There is another patient in the US with Ebola, marking the third to be diagnosed with the disease within our borders (also all in the state of Texas). But, there is still no need to panic (and this coming from someone who catches just about everything so, really, don’t panic). Here are some facts about Ebola: Patient #1 caught Ebola while traveling in Africa (kind of a dick move to bring it back with him). Patients #2 and #3 were his nurses. These nurses were in close contact with a dying Ebola patient in a quarantine facility. Although fully gowned and gloved, they were constantly handling very infectious material and the simple act of taking off gloves improperly after tending to the patient could have led to contamination and infection. Walking past someone with a fever won’t do it.
I love the movies Outbreak and Contagion but don’t go off and watch them, freaking yourself out to a point where you become a hermit sitting in a bath of hand sanitizer. Use them as a learning tool (mostly of what not to do). Ebola isn't airborne and it has an Ro of 2 (pictured; H1N1 (swine flu) is 1.6). There is always the possibility that the virus could evolve into something more serious (like the initial virus did in both movies) but, technically, that is true for any virus. Do you sit around worrying about when the flu is going to evolve into a flesh-eating zombie-creating virus? No, that would be silly and a waste of your precious mind-power.
So, go buy yourself some hand sanitizer, wash your hands regularly and don’t let people get their bodily fluids on you. Not only will you not get Ebola, you won't get the common cold or the flu either (BONUS)!
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And they can be blonde, cheerleaders too! (shocking)It’s happening again. Animal rights activists are putting up a stink about a female hunter posting photos of her trophies on social media. Last year it was Melissa Bachman posting a photo on Twitter and now it’s Kendall Jones and her Facebook page. Men post photos of themselves with their trophies all the time but, apparently, it’s only worthy of making an uproar and creating ridiculous petitions when an attractive female does it. As soon as I heard this was happening again, I had to investigate. What is the real issue here? That she’s hunting? That she’s a she? Or is it that she’s an attractive she who is about to be the host of her own TV show and, therefore, was deemed as an adequate target by some conniving activist to be used as an example for their agenda?
So here’s what I have to say to the people who are thinking of signing these petitions: Leave this poor girl alone. Hunting may not be something you like and you may not be able to identify with the hunter’s motivation but, like it or not, hunting is an integral part of conservation when it comes to things like wildlife management and funding research. And by signing that petition, you’re not aiding in conservation, you’re just taking a 19-year-old’s photo off Facebook. #SupportKendall
Also, today, another one gets a little more dirty... HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!!
Yesterday I helped host yet another Cheetah Conservation Fund event but this time in Texas! A few weeks ago I was asked to join the team planning the event, recruiting people to attend the VIP meet and greet for Dr. Laurie Marker's last stop on her Spring Tour in the USA. It took place at Redstone Golf Club in Houston with special guests Kito and Kiburi, six year old cheetah brothers from the Houston Zoo! Laurie talked about me a few times during her talk, which made me feel very special. She even introduced me to the crowd as "one of her kids." It was a great event, perfect for shmoozing with people of like interests (including poop lovers). I met business owners, world travelers and fellow graduate students. Plus, I always like to hear Laurie speak about the cheetahs.
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