Job Discussion Forums

[scot47]

http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/video/sandstorm-turns-day-night-131140553.html

[veiledsentiments]

OMG... we had a couple sandstorms in the American desert this spring, but nothing like this. I went through quite a few in Egypt... but again... it merely got dreary, not completely dark like this.

The thought of dusting the flat after this is depressing... you'd need a shovel...

VS

[johnslat]

Dear VS,

Did you ever get caught outside in a locust swarm? That's an unforgettable experience, too

Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

We had a swarm pass through Oman one year, but I think many had died off from lack of food along the way. When I would walk late in the evening, they would be hanging about at each street light... with all the feral cats eating them as fast as they could catch them. Every once in awhile one would crash into you. Growing up in the prairies... we had lots of grasshoppers every year... same family.

VS

[Grendal]

[Grendal]

[cmp45]

I invested in a good air purifier since the last major sand storm darn near choked me to death in my apartment. It is a worth while investment.

Speaking of swarms...years ago when I worked in a rural village in Botswana, right after a rain storm swarms of termites would fill the skies. The locals would set out pots of water where the termites would fall into, later to be fried up as a snack! They tasted like peanuts! In the school heaps of termite wings had been blown into various corners and hallways.
Strange and amazing experience.

Grass hoppers are gross! I grew up on a farm on the praries as well and hated them as did my father watching the pests eat up the crops.

[veiledsentiments]

My last flat in Cairo had termites. Fortunately I managed to restrict them to the kitchen, but there were 2 weeks of major swarms!! Inside!!

I would coat the walls and floor with Raid before leaving for class in the morning and when I came home, I would sweep up a plastic grocery bag full of bodies.

Perhaps I should have fried them up and opened a stand in front of the building. (certainly the insecticide would enhance the flavor)

VS

[cmp45]

We already eat food contaminated with herbicides and pesticides, so probably wouldn't make much difference. I think the African variety which I speak of are quite different from the creepy non-flying variety one finds infested in buildings. The African winged variety build huge skycraper mounds and are much meatier-bigger! and probably tastier without pesticides...

http://thoughtsfrombotswana.blogspot.com/2010/11/invasion-of-flying-termites.html

[veiledsentiments]

All of them were flying... and Cairo is in Africa.

VS

[cmp45]

[plumpy nut]