(Picture Left -- Geese and ducks in winter, finding one of the few unfrozen water areas in Central Park)Actor Tam Writes: Let us look into this dark event more closely.
The Canadian Geese population living around the areas of the NYC airports has dramatically increased in the last twenty years, and is now estimated at around 15,000. During this period (from June through early July), when the round up is in effect, adult geese moult and cannot fly while at the same time their babies hatch. They walk or swim around with a lot of goslings in town eating a lot of grass. And making a lot of goose poo. Goose poo being vegetarian is harmless (and great fertilizer!).
The USDA's policy is to without review, when asked, grant the permit to have them killed. They don't need to be a danger. And they are not.
Resident Canadian Geese fly at much lower altitudes in different air currents than the migrating geese. Based on the genetic samples found in the airplane engines, the Smithsonian team was able to definitely say the "culprits" in the Sullenberger downing were migrating geese.For years Mayor Bloomberg was offered federal monies along with free expert advice and volunteers to help bring down our resident geese population.
The resident Canadian Geese population can be completely nonlethally controlled. They are easily kept from the close proximity to airports. Through habitat management, egg addling (pouring oil over the eggs to keep them from hatching), border collies to disperse them, and so forth their population can be stabilized at a much lower number (unlike killing them, which is not a long-term fix).
Until this decision to kill the geese Mayor Bloomberg did nothing to address this problem. The money spent by this ineffective "air safety" massacre of geese, could have spent to add an inexpensive but highly effective radar program.
First used in Israel but now in use in many large cities with airports, this program saves both birds and airplanes. It was found that at any one time there are only a few air currents, which run like rivers over a particular area, that birds use as corridors when passing through. The program monitors these air currents in real time, and when there are migrating birds coming through, planes are diverted.
Captain Sullenberger's plane take-off flight path went through just such a current and hit a formation of large migrating Canadian Geese. Migrant geese are much larger than their resident counterparts and so more dangerous to hit. And they do fly at higher altitudes. Resident geese do not.
In the name of a Big Lie, our mayor ordered not merely a decimation of baby geese and their parents (who mate for life), but a massacre. One out of ten killed is decimation. 2,000 out of 15,000 is a massacre.
The irony of a Jewish mayor employing round-ups and gassings so reminiscent of Nazi holocaust methods has not been lost. And the fact that Israel pioneered this win-win effective solution to the dangers of migrating birds that we are not employing is not being forgotten. But the heart stopping pictures of USDA T-shirted "swat-teams" herding families of geese and goslings into pens and then stuffing them into boxes is etched forever.
The silent background sound of death in the video rings in the ears. And the good Mayor's response wishing the geese killed (parents and babies) "pleasant dreams" -- absolute-zero cold!
Reply: Thank you so much for shedding serious light on this debacle and disgrace to the city of New York.
Unfortunately, your words would be better served if voiced over the local news channels or quoted in the New York Times and Daily News.
And therein is another great problem:
Media's treatment of this story.
Bloomberg can feel very comfortable cracking jokes about the mass killings of innocent birds as that is exactly how the press has reported the story --As a joke, basically running press releases from the Mayor's office instead of doing any actual "investigating and reporting." (So much for a "free press" these days.)
Popular television treats it the same. The other day on "The View" for example, (a dead-brain show if ever there was one, but nevertheless "popular"), Behard (sic?) joked that the gassed geese should be saved and served for Thanksgiving, while cohort, Cheri (something) complained that once settled in an area, the geese "never leave!!"
WELL, IF THE GEESE "NEVER LEAVE AN AREA" HOW ARE THEY FLYING INTO PLANES?
Duh......
(As said, this show defies common sense and is designed for morons. I only saw the video clip from it.)
A few people protesting or signing petitions isn't going to do a damn thing.
As long as we have a press that it is the Mayor's pocket and as brain dead as the hosts on "The View" then there is the problem of "public perception."
Forget the facts here. Let's just deal with some people's (irrational) fears, apathy or even hatred towards animals. Let's deal with most people being misled and/or "inspired" by the Mayor, the press and pop culture to treat serious issues like these as a joke.
People may think (and not care) that it is only "nuisance" animals that are being hurt, but, as your post correctly points out, it is people who will eventually 'hurt" as the so-called solution is no "solution" at all in its monumental failures to address the real issue. (migratory birds and flight paths.)
The same "pull the wool over their eyes" attitude that we have witnessed with the geese issue is the same that prevails with treatment of carriage horses, address of animal cruelty situations and mass killings of shelter animals.
The public says, "Tell us only what we want to hear -- not the truth!" and the politicians and media listen and oblige.
