THE WILLIS UNIVERSITY

Depression 6 Develops

2011-08-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/article/tropical-depression-6_2011-08-12

The Willis University, ESBNinternational, WTFtodayvieww, and AbileneA are non-profit organizations. The owner of this site does not endorse any of the affiliated companies shown (but it would be nice one day). All pictures, logos, and articles are for enjoyment only. No websites shown endorse this site and are not affiliated with the said companies. The creater does not take credit for any of the posts and pictures unless otherwise stated. The Willis University would like to thank the following companies for their help and support: All informative websites, search engines, game sites, musical artists, Entertainment Sports Programming Network, Flickr.com, WX.com, Maxim, Blogspot, Blog Explosion, Neoworx, ifilm.com, Benjamin Copeland, Technorati, Hot or Not, Clustermaps, Amber Alert, Baseball Today For Tomorrow and Pollhost.

Blog

2011-08-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Willis U is back and up and running...expect to see a plethora of posts and more links added.

Hurricane Season Could Be Strongest Ever, Say Top Meteorologists

2010-05-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

NOAA issues 2010 hurricane forecast. It begins June 1st and runs thru November 30th.

Crab

2010-05-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a pic of the crab we caught last weekend

Dysn James Cooper Willis

2010-05-11T05:10:00.001-07:00

Born on 5-10-10. Weight 9.5lbs and 21.5" long.

Strong earthquake hits Taiwan, 1 injury reported

2010-03-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

TAIPEI, Taiwan – A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan on Thursday morning causing buildings to sway hundreds of miles (kilometers) to the north. Local news reports said at least one person was injured.

The quake was centered in the county of Kaohsiung, and struck at a depth of about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers). Kaohsiung is about 249 miles (400 kilometers) south of the capital Taipei.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_taiwan_earthquake

The Flu Season That Fizzled

2010-03-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

Cases of H1N1 Have Dwindled, Seasonal Flu Has Been a No-Show and Doctors Wonder Why http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1254834/Nasa-reveals-detailed-images-Earth.html

Fierce Storms in France, Spain, Portugal Kill Dozens

2010-02-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

PARIS — A violent late winter storm with fierce rain and hurricane-strength winds ripped across western Europe on Sunday, battering France and four other countries, leaving at least 51 people dead.

The storm, named Xynthia, was the worst in France since 1999 when 90 people died. Prime Minister Francois Fillon held an emergency cabinet meeting and afterward called the storm a "national catastrophe."

Many of the at least 45 victims in France drowned, while others died when hit by parts of buildings or trees and branches that were ripped off by the wind. At least a dozen people were missing Sunday and 59 others were injured.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587619,00.html?test=latestnews

Massive Magnitude 8.8 Quake Hits Chile, Killing Dozens

2010-02-27T06:10:00.000-08:00

BREAKING NEWS — A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile early Saturday, collapsing buildings, killing dozens and downing phone lines. President Michele Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in central Chile and said the death toll was rising.

Chile's top emergency official said at least 78 people were killed.

There have been a number of aftershocks to hit Chile since the quake, the largest one registering at magnitude 6.9, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587565,00.html

Death toll expected to rise in Madeira flooding

2010-02-22T18:08:00.001-08:00

FUNCHAL, Madeira Islands - Rescue workers dug frantically Sunday to free cars and homes buried under heaps of mud in Madeira, after torrential flash floods and mudslides killed at least 42 people on the popular Portuguese island.

Residents looking for missing loved ones were directed by local authorities to the resort's international airport, where a makeshift morgue has been set up.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35496312/ns/world_news-europe/

St. Paul now target of big spring floods

2010-02-19T18:52:00.000-08:00

Spring floods will likely wash over much of Minnesota when one of the deepest, wettest snow covers in recent years melts into the region's major rivers, the latest National Weather Service forecast warns.

Not just confined to the flat and flood-plagued Red River Valley, high water this year will also bedevil the metro area, likely forcing closings of several heavily used commuter bridges over the Minnesota River in Scott and Carver counties for the first time since 2001. High water is also likely to inundate parts of St. Paul's Harriet Island, and Warner and Shepard Roads.

http://www.startribune.com/local/84774162.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUI

Swarm of small earthquakes near Redlands

2010-02-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

A series of 18 small earthquakes shook Friday near Redlands, but there were no immediate reports of damage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“Most of them were small, so they wouldn’t have been felt,” said Paul Caruso, a geophysicist with the agency's National Earthquake Information Center.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/swarm-of-small-earthquakes-shake-near-redlands.html

More snow is headed for beleaguered capital

2010-02-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

Reporting from Washington - Still digging out Monday from a historic weekend snowstorm that shut down federal offices and schools, the nation's capital was bracing for yet another wallop of winter weather that could dump up to 20 inches of snow by Wednesday.

This comes on top of roughly two feet that landed over the weekend, prompting locals to dub the scene "snowmageddon" and "snowpocalypse."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-snowmagedon9-2010feb09,0,2822823.story

H1N1 Epidemic Is Over: According to Statens Serum Institut (SSI)

2010-02-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

According to a report at the Copenhagen Post online, the Winter Epidemic Influenza, H1N1 has now passed, leaving many doses of vaccine unused. This strain of influenza is also known as Swine Flu, and the SSI, the National Disease Control Centre say that the epidemic is now over.

