Thus The Guardian today. “Liberal Member of Parliament Adrian Pederick proposes sustainable harvesting of New Zealand fur seals, accusing them of ‘causing major havoc’ to the South Australian fishing industry,” explains the newspaper. The population of seals is estimated to be more than a hundred-thousand, which is why there is talk of an invasion that calls for a cull. Among other things, Pederick claims the seals are responsible for the slaughter of penguins along the Australian coast. Australian Greens are opposed to the cull, but they offer other options to the fishing industry, such as acoustic harassment devices. The Greens Member of Parliament Tammy Franks cautions against knee-jerk reactions to complex problems. Indeed. Pederick’s proposal cannot be better described, but it is typical of human thinking. And the terminology used is typical, as well: rats, invasion, cull… Unbeknownst to Pederick and others of his ilk, the only rats of planet earth worth thinking about in all seriousness at this time are actually humans. An invasion of humans, to be a bit more precise. Unfortunately, acoustic harassment devices would not do in this particular case.