Thursday, January 12, 2017

Musings: From Oneness to Nonsense

Just when I was about ready to write off the human race, I saw this headline

Humans really are made of stardust and a new study proves it.

Yeah, I know there is no such thing as scientific proof. But you get my gist. There's something kinda cool about recognizing that we really are one with the universe, in terms of sharing the basic building blocks of life with stars.

It got me thinking again about the miracle of creation that is Earth and its inhabitants, a topic I began pondering while reading “A Short History of Nearly Everything” last year. Yet we take it for granted, wantonly and deliberately destroying so much.

And then there's all the unconscious and often inadvertent destruction caused by the profileration and rapid international spread of invasive species. Our global economy and transport system has made it easy to introduce pests and pathogens to new habitats lacking protective defense mechanisms.

Island nations, whose ecosystems have tended to evolve in isolation, are particularly vulnerable. While visiting family in New Zealand last month, I was struck by all the focus on biosecurity measures. These included showing us an inflight video about the impact of invasive species on native ecosystems and agriculture, and spraying the overhead compartments of the aircraft with pesticides upon landing.

Signs posted throughout the Auckland airport warned passengers of a “$400 instant fine” if they didn't declare prohibited items in their possession, and the flanks of biosecurity inspectors we had to pass through asked tough questions and searched baggage. It was quite a contrast to the whatevahs approach when I returned to the Honolulu airport.

And while we were out hiking, we encountered frequent signs advising us about biosecurity issues, as well as a boot-cleaning station intended to slow the spread of kauri dieback disease, which is having an effect on a keystone native tree similar to what we're seeing with ohia wilt in Big Island forests.
Hawaii has a serious invasive species problem, but the state has long taken an underfunded, reactionary approach to dealing with it. The state is now trying to get out in front with a new interagency biosecurity plan. Though it's led by the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources, the real driver is the state's $14.9 billion tourism industry, which is increasingly concerned about the introduction and spread of stinging ants, biting flies, snakes and other pests that don't fit the heavily-marketed theme of “paradise.”

Still, the state's $600 million agricultural industry should benefit, and not a moment too soon. The DOA just announced the coffee berry borer, already common on Oahu and the Big Island, has made its way to Maui.

Meanwhile, the devastating citrus greening bacteria that has bedeviled Florida orange growers has been detected in California — which means Hawaii, with all its backyard citrus trees, likely isn't far behind. The disease reduces yield, fruit size and quality, and increases tree mortality and production costs.

These are just two of the many plant diseases and pests that farmers face, prompting them to use integrative pest management, cover cropping, crop rotation and pesticides. And as was noted in comments recently, conservation groups also use pesticides to eradicate invasive plants that threaten watersheds and the integrity of native ecosystems.

Once a pest species gets established, it's very difficult to eradicate, as recent news reports on the spread of the rose-ringed parakeet point out. A Kauai friend offered his take on this travesty:

Invasive rose-ringed parakeet show starts promptly at sundown at Hoa'i Bay in Lawai Kai. See hundreds of these colorful Brazilian birds coming to roost for the night at and near the place where Prince Kuhio was born. See the local businesses' futile attempts to thwart them off with hand held laser beams and drastic pruning of all the trees. Imagine the ire of farmers and orchard owneers upon seeing the havoc they wreak during the day. Remind yoursel of the parallel parable of the multitude of tourists, drinks in hand, gathered at the same spot to view the mesmerizing setting of the sun! Barely hear them ooh and ahh under the cacophony of their cawing!

Yes, the best approach is to prevent a pest from becoming established, and that's where biosecurity comes in.

The question now is whether the Hawaii Lege is willing to kick down the serious cash to bring it to fruition.

Meanwhile, President-elect Trump is considering appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a committee on vaccine safety and "scientific integrity" and/or autism, depending on whether you listen to Kennedy or Trump. Kennedy has been a prominent voice in the anti-vaxxer movement and repeatedly raised the discredited claim that vaccines are linked to autism.

Simultaneously, a new fear-mongering“docu-series” on vaccines is being aired on-line. It employs many of the same tactics as the anti-GMO movement — and even uses some of the same “experts,” like Stephanie Seneff and Sayer Ji.

Seneff is responsible for promoting a graph that supposedly documents a link between glyphosate and autism. Of course, the correlation between the rise of organic food sales and autism is even stronger, but she conveniently ignores that.
If we think invasive species are spreading fast, just wait until folks start opting out of immunizations.