Earlier the National Board of Health in Denmark had estimated figures of 3,000 possible deaths but at the moment there have only been 23 fatalities, with over 1000 admitted to hospital, and a total of 300,000 people who have fallen ill with the disease.

http://www.onlykent.com/20100208/h1n1-epidemic-is-over-according-to-statens-serum-institut-ssi/

Dangers of RSV: what to look for in children

2010-01-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

MADISON (WKOW) -- Studies have shown that respiratory syncytial virus or RSV accounts for one of every 12 visits to the pediatrician, and one of every 30 trips to the ER.

RSV is a common respiratory virus and most children will come down with it before the age of 2.

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11884691

H1N1 Experts Assail 'Fake' Pandemic Claim

2010-01-26T16:41:00.000-08:00

The World Health Organization says its response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic could have been better, but it was not unduly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, nor was it swept away by media hype.

"We are under no illusions that this response was the perfect response," Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the agency's top flu expert, told a hearing being held by the Council of Europe's health committee.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFluNews/h1n1-experts-assail-fake-pandemic-claim/story?id=9669241

Sermonaudio

2010-01-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

Mudslides in CA

2010-01-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

Latest storm brings tornado-like winds, floods roads and causes small mudslides in foothill communities

The latest winter storm moved through Southern California with a wallop this afternoon, flooding roads, causing tornado-like winds in Ventura and Santa Barbara and causing small mudslides in foothill communities.

The storm brought winds of up to 80 mph and waves recorded at up to 20 feet. The brunt of the storm has moved to the east, but more showers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast through Friday.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/new-storm-brings-twisters-floodings-modest-mudslides.html

Beach Pics

2010-01-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

Kaydn Buried! MLK 2010, Biloxi Beach MS

Many Casualties Expected in Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The largest earthquake ever recorded in the area rocked Haiti on Tuesday, collapsing a hospital where people screamed for help and damaging other buildings. An aid official described "total disaster and chaos." http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,582877,00.html

6.5-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northern California

2010-01-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

FRESNO, California — A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California Saturday afternoon, shaking buildings south of the Oregon border and knocking out power in several coastal communities.

The powerful quake hit at about 4:27 p.m. PST about 22 miles from Ferndale, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Authorities in the nearby city of Eureka and other area communities said no major injuries have been reported. But several people received minor cuts and scrapes from broken glass at the Bayshore Mall in Eureka, fire spokesman Gary Bird said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,582690,00.html

Dysn James Cooper Willis

2010-01-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

WHO Says 12,220 Deaths From Pandemic Influenza

2009-12-30T18:51:00.001-08:00

GENEVA, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday that at least 12,220 people have died as a result of the pandemic influenza H1N1, Kuwait news agency (KUNA) reported.

WHO, in an update about the fatalities of the virus, said laboratories in more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported that at least 12,220 deaths by December 27.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=465336

Baja Earthquake

2009-12-30T18:50:00.001-08:00

A 5.8-magnitude Baja earthquake rattled the southwest United States today, and it was felt in San Diego, Phoenix, Tijuana and even Los Angeles according to reports.

The quake struck Baja California at approximately 10:48 a.m. local time, per KPSP-2.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/30/baja-earthquake-californi_n_407584.html

Milk Challenge 2009

2009-12-24T17:34:00.000-08:00

New House

2009-12-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9CIM1fcJwQ

Rain!

2009-12-20T20:25:00.000-08:00

Here is some short video of the rain here!

Make your own crayons...

2009-12-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread House

2009-12-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

Here is our Gingerbread house.

Kaydn Hit

2009-12-19T22:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMzOXzCPWNg

Scientists watch deep-sea volcano for first time

2009-12-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANCISCO — Scientists have witnessed the eruption of a deep-sea volcano for the first time ever, capturing on video the fiery bubbles of molten lava as they exploded 4,000 feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean in what researchers are calling a major geological discovery.

A submersible robot witnessed the eruption during an underwater expedition in May near Samoa, and the high-definition videos were presented Thursday at a geophysics conference in San Francisco.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gY3wohlRlhAdAInujn9CfE5jHwsAD9CL8JQ80

Drought, flood, famine – it's hot and getting hotter

2009-12-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

This decade is on track to be the hottest on record, according to the UN's World Meteorological Organization, and 2009 is the fifth-warmest year on record.

Speaking on the sidelines of the climate conference, WMO head Michel Jarraud pointed to extreme hot spots this year – Australia had its third-warmest year since records began in 1850, “with three exceptional heat waves.”

“I could go on. There was the worst drought in five decades which affected millions of people in China, a poor monsoon season in India causing severe droughts, massive food shortages associated with a big drought in Kenya,” he said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/drought-flood-famine-its-hot-and-getting-hotter/article1393535/

NZ scientist monitoring volcano

2009-11-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

A New Zealand scientist monitoring a volcano that’s forced the relocation of more than 350 people in Vanuatu says its eruptions are not life-threatening.

The Vanuatu government asked for assistance from New Zealand to monitor Mt Garet on the island of Gaua because its own geohazards team is inadequately resourced.

