Monday, August 2, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Gadgets that would make a geek look sexy
By Mario Ramirez, MD
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Beats by Dr. Dre
Nothing would make a geek look Coolie Doolies like a pair of leet headphones. Lebron James handed out a pair of Beats to each and every member of the Cavaliers, never mind if each headphone costs around $200.
Kobe Bryant uses a purple and gold Beats. Paris Hilton digs a white one. So forget about SkullCandy, 3oWz—that’s so Jologs poH. I guarantee you’d look hot in this pair of heads even while bopping your head and listening to “It’s Raining Men.” So, be prepared to get laxadated. Available in the Philippines at http://www.eleksis.com/
Colorwear Stealth Macbook Pro
The Stealth MBP is one of those must-have gadgets that’s near impossible to obtain. Even if you were to sell one of your kidneys, that wouldn’t guarantee you a shot at getting one. Apart from the $5,999 price tag, you’ll have to pull a lot of strings just to get up the rung of the long waiting list. It’s the Enzo Ferrari of MacBook Pros. If you’re a geek and you whip out this ultra rare MBPs, I’m pretty sure girls will be swooning over you in no time. Just watch out for spilled coffee, drooling babes and the Salisi Gang out to snatch your precious Stealth.
The New Apple iPad
No self-respecting geek would be caught reading a book, much more lugging around tons of books in his backpack. That’s just too lamo. Lets face it, the Kindle, or Kindle2 are coolies, but they’re just not nubile enough as an ebook reader. Geeks need something garish and eye catching. Something that shouts, “You don’t have this ... but I do!” So the only gadget that would make a geek ooze with sultriness is the Apple iPad. Why? Because it’s thin enough to use as a fan to cool the hotness off of you and drive the point home as to how sexy you really are. Forget that it doesn’t support Flash, you really don’t need to watch porn in public anyway. Remember you’re a sexy geek not a perv. Also, don’t mind the fact that it does not have a physical keyboard, making it impossible for you to complete your literary work. And besides, who says it’s for work? It’s there only to make you look slinky—consider it the tech equivalent of having a trophy girlfriend. So I suggest you get one now before everyone joins the bandwagon.
Voltaic Solar Backpack
This Generator Backpack does not only ooze with sensuality, it also shouts, “I’m sexy and eco-friendly.” For $299, the backpack will make it worth your while, even when you’re running on Buendia Avenue trying to catch a bus to Manila as your armpits go all slimy with sweat.
With the pack covering your back, you may just get hot enough to allow you to heat up the solar panels even on a cloudy day. That in itself may be enough to power/charge your laptops, music players, Ebook readers, vibrators and other electronic gadgets that would fit in it’s spacious well padded compartment.
So why is it sexy? Well because having an advocacy is tantalizing. People dig guys with a passionate advocacy. So even if all your gadgets would cost you tens of thousands of pesos on electricity alone, wearing this Solar Backpack would let other people know that you do care for the environment. How coolafied is that?
Smart EV
The Segway may be the closest thing there is to “sex on wheels.” It’s a titch sexier than a moped. If you want to look like Cool Beans and make some heads turn your way as you move from one Starbuck’s outlet to another, the only way to do so is through a $21,999 Smart electric vehicle. It runs for about 71 miles per charge—it takes 5 hours to fully charge the EV. That’s equivalent to 300 miles per gallon. With the Smart EV, you’ve graduated from being a mere eco-friendly geek to an eco-warrior, bringing passionate advocacy to the next level. Just try not to get caught between a bus and a dump truck—that would be so uncool.
MALICIOUS SOFTWARE SPOTTED
Hackers exploit “Hayden” sex videos
By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Hackers and computer virus writers have exploited the controversial sex videos now making rounds on the Internet, antivirus firm Trend Micro said Tuesday.
Malicious software are making their rounds in some US government websites masking themselves as links to the actual sex videos, Trend Micro through TrendLabs said.
The antivirus firm has identified computer Trojans TROJ_DLOAD.TID and its payload, TROJ_COGNAC.J, hidden in at least two US government websites.
The first attack was detected early last week, allegedly in the website of the San Bernardino County (http://www.sbcounty.gov/).
The attacked was meant to trick people into clicking a link to reveal supposed nude video of local actress Katrina Halili who was among those embroiled in the controversial sex videos.
The second attack, found by TrendLabs Analyst Joseph Pacamarra, was located in a state-wide information portal of Washington DC.
The security software firm has not yet announced the name of the website.
Similar to the San Bernardino County website attack, the other attack on the other US government website also leads to a video website, which supposedly contains the lurid videos.
TrendLabs explained that a blank website opens when a user clicks on the link in the compromised US government website. This then requires the user to download a codec to be able to watch the video. But that codec software allows the Trojan to slip into the user’s computer, enabling the virus writers to sneak in more malicious software into their systems.
No explanation was made as to why the computer virus authors chose the controversial sex scandal rocking the Philippines to trick people in a US government website to deliver their malware.
The sex video scandal has embroiled Filipino celebrity doctor Hayden Kho and sexy actress Halili and other personalities.
By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Hackers and computer virus writers have exploited the controversial sex videos now making rounds on the Internet, antivirus firm Trend Micro said Tuesday.
Malicious software are making their rounds in some US government websites masking themselves as links to the actual sex videos, Trend Micro through TrendLabs said.
The antivirus firm has identified computer Trojans TROJ_DLOAD.TID and its payload, TROJ_COGNAC.J, hidden in at least two US government websites.
The first attack was detected early last week, allegedly in the website of the San Bernardino County (http://www.sbcounty.gov/).
The attacked was meant to trick people into clicking a link to reveal supposed nude video of local actress Katrina Halili who was among those embroiled in the controversial sex videos.
The second attack, found by TrendLabs Analyst Joseph Pacamarra, was located in a state-wide information portal of Washington DC.
The security software firm has not yet announced the name of the website.
Similar to the San Bernardino County website attack, the other attack on the other US government website also leads to a video website, which supposedly contains the lurid videos.
TrendLabs explained that a blank website opens when a user clicks on the link in the compromised US government website. This then requires the user to download a codec to be able to watch the video. But that codec software allows the Trojan to slip into the user’s computer, enabling the virus writers to sneak in more malicious software into their systems.
No explanation was made as to why the computer virus authors chose the controversial sex scandal rocking the Philippines to trick people in a US government website to deliver their malware.
The sex video scandal has embroiled Filipino celebrity doctor Hayden Kho and sexy actress Halili and other personalities.
Woman files suit vs. doctor for ‘cutting’ her intestine
A MOTHER filed a complaint for criminal negligence against a medical doctor before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Laura Cañete, 34, a mother of two, said her fecal discharges come out from an abdominal wound after she had a Caesarian section (C-section).
Updates on President Benigno Aquino III's presidency
She accused Dr. Hie Lorenil Tangga-an of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) of being negligent, allegedly cutting the intestine leading to her anal cavity while doing the Caesarian operation.
Tangga-an denied this and said what happened to Cañete was an “unforeseen complication.”
However, both exchanged allegations of blackmail.
Cañete, a former masseuse, claimed she had to quit her job because of the discomfort.
She had her C-section at VSMMC last May 2, 2009 with Tangga-an as her attending physician.
“However, just a day after what was thought to be a successful caesarian operation, I was plagued with convulsive chills and high-grade fever. Worst, my fecal matter or waste was coming out from my abdominal wound,” Cañete's affidavit-complaint read.
Tangga-an, in her counter-affidavit, said while Cañete had fever and chills on May 3, it was only on May 5 that her feces came out of her abdominal wound.