Of course, to hear some tell it, vaccines, like chem trails, are part of a giant government plot intended to weaken the populace and sell more pharmaceutical drugs:
Think chemtrails are only sprayed from high altitude? WRONG!
Check out these LLCDWT, or low-level chemtrail delivery wind-turbines, specially engineered for low level cloud-seeding and chemical dispersion.

Yeah, we may be one with the universe, but some of us are clearly still in outer space.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chemtrails are used in many states to increase rain. Thought you knew this since you're so eagerly enthusiastic about farming. Come on Joan of ark.

Joan Conrow said...

No, I didn't know that, 9:08. Could you please provide citations?

Anonymous said...

Ms. Joan, I think 9:08am is made of stardust.

Anonymous said...

Great post Joan.

Reminiscent of Carl Sagan: my hero

Anonymous said...

@9:08 cloud seeding has been around since the 50's and is used all over the world still. Very different than a vast global conspiracy to spray the world with whatever you crackpots think is in the contrails you see.

Anonymous said...

Cloud seeding using silver iodide or dry ice is not
the causative factor in the creation of contrails. Since you've taken the time to discover that cloud seeding is practiced (with spurious results) take it a step further and discover the science behind contrails (and distrails) You may even come to understand how they're formed in the above photo.

Anonymous said...

Just ice crystals.

Anonymous said...

Surely Bradley knows all about Chem Trail use to make it rain so his big corn can grow.

Anonymous said...

There's a fucker spraying by donkeys all the time.

Joan Conrow said...

To the absolutely obsessed commenter who leaves multiple nasty remarks daily: you don't know anything about me, or where I live, or what I'm doing, so give it up, and get a life. Your hatred, which runs from early morning till night, is harming you far more than me, reducing you to a pathetic, impotent cyber stalker who doesn't even have the courage to own his words. Sad.

Anonymous said...

Funny! See Marj Ziegler! when you don't like her, you post anonymously. (sarcasm)

To the other followers, go back to the musing: fake news, false promises, to see Marjorie's 12:01 comment.

One thing for sure MARJ! you right about your comment! she blocks people for a reason she told you all before.

Anonymous said...

To Joan's anonymous nasty cyberstalker...

Lay off!
Get a life!

We enjoy reading Joan's blog; if you don't, please DON'T READ IT!

BTW, there are cyber crime experts who can find and help prosecute you. Is that what you want?

John Kauai said...

Ok, on the "one with the universe thing"... if you think of everything possible it can also be described as the "one thing of everything possible". Then there is the second law of thermodynamics that suggests that "everything" is undergoing a process of entropy (meaning "everything" is constantly breaking down into its component parts. There is an interesting study that suggests what appears to be the opposite of entropy [the creation of more complex structures] actually increases the speed of entropy.

So, then we consider breaking down everything into its single components, of which there can only be one. Now that "everything" is the "same thing" what is there to make it all "separate things"? Suddenly there is only "one thing" and that one thing becomes bored and so explodes into a new universe to repeat god's experiment all over again. (note the small g since this is not the Christian god or the Muslim god but perhaps the Heinlein god expressed in "Stranger in a Strange Land" -- Thou are God.)

Of course, this very long view of history doesn't help us in the here and now where there are just "too many people" who are willing to spread "disease" through out the world. (I put "disease" in quotes since that is one way of looking at "invasive species" that wreck havoc on the native populations of an ecosystem.) If New Zealand wants to keep out pests, they should ban international travel. (Hawaii too)

Perhaps when we consider autism we should consider Clark's book "Childhood's End". The symptoms seem similar.

Maybe the rise in autism is just because more people have enough money to complain about it?

The contrails tailing the wind farms photo reminds me of the clouds coming over the mountains in the Bay Area. They were beautiful, but one can imagine that Half Moon Bay had set up an invasion of San Mateo and this was just the gas attack.

Anonymous said...

No one showed up to the public hearing today for 2491 repeal. Where did all the hollow men go? Is this how it ends? No bang not even a whimper? Just nothing?

Anonymous said...

Are GMOs invasive species?

Anonymous said...

Joan, I researched vaccines extensively when my daughter was born 16 years ago. I have much to share with you but will do so in an email.

Anonymous said...

