The beloved American robin, not the annoying, raucous crow, may be the more potent source for West Nile virus, according to new research.

A DNA analysis of blood taken from the abdomens of 300 mosquitoes trapped in Connecticut over the past three years found that 40 percent fed on the blood of the red-breasted songbird and only 1 percent on crows, said Theodore Andreadis, chief medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

"It was quite surprising," he said. "Robins are right up there and are probably playing a pretty good role."

[Source: AP]

Edward Kirby, 70, of Las Vegas, slipped away peacefully Tuesday, July 26, 2005, with his family by his side, after fighting a long hard battle with lung cancer. He was born July 27, 1934, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and resided in Las Vegas for 35 years. Edward was a retired police officer and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Police Protective Association and a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Edward was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Tillie Kirby; and siblings, Mary, Martin, Thomas, Johnny and Patrick. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Kirby; daughters, Dorothy Pittman, Colleen Kirby-Gray, and Kerri Anisko and her husband, Timothy, all of Las Vegas; son, Edward Kirby, Jr. and his wife, Deborah of Las Vegas; grandchildren, Alexis, Meghan, Brooklyn, Ricky, Dylan, Mikala and Timothy; and siblings, Carol, Robert, Owen, Kathy and Joan. Memorial service will be from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 5485 E. Charleston Blvd. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Judes Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude St., Boulder City, NV 89005. Arrangements handled by Palm Mortuary-Eastern.

Ed Kirby was one of the most colorful, and genuine human beings I have ever met in my life. I will cherish the memories I have, from working with him at the Clark County Detention Center.

My family's prayers are with his wife and family.

Rest In Peace, Ed.

A man accused of kidnapping, molesting and strangling a 4-year-old girl previously had been under investigation for sexually abusing two children, officials said.

Hall County Sheriff's Sgt. James Evans testified Friday during the preliminary hearing for 24-year-old Cornelio Rivera Zamites that the suspect had been under investigation for several years by Hall County authorities after two12-year-old girls accused him of sexual abuse. One of those girls is now 16-years-old, he said.

At the hearing, Hall County Chief Magistrate Margaret Gregory ruled that prosecutors had sufficient DNA evidence to continue holding Zamites on murder, kidnapping and child molestation charges in the death of Esmerelda Nava.

So I guess the question is, exactly how long should an investigation into sexual abuse last? One year? Two years? Four years? or is it until a different victim dies before the police do anything to stop the maniac inflicting the abuse?

Investigators have determined that a strain of bird flu virus infecting fowl in Russia is the type that can infect humans, the Agriculture Ministry said Friday.

The virus caused the deaths of hundreds of birds in a section of Siberia this month, but no human infections have been reported.

In a brief statement, the ministry identified the virus as avian flu type A H5N1.

"That raises the need for undertaking quarantine measures of the widest scope," the statement said. Ministry officials could not immediately be reached for elaboration.

Strains of bird flu have been hitting flocks throughout Asia and some fatal human cases have been reported there.

Since 2003, bird flu has killed at least 57 people in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, which reported its first three human deaths this month.

The outbreak in Russia's Novosibirsk region apparently started about two weeks ago when large numbers of chicken, geese, ducks and turkeys began dying. Officials say that all dead or infected birds were incinerated. But it is unclear whether that would effectively stop the virus from spreading.

Well, here it comes…

Strands of hair found in Aruba did not come from Natalee Holloway, the FBI said Thursday, the latest lead to come to nothing in the two-month-old search for the missing US teenager.

The hair, which was found attached to duct tape on July 17, was subjected to genetic testing at the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Virginia, and the results showed they did not come from the 18-year-old who has been missing for two months, said spokeswoman Judy Orihuela.

"It wasn't Natalee's hair," Orihuela said.

[Source: The Jamaica Observer]