Tonya's Topic

Nasal spray for flu?

2006-05-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

An experimental fluflu vaccine given as a nasal spray may be better at preventing flu in young children than flu shots, a new study shows. The nasal spray is called Cold-Adapted Influenza Vaccine Trivalent (CAIV-T). It's a new form of FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine approvedfor children and adults aged 5-49 years. The nasal spray includes live but weakened flu virus. The flu shot contains killed flu virus. Both are made yearly to target flu strains experts predict to be common in that year's flu season. I almost believe that this new vaccine would be harder for children to take although easier for adults. If it would help prevent the flu better then I think that it would be better for children. There would be less risk for them to miss school or get others sick.

Currently at the box office. . .

2006-04-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Horror still remains at the top in the box office scene. Many viewers are involved in the horror aspect instead of the jokey horror parodies such as "Scary Movie 4" which topped the list last weekend. However, this weekend the dreadfully spooky movie, "Silent Hill," claimed the No. 1 position. Sony Pictures' "Silent Hill," took home the honors with a final figure of $20.2 million. "The Sentinel", 20th Century Fox's Washington-set thriller, opened in third place with $14.4 million, just behind "Scary 4" at No. 2. But the weekend's third wide opener, Universal Pictures' "American Dreamz," proved an unintentional horror show, bringing only $3.7 million for a disappointing ninth-place finish. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/article

Body recovered Easter Sunday

2006-04-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

A 29-year-old Waco man's body was recovered as it rose to the top of the gravel pit outside Elba, NE on Easter Sunday. He was previously reported missing on Sunday April 9. He and a couple friends were fishing without permission and used a boat that was already by the edge of the lake to venture out further onto the pit. Later that evening, 2 of the men decided to go into St. Paul and upon returning the boat had been capsized and the man was nowhere to be found. They then called in a search and brought in scuba divers as well as cadaver dogs to try to locate the body. The search was unsuccessful, although, when a sheriff returned to the pit on Easter Sunday the body had rose to the top of the water. Alcohol appears to have been a factor in the drowning of this 29-year-old man. This whole story is very strange to me, especially the fact this his body rose on Easter Sunday considering that this is the day that Jesus is said to have rose from the dead. Elba, Nebraska is my hometown of only about 250 residents and these gravel pits are located approximately a mile from town and having something like this tragedy happen in such a small town is very unreal. You don't think that stuff like this happens as much in rural communities. Information of this incident was retrieved from The Phonograph Herald.

12-yr-old boy facing possible double homicide charges

2006-04-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

A 12-year-old boy was arrested in the deaths of another boy and a woman in an apartment - police said the slayings likely stemmed from a domestic dispute. Chaplain Debbi Carlson, a Prince George's County police spokesperson, said the victims, a nine-year-old boy and a 31-year-old woman, were found on Sunday morning in an apartment. Police would not say how the victims were killed. She said: "It apparently was a domestic dispute that turned deadly." Neither the suspect nor the victims was immediately identified. Police believed the suspect was related to the victims, but did not release details. Neighbours said the 12-year-old had a violent temper. Azalia Taylor said: "If he got into an argument or something, like with other kids, he would kind of explode, and like go off. He got into fights with my friends. He would use sticks and so forth." Carlson said that the suspect would face juvenile charges, though it would be up to the state's attorney's office to determine them. It appears that this young boy is facing a tough time and it seems that he may be chemically imbalanced in the brain and may need to seek professional help especially considering his violent temper. http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News

Mumps outbreak raises a few concerns

2006-04-24T10:41:00.001-07:00

The mumps outbreak across the Midwest has striked an interest by many but Tri-state area officials show little concern for the outbreak. Most Americans who have received the mumps vaccine or experienced the virus have a high level of immunity to mumps. The vaccine used to prevent mumps works against the Midwest mumps strain, according to information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A major concern to many is how fatal can getting the mumps really be? Studies show that fatality of this disease is very rare. Of the more than 1,000 cases that have been diagnosed in Iowa and several other Midwest states since December 2005, no one has died from the virus, and there have been few hospitalizations. This Midwest outbreak, however, should act as a reminder that anyone who has not received mumps immunization, either through the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine or through prior illness, should be vaccinated as soon as possible. It is unknown how long it will take to contain the mumps outbreak but everyone should keep a close eye on this virus and how to prevent it. This outbreak is rather scary especially for those who have yet to receive their vaccinations to prevent this virus. It is a relief to know that their are very few fatalities that follow and that the majority of individuals recover fully. http://www.herald-mail.com

