This via local blogger Eric Etherington:

Three years ago, Chinese calendar Year of the Cow: mad cow disease. Two years ago, Chinese calendar Year of the Bird: Avian flu. This year, Chinese calendar Year of the Pig: swine flu. Next year is the Year of the Cock: Anybody else worried?---

Mmm ... disturbingly hilarious! Anything called the "cock flu" is bound to be an unpopular diagnosis.

Fortunately, it's all poppycock. In the Chinese zodiac, the animals after which the years 2007-09 have been named are, respectively: "The Boar," "The Rat" and "The Ox." (For better or worse, the next Year of the Cock will not occur until 2017.)

2010 will be the Year of the Tiger -- specifically, the Metal Tiger, according to the 60-year cycle, so apparently it will be a good year for tigers who rock out. Famous Metal Tigers include Beethoven, Phil Collins and Dwight Eisenhower, so there you go.

(By the way, Etherington's Blog for Equality is well-worth reading!)