A procedure, called exploratory laparotomy, was conducted on Cañete to clean her abdominal cavity.
It was then when they allegedly found the intestine leading to her anal cavity was cut.
A plastic bag, called a colostomy bag, was then attached to the right side of her abdominal area where the feces is stored, said Cañete.
“In subjecting me to a colostomy procedure, one thing is certain, that Dr. Tangga-an committed an act short of the utmost degree of diligence...Why would respondent cut my intestine, had she been utterly diligent in operating me?
Worthy to mention also is the fact that VSMMC did not release my medical papers with no reason at all,” she alleged.
Tangga-ans said during the laparotomy, it was discovered that there was perforation on Cañete's big intestine. A colostomy had to be done because the perforation will not heal if fecal matter passes through it as it will be infected.
Tangga-an also said the colostomy bag is on the left side of Cañete's abdomen.
Cañete, however, claimed Tangga-an warned her against reporting the matter to anybody, saying she will not receive P200 to P300 per month from the doctor.
Blackmail
But Tangga-an alleged it was Cañete who demanded money from her so she would not report the incident to the authorities and the media.
“It was Cañete who blackmailed me, threatened me with exposure to the media and to my superiors in the hospital and extorted money and property from me. (She) initially demanded small amounts of money from me for her medications, food and allowance,” read Tangga-an's counter-affidavit.
Cañete, interviewed over radio dySS Thursday night, said she is willing to withdraw the complaints if Tanga-an will agree to conduct a colostomy and give her enough to sustain her and her family until she recovers and finds a job.
“Wa pa ko kasulti kung pila didto sa Ombudsman. Gi-offeran ko niya iya nga operahan ko’g usab unya mohatag siya’g P8,000. Ako na lang siya giingnan nga ipadayon ang kaso.
Pero willing ko makig-settle basta magkasinabot lang mi (She offered to conduct another operation and give me P8,000. I told her I’ll pursue the case but I’m willing to settle if we agree on the terms),” Cañete said.
Cañete admitted her lawyer John Michael Cagulada got mad when he found out she has been asking money from Tanga-an without informing him.
The PRC 7 scheduled the pre-trial conference between Cañete and Tangga-an on Aug. 25.
In the conference, the commission will try to arrive at an amicable settlement between
the two parties.
Atty. Mildred Antepuesto, who will preside over the conference, said the parties will set the terms and conditions of the settlement.
However, if the parties are not willing to settle the case, they will proceed to the hearing proper, where issues will be defined and evidences will be presented, said PRC 7 Director Dan Malayang.
Lawyer
Cañete, in a complaint submitted to PRC, accused Tangga-an of gross negligence and ignorance or incompetence in the practice of her profession, resulting in an injury to the patient.
But she lost her lawyer last Thursday after Cagulada claimed Cañete kept some information from him.
Hence, the Public Attorney’s Office will now be representing Cañete.
In an interview, Cagulada said he no longer has a duty and obligation to Cañete, but said he stood by his stance that there was negligence on the part of Tangga-an.
“I no longer want to pursue the case in behalf of Cañete because she was keeping some information to herself,” he said.
Cañete had undergone a C-section and another pregnancy-related operation before Tangga-an did the same procedure on her.
Tangga-an’s lawyer Ernest Jose Montecillo, in an interview, said the previous operations Cañete was subjected to had caused adhesions and the thinning of her intestines, which Tangga-an tried to remedy when she carried out a C-section on Cañete.
In her counter-affidavit, Tangga-an denied Cañete’s allegation that she cut the latter’s intestine, saying she only disbanded the intestines that were stuck to each other.
Montecillo said they have also documented Cañete’s acts of extortion on the doctor.
He said Cañete had extorted about P150,000 from his client, but the doctor refused to file a complaint against Cañete for fear of media attention.
“We have documented all her text messages asking the doctor for money,” he said.
Montecillo said the ombudsman had given the parties a chance to amicably settle the issue, prompting Cañete’s lawyer to propose that Tangga-an shoulder the expenses of the corrective operation on Cañete and give her P8,000 monthly for a year.
But when Montecillo showed Cagulada the proof of Cañete’s acts of extortion, Cagulada started to think twice if he will pursue his client’s case.
Montecillo said they are still amenable to an amicable settlement with Cañete. (JGA/RSB with GAC)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 24, 2010.
Laura Cañete, 34, a mother of two, said her fecal discharges come out from an abdominal wound after she had a Caesarian section (C-section).
Updates on President Benigno Aquino III's presidency
She accused Dr. Hie Lorenil Tangga-an of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) of being negligent, allegedly cutting the intestine leading to her anal cavity while doing the Caesarian operation.
Tangga-an denied this and said what happened to Cañete was an “unforeseen complication.”
However, both exchanged allegations of blackmail.
Cañete, a former masseuse, claimed she had to quit her job because of the discomfort.
She had her C-section at VSMMC last May 2, 2009 with Tangga-an as her attending physician.
“However, just a day after what was thought to be a successful caesarian operation, I was plagued with convulsive chills and high-grade fever. Worst, my fecal matter or waste was coming out from my abdominal wound,” Cañete's affidavit-complaint read.
Tangga-an, in her counter-affidavit, said while Cañete had fever and chills on May 3, it was only on May 5 that her feces came out of her abdominal wound.
A procedure, called exploratory laparotomy, was conducted on Cañete to clean her abdominal cavity.
It was then when they allegedly found the intestine leading to her anal cavity was cut.
A plastic bag, called a colostomy bag, was then attached to the right side of her abdominal area where the feces is stored, said Cañete.
“In subjecting me to a colostomy procedure, one thing is certain, that Dr. Tangga-an committed an act short of the utmost degree of diligence...Why would respondent cut my intestine, had she been utterly diligent in operating me?
Worthy to mention also is the fact that VSMMC did not release my medical papers with no reason at all,” she alleged.
Tangga-ans said during the laparotomy, it was discovered that there was perforation on Cañete's big intestine. A colostomy had to be done because the perforation will not heal if fecal matter passes through it as it will be infected.
Tangga-an also said the colostomy bag is on the left side of Cañete's abdomen.
Cañete, however, claimed Tangga-an warned her against reporting the matter to anybody, saying she will not receive P200 to P300 per month from the doctor.
Blackmail
But Tangga-an alleged it was Cañete who demanded money from her so she would not report the incident to the authorities and the media.
“It was Cañete who blackmailed me, threatened me with exposure to the media and to my superiors in the hospital and extorted money and property from me. (She) initially demanded small amounts of money from me for her medications, food and allowance,” read Tangga-an's counter-affidavit.
Cañete, interviewed over radio dySS Thursday night, said she is willing to withdraw the complaints if Tanga-an will agree to conduct a colostomy and give her enough to sustain her and her family until she recovers and finds a job.
“Wa pa ko kasulti kung pila didto sa Ombudsman. Gi-offeran ko niya iya nga operahan ko’g usab unya mohatag siya’g P8,000. Ako na lang siya giingnan nga ipadayon ang kaso.
Pero willing ko makig-settle basta magkasinabot lang mi (She offered to conduct another operation and give me P8,000. I told her I’ll pursue the case but I’m willing to settle if we agree on the terms),” Cañete said.
Cañete admitted her lawyer John Michael Cagulada got mad when he found out she has been asking money from Tanga-an without informing him.
The PRC 7 scheduled the pre-trial conference between Cañete and Tangga-an on Aug. 25.
In the conference, the commission will try to arrive at an amicable settlement between
the two parties.
Atty. Mildred Antepuesto, who will preside over the conference, said the parties will set the terms and conditions of the settlement.
