Last week, The Lancet released a study stating that an influenza pandemic similar to the so-called Spanish flu pandemic that killed between 50 and 100 million people between 1918 and 1920 would kill about 62 million people today, with 96 percent of the deaths occurring in developing countries (details here, free registration required). It is reassuring to learn that researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have succeeded in imaging one of the viruses that causes influenza. So far, they've studied the H3N2 strain, but they could soon image other ones. This finding could help to discover how antibodies inactivate the virus — and maybe save millions of lives.

3-D images of a flu virus | Emerging Technology Trends | ZDNet.com

NEWSTRUST.NET, DIGG.COM: TWO VISIONS OF WHAT ONLINE READERS WANT
By Elise Ackerman - Mercury News

Two years ago, the inspiration for creating a Web site for news junkies hit two men with vastly different ambitions. One hoped to make boat-loads of money. The other dreamed of enriching American democracy by identifying trusted news sources hidden in the deluge of information available online.

NewsTrust looks extremely interesting.

MercuryNews.com | 12/28/2006 | Web news opposites

Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees.

My first reaction to these things is always "you can't be serious."

Update: Apparently, they're not! Thanks, PEER, for demonstrating that advocacy groups are often just as full of shit as the people they are are protesting.

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility: News Releases

I've seldom seen as much disruption of the Internet as is still being caused by the Taiwan Earthquakes of 26-27 December. Six undersea cables cut at once may be a record, as may disruptions from Taiwan to Nepal.

This link has an animation of Internet routing chaos in Singapore after undersea fibers near Taiwan were cut.

Taiwan Earthquakes Boil Internet

If you live in Atlanta you better think twice before you finalize your New Year's Eve party plans. Because New Year's Eve is on a Sunday this year places that don't serve food with their alcohol like clubs and bars will not be able to serve drinks until 12:01 a.m.

No drinky till 12:01 AM in Atlanta this new years

"BARNEVELD, Wis. — With an estimated 400,000 members nationwide, and a high-profile fight with the federal government over veterans' grave markers, Wiccans are moving into a more prominent place in the religious landscape.

I'm not sure why this had to turn into a lawsuit given the current diversity of allowed symbols.

Goal of Lawsuit for Wicca: Acceptance

School headmaster Chamnong Chupatpong and Mano Sonkaew were driving a pickup truck on their way to Ban Baedo school in Yala province when they were shot, dragged out of the vehicle and burned to death, according to a witness, Lt. Tatsapol Suwannabul said.

And here we're worried about textbook stickers.

Muslim rebels in southern Thailand target school teachers

I decided to create my list of Best Astronomy Pictures of 2006. I went through hundreds of images (maybe thousands), checking NASA, APOD, the ESA, BAUT, and a few dozen amateur and professional sites featuring pictures as well.

Bad Astronomy Blog - The Top Ten Astronomy Images of 2006

In what police describe as a "probable" suicide leap, a prominent Monterey Bay Area attorney fell at least nine floors to his death at the Embassy Suites Hotel Monterey Bay in Seaside the morning before Christmas.

Sanford was active in the national arena. He appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 beside Elk Grove resident Michael Newdow when he argued unsuccessfully that the words "under God" should be stricken from the Pledge of Allegiance.

A passionate believer in "a dynamic Constitution," Sanford always carried a copy of the U.S. Constitution in his pocket, Mills said.

"He was a champion of the downtrodden, he represented homeless people in Santa Cruz, and fought for free speech," Mills said.

Mills said Sanford decided in recent years to add journalism to his many occupations.

Almost immediately, he caused a stir after he joined the White House Press Corps in 2005, making waves as the first reporter to ask then-White House press secretary Scott McClellan whether the leaking of CIA agent Valerie Plame's name might be considered an act of treason.

Lawyer falls to death at hotel

Napster in 1999. MySpace in 2004. YouTube in 2006. Experts from the tech community look ahead to the innovations that will change how we work, play and communicate in 2007.

STEVE BALLMER; NED SHERMAN; RAFAT ALI; KEVIN WERBACH; CHRIS ANDERSON; HANK BARRY; JOHN BROCKMAN

A set of technology predictions for 2007 from some smart people. Unfortunately, 1 year isn't a great timeframe for tech prediction. Anything that is going to hit the mainstream in 2007 is already going on. Brockman's ideas are the best, I think, but this is also worth looking at for the irony of Ballmer's response:

You'll be back in control
STEVE BALLMER

New "digital rights" technology, which gives copyright holders more control over the distribution and reproduction of their work, will continue to transform the entertainment industry.

I guess Steve has joined Time Magazine in confusing the words you and they.

What will they think of next? - Los Angeles Times