The swine flu maneno in the 1970s was actually a key moment in the history of epidemiology politics. It also relates to the history of anti-vaccine activism in important and interesting ways. I should probably write a whole post about it. For now, suffice it to say that the government reaction to the sudden appearance of swine flu on the scene was somewhat bungled, it is probably true that the wrong people got screwed, and the swine flu itself turned out to be a false start. But please also note that the epidemiology of the present swine flu is very different from what we had then. And, we have a Democrat in the White House so the government won’t screw it up as badly.
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or Paperback
*Please note:
Links to books and other items on this page and elsewhere on Greg Ladens' blog may send you to Amazon, where I am a registered affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps to fund this site.
I wonder if Michelle Bachmann has recanted on the whole “last time the swine flu hit, it was a democrat, HOW CONVENIENT” line yet.
In what language is “maneno” out of curiosity? Google suggests it’s about “communication”, based on the hits I see. A few of which mention Africa. So, I’m guessing this dovetails with your travels.
(Something like “wala”, which produced a huge whooshing sound flying over my head the first time I posted here!)
Don’t let Michelle hear you say that.
maneno is just such a kewl word that I think we English speakers should try it on for size.
It means “problem” and I’d love to see it substitute for the recently over-injected “issue”
So instead of:
“Obama had issues with some of his early appointees”
we would say
“Obama’s appointees had a maneno with taxes” or a “Tax maneno”
It is KiSwahili it probably originally meant “words” as in “they’re having words …. they’re arguing” but means, more generally, problem.
A common phrase is “Hapana maneno” which is like the one everyone knows: “Hakuna matata”
Hakuna = there is not any, Mtata or Matata = “evil, danger, difficulty” so “Hakuna matata” = “No problem” .. but in some times/places people instead say “Hapana manano” where “Hapana” = “no” (No problem, or in Spanglish, “No problemo”)
(You can also say “Hakuna maneno” … “Hakuna” here is more “proper” than “Hapana”)
I’ll try it. I assume, mah-NAY-noh?