However, if the parties are not willing to settle the case, they will proceed to the hearing proper, where issues will be defined and evidences will be presented, said PRC 7 Director Dan Malayang.
Lawyer
Cañete, in a complaint submitted to PRC, accused Tangga-an of gross negligence and ignorance or incompetence in the practice of her profession, resulting in an injury to the patient.
But she lost her lawyer last Thursday after Cagulada claimed Cañete kept some information from him.
Hence, the Public Attorney’s Office will now be representing Cañete.
In an interview, Cagulada said he no longer has a duty and obligation to Cañete, but said he stood by his stance that there was negligence on the part of Tangga-an.
“I no longer want to pursue the case in behalf of Cañete because she was keeping some information to herself,” he said.
Cañete had undergone a C-section and another pregnancy-related operation before Tangga-an did the same procedure on her.
Tangga-an’s lawyer Ernest Jose Montecillo, in an interview, said the previous operations Cañete was subjected to had caused adhesions and the thinning of her intestines, which Tangga-an tried to remedy when she carried out a C-section on Cañete.
In her counter-affidavit, Tangga-an denied Cañete’s allegation that she cut the latter’s intestine, saying she only disbanded the intestines that were stuck to each other.
Montecillo said they have also documented Cañete’s acts of extortion on the doctor.
He said Cañete had extorted about P150,000 from his client, but the doctor refused to file a complaint against Cañete for fear of media attention.
“We have documented all her text messages asking the doctor for money,” he said.
Montecillo said the ombudsman had given the parties a chance to amicably settle the issue, prompting Cañete’s lawyer to propose that Tangga-an shoulder the expenses of the corrective operation on Cañete and give her P8,000 monthly for a year.
But when Montecillo showed Cagulada the proof of Cañete’s acts of extortion, Cagulada started to think twice if he will pursue his client’s case.
Montecillo said they are still amenable to an amicable settlement with Cañete. (JGA/RSB with GAC)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 24, 2010.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Internet upgraded to foil cyber crooks
Agence France-Presse
Filed Under: Internet, Crime, Computer viruses and malware, Software, Security (general)
LAS VEGAS—The Internet has undergone a "critical" upgrade that promises to stop cyber criminals from using fake websites that dupe people into downloading viruses or revealing personal data.
The agency in charge of managing Internet addresses teamed with online security services firm VeriSign and the US Department of Commerce to give websites encrypted identification to prove they are legitimate.
"This is, by any measure, an historic development," ICANN chief executive Rod Beckstrom said while breaking the news at a premier Black Hat computer security conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
"This security upgrade matters to everyone who uses a computer, and that means most of us."
The Domain Name System Security Extensions, referred to as DNSSEC, basically adds a secret, identifying code to each website address.
The domain name system is where the world's Internet addresses are stored and plays a key role in enabling computers around the world to speak with one another online.
Applications commonly used on the Internet can be tailored to essentially check the ID of a website to make certain it is what it claims to be, according to Dan Kaminsky, a hacker turned computer security specialist.
For example, web browser software such as Google or Bing could be adapted to tell whether a bank log-in page is authentic.
"When a user receives an email from a bank they should know it came from a bank," Kaminsky said. "This is something we needed as engineers to make this a reality."
frm: inquirer.net
Filed Under: Internet, Crime, Computer viruses and malware, Software, Security (general)
LAS VEGAS—The Internet has undergone a "critical" upgrade that promises to stop cyber criminals from using fake websites that dupe people into downloading viruses or revealing personal data.
The agency in charge of managing Internet addresses teamed with online security services firm VeriSign and the US Department of Commerce to give websites encrypted identification to prove they are legitimate.
"This is, by any measure, an historic development," ICANN chief executive Rod Beckstrom said while breaking the news at a premier Black Hat computer security conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
"This security upgrade matters to everyone who uses a computer, and that means most of us."
The Domain Name System Security Extensions, referred to as DNSSEC, basically adds a secret, identifying code to each website address.
The domain name system is where the world's Internet addresses are stored and plays a key role in enabling computers around the world to speak with one another online.
Applications commonly used on the Internet can be tailored to essentially check the ID of a website to make certain it is what it claims to be, according to Dan Kaminsky, a hacker turned computer security specialist.
For example, web browser software such as Google or Bing could be adapted to tell whether a bank log-in page is authentic.
"When a user receives an email from a bank they should know it came from a bank," Kaminsky said. "This is something we needed as engineers to make this a reality."
frm: inquirer.net
because of FACEBOOK...
With the help of facebook...
Facebook tags serial killer suspect; ‘NPA’ ruse leads to arrest
By Jun Malig
Central Luzon Desk
Filed Under: Crime and Law and Justice, Murder, Infotech
ANGELES CITY—His Facebook account gave him away.
Computer technician Mark Dizon, 28, the lone suspect in the killing of three foreigners and six Filipinos here, was identified through his photos in the social networking site Facebook by a niece of Janet Andrenada-Mitchell, one of the murder victims.
Dizon thought he was about to meet communist rebels on Tuesday when he surfaced in San Fernando City in La Union province, police said. Law enforcers quickly apprehended Dizon after they posed as New People’s Army (NPA) rebels to lure him, said Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac Jr., Central Luzon police director.
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said Dizon had felt he could no longer live a normal life as a fugitive. “He decided that he would just join the NPA, thinking that the rebel group would accept him,” he said.
“We are happy this was solved with the help of the citizenry and technology because he was identified quickly,” Pamintuan added. “I believe he knew what he was doing, because it was well-planned. It was good that we caught him because he would have struck again.”
“Dizon thought he was meeting with rebels. That’s why he agreed to appear and talk to his father [Troadio Dizon Jr.],” Cacdac said during a news conference at Camp Tomas Pepito on Wednesday.
“But right after shaking the hand of Col. Elvis Diaz, leader of the arresting team, he must have realized that they were police officers and pulled out a .32 cal. pistol. Officers promptly subdued him.”
Other murders
Dizon is the lone suspect in the murder of American Albert Mitchell, 70, former commander of the Veterans of Foreign War Post 2485; his wife Janet Andrenada-Mitchell, 53; and their helpers Isabel Fajardo, 29, Marissa Prado, 29, and Yulberto Catli in Hensonville Court subdivision, Barangay Malabanias on July 22.
He is also the suspect in the murder of Briton James Bolton Porter, 51, and his live-in partner Melissa Madarang, 22 in Sta. Maria subdivision, Barangay Balibago on July 16; and Canadian Geoffrey Allan Bennun, 60, and his live-in partner Abegail Helina, 20, inside their house at the Clarkville Compound, Barangay Anunas on July 12.
“He had an account on Facebook and two witnesses positively identified him,” Senior Supt. Danilo Bautista, Angeles City police chief, told Agence France Presse. “We have an airtight case against him. I believe it is ironclad.”
Closed account
Bautista said Dizon apparently closed his Facebook account after sensing police were on his trail, but two witnesses had already positively identified him using his profile picture.
Pamintuan paraded a handcuffed Dizon before press photographers Wednesday and said murder charges had been filed against him.
The suspect stayed silent and tried to hide behind his police escort as he was led away.
Bautista said Dizon never intended to turn himself in. “He planned to join rebel groups. He even fought the arresting officer and pulled a gun on them. He was arrested – he did not surrender,” the police chief said.
Reynaldo Malig, head of the citizens’ group Tropang Crime Watch, had convinced Dizon’s father to help in arresting the suspect.
“Mark was afraid to surrender to the police because he was told by some people that they would finish him off,” Malig said.
