In the not so far off future.... Genetically modified, WNS resistant bats fluttering around the countrysides and cities. But who knew that WNS resistance also activated the "GIGANTIC-ISM" gene 10 generations later? Now tiny insects are no longer enough! They need protein, and there are so many of us soft, plump humans....
On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 8:12 AM, Andy Gluesenkamp < andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com> wrote: > Whaaat? Cloning? Test tube baby bats? Isn't this jumping the gun? > Seriously, the most reasonable approach at this time is to document what is > there. That way, we will have some clue as to what the impacts of WNS may > be. These ARE proactive measures. > best, > Andy > > > Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D. > 700 Billie Brooks Drive > Driftwood, Texas 78619 > (512) 799-1095 > a...@gluesenkamp.com > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* freddie poer <freddiepoe...@yahoo.com> > *To:* Andy Gluesenkamp <a...@gluesenkamp.com> > *Cc:* texascavers@texascavers.com > *Sent:* Thu, December 9, 2010 6:09:54 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Texascavers] El Malpais > > Gee, Isn't it going to be hard to conduct these surveys if the caves are > closed? Or, does this mean that the caves are closed to everyone except a > few hand picked NPS personnel? This whole knee jerk "close the caves" > reaction smells a little too much like the "nobody should go caving except > us" syndrome that I have seen among certain cavers of the academic > persuasion. Bill is obviously right in that nothing we do will alter what > path WNS will take. It will not matter one whit whether all of us, or none > of us, goes caving. WNS will complete it's own cycle. Why aren't we seeing > some effort at proactive measures, like DNA preservation or maybe bat sperm > and ova collection, instead of the "putting out fires" approach we are > seeing now? > > --- On *Thu, 12/9/10, Andy Gluesenkamp <andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com>*wrote: > > > From: Andy Gluesenkamp <andrew_gluesenk...@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] El Malpais > To: "Mixon Bill" <bmixon...@austin.rr.com>, "Cavers Texas" < > texascavers@texascavers.com> > Date: Thursday, December 9, 2010, 2:20 PM > > Bill, > Blame the bureaucrats if you must but it sounds like they are taking > steps to study the situation carefully. The NPS is conducting > microbiological and other surveys of caves in the area, including those that > are not occupied by bats. Simply stated: human entry into > caves may complicate these studies. > Stating that "nothing can be done" is giving up to soon. You may be > correct that nothing can be done to prevent the spread of WNS, with or > without cave closures. However, documenting bat populations and cave use as > well as conducting microbiological and other surveys will at least provide > information about what we may lose (have lost). This documentation is > valuable, especially if we are facing the inevitable spread of a catastophic > phenomenon like WNS. > I view this as analogous to the burning of the Great Library of > Alexandria. Sure, the fire may have been unavoidable (try stopping Julius > Ceasar and the Roman army) but don't you wish that someone had at least > catalogued the collection before it was turned to ashes? > > > Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D. > 700 Billie Brooks Drive > Driftwood, Texas 78619 > (512) 799-1095 > a...@gluesenkamp.com > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Mixon Bill <bmixon...@austin.rr.com> > *To:* Cavers Texas <texascavers@texascavers.com> > *Sent:* Thu, December 9, 2010 2:03:32 PM > *Subject:* [Texascavers] El Malpais > > No, closing those caves isn't a symptom of greedy biologists, but rather of > bureaucrats who think they have to be seen doing something, even if there's > no real justification for it. > > My solution would be to recognize there's nothing to be done and let things > play out, as they will anyway. A whole lot cheaper and less wear and tear on > the nervous systems, even of bat buffs. -- Mixon > ---------------------------------------- > All the world's a stage, but the play is badly cast. > ---------------------------------------- > You may "reply" to the address this message > came from, but for long-term use, save: > Personal: > bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu<http://us.mc451.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu> > AMCS: > edi...@amcs-pubs.org<http://us.mc451.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=edi...@amcs-pubs.org>or > sa...@amcs-pubs.org<http://us.mc451.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=sa...@amcs-pubs.org> > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com<http://us.mc451.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com> > For additional commands, e-mail: > texascavers-h...@texascavers.com<http://us.mc451.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=texascavers-h...@texascavers.com> > > > -- Ron Rutherford Microsoft SQL Server DBA/Developer
