Saturday, August 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The History Of Highway H2O
By : Dennis Stein
The dream of the St.Lawrence Seaway began in 1680, with an attempt to bypass the Lachine Rapids near Montreal, using a mile long shallow canal. It was not actually completed until 1959, the Canadian ice breaker D'Iberville making the first transit. It was officially opened in June of that year by Queen Elizabeth and U.S. President Eisenhower.
Earlier, in 1833, the Lachine Canal bypassed the Lachine Rapids, linking Montreal to Lake St. Louis. The first Welland Canal was also completed, being almost 44Km long and consisting of 40 wooden locks.Two World Wars, and oppposition to the project from influencial rail transport companies in the United States slowed the development of the Seaway into a full fledged trade route. 100 years after the opening of the first Welland Canal, the canals at Cornwall and Beauharnois were open, and the new fourth Welland Canal was completed. Its 25 foot depth raises ships 326 feet over a system of eight locks.
By the mid to late 50's, the Iroquois, Snell and Eisenhower locks were opened, after the U.S. and Canadian governments reached an agreement totalling almost $500 million to construct and maintain a deep draft waterway between the port of Montreal and Lake Erie. Power dam development around the international rapids saw the relocation of 6500 people and 550 homes to the new Ontario towns called Long Sault, Ingleside, and Iroquois. New channels were dug and existing ones dredged, revealing rock formations of Pre-Cambrian rock, requiring new digging technologies and equipment to get past. Four bridges in Montreal had to be modified, in order to accomdate large ships, and were completed without disrupting traffic.
During its first year of operation, the seaway saw 25 million tons of cargo. By 1979 that gross tonnage had increased to 80 million tons. As the mid 90's approached, the St.Lawrence seaway witnessed 160,000 ship transits from over 50 different nations, and over 2 billion tons of cargo, worth over $300 billion.
Currently, the seaway has a maximum draft of 26 feet and six inches, which has been increased from original over the history of this remarkable waterway to enable ships to carry extra cargo. It allows ships with a maximum size of 740 feet, and a beam of 78 feet to access the port at Duluth, Minnesota, 2342 miles inland from the Atlantic. In 2004, the St.Lawrence seaway was given the name Hwy. H2O. Important note: A ship can move a ton of cargo 800 km using only 4 litres of fuel, and produce 7.5 times less greenhouse gases than road transport...
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Steeples Of Brockville
By : Dennis Stein
One thing the city of Brockville has an abundance of is churches. A person can barely make it a few blocks in our city without seeing one. The churches in Brockville are among the oldest buildings in the city, and regardless of the denomination, add to the beauty of our town's architectural heritage.
A church which definitely stands out is the First Presbyterian Church on aptly named Church St. The ministry for this church began exactly 200 years ago in 1811, and is credited with the very first Sunday School in Canada. The pastor began its ministry on horseback, carrying his bible in his saddle bag. The church building itself is an amazing example of nineteenth century architecture, and was rebuilt three times over its history, now having a 100 x 110 foot main sanctuary to seat 900 people. It shares Court terrace with the First Baptist Church on the corner of pine St., built around the same time period, and having similar features, and Wall St. church, adjacent to the courthouse on its east side.
St.Paul's Anglican church on Pine St. is another shining example of beautiful architecture in Brockville. It is one of the most original historical buildings in town, having few restorative modifications over its history.
Trinity Anglican Church on George St. has an uncertain future. This month may see it purchased along with the rest of its property by a developer. Plans for a condominium project on the site, and the eventual marketing of the church for commercial purposes are in the works, although the church is on the city's heritage list. It is in need of expensive restoration work however, and eventual demolition of the church building has not been entirely ruled out over the long term.
Another beautiful building whose church bells can be heard on a daily basis is St. Francis Xavier on Church St. It does not share the neo-gothic style of the First Presbyterian, or First Baptist, but has an immense front entry, with terraced steps, and a tall bell tower directly up front. It's ministry began in 1858, proudly displayed on a plaque above the front entrance.
All of the church buildings in Brockville are filled with beautiful stained glass windows, and are immaculate in architectural detail. Their high spires and bell towers add to the rich history of Ontario's oldest city...
One thing the city of Brockville has an abundance of is churches. A person can barely make it a few blocks in our city without seeing one. The churches in Brockville are among the oldest buildings in the city, and regardless of the denomination, add to the beauty of our town's architectural heritage.
