A swine flu outbreak in Mexico has killed at least 16 people in the past few weeks. Dozens of more deaths are suspected.

Schools K-university are sending youngsters home and telling them to stay inside if they have the flu-like symptoms.

”We’re dealing with a new flu virus that constitutes a respiratory epidemic that so far is controllable,” Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova told reporters late Thursday.

Mexico’s flu season was supposed to be over by now, but then Mexican official have noticed a significant spike in flu cases.

The World Health Organization is reporting some 800 cases of flu-like symptoms in Mexico. Most of the sick are healthy young adults. There were 57 deaths in Mexico City and 3 in the central part of the country. At least 16 deaths are from swine flu, and said another 45 were under investigation.

Mexico is particularly worried because flu typically kills infants and old people. But pandemic flus often strike young, healthy people the hardest. And this is the kind of flu that is happening now.

Looks like a different kind of border control will be called for if Mexico can’t contain this, eh?

Read more about swine flu.

Image by hundreds

If you're new here and you like our articles, how about subscribing free for our updates via RSS feed.

The mysterious Baghdad Battery is arguably mankind’s very first device to produce usable levels of electricity, similar to a battery. But it’s true, an inefficient battery.

While many believe Benjamin Franklin to be the father of electricity, history goes back more than two thousand years when Ancient Greeks discovered that rubbing fur on amber causes an attraction between the two.

But did humans actually discovered electricity long before history books tell us?

Probably created in Mesopotamia during the Parthian or Sassanid period (around 200 – 250BC), the Baghdad Battery is comprised from a number of artifacts that include a five-inch-long (13 cm) clay jar with a copper cylinder that encases an iron rod.

All shrouded in myth, the Baghdad Battery is actually an odd thing, an enigma.

However there is a hypothesis that when the jar is filled with water that contains a common acidic agent like lemon juice or vinegar to surround the iron rod, it would form an electrochemical pair and the acidic agent could help produce an electric current. But a very weak electric current.

Actually, speculations have it that a priest or a healer sensed the electrical tingle, didn’t understood it but still used it for electro-acupuncture. And also for religious purposes, because it was discovered that when linked in series, the cells indeed had sufficient power to electroplate a small token.

So could that be the first sign to electricity?

Arbor Day has been around for 137 years! Unfortunately, deforestation, though less ancient is winning out over the ideals of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902) the brainchild behind Arbor Day.

It was Morton’s idea to set aside a day dedicated to tree planting and emphasizing the importance of trees. The first Arbor Day was April 10, 1872. The second such day happened in 1884. Nebraska, where it all started, made Arbor Day a legal holiday in 1885 and soon other states began to follow suite.

Here are the states trees and state Arbor Days.

Alabama – Last full week in February – Longleaf Pine
Alaska – Third Monday in May – Sitka Spruce
Arizona – Last Friday in April – Paloverde
Arkansas – Third Monday in March – Pine
California – March 7-14 – California Redwood
Colorado – Third Friday in April – Blue Spruce
Connecticut April 30 – White Oak
Delaware – Last Friday in April – American Holly
District of Columbia – Last Friday in April – Scarlet Oak
Florida – Third Friday in January – Cabbage Palmetto
Georgia – Third Friday in February – Live Oak
Hawaii – First Friday in November – Kukui
Idaho – Last Friday in April – Western White Pine
Illinois – Last Friday in April – White Oak
Indiana – Last Friday in April – Tuliptree
Iowa – Last Friday in April – Oak
Kansas – Last Friday in March – Cottonwood
Kentucky – First Friday in April – Tulip Poplar
Louisiana Third Friday in January – Baldcypress
Maine Third full week in May – Eastern White Pine
Maryland First Wednesday in April – White Oak
Massachusetts April 28-May 5 – American Elm
Michigan – Last Friday in April – Eastern White Pine
Minnesota – Last Friday in April – Red Pine
Mississippi – Second Friday in February – Southern Magnolia
Missouri First Friday in April – Flowering Dogwood
Montana Last Friday in April – Ponderosa Pine
Nebraska – Last Friday in April – Cottonwood
Nevada Southern – February 28; Northern: April 23 – Singleleaf Pinyon
New Hampshire – Last Friday in April – Paper Birch
New Jersey Last Friday in April – Northern Red Oak
New Mexico Second Friday in March – Pinyon
New York – Last Friday in April – Sugar Maple
North Carolina First Friday following March 15 – Pine
North Dakota – First Friday in May – American Elm
Ohio Last Friday in April – Ohio Buckeye
Oklahoma – Last full week in March – Eastern Redbud
Oregon First full week in April – Douglas Fir
Pennsylvania – Last Friday in April – Eastern Hemlock
Rhode Island – Last Friday in April – Red Maple
South Carolina – First Friday in December – Cabbage Palmetto
South Dakota – Last Friday in April – White Spruce
Tennessee – First Friday in March – Yellow Poplar
Texas Last Friday in April – Pecan
Utah Last Friday in April – Blue Spruce
Vermont First Friday in May – Sugar Maple
Virginia – Second Friday in April – Flowering Dogwood
Washington Second Wednesday in April – Western Hemlock
West Virginia Second Friday in April – Sugar Maple
Wisconsin – Last Friday in April – Sugar Maple
Wyoming Last Monday in April – Cottonwood

