Case in point Bobby Jindal's "fruit fly moment.
Alaska blogger, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis likens Jindal's criticism of funding volcano observatories to Palin's "fruit fly" moment and uses a YouTube video of MSNBC's clown-town, Keith Olbermann's comments of Palin in support of her comments.
The video is self-explanatory.
Now on to the facts of what Palin was talking about. First from
CNN:
Some lawmakers defended their earmarks, such as Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California, who channeled $742,764 to olive fruit fly research.
"The olive fruit fly has infested thousands of California olive groves and is the single largest threat to the U.S. olive and olive oil industries," he said.
See any comments about research on autism? No.
Next, from the PIG Book:
The French Kiss Off Award
to Representative Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) for $211,509 in olive fruit fly research in Paris, France.
See any mention or comments on research of autism? No.
Where is the USDA facility that studies the olive fruit fly? In France. That is the USDA as in the protection of olives in California, not research for autism in another state.
That is why Olbermann is a dumbass and his followers don't know what the hell they are talking about.
What is the research on the
olive fruit fly that Palin was referring to?
The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera, Tephritidae) first was recorded in California in October 1998 when a single female fly was captured in west Los Angeles. By fall 1999, olive fruit flies had been captured in seven additional counties including Tulare County, in the San Joaquin Valley, the leading producer of table olives in California. Presently, the olive fruit fly occurs in all olive growing areas of California and threatens virtually all commercial and fruit-bearing ornamental olive plantings.
IMPACT
The olive fruit fly poses a severe economic threat for the state’s commercial olive growers. The larvae (maggots) of the olive fruit fly feed inside the fruit, destroying the pulp and allowing the entry of secondary bacteria and fungi that rot the fruit and degrade the quality of the oil. Feeding damage can cause premature fruit drop and reduce fruit quality for both table olive and olive oil production. Large numbers of rotting fruit on the ground can create an unwelcome mess, especially in landscaped situations.
There is that saying that we all know and that is; when you tell a lie enough, people will soon think it is the truth.
Well here is some truth that doesn't take much to tell. When it comes to facts, Olbermann wouldn't know facts if he saw them or they hit him on the head. And people who follow him and quote him, are lost in the wilderness.
And as for the olive fruit fly? Just kill the damn thing with some good old DDT. (smile)
