Debate, and discuss, just dont Bore me.
Published on September 19, 2006 By Dr Guy In War on Terror

Yes, some cities are not only protecting themselves against terrorist attacks, but doing it cheaply!  I loved this article when I read it and could not beleive the simplicity!  What an idea!

It seems some cities are using Bluegill (crappies to us fishermen), to warn of poisoning a water supply! 

How many of us have gone fishing for bass or trout and hooked one of these?  They are ok eating, but lousy fighters and not what we are looking for!  Bluegill is kind of like the sad second prize when it comes to fishing.  They like to fin you when caught (even though they do not fight when being reeled in), and have enough meet for a snack!  4 or more make a dinner!

But!  The cities are using them as water canaries!  Oh how a fish can change its stripes overnight!  now they are heros!  And rightly so!

This is the kind of stuff that, unfortunately, we have to get use to (yes, you are drinking fish poop and pee!).  But they are cheap, damn hard to kill, and effective!  A perfect foil for the "Nice Muslims" that want to kill anything not muslim.  And I salute the cities doing this.  I suspect that a lot more are going to follow suit.

And it did not take a federal bureaucracy or grant to figure this one out.  Not by a long shot!

Way to go NY, SF and DC!  I guess budget crunches are good for one thing.  Figuring out cheap solutions to real problems!


Comments (Page 1)
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on Sep 19, 2006
What a bright idea! However, I do think they could give the little guy a bigger tank! I don't think he can perform a u-turn in there!

SmileyCentral.com
on Sep 19, 2006

What a bright idea! However, I do think they could give the little guy a bigger tank! I don't think he can perform a u-turn in there!

Uh, ok.  But if they follow it, your little guy is going to be a canary!

HEY!  he will save lives! (people ones).

on Sep 19, 2006
Uh, ok. But if they follow it, your little guy is going to be a canary!


yes but only if the water is poisoned right? So while he swims playing an alive canary let him have a little space to do u-turns at least!

wahhhhhhhh I want him to do you u-turns!!!!!!!!!   
on Sep 19, 2006
Bluegill (crappies to us fishermen),


*cough*...Umm, Doc. Bluegill and crappies are two different fish, if I'm not mistaken.

~Zoo
on Sep 19, 2006
I always liked bluegills, they're pretty tasty. By the way, bluegills and crappie are not the same fish.

Crappie actually put up a better fight than blugills although they're both considered "sunfish".

Good thinking on the part of the folks who thought to use them to guage the water quality.
on Sep 19, 2006
Crappie actually put up a better fight than blugills although they're both considered "sunfish".


Actually, large mouth bass are considered sunfish as well...if I remember correctly, and they give a good fight...which is why I'm a bass man. (you know I want to say ass man, and I just did )

Now, how annoying am I to know all this seemingly useless animal related information?
~Zoo
on Sep 19, 2006
Actually, large mouth bass are considered sunfish as well...if I remember correctly,


You remember correctly. They are indeed also sunfish. You're not the only one who knows useless animal information.
on Sep 20, 2006
If it's effective hopefully other states will follow! Jen, nice pic of that fish!


on Sep 20, 2006

*cough*...Umm, Doc. Bluegill and crappies are two different fish, if I'm not mistaken.

Not carp.  Crappies are any of the fish that just lay on the line and dont fight.  Sun Perch, Bream, Bluegill - we call them all crappies as they aer crap to catch.

on Sep 20, 2006

Crappie actually put up a better fight than blugills although they're both considered "sunfish".

I did not know there was a real crappie.  It is just a term we use to descibe the bait stealers when we are going for Bass.

on Sep 20, 2006

Now, how annoying am I to know all this seemingly useless animal related information?

A zoolologist?  Actually, Bass and Catfish are the only freshwater (in these parts) fish I fish for.

on Sep 20, 2006

You remember correctly. They are indeed also sunfish. You're not the only one who knows useless animal information.

He cleans up on those questions on the trivia!

on Sep 20, 2006

If it's effective hopefully other states will follow!

Cities actually, and we have that here in Richmond - although the fish got there naturally since we pull our water from the James river.

on Sep 23, 2006
when I went fishing - 25 years ago now I used to sit for hours ever so patiently, just enojoying being there, the only thing that ever got onto my line was a crab, I nearly had heat failure!
on Sep 23, 2006
I did not know there was a real crappie. It is just a term we use to descibe the bait stealers when we are going for Bass.


Yep, there is actually a crappie. They are very popular fishing in Ohio where for some reason they pronounce the name "croppie" even though it's spelled crappie. Fished with light tackle they can be fun.
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