Tidbits

Pregnant women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to have a child with memory problems, according to a new study.

An animal shelter in Las Vegas had to euthanize 1,000 cats and dogs due to outbreaks of highly contagious diseases -- distemper and parvo -- at the shelter. The shelter had apparently been using incorrect vaccines or had vaccinated the animals at incorrect times; the shelter was also overcrowded which only helped these diseases flourish. The shelter's management team didn't want to euthanize animals simply because they hadn't been adopted or were short on space at the shelter. While their intentions were admirable, I find it hard to believe that the "Lied Animal Shelter officials ... said they did not realize animals were infected until the Humane Society team noticed animals with intestinal and respiratory problems." I'm sorry, but I've cared for dogs and cats with parvo and distemper -- you can't help but know they are sick if you have two brain cells and you will never forget the smell of the vomit and diarrhea. They didn't realize the animals were infected? Unbelievable.

An 84-year old woman in Portland, Oregon has confessed to having sex with an 11-year old boy while he was a foster child in her care. Yick. Lady, ever hear of masturbation?

New genetic evidence supports the Land Bridge Theory which states that the earliest Native Americans arrived via the Bering Strait land bridge that once connected the North American and Asian continents. A sequence of DNA has been found in Native Americans from various tribes as well as people living in Eastern Siberia, but the genetic puzzle piece wasn't found in other populations that were tested, including Mongolians, Japanese, or people living in other parts of Siberia.

The bird flu virus H5N1 has been found in cats. In a recent study in Indonesia, blood from 500 stray cats was sampled and 20% had the H5N1 antibodies present, indicating that the cats had been infected with the bird flu virus at one point or another. Why should we care? "The main worry is that as the virus replicates in cats it will further adapt to mammals and acquire the ability to spread more efficiently to people and from person to person, unleashing a human pandemic ... We know the 1918 pandemic was a bird flu virus that adapted to mammals in some intermediate mammalian host, possibly pigs ... Maybe for H5N1 the intermediate host is cats." What would you do in the case of a human pandemic?

Beware! Boys with boobs... yep, young boys have developed breast tissue after having regular and prolonged contact with lotions, gels, shampoos, etc. that contain lavender and tea tree oils. The good news is that the boys lost the breast tissue after discontinuing use of said products. It is thought that these ingredients may mimic estrogen and suppress hormones responsible for the masculinization of boys.

I hadn't realized that US taxpayers continue to support the pensions of congressmen, even after they have been convicted of felonies. "According to the Taxpayers Union research, 20 lawmakers over the last 25 years have been found guilty of serious crimes while in office. All 20 received, or are still receiving, congressional retirement benefits. Randall "Duke" Cunningham and James Traficant are both in prison right now, and both collecting. "Duke" gets an estimated $64,000 a year. Traficant's estimated pension is $40,000." Congressman Rostenkowski, former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee who was indicted for embezzling public funds (among other charges) and later pardoned by Clinton, collects a whopping $126,000 each year. Wow. Had no idea.

Live Earth is here. Save Our Selves - The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis, a worldwide series of concerts to bring greater attention to the world's changing climate, is set for July 7, 2007. More than 100 performers are scheduled to appear, including Melissa Etheridge, the Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Duran Duran, Korn, Pharrell, the Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Proceeds from the event will be used create a foundation to combat climate change led by The Alliance for Climate Protection, which is chaired by Al Gore. Also of interest, Gore's documentary film "An Inconvenient Truth" has been nominated for an Academy Award and Gore, himself, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Yay, Al. :)