The new face of imperialism

From "Letters," National Geographic, May 2007:

A tree is a plant, no more, no less. It is no problem at all to reconcile harvesting trees with loving the forest. Ask any forester. As to Brazil, the surest way to continue the destruction of the Amazonian forest (or any tropical timber) is to attempt to conserve it all, irrespective of the needs and wants of all the people who live there and who do not really fancy being "conserved" to satisfy the emotional needs of some Americans thousands of miles distant.

         Leonard M. Guss
         Woodinville, Washington


This reminds me of a letter published in "Forum," The Straits Times, a few weeks ago: written by a well-meaning British tourist, the concerned gentleman remarked that his experience of the exotic Far East was somewhat diluted by the fact that the majority of Singaporeans spoke too much English and not enough Chinese (Mandarin). We should remain closer to our ethnic roots, he advised, least we become — Gasp! — too much like him.

I guess we should all grow pigtails, smoke opium, drink rice wine, fly from treetop to treetop with swords, to give tourists a run for their money, eh?

I have a better idea: how about Mr. Well-meaning-tourist bend over and I go native on his posterior with a genuine, made-in-China, opium pipe?




Friggin' wanker...