Breaking Tweets | World News, Twitter-Style

April 29, 2009

Mapping the spread of swine flu

Per M.I.T. Technology Review, Google Maps provides a practical way to track the geographic scope of H1N1 swine flu. This map in particular has been viewed more than 150,000 times and has made the rounds on Twitter.

The article states that the World Health Organization now says it is too late to contain the swine flu. However, it also says that the current tracking and communication of social sites, blogs and other internet tools are vital to distributing information and slowing outbreaks.

The Google Map swine flu tracker has been both praised and criticized by the Twitterverse:

SagaciousT (Puget Sound, Wash.) @ShaunaCausey also not that the swine-flu google map has many repeats and is utterly useless 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck in reply to ShaunaCausey

SKARLIT (Sarasota, Fla.) Google swine flu map includes "get directions" when you click on these places. Convenient! I need a better sleep schedula ASAP. 28 Apr 2009 from web

chrismpage (Iowa City, Iowa) is amazed by the swine flu google map tool. 28 Apr 2009 from web

acaiedge (Undisclosed) the google swine flu map is many hours out of date 28 Apr 2009 from web

Worrals (Hamilton, Ontario) Just in case you aren't panicked enough about Swine flu, here's a handy Google map: http://tinyurl.com/swinemap09 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

charyl (Colorado) @zaibatsu Are you in Ouray County? I ask bcuz that's where the google swine flu map is showing the suspected case. 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck in reply to zaibatsu

thewalkingipod (California) @kimbyann12 Well that's good to know cuz I've been watching the swine flu map on Google... 29 Apr 2009 from web in reply to kimbyann12

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)

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:

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* 28 Apr 2009 from web in reply to jc76

PlymouthHerald (Plymouth, UK) Seven tested for swine flu in West Country http://snipurl.com/gx5l6 #SwineFlu 28 Apr 2009 from web

PembsDave (Wales, UK ) Right... thats all the windows and doors taped up - lets see Swine flu get through that! - I aint panicking now! 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

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

Overwelmingodds (Wellington, New Zealand) For goodness sakes everyone! Stop panicking about Swine Flu! 28 Apr 2009 from web

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¡ 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

zwuh (Wellington, New Zealand) Swine flu is incredibly lame. It's just like regular flu. OH EM FRICKING GEE. We're all doomed. 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

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

barcelonareport (Barcelona Spain) First official case of swine flu confirmed in Spain
www.barcelonareporter.com 27 Apr 2009 from web

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... 28 Apr 2009 from web

Pilar" height="48" width="48">

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 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

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? 28 Apr 2009 from web

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:

wwwicked (Morecambe, U.K.) EARTHQUAKE!! #morecambe Felt the building shudder, at least. 28 Apr 2009 from TwitterFox

aarmitage (Grange over Sands, U.K.) whoooa! Think we just had a mini earthquake! Did the earth move for you? 28 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck

michelle_atwork (Morecambe, U.K.) wow - the building just shook!!! 28 Apr 2009 from web

andasmith (Morecambe, U.K.) whole house just shook, scared me still shaking. earth moved for me. 28 Apr 2009 from web

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? 28 Apr 2009 from Tweetie

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 28 Apr 2009 from OutTwit in reply to wwwicked

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.

lgoldfein Mandatory evacuation nymex, no joke. People running 27 Apr 2009 from txt

AKelso20 Just saw a jumbojet fly near lower manhattan and a fighter jet too. Ppl are scared and leaving the building. No official evacuation. 27 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon

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 27 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon

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 27 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon

andrewm1 evacuations of world financial center, but no reasons given 27 Apr 2009 from web

unitystoakes None of the NY news channels have any news on Jersey City evacuation...but Twitter breaks it again. 27 Apr 2009 from Tweetie

tarahagan emergency evacuations in downtown due to low flying plane 27 Apr 2009 from mobile web

lelander Panicky Petes evacuate 1ny plaza after a plane flies by. Look at all those blue shirts! http://twitpic.com/43oa6 27 Apr 2009 from Tweetie

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

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. 28 Apr 2009 from web

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. 28 Apr 2009 from web

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 28 Apr 2009 from twitterrific

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! 28 Apr 2009 from web