by John Lovaas » Jun 24, 2011 8:57 pm
Dang it, Jennifer- now I had to go and read the other statements...
From Jim Pena's(USFS) statement-
There is evidence to suggest humans can spread WNS from cave to cave on their gear and equipment (Blehert, et al. 2011, Microbe: 267 - 277).
No evidence- just speculation. BIG difference between evidence and speculation. Sure would be fun to throw people in jail based on what we think they might do.
The Forest Service acted because we observed WNS jump from New York to southwest Virginia in one winter.
Not only is the characterization of the time frame incorrect, but he failed to mention all the locations between NY and VA where WNS was found within that time frame.
The next winter, DNA from the fungus that causes WNS was detected in Woodward County, in the Oklahoma panhandle, a far greater distance than bats could travel in such a short time frame.
While failing to acknowledge that the spores of the fungus were detected on a bat in a cave closed to all but bat researchers, the very real possibility of bat translocation, long distance transport of spores through swarming behavior, and the inability of agency personnel to monitor the ten of thousands of caves that lie betweeen western Oklahoma and previously known WNS infection sites.
On to Jon Hassett's(KFWD) statement:
WNS has also been confirmed in Delaware, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
False. It hasn't been confirmed in any of those states- the DNA signature of the fungus was detected on bats in those states. Big difference- like someone detecting athlete's foot fungus on my foot, versus me almost losing my foot to an athlete's foot fungus infection as a teenager. I think bats would feel the same way about your characterization.
Last, Justin Boyles'(UT-Knoxville) statement:
They have argued that little evidence exists that cave closures have slowed or will slow the spread of WNS. While this statement may be factually correct, it is misleading because, in my opinion, it is a proposition that is impossible to test and thereby either support or refute.
Justin later argues that cave closures are necessary- even though the proposition of the effectiveness of cave closures is impossible to test. Huh.
If Geomyces destructans, the fungus associated with WNS, is verified to have originated in Europe as the circumstantial evidence and emerging data on the genetics of the fungus suggest, human-facilitated movements are very likely the explanation for the appearance of G. destructans in the United States in the first place. Thus, long-distance movements of G. destructans by humans are likely possible.
Sure- if, by human-facilitated movements, you mean human translocation of bats is likely possible- there is actual factual evidence to support that. Whereas there is no evidence that demonstrate that individual humans successfully translocate spores of the fungus to other caves. Or inoculate cave sediments with those spores. Or aerosolize those spores. Or successfully transfer a spore load to bats in sufficient quantity to induce an infection.
If I didn't know any better, I'd think the term I'm looking for is misleading.
Jim, Jon, and Justin- some loser, with a bachelor's degree in photography he earned in 1983, who has never held down a job for more than a few years at a time, who has never been assigned a managerial or supervisory position in his life, and who, only 5 years ago, was working his ass off to earn $14,000/year(not a typo- 14K), found these factual and logical errors in the course of drinking one 12 oz. bottle of Huber Bock.
You managed to present inaccurate, misleading, and false information to members of Congress. Minor details, you say? The devil is in the details- and any hope to address what may, in some scenarios, turn out to be the most sigificant mammalian extinction event since Homo sapiens crossed the Bering Strait land bridge lies in those details.
imbecile sheepherder.