Happy Bonsai

[sfhellwig]

Are you shitting me , what is it your worried about that isn't here from Japan allready, some kind of asian herpes ?

keep it green,
Harry

Heaven help me, but I can resist no longer. I did not want to be the one that posted the STD approach but it is fitting. What Harry is saying is that the "bad things" that are here are here. Why try to stop them any more. Besides the ones that aren't in the states already, what we do have can be made worse with new infestations. I remember in a health class once upon a time being illustrated that people with STDs should not have unprotected sex with other people with STDs. Even if you reason that both people have herpes, individual cases vary, you reinfect each other, you can compound the disease. Don't quote me as I have no solid facts but I think you get the idea.

Just a few hours away Springfield, MO had bad Japanese Beetle that damaged a small bonsai grower there. I never saw the things (this year). I also look at the effects of Pine Wilt every day just driving to work and all the trees left standing to host next years scourge. If someone shipped a load of infested pine wood into Harry's neighborhood his trees would be fine, this year. But once all of the stressed species are gone the Sawyer beetles will move onto the next stressed pine species, which will eventually be what is on your bench. Are you agreeing that vendors just trying to "get theirs" should bring that infested wood into your neighborhood Harry?

 

[Smoke]

I have been keeping the book "Argueing with Idiots", by Glenn Beck near the bathroom and the book is incredible.

It seems that Harry is fairly on point with his argument, but due to his redneck heritage and living in Oklahoma, he has a hard time putting this into politically correct terms.

Let's look at this from a political view point.

I see this Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB) as nothing more than an immigration problem. The beetle came in on something totally removed from bonsai, so in effect, the beetle was hiding much the same way illegal immigrants do in vans and vehicles:

"The ALB was believed to have arrived in New York City in the 1980s in wood packing material. According to Victor Mastro, the Director of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Laboratory on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the center of the infection zone was a warehouse which imported plumbing supplies from China (Smith, 2003)."
It is also quite possible, is it not, that the beetle has been here much longer than that:

People's exhibits 1, 2 and 3 below. Wood framed suitcases and steamer trunks of immigrateing asians could have carried the stow aways here centuries before. Tansu furniture could also be suspect since much of it comes from China.


I find this beetle problem to be people related and it could be stopped by simply closing the borders.

Peoples exhibit 4:

"Over 6,000 infested trees have been cut down and destroyed to eradicate ALB from New York and over 1,550 trees in Chicago and almost 23,000 trees in New Jersey,[16] Infested trees continue to be discovered [17]. 18,000 trees have been removed in Worcester, Ma. The December 12, 2008 ice storm likely resulted in significant moving of infested downed limbs because of frantic homeowners clearing debris within the infestation following the devastating ice storm. This has complicated the eradication effort. A Worcester exterminator has had a beetle in his collection since 1997, and USDA APHIS PPQ has confirmed his finding, meaning the beetle has been in Worcester for at least 11 years, giving it a very long time to move about, especially since vehicles were often parked under infested trees, giving the beetles an opportunity to drop onto cars and be transported elsewhere.
The US Federal government is trying to eradicate this species primarily for two reasons:
· If it becomes established it could significantly impact natural forests and urban environment, with an estimated death toll of 1.2 billion trees if it spread nationwide.[18]
· Due to the current limited infestation size, it is believed that eradication efforts can be successful.*

*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_long-horned_beetle

I see this problem no different than an illegal alien problem except that the beetle kills trees instead of humans. This is a geopolitical problem and only the Conservative party is going to be able to correct this. Blame this on the liberals and their long time love of tree hugging, they should be outraged! We all know that Obama is going after the Asian Longhorn Beetle votes.

Do the right thing Nancy Polosi, close the boarders to stop the boarders!