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=50598

Super Typhoon Nida Heads West, Loses Steam

2009-11-29T15:41:00.001-08:00

GUAM - As expected, Super Typhoon Nida is losing intensity as it continues to drift Westerly, away from Guam. Despite windier conditions in parts of Guam yesterday, families across the island were able to enjoy Thanksgiving meals relatively free of weather worry.

This morning a depression has kept up the cloud cover and sputtering rains.

http://www.guamnewsfactor.com/200911271578/Top-Stories/Super-Typhoon-Nida-Heads-West-Loses-Steam.html

How to Make Turducken Recipe - Step by Step Recipe

2009-11-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

What is turducken? It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is then stuffed inside a turkey. The term turducken comes from the combination of tur(key), duck, and (chick)en. It is fast becoming a popular recipe for Thanksgiving. Each slice contains portions of chicken, duck, and turkey with stuffing in between the layers. Plan on adequate preparation time. It's not difficult to make, but it is a little time-consuming. The end result is a worthy show-stopper.

You will need:

• 10 to 12-pound turkey, deboned (see photo instructions) except for wings and legs.

• 5 to 6-pound duck, completely deboned.

• 3 to 4-pound chicken, completely deboned.

• Prepared stuffing (see recipe).

• Metal skewers.

• Large roasting pan.

• Full Turducken Recipe

MILLION HIT BY 'PLAGUE WORSE THAN SWINE FLU'

2009-11-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

A DEADLY plague could sweep across Europe, doctors fear, after an outbreak of a virus in Ukraine plunged the country and its neighbours into a state of panic.

A cocktail of three flu viruses are reported to have mutated into a single pneumonic plague, which it is believed may be far more dangerous than swine flu. The death toll has reached 189 and more than 1 million people have been infected, most of them in the nine regions of Western Ukraine.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140492/Million-hit-by-plague-worse-than-swine-flu-

Halloween 2009

2009-11-14T07:17:00.000-08:00

A little late posting since we are moving soon...

Storm brewing in Arabian Sea, cyclone alert sounded

2009-11-10T18:14:00.002-08:00

AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI: All fingers are crossed and eyes are on the storm as the weather office on Tuesday sounded a cyclone alert for the coastal region of south Gujarat where it is expected to make a landfall in early hours of Thursday. Currently the depression is lying 400 km off the coast of Goa. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Storm-brewing-in-Arabian-Sea-cyclone-alert-sounded/articleshow/5217806.cms

Tropical Storm Ida Weakens as It Moves Ashore

2009-11-10T18:14:00.001-08:00

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Ida brought heavy rain and gusty winds to the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, arriving in Dauphin Island, Ala., just before dawn then weakening as it moved northeast through the Florida panhandle.

A rare late season storm at the end of a quiet year, Ida reached land about 7 a.m. with top sustained winds of about 45 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. Two hours later, forecasters said wind speeds had dropped to 35 m.p.h., and would continue to diminish over the next day or so. Still, the storm may have caused at least one death: the authorities in Plaquemines Parish, La., said a 70-year-old man appears to have drowned when he tried to help two fishermen whose boat broke down in the Mississippi River as Ida sloshed ashore, flooding low-lying areas. The two fishermen were later picked up by the Coast Guard, The Associated Press reported, but the man who tried to help them has not been found.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/us/11storm.html

St. Jude study links Parkinson's, bird flu

2009-08-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

In a study offering tantalizing clues into the origins of a devastating and mysterious ailment, Memphis-based researchers concluded that people who survive a strain of the bird flu have a significantly greater risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Published in Monday's edition of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study by a team at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that mice infected with the A/Vietnam/1203/04 strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus suffered neurological damage similar to that associated with Parkinson's.

The researchers found that the virus, having replicated in the lungs, travels nerve pathways and attacks small groups of cells in the brain stem.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/aug/11/study-links-parkinsons-bird-02/

Hawaii Braces for Impact of Tropical Storm Felicia

2009-08-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

As if 50 mph winds aren't enough to worry about, Tropical Storm Felicia now brings the potential of deadly landslides to the Pacific paradise of Hawaii.

The storm was 395 miles east-northeast of the Big Island at 5 a.m. ET today, according to KITV, an ABC affiliate in Hawaii. Felicia is traveling west at about 10 mph.

High surf warnings are already in effect for the eastern-facing shores, as waves could potentially exceed 18 feet.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=8293516&page=1

Two Earthquakes Strike Indian Ocean Region, Japan

2009-08-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

Aug. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Two potentially destructive earthquakes struck minutes apart in the Indian Ocean and Japan today, generating tsunami alerts for India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh and Japan.

The larger of the two quakes was a magnitude-7.6 temblor that hit the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean. It was followed less than 15 minutes later by a 6.6-magnitude quake in Japan southwest of Tokyo.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ajriIG8eRHEg

H1N1 tracker

2009-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

For all your up to date H1N1 needs... http://h1n1tracker.org/

Philippines hit by Typhoon "Kiko" (Morakot), dozens killed

2009-08-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

A powerful typhoon has killed dozens of people, affected over 28,000 people in the Philippines and caused the evacuation of 21,190 people from south east China.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Philippines_hit_by_Typhoon_%22Kiko%22_(Morakot),_dozens_killed?curid=130320

Auto Warranty Services Inc.

