Sunday, April 26, 2009

Hold the pork chops, please.


I finally got my revenge against the lovely Mrs. Field. Being raised Seventh Day Adventist I was raised not to eat pork. And even after I strayed from my church I never ate the stuff. It was one of the tenets of my former religion that I always kept with me, and for good reason.

So now that the world is in a tizzy over this swine flu thing I can finally look at Mrs. Field and say I told you so. All the taunting about the delicious pork chops, all the funny faces while she bit into one juicy BBQ rib after another; and now, finally, her chickens....scratch that,her pigs are coming home to roost. "I guess you will be ditching the pork now huh dear?" I told her while reading my morning paper. "Not funny field, people are dying because of this stuff."

She was right, of course, it wasn't funny. People are dying from this "stuff", and the shit could be serious. Eighty six dead in Mexico and counting, and they are finding cases popping up from California to New York and Kansas in between. It's gotten so bad that we have declared a health emergency in these divided states, and we seem to be on the verge of a world wide pandemic.

Now I am no doctor, but I know that whenever you have a virus that can be passed on by mere human to human contact we could have a serious problem. I don't want to scare you folks or get too fatalistic, but the last major flu pandemic cost over 20 million (and possibly way more) people their lives. That is some seriously scary shit. Hopefully, we have come so far and become so advanced as humans, that we can contain this one and find a cure for this particular strain of the flu. Hopefully.

Oh well, I think one good thing can come out of this: Maybe we will start getting rid of all the pig food and start finding different things to do with them. (The pigs) I think they are too nasty to become pets, so maybe more pig skin belts and shoes? Just thinking out loud folks, no one is suggesting that you pork eaters give up your love of that particular delicacy. All I ask is that you hold out until this swine flu bug is cleared up. Think of it as your personal contribution to humanity. And while we are at it,-- at the risk of pissing off the Mexican tourist board-- we might want to chill on those Cancun vacations for awhile as well.



Now go get your flu shot.





68 comments:

RiPPa said...

This is indeed an "I told you so" moment. The republicans fought to have $900 million dollars from the stimulus that deals with the onset of pandemics such as this. Of course this is no pandemic, but like you said, it is some serious stuff.

Check it out:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/430261?rel=hp_picks

All I know is they better get this stuff straight before the summer. I don't plan on mising any BBQ's my damn self. But then again, hopefully it does enough damage that way my wife won't feel the need to eat that slave food better known as chitlins this Thanksgiving.

I'm guessing I need to go back to church because iooks like God does answer prayer.

Dr. Nuwang said...

So should we stop eating chicken because of bird flu? Common Field, you know you're reaching with that comment to stop eating swine because of swine flu, LOL!

Anonymous said...

Exactly Fly. Field needs a vacation. The bird flu will eventually mutate to infect humans vis air. Pork chops cooked in balamic vinager, oyster sauce, and hot peppers is the perfect food, all crusty and nasty and hot.


szpork

Anonymous said...

Oh no Mr. Field. A God that forbids the enjoyment of the pig and the pig by-products is a hateful and malicious God indeed.
Ive never understood where the phobia of pigs by so many religious-types came from. One friend once told me it is because pigs wallow in their own filth. THAT is only because pigs are kept in a 10X10 pen where they cant get away from it. Let the pig roam free and it avoids its own waste like we all do. Another said because it is so ugly. SUBJECTIVE. Ever looked at a chicken or turkey up close? Yet another said it is because the pig was cursed by God...wont even address THAT one.

Nope Mr. Field, the pig is a gift from a divine, caring and all-knowing God. A God who in the same breath created garlic, chilis, tomato (chunks and paste) onion, molasses and a variety of spices and herbs. HE also gave man the curiosity and ability to combine any or all of the above with the application of slow, smoky heat to create a symphony of pleasure and praise for man and God alike.
True enough the pig doesnt appreciate it too much. But then again Ive never seen a pig in a chefs hat or a "kiss the cook" apron.

Glad I chose to stop by again on a "not so serious" day.

-Whitey, thats Mr. Whitey-

Christopher Chambers said...

Do you think there'll be a crackdown on Mexican immigrants and others from Asia who might spread it? I don't think there's a nexus, but a lot of Mr. Charlies's...and hell, me, too...are concerned.

field negro said...

Mr. Whitey, doesn't the bible say no to the eating of the swine? Don't let me go and dig up my Old Testament verses on you folks.

"..but a lot of Mr. Charlies's...and hell, me, too...are concerned."

Chris, don't be concerned, you live in D.C. and survived all kinds of crap. Don't let a little swine flu scare you off.

Actually Fly, I don't eat swine because....well they just don't look too clean in those pens.

field negro said...

Rippa, you might want to join Mrs. Field and her family for their next family BBQ.:)

"Exactly Fly. Field needs a vacation..."

Yep, and guess where I won't be going?

Blinders Off said...

I had my flu shot back in October and it was about a month ago MSM reported this year was a mild flu season. The swine flu makes my conspiracy mind think maybe this is some sort of biological attack. I could be wrong, but you never know when it comes to crap in this world. Nonetheless, I like my BBQ ribs and I plan to continue eating it. I knocked at deaths door three times behind man made pharmaceuticals therefore, I am not afraid of the swine.

Anonymous said...

Damn, but those were good ribs yesterday!

AF

Anonymous said...

Field, I'm volunering to post here.while ou're gone. It will only involve food, no politics.

szpork

Anonymous said...

Mr. Whitey -- I've seen a pig in a butcher shop's hat and apron and his name is Piggly Wiggly.

Field, I had my flu shot so I'll partake in my love of all things made of pork, such as a chorizo burrito from the Mexican restaurant down the street. Everything but the "oink" in that pig in a tortilla. :)

Anonymous said...

And did you guys see Texas Gov. Rick Perry pleading for FEDERAL help to combat the swine flu? I say we make him apologize for his seditious talk before we give him one case of Tamiflu.

Friends of Ron Mexico said...

Glad to see Obama can get in a game of golf while this pandemic spreads across America

field negro said...

"And did you guys see Texas Gov. Rick Perry pleading for FEDERAL help to combat the swine flu?"

Now there is a laugh. Tell Texas to develop their own vaccine.

"I like my BBQ ribs and I plan to continue eating it. I knocked at deaths door three times behind man made pharmaceuticals therefore, I am not afraid of the swine."

BO, did the swine have anything to do with you knocking on heaven's door?

AF, you ain't right.

Dr. Nuwang said...

Ladies and gents, I hate to spoil the party, but I'd venture to say that the microorgansim Black folks need to concern themselves most with is HIV.

Dr. Nuwang said...

Oh yeah, and will someone PLEASE pass the chitlins...........................and don't forget thehot sauce, LOL!!!

Blinders Off said...

Field,

I hope the swine do not keep me from heavens door :)

Hathor said...

You can get anthrax from shearing wool.

The world has a lot of scary bacteria and viruses.

I don't think the current flu shot will keep you from getting the swine flu it may make you have milder symptoms.

Unknown said...

Knew something was going to happen when we finally got a black president. A depression, pirates, wars, and now a pandemic. I think I'm going to get my duct tape, plastic wrap and canned goods.

Anonymous said...

"Mr. Whitey, doesn't the bible say no to the eating of the swine? Don't let me go and dig up my Old Testament verses on you folks."

True enough Mr. Field. That Old Testament dude seemed like a vindictive hardass to me. Lots of punishment, plagues and draconian rules..if I may be so bold. New Testament guy seemed a little more laid back. I hope thats the one waiting for Mr. Whitey. The Hindu guy seems chill, He'd be OK too.
Come to think of it, Allah (the muslim guy) and the Old Testament dude both hate pig AND both seem to share a similar 2X4 up their collective asses. Both need to lighten up a bit..if I may be so bold. Am I on to something? The eating of the pig harkens a kinder and gentler God?

Could the delicious flesh of the pig (and, of course its by-products) be the key to love and harmony?
Certainly a place where all races come together in unity is the BBQ joint. Black and White sitting and supping as one...knitted together in a tapestry of ribs, sauce and sides. There are no fights between dry rub vs. wet. No friction over pulled pork vs. sliced..NO INDEED. Harmony, peace, pork products.

Look to the pig Mr. Field. Look to the pig. (and its by-products)

with humility as always, Whitey, Mr. Whitey

west coast story said...

Eating pork doesn't infect you.
They are saying this year's flu shot won't necessarily save you or in the alternative they just don't know.

Prepare for anti Latino hysteria. It wouldn't be Amerika without racism.

And the cable news stations will be doing their best to terrify the public.