A church which definitely stands out is the First Presbyterian Church on aptly named Church St. The ministry for this church began exactly 200 years ago in 1811, and is credited with the very first Sunday School in Canada. The pastor began its ministry on horseback, carrying his bible in his saddle bag. The church building itself is an amazing example of nineteenth century architecture, and was rebuilt three times over its history, now having a 100 x 110 foot main sanctuary to seat 900 people. It shares Court terrace with the First Baptist Church on the corner of pine St., built around the same time period, and having similar features, and Wall St. church, adjacent to the courthouse on its east side.
St.Paul's Anglican church on Pine St. is another shining example of beautiful architecture in Brockville. It is one of the most original historical buildings in town, having few restorative modifications over its history.
Trinity Anglican Church on George St. has an uncertain future. This month may see it purchased along with the rest of its property by a developer. Plans for a condominium project on the site, and the eventual marketing of the church for commercial purposes are in the works, although the church is on the city's heritage list. It is in need of expensive restoration work however, and eventual demolition of the church building has not been entirely ruled out over the long term.
Another beautiful building whose church bells can be heard on a daily basis is St. Francis Xavier on Church St. It does not share the neo-gothic style of the First Presbyterian, or First Baptist, but has an immense front entry, with terraced steps, and a tall bell tower directly up front. It's ministry began in 1858, proudly displayed on a plaque above the front entrance.
All of the church buildings in Brockville are filled with beautiful stained glass windows, and are immaculate in architectural detail. Their high spires and bell towers add to the rich history of Ontario's oldest city...
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Battle Of The Windmill
By : Dennis Stein
Many things shaped our country in its early history, including military battles. In the summer of 1838, in response to a number of raids conducted by a group of reformers led by William Lyon Mackenzie and a number of American Hunter Patriots, Fort Wellington at Prescott was repaired and upgraded with a new blockhouse to repel threats from across the St.Lawrence. Although not fully completed, it was ready to play a part in a pivotal battle later that year...
In November of 1838, a group of 250 American Hunter Patriots gathered at Ogdensburg to liberate Canadians in Upper Canada from what they saw as oppressive British rule. A Swedish man by the name of Nils Von Shoultz lead these men across the St.Lawrence early one morning, and after a failed attempt to land at Prescott, the Hunters landed and took over the hamlet of Newport, where the group took up a position in a stone windmill, east of the town. They were of the belief that they would be immediately joined by thankful Canadians, ready to be free of the crown.This, of course, never happened. The Americans got a further surprise, because the Canadians were ready for them, having been tipped off by spies about the impending invasion.
The windmill was made of thick stone, standing 60 feet high, and provided a good defensive position for the American invaders. It stood on top of a 30 foot bluff, making it impossible for the British to approach without being seen, and was impervious to all but heavy artillery. It also afforded the Hunters a wide view, nearly to Brockville in the west, and the Galop Rapids in the east. Early in the morning of the 13th, a force of British infantry and 500 Canadian militiamen, including a group from the Brockville Rifles, attacked the Hunters. The initial attack failed, leaving 13 on the british side dead, and only 18 of the Hunter Patriots, along with wounded on both sides.
On the 16th, artillery from kingston arrived along with over 1100 Upper Canadian militiamen, commanded by Henry Dundas. Royal Navy boats blocked any escape for the Hunters, and being pounded by artillery with no supplies or reinforcements, Von Shoultz and his forces surrendered, with many men fleeing to avoid capture. Those who were caught, underwent trial in Kingston, with the Hunter leader being represented legally by a prominent young Kingston lawyer named John A. Macdonald, who would later become Canada's first Prime Minister. 11 of the Hunters, including Von Shoultz, were sentenced to execution, 60 were sent away to a penal colony in Australia, 40 were acquitted and 86 more were later released.
The site where the windmill still stands was declared a National Historic Site in 1920, and is accessible from Hwy. 2, just east of Prescott.
Many things shaped our country in its early history, including military battles. In the summer of 1838, in response to a number of raids conducted by a group of reformers led by William Lyon Mackenzie and a number of American Hunter Patriots, Fort Wellington at Prescott was repaired and upgraded with a new blockhouse to repel threats from across the St.Lawrence. Although not fully completed, it was ready to play a part in a pivotal battle later that year...
In November of 1838, a group of 250 American Hunter Patriots gathered at Ogdensburg to liberate Canadians in Upper Canada from what they saw as oppressive British rule. A Swedish man by the name of Nils Von Shoultz lead these men across the St.Lawrence early one morning, and after a failed attempt to land at Prescott, the Hunters landed and took over the hamlet of Newport, where the group took up a position in a stone windmill, east of the town. They were of the belief that they would be immediately joined by thankful Canadians, ready to be free of the crown.This, of course, never happened. The Americans got a further surprise, because the Canadians were ready for them, having been tipped off by spies about the impending invasion.
