Actually, “white nose” syndrome is a very serious threat, to HUMANS! When folks wanted the bats destroyed at a medical facility, the docs pointed out that given the location, lyme disease, malaria, and other mosquito-borne pathogens were a serious threat, and that bats, never a rabid one found, kept that mosquito population in check!! They even had “bat barns” around to ENCOURAGE them!
It’s nature coming up with a new life form that culls the herd, and though 95% may die, the population will spring back rapidly, and be stronger for it. Bats literally reproduce like rodents and their populations grow to meet the local food supply.
A human born 500 years ago and suddenly plunged into a 21st Century American city would probably be dead in a week without medical, just because he lacks immunities to the things that have adapted to current human immune system tricks.
For instance, in some Caucasians and Asians there is a natural resistance to HIV. If we can’t cure it then eventually that genotype with be a predominant human genetic trait across the species.
Never forget, evolution starts at the bottom, not the top.
There are a lot of houses around here (Kansas City, Missouri) that have bat houses instead of (or in addition to) bird houses, precisely because bats are so useful. We have a few out at the ballpark, even!
Each and every evening here in Kitty Hawk, bats display their sweet flying skills while devouring insects galore—-coasting along on a bicycle through the maritime forest at dusk is quite a treat. The bats seem to streak past at Mach One, never once colliding with your cranium. God bless our scientists for pressing FORWARD with facts to keep us informed. Knowledge is power!(Tip of the hat to President Obama’s campaign theme intended).
If you’ve ever been in Austin in the summer time, check out the bats as they leave the bridges ad dusk. There are literally hundreds of thousands of them flying out all at the same time.
Sometime last year, Gahan Wilson had a cartoon in The New Yorker: /
A father has his young son on his knee. Both are wearing full protection bubble suits (a la the Michelin Man). The caption has the father say, /
“And then some smart men decided if we wore these nice, shiny suits all the time, it wouldn’t matter what happened to the environment.” /
Humanity is shaping the world in huge, potentially harmful ways, despite what certain people prefer to believe. Some scientists have decided our present epoch deserves a special name,The Anthropocene – The Age of Man. /
For a weird environmental disaster novel, read THE SHEEP LOOK UP, by John Brunner.
“Does this guy work only 2 days a month, or is gocomics just slow?”
If you go back before the current month, you’ll see that Toles is actually very prolific, maybe the most prolific cartoonist on the Editorial side: Six new cartoons a week, like clockwork (every day except Saturday). Since we were exactly two weeks without a Toles (nothing from Monday 7/2 to Sunday 7/15), I’m figuring it was a vacation. Unlike the comix page strips, editorial cartoonists can neither “work ahead” effectively nor rely on two weeks of reruns.
(Although I wouldn’t mind an “Oliphant Classics” feature.)
Government tyranny is coming from the “right”. Patriot Act. Why do you ignore that? “Globalization” has become global corporationization; Russia and China have turned from totalitarian communism to fascism and you don’t see that either. Your handlers must be proud.
Dtroutma almost 12 years ago
Actually, “white nose” syndrome is a very serious threat, to HUMANS! When folks wanted the bats destroyed at a medical facility, the docs pointed out that given the location, lyme disease, malaria, and other mosquito-borne pathogens were a serious threat, and that bats, never a rabid one found, kept that mosquito population in check!! They even had “bat barns” around to ENCOURAGE them!
josefw almost 12 years ago
Bat’s do serve a purpose and we were delighted to have bats in our area in Wisconsin. However they never ran out of food, unfortunately…
cdward almost 12 years ago
I’m a bat fan. We normally have some bats that hang around our house, but I haven’t seen them this year.
emptc12 almost 12 years ago
This is an esoteric cartoon with a deep truth to it. /
Now let’s see some sort of bee superhero that can pollinate trillions of flowers./
And maybe Plankton from Sponge Bob Square Pants can stop his plotting for a while, to help replenish his fellow fauna in the oceans.
walruscarver2000 almost 12 years ago
But wait, this is another threat identified by scientists. You know, like global warming? So it can’t possibly be real ’cause what do scientist know?
maybeinthenextworld almost 12 years ago
This is a bunch of guano
caligula almost 12 years ago
It’s nature coming up with a new life form that culls the herd, and though 95% may die, the population will spring back rapidly, and be stronger for it. Bats literally reproduce like rodents and their populations grow to meet the local food supply.
A human born 500 years ago and suddenly plunged into a 21st Century American city would probably be dead in a week without medical, just because he lacks immunities to the things that have adapted to current human immune system tricks.
For instance, in some Caucasians and Asians there is a natural resistance to HIV. If we can’t cure it then eventually that genotype with be a predominant human genetic trait across the species.
Never forget, evolution starts at the bottom, not the top.
Godfreydaniel almost 12 years ago
There are a lot of houses around here (Kansas City, Missouri) that have bat houses instead of (or in addition to) bird houses, precisely because bats are so useful. We have a few out at the ballpark, even!
Justice22 almost 12 years ago
Now if you’re talking about getting rid of the “Old Bats”, I am all for it.
zekedog55 almost 12 years ago
Each and every evening here in Kitty Hawk, bats display their sweet flying skills while devouring insects galore—-coasting along on a bicycle through the maritime forest at dusk is quite a treat. The bats seem to streak past at Mach One, never once colliding with your cranium. God bless our scientists for pressing FORWARD with facts to keep us informed. Knowledge is power!(Tip of the hat to President Obama’s campaign theme intended).
curtisls87 almost 12 years ago
If you’ve ever been in Austin in the summer time, check out the bats as they leave the bridges ad dusk. There are literally hundreds of thousands of them flying out all at the same time.
emptc12 almost 12 years ago
Sometime last year, Gahan Wilson had a cartoon in The New Yorker: /
A father has his young son on his knee. Both are wearing full protection bubble suits (a la the Michelin Man). The caption has the father say, /
“And then some smart men decided if we wore these nice, shiny suits all the time, it wouldn’t matter what happened to the environment.” /
Humanity is shaping the world in huge, potentially harmful ways, despite what certain people prefer to believe. Some scientists have decided our present epoch deserves a special name,The Anthropocene – The Age of Man. /
For a weird environmental disaster novel, read THE SHEEP LOOK UP, by John Brunner.
Dtroutma almost 12 years ago
The “conservative” American pride is in one thing: ignorance.
fritzoid Premium Member almost 12 years ago
“Does this guy work only 2 days a month, or is gocomics just slow?”
If you go back before the current month, you’ll see that Toles is actually very prolific, maybe the most prolific cartoonist on the Editorial side: Six new cartoons a week, like clockwork (every day except Saturday). Since we were exactly two weeks without a Toles (nothing from Monday 7/2 to Sunday 7/15), I’m figuring it was a vacation. Unlike the comix page strips, editorial cartoonists can neither “work ahead” effectively nor rely on two weeks of reruns.
(Although I wouldn’t mind an “Oliphant Classics” feature.)
Justice22 almost 12 years ago
I’ll answer as soon as I get my government handout.
reynard61 almost 12 years ago
When Federal tyranny comes to America it’ll be wearing hippie beads and carrying a copy of Bat Ecology?
144 Cent almost 12 years ago
GoComics is fine. Toles does 4-day weeks, and takes 3-week vacations. Life is tough.
Yontrop almost 12 years ago
Government tyranny is coming from the “right”. Patriot Act. Why do you ignore that? “Globalization” has become global corporationization; Russia and China have turned from totalitarian communism to fascism and you don’t see that either. Your handlers must be proud.