XPost: alt.usage.english   
   From: mail@peterduncanson.net   
      
   On Sat, 9 Apr 2016 01:35:07 -0000 (UTC), Moe Trin   
    wrote:   
      
   >On Fri, 8 Apr 2016 12:54:59 +0100, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.folklore.urban,   
   >in article , Janet wrote:   
   >   
   >>  On a previous trip during a foot and mouth epidemic here, as we   
   >>disembarked in Darwin, customs required us to unpack all our shoes and   
   >>remove the ones we were wearing; they were taken away to be cleaned and   
   >>disinfected. Australian biosecurity is really tight; good thing IMO.   
   >   
   >You won't get an argument from me - for over 60 years, trucks entering   
   >the state of California were required to undergo Agricultural Inspection   
   >a few miles into the state.  California is a major agricultural producer   
   >here, and they take conditions seriously.  Back around 1980, there was a   
   >"Mediterranean fruit fly" infestation that threatened fruit crops in   
   >Northern California (especially the Santa Clara (a.k.a. Silicon) valley   
   >near San Jose (just South of San Francisco) and the San Joaquin (central)   
   >valley to the East.  The governor (who happens to be the same guy now -   
   >"Jerry Brown") resisted the idea for a while, but finally ordered aerial   
   >spraying to eradicate the fly - think Huey helicopters flying in line   
   >abreast formation less than 100 meters / 350 feet above the ground at   
   >night, spraying malathion over an area of ~1300 miles^2 / 3400 km^2 every   
   >couple of days for months (one source says "up to" 30 applications in   
   >some cities).  In the central valley, they used 1940s era Douglas DC-4s   
   >(C-54s) - four engine piston aircraft that were used in trans-atlantic   
   >passenger service immediately after WW2, flying about 1000 meters /   
   >3000-3500 feet above the ground, also in line abreast formations, but   
   >during the days.   In the Bay area, we knew to wash/rinse the cars the   
   >next morning (you KNEW they had sprayed - helicopters flying like that   
   >are hard to miss), but I got caught while working in the Central valley,   
   >and had the paint job on the car fade away.  They also had the brilliant   
   >idea of releasing millions of sterilized flies in an attempt to "control"   
   >the spread of flies.  Homeowner who had fruit trees were required to pick   
   >and bag the fruit (for pickup and destruction by the government) as well.   
   >   
   >They're a bit more aggressive now - a total of 14 Oriental Fruit Flies   
   >were found in Santa Clara county last year in two area - and they're   
   >using a attractant lure with insecticide applied to fixed objects (such   
   >as street trees, light poles and similar), every two weeks for an eight   
   >week period.   
   >   
   California needs Donald Trump as governor. He will build a wall to keep   
   the fruit flies out and demand that the flies pay for its construction.   
      
      
   --   
   Peter Duncanson, UK   
   (in alt.usage.english)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)