April 28, 2009

Featured TwitPic: Dniper River in Kiev, Ukraine


"Kiev, Dniper River Left Bank view from the Botanical Garden" (Posted by @Inke, Kiev, Ukraine)

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More countries infected with swine flu

Per BBC, the swine flu virus has been confirmed in four more countries around the globe, including Britain, New Zealand, Spain, and Israel as the United Nations warned that the influenza cannot be contained.

No deaths have been reported in the United States, Canada, Spain and Britain where cases of the virus have been confirmed earlier, which denotes Mexico as the only country where the virus has caused fatalities. The Mexican death toll from probable swine flu deaths has risen to 152, with 1,614 suspected cases, as reported by the BBC.

Twitter users from Britain show concern:

  1. Tracy Tucker
    busytucker @jc76 (Sussex, UK) Yes, swine flu is a worry to me too. Taking advice on whether to come off meds that affect immune system. Good luck for weds *hugs*
  2. Plymouth Herald
    PlymouthHerald (Plymouth, UK) Seven tested for swine flu in West Country http://snipurl.com/gx5l6 #SwineFlu
  3. Dave Lamb
    PembsDave (Wales, UK ) Right... thats all the windows and doors taped up - lets see Swine flu get through that! - I aint panicking now!

Twitter users in New Zealand comment on the virus reaching them:

  1. Jay Collins
    Overwelmingodds (Wellington, New Zealand) For goodness sakes everyone! Stop panicking about Swine Flu!
  2. BigEars
    BigEars (Wellington, New Zealand) RT @Nightwyrm: swine flu has been confirmed in New Zealand. Good thing we've got a mature mainstream media who won't overhype it¡
  3. Andy Astruc
    zwuh (Wellington, New Zealand) Swine flu is incredibly lame. It's just like regular flu. OH EM FRICKING GEE. We're all doomed.

Twitter users in Spain report first case of swine flu and speculate over media's coverage on virus:

  1. Barcelona Reporter
    barcelonareport (Barcelona Spain) First official case of swine flu confirmed in Spain
    www.barcelonareporter.com
  2. Martin Wright
    emjaydub (Barcelona, Spain) suffering from swine flu (or is it just hypochondria?) - well, a girl in my theatre group has just come back from Mexico...
  3. englishteach8 (Barcelona, Spain) RT @colleencoble: So tired of the fear promoted on TV. We're always having a new flu spreading...In 70s swine flu outbreak, only 1 died here
  4. Martini Ramos
    Martini5 (Barcelona, Spain) There are many dead, but only 20 confirmed dead of complications from swine flu... so why not wait until we know for sure before panicking?



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Minor earthquake rattles North West England

Per BBC, a 3.7-magnitude earthquake shook North West England at about 11:20 local time Tuesday morning. The epicenter was Ulverston in Cumbria, per the article.

Local Twitterers reported the incident nearly 40 minutes before BBC. Here's some of the first tweets in chronological order:

  1. Daren Chandisingh
    wwwicked (Morecambe, U.K.) EARTHQUAKE!! #morecambe Felt the building shudder, at least.
  2. Andrew Armitage
    aarmitage (Grange over Sands, U.K.) whoooa! Think we just had a mini earthquake! Did the earth move for you?
  3. Michelle Holt print2
    michelle_atwork (Morecambe, U.K.) wow - the building just shook!!!
  4. annette smith
    andasmith (Morecambe, U.K.) whole house just shook, scared me still shaking. earth moved for me.
  5. Adam Lindsay
    atl (Carnforth, U.K.) Up in Carnforth, the #earthquake felt like a big "bounce"… as if the house foundations were giving. What was it like in Lancaster?
  6. Stuart Grice
    iMacstu (Yealand Redmayne, U.K.) @wwwicked #EARTHQUAKE bonkers mate!! not felt one like that for a while!! right in the city centre oposite the market


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Air Force One photo op startles NYC residents

Per The New York Times, the White House has apologized for a breakdown in communication that led to the president's backup plane flying low over parts of New York City Monday morning accompanied by fighter jets, frightening city residents who had lived through the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Air Force One lookalike was to fly over New York Harbor so Air Force photographers could take promotional photos. But the exercise took place without any notification to the public, leading to momentary panic, per the Times.

Here's a look back at what New York City Twitterers were saying during the scare, beginning with the apparent first tweet on the incident.

  1. louis david goldfein
    lgoldfein Mandatory evacuation nymex, no joke. People running
  2. Alex Kelston
    AKelso20 Just saw a jumbojet fly near lower manhattan and a fighter jet too. Ppl are scared and leaving the building. No official evacuation.
  3. stephanie judge
    stepliana A plane that may or may not be Air Force One was flying waaay too close to my building just now. http://twitpic.com/43msu
  4. Alex Kelston
    AKelso20 We're evacuatijng 1 New York Plaza due to a low flying jet. Heading to evacuation point. Thankful for darker training once deemed useless
  5. Andrew McOrmond
    andrewm1 evacuations of world financial center, but no reasons given
  6. Unity Stoakes
    unitystoakes None of the NY news channels have any news on Jersey City evacuation...but Twitter breaks it again.
  7. Tara Hagan
    tarahagan emergency evacuations in downtown due to low flying plane
  8. Leland
    lelander Panicky Petes evacuate 1ny plaza after a plane flies by. Look at all those blue shirts! http://twitpic.com/43oa6

Twitterers around the U.S. expressed astonishment at the incident.

  1. Anna Schmidt
    Cerriwin (St. Louis, Mo.) when flying a plane low over new york flanked by f-16s, you might let the public, or, i don't know, the MAYOR, know its just for a photo op.
  2. Jeff Curry
    whothehellru (Undisclosed) What kind of idiot sets up a plane with 2 f-16s trailing it to fly over New York. Had to bring back horrible memories for alot of people.
  3. Jeff Tyson
    jt_morphn (San Jose, Calif.) What the hell were they thinking flying that plane for a photo op. Keep strong New York... So concur with mr Stewart...daily show tonight
  4. Aaron Chan
    pigeonman99 (San Francisco, Calif.) having F-16s chasing president's backup plane above New York City for a photo shoot?? one of the most stupid policies i've ever seen lol!

For more information, the INDenverTimes provided a roundup of stories on the incident, complete with photos.

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