A poignant point at the end abount the news and media talking about politics, war or celebrities. There's a wealth of more interesting and morally more nourishing news that is hidden.

I found it interesting that the other guy, Chris, found it necessary to suggest that the transfer of these parasites was somehow completely to be blamed upon us. The picture showed the little critters being carried on the feet of birds. I wonder how humans manage to somehow infest these birds with the parasites and then persuade them to fly to pastures new and drop them off. Indeed, we should bear the responsibility for the mess we do make. In terms of the lifespan of these trees, however, we are no particularly significant. There are many many ways in which the natural cycle brings about what we term "disasters", and has done in the past, and the ecosystem as a whole is still going strong. I don't think that needless breast-beating and arrogation of responsibilty is necessarily helpful. It might make some people feel better, but it doesn't actually form any part of the solution.