Pigs we love

I get some really weird e-mails, but some can be a reason to smile on even a dreary day.

Now, not that the swine flu is anyhing to smile about, but this is all about shedding a positive light on our pot-bellied friends. Even U.S. officials want to take away any taint on pork by renaming the virus at the center of the latest flu outbreak "H1N1."

For Item- Miss Piggy Tops List of Swine We Love

The Web site Asylum.com have taken it a step further, reminding us of some pigs we loved before tfears of the swine flu overtook public opinion.

"We at Asylum feel it's time to stand up for the pig. (With respect to those suffering from their flu, of course.)" the Web site says.

They have a top 10 list of their favorite pigs, which I have abbreviated below.  I would like to add to that the Muppets' "Pigs in Space," although perhaps Miss Piggy is woman enough to account for that group all by herself. They also dismissed Pooh's friend Piglet as annoying, to which I say, "Hogwash!"

Per Asylum:

10. Vance from "Big Top Pee-Wee": Before Babe there was Vance, the talking pig who assisted Pee-Wee in his bizarre hot-dog-tree-growing experiments and put up with his tiresome romantic entanglements.

9. Napoleon from "Animal Farm": We approve of any boar who is a rotund stand-in for Stalinism.

8. "Spider-Pig/Harry Plopper" from "The Simpsons Movie"

7. Orson Pig from "Garfield and Friends": As part of the "and Friends" section of Garfield's Saturday morning adventures, Orson defied pig logic by being both book smart and a neat freak.

6. Arnold Ziffel from "Green Acres": Arnold was the breakout star of the show -- playing the piano, drinking soda from a bottle, watching TV, and generally doing things pigs are physically and mentally incapable of accomplishing.

5. The Piggly Wiggly Pig: Not only does Mr. Pig, aka the mascot for the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain, fall under the disturbing category of animal mascots begging to be devoured, he's also the most steadily employed swine in the bunch.

4. Porky Pig: Porky single-handedly proved the theory that if a pig wears a blue vest and a bow tie, he instantly becomes too adorable to slap mustard on and pair with a side of applesauce.

3. Babe: Smart, adorable, and with the voice of Bobby Hill, Babe is the only pig with an Oscar nomination under his belt.

2. Wilbur from "Charlotte's Web": Star of one of the most beloved books in all of literature.

1. Miss Piggy: Singer, lover, karate expert -- Piggy, er, Miss Piggy is the biggest Muppet star of them all.