Few incensed about VTA smoking ban. Smoking will be banned at most bus stops in Santa Clara County, where the Valley Transportation Authority has joined a growing list of agencies and communities throughout the state cracking down on smokers. [News Source]

State’s plan for flu pandemic is no shot in dark. The state has covered a lot of ground but still has a long way to go before Alaska's more than 320 communities are fully prepared to handle an outbreak of pandemic flu, say public health officials. [News Source]

State of Science, 2006. 2006 was a year that science all-too-publicly aired its dirty laundry. [News Source]

Bird flu update: 18 December 2006 (SciDev.net) Below is a roundup of the key developments on the spread of the bird flu virus (H5N1) and the threat it poses to human health. Each title is a link to the full article. [News Source]