AP Video: Watermelon Phenomenon Baffles Experts (Katrina-related)

intheflow

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:09 AM
Original message

AP Video: Watermelon Phenomenon Baffles Experts (Katrina-related)

Disturbing. :(

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/specials/videolineups/video1.html?SITE=MSJAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&guid=735BA2CC83A14B6693D7BFF82930DD5A&videoName=1223dvs_melon_phenomenon

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

spinbaby

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:12 AM
Response to Original message

1. Wanna tell the dialup users what it's about?

What's disturbing about watermelon?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Birthmark

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:14 AM
Response to Reply #1

3. They are full of seeds.

And if you swallow one, you'll get pregnant. Even if you're a guy!

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Lochloosa

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:31 AM
Response to Reply #3

10. From one sotherner to another...

:rofl:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

skooooo

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:15 AM
Response to Reply #1

5. They're everywhere growing all over the place.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

intheflow

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:19 AM
Response to Reply #1

7. Watermelons growing in December in St. Bernard Parish, LA.

Not normal. LSU Agriculture Dept. is baffled and, given the extreme water contamination of the area, plus the fact that watermelons are mostly water, eating them is not recommended.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

ItsTheMediaStupid

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:24 AM
Response to Reply #7

8. Please note that this couldn't possibly be related to global warming

It's just "one of those things" :eyes:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

intheflow

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:30 AM
Response to Reply #8

9. As was Katrina's force, imo. n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

HysteryDiagnosis

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:14 AM
Response to Original message

2. I suppose "Let them eat melons" could become a phrase used by

shrubco.... weird that.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Miss Chybil

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:15 AM
Response to Original message

4. Weird. I wonder why they can't test them to see if they're safe to eat? n

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

bpilgrim

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:17 AM
Response to Reply #4

6. send a few cases to the neoCONs

:evilgrin:

peace

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

RobertSeattle

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:58 AM
Response to Reply #4

12. Natural growing watermelons are usally pretty awful

I recall seeing some growing naturally when I lived in Georgia and they were inedibile. I think farmers really have to nurture watermelons for them to be grocery store acceptable.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MercutioATC

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 12:12 PM
Response to Reply #12

15. But ARE these "naturally-growing" watermelons?

If the seed stock is one of the commercial varieties that was spread by the flood and encouraged to grow by the post-hurricane weather, they're probably fine...

...except for the fact that they've been growing in toxic, sewage-polluted water..

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Miss Chybil

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Dec-24-05 10:26 AM
Response to Reply #12

25. I grew watermelons this year and all they needed was sunshine

and water - not a lot of nurturing. I realize the water and soil in LA is polluted right now, but I'm just curious if there is some kind of metabolic filtering system within plants that would clean that out, or if it the toxins stay in there. They probably stay in, considering all the problems with pesticides, etc., but like I said, I'm just curious.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

NIGHT TRIPPER

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:51 AM
Response to Original message

11. Newcomers observe the plants ? or Divine intervention-food for the poor?

Likely as safe as most non-organic produce---pollution's already contaminated most of our food supply anyway.

Sounds to me more like some idiotic observation by some carptbaggers who recently moved to the area--

Growning up in New Orleans, everybody knew that watermelons grow wild and grow easily without care-
-when I was arond 10 or 11, all the kids had their own secret watermelons growning in secret locations in the woods (which was the ruins of the old Soniat Plantation)--
-pumpkins too in the fall before Halloween.
A year later they mowed down the entire woods with buldozers and built subdivisions-

Maybe watermelons will just grow if the temperature is right and the soil is wet ?...
the soil's always wet-being below sea level!
if you dig about a foot or 2 the hole fills with water-that's why all the cemetaries are above ground.

!!! Doh !!!

.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

intheflow

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 12:01 PM
Response to Reply #11

14. LSU could hardly be considered "carpetbaggers."

And they think it's weird.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

NIGHT TRIPPER

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Dec-24-05 12:11 AM
Response to Reply #14

23. spent Five Years at LSU myself- "carpetbaggers" was sarcasm to draw

attention to the problem--
not to mention, if people at LSU think it's weird--to me it doesn't make it weird.
What I think is weird is the Vet cruelty torture center there where they plug the sides of cows
with removeable plastic corks--at least 2-3 ft in diameter-
so they can fish around in their insides while they're alive-
this just one of many fun learning tools- don't even want to get into what they do to other animals.

Beleieve me, I think stupidity is rampant especially on college campuses.

No thesis paper here:
When seeds float all around in a flood, they settle when the flood dries, they grow in the rich soil-

Weird?

ok-

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

usedtobesick

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 11:59 AM
Response to Original message

13. Nature finds a way? it would be interesting to know

if this has happened after any of the other floods in the area... It would also be good to know just how toxic they are. Recommended casue it's a cool story.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

ReverendDeuce

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 12:18 PM
Response to Original message

16. Is anticipating freepish racist remarks to this story racist in itself?

I am serious. The first thing that popped into my mind was the likelihood of freepers making racist comments in reply to this story. Then I got to thinking... does the very fact that I am thinking this make me guilty of racism?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

intheflow

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 12:30 PM
Response to Reply #16

17. Probably.

But the fact that you're enlightened enough to question your own motivations bodes well for you. :hug:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

GreenPartyVoter

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 01:00 PM
Response to Reply #16

19. I also thought the same thing

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

maxsolomon

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 12:58 PM
Response to Original message

18. not disturbing

i'm ok with this. i don't like watermelon, and i don't understand why anyone would. its blah.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

yankeeinlouisiana

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 03:27 PM
Response to Original message

20. So that's what is growing in my

backyard!! I saw a weird weed growing amongst the dead grass and I just thought it was a weed. I'm gonna have to take a closer look now.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

NIGHT TRIPPER

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Dec-24-05 12:13 AM
Response to Reply #20

24. why are you in Louisiana?

not carpetbagging I hope

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Loonman

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 03:29 PM
Response to Original message

21. Those watermelons are full of toxic and polluted water

Toss 'em into a sealed landfill and plant more. Takes most of the toxins right out of the soil.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

bettyellen

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Dec-23-05 03:45 PM
Response to Original message

22. it's common for weird imbalances to occur after a disaster

i'm thinking a lot of watermelons were left behind to rot as people grabbed cans of food and more practical things.
it's just that they germinate so easily and love it wet. same conditions were probably murder on lotsa other kinds of seeds.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Sat May 11th 2024, 01:58 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.