Off topic, some little black male darlings engaged in a shootout in East Oakland and sent three kids to the hospital. Two were little girls, ages one and four. The on-year old was in her stroller. The third child was a a 14-year old boy. Passing cars were shot up and passengers injured.

No outcry, predictably, from black people. I don't't believe there is anything a black male could do that would result in public condemnation and disgust from black people. We keep patting these monsters on their candy asses and throwing them prison release parties and blaming racism for their disgusting life choices.

My revenge fantasy is to go vigilante. They shot up two little kids and an adolescent and they deserve to suffer long and hard
.
Seriously, the best thing that could happen is to find both warring crews hog tied and expired.

I wonder if the Moussad is looking for extra work. Garbage did this to these little kids and something really bad should happen to them.

Black women and children should get out of black neighborhoods. It is not safe and their existence has no value for a lot of black males in these neighborhoods. If the brothers aren't trynig to hurt you, they stand by when you are getting hurt. Get out now and leave these animals to tear themselves to pieces.

Bob said...

Like catfish? They're the pigs of the rivers.

west coast story said...

Half the police department just left after searching my "secure" fully enclosed backyard for a suspected armed robber. The little asshole got in my backyard. Now I'm up all night answering questions. Sick of these people. Why don't these guys commit suicide? They aren't worth spit. Seriously, I got your rotten childhood right here.

Give the swine flu these guys' address and tell them to come on down.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

I'm curious to know why the flu has killed several very healthy adults (usually it's the very young and old who have a hard time resisting bugs like this) in Mexico but none in the U.S (at this point).

Is the strain in the U.S. weaker?

I'm still going to have some prosciutto at lunch.

field negro said...

nyc/caribbean...the strain in the U.S. does seem to be weaker.

west coast...sorry to hear about those animals shooting those little children in Oaktown. My people my people.:(


Bob, you got me, because I love me some catfish.

Eddie, you need to quit.:)

Da f&*%? Can someone please check that spam link? (natasha) I am scared to look.Please tell me that's not some porn pic.

Jody said...

I wonder if indeed this spreads across the US, just how those without health insurance or access to clinics will fare? Across the country, clinics have had their budgets slashed with closings and/or reduced hours and services... Will treatment be free? Will death be based on those who can pay and those who cannot? Hmmmmmmm.

momo said...

I know you are just joking, Field, but in case any of your readers want some facts, they can go to the CDC page or some other source.
You don't get swine flu from eating pork; it's spread by sneezing, coughing and dirty hands, the way any kind of flu is spread. Best way to protect yourself and others is to wash you hands frequently.
Contrary to rumor, this is not a pandemic, but I think we are better prepared to contain and treat it than the last swine flu scare in 1976 because of our preparations for the bird flu. Emergency status allows the federal government's programs to kick in, to make access to meds, etc, easier to prepare.

as for the death toll in Mexico, we don't know what the health status of those people was to begin with. I know it's fun to spread rumors, but when people start using those to fan the anti-Mexican sentiment that has existed in this country since 1858, we want to check it.

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

Christopher said...

Health experts have warned about such an outbreak for years and the need to properly fund the CDC and NIH -- both of which were flatline funded for each of the 8 years Bush was in office.

President Obama needs to focus our limited tax dollars on public health and on the CDC and the NIH and not on expanding his Afghanistan war wet dream.

People thought avian flu was a threat to humanity but swine flu is far more serious. In avian, or bird flu, the route of viral transmission goes bird-to-bird-to-human and dies off. In the case of swine flu, the virus goes pig-to-pig-to-human-to-human and intensifies.

According to the CDC, we only have 50 million doses of Tamiflu for a nation of 305 million. Roche Pharmaceuticals needs Federal dollars to ramp up production of Tamiflu to cover all 305 million Americans, otherwise we could be facing another 1918 pandemic.

Whitney B. said...

Hey Field,

Ooooh, when I saw the headline on this post, I went "Oh no, Field made a racial gaff." In Texas, Mexicans are called "Pork Chops". Just forgetting for a moment that it was piggies you were referring to. Still, not the best headline.

Texas wants to get out of the USA and here they're pleading for millions (almost a billion!). GET OUT TEXAS! Let's start a movement to get rid of Texas, and for that matter, Alaska.

It was such a joke Sarah Palin running for Rebubba VP when her state is the most socialist state in the Nation. Free money every year for everyONE born before a certain month of that year. No state taxes. Assistance with heating fuel, including rebates from the state. Senior homes subsidized by the state. Etc.