Father-son meet
The suspect’s father accompanied the 16-member arresting team to San Fernando City on Tuesday.
Through text messages, the father asked his son to meet him and the police officers who posed as rebels. Dizon showed up in front of the plaza in San Fernando at around 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday.
During a news briefing, police officials displayed three laptops, a digital camera, several cellular phones and other gadgets allegedly stolen by Dizon.
Police said some of the gadgets were already identified by relatives of the victims as among those stolen from the crime scene.
Dizon allegedly befriended the victims first to gain their trust, so they allowed him to go into their homes freely on the pretense of fixing their computers, Bautista said.
He then allegedly attacked them using a 9-mm pistol, and robbed them of valuables, which he then pawned.
Expats happy
Capt. David Mason of VFW Post 2485 said Americans living in this city welcomed the news of Dizon’s arrest.
“All American expats here are very happy that the suspect is now in jail and glad that no one was injured when police arrested him. It was a professional job by the Angeles City police,” Mason said.
The VFW officer said his group believed Dizon was responsible for all three crimes.
“We believe there is only one suspect. There’s a video footage (from CCTV) showing him (Dizon) leaving the Oasis compound,” he added. With a report from Agence France-Presse
from: inquirer.net
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Transformer 2 is coming OUT!!!!
better watch this part 2 of transformer really awesome and cool movie like terminator salvation!!!!!!!
www.nextzhelkinz.blogspot.com
www.nextzhelkinz.blogspot.com
Search goes on after bodies from Air France jet found
Crew keep watch from a Brazilian Air Force Hercules C-130. Brazilian search aircraft spotted seats and part of a plane wing in the Atlantic where an Air France jet went down nearly a week ago, officials said after two bodies and other items were recovered from the area
FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil (AFP) - – Ships and planes scoured the Atlantic Ocean after the first two bodies and debris were recovered from an area off the coast of Brazil where an Air France passenger jet went down nearly a week ago.
"As well as the bodies there are various remains of the aircraft," Brazilian Air Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Henry Munhoz told reporters in the northeastern city of Recife.
"Plane seats, part of the wing and various other items were localized," he said.
The finds -- the first from the crash -- were being brought to the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, the closest inhabited spot to the zone where they were found, for initial inspection by five Brazilian forensic police.
From there, they were to be flown to the mainland city of Recife for further analysis by French officials leading the investigation into what sent Air France flight 447 plunging into the ocean June 1 with 228 people on board.
The two male bodies the Brazilian navy recovered in the zone earlier Saturday would be catalogued here and also flown to Recife, Munhoz said.
"Recife will be the final destination for the bodies as well as the debris from the aircraft," he said, adding that "details of the (personal) items collected will be divulged to the relatives and only to the relatives."
The spokesman added that "the state of the bodies will not be divulged."
Relatives of those aboard the Air France flight have already given DNA samples to help identify their loved ones.
Although the black boxes containing vital data on the flight's final minutes have not yet been located, early suspicions are focusing on a possible malfunction of the Airbus A330's air speed sensors as it flew into a fierce storm.
French investigators said Saturday the plane, four hours into a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, suffered multiple systems failures in its final moments and that speed monitors had failed on other Airbus planes.
Airbus on Friday issued a notice urging all pilots of its jets to review a 2001 warning on the procedures to follow if speed indicators give conflicting readings and force the autopilot to cut out.
Meanwhile Air France said it was stepping up replacement of speed monitors on its Airbus A330s, amid speculation that a faulty indication might have been a factor in the loss of the Rio de Janeiro-Paris flight.
In a statement, Air France said that in May last year it began noticing "incidents of loss of airspeed information during cruise flight" on its twin-engine A330s and four-engine A340s, and informed Airbus of the problem.
The device in question is the pitot probe -- usually affixed to the leading edge of a wing -- which measures the force of the air through which an aircraft passes.
Combined with a pressure reading from a static port on the fuselage, it tells the flight crew how fast the aircraft is going through the air.
French submarines were on their way to help with the hunt for the black boxes, as experts scrutinized the debris found so far searching for clues.
On Saturday Brazilian Colonel Jorge Amaral told reporters in Recife that the air force was able to "confirm the recovery from the water of debris and bodies from the Air France plane."
A blue plane seat, a nylon backpack containing a computer and vaccination card, and a leather briefcase with an Air France ticket inside were the first objects plucked from the sea, according to Amaral and an official statement.
The discoveries took place 450 kilometers (300 miles) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands, themselves 370 kilometers from the mainland.
The precise spot was 70 kilometers northeast of the point of last communication with the plane, a series of automatically sent messages signaling multiple shutdowns of onboard systems.
Air France was trying to confirm that the recovered seat came from the flight by checking the serial number, which Amaral gave as 23701103B331-0.
French investigators said the Air France airliner sent 24 automatic error messages just before the crash, and its autopilot was disengaged immediately after ones showing conflicting speed readings given by sensors
Ohioan becomes 1st black female rabbi in US
Ohioan becomes 1st black female rabbi in US
06/07/2009 | 04:48 PM
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CINCINNATI – Describing herself as the "new face of Judaism," Alysa Stanton became the first black female rabbi in the United States during an ordination in Cincinnati.
Stanton, of Blue Ash, was among 14 rabbis ordained Saturday at the Plum Street Temple. She will serve as rabbi of the predominantly white Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina, beginning this summer.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported on its Web site that Stanton said her goals are to break down barriers, build bridges and provide hope.
A native of Cleveland, she studied at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the oldest institution of higher Jewish education of Reform Judaism in the United States. - AP
06/07/2009 | 04:48 PM
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CINCINNATI – Describing herself as the "new face of Judaism," Alysa Stanton became the first black female rabbi in the United States during an ordination in Cincinnati.
Stanton, of Blue Ash, was among 14 rabbis ordained Saturday at the Plum Street Temple. She will serve as rabbi of the predominantly white Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina, beginning this summer.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported on its Web site that Stanton said her goals are to break down barriers, build bridges and provide hope.
A native of Cleveland, she studied at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the oldest institution of higher Jewish education of Reform Judaism in the United States. - AP
Mancao to identify 'Bigote'
MANILA, Philippines – Former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao II is back in the country, vowing to identify the principal players in the kidnapping and murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito nine years ago.
Mancao told Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday that he would “stick to what he said in his affidavit,” and would identify “71” and “Bigote” who he said were behind the kidnapping and murder of Dacer and Corbito in November 2000.
Gonzalez said Mancao did not elaborate, but vowed to reveal all that he knows about the murders if he turns state witness.
“I did not want to discuss that affidavit with him because I do not want people to think that he is being dictated upon. It might be counterproductive. He is an intelligent person,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez visited Mancao at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila hours after his arrival from the US accompanied by NBI officials led by Ricardo Diaz, who took custody of Mancao from US marshals in Los Angeles.
“We just talked about his experience in the US, his regrets, his hopes, and his desire to tell the truth,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said Mancao felt bitter about being abandoned by the people he had respected.
While in detention in the US, Mancao executed an affidavit linking his former police boss, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, to the murders.
Mancao had served under Lacson, who then headed the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF).
Lacson, who was allegedly identified as “71” by Mancao in his affidavit, has repeatedly denied any involvement.
Lacson is a graduate of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1971 and became chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the PAOCTF, the elite police unit said to be responsible for the killing of Dacer.
Dacer’s clients included ousted President Joseph Estrada, who has also denied any hand in the publicist’s murder.
Mancao’s affidavit supposedly mentioned “Bigote,” describing someone with a mustache who is the alleged mastermind of the murders.