2009-06-15T09:49:00.001-07:00

Original post written 7 Apr 09... Have you had someone from warranty services call you and you get a recording as soon as you answer the phone? (This time is was a Nebraska number) I've had plenty of these calls the past few weeks so today I pressed one so I could talk to a operator. First they ask you the year, make, and model of your car. But they are the ones calling you. I was puzzled. I have 35,544 miles on my Mazda (I know I have a 100,000 warranty on my car) when they called and the guy John stated my warranty runs out at the 36,000. So John went on to read from a computer screen that only my transmission was covered. Where he pulled that from is beyond me. After hanging up on them I get a call from a Florida number. The man was very rude and demanded a reason for me hanging up on them. I politely hung up once again. So this evening I called the Florida number back and asked them (after I researched Warranty Services Scam) why I could never get a last name of the person whom I talk to earlier, or an employee ID, or a return phone number...and what happend I was hung up on. So if you want to call Warranty Services to bug them please call 904-363-6686. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/auto_warranty/automotive.html

A Deadly Germ Unleashed by Antibiotics

2009-04-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

For years, health officials have sounded the alarm about overuse of antibiotics and the emergence of so-called “superbugs” that resist treatment. But the spread of a deadly germ linked with antibiotic use shows just how immediate the threat really is.

The culprit is Clostridium difficile, a bacteria that can cause life-threatening infection, diarrhea and stomach pain. What is so frightening about C. difficile is that it is typically triggered by a round of antibiotic use. In addition to killing the targeted infections, antibiotics wipe out beneficial bacteria, which can make a body more vulnerable to C. difficile infection.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/a-deadly-germ-unleashed-by-antibiotics/

Stomach Bug Crystallizes a Threat From Antibiotics

2009-04-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, Harold and Freda Mitchell of Como, Miss., both came down with a serious stomach bug. At first, doctors did not know what was wrong, but the gastrointestinal symptoms became so severe that Mrs. Mitchell, 66, was hospitalized for two weeks. Her husband, a manufacturing supervisor, missed 20 days of work.

A local doctor who had worked in a Veterans Affairs hospital recognized the signs of Clostridium difficile, a contagious and potentially deadly bacterium. Although the illness is difficult to track, health officials estimate that in the United States the bacteria cause 350,000 infections each year in hospitals alone, with tens of thousands more occurring in nursing homes. While the majority of cases are found in health care settings, 20 percent or more may occur in the community. The illness kills an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people annually.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/health/14well.html?_r=1&ref=health

New vaccine stops STDs

2009-03-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

On March 31, 2009 the Federal Drug Administration approved a new vaccine that will stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly that of HIV, syphilis and herpes.

Oddly enough, physicians have found through numerous studies that the vaccine is 99.9999 percent effective in preventing the transfer of any STD when having sex.

http://uweekly.com/newsmag/04-01-2009/10718

Alabama mass grave may contain bodies from 1870s epidemic

2009-03-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- A mass grave unearthed Tuesday in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, is believed to contain bodies from an epidemic of yellow fever that swept the city in the 1870s, police said.

Two buildings from the 1940s were torn down at the site, and maintenance workers grading the land in preparation for the construction of a new building uncovered the remains, said Montgomery police spokesman Maj. Huey Thornton.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/31/alabama.mass.grave/

New test to search for MRSA launched

2009-03-30T10:03:00.001-07:00

A new tactic is being added to the armoury of infection control to combat MRSA in local hospitals.

From Wednesday patients booked to go into hospital will have a swab test as part of the pre-operative checks, to find out if MRSA is present on their skin or in their nose.

If MRSA is found it can then be treated before the patient is admitted.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/4246594.New_test_to_search_for_MRSA_launched/

Tea Tree Oil And Silver Together Make More Effective Antiseptics

2009-03-29T18:44:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Mar. 29, 2009) — In the fight against infected skin wounds, mixing tea tree oil and silver or putting them in liposomes (small spheres made from natural lipids), greatly increases their antimicrobial activity and may minimise any side effects.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090329205453.htm

Tropical Cyclone May Develop Today Off Australia’s North Coast

2009-03-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

March 30 (Bloomberg) -- A tropical cyclone may develop far off Australia’s north coast later today, bringing high seas as it moves west toward Timor, the Bureau of Meteorology said. The low-depression system, which may strengthen into a tropical cyclone in the next 12 to 24 hours, isn’t expected to threaten the north Australian coast during the next three days, the bureau said in a report on its Web site. The storm was about 450 kilometers (280 miles) north-northwest of Darwin at 4 a.m. today, according to a map on the site.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=acXHsQKfAlaM&refer=australia

Waging war on superbugs

2009-03-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

An investigation into the evolution of disease and how genetics are helping in the war against infections from malaria to MRSA

As the Nobel laureate Paul Berg has said, all disease is genetic to some extent. Infectious diseases such as HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and flu are not caused by DNA damage, as are tumours, or by major Mendelian mutations, as is cystic fibrosis. But the genes of both pathogens and their human hosts are pivotal to the way that viruses, bacteria and parasites make us ill.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article5988642.ece

Mass. college closes after virus sickens 100

2009-03-29T07:11:00.001-07:00

WELLESLEY, Mass. - A Massachusetts college is shutting down for several days after 100 students and staff were sickened by a virus that causes a type of stomach flu.

Students and faculty have been afflicted with severe nausea and vomiting at Babson College in Wellesley, just southwest of Boston.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29933995

Egyptian toddler contracts bird flu

2009-03-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

CAIRO : A two-year-old Egyptian girl has contracted bird flu, the 60th reported case since the first outbreak of the disease in the country in 2006, a health ministry spokesman said on Saturday.

The toddler has been taken to hospital and is in stable condition, said ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahin.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/418461/1/.html

Meningitis epidemic strikes Nigeria, Niger

2009-03-28T07:21:00.001-07:00

LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- More than 200 people have died of meningitis in the past week alone in Niger and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization.

The disease is an epidemic in 76 areas of the two countries, the health agency reported Wednesday.

A spokesman for W.H.O. in Nigeria, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said Saturday that the outbreak is bigger than usual and stretches across the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/03/28/africa.meningitis/

Lassa Fever

2009-03-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

What is Lassa Fever?

Lassa fever is an acute viral illness that occurs in West Africa. The illness was discovered in 1969 when two missionary nurses died in Nigeria, West Africa. The cause of the illness was found to be Lassa virus, named after the town in Nigeria where the first cases originated. The virus, a member of the virus family Arenaviridae, is a single-stranded RNA virus and is zoonotic, or animal-borne.

In areas of Africa where the disease is endemic (that is, constantly present), Lassa fever is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. While Lassa fever is mild or has no observable symptoms in about 80% of people infected with the virus, the remaining 20% have a severe multisystem disease. Lassa fever is also associated with occasional epidemics, during which the case-fatality rate can reach 50%.

http://www.cdc.gov/Ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/lassaf.htm

Northern Ireland scientists find a new weapon in MRSA war

2009-03-24T19:08:00.002-07:00

A new weapon that could help wipe out the deadly MRSA virus has been developed by researchers from Northern Ireland.

Experts from Queen’s University have discovered new agents that can kill colonies of MRSA and other antiboitic resistant hospital-acquired infections.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/northern-ireland-scientists-find-a-new-weapon-in-mrsa-war-14241114.html

Cyclone hits coral trout

2009-03-24T19:08:00.001-07:00

Queensland's $60 million live coral trout industry says it needs disaster relief funding following Tropical Cyclone Hamish.

Two weeks ago, the Category 5 storm ravaged the productive fishing areas where trout are caught for live export to Asia.

Coral trout move to deeper water to escape cyclones, and take up to a year to return.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200903/s2525652.htm

Worm virus could brind down US power grid

2009-03-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

The idea of hackers bringing down the entire US power grid is scary. Most people think that this scenario strictly belongs in sci-fi movies and that it couldn’t happen, but according to security analysts, the threat is real. The threat is a real possibility due to the use of smart grids involving two million devices, which are largely wireless, sending data back and forth between power stations and homes.

http://www.slipperybrick.com/2009/03/worm-virus-could-bring-down-us-power-grid/

Zimbabwe Farm Invasions Exacerbate Cholera Epidemic in Rural Areas

2009-03-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

The cholera epidemic that has ravaged Zimbabwe since late last year is slowing significantly, a report issued by the World Health Organization says.

A weekly situation report dated March 20 said 2,076 new cases of cholera were reported in the week ending March 14, compared with 3,800 cases in the previous reporting week and some 8,000 new cases on a weekly basis in early February.

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-03-23-voa59.cfm

Environmental cleaning intervention reduces transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms in ICUs

2009-03-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

San Diego, CA (March 20, 2009) –A rigorous environmental cleaning intervention can reduce the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other multidrug-resistant organisms in hospital intensive care units (ICUs), according to a new study released today at the annual meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Researchers found that following an enhanced cleaning protocol reduced the spread of MRSA to patients exposed to rooms in which the prior occupant had been colonized or infected.

http://sciencemode.com/2009/03/23/environmental-cleaning-intervention-reduces-transmission-of-multidrug-resistant-organisms-in-icus/

SickCity

2009-03-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

Realtime disease detection for your city from messages on Twitter.

Twitter has been great for tracking things like earthquakes, forest fires, and other natural disasters, but what about human health? SickCity, a new Twitter mashup is doing just that, by tracking people's tweets about being sick, having sore throats, and other physical maladies (like zombification). The tool lets you track these occurrences both by city and each specific ailment. And the stats go back to the last 31 days, which can show you if a certain type of sickness is trending.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10199195-2.html

http://sickcity.org/

Alaska volcano back on eruption watch

2009-03-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Researchers have raised the alert status at Mount Redoubt, a volcano in southern Alaska, after another increase in seismic activity. "Shallow earthquake activity under the volcano has been as high as 26 events per 10-minute period," officials at the Alaska Volcano Observatory said Sunday in a statement announcing that the alert level was raised to "watch" status. http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/03/22/alaska.volcano/