The windmill was made of thick stone, standing 60 feet high, and provided a good defensive position for the American invaders. It stood on top of a 30 foot bluff, making it impossible for the British to approach without being seen, and was impervious to all but heavy artillery. It also afforded the Hunters a wide view, nearly to Brockville in the west, and the Galop Rapids in the east. Early in the morning of the 13th, a force of British infantry and 500 Canadian militiamen, including a group from the Brockville Rifles, attacked the Hunters. The initial attack failed, leaving 13 on the british side dead, and only 18 of the Hunter Patriots, along with wounded on both sides.
On the 16th, artillery from kingston arrived along with over 1100 Upper Canadian militiamen, commanded by Henry Dundas. Royal Navy boats blocked any escape for the Hunters, and being pounded by artillery with no supplies or reinforcements, Von Shoultz and his forces surrendered, with many men fleeing to avoid capture. Those who were caught, underwent trial in Kingston, with the Hunter leader being represented legally by a prominent young Kingston lawyer named John A. Macdonald, who would later become Canada's first Prime Minister. 11 of the Hunters, including Von Shoultz, were sentenced to execution, 60 were sent away to a penal colony in Australia, 40 were acquitted and 86 more were later released.
The site where the windmill still stands was declared a National Historic Site in 1920, and is accessible from Hwy. 2, just east of Prescott.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Way She Goes.....
By : Dennis Stein
Why is it that we settle for what we get these days? I watched the recent CUPW lock out by Canada Post, and although most people were very supportive, there were some who were either misinformed, or flat out disagreed with the picketers, shouting for them to get back to work, or that they should be fired and let other people be hired who WANT to work. Those folks who do nothing like Canada Post employees have no idea what is involved. It is not a simple leisurely stroll with a few envelopes. Most letter carriers walk the equivalent of a marathon each day, carrying a great deal of weight, through whatever mother nature chooses to dish up that day...The fact that CUPW is simply trying to keep their previous collective agreement, without even seeking outlandish wage increases, seems to do little to appease some of the people driving by.
Some of those same people probably were on their way to the local gas station, to fuel their vehicles. I am sure that they are not happy about the price per liter for gasoline. But do they do anything about it? They chastise the posties, saying they should be glad to even have a good job with a pension these days. The problem with that statement is this : 'These days' is the result of allowing corporations to impose their will on the employees freely, regardless of unions, and with little retribution. We pay the highest taxes in the world, allow hydro and natural gas companies to dictate the amount we will pay in a climate where HEAT is a life necessity, and accept all of this as though there is nothing we can do in this 'new economy'. Air Canada's CEO pockets $86 million dollars in a time period where workers are forced to accept $10,000 dollar a year pay cuts, and boost their productivity. Canada post CEO Deepak Chopra is being paid just under a half million per year plus a 33% bonus, yet is telling CUPW that their 3% per year increase is not doable. Meanwhile, CEO wages are increasing above 4% per year?
The bottom line here is that things have gotten a little out of control. Energy costs are spiralling upwards, your Hydro and gas bill equal your mortgage, everything you buy is more expensive as a result of higher fuel prices, and we seem content to just carry on with our lives, shrugging and saying 'That's just the way she goes...'
I appreciate that the older folks among us came from a tough as nails upbringing , where jobs were harder to find. I can also appreciate that we still live in the greatest country on the planet, where freedom and tolerance of the differences among us still reign supreme. There are simply a few things which need to be corrected. So don't complain about the politicians, they only lie and steal because we allow them to. Don't complain about your job or the amount it costs to fuel your vehicle if you think there is nothing you can do about it. Canada is a place where you should not have to be thanking your lucky stars you have a good job, it should be the norm for all that we pay for. Greed must come to an end somewhere, and we canadians must stop acting like cattle being led to the slaughterhouse. Just because it IS, doesn't make it RIGHT... Mooooooo.....
Why is it that we settle for what we get these days? I watched the recent CUPW lock out by Canada Post, and although most people were very supportive, there were some who were either misinformed, or flat out disagreed with the picketers, shouting for them to get back to work, or that they should be fired and let other people be hired who WANT to work. Those folks who do nothing like Canada Post employees have no idea what is involved. It is not a simple leisurely stroll with a few envelopes. Most letter carriers walk the equivalent of a marathon each day, carrying a great deal of weight, through whatever mother nature chooses to dish up that day...The fact that CUPW is simply trying to keep their previous collective agreement, without even seeking outlandish wage increases, seems to do little to appease some of the people driving by.
