New Recent Study of H1N1 Reveals Similarities between 2009 and 1918 Strains

Two teams of scientists report that the recent 2009 strain of H1N1 is remarkably similar to the 1918 strain that caused the deaths of millions early in the 20th century.

These similarities also explain why the elderly were not hit as hard and had some immunity to the more recent strain.

"Parts of the 2009 virus are remarkably similar to human H1N1 viruses circulating in the early 20th century," study senior author and Scripps professor Ian Wilson said in an institute news release. "Our findings provide strong evidence that exposure to earlier viruses has helped to provide some people with immunity to the recent influenza pandemic."

In a separate report, scientists have discovered that the 1918 and 2009 pandemic influenza viruses share a key structural detail -- both lack a cap of sugar molecules in a certain area -- that makes them susceptible to the same antibodies.

That study, headed by virologist Dr. Gary J. Nable, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), "This is a surprising result," Nabel said in a statement. "We wouldn't have expected that cross-reactive antibodies would be generated against viruses separated by so many years."

Anthony Fauci, the director of NIAID said, "It gives us a new understanding of how pandemic viruses evolve into seasonal strains, and, importantly, provides direction for developing vaccines to slow or prevent that transformation."

Google Takes New Approach with China Censorship in Response to Hacks

In response to what is being called a sophisticated cyber attack back on January 12th, Google stopped censoring searches in China by redirecting traffic to Hong Kong earlier today.

Here is the full announcement from the Official Google Blog:

A new approach to China: an update

3/22/2010 12:03:00 PM

On January 12, we announced on this blog that Google and more than twenty other U.S. companies had been the victims of a sophisticated cyber attack originating from China, and that during our investigation into these attacks we had uncovered evidence to suggest that the Gmail accounts of dozens of human rights activists connected with China were being routinely accessed by third parties, most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on their computers. We also made clear that these attacks and the surveillance they uncovered—combined with attempts over the last year to further limit free speech on the web in China including the persistent blocking of websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Docs and Blogger—had led us to conclude that we could no longer continue censoring our results on Google.cn.

So earlier today we stopped censoring our search services—Google Search, Google News, and Google Images—on Google.cn. Users visiting Google.cn are now being redirected to Google.com.hk, where we are offering uncensored search in simplified Chinese, specifically designed for users in mainland China and delivered via our servers in Hong Kong. Users in Hong Kong will continue to receive their existing uncensored, traditional Chinese service, also from Google.com.hk. Due to the increased load on our Hong Kong servers and the complicated nature of these changes, users may see some slowdown in service or find some products temporarily inaccessible as we switch everything over.

Figuring out how to make good on our promise to stop censoring search on Google.cn has been hard. We want as many people in the world as possible to have access to our services, including users in mainland China, yet the Chinese government has been crystal clear throughout our discussions that self-censorship is a non-negotiable legal requirement. We believe this new approach of providing uncensored search in simplified Chinese from Google.com.hk is a sensible solution to the challenges we've faced—it's entirely legal and will meaningfully increase access to information for people in China. We very much hope that the Chinese government respects our decision, though we are well aware that it could at any time block access to our services. We will therefore be carefully monitoring access issues, and have created this new web page, which we will update regularly each day, so that everyone can see which Google services are available in China.

In terms of Google's wider business operations, we intend to continue R&D work in China and also to maintain a sales presence there, though the size of the sales team will obviously be partially dependent on the ability of mainland Chinese users to access Google.com.hk. Finally, we would like to make clear that all these decisions have been driven and implemented by our executives in the United States, and that none of our employees in China can, or should, be held responsible for them. Despite all the uncertainty and difficulties they have faced since we made our announcement in January, they have continued to focus on serving our Chinese users and customers. We are immensely proud of them.

Posted by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer.

March 21st Starts Tsunami Awareness Week

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program have designated March 21-27 as Tsunami Awareness Week. This designation comes in the wake of last month’s tsunami in Chile and less than six months after a tsunami hit American Samoa, both events resulting in loss of life and property.