Willis Weds

2009-03-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis married his girlfriend, model Emma Heming, at his home on the Turks and Caicos islands in the Caribbean Saturday, the actor's rep told Usmagazine.com. Willis's daughters, Rumor, 20, Scout, 17, and Tallulah Belle, 14, and their mother, Willis' ex Demi Moore, were all present, as was Moore's current husband, Ashton Kutcher. The website said Madonna was also among the guests. "The couple will be having a civil ceremony when they return to California," Willis' rep told Us. It's the second marriage for Willis, 54, and the first for Heming, 30. Willis and Heming have been dating since last year, and she was with him in Boston during the filming of "Surrogates."

http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/more_names/blog/2009/03/willis_weds.html

Drug-resistant flu strains throwing doctors a curve

2009-03-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, when infectious-disease specialist Connie Price saw a patient hospitalized with flu at Denver Health Medical Center, she had a powerful weapon at hand: a drug that could shorten the course of the illness and lessen its misery.

Now, the strength of that weapon, Tamiflu, has been undermined by a widely circulating flu strain, type A H1N1, that has developed the ability to resist the drug.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-22-flu-resistance_N.htm

Major Pacific earthquake prompts tsunami warning

2009-03-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — A major 7.9-magnitude earthquake shook the South Pacific nation of Tonga Friday, prompting a tsunami warning but causing no major damage, officials said.

The quake, which hit at 7.17 am (1817 GMT), was centred 210 kilometres (130 miles) south-southeast of the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Volcano shatters Pacific calm around Tonga

2009-03-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

An undersea volcano that has been erupting for days near Tonga – shooting smoke, steam and ash thousands of feet into the sky – is to be studied by scientists. Officials said the eruption did not pose any danger to islanders at this stage, and there have been no reports of fish or other animals being affected. Spectacular columns are spewing out of the sea west of the islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai in an area where up to 36 undersea volcanoes are clustered, geologists said.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/volcano-shatters-pacific-calm-around-tonga-1649555.html

Epidural Hematoma

2009-03-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

The brain is enclosed in the skull, which is a rigid, solid bone. Surrounding the brain is a tough, leathery outer covering called the dura (door-uh). The dura attaches to the brain, just beneath the skull bone. The dura normally protects the brain and keeps it nourished with blood and spinal fluid. When a person receives a severe blow to the head, the brain bounces within the cavity. This movement of the brain structures may cause shearing or tearing of the blood vessels surrounding the brain and dura. When the blood vessels tear, blood accumulates within the space between the dura and the skull. This is known as an epidural hematoma (epi-door-ul hem-a-to-ma), or blood clot at the covering of the brain.

http://www.muhealth.org/neuromed/epidural.shtml

2009 NCAA Men's Final Four

2009-03-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

This post has nothing to do with what the WillisU is normally about. However, it's now time for March Madness. But I found this printable bracket if you need one.

http://d.yimg.com/j/r/ncaab/tourneybracket

5 Myths About Pandemic Panic

2009-03-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

Winter is almost over, and it appears that we're going to make it through another flu season without a global disaster. That may seem like a miracle after the hysteria generated in recent years by SARS, avian flu and the World Health Organization's standing warning that it's "a matter of time" before the next influenza pandemic strikes. But the truth is that the threat is being hyped.

1. Infectious diseases are spreading faster than ever.

2.To learn how to prevent a pandemic, look to the past.

3.We should brace ourselves for another Spanish flu.

4. The annual flu season is nothing compared to a pandemic.

5.There's no such thing as being too prepared.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/12/AR2009031203113.html

HIV/AIDS Rate in D.C. Hits 3%

2009-03-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

At least 3 percent of District residents have HIV or AIDS, a total that far surpasses the 1 percent threshold that constitutes a "generalized and severe" epidemic, according to a report scheduled to be released by health officials tomorrow.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/14/AR2009031402176.html?hpid=topnews

Vietnam-Bird Flu Virus.

2009-03-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

VIET NAM - Viet Nam will manufacture a vaccine against the avian flu to meet 20-30 per cent of domestic demand, said Le Minh Sat, an official from the Ministry of Science and Technology.

This information was also confirmed by the Veterinary Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

http://www.farminguk.com/news/Vietnam-Bird-Flu-Virus.13157.asp

Volcanic eruption 350km off BoP coast

2009-03-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

There has been a recent large volcanic eruption in the sea 350 kilometres off the Bay of Plenty coast.

Using underwater mapping devices, scientists have found evidence of the eruption by the Rumble III Volcano near the Kermadecs.

A map made in 2007 shows an 800 metre wide crater near the top of the underwater volcano and a new map shows the crater has been filled and the cone reduced in height by 100 metres. http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=154043

First, pork invades Washington, then superbugs invade pork

2009-03-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Evidently, pork isn’t just a problem when it shows up in stimulus package bills or because pigs smell. It may also land you in the hospital.That’s the message of a Nicholas Kristof column in today’s New York Times about the dawning realization that pigs around the world often harbor antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria.

The original “superbug,” these bacteria can cause painful, red welts in infected people, and infections kill over 18,000 Americans annually – more than AIDS, according to 2005 estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=first-pork-invades-washington-then-2009-03-12

Texas Borderwatch

2009-03-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

In a controversial program aimed at enhancing border security, Texas sheriffs have erected a series of surveillance cameras along the Rio Grande and connected them to the Internet.