Gonzalez said Mancao is taken under protective custody by the NBI as a possible witness.
He said Mancao is a “prospective state witness” since he will still have to face a preliminary investigation to determine if he could qualify as such. He added Lacson might be subpoenaed depending on the investigation.
Lacson had maintained he has nothing to do with the murders and said there is nothing in Mancao’s affidavit linking him to the crime.
‘Big names’
Malacañang said Mancao’s revelations “might implicate big names in politics.”
Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said Mancao’s statements are a matter for the public to consider.
“Mancao in his interview said he might implicate big names in politics who are in a position to make decisions that would affect the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” Golez said. “So this should be enough grounds for the public to keep track of the case.”
Golez said the Dacer-Corbito murders are also a test of the country’s judicial system, considering the case has dragged on for years.
On the flight home, Mancao was interviewed by reporters and was asked why he decided to turn state witness.
Mancao said he felt neglected by Lacson, whom he said he had respected all throughout his career in the police service.
Before he was arrested in the US for extradition last year, Mancao said he sought help from his former boss.
“Bago ako nahuli, humingi din naman ako ng tulong. Wala naman akong maasahan na (Before I was arrested I asked for help. But I realized I could not count on getting any help),” he said.
Mancao said it was a “gamble” for him to turn state witness against Lacson.
He said he followed the instructions of Lacson to “lie low” in the US following the ouster of President Estrada in January 2001.
“I gambled here. Maybe this time I will be able to reveal the truth. I sacrificed my career. I left my family. I followed the orders of the person I respected,” Mancao said, referring to Lacson.
Diaz, who accompanied Mancao on the flight home from the US, said he also asked the same question of the former police official.
He said Mancao is preoccupied with his safety in coming home, fearing that some people in the government would silence him.
According to Diaz, Mancao was ecstatic when they flew out of Los Angeles.
“He was enjoying his new-found freedom. And that he was conversing with stewardesses and other flight crew, as well as with the NBI agents. Mancao was also having his picture taken with the stewardesses,” Diaz said.
But the mood changed when Mancao realized they were only minutes away from landing in Manila.
Diaz, however, assured Mancao that he would be safe under the NBI.
Diaz explained to the former police officer the elaborate security arrangements awaiting him in Manila. This made Mancao feel more comfortable, he said.
The security on Mancao’s arrival was elaborate.
More than 200 NBI security personnel had been deployed along the route from the airport while another group, including policemen and military intelligence operatives, surrounded the NBI main office in Manila awaiting the arrival of Mancao.
During the trip from NAIA to the NBI, there were two decoy convoys. Mancao boarded a vehicle that entered through the NBI back gate, avoiding the media waiting for him at the front gate.
Mancao was formally turned over by US marshals to the NBI at the Los Angeles International Airport on June 2, 2009. He was handcuffed when he was turned over to the NBI team.
Shortly afterwards, Diaz removed the handcuffs and accompanied Mancao to board the flight home.
‘To gain my freedom’
Mancao said he decided to end his suffering in the US after eight years of evading prosecution for the murders.
Mancao said he thought of finally revealing the truth. “Maybe with that I can gain my freedom and I can be with my family,” he said.
Mancao later told Secretary Gonzalez that it had been difficult for him to “survive,” recalling his colleague, former senior superintendent Glenn Dumlao, working as a laborer in road projects in the US for financial support.
Aside from Mancao, Dumlao and 20 others were among those charged in the double murder. Another suspect is former police senior superintendent Michael Ray Aquino, who is in the US fighting the Philippine extradition request.
US court papers said Dumlao had confessed his participation in the murders to investigators in the Philippines in 2001. He was scheduled to appear as a star witness at the trial but instead fled to the US.
He was arrested last year near New York where he was working as a handyman, and like Mancao was not contesting his extradition to the Philippines.
Dumlao reportedly also wanted to return home to become state witness.
Gonzalez slammed allegations from Lacson that Mancao’s return to become state witness is “political persecution, not prosecution.”
“We did not manufacture these stories. We never solicited Mancao and Dumlao. They volunteered their testimonies to the government and we just want to know the truth so we are helping them,” he said.
During the meeting with Gonzalez, Mancao requested that the preliminary investigation be confined to the Dacer–Corbito case and avoid other issues that may link the principal suspects to other high-profile cases.
“He has many recollections of details that may be significant in other cases but he would just discuss those if raised in the investigation,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez announced a new panel of prosecutors was created to handle the reinvestigation of the murder case.
Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong was tapped to head the new prosecution panel. Ong was the same prosecutor who handled the investigation of the Kuratong Baleleng rubout case that implicated Lacson.
Gonzalez said Mancao appeared comfortable under NBI custody and has expressed gratitude for the security arrangements for he arrived early yesterday at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal II via Philippine Airlines flight PR 103.
Airport officials said Mancao went through the required thermal scanning process, along with the other passengers of the airline from the US, to determine if they have symptoms of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
Diaz added he and Mancao, along with the rest of the NBI team that fetched the former police official from the US, would be willing to be quarantined if they tested positive for the flu virus.
“But we tested negative. We have no indications that we have flu. Before we left the United States, we also had anti-flu shots,” Diaz said. – With Sandy Araneta, Paolo Romero, Rudy Santos, Sheila Crisostomo, Ronilo Ladrino Pamonag, AP - By Edu Punay (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Radioactivity found in City of Ottawa biosolids material
Radioactivity found in City of Ottawa biosolids material
February 23, 2009: No risk to workers, public or environment
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has completed its analysis of biosolids samples taken on February 5, 2009, from the City of Ottawa’s R.O. Pickard Environmental Centre (ROPEC).
The CNSC’s analysis indicates trace amounts of radionuclides generally used in medicine such as Iodine-131 (I-131) and Molybdenum-99/Technecium-99m (Mo-99/Tc-99m). Analysis also shows the presence of radionuclides normally found in nature such as Radium, Actinium and Thorium. In all cases, the levels found were very low. Low levels of I-131, in combination with naturally occurring radioactive material, may trigger radiation detection portal monitors, if the trigger level is set close to background levels.
The biosolids containing trace amounts of the I-131 radionuclide did not pose any risk to the health and safety of workers, the public, or the environment.
The CNSC considered it prudent to remind all licensees in Ottawa of their regulatory obligations in respect of the disposal of any nuclear substance. However, the CNSC is not expressing any concerns regarding the operations of any licensee.
The CNSC is confident that the licensed activities at Ottawa area hospitals are being carried out within the regulatory requirements and that any disposal or abandonment of nuclear substances is being carried out in accordance with the applicable regulations.
The CNSC has been working in cooperation with the City of Ottawa and will undertaken further discussions with the City to share knowledge of best practices undertaken in other Ontario municipalities that experience similar situations.
February 4, 2009: Notice
On February 3, 2009, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) was informed by the City of Ottawa that two trucks, transporting biosolids material from the City’s sewage treatment plant were turned around at the US border on January 29, 2009 because low-level radioactivity was detected. Two more truck loads with biosolids similarly tested positive for low-level radioactivity on February 3. The material has been placed in a secure location.
The City of Ottawa, whose sewage treatment plant is not licensed by the CNSC, appropriately notified the CNSC of the situation. To assist the City of Ottawa, the CNSC dispatched an inspector to the sewage treatment plant to help identify the type and source of radioactive material.
Early indications are that the detected radioactivity is iodine-131, a commonly used medical isotope. This is normally associated with waste from hospitals or persons who have undergone medical treatment.
The CNSC assures the public that this material poses no risk to the health, safety and security of Canadians as well as the environment.
