Officials want to remove the word “swine” from the name of the flu, for fear that it will hurt the pork industry. Mexican Flu is also not kosher, of course. MedFlu isn’t fair to medflies, either. Hannitizer Flu does seem unfair to Shawn Hannity, though it contains the handsanity that experts are recommending. I suggest Congressional Flu, or Murtha Flu, but feel free to suggest your own. Heck, on second

Stupid Obama stunt ruins perfectly good Iowahawk post. Priceless.

with swine flu: More: Far out. But maybe it was just “a furious President Barack Obama.” OMFG.

We’re this much closer to calling things what they are. And that’s nearly always a good thing. From Human Events: HUMAN EVENTS has learned from staff sources that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa) is about to announce his switch to the Democratic Party. Specter, a five-term Republican and ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is facing a tough primary challenge next year from former Club for Growth president Pat Toomey.

by two Americas. Stacy’s got a post up about the desire of some Republicans to separate themselves from the South and fundamentalists, presumably the extremist wing of conservatism. And he’s right to say that the impulse arises out of scorn that in turn arises from buying into the progressive characterization of Southerners (apart from those in Athens, Georgia and Greater San Antonio in Texas, maybe) as backwater hicks. Donald Douglas

I mean, wow. No. Really. Wow. (h/t J Howard) **** update: Like, seriously? WOW!

Michael Barone, Washington Examiner: It is an article of faith among the Madame Defarges that the interrogation techniques they consider torture didn’t produce useful information. All along, Obama tried to pay homage to this dogma. The text of Adm. Blair’s letter released to the public carefully omitted his admission that “high value information came from interrogations in which the methods were used.” Just normal editing, said his spokesman. Yeah, sure.

Or at least, responsible for its spread. Now, if only the government would step in and save us…!**

Via Stacy McCain, via William Teach, comes Pam Gellar noting that Charles thinks he’s got the goods on Malkin to “take the gloves off” and go to war. I think the bicycle gloves might protect his palms if he wants to start a slap-fight, but what do I know? Hey, Pam’s not exactly my cup of tea, most of the time, but Charles’s fixation’s a little weird, IMO. He’s the

OUTLAW? Mark Summers has a beef with the pirates who are seizing cargo ships and taking hostages off the coast of Somalia: They’re ruining his bad name. For years, Mr. Summers has been donning frock coats and plumed hats and rakish red scarves and tucking blunderbusses into his belt to transform himself into Cap’n Slappy. That’s Pirate Capt. Slappy to you, mate. His alter ego symbolizes a spirit of freedom,