Thousands of people are now virtual Border Patrol agents — and they're on the lookout for drug smugglers and illegal immigrants.

Robert Fahrenkamp, a truck driver in South Texas, is one of them.

Links to camera's :http://www.texasborderwatch.com/

Obama Deception Video

2009-03-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

Alex Jones’ latest edifying documentary, The Obama Deception, is without doubt his most timely work to date.

As we teeter on the brink of a full blown economic depression fueled by the excessive inflationary monetary policies of governments and the international banking cartels they operate under, the American people have turned to a man who has been masterfully presented to them as their last HOPE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J2W7gFzChM

Sorce:http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=obama+deception

Chocolate should be taxed to control obesity epidemic, doctors are told

2009-03-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Dr David Walker said chocolate used to be a treat, but has become a harmful addiction, causing weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and back pain.

Consumers are often eating more than half a day's worth of calories when they polish off a bag of chocolates in front of the television, he claimed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4979132/Chocolate-should-be-taxed-to-control-obesity-epidemic-doctors-are-told.html

Chicago Sears Tower to be renamed as Willis

2009-03-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Sears Tower, the Chicago icon and Western Hemisphere's tallest building, will have its new name of Willis Tower after Willis Group Holdings became the newest tenant, according to a statement released by the London-based international insurance broker on Thursday.

Willis Group didn't indicate when the new name would become effective, but said it got the naming rights as part of a deal with the building's owners.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/13/content_11002171.htm

City Cracking Down on Bed Bug Epidemic

2009-03-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

There’s a growing bed bug epidemic in New York City. Complaints to the city hotline, 3-1-1, jumped 34% last year, as over 9000 people called asking for guidance in their battle against the insects. In response, the New York City Council is creating a Bud Bug Advisory Board that’ll develop a comprehensive strategy to rid the city of the pests.

http://blogs.wnyc.org/news/2009/03/11/city-cracking-down-on-bed-bug-epidemic/

Tigger virus targets online stock trades

2009-03-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

SPRINGFIELD -- A new computer virus has a funny name but it's the same ol' game. Now the online crooks have spread a bug to steal your investments as you trade. It's called Tigger.A

You may remember Tigger the cartoon character singing, "The wonderful thing about Tiggers is, Tiggers are wonderful things!" Well, the new Tigger that's bouncing around isn't wonderful at all. It's a computer virus that targets stock trades.

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/41048822.html

Morgellons: Terrifying New Disease Reaching Pandemic Status

2009-03-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

(NaturalNews) It sounds like something from a bad sci-fi movie. People report the sensation of creatures crawling under their skin, mysterious moving fibers appear, and finally bugs and worms pop out. Unfortunately, these terrifying symptoms are all too true. The people having them are experiencing Morgellons, the latest and scariest in the series of bizarre diseases appearing in the last few years, seemingly from nowhere. Morgellons is now reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S. and abroad.Morgellons is a multi-dimensional disease.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025757.html

Scientists Take Step in Search of 'Universal' Flu Vaccine

2009-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

Evidence is increasing that common influenza viruses are becoming resistant to the main drug used to treat them. The drug is oseltamivir, also known as Tamiflu.

The most common seasonal flu virus found in the United States this year is type A(H1N1). During the last flu season, twelve percent of H1N1 viruses tested in the United States were resistant to Tamiflu. This year, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say resistance is close to one hundred percent. Still, they say early reports show that flu activity has been low so far this year.

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-03-04-voa1.cfm

Bird cages for sale

2009-02-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

Czech researchers exposed to bird flu virus

2009-02-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

PRAGUE, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen Czech researchers have been exposed to the H5N1 bird flu virus strain through a contaminated vaccine obtained from an Austrian company, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

The 13 people who had contact with the ferrets were in danger but were not infected with the lethal virus, said Josef Duben, a spokesman for the Czech veterinary authority.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/18/content_10838633.htm

2nd soldier at Missouri base dies of meningitis

2009-02-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (AP) - A second soldier stationed at the Army's Fort Leonard Wood has died of meningitis, officials said Tuesday.

Leonard Wood officials said Pvt. Randy Stabnick, 28, of South Bend, Ind., died Tuesday at a hospital in Springfield.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96DI6I00&show_article=1

Abbotsford farm facing avian flu outbreak to cull 60,000 birds

2009-01-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

Nearly 60,000 turkeys from an Abbotsford farm are expected to be killed Monday after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed a positive test result for avian flu on the weekend.

Security guards were stationed Sunday at the entrance to the family-run E & H farms while agricultural experts prepared for the intricate and time-sensitive process of killing the birds with CO2 gas.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Abbotsford+farm+facing+avian+outbreak+cull+birds/1217222/story.html

Ready for pandemic?

2009-01-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

COMPANIES here must prepare themselves for a global influenza pandemic, to minimise the damage caused by widespread disruptions such as a drastic loss of workers, travel restrictions and a supply crunch.

