So, where I was last week....

"Pat Flannery" wrote in message
dakotatelephone...
Seriously this time, does going into a cave environment sound safe?

Yes.

Considering that entire species of invertebrates and vertebrates have
evolved to live in this particular environment, why does any spelunker
feel safe considering what forms of fungi and bacteria may have also
evolved there also?

There's really only one fungus we have to worry about (and I've probably
already been exposed); histoplasmosis.

For the most part the vast majorities of caves have air that is safe to
breath.

IIRC, there is at least one cave that has a potentially dangerous form of
bacteria living in it that should not be inhaled, requiring the use of
breathing gear during the entire stay in the cave.
And what the Hell was the "White Nose Syndrome" about?

Who the hell knows. It's a serious problem and they're still not really
sure of the cause. For sure we know that bats in some areas are dying in
vast numbers and are underweight and have a white fungus on their nose.
Whether that's a cause or result still isn't known.

We're seeing in some cases 90% or greater mortality rates in some areas.
For those who think, "eh, what's the big deal" let's say that bug
populations are probably going to soar in some areas.

Personally, I suspect that we're just going to have let it burn its way
across the US and hope bats build up resistence. But in the meantime,
millions of bats will die.

Don't confuse this with the Brown Nose Syndrome that some know so well.


Pat



--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.

Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote:

Who the hell knows. It's a serious problem and they're still not
really sure of the cause. For sure we know that bats in some areas
are dying in vast numbers and are underweight and have a white fungus
on their nose. Whether that's a cause or result still isn't known.

We're seeing in some cases 90% or greater mortality rates in some
areas. For those who think, "eh, what's the big deal" let's say that
bug populations are probably going to soar in some areas.

Personally, I suspect that we're just going to have let it burn its
way across the US and hope bats build up resistence. But in the
meantime, millions of bats will die.

Don't confuse this with the Brown Nose Syndrome that some know so well.

I never realized how many bats were around Jamestown till I got a pair
of 7x80 binoculars for star watching and could see hundreds of them
silhouetted against the stars at night as they flew out of a nearby park
after sunset to hunt for insects attracted by the downtown lights.
There's a really fun book called "Bat Bomb" (
http://www.amazon.com/Bat-Bomb-World.../dp/0292707908 )
about plans in WW II to take bats, attach a small incendiary bomb to
them and release them from over Japan just before dawn so they would
seek shelter in buildings which would then be destroyed when the
incendiary charges ignited.
The bats for the operation were acquired from a cave, and as part of
making a movie for the government to show how the project was
progressing, they took large floodlights into the cave and prepared to
illuminate its ceiling so the hoards of resting bats could be seen
hanging there.
One of the crew installing the lights stated: "You know, there never has
been light in here before, and I don't know how the bats are going to
react to it when we hit the switch, but I'll guarantee you they _are_
going to react."
So they hit the switch.
And for a few seconds all was calm.
Then the whole ceiling suddenly came alive as the bats went into motion
and began urinating, and the downpour of bat urine hit the floodlights,
causing them to short out or explode. Then, in the darkness, the film
crew found themselves with hundreds of bats crawling all over them and
began screaming, as they clawed their way back to the entrance of the
cave. :-D

Pat

On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:31:10 -0500, Pat Flannery
wrote:

There's a really fun book called "Bat Bomb" (
http://www.amazon.com/Bat-Bomb-World.../dp/0292707908 )

....Does the book give any hints as to whether this was in response to
the "balloon bombs" the Japs were launching against the US West Coast?


OM
--
]=====================================[
] OMBlog - http://www.io.com/~o_m/omworld [
] Let's face it: Sometimes you *need* [
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]=====================================[

OM wrote:

On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:31:10 -0500, Pat Flannery
wrote:

There's a really fun book called "Bat Bomb" (
http://www.amazon.com/Bat-Bomb-World.../dp/0292707908 )

...Does the book give any hints as to whether this was in response to
the "balloon bombs" the Japs were launching against the US West Coast?

The review indicates the book covers the period 1942-43, so - no.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

OM wrote:
On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:31:10 -0500, Pat Flannery
wrote:

There's a really fun book called "Bat Bomb" (
http://www.amazon.com/Bat-Bomb-World.../dp/0292707908 )

...Does the book give any hints as to whether this was in response to
the "balloon bombs" the Japs were launching against the US West Coast?

My recollection of the Bat Bomb program history was it was motivated
simply to find a more efficient way to burn-out Japan than scattering
thermite willy nilly from on high. Strap small thermite (?) devices
to the bats, knock them out for the drop timed such that they wake "in
time" then the go find some nice eaves in which to roost.

I further recall the history saying they went as far as creating a
mock-up in the desert and had some very successful tests. I think
they just weren't quite ready in time to be "better" than more
conventional means.

rick jones
--
a wide gulf separates "what if" from "if only"
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

Derek Lyons wrote:
The review indicates the book covers the period 1942-43, so - no.


Obviously, I still don't have OM completly out of all my killfiles as I
didn't see this.
I don't remember if those got mentioned or not in the book Trying to
convince ranchers that there is no relationship between some of their
livestock disappearing and your mascot...a tiger...arriving proved a bit
difficult.
For a good discussion of balloons used both as weapons in WW II and
later a reconnaissance system over the Soviet Union, read "The Moby Dick
Project" by Curtiss Peebles:
http://www.amazon.com/MOBY-DICK-PROJ.../dp/1560980257
Which describes the Japanese ones, as well as the lesser-known British
Project Outward which was used to carry incendiary bombs into Germany in
a similar fashion with the added intention of shorting out electrical
power lines.
There's also stuff about the Fugo balloons online:
http://www.stelzriede.com/ms/html/mshwfugo.htm
http://www.seanet.com/~johnco/fugo.htm
"Bat Bomb" is so funny that I'm surprised it hasn't been made into a movie.



Pat

Rick Jones wrote:
I further recall the history saying they went as far as creating a
mock-up in the desert and had some very successful tests.

It wasn't a "mock-up" it was a newly built Army Air Corps training base,
and the refrigerator keeping the bats in hibernation failed during the
night, so they flew all over the base and took shelter as dawn broke.
Then the whole base went up in flames.
It was a very successful, if unintentional, test. :-D

Pat