Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

May 5, 2009

The feared swine flu pandemic may be fizzling, but online games based on the H1N1 virus continue to proliferate. Today we'll look at two new offerings.

Based on simple keyboard movement system, Stop Swine Flu requires only that players maneuver their character near others and sneeze. Scoring is based on whether one's germs have infected a child, adult or senior citizen.

The game was commissioned by the Wellcome Trust, which the New York Times points out is the world's second largest charity, right behind The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Daniel Glaser, who heads special projects for the Wellcome Trust, told the NYT:

We did it to engage the older teen audience and teach them that where you sneeze matters. All the science is embedded in a contest that will look familiar to the YouTube generation.

[The idea of the game is] no sicker than Ring Around the Rosy, which is alleged to date from the time of the plague. People have always caught virus and died. I don’t think there’s anything inappropriate about it.

PC Authority points us to the simple-minded Swine Flu: Hamdemic which inexplicably challenges players to hurl pigs across the U.S. - Mexico border.

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Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Hey, remember when I said swine flu was nothing to be worried about and that the WHO and CDC were overblowing it?  OH MAN.  Right again.

Also, why the hell would a charity organization pay to have this crap made.  Seriously, that sounds like a waste of valuable grant money that could go to, I don't know, useful research of some kind.

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

I think it was more the media overblowing it than the WHO and CDC. Kinda like with SARS, bird flu, mad cow, etc.

-Gray17

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

The media wasn't the group that wasted 1.5 Billion dollars on Tamiflu.  That was all the CDC and the WHO, claiming we were facing the next big pandemic.

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Was your argument based on expert opinion to which the WHO and CDC did not have access, or were you merely playing armchair virologist for political rather than scientific reasons?

I'm saying there's a difference between being right and knowing you're right.

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Actually, it was based on the fact that, through the use of statistics, I found it to kill less people and infect less people than the run of the mill flu.  Later on, virologists would confirm what I had realized to begin with, especially the one who said it lacks certain proteins that make it a less harmful virus.  Can't find the link for it, but it was on yahoo news. 

Plus, I know who has some stock in the company that makes Tamiflu, but that just lead me to realize that the USA would be wasting billions on it knowing we didn't need it.

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Well, a lot of the damage was prevented by the alarms put out by the WHO, if they hadn't put out the warning, media sensationlism or not, then it probably would have been worse.

I'm pleased it doesn't look likely to reach world-wide pandemic stage, normally these things blossom far more explosively if there's a real risk of that, but awareness went a long way to making sure that didn't happen.

However, having scientists walk around saying 'we're about due a pandemic', as though Pandemics were things like Ice Ages, that couldn't be controlled by common sense and precaution, was a bit worrying, pandemics aren't timed events, they are the culmination of ignorance to the threat and insufficient hygeine, keep on top of those and you can go a long way towards preventing an outbreak.

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

"The idea of the game is no sicker than Ring Around the Rosy, which is alleged to date from the time of the plague."

Actually, that's a myth.

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Be afraid...be very afraid.

PSN: bracomadar

VVV PLEASE VISIT MY BLOG VVV

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll20/longtrang83/b-1.jpg

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

There's "Aporkalypse Now!" too - http://www.mousebreaker.com/games/pigfps

Re: Swine Flu Games Continue to Infect the Web

Did anyone see the video of the girl who can't walk normal because of the flu vaccine that she took. Late a night all i see on tv are commercials for hemorrhoid treatment and pills to make guys bigger i can't understand it but i'm lucky to have digital cable and still have normal movies and shows on.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 02/09/10 at 01:18pm
Valdearg: I do agree that it shouldn't be legal. That's for sure.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:14pm
Valdearg: @AE: Doubtful. Again, it's perfectly legal.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:48pm
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:42pm
Valdearg: "There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression." From the Human Rights Campaign.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:40pm
Valdearg: @AE: Why don't you think I'm correct? I know Wiki could be flawed, but as far as it says, its up to date as of June 2009.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:39pm
Andrew Eisen: I don't think you're right but I really don't know and don't have the time to find out. However things actually are, it's very clear how they actually should be.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:34pm
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal." I would disagree. If there's no laws against it, it makes it perfectly legal. It's definitely not right, but perfectly legal to do.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:32pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:26pm
Andrew Eisen: In the US? Not that I'm aware of. Sad if true.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:25pm
Valdearg: @AE: Actually, I think, at least for now, businesses can still discriminate against gays in a few states.. Something like 5 or 8. Its part of why Gay Rights Advocates are in support of the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, or ENDA.
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