Many thanks to Mac the Belligeranticthysemiliberalpundit for this very interesting story from Antipodistan: Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons is the winner of this year's New Zealand Skeptics bent spoon award.

She won the "prize" for her support of "etheralised cosmic-astral influences" as a means getting rid of possums, said Skeptics head Vicki Hyde.

The annual award spotlights the dangers of gullibility or a lack of critical thought.

"In an area as vital to New Zealand's ecological preservation as pest control, it is imperative to ensure that publicly funded control techniques are demonstrably effective," Ms Hyde said.

"That's why it was so disappointing to see support from the Greens for biodynamic possum peppering as a valid approach to this problem.

"Our environment needs champions who can separate wishful thinking from reality - if we could wish possums out of this country, they'd be gone overnight!"

In the peppering technique, unwanted organism's bodies are burnt at a certain time in the lunar cycle. The ashy remains are then watered down to produce a spray said to repel, some claim sterilise, the pest concerned.

The dilution is to the point where no actual substance remains other than water, which is where the "vital life-force" and "planetary influences" of biodynamics' "spiritual science" are said to take over.

Ms Hyde said she was even more disappointed to find out later that Ms Fitzsimons knew of the scientific testing possum peppering had undergone 10 years ago.

The tests had clearly demonstrated that biodynamic claims of being able to provide a potent repellent were false. [...]

Why would ANYone want to get rid of possums? Possums are some of the most useful and vital parts of the animal kingdom, providing a nearly inexhaustible supply of soft, downy fur and lusciously scrumptious meat.

In addition to this, they are easily domesticated for use as draft animals. At one time they rivaled Welsh ponies and children as the animal of choice to haul ore cars up from coal mines in the UK, and even earlier were common pack animals along the old Silk Road. The Federal Transportation Administration has recently approved the use of possums to sniff baggage at major airports for the presence of drugs, bombs, snails, grubs, and carrion. For many years, possums have been boon companions to the differently-abled, serving as seeing-eye guides in busy metropolitan areas and as service animals for those who are immobile. Their prehensile tails and opposable hind toes certainly come in very hand for answering the telephone, preparing breakfast, or operating a TTY.

But possums are much more than simply hard working animals--they are valued for their skill in the show ring, too!

At the Westchester Possum Show held each year in New York, possums from around the world compete against each other for top prizes and trophies in categories ranging from Largest Pouch to Best Fright Response. Owners take great pride in the appearance of their pets, lovingly grooming them and making sure each one looks its best. Ahh, then there are the obedience tests! Imagine an entire rink full of well-dressed possumistas and companions, running and jumping and hissing and vieing to catch the judge's discerning eye! Truly exciting!

So then, one can again only ask why anyone would ever wish to employ etheralised cosmic-astral influences to get rid of these noble beasts?

Silly, silly Greens!
posted by Terry at 8:47:00 AM