Politics?

Dave, what is the definition of politics?

John

John,

You might do well to stay completely off this forum. I tell you, I have an itchy trigger finger. It's best not to even test us.

Dave

I thought we were to play nice. Was that nice? The definition please?

I've removed your access to post to this forum.

If anyone else desires to skirt the line of what's allowed, let us know by posting here or emailing us directly.

Dave

Shucks, I'm sooo tempted, but for my new year's resolution!

Ulrich, you are truly hilarious!

I'm almost afraid to ask this question: Is there a purpose to this thread? What might it be.

With all due respect,
Pirl

The purpose is for imway2dumb to openly display his defiance against the administrators of this site. It's the same-old.

I think any adult on DG knows perfectly well what "politics" means. If they don't, there is a dictionary online at google.com.

Dave

pol·i·tics

NOUN:

1. (used with a sing. verb)
1. The art or science of government or governing, especially the governing of a political entity, such as a nation, and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs.
2. Political science.
2. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1. The activities or affairs engaged in by a government, politician, or political party: "All politics is local" (Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr.). "Politics have appealed to me since I was at Oxford because they are exciting morning, noon, and night" (Jeffrey Archer).
2. The methods or tactics involved in managing a state or government: The politics of the former regime were rejected by the new government leadership. If the politics of the conservative government now borders on the repressive, what can be expected when the economy falters?
3. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Political life: studied law with a view to going into politics; felt that politics was a worthwhile career.
4. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Intrigue or maneuvering within a political unit or group in order to gain control or power: Partisan politics is often an obstruction to good government. Office politics are often debilitating and counterproductive.
5. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Political attitudes and positions: His politics on that issue is his own business. Your politics are clearly more liberal than mine.
6. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The often internally conflicting interrelationships among people in a society.

Thanks joepyeweed, that should help tremendously for those that might not know this term.

dave

Actually, I did look up the word, in the online dictionary, wondering if there was some other meaning that would be pertinent. Thanks for making it quite clear, Dave.

"Conflicting relationships" seems to fit the bill.

Thank you, Dave! I'm a political junkie; but not here. I'll go to the BLOGS for that. IMHO politics here is a 4 letter word.

Im just wondering how invasive plants would stray into politics? The two don't seem to have much in common.

Heavinscent,

I'm wondering the same.

I would tell you but we cannot talk about it :-)

Invasive species often times show up on government regulated noxious weed lists that are forbidden to be propogated. There can be penalties for cultivating it or not controlling... this starts the controversy... lots of people don't like the government telling them what they can and cannot grow on their land.

Another issue with invasives species is the spraying of weed chemicals. Attempts to control invasive species often involves the use of controversial pesticides and there are people opposed to the use of those, particularly on public land.

A specific example of what a hot bed topic this could be is Massachusetts that is physically bordered by six other states recently passed a ban on invasive species. I would say more but I am not sure if I have crossed a line with this example. Katy

CT also just added Lythrum to it's list and I can see why but do not want to discuss it, at all, ever, ever, ever!

I see how it starts now! I was trying to bridge some link with pesty plants and pesty people, I would have never thought about control issues. Thanks for braveing Daves wrath and clueing me in!
Caren

I think Dave's wrath is reserved for those who would flaunt the rules set out in the AUP, and try to tweak his nose while doing it ;o)

Well said, Terry!

Is it legal to tweak the nose of a guy wearing a cowboy hat in Texas?

Or is that a hanging offense?

Either which way, tain't smart!

mg...who can't decide between running rampant or being invasive.......because....Dave started it!

The only nose tweaking I care to do is with heavenly scented flowers. Stir'n the pot is of no intrest to me ;o)

Actually learned a lot just with this thread! It's made me stop and think about what we - me and Michael - might consider invasive and how others all over the world might view the plant! I complained about a certain perennial in another thread that might do very well in other zones or in a container. I didn't bother to look it up it PlantFiles first to see other folks' experience :(

Saying that, it seems that we can have discussions without stirring it up so to speak and most definately not to fly in dave's and the other Admins faces. I'm reminded by my DH, Michael of a Proverb which says, "Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife."

So butter we shall make and all learn here :)

Dea

Amen.

: )

Saying what's non-native and invasive isn't necessarily political. It's science, IMO, and I'm a big fan of science. I also know what I see. I can walk 1/2 a block and see a wetland completely taken over by phragmites grass. I can walk a little bit further and see wetlands being consumed by purple loosestrife. I can go do my volunteer work at the state park and spend hours brushing out buckthorn, japanese honeysuckle, barberrry and oriental bittersweet, only to know it's ultimately useless, because, for some reason, the green industry is still permitted to sell this stuff, and most developers and gardeners don't do any research on what they plant.

