By Josh Shaffer
This colony of prehistoric creatures known as bryozoans – thousands of wormlike animals – is living in a sewer under a shopping center in Raleigh. It's about the size of a golf ball.
RALEIGH It looks like blob of wriggling pudding staring out through a single, puckered eye. You can see it caught on camera, clinging to the concrete pipes below Raleigh's Cameron Village: the Sewer Monster.
It's really a colony of prehistoric creatures known either as bryozoans or moss animalcules, thousands of wormlike animals, biologists report. Clustered together in a glistening mass, they feed through tentacles on whatever floats past. More common in ponds, they have turned up in a set of sanitary sewer pipes under one of the country's oldest shopping centers.
Living in a 6-inch sewer main, the clusters of worms are about the size of a golf ball, estimates Ed Buchan, an environmental coordinator with the city. But the video footage, captured with a tiny snakelike camera, makes the monster appear at man-eating size to viewers watching at home.
That may explain why a two-minute video tour of the Sewer Monster's lair has spread across the Web like flesh-eating bacteria, prompting nationwide cries of horror and disgust.
“Mystery Life Form in NC Sewer!” read one headline, followed by this comment: “It looks like meat. HEART MEAT!”
At Cameron Village on Wednesday evening, visitors were split into two groups: Those who had seen the sewer monster video and been horrified, and those who planned to Google it the minute they had the chance.
Maria Schmitt, 21, Jeff Lepley, 21, and Annie Powell, 21, were in the latter camp, but they quickly rectified that using Schmitt's iPhone.
“It looks like a brain or something,” Schmitt said. “That's in the pipe?”
“I keep expecting a baby's head to pop out,” added Lepley said.
“I'm glad I don't live here,” said Powell, a Houston native.
The trio immediately regretted their decision to watch the video before eating dinner at the Village Draft House.
“I'm glad I didn't order pasta,” Schmitt said.
Contractor shot video
Raleigh's Public Utilities Director Dale Crisp said the video was not shot by the city, but rather a contractor hired by the property owner. Lynne Worth, property manager for Cameron Village, was out of the office Wednesday and could not be reached.
Crisp said the city first learned of the video several weeks ago when a link was sent to an employee in the stormwater division. Raleigh has two teams of employees whose sole task is to send tiny cameras into sewer lines and then review the footage.
This video surprised even the pros who thought they'd seen it all.
“I don't know if we've seen anything move on its own inside a sanitary sewer line,” Crisp said. But shop owners in Cameron Village only laughed.
This isn't the first time a bryozoan has ventured inside a sewer pipe. Denver's utility workers discovered some last year, but opted to leave them alone. So far, said Mitch Terry, of the Colorado city's water and sanitation district, they hasn't clogged anything.
Critters are harmless
Bryozoans are harmless, said Thomas Kwak, a biologist at N.C. State University.
If they were to take on the qualities of a Sewer Monster, it would be a very slow attack. Bryozoans move 1 to 10 centimeters a day, Kwak said.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Asbestos cleanup 'emergency' declared in Montana town
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Montana town where asbestos contamination has been blamed for more than 200 deaths will get an additional $6 million in cleanup and medical assistance from the Obama administration under a "public health emergency" declared Wednesday.
Libby, Montana, will get new help dealing with asbestos contamination.
The declaration is the first issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has been overseeing the cleanup of Libby, Montana, for 10 years.
The town was heavily contaminated with asbestos-laced dust that federal prosecutors said resulted in more than 200 deaths and 1,000 illnesses.
"This is a tragic public health situation that has not received the recognition it deserves by the federal government for far too long," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said in a statement accompanying the declaration.
EPA spokeswoman Adora Andy said the money will go to local health care providers to screen, diagnose and treat asbestos-related illnesses in Libby and nearby Troy, which also suffered contamination from a mine that operated for decades.
The agency still needs to conduct "significant research" into the health effects of the type of asbestos that has been spread around town since the 1920s, she said, and does not yet know how many properties will need to be cleaned up.
In May, a federal jury acquitted mine operator W.R. Grace and three of its former executives of criminal charges related to the contamination. During Jackson's confirmation hearing in January, Montana Sen. Max Baucus said the town's 12,000 residents had been "hung out to dry" and pressed Jackson to review the issue.
The Libby operation began producing vermiculite -- a mineral often used in insulation -- in 1919. But the vermiculite was contaminated with tremolite asbestos, a particularly toxic form of asbestos that has been linked to mesothelioma, a cancer that can attack the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.
E.P.A.: Public health emergency in Libby, Montana
Dust from the plant covered patches of grass, dusted the tops of cars and drifted through the air in a hazy cloud that became a part of residents' daily lives.
Grace operated the facility from 1963 until it closed in 1990. During the company's three-month trial, prosecutors argued that its executives knowingly released the substance and tried to hide the danger from the community.
