Tag Archives: emergency

Another Major Earthquake Hits Western China. 400 Dead. Thousands Missing.

SHANGHAI—Rescuers used shovels, pry bars and their bare hands to dig through the rubble of collapsed homes and schools as they raced to find survivors of a severe earthquake that authorities said killed about 400 people and injured roughly 10,000 in a remote, predominantly Tibetan community in western China. The quake hit shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday, jolting mountainous Yushu prefecture, part of the Chinese province of Qinghai on the Tibetan plateau, and flattening most of the town of Jiegu, one of the area's main population centers. About 97% of the people in Yushu are ethnically Tibetan. Many earn their living raising yaks, sheep and horses. As darkness fell and temperatures dipped below freezing in Jiegu, hundreds of soldiers, troops from the paramilitary People's Armed Police and other emergency workers searched the wreckage looking for signs of life. Injured townspeople were being treated at improvised medical centers in the town's central square and at a horse-racing track, officials said. “We are short of equipment,” said Guoyang Zhaxi, a 42-year-old resident helping to free survivors. “So the speed of the rescue efforts is very slow.” He said nearly all houses in the town—many of which used traditional wood-and-earth construction—had been destroyed. “We need to hurry up or the people who are buried will have no hope,” he said. Chinese seismologists said the quake had a magnitude of 7.1. The U.S. Geologic Survey said the magnitude was 6.9. A series of aftershocks continued throughout the day. Specialized search and rescue teams as well as hundreds of soldiers were being sent to Yushu from elsewhere in China to assist in the hunt for survivors. added by: keithponder

Bret Michaels — My Appendix is Jacked Up

Filed under: Bret Michaels , Nurse! Bret Michaels was set to explode on stage at Sea World last night — instead, his appendix almost burst. The Poison front man was rushed to the emergency room in San Antonio around 1:00 AM after he complained about severe stomach pains. Once he got to… Read more

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Bret Michaels — My Appendix is Jacked Up

What 60 Minutes Missed in Uganda AIDS Story

This past weekend, 60 Minutes aired a story about the $15 billion anti-AIDS initiative known as PEPFAR, the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, which was launched by President Bush in 2003. For the story, correspondent Bob Simon traveled to Uganda, a country that has lost more than a million lives to AIDS and has since benefited greatly from PEPFAR. But I noticed one glaring omission in the piece. When Simon interviewed Pastor Martin Ssempa, one of Uganda’s most well-known Christian ministers, he failed to mention Ssempa’s role in the country’s controversial anti-gay bill. It’s true that Ssempa has been one of Uganda’s leading HIV activists and that over the years his preaching of an abstinence-only approach has made him a darling of many US evangelicals. But more recently, Ssempa has become the Pied Piper of Uganda’s anti-gay campaign, leading rallies and protests to push the legislation through. We're in the process of editing the piece we shot on Uganda's anti-gay bill for the upcoming season of Vanguard. And where the two stories intersect is over the question of what effect anti-gay legislation might have on the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Many health care professionals we spoke to worry that the bill could have a very negative impact on whatever strides the country has made to combat HIV/AIDS. We’ll be exploring this question and more in the upcoming documentary. Follow the Vanguard team on Twitter. Also on the Vanguard blog: + Tutu: In Africa, Human Rights Moving “Backwards” + Ugandans Rally In Support Of Anti-Gay Legislation + Wrapping Up in Uganda + Uganda in Pictures added by: MarianaVanZeller

Michael Jackson’s Heart Still Beating In Emergency Room, Lawyer Claims

Joe Jackson, singer’s father, is likely to file a wrongful death suit against Dr. Conrad Murray within 90 days. By Gil Kaufman Dr. Conrad Murray Photo: Toby Canham/ Getty Images Despite initial reports that Michael Jackson was unresponsive and paramedics were unable to revive him when he suffered cardiac arrest last June, an attorney for Jackson’s father, Joseph, claims that the singer had a weak heartbeat when he arrived in the emergency room. According to CNN , the claim is the first step in a pending wrongful death suit against Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case. The suit could be filed within the next 90 days, and it will hinge on the crucial final moments of Jackson’s life and Murray’s actions during that time. Attorney Brian Oxman, who is representing Joseph Jackson, told CNN that medical records show that Jackson’s heart beat briefly when he arrived at the UCLA Medical Center emergency room, but that the musical icon was “long gone” by that point. Oxman mailed a letter to Murray’s representatives over the weekend serving notice that the wrongful death suit is imminent and that it will accuse Murray of causing Jackson’s death by not calling an ambulance fast enough. “The bottom line is, had [paramedics] gotten there earlier and had they been called right away, chances are he could have been revived,” Oxman said, noting that medical records show Jackson was “long gone, 20 to 40 minutes before the paramedics got there.” reported that doctors who worked on Jackson at the hospital said two EKG tests showed rhythmic heart activity both times and that unnamed sources close to Murray claim the doctor said he was able to restart Jackson’s heart at the singer’s rented home before paramedics arrived and maintain it in the ambulance. Those claims contradict those from paramedics on the scene, who said they wanted to take Jackson straight to the morgue and not the hospital because they believed he was already dead, as well as those from Oxman, who credited the weak pulse found at UCLA Medical Center to a reaction from resuscitation results. The Los Angeles coroner concluded that Jackson’s death was caused by “acute propofol intoxication” caused by a large dose of the powerful surgical anesthetic administered by Murray in an attempt to help Jackson, a chronic insomniac, get to sleep. Jackson, 50, was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical two hours after arriving. Murray is currently free on $75,000 bail in the case, and since California law requires medical wrongful death lawsuits to be filed within a year of the death, Oxman said the 90-day notice was given in order to meet the legal deadline for filing. The next hearing in Murray’s criminal case, in which he faces up to four years in prison , is April 5. Last week, a prosecutor’s report was leaked that claimed a witness said Murray stopped efforts to resuscitate Jackson in order to collect and hide multiple bottles of propofol before authorities arrived. In the notice, Oxman called the alleged delay “an outrageous departure from the standard of care.” A spokesperson for Murray’s lawyer, Ed Chernoff, said he had not received the letter but described it as “a bucket of water thrown on a man drowning in the ocean.” Joe Jackson has long claimed that he believed there was a cover-up in the death of his son , and after Murray’s charging, he referred to the physician as a “fall guy,” saying he believed there were other unnamed people involved. Related Photos Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos Related Artists Michael Jackson

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Michael Jackson’s Heart Still Beating In Emergency Room, Lawyer Claims

Russia: Dozens Killed in Moscow Subway Blasts – With Updates

March 29, 2010 2:19 a.m. EDT Moscow (CNN) — Explosions rocked a pair of central Moscow subway stations during morning rush hour Monday, killing at least 37 people and wounding 10 others, Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry said. The first blast occurred about 8 a.m. at Lubyanka subway station. That explosion killed 25 people — 14 aboard the train and 11 on the platform. The Lubyanka station is near the Kremlin and the nation's intelligence service, the Federal Security Service. Another blast happened about 30 minutes later at Park Kultury station, on the same train line. The Emergency Situations Ministry reported 12 dead in the second explosion. Russian TV said the blast killed 15 people and injured at least 10 others. Millions of commuters use the Moscow metro system every day. Are you there? Send CNN photos, video text Officials immediately cast suspicion on Chechen separatists for the explosions. A female suicide bomber in August 2004 killed nine people and herself, and wounded 51 others, when she detonated a bomb outside a subway station in northeastern Moscow. In February 2004, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb on a Moscow metro train, killing 40 people and injuring 100 others. A suicide attack in 2003 killed 15 people at a Moscow concert. Chechen terrorists killed hundreds in 2004 at a school in Beslan, Russia. They also were suspected in the downing of two Russian airplanes that year in an attack that killed 89. Chechnya is a southwestern Russian republic, in the Caucasus Mountains region. The Chechens have long fought for independence from Russia. Chechnya's population of 600,000 to 800,000 is primarily made up of Sunni Muslims and Russian Orthodox Christians. Thousands have been killed and 500,000 Chechen people have been displaced in their conflict with Moscow. CNN's Matthew Chance contributed to this report. added by: EthicalVegan

Iceland Volcano Eruption Video

Iceland Volcano Eruption 2010 An Iceland volcano erupted recently caused 500 people to move away from their houses. The Iceland volcano eruption was indeed a shocking disaster that is spreading in the world news. The Iceland volcano eruption took place right after midnight. This volcano eruption made the Iceland government declare a State of Emergency in communities near the 100 square mile glacier. News today said that there are no clear reports if there are people who lost their lives because of the Iceland volcano eruption . But the good thing is that the evacuation of people near the danger zone was completely done. Reports also said that airports in Reykjavik, Keflavik and Akureyri were closed because of the volcano eruption. You can watch the Iceland volcano eruption video here . Iceland Volcano Eruption Video is a post from: Daily World Buzz Continue reading

Gucci Mane To Drop Official Mixtape With Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz, More