The CNSC will be in contact with Ottawa hospitals to remind them of their responsibilities regarding waste disposal and licensing requirements. The CNSC will be assisting the City of Ottawa in reviewing best practices undertaken in other Ontario municipalities.
As well, the CNSC assures the public that low-level radioactivity in Ottawa’s sewage is not related to recent events at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd’s nuclear facility in Chalk River, Ontario.
The CNSC will continue to assist and monitor this situation.
February 23, 2009: No risk to workers, public or environment
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has completed its analysis of biosolids samples taken on February 5, 2009, from the City of Ottawa’s R.O. Pickard Environmental Centre (ROPEC).
The CNSC’s analysis indicates trace amounts of radionuclides generally used in medicine such as Iodine-131 (I-131) and Molybdenum-99/Technecium-99m (Mo-99/Tc-99m). Analysis also shows the presence of radionuclides normally found in nature such as Radium, Actinium and Thorium. In all cases, the levels found were very low. Low levels of I-131, in combination with naturally occurring radioactive material, may trigger radiation detection portal monitors, if the trigger level is set close to background levels.
The biosolids containing trace amounts of the I-131 radionuclide did not pose any risk to the health and safety of workers, the public, or the environment.
The CNSC considered it prudent to remind all licensees in Ottawa of their regulatory obligations in respect of the disposal of any nuclear substance. However, the CNSC is not expressing any concerns regarding the operations of any licensee.
The CNSC is confident that the licensed activities at Ottawa area hospitals are being carried out within the regulatory requirements and that any disposal or abandonment of nuclear substances is being carried out in accordance with the applicable regulations.
The CNSC has been working in cooperation with the City of Ottawa and will undertaken further discussions with the City to share knowledge of best practices undertaken in other Ontario municipalities that experience similar situations.
February 4, 2009: Notice
On February 3, 2009, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) was informed by the City of Ottawa that two trucks, transporting biosolids material from the City’s sewage treatment plant were turned around at the US border on January 29, 2009 because low-level radioactivity was detected. Two more truck loads with biosolids similarly tested positive for low-level radioactivity on February 3. The material has been placed in a secure location.
The City of Ottawa, whose sewage treatment plant is not licensed by the CNSC, appropriately notified the CNSC of the situation. To assist the City of Ottawa, the CNSC dispatched an inspector to the sewage treatment plant to help identify the type and source of radioactive material.
Early indications are that the detected radioactivity is iodine-131, a commonly used medical isotope. This is normally associated with waste from hospitals or persons who have undergone medical treatment.
The CNSC assures the public that this material poses no risk to the health, safety and security of Canadians as well as the environment.
The CNSC will be in contact with Ottawa hospitals to remind them of their responsibilities regarding waste disposal and licensing requirements. The CNSC will be assisting the City of Ottawa in reviewing best practices undertaken in other Ontario municipalities.
As well, the CNSC assures the public that low-level radioactivity in Ottawa’s sewage is not related to recent events at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd’s nuclear facility in Chalk River, Ontario.
The CNSC will continue to assist and monitor this situation.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Pandemic Illness
General Information
Pandemic Illnesses have and will continue to shape the world’s history. A pandemic occurs when a new bacteria or virus strain emerges and spreads easily from person to person. Because the virus is new, the human immune system has no pre-existing immunity. The immune system’s inability to recognize new virus strains is why pandemics have been so devastating in our history and will continue to impact the future.
About Pandemic Illness
Pandemic illnesses are caused when a new organism appears to which humans have little or no immunity or protection. Pandemic illnesses spread easily from person-to-person and can cause serious sickness and death among those infected.
Pandemic influenza is the most common type of pandemic illness. Three influenza pandemics occurred during the 20th century and more will occur in the future. Many experts predict that influenza will cause the next pandemic, but regardless of the cause, individual and family preparedness for the next pandemic is crucial.
A long-lasting and widespread outbreak of pandemic illness may mean changes in many areas of our lives. Schools may close; public events may be cancelled; public transportation may be limited; and air flights may be cancelled. If there is widespread illness employees may not be able to work, and businesses and public services may have to close or limit hours. Even food and water supplies may be interrupted leading to temporary shortages.
It is important to plan ahead for the possibility of a pandemic. Federal, state and local governments are already taking steps to prepare for, and respond to, a pandemic illness. Community members also need to take action. This blog will help you and your family plan and prepare for a pandemic illness.
Pandemic Illnesses have and will continue to shape the world’s history. A pandemic occurs when a new bacteria or virus strain emerges and spreads easily from person to person. Because the virus is new, the human immune system has no pre-existing immunity. The immune system’s inability to recognize new virus strains is why pandemics have been so devastating in our history and will continue to impact the future.
About Pandemic Illness
Pandemic illnesses are caused when a new organism appears to which humans have little or no immunity or protection. Pandemic illnesses spread easily from person-to-person and can cause serious sickness and death among those infected.
Pandemic influenza is the most common type of pandemic illness. Three influenza pandemics occurred during the 20th century and more will occur in the future. Many experts predict that influenza will cause the next pandemic, but regardless of the cause, individual and family preparedness for the next pandemic is crucial.
A long-lasting and widespread outbreak of pandemic illness may mean changes in many areas of our lives. Schools may close; public events may be cancelled; public transportation may be limited; and air flights may be cancelled. If there is widespread illness employees may not be able to work, and businesses and public services may have to close or limit hours. Even food and water supplies may be interrupted leading to temporary shortages.
It is important to plan ahead for the possibility of a pandemic. Federal, state and local governments are already taking steps to prepare for, and respond to, a pandemic illness. Community members also need to take action. This blog will help you and your family plan and prepare for a pandemic illness.
Global Epedemic
The experts seem to all agree -- it is not a question of if, but a question of when. When will there be a severe pandemic influenza outbreak?
In response, Hays Companies has developed a product to cover loss of revenues and extra expense emanating from pandemics., other illness, contamination and workplace violence.
The recent SARS epidemic demonstrates the vulnerability of the global market. The SARS epidemic was recognized as a global threat in March 2003, after first appearing in Southern China in November 2002. According to the World Health Organization during November 2002 through July 2003, a total of 8,098 people worldwide became sick with SARS, of these 774 died. By late July 2003, no new cases were reported, and WHO declared the global outbreak to be over.
The U.S. did not suffer the economic impact of SARS. However, in Canada, the economic impact was in excess of $1 billion. The tourism and hospital industry were severely impacted and Air Canada went bankrupt. Hospitals and schools were closed and 15,000 people were quarantined. SARS was mild by pandemic standards.
The last major pandemic of 1918 (Spanish Flu) took over 40 million lives compared to the typical flu season of 1 to 1.5 million. The Russian Flu (1889/90), the Asian Flu (1957/58) and Hong Kong Flu (1968/69) were mild pandemics accounting for no more deaths than a typical flu season.
What will the next pandemic bring? Estimates are that a severe pandemic would bring a 2% mortality rate (between 200,000 to 1.9 million people in the U.S. alone and between 180 and 360 million people worldwide). It would sicken 20% of the world’s population, and result in absenteeism rates in excess of 40%. It would cripple the economy and send it into a recession. The economic financial impact is estimated at between $220 and $670 billion in the U.S., and to the World GDP at between $1.25 and $2 trillion
Its seems this is the past pandemic illness... but now recently discovered pandemic illness is Swine Flu (H1N1 flu).
Flu terms defined — Seasonal flu, H1N1 flu, avian flu, and pandemic flu are not the same.
In response, Hays Companies has developed a product to cover loss of revenues and extra expense emanating from pandemics., other illness, contamination and workplace violence.