The company did not deny that the asbestos came from its mine, but it said it acted responsibly to clean up the contamination. It paid millions in medical bills for residents of Libby and Troy, and agreed in 2008 to pay $250 million to reimburse the EPA for its cleanup efforts.
Libby, Montana, will get new help dealing with asbestos contamination.
The declaration is the first issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has been overseeing the cleanup of Libby, Montana, for 10 years.
The town was heavily contaminated with asbestos-laced dust that federal prosecutors said resulted in more than 200 deaths and 1,000 illnesses.
"This is a tragic public health situation that has not received the recognition it deserves by the federal government for far too long," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said in a statement accompanying the declaration.
EPA spokeswoman Adora Andy said the money will go to local health care providers to screen, diagnose and treat asbestos-related illnesses in Libby and nearby Troy, which also suffered contamination from a mine that operated for decades.
The agency still needs to conduct "significant research" into the health effects of the type of asbestos that has been spread around town since the 1920s, she said, and does not yet know how many properties will need to be cleaned up.
In May, a federal jury acquitted mine operator W.R. Grace and three of its former executives of criminal charges related to the contamination. During Jackson's confirmation hearing in January, Montana Sen. Max Baucus said the town's 12,000 residents had been "hung out to dry" and pressed Jackson to review the issue.
The Libby operation began producing vermiculite -- a mineral often used in insulation -- in 1919. But the vermiculite was contaminated with tremolite asbestos, a particularly toxic form of asbestos that has been linked to mesothelioma, a cancer that can attack the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.
E.P.A.: Public health emergency in Libby, Montana
Dust from the plant covered patches of grass, dusted the tops of cars and drifted through the air in a hazy cloud that became a part of residents' daily lives.
Grace operated the facility from 1963 until it closed in 1990. During the company's three-month trial, prosecutors argued that its executives knowingly released the substance and tried to hide the danger from the community.
The company did not deny that the asbestos came from its mine, but it said it acted responsibly to clean up the contamination. It paid millions in medical bills for residents of Libby and Troy, and agreed in 2008 to pay $250 million to reimburse the EPA for its cleanup efforts.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Susan Boyle hospitalized after losing in 'Britain's Got Talent' finale
by Vicki Hyman
Friends from Susan Boyle's Scottish hometown gather to watch their local hero in the finale of "Britain's Got Talent" SaturdayThe pressure of being Earth's most YouTube'd woman got to Susan Boyle, who was hospitalized Sunday after losing "Britain's Got Talent" the previous night, judge Piers Morgan tells a British morning show. (British tabs report that Boyle was acting strangely at her hotel after the defeat, running down corridors while shouting "I hate this show.')
"She's gone in for some rest," Morgan says. "She needs to get away from everyone - get away from the show, from the media, the public, and just have a bit of down time to herself."
The hospitalization was voluntary, and Boyle had been seeking help from doctors throughout the week leading up to the finale, he says. "She had too long to wait between the audition show and the final, and the pressure just builds and builds and builds."
Boyle took her defeat with grace, saying "the best people won" (that would be the dance group Diversity). And don't cry for her (Argentina) - the classical singer stands to reap more than $8 million in the next year in endorsements, appearances and recording deals, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Susan Boyle hospitalized after 'BGT' finals
Hours after falling to second place in the Britain's Got Talent finals, Susan Boyle was taken by ambulance to a London clinic under police escort for treatment of exhaustion, according to People.com. Britain's Got Talent producers released the following statement: "Following Saturday night's show, Susan is exhausted and emotionally drained. She has been seen by her private GP who supports her decision to take a few days out for rest and recovery." The British press has reported that the singer was angry and upset after her defeat in the finals on Saturday night, though in public she appeared gracious, praising the dance troupe, Diversity, who won the competition. Boyle will reportedly be taking some time off to rest following the whirlwind media infatuation with the Scottish singer, who became an overnight celebrity thanks to the YouTube video of her audition performance, which has received some 90 million views since it debuted in April.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) - CDC Update - Tenth Death Confirmed, May 25, 2009
Summary of Situation
Current Statistics
As of 11 a.m. (ET) on May 25, 2009, forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have reported 6,764 confirmed and probable cases of H1N1 influenza. A tenth death has been confirmed. Specifically:
Alabama -- 66 cases
Arkansas -- 4 cases
Arizona -- 531 cases and 3 deaths
California -- 553 cases
Colorado -- 60 cases
Connecticut -- 102 cases
Delaware -- 102 cases
Florida -- 139 cases
Georgia -- 28 cases
Hawaii -- 40 cases
Idaho -- 9 cases
Illinois -- 896 cases
Indiana -- 120 cases
Iowa -- 71 cases
Kansas -- 34 cases
Kentucky -- 27 cases
Louisiana -- 86 cases
Maine -- 9 cases
Maryland -- 41 cases
Massachusetts -- 238 cases
Michigan -- 176 cases
Minnesota -- 44 cases
Mississippi -- 7 cases
Missouri -- 24 cases and 1 death
Montana -- 12 cases
Nebraska -- 29 cases
Nevada -- 49 cases
New Hampshire -- 23 cases
New Jersey -- 29 cases
New Mexico -- 97 cases
New York -- 343 cases and 1 death
North Carolina -- 12 cases
North Dakota -- 6 cases
Ohio -- 14 cases
Oklahoma -- 51 cases
Oregon -- 116 cases
Pennsylvania -- 88 cases
Rhode Island -- 10 cases
South Carolina -- 36 cases
South Dakota -- 3 cases
Tennessee -- 94 cases
Texas -- 900 cases and 3 deaths
Utah -- 122 cases and 1 death
Vermont -- 2 cases
Virginia -- 25 cases
Washington -- 517 cases and 1 death
Washington, D.C. -- 13 cases
Wisconsin -- 766 cases.