Will you be planting a tree on Friday, April 24th (Arbor Day)?

I live in California … so maybe I’ll go plant one of the giant Redwoods and hope I live long enough to see it grow fully.

Images by gravitati-on and Buridansesel

Because of low humidity and high winds forecasts, wildfires on the coastal region of South Carolina have gotten out of control on Thursday and headed for Myrtle Beach (and the state’s biggest tourist destinations) where they destroyed 40 homes and forced more than 2,500 people to evacuate.

Smoke Caused by Myrtle Beach Fires

The governor declared a state of emergency for the county.

So far no injuries have been reported, but with fires gone wild more than 100 firefighters are digging trenches with bulldozers to create firebreaks that will limit the spread. “I seriously doubt we’ll have it contained before the weekend,” says Russell Hubright, spokesman for the South Carolina Forestry Commission.

The worse fire on records when you consider the number of houses that burned— first reports talk about 40 homes, there are also environmental and probably tourism implications. Because by early Thursday morning more than 15,000 acres with dense vegetation have been charred.

I do agree that weather is unpredictable, but isn’t there anything we can do protect from wildfires? Maybe we should start being more responsible … don’t you think?

Jones Soda employees pedaling for energy

We’re pedaling to power 10 laptops, three cellphones and one printer in our office

To celebrate Earth Day the right way, Jones Soda— the company that makes odd tasting flavored beverages, decided to get off the power grid and installed 9 bicycles for their Seattle headquarters, where employees spent time pedaling.

Both a healthy alternative and green solution to the company’s energy needs, pedaling at a comfortable pace could generate about 200 watts an hour for each “cyclist”. And the interesting thing is not only Jones Soda employees get to pedal, but everyone that wishes to.

“This is pretty typical Jones Soda. We do fun, innovative things here, and this is just an example,” said Susan Rozewski, a Jones employee.

So if you’re trying to lose some weight, do your good deed for the environment and not pay a dime, how about paying these guys a visit. It’s graet how it makes people aware that we can actually do something when it comes to energy consumption. And it’s so easy! And so healthy! [via SeattleTimes]

Livermore is a bit inland from the Bay Area of San Francisco. What that means in practical terms is that it gets real hot real fast and can be pretty windy. But Livermore Cinemas is not worried. The cinema is now the United State’s largest solar-powered movie theater. Largest of a mere handful, but still has the bragging rights.

Livermore Cinemas Becomes Largest Solar-powered Theater in the US

The announcement of the achievement was timed when Disney nature movie “Earth” began to play nationwide on— Earth Day.

The 20K square foot roof is covered with a 132-kilowatt system covers the bulk of the theater’s roof. It is not only the largest known solar-power system for a movie theater but also one of the largest solar “modules” anywhere in the country.

