The killing of Gdańsk’s mayor is the tragic result of hate speech | Piotr Buras

5568.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=forma

What happened to Paweł Adamowicz isn’t just a Polish problem – wherever toxic public debate is indulged, violent acts may be committed

The death of Paweł Adamowicz, the popular liberal mayor of Gdańsk, has sent shockwaves across Poland and elsewhere in Europe.

Silent marches have been held in Warsaw, Gdańsk and other cities to pay tribute to him – and tens of thousands of Poles participated. Saturday, the day of his burial, will be a day of national mourning.

Continue reading…

Journalist who exposed football corruption shot dead in Ghana

3475.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=forma

Exposés by Ahmed Husein, who died in Accra, had also lifted lid on corruption in judicial system

An undercover Ghanaian journalist who helped expose corruption in African football has been shot dead in Accra.

Ahmed Husein was part of a team led by award-winning journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, whose investigation led to the resignation of the head of the Ghana Football Association.

Continue reading…

Hong Kong’s Flu Express Wk 2: A Rapid Increase In Institutional Outbreaks

pandemic time again – two weeks until Lunar New Year

Hong%2BKong%2BFlu%2B1.png

,793

We’re seeing a highly variable 2018-2019 Northern Hemisphere flu season, with Canada and South Korea kicking off very early, while Russia – which over the past two decades has seen a shift to earlier flu seasons (see Eurosurveillance: Changes In Timing Of Influenza Epidemics – WHO European Region 1996-2016 –  still remains far below their epidemic threshold (see Russia Influenza Surveillance Week 1, 2019).

Last week Hong Kong announced they had passed their epidemic threshold – and like most of the globe – is reporting mostly H1N1, which typically has a greater impact on younger people than does H3N2.

A good illustration of this demographic impact is the chart (above) showing an impressive 30-fold increase in institutional (mostly school) outbreaks in Hong Kong over the previous reporting week.  This is their biggest, and fastest ramp up in recent memory.

Over the past 3 days Hong Kong’s CHP has announced investigations into numerous influenza outbreaks, including:

CHP investigates case of severe paediatric influenza A infection and outbreaks of influenza A at primary school and kindergartens

Update on cluster of Influenza A cases in Kowloon Hospital

CHP investigates cases of severe paediatric influenza A infection and outbreaks of influenza A and influenza-like illness at kindergartens

CHP investigates influenza A outbreaks at kindergarten-cum-child care centre and primary school 


One week into their flu season and already hospitals are getting slammed,  with yesterday’s average hospital occupancy rate reaching 111%.  With the Chinese New Year’s celebration only about 2 weeks away – where millions of families will gather all over Asia – these numbers could continue to rise.

http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/201901/17/P2019011700277_301958_1_1547690981807.pdf



The headlines in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) this morning – just one week into their flu season – highlight the pressures their healthcare system is already under.

Nurses plan protest as Hong Kong’s public hospitals reach flu season breaking point

Medical staff having to work extra shifts and skip meals to care for influx of flu patients

Bed occupancy rate across Hong Kong’s public hospitals reached average of 111 per cent on Wednesday
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 17 January, 2019, 1:26pm

 Some excerpts from today’s much longer CHP Flu Express follow:

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 02 (PUBLISHED ON Jan 17, 2019)

FLU EXPRESS

Flu Express is a weekly report produced by the Respiratory Disease Office of the Centre for Health Protection. It monitors and summarizes the latest local and global influenza activities.s.

Local Situation of Influenza Activity (as of Jan 16, 2019)

  • Reporting period: Jan 6 – 12, 2019 (Week 2)The latest surveillance data showed that the local influenza activity increased markedly last week.
  • Currently the predominating virus is influenza A(H1).
  • Children aged under 6 years were particularly affected as reflected by the very high number of outbreaks of influenza-like illness (ILI) in kindergartens and child care centres, as well as
    influenza-associated admission rate in public hospitals among children aged below six years.
  • Among the severe influenza cases in adults, persons 50-64 years constituted a relative higher proportion (36%), as compared with 15% and 20% during the 2017 summer season predominated by influenza A(H3) and the 2017/18 winter season predominated by influenza B respectively.
  • Influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. Given that seasonal influenza vaccines are safe and effective, all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications are recommended to receive influenza vaccine to protect themselves against seasonal influenza and its complications, as well as related hospitalisations and deaths.