A New Influenza Virus
Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in April, 2009. The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, sparking a growing outbreak of illness in the United States. An increasing number of cases are being reported internationally as well.
It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.
It’s uncertain at this time how severe this novel H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result. In addition, currently there is no vaccine to protect against this novel H1N1 virus. CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks.
Novel influenza A (H1N1) activity is now being detected through CDC’s routine influenza surveillance systemsand reported weekly in FluView. CDC tracks U.S. influenza activity through multiple systems across five categories. The fact that novel H1N1 activity can now be monitored through seasonal surveillance systems is an indication that there are higher levels of influenza-like illness in the United States than is normal for this time of year. Most of the influenza viruses being detected now are novel H1N1 viruses.
CDC Response
CDC continues to take aggressive action to respond to the outbreak. CDC’s response goals are to reduce the spread and severity of illness, and to provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this new public health threat.
CDC is issuing updated interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation.
Clinician Guidance
CDC has issued interim guidance for clinicians on identifying and caring for patientswith novel H1N1, in addition to providing interim guidance on the use of antiviral drugs. Influenza antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including novel influenza H1N1 viruses. The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during this outbreak is to treat severe influenza illness, including people who are hospitalized or sick people who are considered at high risk of serious influenza-related complications.
Public Guidance
In addition, CDC has provided guidance for the public on what to do if they become sick with flu-like symptoms, including infection with novel H1N1. CDC also has issued instructions on taking care of a sick person at home. Novel H1N1 infection has been reported to cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In addition, a significant number of people also have reported nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Everyone should take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs, including frequent hand washing and people who are sick should stay home and avoid contact with others in order to limit further spread of the disease.
Testing
CDC has developed a PCR diagnostic test kit to detect this novel H1N1 virus and has now distributed test kits to all states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The test kits are being shipped internationally as well. This will allow states and other countries to test for this new virus. This increase in testing will likely result in an increase in the number of confirmed cases of illness reported. This, combined with ongoing monitoring through Flu View should provide a fuller picture of the burden of disease in the United States over time.
Current Statistics
As of 11 a.m. (ET) on May 25, 2009, forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have reported 6,764 confirmed and probable cases of H1N1 influenza. A tenth death has been confirmed. Specifically:
Alabama -- 66 cases
Arkansas -- 4 cases
Arizona -- 531 cases and 3 deaths
California -- 553 cases
Colorado -- 60 cases
Connecticut -- 102 cases
Delaware -- 102 cases
Florida -- 139 cases
Georgia -- 28 cases
Hawaii -- 40 cases
Idaho -- 9 cases
Illinois -- 896 cases
Indiana -- 120 cases
Iowa -- 71 cases
Kansas -- 34 cases
Kentucky -- 27 cases
Louisiana -- 86 cases
Maine -- 9 cases
Maryland -- 41 cases
Massachusetts -- 238 cases
Michigan -- 176 cases
Minnesota -- 44 cases
Mississippi -- 7 cases
Missouri -- 24 cases and 1 death
Montana -- 12 cases
Nebraska -- 29 cases
Nevada -- 49 cases
New Hampshire -- 23 cases
New Jersey -- 29 cases
New Mexico -- 97 cases
New York -- 343 cases and 1 death
North Carolina -- 12 cases
North Dakota -- 6 cases
Ohio -- 14 cases
Oklahoma -- 51 cases
Oregon -- 116 cases
Pennsylvania -- 88 cases
Rhode Island -- 10 cases
South Carolina -- 36 cases
South Dakota -- 3 cases
Tennessee -- 94 cases
Texas -- 900 cases and 3 deaths
Utah -- 122 cases and 1 death
Vermont -- 2 cases
Virginia -- 25 cases
Washington -- 517 cases and 1 death
Washington, D.C. -- 13 cases
Wisconsin -- 766 cases.