The modules are not like traditional solar panels. They are cylindrical tubes about the length and width of shower curtain rods. They are lined up side-by-side and put on a flat roof where they cannot be blown away.

The modules are good for areas like Livermore which is also quite windy as well as hot. When the solar panels don’t work, it’s cloudy and windy enough for the wind turbines on nearby hills to fill in.

There are some 800 modules, about 21 miles of solar cells and accounts for about 35% of the electric needs of the movie house. We wonder if when God turns out the light (the sun goes down) do the lights in the movie house go off, too?

According to the EPA, the Livermore system will save more than 3,400 metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next 25 years.

Source

Co-founder and CEO of RecycleBank, 32 year old Ron Gonen just got the 2009 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champion of the Earth award. One of only seven environmental leaders in the world, Ron Gonen has been honored at the Environment Summit (B4E) in Paris, today. On Earth Day.

Ron Gonen, CEO and Co-Founder @ RecycleBank

Chosen for his experience as a recycling businessman (one of the best garbage moguls out there), Gonen is the man behind RecycleBank— a rewards company that motivates people to recycle. Using a proprietary technology that measures the amount of materials each home recycles, the company issues RecycleBank Points that can be used to shop at over 1,400 local and national businesses.

“At RecycleBank, we focus on providing every home in every neighborhood the opportunity to be rewarded for recycling and for doing their part to protect our environment. Being recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme as a ‘2009 Champion of the Earth’ demonstrates that an idea conceived in an apartment, when adopted by a great team of people, can be turned into a global movement,” said Gonen.

Available in 18 states (and expanding) and covering 125,000 households in the United States in over 35 municipalities, RecycleBank is one of those companies that are trying to make a buck and a difference at the same time.

Congratulations Ron Gonen! Congratulations RecycleBank!

What could possibly be wrong with cherry blossom viewing? I mean the beauty is fleeting, appears for about a week, is enjoyed for 2-3 days at most. Friends bring something to eat, break out the brew and talk about life and all that has come our way, has passed us by, and is in store for us.

What could possibly be wrong with that?

How about, NOT CLEANING UP YOUR MESS!?

Cleanup in Yoyogi park after a night of cherry blossom viewing parties.

The best place to do the Cherry Blossom thing (hanami - hana = flower, mi = watch and is pronounced hah nah mee) is In Japan. Sadly, however, even some Japanese don’t get the concept of ‘pack it home.’ Here’s an image of what is left over at a park in Yoyogi, Japan after a day’s festivities of enjoying Cherry Blossoms.

I bet if the Cherry Blossoms knew how the environment was going to be abused, they would even come out.

Images courtesy of zachstern, paraflyer, xerones

Apparently Daimaru department store is all for global warming. The hotter it is the more they sell … swimming suits that is.

I suppose, in a pitch FOR global warming, Daimaru is selling swim suits in Japan 6 weeks EARLIER this year than normal. What’s up with that?

It seems to me that for good or for bad, everyone is trying to capitalize on the global warming trend hype in one way or another. Or, am I just being over sensitive?

Maybe there is nothing wrong with department stores putting their wares out earlier and earlier each year. Maybe that’s it. I mean, who could object to seeing Japanese girls in bathing suits more and more throughout the year, right?

But, seriously. Are companies taking advantage of the global warming trend news? What do you think?

Image by idua_Japan

Fish tanks lighting

“Bertha, can you see in here?
Not really, Bob. Why do you ask?
Well, I keep running into something.
What do you mean?
Well, it looks like I am heading for the kitchen over there when suddenly something hits me in the face.
What we need is some lighting in here.

Nabesie of Japan hears you! They’ve created DELED (Dream Ecological Light). The light is waterproof and can installed inside a fish tank. Of course, Eddie Electric will need to be able to hold his breath for a long time while he tries to install it.

Tokyo held an expo devoted to LED/OLED lighting technology.
Gosh, and I forgot to get a press pass.

Seriously. Why would a fish need a light?

BONK!
“What happened, Bob?
Well, I ran into something again.
It’s the glass wall, you …. “

Source: JapanToday