Potpourri XXX

For those of you new to this site, this is NOT a porn site, so get that "XXX" idea out of your head. If you want to stick around and get educated and entertained a little bit, by all means, stick around. For the rest of you, I offer another set of odd links and bits that struck my fancy. Read on!

NASA's Mercury MESSENGER planetary orbiter has found signs that the planet Mercury had an active, volcanic past and a highly variable magnetosphere.

AvWeb posted a PDF of a document that looks like an FAA notice to air traffic controllers in the New York City area. Never seen one of these before, but it looks plausible. Still not expecting an apology from the president.

A notice from Robin Henderson, Associate Director at Marshall Space Flight Center, regarding the H1N1 flu:

Message from Robin Henderson, Associate Director
In light of last evening’s Madison County Emergency Management Agency’s (EMA) announcements, I am writing to assure you that we are following Marshall’s Emergency Management Plan concerning Pandemic Disease Events. We are taking all appropriate precautions to ensure the safety and well being of all Marshall employees and their families.
We want everyone to know that there is no medical emergency at this time. Thus far, no H1N1 virus (swine) flu cases have been identified on Redstone Arsenal.
As a precautionary measure, to protect the health of all those under the age of 18, all youth activities and operations on the Arsenal will be suspended through Sunday, May 3. This suspension includes the Marshall Child Development Center. Redstone Arsenal has suspended all Redstone related School Age Services, Youth Services and associated youth sporting events, as well as Chapel Youth events and worship services involving children.
Additionally, the Saturday, May 2, Morale Welfare and Recreation Block Party has also been postponed. As has been announced, Marshall Space Flight Center has issued a liberal leave policy, except for emergency essential personnel, effective today and tomorrow, for those employees who need to care for their children or feel the need to stay away from a public environment. A decision will be made if continuation of the liberal leave policy is necessary beyond Sunday, May 3.

If you and/or a family member have flu-like symptoms – fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea – contact your health care provider. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid all contact with other people to keep from spreading your illness to others. We are asking that you not go to the medical center with these symptoms as this is contrary to Center for Disease Control
recommendations.

If you and/or a family member becomes ill and experiences any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care:

In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include: fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish skin color, not drinking enough fluids, not waking up or not interacting, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held, flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough, fever with a rash.

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen,
sudden dizziness, confusion.

For information about precautions, follow this link to the CDC’s Swine Flu Website: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

Recommendations on any further actions the Center or Agency may take will be released through Marshall communications vehicles. Please be advised that we will utilize multiple communication vehicles to ensure that you are informed and updated as further information or decisions become available. Latest information also is available by phone, call (256)544-HELP, Option 5.

On my end of things, I turned in my emergency contact information to the powers that be so they know who to contact if I get a sniffle. Sigh...I know it's serious. I just shake my head in dismay at the near-overreaction to things.

NASAWatch's snark drives me up the wall, but they do link to some interesting news sites. I suggest reading the news stories connected with layoffs at Kennedy Space Center and possible changes to the Constellation Program's ends and architecture.

An adult beverage recommendation from long-lost-high-school-buddy Joanna: Evan Williams whiskey, just in time for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

New internet nomenclature from Doc:

astroturfing, v. An internet practice whereby companies have employees create artificial “grassroots” movements to gin up support for their products.