Tag: monsanto

THE RABBIT

 

 

 

blog photo 54 the rabbit.jpgWHAT IT IS

A fluffle of rabbits found near Hunters Mountain, Cape Breton Nova Scotia have been found to have extremely high levels of the herbicide 2,4,5 T. Students from Dalhousie University stumbled across the bunnies while doing forest inventory work near the community. The odd demeanor and disheveled appearance of the rabbits, prompted the students to delve deeper into what was causing this situation. This discovery has raised alarm bells because the chemical in question was banned from use in 1985.

The Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests asked Monsanto to investigate because they were contracted by the department in the 1980’s and 90’s to do herbicide work all over Cape Breton. A third- party investigator, Cinder Willoughby, has also been brought in.

WHAT IT IS NOT

On Sunday mornings Margaret Brookside often takes the short drive from Beaver Falls to Ellwood City to check out the activity around the stone trestle that has morphed into a mini tourist attraction by folks from around the county and beyond. If she gets there early enough the crowds are usually thin and she gets an unobstructed view of the goings on.

On her last visit a rabbit emerged carrying two oak leaves in it’s mouth. When Margaret went to look at the leaves, leaf miners had carved 46.1300N on one leaf and 81.7211W on the other. It was a few days later when Margaret discovered the numbers were more or less the latitude and longitude of Willis Mountain, Ontario Canada.

 

THE COMPOUND

 

blog photo 35 the house.JPG

WHAT IT IS

The newly formed international law enforcement agency, INSECT, purchased this compound in Northern Ontario, Canada to be used as its main North American research and enforcement headquarters.

The compound has seen hundreds of people coming and going in recent weeks, including the arrival of Monsanto’s Dr. Micheal K. Stern and University of Missouri’s Frank James aboard Samantha Gallant’s Cessna 182. Although not employees of INSECT, it is believed that they were consulted on several projects.

 

WHAT IT IS NOT

Equipped with an Olympic sized pool, a full gym, a track and field oval and a new frisbee pasture, philanthropist Jason Brisk has donated this facility to the International Canine Olympic Committee as a place for canine Olympians to relax and prepare for upcoming events.

Currently occupied by the Olympic teams from Nevis, controversy erupted at the facility when canines from North America and Europe accused Team Nevis of doping during the last Olympics.

BEE BEHAVIOR

 

 

 

 

 

blog photo 26 bee holds flower.JPGWHAT IT IS

 

University of Missouri Entomologist, Frank James was observing bee behavior in the Mark Twain National Forest when he documented some unusual activity. Upon entering a particular flower, pictured above, several other insect species would arrive, a dance ensued and all insects would disappear.

This behavior, with different actors, continued for many hours and culminated in hundreds of insects roosting in a single tree, then taking off in the general direction of the Missouri Botanical Gardens, which is not far from Lindbergh Blvd. and the World Headquarters of Monsanto.

Slightly concerned, James texted his brother-in-law Dr. Micheal K. Stern, to inform him of the odd insect behavior.

 

WHAT IT IS NOT

The transatlantic flight from London to Halifax was uneventful and that was good enough for Sapphire. There seemed to be a delay in the disembarking procedures, so she sat patiently in her seat, gazing out the window.

Wood crates were being unloaded from the cargo bay, ‘RUSH TO QUARANTINE’ written in bold letters on all sides of the boxes. As Sapphire watched, a forklift pierced the side of one of the crates, and hordes of bees and flowers fell on to the tarmac.

Bedlam ensued, but it was painfully obvious that many of these critters were not going to be quarantined, but instead were now flying amok in the general population.

THE BEE

blog photo 11 bee.JPG

 

 

 

 

WHAT IT IS

 

In the late 1970s the East German Stasi had infiltrated the British Foreign Service, MI6, to the point where daily communication between MI6 offices and field operatives was suspect.

A botanist working at the fringes of the spy world, developed a team of bees outfitted with micro chips that were used to enhance communication between various MI6 locations.

Sapphire took this photo of a bee persistently hovering outside her hotel window. The concierge says the hotel is a long-abandoned MI6 safe house and the bee is most likely a “generational throw-back” to the bees of the 1970’s.

 

 

WHAT IT IS NOT

While walking along Oak St. in Vancouver, B.C., near the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, the bee pictured above and several of his compadres were seen fleeing down the street and into the gardens.

Ambulances arrived shortly thereafter and took Hugh Grant, the CEO of Monsanto, to hospital.