Strict immigration bill signed by georgia governor

2006-04-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

Georgia's governor signed an immigration bill Monday that supporters and critics say gives the state some of the toughest measures against illegal immigrants in the nation. The governor stressed that by him signing the bill, this did NOT mean that the state was anti-immigration. He continued to say,"We simply believe that everyone who lives in our state needs to abide by our laws." The law requires verification that adults seeking many state-administered benefits are in the country legally. It sanctions employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and mandates that companies with state contracts check the immigration status of employees.The law also requires police to check the immigration status of people they arrest. Illegal immigrants has been a major issue for a long time, although it has surfaced it's way into the media and has now been a large concern for America in the past few months. I support the immigration bill. I feel that if these individuals wish to become a part of our country then they should do it in a manner that is legal. If not, then they shouldn't be here. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national

$70 a barrel for oil leading to high gas prices?

2006-04-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

High gas prices is an issue that affects everybody. But the question that many are concerned with is will these prices continue to rise? These prices are expected to rise even more thoughout the summer months. According to the Automobile Association of America, gas prices average $2.78 a gallon across the nation. Oil futures rose above $70 a barrel today to their highest-ever closing price, fueled by the diplomatic row over Iran's nuclear program and ongoing shortages in Nigeria's production. The price of oil has translated into high gasoline prices for motorists even before the usual summer spike is in demand. In some parts of the country, service stations are posting prices of more than $3 a gallon. With these increasing prices, it makes it very difficult to travel, especially when money is tight, but many times these prices don't stop motorists during the holidays when visiting with family and friends. Can gas prices ever rise too high that motorists will choose not to travel? I highly doubt it. http://www.nytimes.com/2006

Bad Hurricane Season On The Way

2006-04-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

This year is likely to be another bad one for hurricanes, according to an early forecast issued on Wednesday by a scientific team that last year accurately predicted the 2005 storm season would be major. The Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) said there was an 80% probability that 2006 would be in the top one-third of the most active seasons for Atlantic tropical storms in the record books. This prediction is based on climate data that give early pointers to the main drivers of the hurricane season. The hurricane season officially runs from June 1st to November 30th. This prediction, in turn, causes a high tension of relief effort needed to help those in the path of the hurricanes. I can't imagine why the people in the path of these storms would even want to live in an area that at one moment you can lose all of your belongings. I know that the weather is very beautiful but is it really worth losing everything, not even just once or twice? This could even happen multiple times and yet people still chose to stay. http://news.google.com

Dear Abby. . .

2006-04-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Advice columns, such as Dear Abby, can be seen as a positive experience as it gives individuals the chance to express their own opinions as well as a way to ask for advice on situations in their own lives. These columns vary each day to a variety of different individuals. They may either contain advice that others want to share with readers or advice that the readers want Abby to respond to. I really don't have a preference to whether or not I really like these columns because I seldom read them or pay much attention to them but I do know that there are a lot of readers out there that find these opinions a big part of their life and never miss a day of reading them. I have, however, read through these columns a couple times and do find some of the information very interesting. http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/

Yahoo Personals

2006-04-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to see that the personals could be used for one of our entries. I read them a lot because I find them very entertaining, not that I need them because I already have a wonderful boyfriend. I can't believe some of the people on these sites. Some are so open about what they really want, some a little too open and honest, but how much of this information can one really believe is true? Even those that include a picture. . how do you know if that is even really them? Although these ads can seem a little far fetched there has been a great increase in the amount of individuals that find the person of their dreams on these sites. I also find that these websites can be just as dangerous as chat rooms because you don't even know who these people are and worst yet they have no idea who the speculators are; although this doesn't stop those who place an ad to include a lot of information about themselves, especially when some of these towns are so small, it would be so easy to find them. These sites contain both positive and negative aspects as does many other issues. http://personals.yahoo.com

