One of the most challenging aspects of blogging that hold many companies and individuals back from jumping into starting their own blog is the ongoing commitment that blogs often require. 

Just because the bird flu has flown away from the headlines doesn’t mean it is gone for good. Participants in a blog summit run by the US Department of Health and Human Services will try to address the issues surrounding a potential outbreak.

News from a Reuters article mention that poultry experts are turning to google to track and manage the spread of the bird flu.

The world’s largest Internet search company has joined the defenses arranged against bird flu. In combination with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, Google Earth is helping to locate commercial poultry flocks, as well as the buildings, schools, and roads close to the farms and production facilities.

AOL’s MapQuest announced this week the beta release of mapping and routing technology available for free to Web developers. Called MapQuest OpenAPI, interested developers can win $1000 for their creative mapping efforts and a trip to the Where 2.0 Conference in San Jose.

A bird flu in the hand is worth two in the bush and if money grew on trees, then you may expect to find two birds there too, allowing scientist to track money and birds and thereby killing two birds with one stone. Let me explain. No, don’t. Let me start over.

Texan Lynda LeCompte has created an avian flu outbreak add-on for Google Earth mapping out confirmed cases of the bird virus worldwide, contributing to the rash of Google Earth/Maps mash-ups. Get it? Rashoutbreak

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has set up an online service called, “Flu Shot Finder,” allowing visitors to enter a zip code into a search bar to find the flu shot nearest their homes.