That is why the press was only too thrilled to "report" PETA's protest of Obama killing a fly (and why, pray tell did PETA even step into this wad of crap?) while happily ignoring virtually ALL issues of real animal abuse -- from slaughter of race horses, to dog fighting to bird massacres.
Its a sad world we live in -- which perhaps explain why so many people seek "escape" by watching 5 cackling lamebrains try to outshout each other on a TV show or wrap their lives around what is happening to "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" or "The Bachelor."
Who, after all, wants to deal with real "real life?"
A sad time for the Geese -- and a time when we as New Yorkers should bow our heads in shame. -- PCA
Unfortunately, your words would be better served if voiced over the local news channels or quoted in the New York Times and Daily News.
And therein is another great problem:
Media's treatment of this story.
Bloomberg can feel very comfortable cracking jokes about the mass killings of innocent birds as that is exactly how the press has reported the story --As a joke, basically running press releases from the Mayor's office instead of doing any actual "investigating and reporting." (So much for a "free press" these days.)
Popular television treats it the same. The other day on "The View" for example, (a dead-brain show if ever there was one, but nevertheless "popular"), Behard (sic?) joked that the gassed geese should be saved and served for Thanksgiving, while cohort, Cheri (something) complained that once settled in an area, the geese "never leave!!"
WELL, IF THE GEESE "NEVER LEAVE AN AREA" HOW ARE THEY FLYING INTO PLANES?
Duh......
(As said, this show defies common sense and is designed for morons. I only saw the video clip from it.)
A few people protesting or signing petitions isn't going to do a damn thing.
As long as we have a press that it is the Mayor's pocket and as brain dead as the hosts on "The View" then there is the problem of "public perception."
Forget the facts here. Let's just deal with some people's (irrational) fears, apathy or even hatred towards animals. Let's deal with most people being misled and/or "inspired" by the Mayor, the press and pop culture to treat serious issues like these as a joke.
People may think (and not care) that it is only "nuisance" animals that are being hurt, but, as your post correctly points out, it is people who will eventually 'hurt" as the so-called solution is no "solution" at all in its monumental failures to address the real issue. (migratory birds and flight paths.)
The same "pull the wool over their eyes" attitude that we have witnessed with the geese issue is the same that prevails with treatment of carriage horses, address of animal cruelty situations and mass killings of shelter animals.
The public says, "Tell us only what we want to hear -- not the truth!" and the politicians and media listen and oblige.
That is why the press was only too thrilled to "report" PETA's protest of Obama killing a fly (and why, pray tell did PETA even step into this wad of crap?) while happily ignoring virtually ALL issues of real animal abuse -- from slaughter of race horses, to dog fighting to bird massacres.
Its a sad world we live in -- which perhaps explain why so many people seek "escape" by watching 5 cackling lamebrains try to outshout each other on a TV show or wrap their lives around what is happening to "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" or "The Bachelor."
Who, after all, wants to deal with real "real life?"
A sad time for the Geese -- and a time when we as New Yorkers should bow our heads in shame. -- PCA
*****
1 comment:
I wholeheartedly agree with the outrage about the geese. It's an awful, simplistic, unnnecessary 'solution' to the geese problem. There are other ways.
But - you're as bad as the media.
To lump in our well-kept & loved horses with all kinds of animal abuse issues is just as hare-brained and unthinking as those idiots on the View.
You're clueless about our horses, just repeating what you have heard, the propaganda you have chosen to swallow.
The welfare of the horses is what the decent-minded, casual observer is truly interested in, and for good reason. The horse-drawn carriages are a New York City icon; they are ambassadors to our visitors, and the horses themselves are working animals that are entitled to proper care and good handling.
Fortunately, our record reflects exactly that. Our horses lead exceedingly reasonable and content lives. They each receive a superior, formulated diet, occupy roomy box stalls, receive vet & farrier care, and are groomed and bathed regularly. This amounts to food, shelter, and medical care - which many CHILDREN in this city do not have.
Beyond these basics, they are loved by their owners/drivers; they receive affection, treats, and human interaction everyday.
Every stable has a sprinkler system in case of fire, and every stable has 24/7 stablemen. We are overseen by 5 city agencies, and not one WEEK goes by (and sometimes, day) that our horses are not checked by the ASPCA or the Dept of Health. (Let’s see Child Protective Services match that record)
The horses receive rotation turnout several times a year on farms in both Upstate NY and PA.
When the time comes, we retire them to loving, forever homes; some of the owners retire them themselves on privately owned land. I personally have retired 3 horses, one of which is still living the life of Riley after being retired 6 years ago in South Jersey at a bank president’s home.
And PETA kills animals by the thousands - or didn't you know that?
http://www.petakillsanimals.com/petaKillsAnimals.cfm
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