Via Twitter:

Previously, I wrote that Stephen Colbert might be the instigator of some sort of upcoming “Restoring Truthiness” rally to counteract Glenn Beck’s own “Restoring Honor” rally on Aug. 28, but as it turns out, Jon Stewart made the announcement Sept. 16 that The Daily Show staff (and most likely Colbert with him) are organizing an actual rally on Oct. 30 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Here is a link to the official site. And here is the video:

Correction: Colbert is, indeed, planning his own rally, and it’s called the March to Keep Fear Alive rally, and it will be held the same day in Washington. Here’s the announcement:

Here, I won’t refer to this flu strain as anything other than its quasi-official name, the 2009 H1N1 flu, and I’m glad to report, as of now, I don’t have it. Or else, I would probably be typing this from a hospital, and likely trying to hack an IV pump, hoping to access the Internet bedside. And you won’t hear any reference to that animal that wallows in its own feces anywhere in this post, thanks.

Now, to say that this thing has been blown giantly out of proportion, say like the avian flu or SARS, is probably an understatement, as media types everywhere toss the word “pandemic” around like a hacky sack (Yes, I’ve used that phraseology before). Folks, it’s a strain of the flu, no more, no less. It’s treatable by antiviral medicines, and if caught within the first two days or so, can make the patient feel better quite soon. It’s not HIV. It’s not the Black Plague. It’s the flu. So, if you get flu-like symptoms, get yourself to the doctor asap. But fears, irrational fears, still mount, most of them media-driven, despite the fact that the word “pandemic”

will be used ‘even if the new virus turns out to cause mainly mild symptoms.’ — The New York Times news blog, Blaming ‘Media Hype’ for Swine Flu Fears, May 1, 2009

Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, brings light to the media’s enchantment with another worldwide catastrophe better than I ever could: