Off the Wire, 7-27-06

Infamous computer hacker Kevin Mitnick has reportedly taken ill in the Colombian Andes, and was hospitalized for a severe flu that he attributed in part to the high altitude there. [CNN.com]

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The trend toward "consumer producers" continues with the offer of a customizable version of Jessica Simpson's new video "A Public Affair" through her website. Fans can customize the lyrics, inserting their own name in the video. [Trendcentral.com]

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GlaxoSmithKline has developed a vaccine for the H5N1 "bird flu" virus that could be ready for distribution as early as next year. Testing has proven successful so far, though infectious disease specialists warn that the virus could mutate before the vaccine reaches production. [AP]

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The latest drug for teens and young adults -- and possibly the newest drug hysteria -- is sniffing bags of mothballs, or "bagging." Mothballs contain paradichlorobenzene, a substance that produces a high, along with possible liver and kidney failure. And, of course, mothballs are legal. The trend mirrors a move among drug-using teens toward legal yet supposedly controlled substances such as OxyContin and Vicodin, which are often available for purchase over the Internet. Look for moves to reformulate mothballs and control their sale to minors. [CNN.com]

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Who's up for a swim? Scientists reviewing data from the Cassini probe orbiting Saturn believe that the planet's largest moon, Titan, sports a cluster of lakes containing a mix of liquid methane and ethane. [CNN.com]

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Americans have become deeply pessimistic about the future, according to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. While worrying about current events such as the Iraq war and the fighting in Lebanon, 65% of Americans surveyed feel less confident that life will be better for their children. Seventy-three percent felt that America is "on the wrong track," and of those, 81% believed it's part of a long-term decline. [MSNBC]