Un-Chic Things Weekly: The Flu

In 2005, there was Bird Flu--which was way cool:

Then in 2009 there was Swine Flu--which was also exciting because it felt like Animal Farm had become real:

and now...

REGULAR FLU.

Yawn.

I had the flu once in my life. Nobody (not even ABC) believes me when I say I got the flu the one time I consented to receiving the shot--but I DID. Suffice to say, I did not get the flu shot this season.
Am I second-guessing myself for this decision? Definitely not. Avoiding contraction of the regular flu is not simply a question of having or not having the vaccine--its a question of one's biological and social fitness. The street cred of an epidemic pales in comparison to that of a pandemic. I'm not worried.

Nonetheless, all the flu-steria monopolizing the news has me slightly interested. I have delved a bit deeper into the subject and have uncovered a few disturbing facts. Take it away, Fox News:

"While the flu actually comes from horses [and pigs]...."

I'm sorry, what? Ew. No. Pigs sure, but horses?  

"...ducks are actually the most common source of the virus. In fact, flu research centers keep on hand many thousands of samples of duck livers, hearts and other organs, as references for different strains of influenza."

You think you can trust some animals to just be cute and harmless, and the truth is you just CAN'T.

The same article also seems to be promoting something called the Elderberry. If an epidemic can be avoided by simply eating more of a glorified blueberry then I really just don't need to hear about it. As a species I think we're becoming soft.

Can you tell I'm really disappointed this most recent bout of the flu isn't more serious?