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Newly Discovered Fungus Threatens World Wheat Crop
RickRussellTX writes "The UN reports that a variety of the rust fungus originally detected in Uganda in 1999 has already spread as far north as Iran, threatening wheat production across its range. The fungus infects wheat stems and affects 80% of wheat varieties, putting crops at risk and threatening the food sources for billions of people across central Asia. Although scientists believe they can develop resistant hybrids, the fungus is moving much faster than anticipated and resistant hybrids may still be years away. Meanwhile, national governments in the path of the fungus are telling folks that there is nothing to worry about."
The question isn't whether we need to send John Madden in with some Boom! Fast Actin' Tinactin!, but can we eat this new fungus?
Some fungi are delicious.
There's a fungus amongus!
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Great. Among everything else we now have to worry about illegal wheat crossing the border.
Don't worry. The UN will publish a strongly worded resolution telling the fungus to stop. If that doesn't work they'll send a wheat-keeping force.
100 years is too long. Hardly anyone lives that long, and nobody has time to read about all that has gone on before, and even if they did, they wouldn't be doing anything, they'd be reading about it. Nobody listens to people who just read about stuff, they're just a bunch of nerds.
You need good old politics to get stuff done. We'll ignore the wheat blight and grow corn to burn in our cars, and when the wheat crop fails, maybe we'll remember we can eat corn instead!
Then politicians can take credit for staving off the famine by encouraging corn farmers.
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
Of course hemp comes up! Hemp does everything! With it, you can make rope, clothes, food, furnature, computer chips, gold, planets, the One Ring, you name it, hemp can do it!
Q: I've heard hemp mills are awfully loud.
A: They run as quiet as a cloud.
Q: What if, perchance, hemp plastics should bend?
A: Not on your life, my stoner friend.
Q: What about us doped-up slobs?
A: You'll be given cushy jobs!
Q: The ring came off my pudding can!
A: Use a hemp one, my good man.
Q: Were you sent here by the devil?
A: No, good sir, I'm on the level.
You see, America, hemp's your only choice. Put down your bongs and raise your voice!
That was either the start of something bad or the end of something stupid.