Greets --
I guess I must have been asleep when the media discussed the 'history'
of the West Nile virus. Surely we are not the only country that has
mosquitoes that carry the virus. Where did it come from? It sounds like it
came from Africa (along the Nile River). Is it also in Europe? South
America? Australia? Asia? If so, what measures are other countries taking
to deal with it?
I really hate pesticides in all forms and I think the US is once again
demonstrating a classic knee jerk reaction, without thinking through the
impact of their actions -- how spraying is going to affect non 'homo erectus'
life in this country (this includes all other plants, animals, the water
supply, the soil where food is grown, etc.). Twelve people dying in a
country of millions does not feel like an epidemic to me. Birds are not
exactly dropping like flies (relative to their numbers) either, are they?
Okay. I confess. I am ignorant. I need other people's thoughts and
facts for input before I can sort it all out and reach any conclusions (to
discard later when I rethink the situation and draw other conclusions, which
I may rethink ad infinitum).

Jo Waldron
Everett, WA
joaw9 at aol.com