california

Great news from the world of animals-that-humans-have-driven-to-near-extinctionology!

the sierra nevada red fox

Thought to have been driven to near extinction by the usual (hunting, poaching, habitat loss, et cetera), the Sierra Nevada Red Fox was last seen in 1926. That is, except for a small population of 20 that exists in a tiny area of Lassen Volcanic National Park, a population so pathetic that there was zero hope that the animal could ever be restored into a sustainable species.

But now, a second pathetic population of these foxes has been discovered in Sonora Pass, 150 miles to the south. The discovery was made possible by scientific video surveillance of nature. This is an element that seems common in these sorts of discoveries. It is amazing how far removed from nature we are, that we are trying to learn more about it by setting up surveillance cameras in natural habitats, and voyeuristicly watching what goes on, hoping to see something exciting. 

The status of the Sierra Nevada Red Fox is aptly summed up by Ben Sacks, an wildlife genetics researcher at UC Davis:

"Having a second population really gives us reason to say that we've got enough of a foothold that it's not a throwaway species."

Well, that's certainly good news. No longer a throwaway species!

I wonder though. It's 2010. We know how to clone things, we seem to do it pretty regularly, sometimes seemingly just to announce that we have done it. Isn't it time to get all Jurassic Park on those species which we have driven to or almost driven to extinction? Why not, right?

You know, I like this practice of mounting cameras on tasers. That's a pretty good idea, especially considering rampant, abusive tasering going on by cops all over the country.

Here is an example. This Marin County, California man tripped down some stairs on the way into his house. His wife called paramedics, who were nearby and came over to help. While in pain he exclaimed something to the effect that he would shoot himself because of the paid, a hyberbolic statement let out after some slight but painful injury.

As the paramedics were leaving, some cops busted their way into the house, to fulfill whatever coply duty they had in hyperbolic circumstances. A joke about killing oneself, these days, apparently requires a mandatory trip to the hospital, enforceable by electroshock weapons.

Of course, the 64 year old wasn't about to go to the hospital, he told the officers to leave, got up to go to bed, and was tasered THREE times. THREE. Watch the video below:

It's like cops aren't even being trained in how to properly use a taser. With 334 deaths related to taser use (improper and proper) between 2001 and 2008 in the United States alone, I think a much closer look at police taser practices is in order. It can not just be a tool to use any time anyone is disobeying a police officer, it should be last resort, the same way a gun should be last resort. Gun use is to taser use is the same as murder is to torture. Neither are or should be particularly acceptable.

THE WHOLE ILLUSION OF DEMOCRACY IS CRUMBLING. BRING ON THE CIRCUS!

TO PEOPLE ON THE 2001 ROAD TRIP, THE BLUE BLOCKERS RAP GUY WAS THE ONE WHO RAPPED TO US HERE:

 HERE IS A VIDEO OF HIM http://www.blublocker.com/gallery/drgeek.html#

i already feel like i am going to fall asleep, and the benadryl hasn't hit yet. damn.

check out these signs i have slept behind:

that sign was in a rest area about 15 miles south of flagstaff arizona and

and this sign i slept behind in a rest area in california. actually, i didn't sleep behind that sign, i slept by that barb wire fence in the background. damn, i used to be badass.