An Extinction to Celebrate

[knocker]

The other month, in South Sudan, I sat with a nine-year-old named Nakal twice a day. She had come from the Mogos containment-care center, in Eastern Equatoria, where, for two weeks, she was tortured by a guinea worm emerging from her right knee. It infiltrated her body last year through a single gulp of unfiltered water she took on a scorching day while tending crops with her grandmother. Now, it was coming out—slowly. One day, I watched as the local medical staff managed to coax four inches of the reluctant worm from behind Nakal’s swollen knee. The animal, which looks a bit like a wet, sticky noodle, dangled out. As she winced, Nakal allowed only a single tear to fall down her cheek.

 

 

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/07/an-extinction-to-celebrate.html

[The watcher]

There are only select animals that are required to keep the natural cycle of the world in balance, parasites like these aren't one of them and....unfortunately neither are we (as smart as we may be). Although I don't think all animals will celebrate if humans became extinct......or would they.

[picog]

There are only select animals that are required to keep the natural cycle of the world in balance, parasites like these aren't one of them and....unfortunately neither are we (as smart as we may be). Although I don't think all animals will celebrate if humans became extinct......or would they.

Around here, the foxes would be celebrating our demise.