Some of those same people probably were on their way to the local gas station, to fuel their vehicles. I am sure that they are not happy about the price per liter for gasoline. But do they do anything about it? They chastise the posties, saying they should be glad to even have a good job with a pension these days. The problem with that statement is this : 'These days' is the result of allowing corporations to impose their will on the employees freely, regardless of unions, and with little retribution. We pay the highest taxes in the world, allow hydro and natural gas companies to dictate the amount we will pay in a climate where HEAT is a life necessity, and accept all of this as though there is nothing we can do in this 'new economy'. Air Canada's CEO pockets $86 million dollars in a time period where workers are forced to accept $10,000 dollar a year pay cuts, and boost their productivity. Canada post CEO Deepak Chopra is being paid just under a half million per year plus a 33% bonus, yet is telling CUPW that their 3% per year increase is not doable. Meanwhile, CEO wages are increasing above 4% per year?
The bottom line here is that things have gotten a little out of control. Energy costs are spiralling upwards, your Hydro and gas bill equal your mortgage, everything you buy is more expensive as a result of higher fuel prices, and we seem content to just carry on with our lives, shrugging and saying 'That's just the way she goes...'
I appreciate that the older folks among us came from a tough as nails upbringing , where jobs were harder to find. I can also appreciate that we still live in the greatest country on the planet, where freedom and tolerance of the differences among us still reign supreme. There are simply a few things which need to be corrected. So don't complain about the politicians, they only lie and steal because we allow them to. Don't complain about your job or the amount it costs to fuel your vehicle if you think there is nothing you can do about it. Canada is a place where you should not have to be thanking your lucky stars you have a good job, it should be the norm for all that we pay for. Greed must come to an end somewhere, and we canadians must stop acting like cattle being led to the slaughterhouse. Just because it IS, doesn't make it RIGHT... Mooooooo.....
Monday, July 4, 2011
Brockville's Changing Waterfront
By : Dennis Stein
Few places in Brockville have faced as much evolving change as Blockhouse Island. In the early history of our city, it was indeed an island, and like alll others in the St.Lawrence, belonged to England. It was destined to become 'Hospital Island' in June of 1832, when a series of events occurred, beginning with the ship 'The Carrick', arriving at the port of Quebec from Ireland. The ship carried immigrants from Ireland. A few of these people were feverish, and three days later cholera morbus struck, spreading like wildfire up to Montreal, and then into Upper Canada. Several quarantine hospital sites were erected, such as one on Grosse Ile, Quebec, which stood to screen immigrants to Canada more than a century. Here in Brockville, 'Refuge Island' as it was then known, was set up in June of 1832 to quarantine immigrants wishing to land at Brockville. City Council appointed a Board of Health, and a special police force to assist in enforcing regulation. Thanks to the quick reaction by Council, and the procedures used to house and treat patients, only a handful of people died. By the end of 1832, 9,000 people in this country had died of the disease, more than half in Lower Canada.
Later, 'Grant's Island' as it was then known, was called into service in 1838 by the military, with a six-pound gun and a wooden blockhouse for barracks, in response to the growing threat of American invasion. Blockhouse Island was never really involved in any fighting, although militiamen from Brockville did see action in that year east of Prescott at the 'Battle of the Windmill'. As the threats of invasion cooled the following year, the island remained a military istallation, still isolated from the mainland for the following two decades.
During the late 1850's and early 60's, the Island evolved again, becoming the hub of transporting goods and people alike on the Brockville and Ottawa Railway. With the completion of the railway tunnel down to the waterfront, a stretch of land between the mouth of the tunnel and the island was filled with rock and soil, and the island now became part of the railway's terminal, complete with a roundhouse, warehouses, and lumber yards. Blockhouse Island was then used for many years to transfer goods from the railway to waiting ships.
Recently, Blockhouse Island has become a tourist location, its wooden blockhouse and railway yards all but gone. A popular spot for visitors to our city, it continues to evolve. A short distance away, Tall Ship's Landing is now under construction, along with the Maritime Discovery Centre of the 1000 Islands, a $20 million dollar attraction to showcase wildlife and the environment of our world class tourist hotspot. Both facilities will change the Brockville waterfront yet again...
