Sick Pigs

This will probably be my one and only post about the Swine Flu.

First, point on the flu's likely origins. This NYT Letter makes the rather obvious point that I haven't seen on any of the major news broadcasts: namely that these outbreaks are the result of confining massive numbers of weak, vulnerable, genetically homogeneous animals together in filthy pens and barns.

GF has a post about the Agricultural Lobby trying to force the media to stop calling the virus "Swine Flu".

Finally, The Swinal Solution? Egypt has a unique approach to solving the Swine Flu crisis: kill all the pigs. This idea is even worse than that pun, but before we get too disgusted, a little perspective. I remember the outrage in the 90's - during the Mad Cow "scare" - over all those images of cow carcasses on forklifts and backhoes, field after field of dead animals ("oh, the bovinity!"). Of course, those cows - and these pigs, I'm lowering my voice though this part isn't really a secret - they were going to die anyway. The only difference for these guys is that their flesh will not then be devoured by a bunch of strange and crafty bipeds.