Human Intelligence: a Progress Report
The original inhabitants of Easter Island — the entire population — died off after they had cut down the last tree. Lesson learned. Right? Surely we’ve gotten smarter since then.
Fast forward to 2010. In Russia, a 225-acre seed bank is about to be paved over and replaced with luxury homes. The Pavlovsk Agricultural Station grows thousands of varieties of fruits, berries and grains. Ninety percent of these plants are not found anywhere else in the world.
The head of Pavlovsk Agricultural Station said: “If we lose those lands ... many kinds of plants will become extinct forever.”
The director of Biodiversity International said:
“The fruit and berry varieties that have been stored and studied at Pavlovsk since it was founded have a vital role to play in the future of Russian and global agriculture. Russia is currently being ravaged by the hottest summer on record. That is just a taste of changes to come, and crop diversity will be a vital weapon in the fight to produce enough food in future.”
So, what’s your verdict? Are we getting smarter?
Labels: Biodiversity International, Easter Island, Pavlovsk Agricultural Station seed bank
posted by Tom Harper @ 8:32 PM
18 Comments:
Between this seed bank idiocy and today's Big Story about the number of spiteful gomers who say they think Obama is a Muslim, the answer is no.
I'm not familiar with the Pavlovsk real estate situation, but it's fair to say if there's one thing Russia is not short of, it's land. Hard to believe the developer can't find some other place to build upscale homes.
So many things these days leave me shaking my head, muttering "unbelievable."
Luckily there is an even larger seed bank in Norway. I just hope with this economy that they can afford to maintain it.
Watch out SW or there'll be muslim terrorists under your bed. Rush told me so.
Answer: A resounding No.
We have a few more gadgets but are really dumber than ever.
The true effects of this may not be realized for decades. We need to take much better care of our earth, it's the only one we have. In the scheme of things, what's more important, upscale homes, or our future?
My gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhsssss.
Woe to us.
And the capitalist nightmare we took part in creating.
Frankenstein lives!
And the creators are still proud of themselves.
They won.
S
Russians smart. Seeds don't make good dinner
For once it's not Obama's fault. But wait...he was supposedly born in Hawaii, which is in the same Ocean as Easter Island...and he is brown like them Easterners...and Michelle likes nice things...and travels a lot. I take it back.
Russia's mistake was adopting US style capitalism. A Social Democracy would have been a better choice. So, no.
SW: You're right, these 2 news stories aren't a very good prognosis for Mankind's intelligence.
Demeur: I've heard about that seed bank in Norway. I hope it survives.
Tim: The more gadgets we get, the dumber we get.
Kate: By the time the effects of this are realized, it'll be too late. I'd have to vote for our future being more important than somebody's McMansion.
Suzan: Russia went from a communist police state to a capitalist police state. And you're right, we helped them make that transition.
Dave: Seeds, Nyet! Russian only need grains and potatoes is make vodka.
jadedj: Obama's birth certificate clearly shows he was born on Easter Island. WorldNetDaily has the exclusive story.
TC: Russia pretty much went from the frying pan to the fire when they became a freemarket police state.
"Russia pretty much went from the frying pan to the fire when they became a freemarket police state."
And it appears that we are headed in the same directions, methinks.
jadedj: That's right, they didn't have to bury us, like Khrushchev threatened. All they had to do was wait for us to become just like them.
Was that the idea when they wanted to be capitalistic? Become as stupid as Us? This isn't a "spotted owl" it's precious stuff they never could never grow enough, I mean how many times has the US had them by the balls Agricultural Wise?
I have an idea of how to save it!
Tell them it can all be used for Vodka Production
Erik
Erik: LOL, that's what I was thinking too. Just tell the Russian authorities that it's 225 acres of grains and potatoes for vodka production.
I'm sorry my first comment didn't appear. But I must say as a species we learn nothing. Instead of live and learn, we live and live. We've done a horrible job as keepers of the planet. Shame on us.
Oy! No.
So, I wonder how much Mon$anto paid for those 225 acres?
True, Tom. Republicans knew that to develop a US-like system there needed to be a Russian uber-rich class, so Republicans invested in the Russian mafia.
One word answer girl to the rescue
NO
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