For more info about the MDC, visit 1000discovery.ca, and for historical information about Blockhouse Island, visit local historian Doug Grant's website, at http://dmgrant.wordpress.com
Few places in Brockville have faced as much evolving change as Blockhouse Island. In the early history of our city, it was indeed an island, and like alll others in the St.Lawrence, belonged to England. It was destined to become 'Hospital Island' in June of 1832, when a series of events occurred, beginning with the ship 'The Carrick', arriving at the port of Quebec from Ireland. The ship carried immigrants from Ireland. A few of these people were feverish, and three days later cholera morbus struck, spreading like wildfire up to Montreal, and then into Upper Canada. Several quarantine hospital sites were erected, such as one on Grosse Ile, Quebec, which stood to screen immigrants to Canada more than a century. Here in Brockville, 'Refuge Island' as it was then known, was set up in June of 1832 to quarantine immigrants wishing to land at Brockville. City Council appointed a Board of Health, and a special police force to assist in enforcing regulation. Thanks to the quick reaction by Council, and the procedures used to house and treat patients, only a handful of people died. By the end of 1832, 9,000 people in this country had died of the disease, more than half in Lower Canada.
Later, 'Grant's Island' as it was then known, was called into service in 1838 by the military, with a six-pound gun and a wooden blockhouse for barracks, in response to the growing threat of American invasion. Blockhouse Island was never really involved in any fighting, although militiamen from Brockville did see action in that year east of Prescott at the 'Battle of the Windmill'. As the threats of invasion cooled the following year, the island remained a military istallation, still isolated from the mainland for the following two decades.
During the late 1850's and early 60's, the Island evolved again, becoming the hub of transporting goods and people alike on the Brockville and Ottawa Railway. With the completion of the railway tunnel down to the waterfront, a stretch of land between the mouth of the tunnel and the island was filled with rock and soil, and the island now became part of the railway's terminal, complete with a roundhouse, warehouses, and lumber yards. Blockhouse Island was then used for many years to transfer goods from the railway to waiting ships.
Recently, Blockhouse Island has become a tourist location, its wooden blockhouse and railway yards all but gone. A popular spot for visitors to our city, it continues to evolve. A short distance away, Tall Ship's Landing is now under construction, along with the Maritime Discovery Centre of the 1000 Islands, a $20 million dollar attraction to showcase wildlife and the environment of our world class tourist hotspot. Both facilities will change the Brockville waterfront yet again...
For more info about the MDC, visit 1000discovery.ca, and for historical information about Blockhouse Island, visit local historian Doug Grant's website, at http://dmgrant.wordpress.com
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
A History Of Stupid
By : Dennis Stein
I recently chose a movie for my wife and I to watch, called "The Cove". Big mistake. I thought it was about this fellow, and the dolphins he trained. However, it was an expose of a particular location in Japan where dolphins are corralled up in a large netted-in cove, and slaughtered by the thousands. Let me quickly clarify to those of you who may not know, my wife and I are extreme animal lovers, or tree-huggers, whichever moniker you prefer. The images of that inlet, bright red with the blood of these animals, and their still moving bodies being dumped out to sea, were enough to make my wife ask me to turn the channel, on the verge of tears. The film simply made me very angry...
Here we are in 2011, and with all the focus on climate change, stupid ecological decisions are still made each day. The reason for the existance of the cove is relatively simple. The japanese believe that the dolphins eat fish which are commercially important to Japan's fisheries. Japan coincidently has the largest fish market on earth. Every September, despite the outcries from
groups and individuals worldwide, dolphins are herded into the cove by the thousands, and killed with long spears.
Japan is certainly not alone in this line of ecological stupidity. Right here in this country, wolves were killed by the hundreds in B.C., the Premiere of the province refusing to end it, saying that it was to protect trophy game hunting, (by wealthy Americans). Anyone who hnows anything about predatory animals knows that the sickly or weak are usually the prey which falls to these animals, thus strengthening the remainder of the herd. But they were shot anyway, from snowmobiles, planes, and helicopters, their carcasses left to rot in the snow...
Shark Fin Soup is university of stupid, putting many shark species on the endangered list. I have no problem with someone fishing a shark to eat the entire animal, but you can guess what happens in most cases of shark fins being cut off. The rest of the shark is simply dicarded over the side, usually still alive...
The subject of invasive species also brings some dumb moves to mind. Other animals brought here to Canada to control or eliminate invasives is just plain idiocy. Let's bring in a beetle from Asia to eat this purple plant that is choking up our wetlands! The idea of course, is that once the plant is eradicated, the beetle has no more food to eat, and dies off. Sorry, but nature doesn't work that way... The animal simply adapts, finding something similar to eat, and thrives. What should we do about gobies and zebra mussells threatening the ecosystem in the Great Lakes? I'm not really sure, but we shouldn't compound a situation that happened by accident, with a stupid decision that makes a new problem, or the existing problem worse.
I am not trying to pick on us as a nation, or Japan. Dumb stuff that affects ecology happens all over the world. I saw the CEO of GoDaddy.com leaning against the dead carcass of a 'problem' bull elephant in Africa, rifle proudly displayed. In this online article, an elephant expert with decades of experience pointed out that after reviewing the video of this incident on the popular site Youtube, that she believed it was a female the idiot shot, not a bull. Thousands of acres of rainforest are slashed and burned each year to expand on crops of soy bean, and sugar cane, erasing species found nowhere else on earth to extinction. Man made disasters such as last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico kill everything it their path, and natural disasters like the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, spill radioactive polution from a damaged nuclear power plant, poisoning humans and animals alike. One would think that with all of the technology advances we have seen, mankind might be a little smarter about things in general.
The one thing said at the end of this movie 'The Cove' which stuck with me was : 'If we can't work together to fix THIS, this one thing, then it's game over...'
I recently chose a movie for my wife and I to watch, called "The Cove". Big mistake. I thought it was about this fellow, and the dolphins he trained. However, it was an expose of a particular location in Japan where dolphins are corralled up in a large netted-in cove, and slaughtered by the thousands. Let me quickly clarify to those of you who may not know, my wife and I are extreme animal lovers, or tree-huggers, whichever moniker you prefer. The images of that inlet, bright red with the blood of these animals, and their still moving bodies being dumped out to sea, were enough to make my wife ask me to turn the channel, on the verge of tears. The film simply made me very angry...
Here we are in 2011, and with all the focus on climate change, stupid ecological decisions are still made each day. The reason for the existance of the cove is relatively simple. The japanese believe that the dolphins eat fish which are commercially important to Japan's fisheries. Japan coincidently has the largest fish market on earth. Every September, despite the outcries from
groups and individuals worldwide, dolphins are herded into the cove by the thousands, and killed with long spears.
Japan is certainly not alone in this line of ecological stupidity. Right here in this country, wolves were killed by the hundreds in B.C., the Premiere of the province refusing to end it, saying that it was to protect trophy game hunting, (by wealthy Americans). Anyone who hnows anything about predatory animals knows that the sickly or weak are usually the prey which falls to these animals, thus strengthening the remainder of the herd. But they were shot anyway, from snowmobiles, planes, and helicopters, their carcasses left to rot in the snow...
Shark Fin Soup is university of stupid, putting many shark species on the endangered list. I have no problem with someone fishing a shark to eat the entire animal, but you can guess what happens in most cases of shark fins being cut off. The rest of the shark is simply dicarded over the side, usually still alive...
The subject of invasive species also brings some dumb moves to mind. Other animals brought here to Canada to control or eliminate invasives is just plain idiocy. Let's bring in a beetle from Asia to eat this purple plant that is choking up our wetlands! The idea of course, is that once the plant is eradicated, the beetle has no more food to eat, and dies off. Sorry, but nature doesn't work that way... The animal simply adapts, finding something similar to eat, and thrives. What should we do about gobies and zebra mussells threatening the ecosystem in the Great Lakes? I'm not really sure, but we shouldn't compound a situation that happened by accident, with a stupid decision that makes a new problem, or the existing problem worse.
I am not trying to pick on us as a nation, or Japan. Dumb stuff that affects ecology happens all over the world. I saw the CEO of GoDaddy.com leaning against the dead carcass of a 'problem' bull elephant in Africa, rifle proudly displayed. In this online article, an elephant expert with decades of experience pointed out that after reviewing the video of this incident on the popular site Youtube, that she believed it was a female the idiot shot, not a bull. Thousands of acres of rainforest are slashed and burned each year to expand on crops of soy bean, and sugar cane, erasing species found nowhere else on earth to extinction. Man made disasters such as last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico kill everything it their path, and natural disasters like the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, spill radioactive polution from a damaged nuclear power plant, poisoning humans and animals alike. One would think that with all of the technology advances we have seen, mankind might be a little smarter about things in general.
The one thing said at the end of this movie 'The Cove' which stuck with me was : 'If we can't work together to fix THIS, this one thing, then it's game over...'
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