Coming Soon. . .'Simpsons' Movie

2006-04-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

The movie everyone has been waiting for is set to open world-wide on July, 27, 2007. Twentieth Century Fox formally announced this exciting news earlier today. Deals have already been made with the hit series regulars. The original intention was to delay the film until the show was done but last month, Fox committed to two more seasons of the show. Creator Matt Groening comments, "We tried to save this until the end of the series, but that intention was undone by good ratings. The movie has been so daunting, and the contract between us has always been to wait until we all felt the script was right...we feel we now have a story and script worthy of a movie. And there was so much secrecy that it's actually a relief to be able to speak about it now." Personally, I can't wait to see this movie. I love the series and find it very entertaining. It will be exciting to see what the producers come up with for the new movie. I mean who doesn't like Homer Simpson or his terrorizing son Bart? http://www.darkhorizons.com/news06

Bird Flu Lightning

2006-04-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

The deadly bird flu virus has spread at lightning speed over the past three months, infecting birds in 30 new countries, that's double the number since 2003. Dr. Nabarro states that, "This is a really serious global situation. During the last three months, globally, there has been an enormous and rapid spread (of this virus)." Thirty new countries and territories located in Africa, Europe, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East have reported infections in birds this year. This rapid acceleration compares with the last two and half years when only 15 countries reported bird flu and these reports were mainly found in Asia. Those this infection is hard for humans to catch, health experts fear it will mutate into a form easily spread among people, potentially sparking a pandemic. This is an extremely serious matter and many people should take precautions because this is in fact moving at a very fast rate across the globe and who knows how many more countries will have infected birds within the next year. http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlastest/story

Genocide Charges Filed

2006-04-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

Iraqi authorities have now filed charges of genocide against Suddam Hussein. On Tuesday, they accused him of trying to exterminate the Kurds in the 1980s that killed an estimated 100,000. Suddam, who was the Iraqi's former president, is facing a possible death sentence if convicted of killing more than 140 shiites. Judge Juhi told reporters that another case was filed which involves charges that include crimes against humanity and is set to reach trial anytime after 45 days. Legal experts comment that the charges filed for those of genocide are considered controversial because they will be difficult to prove. I feel that the death sentence is very controversial in itself. It seems to me that this only gives criminals an easy way out and they no longer have to dwell or think about the crimes that they committed and how it affected others. But on the other hand, it also makes more room in prisons. It's an issue that I feel will always be considered in both the positive and negative aspects and it's all a matter of opinion. http://abcnews.go.com/international

Hurricane Victims Homeless Again?

2006-03-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

A new study shows a raised concern for those victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita due to the shortage of affordable housing. The assistance is predicted to run out in the coming year leaving a large number of individuals and families homeless again. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs shows this shortage to be approximately 14,000 rental apartments. A chief executive officer of the Coalition for the Homeless commented that agency leaders are discussing how to meet this large additional demand. Currently, city vouchers cover rent for almost 35,000 evacuees, however, these expire in September or October. For 6,700 evacuees that signed up for a 6-month lease, this date could be approaching a lot faster. Some evacuees will qualify for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's individual assistance program, which will provide cash payments that the tenants can use to pay their rent but that assistance will end next spring. Many feel they have no other choice but to go back to being homeless. It would be so difficult to try and build back from nothing especially when assistance can only help for so long causing many to fall back into the rut with no sign of getting back out on their own. http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/30/evacuee.housing.ap/

American Reporter Released!

2006-03-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

Finally, three months after being kidnapped, American reporter Jill Carroll was released today. She was left on an Iraqi street where she entered one the public offices and American officials were notified. The victim appears to be healthy and states that she was treated well. She also added that although they did threaten to kill her twice they never once hit her nor ever said they would. The reporter notes that the room she was being held captive in had a window and a shower although she was unaware of her location. Even after being released, she has know idea why she was kidnapped nor why she was all of a sudden released. Her family is very relieved to have her back and to know that she wasn't harmed or abused in any way. They also faced several feelings of uncertainty as two of the deadlines set by the kidnappers had passed. Carroll was kidnapped on January 7 in a small neighborhood in western Baghdad. Her captor's who called themselves the Revenge Brigades, damanded that all women detainees in Iraq be released by February 26 otherwise the reporter would be killed. The deadline passed and no word was received. Both family and friends are very grateful that she was released unharmed. I could not imagine what that must of been like for the reporter nor her family and friends. Feeling hopeless and not knowing what is going to happen next would be very hard to deal with especially when it comes to one's life. I'm very glad to hear that she was released completely unharmed and that she was treated well. http://www.yorkdispatch.com/nationworld/