So, let the oil companies keep financing AK and then we won't have to waste anymore money on bridges that we were for before we were against.

As for this pandemic, I have to agree in the conspiracy theory that it could possibly be a virus released into the world. It's popping up all over the place. Granted we're a small world (with the advantage of flight), but still.......

I'm plenty scared.
Whit

Whitney B. said...

Oh yeah, about pork and catfish. Not really the same thing at all, because nowadays cat fish are raised in fresh water ponds.

And, pigs are not the dirty, scroungy animals that most folks think they are. Given the choice, a pig will choose a pond over a mud hole (they're excellent swimmers), grain over scraps, and they're also smart as hell. Pigs also are our closest cousins with regards to disease and organs.

The Bible may not have wanted us to eat pork because we would be eating our kin :) Now, shell fish, those are the rats of the ocean and God forbade them as well. That is if you believe everything you read in the Good Book.

Javier said...

There is a good reason not to eat anything from a pig. While I do agree with someone else's assessment that given the option what pig would wallow in it's own filth, but that's not the problem. Ever seen a pig sweat? No sweat glands like you and I. Swine cool themselves down by wallowing in nice cool mud/feces.

If anyone would like to see the condition of the factory farm animals that they ingest I invite you to look at a few videos at goveg.com.

Most of the causes of death in this day and age can be traced back to lifestyle choices. What we eat, how we live, what we drink, etc.

If you think HIV is bad considered CJD. For those of you not familiar, that is the human equivalent of Mad Cow disease. We haven't heard much about it in the US but don't be alarmed when I tell you it is here.

CJD in many ways manifests itself like Alzheimer's. The only way to confirm a case of CJD is to perform a brain biopsy.

The prion that causes CJD is so resilient that normal methods of decontamination of instruments have not worked. How do they know this. Patients have contracted CJD from sterilized instruments used on suspected CJD brain biopsies. To familiarize those that don't know. Sterilization occurs at 270 degrees F and 30 psi for a set time limit. Decontamination and sterilization in most circumstances will destroy all known pathogens.

The prion that causes CJD is the exception. The instruments used on a CJD brain biopsy have to be disposed of and incinerated at extreme temperatures. All OR furniture that is unnecessary is removed from the room. Every disposable item is double bagged in biohazard bags and boxed and incinerated as well. Personnel in the room are covered from head to toe leaving no exposed skin. Everyone who enters the room stays in the room until the case is over. The room is bleached (full concentration) from top to bottom afterwards.

Why is that we aren't hearing more about this. The reality is CJD is in the American food chain.

The old adage you are what you eat rings truer more and more each year. I've chosen not to eat meat because (aside from the obvious reduction in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, all forms of cancer) why do I want to eat contaminated, medically-enhanced meat?

ch555x said...

"The swine flu makes my conspiracy mind think maybe this is some sort of biological attack. I could be wrong, but you never know when it comes to crap in this world."-Blinders Off

My conspiracy theory sense sort of tingled, too.

LOL @Texas governor.

They said this "swine flu" has cases in Isreal and New Zealand of all places. Just practice hygiene and it will HOPEFULLY pass by.

Mz.Bria2U said...

great posting as usual..i read it while i was eating my egg/bacon sandwich!! lol

Have a great day :)

Anonymous said...

The last place I would look to for culinary advice is the Bible or any other religious text. All of these pork haters will turn right around and eat Turkey Bacon, whatever that is. Here's newsflash to you pork haters: Turkey ain't got no bacon!! Turkeys are related to buzzards. Think about that. Turkey bacon ia a manmade turkey equivalent of the McRib, yet you people have nerve to look down on othose of us who enjoy some good natural bacon from a pig!??

Also, heve you ever noticed how pork haters will guzzle a 40 oz and smoke a joint without batting an eye, but then will tell you that you are unholy because you eat pork? Hmmph.!

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to SARS?






Monie

Javier said...

Those saying that eating the pork/chicken/beef is not causing the spread of disease is missing the point.

Most of the meat in this world is now produced on CAFOs or factory farms. If the demand for the meat didn't exist there wouldn't be any money in factory "farming". These germ incubators they call CAFOs would cease to exist and you wouldn't have more virulent strains of diseases entering the human population.

For you reading enjoyment:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html

DuchessDee said...