I find it therapeutic to say mean things to people I hate, and since you have adversely affected my family with your witch hunt (which was brought upon by your hate of rich people from your days as a personal slave to one) you fit the bill. Funny how you have no problem saying mean things about others,with relative impunity, but don't enjoy being on the other side of it. Go fuck yourself.

Joan Conrow said...

Wow, with your convoluted and totally erroneous thought process, it's no wonder you're a mess. Maybe one day you'll gain the courage to actually own your words, feelings and actions, as I do. Now that's truly therapeutic. In the meantime, you're just another TVR crybaby, pathetically spewing in the comments section. Good luck to you.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I wonder if all the commenters are unhinged.

Anonymous said...

Now that the parakeets are impacting the condos and hotels, especially on the South Side, we'll probably get some response from the state. Nevermind that the farmers and backyard growers have been telling them for thirty years that we need to control this pest. If the birds shit on farmers its no problem but heaven help them if the shit on tourist.

Anonymous said...

Even though bill 2491 was repealed, the federal, state, county governments and the seed companies had to take action and now are in the public eye to hold their end of what bill 2491 intended purposes were. Accountability for the duties and responsibilities for people entrusted with public safety and concerns.

Anonymous said...

Here's something to read for those who believe that contrails are chem-trails.

http://www.weathermodification.org/contrailvchemtrail.pdf

Anonymous said...

I don't think there's any doubt about it.

Some, certainly not all.

Anonymous said...

7:24 There we go again, round and round the hamster wheel, Bill 2491 was complete utter disaster. It is INVALID, you do not solve problems with INVALID LAWS idiot! You F-ing Hippy Haoles are too much to take, just like Hooser, you all deserve Slaps! Don't try to take credit now for the State, you ridiculed them during 2491! Two face mother F-ers!

Anonymous said...

7:24 a.m. here's another way of looking at your bill. A lot of us silent majority saw the bill and said, looser is putting the cart before the horse. There was only accusations without data. The governmental process is, show your data or do your study first. Then propose your bill.

So don't make your feel good claims. Cooler heads had prevail after the the biggest fire had settle down. And the state was the ones who did the proper leg work. It wasn't the "bite me" bastard.

You writing of what is history is pretty much full of yourself.

Follow the governmental process. That's what all of this came out to be.

But hey! Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

My, my look what the EPA found in the food supply! "On November 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a groundbreaking report laying out the serious dangers of chlorpyrifos. The “Chlorpyrifos Revised Human Health Risk Assessment,” as it was called, laid out the evidence that the pesticide can cause intelligence deficits and attention, memory, and motor problems in children. According to the report, 1- and 2-year-old children risk exposures from food alone that are 14,000 percent above the level the agency now thinks is safe.

Good think the Trumpster will be in office to stop the EPA and help DOW. Notice the EPA "laid out the evidence" but "proved" nothing.

Anonymous said...

Must be the Dunning effect

Anonymous said...

@8:38pm. Tell me why anyone would waste their time testifying on this when we all know the 5 votes are locked up by the boys who carrying water for the chemical companies. Why should we waste our time with Mel and Ross who are in DOW Chemical's pocket? Ask uncle Charlie, he will tell you what to do and how to vote.

Anonymous said...

The state of Hawaii gov process didn't work until the bill 2491 and national attention as well as world wide attention came about the failure of the state of Hawaii.

Edumacate urselfs

Anonymous said...

1/15 @ 3:15 PM, get a life. Better yet, get an education yourself and get out of your echo chamber.

Anonymous said...

Yes! Funny! Every single claim made (just hype claims no data back ground to support the accusations) comes down to the 500k data gathering. And yes f them cause the no work. Thanks for cooler heads to prevail.

All good!

Anonymous said...

I gots mine BIH. What do you have Chem/Bio slave? Your Master's chemical soups are weapons of mass destruction (WMD's).

Anonymous said...

4:13 " According to the report, 1- and 2-year-old children risk exposures from food alone that are 14,000 percent above the level the agency now thinks is safe. "

"Intelligence deficits"? "Attention and memory problems"? Does that mean people will become to dumb to think rationally?

Anonymous said...

You slaves don't know any better. But I don't pity you fools.

Anonymous said...

Spray the chemical soups all over the west side and get rid of them low life's.

Anonymous said...

1/15 @ 6:01 PM, 1/16 @ 3:22 PM & 3:23 PM, thank you all for displaying your true colors. Enjoy life in Elysium.