oh, I wasn't implying that you had inside knowledge - just wanted to run it by you and see what you know - and I am glad I did :) Thank you for the updated information, I hadn't realized they were doing that. I totally get why they would want to veer away from that sort of thing.

I think that is pretty ridiculous to want them to take down an item just because Ebola is now getting in to America. That is showing that you only care when it effects Americans, and you could care less about the Africans that have died from it previously.

Honestly, it is just pixels. Don't buy the item if it bothers you that much.

The OP isn't even from the US. People really need to stop saying malicious things like "the OP only cares because it's in a first world country now bah". This current outbreak is a big one, and therefore in the news a lot. For all we know the OP could have only just heard of the disease now. It's not the OP's fault that ebola is only just in the news!

And I don't understand why people are so annoyed that people are being "overly sensitive over ebola" at the moment, more awareness means more chance for cures, surely that's a good thing?

(Still don't agree that the item should be taken down or anything, just wow this topic is annoying, Idk why I keep looking at it vows to stay away from now on)

This is the first time I've seen this item...and i'm pretty sure ebola couldn't be transferred that way unless someone ate those worms. Are they edible? Also want to point out that I couldn't find an item similar to cancer, but you can't catch that.

I do think changing it to be an in-world disease would fit better.

Suspending a mildly humorous petsite item that precedes the real-world situation is going to help or protect...who exactly? Who even cares?

So sad that this is even a conversation. This reminds me of book burning.

Only if we can also suspend the fetus pops for as long as people all over the world keep getting pregnant.

- I can't agree with you. I have to agree with and her SJW (social justice warrior) comment on the first page. Ebola has been around for decades and taking any items with the name in it because a few people may be "offended" by them is an example of the political correctness that's negatively affecting this country and this world. People are going to be offended by things no matter what they are and we can't conceivably get rid of every item on here that offends someone or there might not be anything left.

You know, at first I thought this was ridiculous... but then I realised that an item like "Bowl of AIDS" or "Bowl of Cancer" or "Bowl of Hepatitis" would really bother me, and I think (hope) be seen by most as being in bad taste.

Like, I was going to go along and join in scolding the OP for not caring about ebola all the years when it only affected some African countries, but then I was like... maybe I'm guilty of the same thing, if I would see those items so differently.

But maybe it's just inherently in culture, we don't know anyone personally who's died of ebola (and thankfully I doubt that we will), but we do know people who've died of or who have been affected by cancer or HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, etc.

(I like the GiantMicrobes plushies because they include basically every disease. It's just what they do, and people are free to not look at them or buy them. And I know some people affected by some of those viruses or bacteria who buy them as a therapeutic thing. But that's not the same as running into it on Subeta, IMO.)

Anyway, the item doesn't bother me, but I'm kind of wondering if it ought to bother me... just thinking out loud.

I'm in a lot of shock this topic is still open. Have any mods made comments on what will happen yet?

I thought the same thing. Seems a tad much in light of the current crisis in Africa. However, they say you can't please everyone.

I've been thinking about this and yes, the item is in bad taste just as bad as it would be to create a "bowl of AIDS" item. All that can really be done is hope that staff stop making tasteless items and learn from their mistakes. I suppose they could replace the item completely, it's been done before, but I just have to wonder what it would accomplish.

Ugh. Comparing Ebola to AIDS or Cancer? Seriously? Have some perspective, people! There are literally hundreds of items on this site that are potentially more offensive, (A few that I almost couldn't believe were acceptable when I first saw them!) that's why it's a PG 13 site. My advice is "Cool it," "Grow up," and "Carry on."

... What is not to compare them by? They're diseases that can kill people - or is Ebola not such a big deal because Cancer and AIDS affects more people in the 'first world' than Ebola?

I don't think there's anything wrong with the item. It's just a disease. There are a lot of "gross" items on Subeta, some of them named after diseases and very few people care about them. It's easy enough to Adblock the image and avoid the item if it bothers you. It might come up in quests, but really... what does that do to you? Nothing.

lots of stuff kills people. we have swords and guns as items. those have killed many more people than this disease has. o-o and I'm pretty sure they've already said we aren't going to remove the item.

If you would rather focus on the 'third world,' consider this..

On a global scale, the virus is dwarfed by diseases such as Cancer and AIDS so much so that it may as well be nonexistent. The current epidemic is tragic, so is every case of every person dead or dying from any other disease. Have some perspective.

Yes, let's argue over which horrible thing is the most horrible in a topic where literally one person argued for something to be removed over a month ago.

This is a good use of our time.