The fact that it's impossible to do a large scale (or even small scale..been there, done that)prairie restoration on public land without the use of herbicide is not politics, it's a fact. Go ahead...try and solarise 100 acres with 100 acres of clear plastic, or cover it with 6 inches deep x 100 acres of mulch, or try to find and train the volunteers necessary to go over the project and pick out every single non-native plant seedling.

Kathleen, I'm surprised to find you here!

April

I hate to get somewhat off topic but what are political blogs that raisedbedbob mentioned?

There are so many...they are weblogs with a political emphasis. If you want links to some, contact me privately.

Are they like chat rooms or something? I don't do chat rooms unless the one they have here counts as a chat room. I also don't do any of that IMing or AOL or Yahoo stuff either. It makes me nervous to have to have javascript or other software installed to be able to get into those types of sites.

I did a little bit of checking. I'll have to take a pass on those or I'd need a tranquilizer. Those are starting to look an awful lot like some of the ListServes. Seems as if they have a Blog out there for everything. There are over a million blogs. When did these become so popular? Where have I been? These look like interactive diaries of some sort.

People have been blogging for a while now. All they are is diaries on-line.

We have "blogs" here - under the journals tab you can choose to keep a journal of your plants, or a garden diary - they can be marked public or private.

I started a garden diary here just recently. Mostly of URLs to plants from the PlantFiles that I would like to try sometime but I also have a Carnivorous Plant Grow list somewhere. Am I blogging and I didn't even know it? I feel so stupid. Just ignore me, I guess I don't get out much.

Is it considered political if you write to the company headquarters for an outfit, say like Home Depot, and point out to them that they are selling certain plants in areas where this same plant is considered invasive? I suggested in this letter that their regional buyers consult with the various states where they do business to first learn what is considerd invasive. Then they might put their suppliers on notice to "vet" their stock prior to confirming an order. Heavens knows there is a plentiful variety of desirable nursery stock. There shouldn't be any financial loss to the retailer. As of yet there has been no reply to this letter.

That sounds like a very good thing to do to me Snapple. Keep a record, then resend if you see the plants a second time.
Almost all of us have a 'Tell So-n-so' fellow on one of our local television stations.
After you have done this a few times write that fellow and let them know how unconcerned that store is with our ecology.
They always pay attention to bad publicity.
Also, the growers need to rethink a barn full of invasives.
Sidney

sorry, double post

This message was edited Feb 16, 2006 7:59 PM

"CT also just added Lythrum to it's list and I can see why but do not want to discuss it, at all, ever, ever, ever"

Why would you not want to discuss it here? What are your feelings about this? Will it change your garden plans at all? These are good topics for discussion. This is a forum for discussing invasive plants. It's not political. There are good reasons why some plants get white-listed, and it has nothing to do with politics.

Some invasive non-native plants cause or could cause massive economical damage. Do a google on witchweed. Here's a start: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/ipc/weedinfo/striga.htm It has devastated farming in some of the poorest parts of Africa, where it does have some natural predators. It has also established a foothold here. It's a parasitic plant of corn. Can you imagine the economical effects it would have if it gets into the corn crop here? Dodder is another one. A really good book you may want to read is "My Weeds" by Sara Stein.

Equilibrium, blog is short for weblog. Like Terry said, they're online journals or diaries and people can keep a form of them at DG. Not all blogs are political - they're as diverse as the people who write them. My husband and I have a weight-loss blog and there are many, many blogs devoted to things like gardening, parenting, movies, books...Every subject you can think of. Hope that answers your question a little better. They're basically individual websites that are mostly the personal observations of the writer(s).

Hey gardenwife, I went back a did a little bit more checking around a few weeks ago and I found blogs on camping complete with campfire recipes and how to build a canoe from scratch, blogs on Bluebird trails, and blogs on everything under the sun. I didn't realize there were so many people blogging on line in public. Didn't we used to have little keys to our "blogs" and we kept them in the top drawers of our nightstands? Some blogs are incredibly personal and I feel as if I am in somebody's underwear drawer where they hide their latchkey diary while others were incredibly productive and informative and then there were the ones where I just shook my head. I did learn that I am a blogger! Yup, I am. I've got a public journal of sorts here with a list of plants I am on the lookout for. I also have a private journal here of carnivorous plants that I grow. I have arrived! I am a blogger and I didn't even know it.

Can we bar religion too? Dave maybe you could tell the story of why politics was barred in the first place? Since that might help some of us who are at odds with you understand why you want a forum on invasives without any teeth, or, in my humble opinion, without a chance of doing all that much good.

This message was edited Mar 20, 2006 2:07 PM

DarwinESF, religious debate was barred at the exact same time as political discussion.

If you want a forum with teeth, check out Baker Creek's new forums. They specifically state that politics are a purpose of the forums. I hope I'm not harming him by referring you in that direction.

Here it is: http://idigmygarden.com/

dave