named after something that is unclean.

    Perhaps they would like the Purity Flu?

    --
    -1 Uncomfortable Truth
  16. Re:Dear Bruce... by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, I felt that with Colbert's desire to have multiple things named after him, the list of things is here, there would be a sort of "symmetry" to naming something that he would not want after him.

    Obviously a simple influenza virus is insufficient to name after me. I'd want to have named after me an itch that you can't reach and slowly drives you crazy.

  17. Bacon Fever!!! by CRiMSON · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm telling you Bacon Fever!!!

    --
    oogly boogly!
  18. Re:Colbert != comedian by nomadic · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's like slashdot humor. Unless you're familiar with the memes, the subject matter, and the jokes that have come before, 3/4 of the jokes just won't be funny to you.

    I am familiar with the memes, the subject matter, and the jokes that have come before, and 4/4 of them still aren't funny.

  19. Rejected names by jbeaupre · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wilbur's flu
    Flu Z
    Montezuma's revenge
    Tequila flu
    Panic flu
    Non-Kosher/Non-Halal flu
    One flu over the cuckoo's nest

    (just flat out ignore my poorly formatted list above. Sorry)

    --
    The world is made by those who show up for the job.
  20. Re:Why don't we... by tim_darklighter · · Score: 2, Funny

    Have a worldwide online poll to name it, and allow write-in submissions...

    I think I might actually write in "Xenu flu" for that. It even rhymes!

  21. Re:Dear Bruce... by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 3, Funny

    Personally, since this is a KILLER virus, we should name it Hans Reiser Virus.

    yeah, I know, I'm sick.

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  22. Re:Colbert != comedian by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sorry but "Colbert" and "Comedian" only belong in the sentence if the words between them are "is not a ". Maybe I'm English and I just don't get him....

    That's OK, mate. We don't get the whole cross-dressing thing here.

    Cheers.

  23. Re:Dear Bruce... by Stile+65 · · Score: 3, Funny

    The "Perens Scabies?"

    That sounds marketable!

    --
    I claim first use of "Error No. 0B" - or "No. 0B error." It'll be the new ID 10T!
  24. PC Flu, WW Flu, WT Flu by Ken+D · · Score: 3, Funny

    PCFlu - Politically Correct Flu
    WWF - World Wide Flu
    WTF - World Terrorizing Flu

  25. Re:Dear Bruce... by Cruciform · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Spanish Inquisition flu.
    After all, nobody expected it.

  26. clearly the bird component is by gov_coder · · Score: 2, Funny

    a penguin. So it should really be called penguin flew. Since nobody actually eats penguins, this name should satisfy all parties.

    --
    Rob Enderle's excellent new book: Everything I needed to know about Computer Science I learned in Marketing School
  27. Flying Pig Flu by AkkarAnadyr · · Score: 4, Funny

    The virus has genetic characteristics of avian flu and swine flu.

    The obvious way to distinguish this one is to call it the Flying Pig Flu.

    Late-night comics and morning zoo types will flog it for all it's worth, so it will overtake the current moniker.

    And the zealots will have to try to kill all the flying pigs.

    Sorry, Stephen.

    --

    I bought this house and you know I'm boss
    Ain't no h'aint gonna run me off

  28. Why? He was innocent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They forced him to produce a body... that doesn't mean anything. Hans was a nerd and the jury doesn't like that so they locked him up. Simple as that.

  29. Great idea! by denzacar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Further more, I suggest we submit that for further discussion in an article of its own.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  30. I prefer... by prograde · · Score: 5, Funny

    I prefer the name Pandemic Influenza Germ...although people will undoubtedly shorten that to an acronym of some sort.

  31. Re:Dear Bruce... by robkill · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps, but Perens Pox would probably work even better

    --
    DMCA - Chilling free speech since 1998.
  32. Re:Let's not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't get why anyone would object to "swine flu".

    (1) There are some people whose living depends on selling swine-related products.

    (2) People are, in general, dumb.

    Consequently, people may jump to the conclusion that eating swine may result in them getting the flu.

    This is why I'm backing "Mexican flu." If nothing else, it'll cut down on people eating Mexicans.

  33. Re:Dear Bruce... by PrescriptionWarning · · Score: 4, Funny

    These 2 laws of the holiest of holies this would be breaking!

    One, the ridiculing of the holiest body of christanity, we the inquisition!
    Two, the use of skit material not created by you but created by the holiest body of christianity, we the inquisition!
    And three, the countenance upon which you stated the material... THREE!

    Mark these 3 laws the holiest of holies that thou dost mock!

  34. Re:Dear Bruce... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Obviously a simple influenza virus is insufficient to name after me. I'd want to have named after me an itch that you can't reach and slowly drives you crazy.

    Didn't they already name perenthetical comments after you?

    (Never let spell-check get in the way of a bad pun.)

  35. Re:Dear Bruce... by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Funny

    The difference is that Colbert is actively mocking his stage persona.... Rush Limbaugh, by contrast was always just a pig.

    Hey! Maybe we could call it the Limbaugh Flu....

    --

    Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  36. Re:Dear Bruce... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why not call it Kung Flu...after all, it does kick your ass pretty well.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  37. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  38. Re:Dear Bruce... by WindBourne · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hmmm. Perhaps the Cheney flu? You do not want to be shot with it.

    --
    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
  39. Re:Dear Bruce... by geekboy642 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It would be ironic to record a song titled "Ironic" and have the lyrics report a series of events which are unlucky, rather than ironic.

    Ah, so that explains Alanis Morisette. It was deeply meta-ironic. See, now I can enjoy the song again.

    --
    Just another "DOJ fascist authoritarian totalitarian bootlicker" -- Zeio
  40. Re:Dear Bruce... by amliebsch · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would hate to see an America where there was only one party.

    Uh...I've got some bad news for you.

    --
    If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
  41. Re:Dear Bruce... by Arthur+Grumbine · · Score: 5, Funny

    This flu is actually two parts swine flu, one part bird flu and one part human flu.

    If this is true then we have no choice but to name it accordingly...

    ...ManBirdPig Flu!!

    --
    Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
  42. Re:Dear Bruce... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Manbirdpig flu. That's what I'm going with.