Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Ships of the Desert

It seems that the price of oil is driving up the price of the camel in some parts of the world. Quadrupled in the last three years.

Paul Krugman said it on Saturday in his blog at the Times, quoting an article in the Financial Times from the day before.

There was a pice on Talk of the Nation on NPR a little while ago that spoke with businesses that were doing well because of the changes in the economy. Pawn shops -- hookers ... and camel sellers!

I've been thinking about alternative modes of transportation lately. I can't help but wonder what I will do if it really costs $100 a week to fill up my tank with gas.


photo link

I learned today that camels live to be about 60-80 years-old. That's a long time to serve.
I'm glad to learn that camels will eat their owner's tent if they get hungry enough.

"“It’s very good news,” says Mr Singh, whose organisation aims to dispel the image of backwardness associated with camel ownership and tries to promote higher economic returns for breeders. “We had started to see camels, even female ones, being slaughtered for their meat. Now they are replacing the tractor again.”

It is too soon to say that the future for camels is bright. Shrinking grazing areas and a lack of investment in fodder trees may thwart a sustainable revival. Inadequate nutrition undermines the resilience of camel herds, making them vulnerable to disease and lowering birth rates."

You can try to go back to where you came from, of course. Of course you are always going there with your new self.


"Camel 2005"
photo by Chuck Henderson

The question is how do we sustain ourselves ...
what kind of world do we want for the future and the future or our children.

No comments: