Bill, You could have just quoted your tag line. 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: Tue, March 15, 2011 5:41:38 PM Subject: [Texascavers] spread of WNS People are asking the wrong question. It is of course impossible to prove that white-nose syndrome can't be or hasn't been spread by cavers. It is impossible to prove it isn't God's revenge for some sin committed by a bat buff, either. But it unquestionably can be spread by bats. No cavers gave it to "over a million bats." Given that, the real question is whether all the decontamination procedures and caving moratoriums are likely to prevent its spread _indefinitely_. Certainly not. (That would be true even if cavers were the sole source of transmission, because some will flout the rules.) But perhaps they can delay its spread. So what? Well, maybe a cure could be found soon enough, if it spread slowly enough. But is there any real possibility of a cure or preventative that is practical, ecologically sound, and effective? Fungal diseases are hard to prevent or cure in individual people. Bats are highly mobile wild animals. People who are grasping at straws are not balancing the fragility of those straws against the harm produced by keeping cavers from going about their everyday business. I personally think that the enjoyment some people get from trying to do something, anything about the problem does not justify forbidding the enjoyment other people get from unimpeded caving. (Those people who are doing things because it's their job or because some law says they have to don't count, of course.) -- Mixon ---------------------------------------- If a thing is not worth doing, it is not worth doing well. ---------------------------------------- You may "reply" to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