Sorry, FN, but i will not give up my ham, bacon, or pork chops. I have given up beef. Havent had the stuff in over 3 years. Also, i do not get the flu shot. Dont know what they put in besides it never protect you from the current strain anyway. Just more junk put out by the pharmaceutical companies. They always looking for ways to make money ten years down the line.

Liz Ditz said...

The little old white lady from California, here.

As momo and others have said: this isn't a pork-borne illness, it is a respiratory virus. You can't get it from eating pork, you get it from inhaling or being otherwise exposed to air-borne or water-borne virii.

It may be more virulent in Mexico because of demographic differences (among other things, there's been a severe water shortage in Mexico City-->disruptions in sewer, opportunities for fecal contamination, etc.) The severity of the illness may be a function of viral load.

Am I concerned? yes, the same way I'm concerned about The Big One -- the earthquake that's overdue here in the Bay Area.

What I know is that low-income communities will have more morbidity & mortality in both The Big One & a pandemic, when it comes (and like The Big One, it will come).

Is this current A(H1N1) outbreak the pandemic? Maybe.

In addition to the CDC, you all may wish to follow:

Flu Wiki
http://www.fluwikie.com/

Flu Wiki Forum
http://www.newfluwiki2.com/

Effect Measure
http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/

H5N1 (blogging on avian & swine flu)

http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/

Amanda said...

Mr Whitey - the proper adjective for the OT God is smitey. Feel free to use it the next time you refer to Him, :)

Liz Ditz said...

J wrote:

These germ incubators they call CAFOs would cease to exist and you wouldn't have more virulent strains of diseases entering the human population.

For you reading enjoyment:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
David Kirby is a highly unreliable writer who is almost completely ignorant of biology, especially virus evolution. In simple terms, viruses love to recombine. The argument against CAFOs being the only source of recombinant virii is easily refuted by the example of the small farmers in Vietnam (among other places) where birds, pigs, and people living together. That's where the real recombining happens.

Relying on the HuffPo for accurate science news is, well, silly.

Anonymous said...

West Coast; The black community will only be outraged if a caucasian is involved in the perp side. Black kids kill each other every day in every city in this country. Black folk just shake their heads and go on. No parades, no marches, nothing. HOWEVER, when a thug like Oscar Grant is killed, the community mobilizes. Hell, Field keeps a tally of the young black males killed in his city and for each senseless death he simply changes the number. Some on this board think its the po-po that is enemy #1, HA!
Black folk will keep silent because they know whose fault it is and the face aint white.
SHAMEFUL!

Mahndisa S. Rigmaiden said...

04 27 09

FN:
I understand the seriousness of this issue as well. But you do realize that the flu vaccine will not help against this right?

As it stands the efficacy of flu vaccines is questionable at best, but don't get a flu shot and think it will help against this strain. It will not.

La♥audiobooks said...

Sigh. I guess that's no more Blood Pudding for me on Saturdays (pig intestines, blood, seasoning, and rice cooked up).

La♥audiobooks said...

"this isn't a pork-borne illness, it is a respiratory virus. "

Thank you. That's what I was trying to tell people, but everyone has lost their minds about the actual pig meat import where I live. Shucks.

Anonymous said...

Eating cooked pork is not a risk factor for catching the swine flu.
Y'all need a few science classes.

Whitney B. said...

Down here in Mississippi and Louisiana it is blood boudin, if you can get it. Some sneeky Creols and Cajuns do make it and man is it the cat's whiskers.....

Made with pork liver, pork sausage, rice, onions and lots of nice spices, sometimes hot and sometimes not and then boiled in pigs blood. Yum!

I'm a big fan of blood soups; sheep, pork, beef, goat, but not the birdie blood. No sir!

cinco said...

What people really fear is dying...

Here in New England we have recent outbreaks of contaminated water, people are going crazy about it too. Bottled water is becoming so valuable now like gold.

The media does little to help the situation. They want us to be a nation of fear. Most things in abundance are harmful to your well being. We are responsible for what we choose to ingest.

You can walk around in a perpetual state of fear. Do we realize the 'natural' germs on our skin, our eye lashes, at every turn we make? Best protection is to wash your hands often; avoid people with known respirtory illness, and if your immunity is compromised stay the Hell isolated from the world!

I have to agree with others, shrimp, lobster, catfish are leading the pack in grime scroungers...everything is 'bad' in extremes.

But hey, we all have to die one day.

Dr. Nuwang said...