As part of tsunami awareness week, NOAA’s National Weather Service will host open houses at its tsunami warning centers in Alaska and Hawaii, and many coastal states will host community tsunami awareness activities.

California will launch a statewide tsunami awareness campaign including a new classroom lesson plan, two municipalities in Puerto Rico will complete requirements to become National Weather Service-designated TsunamiReady™ communities and Hawaii’s Lt. Governor, Duke Aiona, will host a tsunami awareness event at a school within a tsunami inundation zone on Oahu.

“NOAA continues to improve our ability to detect, forecast and warn for tsunamis,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “But warnings are only part of the equation. To survive a tsunami, coastal residents and visitors need to know how to recognize a tsunami threat and how to get to safety quickly.”

Lubchenco noted that the U.S. coast is vulnerable to near-and onshore earthquakes, similar to recent tragedies in American Samoa and Chile. Those earthquakes generated fast-moving tsunamis that struck within 20 minutes with little or no warning. “A powerful earthquake can be nature’s warning of a tsunami. That’s when you need to grab your family and head to higher ground.”

In conjunction with Tsunami Awareness Week, on March 24 the National Weather Service and several state emergency management organizations will conduct exercises to test and practice tsunami response plans along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific coasts, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Alaska and Hawaii.

These exercises, called LANTEX10 and PACIFEX10, provide an opportunity for coastal emergency management organizations to test and update emergency response plans for tsunamis – a critical component to maintaining readiness for a tsunami emergency. Coastal emergency management organizations will participate in the tests at varying levels, ranging from table top exercises to full-scale drills and beach-front evacuations.

“It’s important that families in coastal areas take steps to prepare for a potential tsunami or other emergency,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.  “These steps include developing a family communications plan, putting an emergency kit together, and following the instructions of state and local officials in the event of an emergency.  I encourage everyone to become informed of the risks where they live in order to better protect their homes and families.”

In the State of Alaska and the northern California counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino, an Emergency Alert System communications test will be conducted in conjunction with the exercise. Residents in these areas may hear community sirens, see an Emergency Alert System tsunami alert scroll across their television screens and hear a test message being broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

The tests also provide coastal residents and businesses an opportunity to review and practice tsunami response plans.

The National Weather Service operates a tsunami warning system for the United States, U.S. territories and western Canada through two tsunami warning centers, in Palmer, Alaska, and Ewa Beach, Hawaii. The centers, staffed 24/7, issue tsunami warning, advisory, watch and information messages as early as five to fifteen minutes after an earthquake. Upon receipt of tsunami messages, state and local emergency management agencies determine the appropriate response including whether or not to evacuate people from the warned area.

Following the deadly 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Congress provided NOAA with more than $90 million to expand the nation’s tsunami detection and warning capabilities, and an additional $135 million for research, integrated observing systems, hazard mitigation and for a global tsunami warning and education network. As a result of this investment, the nation and the world are better prepared for the next tsunami.

To date 74 coastal communities in the U.S. have earned the National Weather Service TsunamiReady™ designation, up from only 11 in 2004. Thanks to this program, emergency managers in these communities are now better prepared to warn their citizens about tsunamis. NOAA also has completed a network of 39 buoy stations, up from only six experimental buoys in 2004.  

Warning Signs of a Tsunami

• A strong earthquake, or one that persists for 20 seconds or longer
• The ocean withdraws, exposing the sea floor
• A loud, roaring sound (like an airplane or a train) coming from the ocean
• Tsunami warnings broadcast over television and radio, by beach lifeguards, community sirens, text message alerts, National Weather Service tsunami warning center Web sites and on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

What You Should Do if You See These Signs

• Remain calm
• Move inland to higher ground
• Continue to monitor media sources for information
• Stay away from the beach until officials issue an “all clear" — Remember that a tsunami may be a series of waves over a period of several hours



Disaster Tip of the Week: Start and Keep a Go Bag Ready At All Times

First let me start off by saying that your Go-Bag or Bug-Out Bag should not be your only, or main source in a survival situation. You should have other supplies ready to keep you and your family sustained for an extended period of time.

The idea of a Go-Bag or Bug-Out Bag is to have supplies ready at a moments notice should you have to leave or evacuate from your home, or other location. These supplies should be packed ahead of time and hopefully placed into a backpack so it is comfortable to carry since you may be traveling a long distance.

In most cases you would not have time to gather the supplies needed during an evacuation, so it is best to have them ready to go at all times. I see many people intending to use a go-Bag as their main source for survival if everything goes south. I can't stress enough how important it is to keep your go-Bag separate from your regular supplies.

In addition, every member of your family, or party if you have one should have their own bag. Even children should have their own bags so long as they can carry one. We'll discuss go-Bags for kids at another time.

Now that we have covered the true purpose of a go-Bag lets discuss what you should put in it. First the bag should be a good solid bag, preferably as mentioned earlier a backpack. If you have to leave on foot, or become stranded a backpack is the easiest bag to carry.

What should you put into your bag? While many people argue about what items and brands are best to carry, we are just going to stick with the basics.

Here is a basic list of items you will want to consider including in your go-Bag:

1.  Cash - plenty of it because depending on the event credit cards may not be useful. Consider having about $500 in ones (the more the better, and try to make them all singles), that way you never need change. A couple of quarter rolls could come in handy for Public phones, vending machines and laundry. Do not "flash" it around, unless you like being robbed, even assaulted, i.e. mugged. I suggest carrying different amounts in various pockets and keeping several "Throw Away Bills" in case you do get mugged, throw that onto the ground so you can make a fast get away.
2. First Aid Kit - a decent well-stocked kit, including a couple of weeks' supply of any prescription medications you need.
3. Sewing Kit. Include in this non-waxed floss and a U-shaped leather needle. Include extra needles, thread, buttons and if you can, fabric.
4. Clothing - Wool is best as cotton is useless once it gets wet; add thermal wear, underwear, sock and carry extras of everything.
5. Crank style Flashlight and glow-sticks.
6. Crank style NOAA weather/AM-FM Radio. If you use one that takes batteries, carry extras.
7. Food and water -- Carry enough to get you where you want to go plus extra.
8. Lighter, waterproof matches and another source such as a strike based fire starter. Always best to carry extras here as well.
9. Hand and feet warmers -- 2 per person if you can.
10. Good sleeping bag -- can double as a blanket at a shelter.
11. Good air matress if you can.
12. Wool blanket, not a must if you have a sleeping bag, but great to have.
13. Emergency Mylar Space blankets.
14. Good rain poncho -- one that covers you and your bag is best.
15. Rope -- Carry several, great for many things, from shelter, to rescue.
16. Duct Tape.
17. Tarp -- can double as emergency shelter if you don't have a tent.
18. Dust Masks carry several per person.
19. Maps -- local and the location where you want to go.
20. leather work gloves.
21. Folding saw.
22. Hatchet.
23. Multi-tool.
24. 2 knives.
25. Toiletries.
26. compass/GPS (good to carry 2 compasses if just for reassurance).
27. Gun and ammo if possible.
28. Fishing hooks, and fishing wire, a couple of sinkers and floats ill be good too.
29. Important documents, license, passport, etc.
30. pen and paper.

This is a great list to get started with and you will have to make adjustments based on what type of load you can carry, and how far you are traveling.

What are some items that you keep in your go-Bag?

Your Facebook Password Has Been Reset - Facebook Users Target of Latest Trojan

According to Dave Marcus Director of Security Research and Communication at McAfee, the messages are targeting 400 Million Facebook users, and was detected by customers using their security software.

Marcus said the spam run contained a variety of malware programs, including password stealers, rogue antivirus programs or botnet code.

He also went on to say that No Web site would automatically reset someone's password and send the new one in an e-mail. Facebook's high number of users makes it a prime target for spammers and hackers.

The messages say that the user's Facebook password has been reset and the user should download an attachment that contains the new password. The English-language messages are grammatically correct, but contain an odd sign-off: "Thanks, Your Facebook." McAfee has included a screenshot of the message on their blog.