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The Hound was worried enough about the regular flu. Then came H1N1 flu, which has claimed five Lake County folks, including a teen girl and a boy, 12. Now comes word of an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in a Vernon Hills old folks home. Is it time to head for the bunker?

A few years back there was this movie, "Outbreak", which if The Hound recalls, starred Dustin Hoffman and a cast of a thousand microbes. These viruses hanging around Lake County is enough for The Hound to head north across the Cheddar Curtin into Kenosha County. You don't hear of any wierd viruses up north, ya hey der. Unless one considers being a Packer fan is caused by something in the air...or water.

So far, this outbreak of Legionella phnemophila has claimed two elderly individuals, while four other cases have been confirmed. County health officials affirm the outbreak is confined to the retirement center.

That eases The Hound's paranoia a little bit, but the bunker is looking better and better in the short term.

Looking at those long queues of thousands of Lake County residents waiting for H1N1 vaccinations, The Hound wondered: Is it time to panic?

The county expects to run out of the vaccine shortly after getting about 10,000 doses. This is the clout Lake County has: Health officials ask for 100,000 doses, we get 10,000.

But what the county did get was dispensed at five different flu shot locations --- Mundelein, Gurnee, Round Lake Beach, Waukegan and North Chicago --- as mothers dragged their kids from school to get the shots. Already, two people have died in the county from H1N1 and they weren't kids.

One was a 72-year-old man, the other a 41-year-old woman. Both were from Gurnee, which apparently is ground zero in the Year of H1N1. Perhaps its swine flu revenge for Gurnee stealing Waukegan's car dealers, eh?

Of course, in following Centers for Disease Control guidelines, these initial flu clinics were only for people in high-risk groups, including pregnant women; those 6 months to 24 years of age; health care and emergency medical services employees; and people 25 to 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes.

And, The Hound wants to know, which lobbyists from the pork producing states changed the name from swine flu to H1N1. Swine flu sounded more benign. H1N1 sounds like it should be a monicker for an android in a program on the Sci-Fi Channel.

As for panic time. It's only the first quarter, folks. Lots of time left for a hail Mary or two. Or maybe those promised 100,000 vaccine doses.

Not being folically challenged like some --- aka, a few hairless breeds --- The Hound appreciates the entrepreneurship of the Elk Grove Village firm which is now marketing hair-care products inspired by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's mane. Is this a great country, or what?

Yes, Delta Laboratories Inc., is marketing shampoo and conditioner under the Blago label, with the motto: "It's Bleep'n Golden!" The name refers to the quote from Blago contending the appointment to President Obama's former Illinois Senate seat was "golden".

Perhaps the company could enlist the governor, who was drummed out of office earlier this year, to endorse the product or be a pitchman for the hair care products. After all, defending oneself against charges brought by the federal government is an expensive proposition. So expensive that Blago's wife, Patti, wants to take the ex-guv's place on that NBC reality show being filmed in Costa Rica: "I'm a Celebrity and Get Me Out of Here!"

The Hound suggests the happy couple reject these superficial programs and opt for their own reality series: "The Real House Couple of Chicago."

Being a canine, The Hound wasn't too worried at first about swine flu --- oops, H1N1 --- but with the rising numbers in Lake County are we part of a pandemic? Maybe, maybe not, although the pig lobby sure got rid of the swine flu.

Guess they threatened the World Health Organization with a tactic from the wolf. That would be huffing and puffing in front of the WHO headquarters warning they would blow it down if global scientists didn't change the swine flu to H1N1. Right, that fits so well in a headline.

Speaking of headlines, the Mexican government must be happy nobody's called it Mexican flu, like they did in 1918-1919 during the Spanish flu pandemic.Let's see, we've had pandemics called the Asian flu, Hong Kong flu and Russian flu, but the Mexicans get a pass? What's that about. Afraid the tourist industry south of the border will be rocked if it's called the Mexican flu?

No matter, as a canine, The Hound enjoys the swine flu monicker. In fact, some pigs taste like chicken, which reminds The Hound of the last pandemic --- the 1997 Avian flu. Yum.

It would appear the city of Waukegan needs to test its emergency alert telephone system, the one that failed miserably when the water plant malfunctioned and residents should have been told immediately there was a possible problem with their drinking water. Turns out nobody got sick because the water hadn't been contaminated. Still, they need to test this puppy citywide and The Hound has some suggestions:

1) Anytime a Republican is spotted campaigning in city wards, residents should be alerted.

2) Time for Mayor Hyde's nap? Let everybody know!

3) When starting work on the sports complex at the former Orchard Hills Golf Course, only notify the golfers still lamenting its demise.

4) Election Day notices should be sent out telling voters to: "Ignore the man behind the curtain".

5) Reviews of all Genesee Theatre shows should be sent to residents' homes so they know which ones to miss the next time they come through town.

6) Every Feb. 14: Jack Benny birthday alerts!

7) "The smelt are running!"

Those are just a few suggestions city officials should take to heart. There must be more...

For a while there, Antioch really was in the toilet and not just village finances. At least it smelled that way.

Sewage sludge spilled off a truck over the weekend along Main Street (Route 83) and surely raised a stink among village residents. More so than the last Village Board meeting.

The village moved about 16 truckloads through town on Saturday, getting rid of 80 tons of sewage sludge destined for some farmer's field. Who knew Antioch residents could produce that much effluent?

And, how would you like to be living next to that farmer's field after 80 tons of the stuff is dumped? Not The Hound, that's for certain. Remember that the next time you flush away.

One more thing. We also now know that Antioch's um, stuff, indeed, does stink.

With July almost half over, you have until July 31 to vote for America's Best Public Restroom. Yesiree, in a nation which has to have the best of everything, except public officials, we now can vote for clean water closets. Is this a great country, or what?

Indeed, this is the seventh annual survey sponsored by the Cintas Corp., which supplies restroom supplies to companies. You can vote at the www.bestrestroom.com Web site and even take a photo tour of the loos. Winners will be announced in August.

There's 10 finalists and, surprisingly, two are in Illinois. The Signature Room at the 95th, which occupies the 95th floor of the Hancock Center in Chicago and Brio Restaurant in Rockford, of all places. Apparently, Brio's restrooms are themed as Heaven for women, hell for men. Hmmm, what's that about?

Also in the top 10 is the Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott, Iowa. Leave it to Iowa to have a truckstop comfort station entered in the competition. Also in the running is the Jerome Bettis Grille 36 in Pittsburgh, named for the former Steelers' fullback.

So vote early and often. And, don't forget to flush.

As of today, if you smoke, you can't in restaurants and bars in Lake County. Several county towns --- like Libertyville and Lindenhurst --- had already banned smoking in public establishments before the state law took effect. Instead of smoking sections, there will be smokers outdoors, shivering in the cold, at least until summer.

We've seen hospitals and Blue Cross/Blue Shield at loggerheads before, but this spat between the health-care insurer and Condell Medical Center in Libertyville is turning into a bitter battle of attrition.

Just in time for the Cubs Division Series drive comes word that three Wrigley suger-free gums have been endorsed by the American Dental Association. It's the first time the ADA has allowed its "seal of approval" to appear on gum since 1930.