People send me stuff.
Here at WUWT, we all tend to laugh at Dr. Joshua Halpern who fancies himself as a rabbit and writes in tongues third person as ‘Eli Rabett‘ about the evils of global warming to show everyone how smart he is, while twitching his nose at everyone else. He’s one of the more colorful characters of the warmist side of the debate who pretty much personifies that clique, though has strong competition from SUNY’s Scott “super” Mandia when it comes to being the most ridiculous of college scientists. Seeing how these folks tend to self-parody, I see that as license to poke a little fun at them. After all, he endorses this as a valid tactic with the “Eli Rabett approach on climate communication with deniers,”.
This episode of government stupidity about needing a rabbit license for a magic show, followed by a “disaster plan” for severe weather that may harm the rabbit, made me think of him, because what else could pop into your mind when you think of such things? Now with extreme weather aka #poisonedweather™ making bigger weather disasters every minute, we all need a disaster plan for props pets. Right?
I’m going to get right to work on one for the most prestigious member of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
I get word that David Burge (Iowahawk) writes on Facebook about a magician that is required to have a “disaster plan” for his rabbit, no this isn’t a joke.
I swear I am not making this up. In the annals of government stupidity, this story may very well be the Mount Everest. Bob McCarty Writes:
My USDA rabbit license requirement has taken another ridiculous twist. I just received an 8 page letter from the USDA, telling me that by July 29 I need to have in place a written disaster plan, detailing all the steps I would take to help get my rabbit through a disaster, such as a tornado, fire, flood, etc. They not only want to know how I will protect my rabbit during a disaster, but also what I will do after the disaster, to make sure my rabbit gets cared for properly. I am not kidding–before the end of July I need to have this written rabbit disaster plan in place, or I am breaking the law.
Source: http://bobmccarty.com/2013/06/28/usda-tells-magician-to-write-disaster-plan-for-his-rabbit/
It gets even weirder, from the start of the episode with the USDA:
Finally, it was time for the inspection at the Hahne’s home. Marty decided to ask some questions.
“My friend has a snake,” he said. The inspector quickly told him they don’t regulate snakes.
“No,” Marty said, “I mean he feeds his snake rabbits. He breaks their necks and drops them in the cage for the snake’s food. Does he have to have a permit for that?” Again, she told him there’s no regulation for that.
“So I could break my rabbit’s neck and feed him to my friend’s snake and I wouldn’t need a license?” Marty asked.
“Correct,” she said, “But you need a license to use him in your magic show.”
The obvious question (besides the snake food licensing one) is: does Howard University need a license to keep ‘Eli Rabett’ around for entertainment purposes and does Howard University have a disaster plan to keep Eli Rabett safe in case the university is flooded by accelerating sea level rise or flattened by an errant derecho? Inquiring minds want to know.
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Licensing for Eli Rabbet would depend on whether or not the University can be held to have “exhibited” him. I don’t think that a license is required if the rabbit is doing the exhibiting even if he is an exhibitionist. Then again, John Roberts might have a different opinion based on interpretation of the law, regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, mandates of the UN and oh, say, Venezuelan law, treaties, and prior court rulings. Clear enough?
Thanks for posting. Technically, it’s a two-page letter and an enclosure. That’s a bureaucrat’s way of writing a 13-page letter. And don’t be fooled when the Department says you don’t have to file the disaster plan with them and that they aren’t in the business of approving the plans. That brochure is full of musts all of which will be enforced if and when you are inspected. And if you ignore their findings, there are both expensive and forceful ways of making you comply.
51 responses and I don’t see what I thought would be the obvious disaster plan:
Feed the snake.
Yet another example of government with more money and time to do mischief than it should.
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http://www.cato.org/blog/farm-bill-todays-gop-left-bush?gclid=CNvumcmPjLgCFWNp7Aod7FAAqA
george e. smith says:
June 29, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Well one of the most popular breeds of rabbits, that you see at County Fairs, or 4-H clubs, in the USA, is called ” The New Zealand White Rabbit ” ,and everybody knows that there are no native land mammals in New Zealand…………..
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But an honorary mammal though 🙂
http://neurophilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/07/the-kiwi-birds-status-as-an-honorary-mammal-is-confirmed/
Eli is definitely more like Roger than Bugs.
I am sure that this report must be utterly correct. You simply couldn’t make up this sort of insane rubbish. This sort of insane rubbish forms the very foundation of the Religion of Warmism.
Maybe he should submit his disaster plan is to break the rabbit’s neck and feed it to a snake?
The snake can make the rabbit disappear!
(Maybe Al Gore will make Eli disappear?)
