Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to those who celebrate…
“Over 100,000 Pounds of Invasive Fish Pulled from One River to Help Restore Native Ecosystem” (Journal of Popular Studies, January 27, 2026)
Kansas wildlife officials have removed more than 100,000 pounds of invasive Asian carp from the Kansas River over the past four years … They are known for growing quickly, consuming massive amounts of food and crowding out native species that rely on the same resources.
#Science: Immigrant animals make us worse off by “growing quickly, consuming massive amounts of food and crowding out native species that rely on the same resources” while immigrant humans make us better off (don’t breed, consume food, or crowd out natives from resources such as health care).
Sad to say, but it seems that the haters in Kansas hate Asians almost as much as the Harvard admissions office (deemed racists by the U.S. Supreme Court, a rare distinction!).
As part of my earnest quest to understand the queer condition, I recently watched The Wizard of Oz. I see why Dorothy clicked her heels three times. Even he dull, sepia life in Kansas* was superior to the what was over the rainbow, you are what you say you are. I can’t help but think L. Frank Baum was a seer of the future: conservative life versus the fantasy world being constructed for us now.
> The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, “I cannot understand why
you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry,
gray place you call Kansas.”
> “That is because you have no brains” answered the girl. “No matter how
dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would
rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful.
There is no place like home.”
— The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Too bad immigrants can’t make a go of it in their own homelands, although some have self deported. I think I found a way of driving the native squirrels off my roof. Wish me luck.
* Speaking of bigotry, I’ve lived in Kansas, occasionally people on the East Coast thought we still had to circle the wagons against Indians. I also lived in Connecticut and New York previously, so lots of holes in their thinking about who was ignorant.
@OAG: “I’ve lived in Kansas”
Twenty-five years ago, I lived in Kansas City, MO for a couple of years. I liked it well enough, other than the winter (generally, not as harsh as MA). Never made it across the river into KCK.
Immigrant humans will pay Social Security taxes and save Social Security. Immigrant fish don’t pay taxes.
that’s a good one!
That’s the theory: that in aggregate, new immigrants will contribute financially at least as much as old-stock citizens. But the real-world data says otherwise. An EU study showed immigrants had lifetime cost of $800-1200k (varied by country of origin, somalis worst, only immigrants from within EU were net contributors of ~$200k).
> Immigrant animals make us worse off
Which is nonsense in general. The Carolina Parakeet, is extinct in its home range including Virginia. Making all others there immigrants. Virginia apparently can find money to subsidize electric sea planes, but not any to rescue these noble immigrants, many trafficked and so stressed out they are plucking out their feathers (similar phenomena occur in horses and humans too that are neglected and abused):
https://www.whro.org/business-growth/2026-04-29/a-virginia-parrot-rescue-and-its-dozens-of-birds-scramble-to-find-new-home
One of the saddest things I ever heard was during a flood in Colorado, and the irresponsible family left the parrot behind. The neighbor reported it as squawking loudly “Goodbye, good bye.” Yesterday, I saw a hooptie loaded with undesirables swerve to pretend they were going to hit a turtle crossing the road, I didn’t even have time to jump in front of it. They didn’t hit it, fortunately. How are those creeps subsidized to even reach my neighborhood? Humanity does not deserve the amazing world God gave them, and really doesn’t seem to be up to the task of being stewards of it. [End of squawk.]
Asian carp have had a pretty good run.
Alligator Gar: Hold my beer…
Immigrationspun would be happy to know Switzerland is trying to implement a population cap, since the open border isn’t working out so well.
June 14 is the big vote over there. Growth without regard to available resources, also known as “cancer”, has been the religion until now!
#Science: Does not need to look at animals to understand the risks of uncontrolled migration. Look at Native American populations after early European settlers arrived.