US baby dies as swine flu takes international heights

A 23 month old baby has been officially confirmed as the first victim of the swine flu virus outside of Mexico.
Once a resident in Mexico, the victim tops the list of a reported 91 US cases with possible swine flu traits, with a further 53 cases being reported in the third largest hotspot: Spain.
Also in Spain, the first case of a non-Mexico visitor has been confirmed as the outbreak rapidly spreads.
As of this morning, 114 cases have been reported, taking 8 deaths, so the National World Organisation reports. In Mexico however, it is believed up to 159 people have been killed a week after the pandemic was announced.
Flights from other countries are now being banned to Mexico, with France the latest to join after several airline companies including Thomas Cook of the United Kingdom had announced yesterday.
Cases have now been confirmed in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, Britain, Spain and Germany. Germany has been the latest to be added to this list, with two new outbreaks from a couple in their late 30s adding to a previous report of a 22 year old woman to take the total to 3. All, unlike the case in Spain, had returned recently from Mexico.
If it is confirmed that the disease is being spread in two or more countries, the NWO will raise the pandemic level to Phase 5 - the highest possible level of threat. NWO's acting assistant director for health security and environment Keiji Fukuda says the flu "moves in ways we cannot predict".

Quote of the Day - 29th April 2009

"You got to have a dream, If you don't have a dream, How you gonna have a dream come true?" - Happy Talk, song from the South Pacific Musical

Attempting to hit new heights...

I've started a second blog, which can be found HERE.

The aim is to write a quote I find interesting once a day, every day, for as long as possible really. Although the posts will not be of much depth, it'll help me to keep updating my blog - good training for university I reckon. Subscribe?

Slaying a dragon is nothing, try getting cheap car insurance...

Calling a red hot summer day in April, in Britain, is almost like declaring the Mona Lisa was painted by a baby. It's just...not right. However, on the day of St. George, God has decided to let there be sun. So it was only normal to turn up to college today seeing handfuls of cars blasting music, windows down, England flags in view in one way or another (Be it number plates, stuck onto car windows, or homemade ties and apple stickers).
I hate this. No, I'm not a summer scrooge, but when you've just passed your driving test, have a full UK driving license, and no car, it's hard not to get riled up. On the phone to my girlfriend earlier today, she told me she'd booked her driving test due in a couple of months, and naturally the topic of insurance arose. And naturally, the urge to drive returned.
After a bit of research, girlfriend-aided, I found out several ways to lower insurance. However, even after taking a Pass Plus course or becoming a member of the Institute of Advanced Driving, I'm still stuck in a rut.
I'm 18. I'm newly qualified. I'm male (meaning my testosterone will naturally make me drive aggressively apparently, which is uncontrollable). Even the little details like not having a garage to park a car in annoys me. However, the one thing that I hate the most is job ranks in relation to insurance premium. Apparently, the worst occupations for getting an insurance premium are landlords, professional footballers and.... journalists. Great.

Stuntman

Ok, so it turns out I might have to wait a little longer to get my hands on a real-life car. After having a vague chat with my dad on the way home today, it turns out that the complicated you-get-a-car-once-I-and-your-stepmum-and-your-sister-all-get-one process that was planned, might be flipped on it's head the same time that my pink driving licence (yeah, the real deal!) drops through my letter box.
My dad has now changed his mind from a Volkswagen Scirocco to a BMW 3 Series Coupe/Saloon, and my sister has decided she no longer wants my stepmum's Ford Focus. Thus, she will keep her Ford Fiesta, which was initially intended for me.
After dropping several hints about the time in which this complicated process will take place, a rough guideline of a month cropped up. Reality meaning no set length of time.
Will I get a car to turn up to my revision lessons in May? Will I get a car before my exams in June? Will I be able to drive anywhere before University in October? I do wonder...

If Carlsberg made job opportunities...

In a time of global recession, it's becoming harder and harder to hold a job let alone get a new one. Every time I open my web browser and am directed to the BBC News website, one of the top three stories shown is usually something to do with job cuts, bank cuts, or unfair salaries. Gone are the days where you can walk into a shop after seeing an advert on the window, request an application form and by the end of the week you're wearing a McSuit serving fries to happy customers. The temporary companies I work for hardly ever send job offers to me - and given that the past 3 or 4 jobs I've carried out I felt I bust a gut doing it obviously isn't a fault at my end - and when they do and I reply, I am told I am put on the waiting list. Last year, this meant that I would be contacted within 5 days maximum to be told I, more often than not, had the job. This year however, if I am called back, it is to let me down softly.
I believe the idea of a gap year before University is pointless, since that year could be spent after University doing a job you love rather than something to earn pennies in your McSuit. However, after coming across this handy little advert, I'm now tempted to take one. I'm 18, I'm unemployed at present and come July will have a good few months break from education, so what better time to apply. All I need to do now is apply online, for a confirmation email to filter through to my mailbox saying "Thanks, we've received your application and will reply shortly. However, you should know that you are now the 1,382,214th person on the shortlist and have no chance at all of succeeding, because we actually can't afford to pay you right now".

Universal blogging

More of a note to self to be honest, but I'm now a member of Blogspot, WordPress, MyBlogLog and Digg. When I have more time, I may set up a Twitter account. Multi-platform eat your heart out.

Leyton Orient v Northampton Town - Match Report

With Leyton Orient now safe from the drop, Geraint William's men could breath a sigh of relief in today's game after an impressive string of results fit for a club pushing for promotion. Northampton Town, on the other hand, had it all to play for - and with two games in hand compared to the cluster of teams around them, were in desperate need of points.

The game began slowly, with neither side being able to string together any real threats, and it took 10 minutes for Northampton's Andy Holt to deliver the first menacing ball. Threaded through to target man Adebayo Akinfenwa, the striker could do little to trouble the keeper before Jamie Jones pounced on the ball. The first 25 minutes were all Northampton, with a string of chances having a few O's with tails between legs as the away team were picking up steam. A through ball on the 13th minute by Luke Guttridge split the O's defence apart, allowing Akinfenwa a route toward goal before Jordan Spence quickly intercepted the ball at the pivotal moment. 8 minutes later, a long range effort by defender Jason Crowe from 35 yards had Jones momentarily worried, however as the ball drifted just wide of the post Jones always looked like he had it covered.
Northampton were slowly decreasing their pressure, as the O's began to regain confidence after a shaky start. A moment of magic on the 25th minute then occurred. Orient's Dean Morgan was unfairly brought down on the left flank, allowing Sean Thornton to deliver a pacy inswinger from 45 yards out toward goal. Clever footwork from frontman Scott Mcgleish had his marker scrambling around the 6 yard box, eventually heading the ball into his own goal whilst Cobbler's keeper Chris Dunn helpless watched the ball sail into the back of the net.
Perhaps undeserved, the goal was well planned, and was a definite turning point in the game. On the 27th minute, Northampton almost grabbed an immediate equaliser. Midfielder Ikechi Anya - quiet until now - fizzed a powerful ball across the Orient box, with Holt arriving on the far post connecting perfectly with the ball yet managed to find the wrong side of the post, the ball trickling inches wide.
The 29th minute almost resulted in a 2-0 scoreline. Orient's JJ Melligan whipped in an inswinger towards Mcgleish, meeting the ball superbly to require Cobbler's Mark Hughes into making a sliding tackle to redirect the ball around the post, whilst stranded keeper Dunn watched on grateful for the deflection. Contrasting the opening, Orient were now enjoying their best spell in the game, with Northampton pegged back in their own half whilst waves of Orient attacks barraged the Cobbler's box.
The final chance of the half fell to Northampton's Andy Holt on the 36th minute. A menacing cross by Anya flitted across Jones' area, and with Akinfenwa unable to meet the ball, it fell kindly to Holt. With time to control it, the midfielder could only scuff his shot from 4 yards out, straight into Jones' arms. The best chance yet for Northampton as the game turned into a midfield battle for the final 10 minutes of the half before both teams headed into the tunnels. With 63% of the possession going Orient's way, it was vital for William's men to convert this into goals - however, Northampton showed frequently in the half why a low percentage doesn't always mean lack of chances...

