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Killing Rats with GPS

Posted by michael on from the pied-piper dept.

techmaven writes "When Channel Islands National Park officials needed an estimated about 300 rats exterminated on the east side of environmentally sensitive Anacapa Island, Aspen Ag Helicopters got the call. The kill was necessary because the rodents, descendants of rats that reached the island by way of a shipwreck a century or more ago, were decimating the populations of two rare seabirds. And GPS helped the helicopter company do the job."

10 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. They needed GPS for Night of the Lepus! by Mustang+Matt · · Score: 2, Funny

    http://us.imdb.com/Title?0069005

    They can have their fun now... But what will they do when the big ones come?

    --
    The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
  2. Remote Control by XBL · · Score: 5, Funny

    I want GPS on my TV remote control, so I can find it.

    1. Re:Remote Control by mgv · · Score: 3, Funny

      I want GPS on my TV remote control, so I can find it.

      If your remote had a GPS, it would know where it was.
      This might not help as much as you would think :)

      Michael

      --
      There is no cryptographic solution to the problem where the intended receiver and the attacker are the same entity.
    2. Re:Remote Control by Rozpoo · · Score: 2, Funny

      You know, this would work, until your wife decided to screw with you and throw it on the roof above the living room.

  3. Kill?! Can't they find a peaceful way?! by nurightshu · · Score: 2, Funny

    Those terrible park officials! They're having those poor rats put to death when all of Ghod's creatures are sacred! What they should do is organize a nice conference where the rats and the seabirds can sit down and air their grievances peacefully, in a spirit of mutual harmony and understanding.

    Seriously, this is pretty cool. Any time technology increases mankind's killing power, I've got to cheer a little bit. After the rats, how about some pigeons (also known as the "gutter bird" and the "winged rat," according to Kent Brockman)?

    --
    They that would sacrifice their .sig space for that cliched Franklin quote deserve neither.
  4. the problem with this by Monkelectric · · Score: 5, Funny

    If they miss just a male and a female rat, the new rats will breed and the offspring will be immune to GPS :=)

    --

    Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley

  5. This just goes to prove the old saying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Any sufficiently advanced technology is great at killing rats." - Arthur C. Clarke

  6. Alternatives to GPS extermination by Ilan+Volow · · Score: 5, Funny

    They could have just wrecked a second ship that happened to contain several hundred cats.

    --
    Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
  7. eco-wacko control freaks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You know they fantasize about doing this to people.

  8. Now, If That Doesn't Just Get Your Goat by Wintersmute · · Score: 3, Funny

    You left off the rest of the story.... they paid the Iscariot goat 30 bucks for his troubles, and he tried to turn it down. But they said take it, and he did. Then guilt came to him, and his goat heart was heavy, and he went off and hanged himself. (and became goat jerky)

    --
    It may be cold, but at least it's clear.