(SNIP)

Global Situation of Influenza Activity In the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere influenza activity continued to increase slowly. In East Asia, influenza season appeared to have started, with predominantly influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 detected. In Europe, influenza activity increased, with both A viruses circulating. In the temperate  zones of the southern hemisphere, influenza activity returned to inter-seasonal levels with exception of some parts in Australia. Worldwide, seasonal influenza A viruses accounted for the majority of detections.

  • In the United States (week ending Jan 5, 2019), influenza activity remained elevated. The proportion of outpatient visits for ILI decreased from 4.0% to 3.5%, but remained above the national baseline of 2.2%. The percent of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza decreased to 12.72% from 16.58% recorded in the previous week. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), and influenza B viruses continued to co-circulate.

  • In Canada (week ending Jan 5, 2019), influenza activity remained high. The influenza season started in late October which was earlier than in recent years. Laboratory detections for influenza declined from the previous week, suggesting that nationally the influenza season may have reached peak levels in the last week of December. Influenza A was the most common influenza virus, and the majority of these viruses were A(H1N1)pdm09.

  • In the United Kingdom (week ending Jan 6, 2019), there was evidence that influenza was now circulating in the community as activity indicators breached baseline threshold levels at low intensity. The positivity of influenza detection was 16.4%, which was above the baseline threshold of 9.2%.

  • In Europe (week ending Jan 6, 2019), influenza activity continued to increase. 44.6% of sentinel specimens were tested positive for influenza virus. The majority of influenza virus detections were type A. Both influenza A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses were detected.

  • In Mainland China (week ending Jan 6, 2019), influenza activity in southern and northern provinces continued to increase, reaching the peak of the influenza season currently. Influenza viruses detected were mainly influenza A(H1N1), followed by influenza A(H3N2), and there were few influenza B(Victoria) and B(Yamagata) detections.

  • In Taiwan (week ending Jan 12, 2018), influenza activity increased significantly and was above the national baseline. Influenza A(H1N1) (43.1%) and A(H3N2) (29.4%) viruses co-circulated in the community in recent four weeks.

  • In Macau (Jan 16, 2019), influenza activity remained at the peak level. The proportions of ILI cases in emergency departments among both adults and children remained at a high level, and were on an
    increasing trend. The proportion of influenza detections reached 42% in the first two weeks of 2019. Influenza viruses detected were influenza A(H1) (75%) and influenza A(H3) (25%).

  • In Japan (week ending Jan 6, 2019), influenza activity continued to increase and the influenza season started in early December. The average number of reported ILI cases per sentinel site increased to 16.30 in the week ending Jan 6, 2019, which was above the baseline level of 1.00. The predominating virus in the past four weeks was influenza A(H1N1)pdm09

(Continue . . . )

 
During the run up to last year’s Chinese New Year’s Holiday – during an unusually severe influenza B season – Hong Closed Schools & Called For Stringent NPIs To Combat Flu. According to an EID analysis published last November, the decision was made after the peak of the outbreak, and only had modest effect.

Mitigation of Influenza B Epidemic with School Closures, Hong Kong, 2018

Abstract

In winter 2018, schools in Hong Kong were closed 1 week before the scheduled Chinese New Year holiday to mitigate an influenza B virus epidemic. The intervention occurred after the epidemic peak and reduced overall incidence by ≈ 4.2%. School-based vaccination programs should be implemented to more effectively reduce influenza illnesses.

Although school closures can be disruptive – particularly to working families –  previous studies have shown a more profound effect can be achieved when the trigger is pulled earlier.

As no two flu seasons are ever alike, a one size-fits-all solution isn’t guaranteed to work.  It will be interesting to see what Hong Kong decides to do this year, based on the conflicting results from past school closures.

