美国人的骨子里，从小就被教育，没有什么事不可能，只要是在美国。
可是９１１之后，尤其是到了２００６年新春伊始，美国人看世界的眼光在变，首先是在伊拉克，横的怕愣的，愣的怕不要命的，一波波的人肉炸弹，和每个星期６０－７０亿美元的巨额军费开支，正把牛仔总统小布什，拖入不可取胜的泥潭。
在北朝鲜和伊朗，美国其实早已经磨刀豁豁，可是形势比人强，碰到伊朗在核武器检查上的不合作，白宫赶忙说，伊朗和伊拉克不一样。明显的欺软怕硬。是呀，就是一样，恐怕也打不赢同时的两场战争。
在美国国内，也同样困难重重。
新奧尔良的重建，雷声大大，雨点稀稀。在佛罗里达又刮了一场飓风后，农业部的一纸公文，把坚持了十年之久，花费近１0亿美元（5亿美元砍树,3.5亿美元赔款），已经砍倒１千１百万棵柑桔树的对抗溃疡（CANKER）病的战争，宣告了失败。
面对自然，人类无可抗争。
可能，就变成了不可能！
２００６－１－１３
下面的报道，一篇是刮飓风之前的，一篇是刮飓风之后的。农民的声音，加上美国农业部的支持，终于使佛罗里达州政府雄心勃勃的计划搁浅。
June 26, 2005, the Sun-Sentinel reports:
Canker Fight Looking Fruitless
Canker Spreads to 22 Florida Counties
$500 Million Spent (so far) on Eradication
Allegedly in 1995 the first case of Citrus Canker was found on a grapefruit in Miami-Dade county. By the end of 1995, canker was "confirmed" in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties. With the state's eradication program in action starting in 2000, 7 counties were infested. The results of that "program" is that now in 2005, 22 counties have the disease
Over 4,000,000 million citrus trees have been killed (so far) and the spread runs unabated at a cost of over $500,000,000
Where will this end? Probably another $500,000,000 down the drain and the probable death of every citrus tree in Florida. Thank you government for all your hard work, YOU IDIOTS !!!!!!!
But was this so hard to see coming? There has never been any proof whatsoever (and almost 100% contrary evidence) that killing and more killing and removal does not stop canker. Nothing stops canker; that is the evidence. Totally harmless to humans and fruit quality, I'd rather have my trees back ...how about you?
Citrus Farmers Must Get New Canker Weapons
Thursday, January 12, 2006; 9:25 PM
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The federal government's withdrawal of financial support for citrus canker eradication means Florida growers may have to rely on costly chemicals and wind breaks to save the $9 billion industry, researchers said Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday it would no longer help pay for the 10-year-old program, which required the removal of every citrus tree within 1,900 feet of one infected with canker.
  The highly contagious bacterial disease of citrus canker, which attacks citrus plants is shown in this Dec. 5, 1995, photo in Sweetwater, Fla. A state law requiring the removal of trees within 1,900 feet of one infected with citrus canker is being reviewed by the Florida Department of Agriculture in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricanes. (AP Photo/Hans Deryk) (Hans Deryk - AP) |
The policy riled homeowners, who watched workers cut down healthy trees in their yards to prevent the spread of canker to commercial groves.
The disease is caused by bacteria that can be transferred by birds, humans and wind. It makes fruit blemish and prompts it to drop prematurely, but is harmless to humans.
Agriculture experts are planning meetings with growers and production managers around the state to help them adapt to the new reality.
"We're kind of mounting a blitz of information," said Jim Graham, professor of soil microbiology at the University of Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred.
Graham said growers have to focus on decontaminating equipment and personnel that travel from one grove to another. They also can apply additional coats of a copper spray already used to control fungal diseases.
"Of course the cost of that spray is going to be a consideration," Graham said, adding that it could run an additional $200 an acre per year.
He said growers should also consider which varieties are most susceptible to infection. Grapefruits, for example, are much more likely to contract it than Valencia oranges.
Graham said natural windbreaks with plants 20-40 feet high would help prevent canker spread, but creating them could be a long and costly process.
Abandoning the eradication policy may please some homeowners.
"The government position is absurd, and has been from the beginning," said Brian Patchen, a Miami Beach attorney who sued after his six citrus trees were destroyed. "There was no way citrus canker could be truly eliminated to begin with, given the demographics of Florida."
Winds from the heavy hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 also helped spread the disease.
Florida Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Liz Compton insisted the eradication program was successful.
"To those who say, 'Did I lose my tree for nothing?' The answer is no," she said. "The picture changed. The face of this changed because of the hurricanes."
