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News & ArtsThursday, April 30, 2009
Snoutbreak Tips for Flu Scare
Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 2:08 PM
As you can see, we have a new tag—SNOUTBREAK—for any posts related to the flu scare. It's unclear how serious this is going to get, and if it starts getting ugly we'll obviously let up on the jokey stuff. We have several staffers devoted to working on this developing story. If you have any information that might be interesting or useful to them, the email address for tips is swine@thestranger.com.
1
C'mon guys. Mexico is shut down and many folks are already dead. Do you really mean to suggest that you'll continue to joke about this until it "gets serious"?
The implication would be that you think this is a big joke until it effects you - and that couldn't possibly be what you're suggesting, right?
Here's some extra credit - see if you can write a single-paragraph post that simultaneously mocks the threat as a "scare", but then admit that it's "unclear how serious this is going to get". See, what's funny there is that it sounds like you feel free to mock the current response. Which would be true of course, because you have no responsibilities. And, per the Stranger's usual editorial position, people who take things seriously are assholes.
Dead people are funny, and people who worry about other people are assholes. Got it.
The implication would be that you think this is a big joke until it effects you - and that couldn't possibly be what you're suggesting, right?
Here's some extra credit - see if you can write a single-paragraph post that simultaneously mocks the threat as a "scare", but then admit that it's "unclear how serious this is going to get". See, what's funny there is that it sounds like you feel free to mock the current response. Which would be true of course, because you have no responsibilities. And, per the Stranger's usual editorial position, people who take things seriously are assholes.
Dead people are funny, and people who worry about other people are assholes. Got it.
3
No one said anything about "panic". I simply suggested that making jokes about something that is actually killing people is in bad taste regardless of whether or not it impacts life on Capitol Hill.
5
@1
I was all about taking you seriously, as you made some concise points and articulated them well.
Then I got to your signature.
Meh... Whatever.
I was all about taking you seriously, as you made some concise points and articulated them well.
Then I got to your signature.
Meh... Whatever.
7
@3: Capitol Hill is close to several hospitals and clinics. Getting to healthcare IS a race, and I think the Capitol Hillbillies and 2 block radius hacks have suburbanites beat.
8
1. the more serious is is, the more jokes are needed.
2. guys who call themselves John Galt never have a sense of humor anyway.
2. guys who call themselves John Galt never have a sense of humor anyway.
10
Remember, always cook your pork thoroughly.
And then wash your hands with hot water and soap.
Nobody wants your greasy paws ...
And then wash your hands with hot water and soap.
Nobody wants your greasy paws ...
11
ha ha ha
like the AIDS denialists, remember the messages about this will never kill someone you know
too may world class experts are worried, if it does not turn into the death of tens of thousands, it is still not funny
this pub has a weird head space and editorial staff
ha ha ha to breast cancer
and, oh god, diabetics are so so funny, esp. when dying
to say nothing about the colon cancer hoot and holler stuff
have never seen a fatal heart attack than wasn't high comedy
like the AIDS denialists, remember the messages about this will never kill someone you know
too may world class experts are worried, if it does not turn into the death of tens of thousands, it is still not funny
this pub has a weird head space and editorial staff
ha ha ha to breast cancer
and, oh god, diabetics are so so funny, esp. when dying
to say nothing about the colon cancer hoot and holler stuff
have never seen a fatal heart attack than wasn't high comedy
12
I can assure you, gentlemen and ladies, that John Galt has a delightful and robust sense of humor, regardless of the merit of his arguments here. It helps make up for his complete lack of taste in literature.
13
To my original point - I did not take any position regarding humor or its utility in dealing with tragedy. What I was objecting to what The Stranger staff taking this half-assed position of "if it starts getting ugly we'll obviously let up on the jokey stuff".
In some places it is already serious. There was a clear implication that The Stranger will feel free crack jokes until they suffer or might be held responsible for their callousness.
And that's just cowardly.
As for my sig - I've been using it a long time. It worked perfectly well until popularized by a bunch of idiots. Whatever.
In some places it is already serious. There was a clear implication that The Stranger will feel free crack jokes until they suffer or might be held responsible for their callousness.
And that's just cowardly.
As for my sig - I've been using it a long time. It worked perfectly well until popularized by a bunch of idiots. Whatever.
14
For example - you could use humor to laugh in the face of death or mayhem. That's great - "Nuts!" comes to mind.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_t…
However, cracking wise until death shows up, and then "let(ing) up" just brands you a wuss.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_t…
However, cracking wise until death shows up, and then "let(ing) up" just brands you a wuss.
16
Um, John, they've been treating this seriously for a while, you dizzy girl. Having no humor about anything is just as silly as having too much.
17
I'm already sick to the tits of this "Swine Flu" crap, and it's only been a couple of days of nonstop panty-wetting on Slog over it.
18
@11, don't forget the regular plain old flu, now that's a riot! And pulmonary fibrosis, SO funny!!!
19
Friends of mine who work in the public and private health sectors are starting to make me a whole lot more worried.
And then I read this, which confirmed my worries: http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/20…
Money quote: "Because there is no natural immunity to this virus, even though clinically it appears to be like garden variety flu to the individual, with respect to the population it has the potential to spread faster and many more people sick than seasonal flu."
And then I read this, which confirmed my worries: http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/20…
Money quote: "Because there is no natural immunity to this virus, even though clinically it appears to be like garden variety flu to the individual, with respect to the population it has the potential to spread faster and many more people sick than seasonal flu."
20
References to "John Galt" are way funnier than any of this Snoutbreak stuff. Let me put it another way: if you know who John Galt is, you're already infected, and if you think John Galt is an interesting or time-worthy character in fiction, you are already dead.
22
@2 in a health-and-governance situation with a LOT less resources than ours, so making an equivalence with how you'd interpret those numbers in the US is sorta ignorant.
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