A Real Life “Manchurian Candidate”

Back in the 60’s there was a great suspense movie with Frank Sinatra, The Manchurian Candidate…..the movie is about some brainwashed soldiers during the Korean War…it was a “Red Scare” film….it was updated in the 2000s….but the original was by far the better of thew two….

Trailer from the original movie

Now the trailer for the newer version…….

I have been writing about this situation for several years now……this is one of my posts…..https://lobotero.com/2017/01/05/modernizing-the-manchurian-candidate/

I bring all this up because of the news in the last couple of weeks…but of course if you listen to the talking heads it is all “fake news”….but is it?

The article below entitled Trump, The Manchurian Candidate: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Campaign to Destabilize the Trump Presidency waspublished on January 4, 2017 prior to the inauguration of president Trump.

In early January 2017, we had predicted an unprecedented constitutional crisis characterized by a coordinated and carefully planned operation to destabilize the Trump presidency involving several stages, both before and after his inauguration.

We are dealing with a carefully planned operation, a “conspiracy” in the true sense of the word.

In recent developments (January 2019), the FBI investigation is being quoted by the media as “evidence” that Trump is “wittingly or unwittingly” an agent of the Kremlin. (see below Guardian January 2019 report)

 
Personally, I liked the original much better…I guess as an old fart that lived through the Red Scare days I can relate.  The news smacks of the script of the Manchurian Candidate….could this be the case….if not it would make a good script for a future movie.
 
Just Saying.

In case you would like to watch the full movie…..

FBI arrests man it says planned to attack White House | US news | The Guardian – Will Donny love the FBI for 5 minutes today? Reads like a bad sketch for SNL or a deja vu rerun of bad 1950’s Red Scare B-movie.

Authorities say 21-year-old man charged with attempting to damage or destroy federal building after sting operation

Source: FBI arrests man it says planned to attack White House | US news | The Guardian

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lambasts US government shutdown – video

‘It’s not normal to shutdown the government when we don’t get what we want,’ says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during her first speech on the house floor. ‘The truth of this shutdown is that it’s actually not about a wall. The truth is, this shutdown is about the erosion of American democracy and the subversion of our most basic governmental norms’ 

• Pelosi asks Trump to delay State of the Union address, or deliver it in writing

Continue reading…

Largest collection of breached data ever seen is found | Technology | The Guardian – Time to just give up or… fund an international policing agency to track and disrupt the hackers and hack traders?

Store of 770m email addresses and passwords discovered after being posted to a hacking forum

Source: Largest collection of breached data ever seen is found | Technology | The Guardian

‘What’s free?’, ‘I hope they budgeted’: how the shutdown affects a small rural town

6240.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=forma

As federal workers in Jesup, Georgia, fret over the shutdown, many non-federal workers, for now, say the shutdown remains at a distance or not even heard of it at all

A pile of menus sat, untouched, at a table filled with Jesup Federal Correctional Institution employees at Alec’s Sports Bar. A waitress, who wandered over occasionally to fill a round of water glasses lined with lemon wedges, seemed to intuitively know not to ask if anyone needs a soft drink or a plate of chicken fingers.

“I’m not usually a water drinker,” Hannah Gariepy, a teacher – and eight year employee – of the federal prison pointed out, “But I was thinking, what’s free?” Her colleagues erupted in laughter, all of them agreeing. One has a salad in her car. Another ate before coming to the bar.

Continue reading…

Facebook removes hundred of pages ‘linked to Russian site’

Closing some of the many thousands of still open bad data barn doors. Money still rules decision making and that demands do as little as possible to stop flow of income and make small steps appear as big ones.

3500.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=forma

Social network says it has taken down 289 pages connected to Kremlin-backed news website

Facebook has removed hundreds of pages believed to be connected to the Kremlin-backed Sputnik news website for allegedly breaching its rules.

The Facebook pages, which were targeted at individuals in former Soviet satellite states, either pretended to be independent news services or had names designed to appeal to fans of particular individuals, regions, or foods.

