Swine Flu

1. There are hundreds of thousands more cases of swine flu out there than have been documented as most cases are mild and do not take people to the doctor. Also people who went to the doctor's a week or so ago were not even being checked. (I am still coughing.)
2. The reason so many people died in 1918 was that there were no antibiotics to treat bacterial complications. General living conditions in cities were much more unhygienic. Many of the people who died were suspected of having mild cases of TB, common at the time, which weakened their lungs. (I lost a grandmother and an uncle.)
3. The media infused panic is going to cost a lot more than the flu itself as people hole up and the economy slows even further. This may be the swine bristle that breaks the back of Mexico.
4. The putrid Smithfield hog farm in Mexico that is supposedly at the center of the outbreak is due to be sold to a Chinese firm that is looking to get into hog farms in a big way. Pigs are mostly grown in China in small numbers on family farms. But Chinese are starting to eat more meat, so hog farms are on the way. Why do I not feel good about this prospect?
5. Pork is dropping in price. Now is the time to stock up for slow cooked pulled pork.