"H-1-N-What? We Can Do So Much Better, People," says our pal Al Kamen, announcing the latest Loop contest

"The media seem to be pretty much sticking with swine flu," Al writes in today's "In the Loop" column, "and that's bad news for the country's 67,000 pork producers." But maybe we just need some swine-friendlier imagery. Like, who would want to bust Porky Pig's chops?

by Ken

It was our Washington Post "In the Loop" pal Al Kamen who clued us in to the e-mail sent out to all Democratic press secretaries by House Ag Committee communications director April Slayton with the "request" to "avoid using a pig in any graphics for the current flu outbreak that you are creating for your website and other media," and in general to avoid use of the pork-unfriendly moniker "swine flu."

The press secretaries may have gotten the message, but the press hasn't, and the public sure hasn't. Quick, what's the appropriate CDC-sanctioned name for the new flu? "N1H1," you say? Oh, that's so close! But I'm afraid you're eliminated. Thanks for playing our game.

"The letter-number thing won't stick," Al insists. "H1N1 is just too cumbersome and wholly lacking in imagery. You can't get the public to focus on, and take measures to prevent, something they can't even remember, let alone visualize."

Loop fans to the rescue, says Al.

It's time for the Loop Name the Flu contest. Yes, simply come up with a better name -- more accurate than swine flu, less wonky than H1N1 -- for the virus. Something that people can remember, that might help remind them to wash their hands regularly, stay home if they have symptoms and so on.

The 10 winners will receive one of those coveted, fine-quality, In the Loop T-shirts.

Details on-site. The deadline is midnight, Wednesday, May 13. As long-time readers know, we take Loop contests seriously. (We want us one of them Loop T-shirts.) Come on, DWT gang, let's get those thinking caps on.

#

"Please, no pig graphics!" Then how're you gonna illustrate stories about swine flu . . . er, about H1N1? We've got just the answer!

The new poster boy for H1N1?

In another Loop scoop, Al Kamen has the story in today's Washington Post of how "House Agriculture Committee communications director April Slayton sent an e-mail late Wednesday to all 'Democratic press secretaries'":

"If I could make a request, please avoid using a pig in any graphics for the current flu outbreak that you are creating for your website and other media," she wrote, noting that the current flu outbreak is most properly called "H1N1 flu." The moniker swine flu "suggests that people are getting sick through consumption of pork products, which is not correct." She attached [Agriculture Secretary Tom] Vilsack's statement.

"If you could please try to refrain from using 'swine flu' to refer to the outbreak (and please no pig graphics), this would be extremely helpful as the U.S. tries to maintain international trade and consumer confidence in our nation's swine industry," Slayton urged.

Good luck with that.

So, you need a graphic stand-in for swine? Don't even give it a second thought. (See above... or for those with less imagination, this.) -- Ken


UPDATE

Well, well... look what Ken (and George Harrison) inspired: