And from the California swine-flu front lines...

So what's the H1N1 flu situation here in California, you might well ask, having safely gotten, or given up on getting, a vaccination? Or perhaps the immunization issue was rendered moot by those days of fever and chills and pathetic moaning, and now you're just looking for empathy.

Here's what our colleagues at L.A. Now report: H1N1 deaths and hospitalizations slowed last week in state.

Health officials, of course, advise against relaxing your guard.

— Tami Dennis