It's WTF Wednesday!

Oh boy...

A sharp increase in swine flu cases in Australia may mean the infection has become a pandemic, the World Health Organization says.

For that to happen, officials would have to verify that the disease had become established outside North America, where the crisis began.

[snip]

"We are getting close to knowing that we are in a pandemic situation," he said.

But Dr Fukuda urged calm. "It does not mean that the severity of the situation has increased or that people are getting seriously sick at higher numbers or higher rates than before," he said.

[snip]

Following the major outbreaks in North America the flu alert is currently at phase five of a six-level scale.

The virus has infected more than 26,500 people in 73 countries, the WHO said on Tuesday.

I don't think the island of Palau (explanation here) has enough room:

Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - Years after President George W. Bush declared major combat operations were over in Iraq, the Multi-National Force (MNF-I) continues to hold thousands of prisoners. According to the U.S. Defense Department the 89th Military Police Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas is in charge of three prisons holding a total of 11,057 detainees in Coalition custody.

No, no, no! Anti-bacterial soap doesn't mean you GIVE people bacteria:

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use hand sanitizers made by a Utah chemical company.

Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. of Roy, Utah has voluntarily recalled some of its skin sanitizers and skin protectants marketed under different brand names because of high levels of disease-causing bacteria found in the product during a recent inspection by the FDA.

Um...

KIller Flashlight Requires Goggles And Protective Clothing.

It's our fault gas prices are going up. We weren't spending enough...

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts gas prices to average $2.21 this summer--$1.60 less than last year. Crude oil is projected to be $53 a barrel, down from the average $100 a barrel in 2008. However, since the beginning of May, gas prices have been creeping up with the largest increase last week when prices rose 16 cents from the week prior to $2.24.

Due to the economy, petroleum demand has been weak and that has kept prices low and has forced refineries to cut their inventory. But new signs are showing that we are nearing the end of the recession and consumer confidence is growing. Low gas prices generated a rebound in demand during February and March. A Reuters/University of Michigan survey found that consumer confidence rose in May above economists’ expectations. So, we are at a time where demand is increasing while oil supply is low.

One way to deal with teen pregnacy?....

Archaeologists in Peru have discovered the remains of nearly three dozen people sacrificed some 600 years ago by the Incan civilisation.

[snip]

"Most of the remains belong to young women, around 15 years of age. One of them appears to have been pregnant because in her abdomen, the collarbone of a fetus, probably around 4 months, was found," Mr Webster said of the latest find, made over the past year and a half.

And what do his/her kids call him/her?

A US man who was born a woman before undergoing gender realignment surgery has given birth to a second child

We should be absolutely freaked out about this. Serial killers start this way: 20 cat deaths leave Fla. communities worried.