The recent SARS epidemic demonstrates the vulnerability of the global market. The SARS epidemic was recognized as a global threat in March 2003, after first appearing in Southern China in November 2002. According to the World Health Organization during November 2002 through July 2003, a total of 8,098 people worldwide became sick with SARS, of these 774 died. By late July 2003, no new cases were reported, and WHO declared the global outbreak to be over.
The U.S. did not suffer the economic impact of SARS. However, in Canada, the economic impact was in excess of $1 billion. The tourism and hospital industry were severely impacted and Air Canada went bankrupt. Hospitals and schools were closed and 15,000 people were quarantined. SARS was mild by pandemic standards.
The last major pandemic of 1918 (Spanish Flu) took over 40 million lives compared to the typical flu season of 1 to 1.5 million. The Russian Flu (1889/90), the Asian Flu (1957/58) and Hong Kong Flu (1968/69) were mild pandemics accounting for no more deaths than a typical flu season.
What will the next pandemic bring? Estimates are that a severe pandemic would bring a 2% mortality rate (between 200,000 to 1.9 million people in the U.S. alone and between 180 and 360 million people worldwide). It would sicken 20% of the world’s population, and result in absenteeism rates in excess of 40%. It would cripple the economy and send it into a recession. The economic financial impact is estimated at between $220 and $670 billion in the U.S., and to the World GDP at between $1.25 and $2 trillion
Its seems this is the past pandemic illness... but now recently discovered pandemic illness is Swine Flu (H1N1 flu).
Flu terms defined — Seasonal flu, H1N1 flu, avian flu, and pandemic flu are not the same.
Swine Flu FAQS
Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.
How many H1N1 (swine) flu viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.
How serious is H1N1 (swine) flu infection?
Like seasonal flu, H1N1 (swine) flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died 8 days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.
How severe is illness associated with this new H1N1 virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe this virus will be in the general population. CDC is studying the medical histories of people who have been infected with this virus to determine whether some people may be at greater risk from infection, serious illness or hospitalization from the virus. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions. It’s unknown at this time whether certain groups of people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications from infection with this new virus. CDC also is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age.
Is this H1N1 (swine) flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.
What are the signs and symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu in people?
The symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 (swine) flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with H1N1 (swine) flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 (swine) flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
•Fast breathing or trouble breathing
•Bluish or gray skin color
•Not drinking enough fluids
•Severe or persistent vomiting
•Not waking up or not interacting
•Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
•Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
•Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
•Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
•Sudden dizziness
•Confusion
•Severe or persistent vomiting
•Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
What is the difference between a vaccine and an antiviral?
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Vaccines are usually given to prevent infections. Influenza vaccines are made from either pieces of the killed influenza virus or weakened versions of the live virus that will not lead to disease. When vaccinated, the body’s immune system makes antibodies which will fight off infection if exposure to the virus occurs.
Antivirals are drugs that can treat people who have already been infected by a virus. They also can be used to prevent infection when given before or shortly after exposure and before illness occurs. A key difference between a vaccine and antiviral drug is that the antiviral drug will prevent infection only when administered within a certain time frame before or after exposure and is effective during the time that the drug is being taken while a vaccine can be given long before exposure to the virus and can provide protection over a long period of time.
How do you catch H1N1 (swine) flu?
Spread of H1N1 (swine) flu can occur in two ways:
•Through contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with swine flu viruses.
•Through contact with a person with H1N1 (swine) flu. Human-to-human spread of H1N1 (swine) flu has been documented also and is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
Are there medicines to treat H1N1 (swine) flu?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ®) or zanamivir (brand name Relenza ®) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these H1N1 (swine) influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms
How long can an infected person spread H1N1 (swine) flu to others?
People with H1N1 (swine) influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against H1N1 (swine) flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
•Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
•Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
•Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
•Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
•If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
How can someone with the flu infect someone else?
Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
Can people catch H1N1 (swine) flu from eating pork?
No. H1N1 (swine) influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get H1N1 (swine) influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the H1N1 (swine) flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses
•Do pigs carry this virus and can I catch this virus from a pig?
•At this time, there is no evidence that swine in the United States are infected with this new virus. However, there are flu viruses that commonly cause outbreaks of illness in pigs. Most of the time, these viruses do not infect people, but influenza viruses can spread back and forth between pigs and people.
•How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.
•What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.
•Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.
•Can the new H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.
•Can H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
Flu Virus and Food
•Can people get 2009 H1N1 flu virus by eating food products?
Influenza viruses are not known to be spread by eating food items. Influenza viruses are spread through inhalation or through touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.
•Could a sick restaurant worker transmit 2009 H1N1 flu virus to consumers in a restaurant or other food-service venue?
Transmission of the virus in a restaurant could occur through the normal routes of infection that could happen in any public or private setting—inhalation of the virus expelled by infected individuals when coughing or sneezing, and, by touching any surface that is contaminated with the virus and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes.
Influenza is not known to be spread through consumption of a food item. However, in accordance with long-standing FDA recommendations, food workers experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness should not work with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens or unwrapped single-service or single-use articles.
In addition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that individuals experiencing symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus stay home from work (see CDC Web site http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm).
•Should individuals or restaurants alter cooking methods to decrease the risk of 2009 H1N1 flu virus?
It is not necessary to alter cooking times or temperatures for any food products in order to reduce chances of contracting 2009 H1N1 flu virus, because eating food is not a known method of transmission of influenza viruses.
•What are the FDA’s requirements and recommendations for the food industry regarding workers who are sick?
Current Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements:
Long-standing federal regulations require that any person who is shown to have, or appears to have, an illness by which there is a reasonable possibility of food, food-contact surfaces, or food-packaging materials becoming contaminated must be excluded from any operations that may be expected to result in such contamination until the health condition is corrected. Plant management must take all reasonable measures and precautions to ensure this.
The regulations also require that food facility managers instruct personnel to report illnesses to their supervisors.
These regulations are contained in the Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food, in Part 110.10 of Title 21 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_08/21cfr110_08.html.
For Food Retailers, Restaurants and Food Service Operations:
The FDA Food Code provides model regulations for reducing risk factors known to cause foodborne illness at retail food facilities, restaurants and other food-service operations.
Most state and local authorities have adopted Food Code provisions as regulatory requirements. In addition to several other restrictions applicable to food employees experiencing certain symptoms of illness, the Food Code stipulates that employees experiencing persistent sneezing, coughing or a runny nose that causes discharges from the eyes, nose or mouth may not work with exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, or unwrapped single-service or single-use articles.
Flu Virus and Animals
•Do any swine in the United States have the H1N1 flu virus that has infected humans?
There is no evidence at this time that swine in the United States are infected with this virus strain.
•Can the H1N1 virus be transferred from humans to swine or vice versa?
USDA's National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, is conducting tests to determine the transmissibility and severity of the H1N1 flu virus in pigs. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) through its surveillance, announced recently that it found the H1N1 flu virus in a swine herd in Alberta. The CFIA believes it is highly probable that the pigs were exposed to the virus from a Canadian who had recently returned from Mexico and had been exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Signs of illness were subsequently observed in the pigs. The individual has recovered and all of the pigs are recovering or have recovered. The pigs are in quarantine. USDA continues to monitor the U.S. swine herd and to date, this particular strain of H1N1 has not been found in U.S. swine.
•Can I get this new strain of virus from eating pork or pork products?