With the teams refreshed from the break, both sides headed out to applause from the crowd, eager for more action. Two close cut chances followed for Orient on the 55 minute mark. The first a free header from Simon Church requiring a reactionary fingertip save from Dunn before being ruled offside. The second, onside this time, was constructed from a corner, swung in by Thornton toward Mcgleish's feet, and with two defenders quickly approaching, the striker could do little to control his shot as it sailed over the bar from 10 yards out.
A chance for Northampton next, as left-back Danny Jackman swung in a ball from 40 yards to the far post. With goalie Jones coming and missing the punch, Holt's scuffed free header could only trickle wide of the post, inches from equalising.
More Leyton Orient pressure around 65 minutes, with 3 corners in 5 minutes and several half chances unable to conjure up a second for the O's after a quick succession of inventive link-ups and build up play by Mcgleish, Morgan, Thornton and Melligan in particular.
Two substitutes on the 70th minute - Orient's Simon Church being replaced by frontman Wayne Grey, and Cobbler's Andy Holt swapped for striker Aleksander Prijovic.
A careless backpass by Adbul Osman released Mcgleish to attack goal single-handedly, yet his 35 yard curler ended up straight down the keeper's throat.
With 15 minutes remaining on the clock, Northampton Town earned a deserved equaliser. Another set piece, this time a free kick in a similar position to the O's goal in the first half. An inswinger by Guttridge was hit low towards target man Akinfenwa at the near post, whos bullet header across goal found the back of the net - the keeper left wrong-footed.
5 minutes later, Northampton scored a second. The best play of the match, with a good link up play by Jackman, Akinfenwa and Guttridge running rings around the Orient defence before Guttridge released substitute Prijovic with a through ball between the central defenders. One on one with Jones, the Serbian made no mistake from 12 yards, smashing the ball into the bottom left corner.
Northampton Town then made their second substitution, with Akinfenwa - who had made life extremely difficult for the O's defence all afternoon - being replaced with midfielder Ryan Gilligan. As the final 5 minutes approached, Orient seemed to lack urgency, with their present position in the League One table needing no further boost. The game was once again end to end, yet lacked quality final balls and neither team could create anything special, until the 87th minute. With 7 men forward, centre-half Spence managed to meet Thornton's inswung corner, but his well-directed header was cleared off the line by Jackman, denying a 2-2 scoreline.
Orient pushed on for an equaliser in the dying minutes, with striker Dwayne Grey coming close on the 90th minute before a very late third by the visitors, slotted home by Anya to the keeper's right hand side, gave Northampton Town something to smile about before their crunch matches in the final few weeks.

With Orient safe from the drop, the team look forward to a showdown at promotion-hopefuls Millwall this coming Saturday, hoping to put the result this Saturday behind them.

Leyton Orient v Northampton Town - Match Pack

Just a brief overview of the next few blogs. Earlier today I returned to Leyton Orient Football Club to undertake some more work experience. Having already tasted a flavour of what goes on in the press room during a match day at Orient, I took a more active role during my time there, managing to prepare a match report as well as doing three post-match interviews with Leyton Orient Manager Geraint Williams, Leyton Orient Centre-Half Jordan Spence and Northampton Town Centre-Half Chris Doig - of which, with any luck, will be uploaded shortly.
This time around, I did not take any photos - the match report and interviews were enough for one day!

Piracy is not always a bad thing...

Recently, upcoming Blockbuster X-Men Origins: Wolverine suffered a heavy blow as a leaked workprint copy of the film was leaked onto the internet. Within a week of this leak, over a million people managed to watch the copy - DVD quality, yet lacking some special effects.
However, although this is seen as a blow to Twentieth Century Fox, meaning box office revenue could suffer greatly now that millions of dollars have flown right out of their pockets, take a second to step back and think of the one gawping positive from all of this.