 

[greerhw]

I'm guessing all of you that disagree with me used condoms when you were young. Just one question, for you guys on the west coast that buy all those great little shohin JBP's, have you stopped to think where they come from, or do you just look the other way. Al starts with home grown material, so I guess he sleeps well at night.

keep it green,
Harry

PS:
Rock, if you find anything that kills Cottonwoods, send me some.

 

[rockm]

The argument for controlling these kinds of foreign infestations is NOT a liberal cause. It is a very right wing one. To Republicanize it, or rather Tea Party-ize it, this issue can be boiled down to the cost of the pests to industry and government and ultimately you and me. While inspections and restrictions can run into the millions, the cost of these things once unleashed border on natural disaster-types of costs. Through 2008, its cost $373 MILLION to get rid of the things. That's just one pest. Multiply damages by other introduced pests to the forestry, nursery and other related industries and you're talking real money. Which is a smarter use of your tax money?-- a few million to prevent it, or pay hundreds of millions to battle it once it's here?

From a USDA paper on ALB:

"The ALB eradication costs through 2008 varied widely among the countries infested with ALB. The costs depended on the number and size of infestations, the length of time since discovery, and the types of treatments employed. As of 2008, total state and federal costs for the ALB eradication program, including research and development, was about $373 million for the United States. In other countries, ALB eradication costs through 2008 were estimated at €464,000 in Austria, €55,000 in France, €65,000 in Germany, and CAN$23.5 million in Canada."
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/alb/effects_impacts/eradication_costs/

Harry,
Cottonwood is being replaced by invasive tamarisk (salt cedar) in desert areas.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=219055

 

[greerhw]

The argument for controlling these kinds of foreign infestations is NOT a liberal cause. It is a very right wing one. To Republicanize it, or rather Tea Party-ize it, this issue can be boiled down to the cost of the pests to industry and government and ultimately you and me. While inspections and restrictions can run into the millions, the cost of these things once unleashed border on natural disaster-types of costs. Through 2008, its cost $373 MILLION to get rid of the things. That's just one pest. Multiply damages by other introduced pests to the forestry, nursery and other related industries and you're talking real money. Which is a smarter use of your tax money?-- a few million to prevent it, or pay hundreds of millions to battle it once it's here?

From a USDA paper on ALB:

"The ALB eradication costs through 2008 varied widely among the countries infested with ALB. The costs depended on the number and size of infestations, the length of time since discovery, and the types of treatments employed. As of 2008, total state and federal costs for the ALB eradication program, including research and development, was about $373 million for the United States. In other countries, ALB eradication costs through 2008 were estimated at €464,000 in Austria, €55,000 in France, €65,000 in Germany, and CAN$23.5 million in Canada."
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/alb/effects_impacts/eradication_costs/

Harry,
Cottonwood is being replaced by invasive tamarisk (salt cedar) in desert areas.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=219055

Cottonwood trees are a pest here in Oklahoma, it's against the law (finally) to plant one in the city limits.

keep it green,
Harry

 

[Smoke]

The argument for controlling these kinds of foreign infestations is NOT a liberal cause. It is a very right wing one. To Republicanize it, or rather Tea Party-ize it, this issue can be boiled down to the cost of the pests to industry and government and ultimately you and me.

Hmmm...I guess starting out the reply with Glenn Beck's super satire book, "Argueing with Idiots" failed to work as an emoticon of a human head with his tongue in his cheek. Lighten up Mark your going to explode!

Just to make you feel better though and show no hard feelings, I'm gonna send you a one gallon start of kudzu for accent material!

 

[Smoke]

I'm guessing all of you that disagree with me used condoms when you were young. Just one question, for you guys on the west coast that buy all those great little shohin JBP's, have you stopped to think where they come from, or do you just look the other way. Al starts with home grown material, so I guess he sleeps well at night.

keep it green,
Harry

PS:
Rock, if you find anything that kills Cottonwoods, send me some.

I am not sure if it remains the same now, but for years after import restrictions, they pertained only to trees over one foot tall. This may not be the case anymore, but I know it applied as recently as 2008.