South American fire ants are spreading through Australia, causing irreparable crop and environmental destruction. Just what I wanna hear while I’m planning to migrate. Has anybody else read a story called “Leiniken and the Ants”? I seem to remember reading it in high school about a guy who tries to defend his plantation from these things and ends up getting killed. I can’t seem to find any references to it on the Net though. Maybe I’m spelling it wrong…
Bill
October 21, 2001 — 7:46 pm
You can read the story here:
http://mbhs.bergtraum.k12.ny.us/cybereng/shorts/lvta.html
The story was the basis for an absolutely classic episode of the old-time radio show ESCAPE. I have it on CD, somewhere in my scant little collection. It was also filmed as THE NAKED JUNGLE with Charlton Heston. It’s Leiningen.
martin
October 22, 2001 — 10:11 am
Apparently Australia has the greatest concentration of dangerous animals/vegetables/minerals (they mine Uranium) per square metre than any other country on Earth!
Not that I want to give you the heeby jeebies or anything. 🙂
Kris
October 22, 2001 — 10:44 am
Bill – You ROCK! I’m just going to start going straight to you with my pop culture questions. 🙂
Martin – Yeah, I know. I read Bill Bryson’s “Down Under”, which is basically a catalog of everything he pissed himself over down there. Funnel web spiders, box jellyfish, sharks, giant worms, etc. etc. I’m prepared. 🙂
Kris
October 22, 2001 — 11:07 am
Just finished re-reading the story. Huh. (SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING IF YOU’RE GONNA READ THE STORY!) So Leiningen doesn’t die! I swear I thought the ants eventually got him. I like this version better though.