On Monday, US researchers revealed that those who have repeated flu infections or repeated flu vaccines may have some protection already against the new pandemic swine flu. Researchers have found evidence that the humane immune system is capable of recognizing bits of the new H1N1 virus that are similar to older, distantly related strains of H1N1.

Alessandro Sette, director of the Center for Infectious Disease at California's La Jolla Institute said:

"What we have found is that the swine flu has similarities to the seasonal flu, which appear to provide some level of pre-existing immunity. This suggests that it could make the disease less severe in the general population than originally feared."

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and may help to explain why many older people are less likely to have severe cases of the disease.

Allison Deckhut-Augustine of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said:

"Adults may have some pre-existing immunity for H1N1."

Deckhut-Augustine noted that this does not mean that older people are protected against infection and stressed that people should still be vaccinated against H1N1.

Today's world is becoming more health conscious than ever before. During a time when we are reaping the global benefits of our past mistakes, many individuals have begun to look at life in new ways. As we continue to search for methods to achieve higher levels of physical and emotional health, the use of herbal vaporizers is receiving much attention.

Herbal vaporizers can help change our lives in a variety of ways. All of which are healthy, natural and good for the environment. With this in mind, here are the top five ways that an herbal vaporizer can improve your health:

1. Prevent Damage to your Lungs

A major reason for choosing to use a vaporizer is to prevent damage to the lungs. Inhaling herbs that have gone through the vaporization process is a much cleaner alternative to traditional methods that involve combustion. We all know how bad tar and other harmful chemicals can be on the lungs, that’s why today’s preferred method is a cleaner, greener experience!

2. Aromatherapy

In 2005, a gigantic rift broke open desert ground in Ethiopia in 2005, and since then scientists have speculated that it was the first step in a process that will eventually split eastern Ethiopia and Somalia from the African continent by a new Ocean. Four years later, researchers have proof that this will indeed happen.

When the rigt was created in 2005, it almost went unnoted because of the sparse population of the Ethiopian desert. At 34.8 miles large, or 56 kilometers, it sounds impossible that it couldn't be noticed. Indeed, it was noticed. Satellite imagery clearly showed that the landscape had changed. At the time, geologists believed that the rift was the start of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart. This claim was controversial at the time, however.

Scientists from several countries now confirm that the volcanic activity at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are identical to those at the bottom of the worl'd oceans. And they say that the rift is likely the beginning of a new sea.

There are privileges that come along with working on Wall Street, and one of those is apparently getting your swine flu vaccine before other high-risk groups that actually need it. Thousands of at-risk Americans sit patiently waiting for their turn to get the hard-to-find shot, while some Wall Street banks have already secured supplies of the vaccine.

The New York Stock Exchange, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and the Federal Reserve have all received H1N1 vaccine doses to administer to their employees. Like other companies, Wall Street banks put in a request to receive doses, but it appears they have a leg-up on other applicants. Case in point: Goldman Sachs received 200 doses, the same amount as Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. There's something seriously wrong with this picture.

NBC's chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy Schnyderman commented:

"I think they probably played by the rules, there are corporations all over the country who put in there dibs...But, what a sore eye for Wall Street. Wouldn't have been lovely if they had said, look we put it in our dibs, we played by the rules, but we're going to donate our 200 doses."

If you come down with the swine flu, it's best you not snuggle up with your feline friend. Why? Because now it appears that the virus is jumping species. Health officials in Iowa say that a 13-year-old cat tested positive for swine flu, and is now the first feline to come down with the virus.

Officials say that two of the three people living with the cat had the flu before the cat got sick, and are now cautioning people to protect family pets as they would protect anyone else.

Iowa vet David Schmitt says:

"Indoor pets that live in close proximity to someone who has been sick are at risk. It is wise to monitor their health to ensure they aren't showing signs of illness."

If your cat shows signs of flu-like illness - including runny nose, sluggishness, and troubled breathing - vets advise you to call your pet's doctor.

Usain Bolt, a World and Olympic sprint champion, adopted a cheetah in Kenya on Monday for about $13,700. He was at first reluctant to hold the orphaned cheetah, which he has named Lightning Bolt, but eventually he got over his fear and even fed the 3-month old some milk.

Bolt said that he has no plans to race the cheetah, but will be paying about $3,000 for its annual upkeep. He said:

“This is my first time in Africa, and of course in Kenya. I’ve had a lot of experiences, and a lot of animals have scared the crap out of me, but I am ok now.”

On Monday Bolt had some other close encounters with the animals of Africa. While riding in a car with CEO his sponsor, Puma AG, Jochen Zeitz in Naivasha, their vehicle came too close to a baby elephant and was shooed away by an adult. Bolt also got a bit of a scare when Kenyan Prime Minster Raila Odinga cuddled two lion cubs he had just adopted. He also nearly ran away when he was asked to pet a fully grown cheetah for a photo shoot with the PM. He had Zeitz stand in for him until he saw that the animal seemed harmless.

A new statistical analysis of 10,000 households, whose members were asked questions about their happiness over a 15 year period, reveals that for married parents, each child makes them progressively happier. In contrast, those who are single, separated or living together are more likely to have negative feelings about parenthood.

Writing in the Journal of Happiness Studies, Dr. Luis Angeles, an economist at Glasgow University, said "raising kids makes married people happier" and that "the more they have, the happier they are."

Researchers tracked 1,000 couples who were either married or in serious relationships over the course of five years, and then looked at patterns amongst those who were still together after five years. What they found is that the man should be at least five years older than the woman and the woman should have more education than the man for the best chances of the marriage standing the test of time.

This of course did not prove true in the case when either one or both partners had been divorced previously, and the scientists added that using "objective factors" such as age, education, and cultural origin "may help reduce divorce". If one partner had been divorced in the past, it lessens the chances of the relationship surviving. Interestingly though, if both partners had been divorced previously, while their chances of surviving are still not as good as those who had never divorced, the chances of survival are slightly better than those in a relationship where just one partner had been divorced.

One example of a celebrity relationship that according to this study is likely to last is that between Beyonce Knowles, 28, and her husband, Jay-Z, 39. She's younger, and also more educated. Jay-Z did not even receive a high school diploma.

Ever since the first cases of swine flu broke out earlier this year, demand for hand sanitizer has skyrocketed. Some makers of the gels are now scrambling to keep up with the demand.

The marketing research firm Panjiva recently estimated that 3 million kilograms of hand sanitizer were shipped in the 3rd quarter, compared to 1 million kilograms during the same quarter last year. Panjiva CEO Josh Green says that concerns over the H1N1 virus is the "most likely explanation" for the surge. Given the outlook for a particularly bad flu season, demand is only expected to rise further.

In response, companies like Purell are ramping up production and are urging customers not to hoard the product. Purell manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) says that demand for Purell has been "heavy" since the first swine flu cases were reported.

J&J spokesman Marc Boston said in a statement:

"Due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus outbreak this past spring and resurgence this fall, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Inc. has experienced heavy demand on supplies of Purell.

Boston said that the company is working to increase production for the remainder of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, but acknowledges that supplies could be limited in some areas:

In a big departure from the policies of the George W. Bush era, the Justice Department issued a new policy memo to prosecutors on Monday telling them that pot-smoking patients and their sanctioned suppliers should not be targeted for federal prosecution in states that permit medical marijuana. In the 3-page legal memo, federal prosecutors are told it is not a good use of their time to arrest those who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law.

The guidelines issued by the Justice Department, however, make it quite clear that federal agents can and will go after those who's marijuana distribution goes beyond what is permitted under state law, and those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other crimes.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.

"It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana, but we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal."