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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?"
"Bacon Lung"
Much better name.
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
Characteristics of a flu...
given all these, the choice is obvious...
I hereby dub this latest flu the CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN FLU
You know, science doesn't take too kindly to being anthropomorphized.
How about the kdawson flu?
=Smidge=
I second that motion.
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?
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
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.
Bruce Perens.
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.
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.
I prefer the name Pandemic Influenza Germ...although people will undoubtedly shorten that to an acronym of some sort.
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.
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.
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.........
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.