The Save the Skeeter Squad
by Walter Lagraves…….
Dear Editor,
Thursday, August 30th 2016. Florida’s Department of Health in its daily ZIKA reports states: “There are three new non-travel related cases today in Miami-Dade County, one is associated with the Miami-Beach investigation.” “There are 16 new travel related cases today, five in Miami-Dade, three in Palm Beach, two in Broward, two in Orange, one in Polk and three involving pregnant women.”
It is astonishing and shameful that some folks are so hysterically opposed to the use of all safe and effective methods to keep ZIKA and Dengue out of our community.
These folks caterwaul and claim that Oxitec’s efforts to educate the public are in some fashion improper. That claim is the zenith of hypocrisy given that the anti GMO folks operate a number of different FaceBook groups that specifically deny access to anyone who expresses support for the use of GMO.
For all of the ripping of bodices, tearing of hair, and shrill speech, it all boils down to simple fact. That fact is that the anti GMO crowd is trying to deny Monroe County a safe and effective method of keeping mosquito born disease the hell out of the Keys. The anti GMO crowd deserves the sobriquet… “The Save the Skeeter Squad.” Their clarion call is SOS SOS SOS…Save Our Skeeters!
Walter Lagraves
Big Pine Key
My opinion is that introducing a novel additional species of mosquito in droves into our environment is not preferable to minimizing the existing ones through traditional and Wolbachia bacterium means.
It would be silly to spray after an expensive Oxi-513a release, so the swarms may be reasonably expected to be horrifically thick. Yeah, that should make a memorable impression on tourists.
Of course, aging stoners could dig out their old UV lights and watch the Oxi-513a Frankenskeeters glow on dark nights like an old Peter Max poster in motion, thanks to the Indy-Pacific coral DNA strand. If the Oxi-513a and dope were not so expensive, it would be cheap entertainment.
For now, the only entertainment is watching gullible fools and possibly bought officials promote Oxitec’s experiment on mostly unwilling participants with information they obtained from the mosquito salesman. Deja vu again.
WL we’re still waiting for you to volunteer your front lawn for this release! btw did oxitec promise you a job? wjm
ps: or stock options? wjm
I rarely agree with Mr. Lagrave’s political stance. But…this is different. Mosquitos are apolitical – last time I looked. Mr. Lagraves presents a powerful, serious, well-sourced argument in favor of reducing/eliminating this threat. Yes, it poses a real threat.
I would strongly suggest that the “anti-vaxxer crowd” stand back from this one. Walt Lagraves as a “progressive”! Who’d a thunk it? 😉
Dickford
let me see if I got your gist … if one is for ‘gmo’ mosquitos they would not hesitate to have them released on their front lawn! they benefit by being ‘fully’ protected in these perilous times…since gmo frankenbugs are neither demopublicans nor republicrats…no? 😉
then what is all the duckin and shuckin about with oxitec…of course I should have known better…they’r from the government and here to help us….please pass the corn and wheat and don’t forget the soybeans either…never liked my dna in the shape it was anyway. hey got any of them apples that don’t bruise?
certain cheeseburgers have a life of many years ya know…even in the sun they look the same as when first served back in 2015. then again saw dust and plastic tends to keep a healthy shape and color!
btw I know where you can get some of the 22 million bugs if you would care to put your front lawn forward! 🙂
My front lawn lies at your mercy! 😉
Yes, I have eaten some of those cheeseburgers of which you speak. Never had a problem.
Seriously, these “Frankenbugs” are on a par with all the other “preventive/protective” machinations our generous guvmint supplies to us: Seat belts, exploding air bags, vaccinations, hard hats, etc., etc. We just can’t seem to help ourselves. What can I say?
Dickford