Don’t forget Net Neutrality.
What we already knew: WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!
What the media tells us: The latest thing that doing to kill us all, until it doesn’t and something else comes along.
I think the murder hornet mania is really a result of a distraction-hungry media (and public). Also it’s fun to say. But real worry? There are other insects who deserve it a lot more.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/bug-experts-dismiss-worry-about-us-murder-hornets-as-hype/2020/05/07/05a30882-9096-11ea-9322-a29e75effc93_story.html
These hornets were news up here in early-December. (I live where the two were found.) I think The New York Times found the old story and decided to run it, resulting in the mania.
Sadly, I have to raise you this:
It unfortunately goes both ways.
Ever since the murder hornet story came out I’ve been hoping for a visit from a cicada killer so that I could try photographing it with my cell phone. I finally saw one today, but unfortunately it was too hyperactive for me to get a good photo. Here are my two best shots.
I’ve seen these in real life and they are very scary.
We were traveling in Sri Lanka last year and were on a hike with a local guide into a mountainous jungle area. We stopped at an abandoned rubber plantation for a rest. As the guide was describing something about the terrain, I heard a loud buzzing about 30m behind us.
There was a dilapidated 2 story building and what looked to be hundreds hummingbirds flying in and out of a small second story window. As the guide kept talking to my wife, I was captivated and started walking over to get a closer look. I never knew hornets that size existed so the closest existing category my brain found was hummingbirds. At the same time, things were weird about them - the flight pattern, the sounds, the colours…I recall thinking: “They’re hummingbirds but can’t be hummingbirds, WTF are these?”
I walked about 10 steps toward the building and the guide saw me and started shouting and ran up and pulled me back. WTF?
He explained that I was walking toward a huge nest of giant hornets and they were very aggressive and protective of their nest. “Don’t go any closer. If they attack, we can’t outrun them and have nowhere to hide!!!”
That’s why we don’t hike alone.
** bump **
The murder hornets have been murdered (at least in the U.S.).
Have the Canadians also declared victory? I won’t celebrate unless they’re gone from both sides of the border.
Yes. They are considered eradicated currently.