> >Nature is the enemy. Nature produces the virus, the bacteria, the mites
> >that kill our bees (and us). Nature has brought more species to extinction
> >than man has ever seen or heard of. Our fight is against nature, but if we
> >can get the enemy to give us some quarter every once and a while I am all
> >for taking what I can get.
 
> Al, you say "Nature is the enemy" ? Nature is nature and it
> certainly is not the enemy ! Were it not for nature, you for one
> would not exist ! The viruses, the mites, the bacteria, etc., are
> all nature's natural controls. They would most likely "not have
> gotten to the present out of control state" if man were not
> constantly messing around with this and with that - and subsequently
> throwing all nature out of balance. You also need to remember that,
> because life depends on other forms of life to live.
 
Is not disease the rule of existence? There is not a lily pad
floating on the river but has been riddled by insects. Almost every
shrub and tree has its gall, oftentimes esteemed its chief ornament
and hardly to be distinguished from the fruit. If misery loves
company, misery has company enough. Now, at midsummer, find me a
perfect leaf or fruit.
 
Henry David Thoreau (1817-62), U.S. philosopher, author, naturalist.
Journals (1906), entry for 1 Sept. 1851.
 
\vov