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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?"

11 of 607 comments (clear)

  1. I Prefer Wet-Back Flu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Because it enters your country by any means necessary.

  2. Re:Dear Bruce... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Flus are annoying

    Sounds like a perfect reason to name it after Colbert!

    And perhaps when some strain of flu emerges that turns one into a pompous ass, we can name it after you.

  3. Re:Colbert != comedian by dreamt · · Score: -1, Troll

    If you've ever been unfortunate enough to listen to the people he is mocking, you'd understand. O'Reilly and Limbaugh are miserable attempts at human beings that he is parodying.

  4. I'm all for it by DaveV1.0 · · Score: 0, Troll

    The man, and I use the term loosely, is a pig, so it is fitting.

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  5. Re:Colbert != comedian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
  6. Swine flu offends me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I think we should call it "Mohammad <3 Piggies Virus".

  7. Re:Here's an idea by Lord+Ender · · Score: 1, Troll

    Bruce is famous for writing some sort of P2P software, which, I believe, failed due to inadequate support for now-ubiquitous NAT, and for having a borderline-worthless search capability. Because of this project, though, he is somewhat of a celebrity, so his ideas are going to get more attention than the average slashdot comment.

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  8. Re:Where did it come from? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Personally, I prefer Wetback Flu

  9. Re:Colbert != comedian by stewbacca · · Score: 0, Troll

    That's not to say his bit is funny; that's obviously left to opinion.

    Bah, not this stupid argument again. It is funny. It's only not funny if you are an uptight conservative who thinks he is serious. It becomes even less funny once said uptight conservative figures out he is joking, at which point it becomes really funny to everyone else around uptight conservative.

  10. Re:Reddit had it right by Eli+Gottlieb · · Score: 0, Troll

    Hell no. Not because "Bacon Lung" is a bad name, but because Reddit sucks and can't be allowed to win anything.

  11. Re:Dear Bruce... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Why not just call it "jewish flu"? Sounds a lot more kosher and yet keeps the meaning.