The Mexican government’s health secretary has released statements telling the citizens that the worst is over and that the spread of the swine flu is definitely in decline. While a hopeful outlook is good, other governments or researchers are not agreeing with that cheerful thought. Gregory Hartl held a news conference Sunday saying that his department for pandemice and epidemic diseases at the WHO, has quite a contrary outlook at this period of the swine flu.  Reminding everyone that the outbreak of the illness is less than two weeks old.  And while it could very well be in a phase of decline at present, that does not mean that it will not return.  Hartl asked all to look back at the year 1918, when the Spanish flu was in full swing.  He stated that in the spring of that year the flu seemed to slow and almost stop in its spread.  However, it returned in the fall with a fury and killed almost fifty million people by the time it stopped.

The current situation is completely unpredictable and it seems a bit early for anyone to declare that the swine flu is getting under control.  With the number of confirmed cases nearing nine hundred and more expected in the days to come, it is far from over.  Still, the one thing that everyone seems to agree upon is that panic is not the answer.  Regular flu season precautions are all we have at present.

On May 4, 2007, an event occurred that could have turned Greensburg, Kansas into a ghost town.  Instead, it is turning this rural town into a Greentown.  Eleven people were killed in a tornado that also destroyed most homes and businesses in the town.   Citizens not only lost their homes, but many lost everything they owned.  Now, two years later Greensburg is going green. Homes being rebuilt will make the most of solar and wind energy.  The first new home is built entirely of concrete in the shape of a silo.  Not only is it expected to be 70% more energy efficient than a standard home, the reinforced concrete may also withstand the next tornado to hit this town.

It has already withstood the contractor dropping a junked Ford from 60 feet above the home onto its roof.  The Escort was dropped 2 times and there was no damage to the home.  The car bounced off the roof into the yard.  Even the John Deere dealer in the farming community has gotten into the act.  His new green building, while costing more to construct, will save an estimated $25,000 per year in heating and cooling costs.  In addition, the dealer has found a new sideline product, wind generators.

We have known for many years that smoking is harmful to your health.  Many smokers try to quit but for whatever reason are unable to do so.  Even the warnings on the packages of cigarettes do little to deter smoking. 

Another warning about smoking and its harmful effects will probably do little to stop the smoker from picking up his cigarette.  However there is a simple test for one carcinogen in the smoker’s urine whose presence is related to the smoker’s likelihood of developing lung cancer. 

While this test may not cause the smoker to stop his bad habit, it may cause smokers to be screened more often.  As with any cancer, the sooner a tumor is found, the more likely it will be cured.  A person with a high level of both nicotine and of the carcinogen NNAL is eight and one half times as likely to develop cancer as the smoker with lower levels. 

The researchers still say that the best advice that can be given to any smoker is to stop smoking.  Twenty-three percent of all smokers in the U.S say that they would quit if they could.  Perhaps this test will give them the impetus that they need to quit. 

Many of us are concerned about the amount of a carbon footprint we are leaving on the planet.  The next time you pull into your favorite gas station and fill’er up with a biofuel, thinking you are doing the best thing for the economy, the state of California says you better think again. 

In California, by the year 2010 all fuel producers will be forced to reduce their carbon intensity by 10%.  Many developing nations have found new fortunes by removing forest land and planting corn to be sold to the United States manufacturers of biofuel. 

According to the California Air Resources Board this is causing a decrease in the air quality. By reducing carbon intensity, CARB feels that air polution and global warming will be decreased.  Producers of biofuels feel the new rule is an unfair penalty to them that is based on the actions of people in other countries. 

They fear that this penalty may hinder President Obama’s plans to move this country away form our dependance upon petrolium. Other states in the US and the European Economic Union afe following this story and may make similar ruelings. California has approved aapproved this rule in order to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses produced in fuel production.