Anonymous said...
Eating cooked pork is not a risk factor for catching the swine flu.
Y'all need a few science classes.
-----------------------------------

I don't think FN seriously meant that eating pork prevents swine flu.

I think he just humorously used the situation to jump on the "don't eat swine" bandwagon.

OTOH, if a prion can survive being cooked and still cause disease, it isn't completely outside the realm of possibility to think a bacteria could do the same.

Ever heard of a thermophile? And BTW, I'm a Scientist.

Blinders Off said...

Humor makes life less stressful...NOT worried about getting the swine flu from eating meat from the pig :)


Back to my conspiracy mind:

There has been one successful biological attack in the United States…The Rajneeshee Bioterror Attack

In 1984 hundreds of people in Dalles, Oregon became ill with food poisoning. Local, state, and federal disease detectives slowly unraveled the medical mystery. Along with a unique strain of bacteria, they discovered a religious cult’s bizarre plot to overthrow the government—using germ warfare.

Google the Rajneeshee Cult

Anonymous said...

Field, why do I feel like I'm talkin to Jules Winfield???? OK, I'll be Vincent Vega...

But Bacon tastes GOOD......
Pork Chops taste GOOD.........

You know what they call a quarter pounder with Cheese in Paris???

Frank

field negro said...

Whitney B I know all about that blood boudin, my father in law has made that a time or two down in Opelousas,La.BTW, isn't it against the law?

I fooled around and started a blog and attracted some really smart people. Some of this stuff you all are saying is way over my big head:)

Anon 2:26PM I couldn't tell you the last time I sat through a science class.:)

Hathor,thanks for the 411 on that
cult.

tjwash said...

Yikes...my wife works in Chula Vista with a lot of folks from Mexico, and just got sick. She just called me and said she is leaving work and going home sick.

Normally I would not worry, but I am starting to get frazzled...

Anonymous said...

All the healthnuts and pork haters are also the sme people who refuse to immunize their children and get flu vaccines--as they drink their 40oz'. I think I will keep getting my health advice from scientists and doctors. Not people trying to seel books, faith and snake oil. We'll see who survives the next measles outbreak (which wouldn't happen, by the way, if all of you idiots immunized your kids!).

Saleema said...

Field, I got a flu shot this flu season for the first time in my life and I have come down with the flu FOUR times. Before I only got it once during the flu season.

No more flu shots for me. I am broke cuz I get paid by the hour and I missed 1 mont of work because I came down with it right after I got over one. Ugh.

Anyway, finding out that you were raised an Seventh Day Adventist sheds a lot of light on your suppor for Israel, even though it's the last remaing colonial power in the modern world. Someone tell them welcome to the 21st century, the era of colonialism is over.

By the way, not eating swine does not make one immune from the swine flu. So do lots of handwashing and stay away from sick people!

La♥audiobooks said...

I don't know Field, I wasn't even aware of that. I know here in the "United States Murder Islands", you can get it from a couple street vendors (scaaaary I know). Heck, a big supermarket we had which was out of Puerto Rico was selling it a few years ago in the frozen meat dept, LOL.

Whitnet B, "but not the birdie blood. No sir!" LOL.

Anony 2:26 pm, um I think Field and most of us were being a little tongue-in-cheek. You'll get over it.

Coquinegra said...

Ummm, being that bird viruses cross more than porcine ones--you planing on giving up chicken? I presume you don't eat monkey, but simian virus cross into humans relatively often too.

Anonymous said...

Sorry but you will have to pull bacon out of my cold dead hands. LOL

Seriously, I was a vegetarian for a while and it was bacon of all things that made me give it up. I'm sorry but turkey bacon and turkey sausage is just nasty.

Never thought I would agree with Drackman... those lines from Pulp Fiction were classic and sums up my thoughts on pork.

friends of ron mexico said...

Thanks to all the liberal p.c. crap we are running out of names to call mexicans.

When a Obama photo-op goes wrong-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn0tMMYEkQU

Javier said...

Liz Ditz:

Go look at the videos on GoVeg.com. You will see actual footage of how diseased animals are enter the food chain.

I don't recall referring to the article as science. I do recall referring it to bring to light the disease infestation that is associated with meats grown on factory farms and processed in slaughterhouses. If more people had an idea what it takes to get that steak to their table they'd probably stay away from it altogether.

Watched a documentary called The Beautiful Truth. It was about a doctor who cured, yes cured, cancer by dietary changes in his patients. He was discredited by the AMA and the pharma industry as being a quack. Can't make money off of healthy people now can you.