Continue reading…

S. 158: A bill to prohibit Federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Rand Paul not at work for America but for hate, ill-health and his fundraising goals. Papa needs a need landscaping job on his home after arguments with his neighbor! Introduced: Sponsor: Sen. Rand Paul [R-KY]

This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions which will consider it before sending it to the Senate floor for consideration.

Second Look Behind the Headlines – News you can use…

Baldacchino di Perla

"Luce di parole, ombra di sogni."

Northern Desert Photography

Living on the Edge of the Sagebrush Ocean

Susana Cabaço

Spiritual Insights & Personal Empowerment

Barbara Picci

Artist & Art Blogger

craft journey

Furnicraft, woodwork, and art

musings corner

reveries and rants

Japão para Românticos

Bem Vindos a este espaço onde compartilhamos um pouco da realidade do Japão à todos aqueles que desejam visitar ou morar no Japão. Aqui neste espaço, mostramos a realidade do Japão e dos imigrantes. O nosso compromisso é com a realidade. Fique por dentro do noticiário dos principais jornais japoneses, tutoriais de Faça você mesmo no Japão e acompanhe a Série Histórias de Imigrantes no Japão. Esperamos que goste de nossos conteúdos, deixe seu like, seu comentário, compartilhe e nos ajudar você e à outras pessoas. Grande abraço, gratidão e volte sempre!

Leben als Mensch

Willkommen auf Elke´s Glücks-Blog

Sharpshot Nature .Com

- Specializing in the great outdoors, capturing nature at its finest!

Diane Ravitch's blog

A site to discuss education and democracy

Expansão e Percepção

Seu Guia de Inspirações e Reflexões Diárias

noga noga.

my-health-and-beauty.com/

Uğurcan'ın Ütopyası

Benim Gezegenime Hoş geldiniz !!!

AKILS

Blog de viajes y lugares

Ed Mooney Photography

The official blog of Ed Mooney Photography. Dad of 3, Photographer, Blogger, Powerlifter. Exploring the historical sites of Ireland.

everything Explored on the earth

It has new aidias,news, about education , motivation, social, historical, culture, marketing creation new aidias education of language science culture and history

Born to die

L'unico modo sensato di vivere è senza regole

Early Morning Memories

by Anuran (A) & Sayoni (S)

My thoughts

Fun for the Brain

Neo Vision College

An exemplary learning community.

Anthony’s Crazy Love and Life Lessons in Empathy

Loves, lamentation, and life through prose, stories, passions, and essays.

Episodic Squalid Rants

public tantrums by a non-two-year-old

The Street Art Directory

Public, street and urban art worldwide

Artie & Stu

all the rules of free form

Everyone read that they fell in love first

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-2937106805202763" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>

davidscottmoyer

Lapsed Painter, Occasional Photographer, Compulsive Writer

Health & Fitness

Health Blogs

Buildings Tell Tales

Exploring the hidden architectural heritage of Budapest

Divit kalem

Yaşamdan

Roy's Weblog

The third incarnation...

Thought Pukes

More than a thought less than a question

"بوصلة الحياة"

"بوصلة الحياة: مدونة متعددة المجالات، من السياسة إلى الرومانسية، ومن تطوير الذات إلى الأدب وأكثر!" بقلم مشاعر بنت عبدالرحمن

parallax

The view from here ... Or here!

ClearingSpace4Joy

Bringer and seeker of joy

Belladonna’s Flashlight

The One Where She Stumbled Through Her 40's and Faced Her Demons

~ Trivial Music Silliness ~

Baw wit da baw. Just sayin'.

mo mnsoor blog

Website storys

Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

Welcome to the Anglo Swiss World

gnaddrig ad libitum

Querbeet und ohne Gewähr

Peace & Truth

KINDNESS IS FREE, sprinkle it all over the world, and 😁 smile

Ética de la vida diaria

Nuestra ética de todos los días...

Elizabeth Gauffreau

Fiction Writer in Poet's Clothing