Good Lord, don’t you guys and gals have better things to do with your time? There are lawns to be mowed, beer to be bought and barbecues beckon. Anyhow, thanks for the carrots and an excellent Independence Day to all.
Oh yeah, fair warning. Ms Rabett came across this story yesterday
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Resting from his labors after rearranging the geography of Europe in the aftermath of the Peace of Tilsit (July 7-9, 1807), Napoleon proposed that the Imperial Court engage in a rabbit hunt, entrusting the arrangements to his brilliant chief-of-staff, Alexandre Berthier.
Using all the energy and attention to detail with which he normally managed the Emperor’s campaigns, Berthier soon had everything in order. The Imperial hunting party, numerous enough to be mistaken for a regiment, would be sustained by a logistical train to provide a Lucullan repast under an elaborate tent, while large details of gun bearers, game keepers, and beaters would be available to lend a hand. Leaving nothing to chance, Berthier even arranged to insure the supply of rabbits, procuring some hundreds, lest nature fail to cooperate in providing sufficient targets for the Imperial pleasure.
And so, on the designated day, the Emperor proceeded in his coach to the appointed place, escorted by Guardsmen, Equerries, and various others of his household, and followed by a host of kings, marshals, barons, generals, counts, and lesser folk. But something went wrong. As the Imperial conveyance approached the designated killing fields, the game keepers began releasing the rabbits. When the Emperor dismounted, much to everyone’s surprise, the lepine horde, rather than fleeing in all directions, made straight for him, in all their hundreds.
Confronted by this flood of rabbits, the Emperor’s escort formed a skirmish line to protect him. But, in the words of historian David Chandler, with a finer understanding of Napoleonic strategy than most of his generals, the rabbit horde divided into two wings and poured around the flanks of the party. As the Emperor fled to the relative safety of his coach, the rabbits pursued, some allegedly even leaping into it, so that he had to lend a hand in ejecting them even as his coachmen whipped up their horses.
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[snip. Not interested in what ‘Sou’ or Russell Seitz think. — mod.]
[Russell Seitz is persona non grata here. — mod.]
Avid outdoorsman are aware that a person could not survive long eating only feral rabbit. The meat, although tasty, lacks nutrients necessary for long term survival.
One should seek better food sources. Rabbit is a waste of precious energy.
[Russell Seitz is persona non grata here. — mod.]
How could anybldy take someone so weird seriously?
Weird is fun. Try it you will enjoy the trip.
If one is facing a disaster, nothing tastes better than fresh rabbit.
Snakes can go weeks without eating.
Magicians have to feed daily.
The interesting questoin is why is the FDA cocnerned about the welfare of a domestic rabbit?
Escaped rabbits do not last long on the loose. Feral cats, house cats, dogs, etc. all like rabbit just fine.
Rabbits, however, are not anything like endangered.
Our civil service, as demonstrated by the IRS and NSA, are not really understanding whom they serve. I guess the FDA is working to get on that list as well.
You won’t have to read very far to come over to my way of thinking on what should be done to people who write such laws:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2009-title9-vol1/xml/CFR-2009-title9-vol1-chapI-subchapA.xml
“Animal means any live or DEAD dog, cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, HAMSTER, rabbit, or any other warmblooded animal, which is being used, or is intended for use for research, teaching, testing, experimentation, or exhibition purposes, or AS A PET.”
Yes, we need BIG GOVERNMENT to regulate dead pet hamsters. (Maybe I broke the law when ours died? He was ‘buried at sea’. Oooops, now the NSA knows about it! )
Remind us again what “USDA” means re: developing “a ‘disaster plan’ for severe weather that may harm the rabbit”
US Disaster Aid?
US Disaster Assistance?
US Disaster Agency?
US Dept of Acrimony? (They are working this way!)
US Dept of Aridity, Acridity, Acerbity, Adjudication, Allowance or Aquaculture ?
It can’t be the “US Dept of Agriculture”; Overseeing the licensing of rabbits for use at magic shows!? Gimme a break!
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Lack of natural predators?
Dingos don’t go for rabbits? We’ve plenty of predators here that go for rabbits, incl. Cats ( e.g. pet cats, lions, lynx, bobcats, mountain lions, tigers), Dogs (e.g. pet dogs, wolves, foxes, coyotes), Large birds, birds of prey (e.g. hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, kestrels), Weasels (e.g. stoats, mink, ferrets, wolverines, badgers), Bears, Racoons, Snakes, Humans, and probably any carnivore or wild animal that’s hungry and can fit the rabbit in its mouth.
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1. At onset of disaster, put rabbit in hat.
2. After disaster, pull rabbit out of hat.