Extreme Makeover

2006-03-27T18:02:00.000-08:00

Extreme Makeover looks for families with some type of disability, either mentally or physically and looks to build them a new home to access these disabilities in an easier manner in hopes to lessen the stress put on their lives. These families are so grateful for the help and this in turn makes this series a very touching and emotional time for the viewers as well. The producers are currently looking for a family who has lost a child in a drunk driving accident, someone' s home who has been robbed or vandalized, and hate-crime victims. In the past, the shows have featured those of cancer victims, military families with injured veterans, and people who have lost their homes to fires. This is such a wonderful series that really hits home to a lot of different people and their families and really makes individuals think about their own lives and how fortunate they are compared to other families such as the ones featured on the show. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12040499/

Crazy Nebraska Weather

2006-03-27T17:28:00.000-08:00

Last weekend marked a tremendous blizzard that left many stranded, mainly in their homes and some at work where business would be almost completely desolate. Those in the path of this storm (which was pretty much the whole state of Nebraska) received snow fall anywhere from 5-30 inches! Those in Greeley, NE were one of the lucky ones to receive the maximum amount. Everything from the local highways and Interstate-80 was closed, including the University! Talk about how nice the two extra days added on Spring Break was, although I'm sure that many were ready to get out again. Even after the streets were plowed, travel was still difficult, as it still is now with the snow beginning to melt and the slush causing cars to continue to get stuck. I think everyone will be happy when the snow if completely gone and we can finally get into the nice spring weather. http://www.nebraska.tv/news/local

Online Research Exploration

2006-03-13T13:02:00.000-08:00

I thought this was a very helpful excercise. It really offers more of a variety of search engines such as wilson's web and a significant amount of information. I remember using the Nebraska access website a couple times in high school but it's been so long that I forgot all about it. It was a nice refresher and the fact that it's free with a valid driver's license number makes it even better. Most professional websites require a payment of some kind to receive that information. I also looked throughout the google website and I never knew that it offered a current update of the news ranging from entertainment to world news. I thought that was really cool and helpful, especially if one doesn't get the newspaper or read magazines. These websites will be really helpful in the future when I write speeches and look up information for other papers as well as keeping me up to date on current events.

Self-Inventory

2006-03-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a summary of the self-inventory worksheet that I came up with. I haven't really traveled much and the only places I've been to is South Dakota when I was younger, Worlds of Fun in Missouri, and Snowy Range in Wyoming. I value my family, friends, animals, and of course my job cause something has to pay the bills! Some dream jobs include a lawyer, an actress, or a professional taste tester at Baskin Robbins. Issues that I care about right now are the war on terror and gas prices! Some characters that interest me are Spongebob Squarepants, Blue Collar Comedy guys, and mentally handicapped individuals because I find them very interesting. Sports I like include: volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, and hockey. Some of my jobs are Cabela's Call Center, assistant janitor during the summers throughout high school, direct support staff at Northstar Services, and a volleyball ref at the YMCA. I also volunteered and coached elementary and USVBA volleyball, elementary basketball and recently at the head start here in Kearney. Classes I enjoyed are my social work classes, math, and science classes. Magazines I like to read are Self, Glamour, and People. I occassionally read the Kearney Hub, Grand Island Independent, and the Phonograph Herald. Currently, I am reading the book Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard but normally I don't ever really read. Maybe I should expand my mind some time but that's not likely any time soon. :)

About Me!

2006-03-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

Well I finally got this website figured out (or at least I think I do), although it took a little while, especially trying to determine how to edit the links but that's all history now. I am currently a junior taking classes at both UNK and through the Kearney Learning Center to CCC in Grand Island. My major is Social Work with an emphasis in mental illness. I hope to graduate with my bachelor's degree within the next year and a half and continue on the get my master's. My current classes include history, human behavor and the social environment, spanish, and speech. I am also currently employed at Cabela's Call Center. I am originally from Elba, NE which is an extremely small town of maybe 250 people. It is located approximately 40 miles north of Grand Island. I attended CCC-Columbus for my first 2 years of school and played volleyball there my freshman year. I earned my Associate of Science degree before transferring to UNK in August. Important things in my life right now are my family, friends, and of course my animals and earning my degree. Other than that, I really can't think of much else so I guess that's all for now.