No. According to USDA scientists, H1N1 flu is not a foodborne disease, it is a respiratory disease. USDA continues to educate the public through its food safety efforts and reminds consumers that all meat and poultry products are safe to eat when properly prepared and cooked as this kills all foodborne pathogens. More information about safe food handling is at www.befoodsafe.gov.
•What steps can I take to make sure that I prepare my food properly?
USDA reminds consumers to practice safe food handling and preparation techniques for all meat and poultry. Eating properly handled and cooked meat and poultry products are safe. Information about safe food preparation and cooking is available at www.befoodsafe.gov.
•What is this flu that people are talking about in the news?
It is a new strain of flu that consists of a mixture of genetic material from swine, avian and human influenza viruses.
•Is USDA testing and monitoring to make sure swine are not infected with the virus and if so, how?
A network of Federal veterinarians, state animal health officials and private practitioners are regularly involved with monitoring U.S. swine for signs of significant disease.
To date, there have been no reports that the influenza virus currently causing illness in humans is circulating anywhere in the U.S. swine herd.
As a proactive measure, USDA is reaching out to all state animal health officials to affirm they have no signs of this virus type in their state.
USDA has put U.S. pork producers on a high alert for safety.
As part of a comprehensive safeguarding system, USDA's laboratories routinely provide diagnostic and research services in support of ongoing operational programs.
•How will the public be notified if the government finds H1N1 flu in a U.S. herd?
Delivering factual, timely information is a priority for USDA. Should there be a detection of influenza in the U.S. swine herd, those results would be shared with the public in a timely fashion. As with all potential animal health disease situations, USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories stand ready to provide support of disease control and eradication programs, reagents for diagnostic testing, training and laboratory certification.
•Can you get H1N1 flu from being around or touching swine?
The CDC says that the spread of H1N1 flu can occur in two ways:
Through contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with H1N1 flu virus.
Through contact with a person with H1N1 flu. Human-to-human spread of the H1N1 flu is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
•How do we ensure that we take the appropriate measures to protect our swine?
We encourage commercial pork producers to intensify the bio-security practices they've long had in place. They should not loan equipment or vehicles to or borrow them from other farms. Swine from outside sources, such as transitional herds should not be brought back to the farm. Transitional herd is the term we use to define those herds that have some likelihood of contact with feral swine. They should permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm. Swine workers should disinfect their shoes, clothes and hands. They should thoroughly clean and disinfect equipment and vehicles entering and leaving the farm and avoid visiting other livestock farms without proper cleaning and disinfection. Also, they should report sick animals immediately. The industry understands the importance of preventing spread of the virus as quickly as possible to protect the industry.
•Is there a vaccine for humans for this new strain?
The CDC should answer any questions about a vaccine. According to the CDC, there is no vaccine to protect humans from this new variant H1N1 flu. Go to www.cdc.gov for more information.
•Is my potbelly pig in danger? Can I get it from my pet?
There is no evidence at this time that the virus is in U.S. swine. Swine owners should learn the warning signs of swine influenza. Signs of swine flu in pigs can include sudden onset of fever, depression, coughing (barking), discharge from the nose or eyes, sneezing, breathing difficulties, eye redness or inflammation, and going off feed. If your pig is showing any of these signs, call your veterinarian. Buy your animals from reputable sources and ensure that you have documentation of your new pet's origin. Be sure that you get your new animals checked by a veterinarian. Keep your pigs and areas around them clean. If you have been around other animals, make sure that you clean your shoes, clothing, and other items. And don't forget to wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling your pet.
Preventing the Flu
•What should I do to keep from getting the flu?
•What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
•What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
•What kills influenza virus? What household cleaners kill the virus?
Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.
•How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.
•What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
•How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled?
Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry. Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.
•Should I begin taking antiviral medications such as Tamiflu® if I'm planning a visit to another country known to have any type of flu?
No, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifically states that at this time persons traveling to countries where there are cases of avian or H1N1 (swine) influenza in birds, poultry, swine, or humans do not need to take Tamiflu ® to prevent illness. If you become ill in any way while in the country, you should seek medical advice immediately. If you plan to travel to any country that has reported cases of flu among birds, swine, or humans, you should consider scheduling an appointment with your health care provider before traveling to discuss risks for potential exposure to diseases. Only you and your health care provider can determine that risk and what the most appropriate precautions are for you.
Coping with the Flu
•What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where people have been identified with new H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people, except to seek medical care. If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed.
•What are the warning signs of serious illness? When should I seek emergency medical care?
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
◦Fast breathing or trouble breathing
◦Bluish or gray skin color
◦Not drinking enough fluids
◦Severe or persistent vomiting
◦Not waking up or not interacting
◦Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
◦Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
◦Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
◦Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
◦Sudden dizziness
◦Confusion
◦Severe or persistent vomiting
◦Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Flu and the Workplace
•In light of the ADA’s requirements, how may employers ask employees about factors, including chronic medical conditions, that may cause them to miss work in the event of a pandemic?
An employer may survey its workforce to gather personal information needed for pandemic preparation if the employer asks broad questions that are not limited to disability-related inquiries. An inquiry would not be disability-related if it identified non-medical reasons for absence during a pandemic (e.g., mandatory school closures or curtailed public transportation) on an equal footing with medical reasons (e.g., chronic illnesses that weaken immunity). Below is a sample ADA-compliant survey that could be given to all employees before a pandemic.
ADA-Compliant Pre-Pandemic Employee Survey
Directions: Answer “yes” to the whole question without specifying the reason or reasons that apply to you. Simply check “yes” or “no” at the bottom.
In the event of a pandemic, would you be unable to come to work because of any of the following reasons:
If schools or day-care centers were closed, you would need to care for a child;If other services were unavailable, you would need to care for other dependents;
If public transport were sporadic or unavailable, you would be unable to travel to work, and/or;
If you or a member of your household fall into one of the categories identified by CDC as being at high risk for serious complications from the pandemic influenza virus, you would be advised by public health authorities not to come to work (e.g., pregnant women; persons with compromised immune systems due to cancer, HIV, history of organ transplant or other medical conditions; persons less than 65 years of age with underlying chronic conditions; or persons over 65).
Answer: YES __________ NO __________
•May an employer require entering employees to have a medical test post-offer to determine their exposure to the influenza virus?
Yes, in limited circumstances. The ADA permits an employer to require entering employees to undergo a medical examination after making a conditional offer of employment but before the individual starts work, if all entering employees in the same job category must undergo such an examination.
Example A: An employer in the international shipping industry implements its pandemic influenza preparedness plan when the WHO and the CDC confirm that a new influenza virus, to which people are not immune, is infecting large numbers of people in multiple countries. Because the employer gives these medical tests post-offer to all entering employees in the same job categories, the examinations are ADA-compliant.
•During a pandemic, may an employer require its employees to adopt infection control practices?
Yes. Requiring infection control practices, such as regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, and tissue usage and disposal, does not implicate the ADA.
•May an employer require its employees to wear personal protective equipment (e.g., face masks, gloves, or gowns) designed to reduce the transmission of a pandemic virus?
Yes. An employer may require employees to wear personal protective equipment. However, where an employee with a disability needs a related reasonable accommodation under the ADA (e.g., non-latex gloves, or gowns designed for individuals who use wheelchairs), the employer should provide these absent undue hardship.
•May an employer encourage or require employees to telework (i.e., work from an alternative location such as home) as an infection control strategy?
Yes. An employer may encourage or require employees to telework as an infection-control strategy, based on timely information from public health authorities about pandemic conditions. Telework also may be a reasonable accommodation. Of course, employers must not single out employees either to telework or to continue reporting to the workplace on a basis prohibited by any of the EEO laws.
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