The BurrrPrint 2HD, partially recorded behind bars, will come out on April 13. By Shaheem Reid Gucci Mane’s Burrrprint 2 Mixtape Photo: So Icey/ Warner Bros. It’s not time for Gucci Mane to come home from prison just yet, but the flamboyant rap star is giving his fans brand new music on April 13. Gucc has masterminded a mixtape album from behind bars, and it will be sold with the official sanction of Asylum Records. The title, The BurrrPrint 2HD, is familiar to fans of Gucci LaFlare — it’s a sequel to last year’s The BurrrPrint street CD. Fans will get to hear Gucci’s thoughts as he sits behinds the walls of Fulton County Prison, where he recorded some of the mixtape album. BurrrPrint 2HD is hosted by DJ Holiday and features all new tracks produced mostly by Drumma Boy. However, Schife, Fatboi and Shawty Redd also supplied beats. Gucci’s guest list is an all-star one: Rick Ross, Yo Gotti, Jim Jones, Trey Songs, DJ Khaled, Waka Flocka, Shawty Lo, Ludacris and, of course, Nicki Minaj and OJ Da Juiceman. When Gucci went to jail last winter, his lawyer said he expected the ‘hood favorite to be out of jail sometime this spring. Although there is no concrete date for Mr. Mane’s return, the rapper did tell Mixtape Daily in December that plans to release two sequels to The State vs. Radric Davis LP in 2010. And DJ Holiday told MTV News that Gucci is already planning to record another mixtape, The Writing’s on the Wall, as soon as he’s a free man. The cover of BurrrPrint 2HD features an illustration of Gucci in prison with his feet up on the table, ready to feast on seafood, champagne and strawberries. Burrr! BurrrPrint 2HD track listing, according to Asylum Records: “Gucci Speaks” “Intro Live From Fulton County JailHD” “Boy From the Block” “Gucci Speaks/ Shawty Lo Speaks” “Parked Outside” “Gucci on the Rise” “Rick Ross Speaks/ DJ Khaled Speaks” “Do This Sh– Again,” featuring Yo Gotti and Rick Ross “Everybody Looking” “Yo Gotti Speaks” “Coca Coca” featuring Rocko, OJ Da Juiceman, Waka Flocka, Shawty Lo, Yo Gotti and Nicki Minaj “Gucci Speaks” “Here We Go Again” “Lil’ Kim Speaks” “Antisocial,” featuring Mylah “Beat It Up,” featuring Trey Songz “Gucci Speaks” “911 Emergency” “Alley Boy Speaks” “How I’m Living,” featuring Jim Jones “Shining For No Apparent Reason,” featuring Waka Flocka and Wooh Da Kid “I’m So Tired Of You” “Outro Live From Fulton County JailHD” Related Artists Gucci Mane Trey Songz Nicki Minaj Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

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Gucci Mane To Drop Official Mixtape With Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz, More

State of the Union Drinking Game and Comment Party USA

State of the Union time! There will be special commenting, and drinking, from your favorite bloggers, as long as your favorite bloggers are me! But what should we expect, and when should we drink? Before we go any further, let us know that friends like Ana Marie Cox and the Wonkette kids are all watching and drinking and so on, too! Click on everyone! Now, let us examine the special guests: We have Kid Scientists (like on Letterman!), entrepreneurs (some of whom benefited from the stimulus!), soldiers (some of whom benefited from the GI bill!), Haiti’s ambassador to the US, some lady who had some problem with her credit card, and one person whose family was denied coverage by an insurance company. Sorry, health care! Looks like it’s more stimulus’s night to shine.

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State of the Union Drinking Game and Comment Party USA

Washington Lawmakers Snuff Out Marijuana Legalization Bill

By Steve Elliott in Toke of the Town ​If marijuana is going to be legalized in Washington this year, it will have to be the voters who do it — because the Legislature won’t. The House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee is expected to vote down bills dealing with legalization and decriminalization of marijuana, reports Jerry Cornfield at the Everett Herald Net . Rep. Chris Hurst, chairman of the public safety panel, told Cornfield there aren’t enough votes to move either bill out of committee. While amendments to either bill or both could be proposed Wednesday, Hurst said he doesn’t believe enough minds will change to alter the outcome. With five Democrats and three Republicans on the committee — and two of the Democrats (Hurst and Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountalke Terrace) being former cops, with both saying they will oppose the bills — neither will likely make it out of committee. Hurst said votes could have been taken last week at the end of a two-hour hearing on the legislation. Sponsors of the bills asked for time to consider possible changes, in response to criticisms raised in the hearing. Hurst claims he’s pushing to get the matter resolved (as in, hurry up and get these bills killed) to give backers of a voter initiative for marijuana legalization “a clear field” on which to wage their battle. Many observers of the Washington state political scene believe that blame for the marijuana bills are once again dying in the Legislature due may be rightly placed on Speaker of the House Frank Chopp . According to multiple, well-placed sources (both inside the Legislature and those observing), Chopp, through a lack of political will and leadership, is the legislator most responsible for the death of marijuana decrim in the last session as well. A reliable inside source, in a position to know, tells Toke of the Town Chopp doesn’t want to force a “controversial” marijuana decrim vote by the entire Legislature, because he doesn’t want to force fellow Democrats (in the majority) to vote on pot any time before the 2010 elections. Chopp’s leadership style, or lack thereof, has been a growing source of controversy within progressive Democrats for some time now. Over and over, you see Chopp described as “the most powerful politician in the state,” but you’d never guess it from his unwillingness to go out on a limb , to take a stand, to have a backbone. A Washington State Senate bill decriminalizing marijuana is still alive, though no hearings on it have been scheduled as of Tuesday morning.

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Washington Lawmakers Snuff Out Marijuana Legalization Bill

Ethical eating – plants want to live, too

“Before we cede the entire moral penthouse to “committed vegetarians” and “strong ethical vegans,” we might consider that plants no more aspire to being stir-fried in a wok than a hog aspires to being peppercorn-studded in my Christmas clay pot.

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Ethical eating – plants want to live, too