Jamerican Muslimah said...

Told y'all to stop eating pork.

Hathor said...

FN,
Thank Blinders Off.Saleema,
I doubt that you had the flu four times.

Someone warned those with low immunity to stay home. As a transplant patient, I'm in a Catch 22, need to work to keep my health care. Since most of the cases have been much milder that in Mexico, I hoping that if I do catch it that with the antiviral drugs. I am just staying calm, because other than proper hygiene, there's nothing I can do.

cinco said...

There are hundreds of types of viruses-that cause colds, flus'rar infections. 'pink eye', and the list is endless. Medications for viruses treat the symptoms that they cause. Viruses can 'mutate' and change just enough that new medicine is developed to treat old symptoms caused by a mutated microbe.

*wash your hands frequently. That's the easiest defense mechanism.

Anonymous said...

This is not being handled right.To encourage folks to be afraid of anyone coughing is ridiculous. And then what is going to happen when you sit in the doctor's waiting room: da dum...you'll catch swine flu from another. So why go there. And then I love: stay home from work. Come ON People; how many people stay home for weeks...talking about loosing jobs--try that excuse and your manager will want a doctor's excuse: back to the doctor's waiting room and to think you may have just had the "normal flu" which will now turn into swine flu. I tell ya before this is over some communities will be quarantined: and I wonder just which communities. Come On people; just watch what you eat, wash your hands and keep your mouth closed while in public. Yes mouth closed. Those hairs in your nose are for filtering. Swine flu behind all of this other stuff in the economy is just to coincendental for me....Think folks. Who stands to gain from this???the vaccine industry. The folks who want to see your community on quarantine. Think my friends.

west coast story said...

I love conspiracy theorists. And it's always about getting rid of black people. That's why the swine flu showed up in Mexico first. Ho, boy.

Getting a flu shot does not mean you won't get the flu. Every year they roll the dice on what they think will be the flu strain du jour. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are not. There are many different viruses going around as someone stated and if you got sick four times you probably had four different bacterial/viral infections.

Finally, let's put the last old spouses tale to rest. The flu shot does not cause the flu. They have not used live cultures since the 1970's. The only way you might get sick from a flu shot is if you are already infected with something. That's why they ask you if you are running a fever when you go to get the shot.

I heard a report last night that one possible reason that this flu isn't making people in the US as sick is because so many people have received flu shots over the years and there is some resulting partial immunity to this particular strain (HC1something or other). Although the swine flu strain is apparently very similar to the last year's flu shot, last year's flu shot won't protect you from swine flu.

I'm not a doctor, I just play one on the internet.

You should be washing your hands every time you come in from being out and about. If you are out and about to eat something with your hands, you should be using those little anti bacterial towelettes or washes. Wash your hands before you touch any food. Even the grocery stores recognize how filthy their grocery carts are and offer antibacterial wipes by the grocery cart area.

Class is over for today.

Anonymous said...

you cannot get swine flu from eating pork.
pigs poop, and when they do flies get in it and pick up the virus who then transmit it to humans who then give it to each other.
you can cook almost any bacteria out of meat if you cook it a high enough temperature.
google smithfield factory farms if you want to know where this strain of flu came from. in feb. the inhabitants of a small town in mexico came down with this flu. 12 miles away is one of the largest factory hog farms in the world.

SagaciousHillbilly said...

YAAAAAWN, Another crisis to scare the proles. Flu breaks out all the time. People die from it. Mostly old people.
Pigs are not causing this or any other outbreak of flu.
In fact, I'm going out today and buying a couple pork shoulders, a couple racks of ribs and maybe grabbing a couple chickens from the barnyard (that are infected with bird flu, no doubt) and firing up the smoker!

Oh wait, there's one of my chickens now screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

cinco said...

If you really want to know how our country operates, read "The Culture of Fear" by Barry Glassner.

Anything is possible.

Take a simple thing like the weather, if it's not a snow storm it's a tornado, hurricane, mudslide, raging fire, heatwave...blah, blah, blah. All that 'worry' about something you have no control over and can't do a damn thing about. Insane.

PALGOLAK said...

There are too many comments for me to read through before posting (I am at work and therefore have to do this quickly) but I should point out that swine flu cannot be caught by eating pork. Even raw pork!

It is transmitted by respiratory means, just like any other kind of flu.

Peace out!