Taxpayer money to build squirrel bridges, 400 Large

[Kirby]

Step 2 is hiring crossing guards to help them across the bridge. The stimulus plan is putting people back to work!!!

lmfao!

 

[PeshakJang]

At almost $10,000 a bridge, somebody (+) in Arizona is getting a nice kickback for these pieces of crap.

But if it's for the squirrels, we can't question it. $100,000 a bridge would be perfectly reasonable......

 

[child of wonder]

So by your reasoning the closer a species is to extinction, the less justifiable it is to spend a certain amount of money to save it. Interesting...

Absolutely not.

In this particular scenario I think the money could be put to better use.

 

[NesuD]

Questionable. But if they believe this will help rebuild and protect a very rare animal then I guess its money well spent. We can't just allow entire breeds of animals to die off without at least attempting to rebuild the species. No question economic times puts this in a questionable category, but we can't throw up our hands and say the hell with everything.

The hell! Money you don't have is never well spent! That is really what is wrong. Everyone seems to think it is ok to spend money you don't have. What the hell is wrong with the voters of this country who continue to put people with no sense of fiscal responsibility into public office so they can spend the tax dollars of taxpayers who haven't even been born yet.

Species go extinct! It is a normal part of evolution. If they are unable to adapt then they are removed by natural selection.

 

[ayabe]

Species go extinct! It is a normal part of evolution. If they are unable to adapt then they are removed by natural selection.

So if I set fire to your house and you can't escape and end up a fundy french fry, I guess you were meant to go extinct.

 

[nobodyknows]

Here is a pic of what they are doing...

Looks a little more fancy then just a rope.

$10,000 a pop for that those? I smell pork.

 

[MotF Bane]

Actually thats not true. I live in a wooded area and we have lots of these little buggers. For what ever reason squirrels have a tendancy to want to climb and cross areas using trees or whatever else. They can easily walk across the yard, but they will use the fence, the roof of the house, anything up off the ground unless they have too. If these squirrels are anything behavior wise like the ones at my house, they'll use these bridges.

Bullshit. I also live in an area with lots of tree that overhang roads, and hanging wires as well, but I still see squirrels constantly running across the road, or lying dead in the street.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

$10,000 a pop for that those? I smell pork.

I think I need to go to Home Depot, buy some rope, and start selling the government squirrel bridges myself.

 

[Patranus]

It's federal money.....

No, its OUR money.

 

[tk149]

Man: 0
Squirrels: 400,000

Can we just start calling Congress by its true name? Pork-o-matic

 

[dahunan]

Quote: Originally Posted by NesuD View Post Species go extinct! It is a normal part of evolution. If they are unable to adapt then they are removed by natural selection. So if I set fire to your house and you can't escape and end up a fundy french fry, I guess you were meant to go extinct.

The sheer retardation of some of the people in here is just frightening... lol

Evolution doesn't quite take into account the miserable effects Humans have caused on this planet

 

[dainthomas]

The ignorance is strong in this thread. There is ample research into the effectiveness of measures mitigating biological barriers (roads, fences, railroads etc.) Bridges and tunnels have been scientifically proven to dramatically decrease mortality in species that move across these barriers. Certainly ALL won't use the bridges, but the idea is that enough do for the species to survive. If any of you clowns knew how to use Google, you could've figured that out in five minutes.

Saving a species for $400k is pork? Just think, we could have bought 1% of a tank instead. Christ.

Edit: Or deported several hundred illegals (so they can come right back). That HAS to be a higher priority than saving an entire species, right?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Ban automobiles, solves greenhouse problems and saves the squirrels!

BTW, Arizona just fell from 2nd place on my state rankings.

 

[nonlnear]

No, its OUR money.

How insightful.
The correct response would have been "Yes, it's OUR money." I was pointing out the jurisdiction, not the ownership. That makes it rather hollow for states to protest that they would prefer the money to be put towards matters of state jurisdiction. Carry on...

 

[Patranus]

Evolution doesn't quite take into account the miserable effects Humans have caused on this planet

What makes you say that?
Many animals change the environment to hunt.

What difference does it make if its man, a monkey, or a meteor?

 

[rudder]

And these squirrels are going to use the bridges instead of crossing the highways?

That is the next round of stimulus. $110 million to train all the squirrels to use the bridges.

 

[lord_emperor]

...severely endangered Mount Graham Red Squirrels.

Not just some normal squirrels, this is justified.

 

[shiner]

I wonder if I can get the feds to pay me $400,000 to stop shooting the squirrels that raid my bird feeders??

Cha ching!!!

 

[ayabe]

What makes you say that?
Many animals change the environment to hunt.

What difference does it make if its man, a monkey, or a meteor?

Don't play stupid, changes take many generations spread out over thousands of years possibly millions.

Humans don't adapt overnight either, otherwise we'd be immune to cancer from smoking tobacco, afterall humans have been smoking for thousands of years right? Those that do get cancer just have weak genes......or something.

 

[Patranus]

Don't play stupid, changes take many generations spread out over thousands of years possibly millions.

Humans don't adapt overnight either, otherwise we'd be immune to cancer from smoking tobacco, afterall humans have been smoking for thousands of years right? Those that do get cancer just have weak genes......or something.

So if (I mean when) I bring an example to the table of animals adaption very quickly to human activities based on evolutionary pressures you will admit you are wrong?

 

[PeshakJang]

Not just some normal squirrels, this is justified.

How much is justified? $10,000 per *rope bridge*? $20,000 each? $50,000 each?

It might be a justifiable cause, but you can't possibly justify this amount of money for this scale of a project.

 

[Patranus]

They should capture however many would be needed for a genetic diversity, breed them in the captive and let the nature run its course with the wild ones.

 

[nonlnear]

They should capture however many would be needed for a genetic diversity, breed them in the captive and let the nature run its course with the wild ones.

I'm sure that would cost a lot less than $400,000. Oh wait...

 

[Schadenfroh]

How much is justified? $10,000 per *rope bridge*? $20,000 each? $50,000 each?

It might be a justifiable cause, but you can't possibly justify this amount of money for this scale of a project.

I would be all for just using a regular rope between two trees on opposite sides of the road. Should not cost anywhere near that much to do, maybe $25 for the rope and $100 for a guy to install it. Squirrels run along power cables all the time, so it seems like they could make it across on a regular rope.

 

[MotF Bane]

They should capture however many would be needed for a genetic diversity, breed them in the captive and let the nature run its course with the wild ones.

/facepalm