On the other hand, something that promotes web conferencing so I don't have to leave my computer for a meeting for which I have no real input and where I'd have to HIDE my doodling... Well, I'm all for that! :-p

In all fairness, though, they are delicious.

quiet - the warning sign that a kid is up to something you likely don't want to know about. . . .

That kid's immune system is a fortress with walls 100 feet high and 30 feet thick, bristling with guard towers full of sharpshooters, with searchlights constantly playing about the periphery.

You said "pigs don't carry H1N1." I'm saying that's false -- a separate issue from your quote.

Roughly 35,000 people die in the U.S. every year from the regular flu. The U.S. currently has ONE swine flu death and that was an infant from Mexico who was already very sick by the time he/she got here. The deaths in Mexico, while tragic and unfortunate, are pretty low in number and easily attributed to their crap health care system.

So ... what am I missing? This is an honest question. I just don't see it.

God will always protect the insane, the child and the terminally stupid from themselves.

I now believe in that as true as all of the rules made by Mr. Murphy.

@Shadowman615: Uh. Yeah. I am.

All you did was read the wiki article title (lol, wiki as a source) and see "Swine flu" and assume it was the same thing. Without actually reading the rest.

e 2009 flu outbreak in humans that is widely known as "swine flu" technically is not swine flu. It is due to a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that derives from one strain of human influenza, one strain of avian influenza, and two separate strains of swine influenza.

So um. Yeah.

@satindevil: And your kid is more likely to lick the bottom of your shoe, after tou stepped in dog poop and get sick.

@Ayarkay: Or just if they rename it from Swine Flu to Mexico Flu.

@PersonalBest: "far worse than this" ... hyperbole much? Pigs aren't dirty animals. That's a myth.

@humphrmi: Well, since pigs don't carry H1N1, then the parents were not being stupid at all.

The worst she's done so far is, during a dirty diaper change stick her hand "down there" and immediately try to put it in her mouth... I did definitely stop her from doing that. Mostly because I didn't want to clean up vomit (hers and mine) moreso than any concern for her health.

But seriously, I don't find it distasteful for the company to promote its services in conjunction with the outbreak. Corporate teleconferencing is such a better alternative in terms of cutting corporate bloat and environmental friendliness.

This photo was being sent around at my job several days ago. I have kids, and I know they do nasty stuff, but eeewwww!
Also, my company has worldwide business units and is encouraging interweb conferencing.
Some of the school districts nearby have closed til at least May 11. And they're encouraging parents not to take their kids to daycare centers. My kids are grown, but I feel for the people who have young kids that need supervision but cannot afford to take time off from work.

The key thing to remember is that this E-mail was sent to their SUBSCRIBERS, people who have already shown interest in the product. The other thing to remember is that Mikogo is free, so they are not really selling anything, they are simply using the flu outbreak to try to gain exposure in a legitamate way.

My brother (now 27) drank lighter fluid when he was 2. Dad was busy with an arm full or burgers going on the grill.

I touched my tongue to a plugged-up power cord (y'know - kind that plugs into the wall and then into the radio).

My cousin ate a cockroach.

Maybe companies will realize that they can save money too...

Nice fear mongering in the statement. Using "disaster" boarders on irresponsible.

I am waiting for the telepresence companies to start promoting their products as well. If I have to mention any names, then you aren't watching enough tv shows where they have taken product placement to a new high.

That picture is amazing.

So...is this a bad time to market my line of condoms made from bacon?

@Rectilinear Propagation: Out of all Tightlines' suggestions, you comment on the non-funny one. Granted, though, you are correct.

@PersonalBest: Except for the current swine flu (correction: 2009 H1N1 Flu) issue, pigs are extrememly clean and a kid licking a pig would be more likely to infect the pig than the kid. So assuming the pic was snapped before H1N1, the parents were probably not being stupid.

@Ayarkay: THAT was FTW. Nice one.

@snowburnt: That is NOT true. I've raised pigs. Yes, I was a 4-H'er during my formative years. Despite HUGE pens (roughly 40' x 40') for two pigs, they still shat in their food trough, pissed where they slept, and would eat ANYTHING that somehow made its way into the pen. Yeah, a three-year-old might stick random off-the-floor objects in his/her mouth, but I can't let you claim pigs are either clean OR as smart as young children.

Then again, I think the Mexico City office has about six people in it (the largest of several US offices has about 1200) so I doubt many folks were on their way there anyway.

@CaptZ: The parents aren't stupid.

@PersonalBest: LMAO. I'm sorry, but kids get into far worse.

@Tightlines: That doesn't actually help much if you're trying not to catch it. If you're trying not to spread disease have at it but it's a waste if you're healthy.

And now, in deference to the pork producers, my pathetic home state has stopped referring to H1N1 as Swine Flu.
[www.newsnetnebraska.org]

They are horribly mistreated by pork producers, being kept in cages where they can't move, are constantly prodded and beaten.

You shall prevail.

Pecan-ewe
Pecan-ewe
To your followers be true
Pecan-ewe!

Nothing will desensitize you to a little bit of mud and pig snot quicker than having a kid. They get in to everything and you quickly just become glad they're not doing anything potentially fatal.

"There has been alot of concern over the global disaster inflicted by the swine flu."

I'd call that some exaggeration.

And the fact that they sent out that email strongly implies that "using the product will keep people safe from the flu."

That said... you in the black jacket and blue shirt I spotted on the Metro stuffing your used and nasty snot tissues into the back of the seat, I saw you. You better hope you don't have the swine flu. If you do, there will be a manhunt.

Companies should have been more proactive about telecommuting options, even if just for a fall back plan for situations like this. It was pointed out on the morning news that a bigger problem was schools closing and parents not having anywhere to keep kids during work hours leading to lost productivity and lost income. Schools could have planned better by having more online classroom options set up so kids can do at least some of their work from home.

That picture is awesome.

I don't see a problem with a company selling something by honestly pointing out that their product can help a business keep running normally if there is a flu outbreak and people need to work from home and avoid gathering in groups. There may be a very real need for this kind of thing and they are pointing that out. They may be pointing it out a little early, but they're not being dishonest.

They're not creating a need that didn't exist before and then filling it. For example selling people on the idea that their houses need to be germ free and selling them a ridiculous number of expensive cleaning agents.

They're not selling them something that doesn't work.

They're not exaggerating the benefits/drawbacks of using/not using their product - they're not saying that using the product will keep their employees safe from the flu or that not using it will kill them.

They're also not making up words (my advertising pet peeve), like claiming a new skin cream has "smoothening agents" or that a snack has "crunchability."

Parents....stupid stupid parents.

They more than likely told the child to kiss the pig for the sake of a good picture.