Flu viruses are constantly mutating and swapping genetic information. As a result, new varieties come out every so often, resulting in, amongst other things, lost work time and absences from schools. New varieties are usually named for the city or province where they originate.

I predict a new outbreak of flu tomorrow, or today, actually, in selected cities and towns across North America.

Judging from the abundance of high schoolers attending the midnight performance of The Return of the King in our town, I predict a drop in attendance at the local institution of learning in about four hours' time. (Although youngest son's crowd was standing in the parking lot, debating the option of heading out for breakfast and simply staying up all night. In which case, I predict a number of flu-like collapses and loss of attentiveness in the afternoon's classes.) Fortunately, I expect the duration of this illness to be roughly on the order of 24 hours.

Presuming these absences at work and school to be flu-related (or at least, flu-blamed), I suggest we name the newest outbreak the "Minas Tirith" flu.

I think the wife is coming down with it.