Filthy foreigners
So Stupid Woman at work has got on a new bandwagon (tricky since she'd already got on her high horse).

In a couple of weeks time she, along with several other parents of kids at her school, will be hosting a group of Chilean exchange students. Now she's worried about them infecting her kids with Swine Flu. Having finally been convinced that we're not all going to die, she's come up with another reason this is terrible: her kids have exams coming up which they might miss if they get flu. She can't understand why the other parents aren't as panicky and xenophobic as she is (although she calls it "concerned").

I pointed out:

Suspected cases of swine flu in the UK: 1
Confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK: 33
Suspected cases of swine flu in Chile: 0
Confirmed cases of swine flu in Chile: 0

which might explain it. If anyone's being subjected to increased risk of Swine Flu it's the Chileans.

What was your last encounter with a Daily Mail reader?
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Wed 6 May 2009, 9:44, 10 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I saw my first
surgical mask wearer on the tube last night.

The whole carriage ripped right into her - fake sneezes etc - I almost felt sorry for the silly arse. Almost.

It was a somewhat twisted version of the 'Blitz spirit' - everyone joined in together and overcame their stuffiness for a common cause.

That the 'cause' in question was sustained public mockery of a complete stranger made me proud to be British for a nanosecond.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 6 May 2009, 9:53, Reply)

Not recent but applicable...
Two years ago when Gloucestershire flooded I heard a woman in Tewkesbury suggest that it was caused by 'bloody Latvians'. When asked how this could be she suggested that as there are so many of them living in the area, extra houses had to be be built - which in turn put an undue strain on the sewers that were built 'for English folk' and that in turn made the river banks burst.

Her solution was genius though...

'Send them back to bloody Latvia.'

(And the good news is we are still together and getting married in August.)
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Wed 6 May 2009, 9:54, Reply)

Monty
I salute you. That made me chuckle.


There was a girl who called into Radio 1 the other day saying she had even gone out and bought extra tissues in case she was told about a curfew. Didn't mention anything about food though.
(Ethelred is watching cheese grow, Wed 6 May 2009, 9:55, Reply)

Daily Mail readers?
Not round our way. I had a look at the newspapers on my neighbours doorsteps when I was calling in our cat, Adolf.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Wed 6 May 2009, 9:58, Reply)

My father in law.
Regularly. He points out the scare mongering headlines and worrying articles. I then point out the language of possibilities used (could cause, may cause, could possibly etc) and ask him why he still doesn't read the articles critically. I've been doing this for about 25 years and I won't give up. It's a matter of personal pride now. On their return from holiday (late on a saturday) the other week I had bought him the Times. Babysteps.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 6 May 2009, 10:02, Reply)

I saw two people with surgical masks last night on the tube
so I did my best to spread my admittedly weak cold to them.
( fuck shit up the best you never had, Wed 6 May 2009, 10:21, Reply)

Just this morning
the word C00n popped up in passing conversation, as it does.
She replied to which with the comment
"You don't hear that word much anymore. Although it is making a comeback. That's probably because everybody's sick of them now".
(TheColonel, Wed 6 May 2009, 10:57, Reply)

On a slight tangent, which your use of the word has just reminded me of
A few years ago I was pissed up at a mate's house, post-pub, having a smoke and watching some shite R&B music video channel on Sky. You know the sort of thing, lots of scantily clad black women shaking their booty around hip hop stars dripping with bling, etc.

Thing was, the legend in the corner of the screen (I think it was the name of the program/current theme rather than the channel) was 'JUICY COONS' in big pink letters. We were absolutely staggered, surely you can't put that on TV?!? In fairness, it was a pretty good, if slightly politically incorrect, description of what was on the channel, but that can't be allowed in this day and age?!

It took us far longer than it should have done to discern the fact that it actually said 'JUICY CHOONS' (in our defence, we were shitfaced). Made much more sense.

Am I secretly a bigot? Should I start buying the Daily Mail?
(username1, Wed 6 May 2009, 11:01, Reply)

wwwwweeeeellllll.......
while I am anti media hype it is worth remembering that the Spanish flu, (call it what you may), took quite a while to get serious. Obviously the world wasn't as connected then but apparently a few folk got sick, then a few more, then few more and no one thought it was an issue but suddenly after a couple of months loads of folk got sick, and plenty died.

While I say plenty died, it seems that only a few, percent-wise, of those infected actually died so the odds of survival weren't bad with that pandemic (vs the odds of infection which it seems were pretty high) - but the point is these flu type things can change with time and they can take a while to take root and then speed up... they adapt, morph, combat, strengthen, drift... whatever. So while we may scoff today (me included) about the pigflu it might be worth remembering that this is something we know fuck all about and your online wit and photoshop skills will mean less that my stockpile of seafood pasta, dehydrated water and .270 ammo if the shit hit the fan.

Which it wont.

Of course.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Wed 6 May 2009, 11:06, Reply)

^
Oh yeah? Should there be a crisis me and Mr Shotgun will be coming for your stockpile of yummy snacks. (After we have hit Boots and the off license.)
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Wed 6 May 2009, 11:40, Reply)