Swine flu apocalypse?

Conspiracy buffs have latched onto this rather alarming brochure for a conference -- held last week -- on the possible ramifications of the H1N1 flu. That flu, as you may know, is a rather more benign (so far) outbreak of the same pathogen that caused the great post-WWI pandemic. The brochure conjures up some frightening scenarios -- continuity of government planning, mass quarantines, evacuations, that sort of thing.

Here's a video by actor-turned-evangelist Jesse Woodrue. You can guess what he thinks about all of this. Some of the YouTube commenters frighten me more than the virus does. Needless to say, the Alex Jonesians are doing their usual shtick: False flag! False flag! Swine flu is a gummint plot to take away our guns and our civil liberties! The Ron Paulicans are screeching a very similar song.

Before everyone goes completely bonkers, let me make a few points:

1. The brochure seems to cast an eye toward the absolute worst-case scenario. Discussing such a scenario is hardly a bad thing. In fact, not discussing the possibility of a crisis would be irresponsible. Millions died the last time this pathogen turned up. No-one's entirely certain why the strain has (so far) proven far less malign in its current manifestation.

2. All sorts of conferences go on all the time. They are lucrative for the organizers, and they give attendees an excuse for a business trip/vacay.

3. The meeting advertised by this brochure was not sponsored by the American government. Or rather: If the government was behind this thing, its sponsorship is hidden.

If you look at who actually put on this shindig -- and few of the sensationalists have done so -- you'll find this phrase at the very end of the brochure: "Produced by New Fields Exhibitions, Inc." As Jerry Seinfeld might ask: Who are these people?

I'm not sure. I'm not even sure if "people" (plural) is the correct term. This site provides "vital info" on small businesses -- and from it, we learn that New Fields Exhibitions Inc. may not be such a big damn deal:

Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $34,000 and employs a staff of approximately 1.

Here's the website. If you click on the "About Us" tab, you get a "404 -- not found" page. Same thing with the other tabs, such as "NF in the media" and "Press contacts."

Not very professional.

I'm not saying that this is one of those fake websites, like the ones that Brent Wilkes had going. I'm just saying...not very professional.

Those who attended had to fork over $2,785 to the good people -- person? -- at New Fields. If I had that kind of cash, I'd like to learn more about the firm before handing over the dough.

A smallish crowd did show up. CSPAN covered some of the proceedings. The video features keynote speaker Stephen Sroka, who seems like a nice guy, even if he is kind of bug-eyed and bizarre -- a combo of George Carlin and Tony Robbins. At any rate, he spoke about the need to tell the citizenry to wash their hands and to stay home when ill. Good advice. While listening to him, I felt no urge to break open the Book of Revelation.

I'm not saying that H1N1 is unimportant. Indeed, it could become the most important immediate threat facing this nation. That possibility exists. Still, I see no reason for conspiracy buffs to use this pamphlet as the basis for their latest exercise in Illuminati-gonna-getcha paranoia.