Well, the news is true.

After Polly Berendes’ son Henry was born at 9:09 pm, on 9-09-09, weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces, Doctors and nurses are convinced he’s lucky, while mom says her new son is a blessing. WEAU’s Ray Ogren reports.

Kinda bizarre, but cute. This kid will have something to brag about when he steps in pre-school.

Watch the video here

Mwanza Flat Headed Agama lizard, a native lizard in Africa which have the same colors as one of our favorite heroes “Spider-Man”. Now my question is, which of the two are first to have that blend of colors… “publicly”…

Actually the real news here is that these wonderful lizards are sold out and I’m sure the next talk is “they”, the Mwanza lizards being endangered species.

Well, endangered or not.. I’m sure these blend of colors aren’t just for spidey. What can you say o` superman?

Watch the wonderful solar eclipse occurred last July 21, 2009, the video was covered by NHK in Japan. Very, very wonderful. You’ll never get to watch this kind of event in a very, very long time. Good thing they make a cover story for this.

I was stunned by the beautiful shade made by the solar eclipse, especially the video the event near the sea.

It was recently reported that no new confirmed cases of swine flu since Sunday, it may be an indication of the virus’s slowly spreading. On the other hand, 350 people are still in quarantine in a downtown Hong Kong hotel as a precaution.

Mexico, where the disease first originated indicates that the epidemic was easing too, still we can’t let our guard down and be very careful. Its because the virus has killed 19 people already in Mexico and 1 in America, and there are still hundreds sickened by the virus.

Now, there is a new issue regarding H1N1 (swine) flu, In San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines – it’s the pigs’ turn to be protected from humans and the virus itself. As a precaution, for not to spread the Influenza A (H1N1) virus in the country.

‘Keep the infected human away from the pigs’

I couldn’t agree well, Pampanga is well known for its pig meat products like Mekeni and Pampanga’s Best. I savor tocino, longganisa and all those tasty Pampanga pork products.

Chief of the Regulatory Division of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Dr. Romeo Manalili in Central Luzon said yesterday that local officials to quarantine humans with flu symptoms from backyard pigpens and commercial hog farms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that 20 countries have officially reported 985 cases of Influenza A (H1N1) infection.

Mexico, still suffering from the said plague (popularly known as swine flu) has reported 590 laboratory-confirmed human cases of infection, this includes 25 deaths already.

The United States with its 226 laboratory report, officially confirmed human cases, with one death.

“Mexico’s fatal flu is in human, not in swine” said Manalili which is actually true contradicting the belief that it came from swine. This is mainly because of the popular name of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, the “swine flu”. Again, this virus is actually consist of the 3 virus strain of the human, swine, and bird flu virus.

“So we have to protect our pigs,” said Manalili.

In Pandi, Bulacan few months ago, at least 6,000 pigs that were infected with the Ebola reston virus were killed and cremated.

At least 6,000 pigs that were infected with the Ebola reston virus were killed and cremated in Pandi, Bulacan a few months ago. The pigs in the Pandi farm were initially quarantined to prevent their contact with humans as well as other pigs before authorities decided to destroy them to prevent the spread of the disease.

On the other hand, filipinos aren’t scared to eat Lechon Baboy (Roast Pig on a bamboo stick). Lydia De Roca, 62 years of age and owner of Lydia’s Lechon said that they are not affected by H1N1 flu because they know that it is not related at all with eating with their product.

Hong Kong already confirmed its first case of H1N1 flu last week. Chloe Belle Dogeno, housemaid, who’s work are days of endless house cleaning, wiping doorknobs, washing rugs, towels, and bed sheets. Is worrying about the H1N1, she said its like when the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS outbreak in HK in 2003.

But rather than worrying the epidemic, she is much worry (like many of the 130,00o Filipino housemaids in this territory of China), go beyond the extra hous chores, expected restrictions by her employer to meet her friends, even her health. Plus, worse of it all is loosing her job once she gets infected. She’s a 42-year-old breadwinner, and like all filipinos getting out of the country who support her family and siblings with the money she earn and sent back to Dumangas, Iloilo.

When the global economic meltdown like what happened during the SARS epedimia, she’s very much worried about loosing her job.

“Now that the swine flu (H1N1) is here, it means more hard work for me—changing the doormats, bed sheets and towels more often. I have to do a lot of wiping again,” Dogeno said.

She remembered the things she did when SARS hit a few years ago. “I had to put a pail filled with Chlorox and disinfectant by the door so my wards—a couple and their two children—could wipe their shoes and things before entering. I had to constantly change the doormats and wipe the toilet,” she said.

She said she would be very careful now with hygiene because of the repercussions should she lose her job. “If I get terminated, I’m not the only one who will go hungry. It will be a tragedy for my family in the Philippines,” Dogeno said.

Her worries only worsen because the lack of government support for our OFW and the company she works for should have more knowledge regarding the outbreak. They didn’t have to overwork their employees this way.

For OFW like Dogeno, just think its much easier than work here in the Philippines where cleanliness and hygiene is not a matter.

US officials don’t want the term swine flu for the current epidemic outbreak because people are confused thinking that they could catch it from eating pork meat. This is very understandable as many people “literaly” takes things.. well… literaly.

We’re now discussing a better way to describe the disease which will not be misunderstood and lead to inappropriate actions on people. Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dr. Richard Besser said.

Scientists of CDC discovered that this never-before-seen strain of influenza, a mix of pig, bird and human viruses that is scientifically part of the Type H1N1 family of influenza, thus shortening (also the source) of the name swine flu.

Now if it’s also a part of bird virus, should it be called flying swine flu? C’mon think of it, it had already travelled thousands, (or even millions) of miles away from Mexicon to infect people all over the world.

World Health Organization is now on global alert with this new epidemic/plague/disease/virus that claimed lives in Mexico. There are already 600,000 anti-flu capsules by our Philippine officials that are ready as a prevention measure with this swine influenza.

It has been reported that already seven countries are infected with swine flu, and by means of infected airplane passengers it was able to spread across Mexican borders.

New Zealand, nearly 2,000 people are infected and there are already 152 deaths, a group of students and teachers that recently visited Mexico was suspected the source.

Reported countries infected with swine flu are Israel that have several cases, United States (fifty non-fatal), Canada (six), Spain (two) and Scotland (two).

Yesterday, European Union officials reported swine flu cases that are already in Czech, Denmark, Greece, Germany, Ireland, Italy in addition to Britain and Spain.

Keiji Fukuda (WHO assistant director general) said “At this time, containment is not a feasible option”.