PSA

Over at the Animal Rescue Site, they're awarding $100,000 in grants to eligible Petfinder.com member rescue organizations to help animals. The grand prize is a $10,000 grant, but there are many other prizes.

I'm casting my daily vote for St. Francis Society in Kenosha WI, the shelter from which I adopted the late lamented Mickey (see icon). It's a small shelter that's always in trouble financially, and is up to its eyeballs in abandoned pit bulls and other hard-to-adopt dogs. They also have cats, and serve as home to a few old and abused farm animals as well.

I would appreciate other votes for St Francis, but of course if you have a favored shelter you should vote for that one. Visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com to vote every day and learn more. You don't have to register, and voting is free.

PSA

Over at the Animal Rescue Site, they're awarding $100,000 in grants to eligible Petfinder.com member rescue organizations to help animals. The grand prize is a $10,000 grant, but there are many other prizes.

I'm casting my daily vote for St. Francis Society in Kenosha WI, the shelter from which I adopted the late lamented Mickey (see icon). It's a small shelter that's always in trouble financially, and is up to its eyeballs in abandoned pit bulls and other hard-to-adopt dogs. They also have cats, and serve as home to a few old and abused farm animals as well.

I would appreciate other votes for St Francis, but of course if you have a favored shelter you should vote for that one. Visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com to vote every day and learn more. You don't have to register, and voting is free.

Alexander the Great and West Nile Virus Encephalitis

An interesting hypothesis about the death of Alexander the Great (link via dancinghorse)

http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/12/alexander-the-great-and-west-nile-virus-encephalitis/

Abstract: Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. One incident, mentioned by Plutarch but not considered by previous investigators, may shed light on the cause of Alexander’s death. The incident, which occurred as he entered Babylon, involved a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behavior and subsequently dying at his feet. The inexplicable behavior of ravens is reminiscent of avian illness and death weeks before the first human cases of West Nile virus infection were identified in the United States. We posit that Alexander may have died of West Nile virus encephalitis.

Alexander the Great and West Nile Virus Encephalitis

An interesting hypothesis about the death of Alexander the Great (link via dancinghorse)

http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/12/alexander-the-great-and-west-nile-virus-encephalitis/

Abstract: Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. One incident, mentioned by Plutarch but not considered by previous investigators, may shed light on the cause of Alexander’s death. The incident, which occurred as he entered Babylon, involved a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behavior and subsequently dying at his feet. The inexplicable behavior of ravens is reminiscent of avian illness and death weeks before the first human cases of West Nile virus infection were identified in the United States. We posit that Alexander may have died of West Nile virus encephalitis.