Rain Forrests, Global Warming, Auto Companies, and the Economy"

[bomelia]

Quote from Fox news article on some dumb opossum: Scientists say a white possum native to the Daintree rainforest in the Australian state of Queensland has become the first mammal to become extinct due to man-made global warming.

The Brisbane, Queensland, Courier-Mail reports the white variety of the lemuroid ringtail possum, found only above 3,000 feet in the mountain forests of far north Queensland, has not been seen for three years.

Experts fear climate change is to blame for the disappearance of the highly vulnerable strain thanks to a temperature rise of up to 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Researchers will mount a last-ditch expedition early next year deep into the untouched "cloud forests" of the Carbine Range near Mt. Lewis, three hours north of the city of Cairns, in search of the tiny tree-dweller, dubbed the "Dodo of the Daintree."

Since when did it become the role of Man to save everything? The liberals out there must be reading the bible on Noah and taking it seriously (too seriously if you ask me). If a friggin opossum cannot stand a 1.5 degree rise in temperature, well then, get out of the kitchen! The Earth has gone through many warming and cooling periods during its existence. Many animals and plants have gone extinct without our influence. Companies go out of business every day! Why is it someone's role (Man) to stop the bad stuff from happening? All of this crap is going to drive all of us into eternal bankruptcy.

Wackoism has its costs too.

Somethings cannot (nor should not) be saved. What should be saved? The guiding principles that brought the USA into existence. Start again with that and all will be fine.

Mike

[Fred Douglass]

....am a "lemuroid" like a hemorhoid?

They talk aboot (on Bahstin talk radio) the AlGore Effect"------to wit, every time that slab-o-beef buffoon shows up to spread Global-Warming panic, temperature records fall!

Chow,

[bomelia]

Whoever, whatever,... however this planet came into existence, it came with a natural plan. Things are born, they grow, and they die. I don't know of any life on Earth that lives forever. Species come, and species go. Mountains come and go. The system always seems to correct itself and arrive at a better solution. That is, till we came along. At first glance, we might have looked like a good idea. But today?

Let me give you an example of the natural law and some estimated ramifications if it is modified. Its a silly example, but I think it works. Most people live arround 70 years give or take. Lets say just one person figures out how to live 200 years. And be healthy doing it! Lets say when he retired at 65 (not a natural law) he had $1 million in a 401K. Lets say he can easily live on 50K a year (5%), but he decides to keep his money in relatively aggressive programs (averaging, say 10%). In 135 years, how much will he be worth? (somebody with a calculator please tell me).

But, you know its gonna be a lot. So, our physical law of compound interest and current interest rates, and rates of growth in the economy would have to be altered to keep pace with the natural law. (yes, I ignored inflation).

The Supreme Law of the land was designed to work with natural law. It was a unique attempt at the concept. There were plenty of mistakes. But how amazing is it that the few things we got right worked so dam well! For a good part of the USA's existence, we (as a country) have operated in harmony with natural law on some level. Certainly not in perfect harmony... but we got closer than any other country had before us.

Now, we are moving in the wrong direction. We are trying to change natural law (live forever, eg). We cannot afford to do this. If natural law says a opssum dies, then so be it. If we can save it for a pittance, then perhaps its OK to try. But if to save it, we have to wipe out standards of living and return to the stone age, then no. Its not worth it. That is not operating in union with natural law. Thats just some wacko's idea of fairness.

Wackos do not understand natural law. They only understand fairness. Wackos (..er, Liberals) will not be happy until there is a safety net under every dam thing in plain site.

Mike

[Scott S]

Possums like the warmer temps, that's why they are laying on the blacktop.

Cars have killed far more possums than GW....

Scott S

[bomelia]

Fair and funny enough. But, the point is surely being missed here. We have gone from a country where self reliance was considered an admirable trait and accepting charrity was considered totally embarassing to quite the reverse. That is not funny. Its sad. Friggin auto company bosses going hat in hand to the governement asking for alms. Same for most state governors. And large city mayors. And many banks. The timeless story in "Its a Wonderful Life" is lost today on most of us.

What I do not get is WHY the auto makers would not prefer bankruptcy to alms? They could finally get rid of the unions. And become competitive. The Japanese would be laughing their boots off if it were not for the fact that their number one importer is US. If we go bust, so do they!

We can print only so much money before it starts to cost pounds of money for a pound of bread.

It is the end of the world as we know it.

Mike

[Wes Tausend]

...


Mike,

I'm thinking the white possums ended up mixing with warmer southern darker possums. (Or would it be mixing with warmer northern possums down under?) That would mean they are still there, not extinct, but indistinct. I don't know if we can regulate this sort of nooky thing. It would be like believing we could force people with freckles to only mate with other freckled people to preserve the pigmentation. Or, if not freckles, stretch marks. Freckle Police, Stretch Division.

Also, it is harder to recognize white possums on blacktop because they look like former white rabbits after the first couple of treadmarks. So I think they don't get entirely counted as white possums by federal wildlife agents flying over highways in Piper Cubs. And if there was snow on the road, they likely wouldn't even get counted as rabbits. Invisible.

Then there is that, "99% of the species that ever lived are now extinct", principle. I think it's a billion year natural law or something. If another 1% of the possums think it's time to go, maybe we should just obey. Their quota may be low.

And, finally, uneaten white possums may have quickly evolved a different color to match their new snowless surroundings. We just can't fault them for rapidly evolving, can we? See paragraph 1 on how to evolve.

Well, I guess that's what you were saying. But if white possums taste better, then it would be a loss.


Wes


...

[Fred Douglass]

...Yew don't actually EAT possums? I thought they were marthoopiulz*! Ich!

*or, is that "moah soup y'all" down Sofe?

Ar-ar-ar-ar

Chow (and it ain't some buggerin' RAT-cousin!)

[bomelia]

I don't eat opossum (white or any other variety). Funny thing, they used to be all over the place until the armadillo moved in ('possum on the half shell). Now all we see is heaps of armadillo carcasses piling up along the roadsides.

Southern traditions can be amusing to others. Steve (VRM) once asked me (in all seriousness) if we actually collected Beagle pelts (I assume for use in shoes) once. If he reads this, I am sure he will ignore it. http://www.redneckpossum.com/PossumRecipes.htm

Mike "more soup y'all"