The key to success, in the media, is distribution. Films such as Cloverfield made it big through online distribution coming in the form of social networking websites such as Myspace - by the time the film made it onto the big screen, millions were flocking to the cinema in the opening weekend to a low-budget film that would, without distribution, be cast off as a Blair Witch wannabe. In the same way, feature films pump millions of dollars into advertising. Some lucky producers/directors/actors even make it onto hit TV shows or radio programmes to further promote the film. And it is this that companies try to hit the most, yet it is also this that is the hardest way to promote a product. Free advertising. Coming mostly in the form of other people - be it from television, radio, or press. And it is for this reason that Fox really shouldn't be worried. All this hype about a workprint being leaked has surely done one thing for cinema enthusiasts, families, first-daters and sunday-afternoon-boredom-curers - created a craze. One million people managed to see the workprint. The population of England is 61 million. That still leaves 60 million people unmanaging to watch the film. Now think of the countless other countries, and hundreds of million cinema-goers, that have still to see the most anticipated film this side of Easter...

Boyle's Got Talent

Two words. Susan Boyle. If you've yet to have a chance to hear her, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Two more words. Suprisingly breathtaking. Following up on an article I read on Digg.com, I searched for Susan Boyle on YouTube, and the Britain's Got Talent hopeful blew me away. Sure, she may not look the part. But blimey she can sing. No wonder she's on the BGT featured videos homepage...

Ford Focus'ed

After months of what can only be described as a pointless money waster - also known as driving lessons - I feel like I'm getting somewhere with this driving malarkey.
Ever since my 17th birthday last Christmas-time I have wanted to drive, however as time passed it became more and more obvious that I wouldn't get a car. I wouldn't be on anyone's insurance. In fact, the first time I would get behind a wheel (legally) would be Summer 2012. Put in perspective, that means that I would have to sit (and pass) my A-Levels this summer. I would have to begin University. I would have to find some decent work experience, as well as a decent part-time job. I would take 6 NCTJ exams. I would take my University exams. I would attend three end of year parties. I would be 21. All before getting a car.

In the 'early' hours of 11am today, I woke up and grabbed a bite to eat. However, unlike most rushed meal times I had chance to sit down, relax, and talk to the family, and it was here that the idea that a car, a real life car, could be mine extremely soon. My mum and I were working out ways in which I could be put on someone's insurance - and with a family that uses 5 cars between 6 people, this seemed more and more workable.

For this to work, I would be put on my step mum's automatic Ford Focus - a beastly jet black 1.6l machine - when she wouldn't need it. For a three month trial period, I could share the car with her; taking up every opportunity she wouldn't need it to take it off her hands and for a spin. With financial matters no longer in the air, all that is needed is some strong persuasion directed towards my dad and step mum. After this - who knows?

Driving to Success!

I realise I have left a blog out for the second day of my work experience. To be honest, this is because most of my second day was spent out of work, or to be more precise - driving. This Tuesday was to be my second practical driving test, having failed previously for a fault in giving way at a junction.

However, I can tell you now that the second day consisted of most of the first, with the guys doing a few interviews on the spot with Leyton Orient staff (helping to significantly boost their confidence as I came to notice today!).

On a more positive personal note, I am now a fully qualified driver! And the way I will exploit this is by...not driving. Sounds extremely stupid, I know. But due to the worst timing for a recession to hit, I'm still on the whole jobless, with no steady income, and so buying a car with insurance is more of a myth to me than anything else. On the bright side, I only have to wait until 2012 when I finish university to start thinking about buying my first car. Only 3 years to go...

Beeb'in Amazing! (Thank you S2R)

The final day of the Supporter 2 Reporter consisted of a rough overview of the last two day's work and a timescale for the day's events. The group surrounded around the sofas in a horseshoe around Suzi, where every one of them demonstrating their talents during a 'What have you learnt?' type of conversation. Moments later, and for what seemed like the umpteenth time in a mere 14 or so hours, they returned to their blogs for yet another insight into their minds. Almost completely as predicted, this consisted of all but one story on the previous night's Champions League football matches, where unfortunately Arsenal hadn't been knocked out just yet.

Around the corner came a lunch break, where I found I had packed far littler than I thought. (This was later solved by my discovery of a co-worker's lollipop stash, helping myself to the cheeky drumstick or two as well as an extremely nutritious cheesestring).

Zip forward an hour or two and our train pulled up in White City (thankfully, the train was direct on one line, saving the dreaded scenario of a lost child in between transfers). A short walk, two revolving doors, badge dispersal and a security check later later saw us enter into a whole new world. Like my blog about my activity day at Bournemouth University, I was once again to be immersed in a world full of switchboards, microphones and cameras, eagerly taking in a thousand and one sights as fast as my brain would let me.

The first room we entered was a Radio 5 Live broadcasting room, complete with a gallery/control room for the directors/producers - both of which can be seen in the photos. The thing that shocked me the most was the contrast between the two rooms in terms of equipment. In the broadcasting room - the room where the journalists, reporters and guests would record live transmission - there was a round table upon which lay a few monitors, microphones and more water bottles than Evian produce in an hour. In complete opposition, the control room contained an extremely long switchboard with hundreds of different controls, a very generous handful of monitors (in perspective, 5 were used just to air outside channels), and dozens of computers, cameras, and headsets to relay information to the presenters.

After heading out of the radio studio, we travelled across the room towards "the Doughnut", a section of the BBC offices shaped, as you may have guessed, like a doughnut - which I can safely say is extremely annoying to get lost in, managed, shamefully, by us. However, on the way we did have time to see two rather well known faces - Sophie Raworth (BBC 1pm News presenter) and Jake Humphrey (BBC Sport presenter, pictured), the latter of which I managed to exchange small talk and grab a typical 'fan photo' with.

Sections of the walls inside the Doughnut contained coves where props from television shows were displayed, including a commentary sheet used by John Motson (pictured), a few Doctor Who masks, and one of Tracy Beaker's costumes - again another photo op. This was soon followed up by a gallery view of two different broadcasting studios - one set up for ITV's hit show Goldenballs, the other completely bare to show the difference in sets. Although no photo was managed here due to a live shoot, the way in which the studio had been laid out to form the Goldenballs set will stick in my mind forever. The thing that I realised mostly from this section of our unofficial tour was how heavily programmes rely on the wide-angle lens when shooting to make the sets look far bigger than they actually are.

To conclude the tour in true multimedia style, we entered tour guide Ian Morris' "home" offices, in the BBC Sport section of the building. Ian informed us of his job as well as the importance of working under pressure and as a team as well as including the fundamental and extremely over-used yet effective quote "It's not what you know, it's who you know" as advice for us budding journalists.

The only dampener on the day was upon arrival back at Leyton Orient during a final goodbye with everyone, where Suzi's "Did you enjoy today?" question provoked several iffy answers, including a rather depressing "Not really, but I met that guy from CBBC" (Jake Humphreys I assume). Even though the trip was intended for the students training to become reporters, I found it extremely useful for myself, for my career, for my life.

Strength in Icons?

In their most recent election campaign, the BNP have decided to use Jesus to boost support figures. An election poster from the party includes a picture of Him, with the infamous words "What would Jesus do?" ... followed by the more unique "Vote BNP".

I'll remain pensive about this campaign, unsure that it will pick up. To be honest, I'll be amazed if they only get a few thousand complaints...

Full story can be found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7978981.stm

Supporter 2 Reporter - Introductions

With one work experience placement firmly under my belt, the run up to University '09 would, hopefully, consist of a half dozen more placements from a variety of companies or schemes. The second of which came this half term.

BBC's Supporter2Reporter scheme, aimed at providing top quality reporting skills to young adults between the age of 5 and 19, would be the place. However, unlike first impressions gave, I would be one of the supervisors in the task. Sure, there were a few times where I wanted to jump up and grab every opportunity thrown at the kids, but I sat back and observed, taking a more passive role throughout.

The first day consisted of a brief overview of the three day training course, which would see these enthusiasts turn - quite literally - from a supporter to a reporter. Most of the first day compiled of introductions. To the staff. To the reporters. To the equipment - of which I was new to as well, so was more than welcoming when the team leader Suzi demonstrated how to use a Dictaphone, avoiding my embarrassment when it came to helping these reporters make a report. Instead however, everyone got in with the task in hand with high spirits, with every one of the six reporters successfully creating a news story regarding a topic of their choice, from The Dark Knight (the infamous 2008 blockbuster), Leyton Orient FC, or - rather surprisingly addressed - knife crime and the economic recession currently hitting our country. All of these stories were then published onto live profiles on the Supporter2Reporter website, all in a single day.