A New Influenza Virus
Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in April, 2009. The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, sparking a growing outbreak of illness in the United States. An increasing number of cases are being reported internationally as well.
It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.
It’s uncertain at this time how severe this novel H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result. In addition, currently there is no vaccine to protect against this novel H1N1 virus. CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks.
Novel influenza A (H1N1) activity is now being detected through CDC’s routine influenza surveillance systemsand reported weekly in FluView. CDC tracks U.S. influenza activity through multiple systems across five categories. The fact that novel H1N1 activity can now be monitored through seasonal surveillance systems is an indication that there are higher levels of influenza-like illness in the United States than is normal for this time of year. Most of the influenza viruses being detected now are novel H1N1 viruses.
CDC Response
CDC continues to take aggressive action to respond to the outbreak. CDC’s response goals are to reduce the spread and severity of illness, and to provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this new public health threat.
CDC is issuing updated interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation.
Clinician Guidance
CDC has issued interim guidance for clinicians on identifying and caring for patientswith novel H1N1, in addition to providing interim guidance on the use of antiviral drugs. Influenza antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including novel influenza H1N1 viruses. The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during this outbreak is to treat severe influenza illness, including people who are hospitalized or sick people who are considered at high risk of serious influenza-related complications.
Public Guidance
In addition, CDC has provided guidance for the public on what to do if they become sick with flu-like symptoms, including infection with novel H1N1. CDC also has issued instructions on taking care of a sick person at home. Novel H1N1 infection has been reported to cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In addition, a significant number of people also have reported nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Everyone should take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs, including frequent hand washing and people who are sick should stay home and avoid contact with others in order to limit further spread of the disease.
Testing
CDC has developed a PCR diagnostic test kit to detect this novel H1N1 virus and has now distributed test kits to all states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The test kits are being shipped internationally as well. This will allow states and other countries to test for this new virus. This increase in testing will likely result in an increase in the number of confirmed cases of illness reported. This, combined with ongoing monitoring through Flu View should provide a fuller picture of the burden of disease in the United States over time.
HealthWatch for May 25, 2009
Another person has died of swine flu, the government is setting aside billions of dollars to help fight swine flu, and genetically engineered stem cells are showing promise as a way to kill tumors.
Story by The CBS Newspath
New York City health officials say another person has died after becoming ill with swine flu. The woman, who was in her 50s, is the city's second fatality. Health officials say the victim also had other health conditions.
The government is setting aside one billion dollars to help companies develop an H1N1 flu vaccine. The money will be used for clinical studies over the summer. Part of the funds will also go toward building up the government's stockpile of drugs and vaccines that is on hold in case of a flu pandemic.
Genetically engineered stem cells are showing promise as a potential new way to kill tumors. Experiments in cell cultures and in mice showed the adult stem cells could zero in on cancer cells and deliver a lethal protein that only attacked the cancer. The technique spares normal healthy tissue.
Story by The CBS Newspath
New York City health officials say another person has died after becoming ill with swine flu. The woman, who was in her 50s, is the city's second fatality. Health officials say the victim also had other health conditions.
The government is setting aside one billion dollars to help companies develop an H1N1 flu vaccine. The money will be used for clinical studies over the summer. Part of the funds will also go toward building up the government's stockpile of drugs and vaccines that is on hold in case of a flu pandemic.
Genetically engineered stem cells are showing promise as a potential new way to kill tumors. Experiments in cell cultures and in mice showed the adult stem cells could zero in on cancer cells and deliver a lethal protein that only attacked the cancer. The technique spares normal healthy tissue.
Cocaine test prompts Red Bull removal in Germany
BERLIN (AP) — Six German states have told retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after a test found a trace amount of cocaine.
The bans started Friday after a sample test conducted by authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia state found 0.4 micrograms per liter in the drink.
Five other states also banned it from shops amid concerns over possible narcotics law violations.
Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said Monday that the cocaine level was too low to pose a health risk. It planned to produce a more detailed report Wednesday.
Red Bull said its cola is "harmless and marketable in both the U.S. and Europe." It said similar coca leaf extracts are used worldwide as flavoring, and a test it commissioned itself found no cocaine traces.
The bans started Friday after a sample test conducted by authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia state found 0.4 micrograms per liter in the drink.
Five other states also banned it from shops amid concerns over possible narcotics law violations.
Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said Monday that the cocaine level was too low to pose a health risk. It planned to produce a more detailed report Wednesday.
Red Bull said its cola is "harmless and marketable in both the U.S. and Europe." It said similar coca leaf extracts are used worldwide as flavoring, and a test it commissioned itself found no cocaine traces.
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