Las Vegas RIP - Part 2

   I was taught in school that it is very dangerous to disrupt any ecosystem by introducing plants or animals foreign to the area. Even the smallest bacteria can cause a species to be wiped out, and possibly a chain reaction that can cause any number of unforeseen changes to the delicate balance of life in the area, and possibly beyond.

   I don't think the founders of Las Vegas, or the city planners were ever taught that lesson, or maybe they were ditching school that day. Some idiot apparently thought that Oleander trees would look nice anywhere there was room to put them (You know, the green leafy bushes with purple flowers all across the valley) Not only are they not native to the desert here, but they are very poisonous to humans. A boyscout troop found that out the hard way years ago when they got sick, and one poor boy died, at a camp out in which they attempted to "live off of the land" by BBQing hot dogs that were held over the fire on branches from an Oleander tree. Plus the pollen given off from the flowers cause allergic reactions everyday to thousands of Las Vegas residents. Local cats love to play in them too.
   Then there is the Mulberry tree ( you know this one too: the full size trees that drop the green buds on the ground that look like "caterpillars"). Again, not native. They are about the best for causing allergies and stuffy, swollen noses all year round. Plus those "caterpillars" are a pain in the ass to clean up.
   But my personal favorite can be seen all around the valley, especially in the more "upscale" neighborhoods. The completely out of place and useless Palm tree. They stand sometimes 20 or 30 or more feet high, which makes them a real pain in the ass to trim, yet give virtually no shade whatsoever. Of course they are not native here either. In fact almost every one you see is brown and sickly because they are not made to withstand our dry, hot climate. They are worthless, except to the status-minded, cock-measuring yuppie who just wants to be able to boast that he has some and you don't.
   That's my opinion anyway. KB