Though the Government has been been planning for such a crisis for years and will try to cushion its impact, private firms had to put in the time and money for pandemic planning, said Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Monday.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_325480.html

Vietnam finds H5N1 in smuggled Chinese birds

2009-01-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

HANOI, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Vietnamese authorities have found the H5N1 bird flu virus in a batch of chickens smuggled over the border from China, officials said on Tuesday, warning that two northern provinces remained affected.

An official in the border province where the chickens were found did not say how many had been brought in illegally, but state media said eight out of 16 samples taken from the birds carried the virus.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HAN380368.htm

Annual bronchiolitis epidemic has begun

2009-01-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

The bronchiolitis season has begun. Like influenza epidemics this is an annual event (scourge is a better word) mainly occurring in winter and early spring.

Bronchiolitis is an acute lower respiratory tract viral illness that causes obstruction of the air passages as they enter the lungs. Many different viruses cause bronchiolitis, but respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause. (In fact, bronchiolitis is often referred to as RSV infection.) It is a disease of only young children, with 80 percent of infections occurring in children younger than 1 year of age.

http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/01/11/get_healthy/get_healthy/doc54022af82a95e4d78625753700685475.txt

Salmonella Outbreak Conclusively Linked to Peanut Butter

2009-01-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

MINNEAPOLIS — The salmonella bacteria that has sickened nearly 400 people in 42 states has been conclusively linked to peanut butter, Minnesota health officials announced Monday.

State health and agriculture officials said last week they had found salmonella bacteria in a 5-pound package of King Nut peanut butter at a nursing facility in Minnesota. Officials tested the bacteria over the weekend and found a genetic match with the bacterial strain that has led to 30 illnesses in Minnesota and others across the country.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479624,00.html

Whooping cough of epidemic proportions strikes western Sydney

2009-01-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

The whooping cough epidemic sweeping New South Wales has hit western Sydney hard - with a quarter of all cases presented from the area.

According to the Western Sydney Area Health Service 2,100 whooping cough cases have been diagnosed, compared to 8,300 state-wide. The Blacktown local government area has been the worst affected but cases have been presented all across the region including Penrith and Westmead.

http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=9194

Report: Powerful Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. for Months

2009-01-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

A new study from the National Academy of Sciences outlines grim possibilities on Earth for a worst-case scenario solar storm.

Damage to power grids and other communications systems could be catastrophic, the scientists conclude, with effects leading to a potential loss of governmental control of the situation.

The prediction is based in part on major solar storm in 1859 caused telegraph wires to short out in the United States and Europe, igniting widespread fires.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,478024,00.html

Flu in U.S. found resistant to main antiviral drug

2009-01-08T19:38:00.001-08:00

Virtually all the flu in the United States this season is resistant to the leading antiviral drug Tamiflu, and scientists and health officials are trying to figure out why.

The problem is not yet a public health crisis because this has been a below-average flu season so far and the chief strain circulating is still susceptible to other drugs — but infectious disease specialists are worried nonetheless.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/08/america/09flu.php

CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 388 in 42 States

2009-01-07T19:33:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON — An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning has made 388 people sick across 42 states, sending 18 percent of them to the hospital, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to trace the source of the outbreak, which began in September. The Department of Agriculture, state health officials and the Food and Drug Administration are also involved.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,477755,00.html

Zimbabwe Cholera Epidemic Still Not Under Control - UNICEF Official

2008-12-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

An official of the United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF said Monday that the cholera epidemic which has claimed more than 1,500 lives in Zimbabwe is still not under control even though some health sources have said new cases are tapering off in some areas.

UNICEF Acting Representative Roland Monashe said more must be done to heighten public awareness of the risk of cholera and to improve treatment.

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-12-29-voa57.cfm

Culling operations in 11 areas over

2008-12-29T18:58:00.000-08:00

GUWAHATI, Dec 29 – Culling of poultry and disinfection operations in the State’s eleven epicentres of bird flu have been completed and sanitation certificates for nine of these locations have also been issued to the Central Government by the State. Culling and disinfection operations in the epicentres are taken up to prevent spread of the dreaded disease to new areas. Altogether 18 locations in the State reported outbreak of the disease in a span of around one month since November 27 last.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=dec3008/at06

Researchers unlock secrets of 1918 flu pandemic

2008-12-29T18:52:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have found out what made the 1918 flu pandemic so deadly -- a group of three genes that lets the virus invade the lungs and cause pneumonia.

They mixed samples of the 1918 influenza strain with modern seasonal flu viruses to find the three genes and said their study might help in the development of new flu drugs.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BS56420081229?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Hurricane Omar

2008-10-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Omar is bearing down on the islands of the eastern Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, home to one of the world's largest oil refineries.

The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center reports that Omar has been gathering strength as it spins-south of Puerto Rico Wednesday. The latest aircraft reconnaissance has winds of 100 mph associated with Omar, making it a Category 2 hurricane.

http://www.accuweather.com/news-top-headline.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&date=2008-10-15_20:05

Trialled: The C.diff vaccine that could 'handcuff' killer superbug

2008-09-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

A jab to beat the deadly C.diff superbug is to be tested on British patients.

Six hundred men and women will be given the vaccine - the first of its kind in the world - from next month.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/health/article-1064753/Trialled-The-C-diff-vaccine-handcuff-killer-superbug.html