Thanks again. Lovely animals indeed. I think all the white folks in Australia should be confined to a small restricted area in order that the kangaroos and wallabies are not bothered overly much. Then excursions could be arranged so that curious marsupials get a chance to see the white people (who would be safely confined behind chain-link fences). I suggest that urban areas such as metropolitan Canberra, Sydney, and a handful of other spots be used in this fashion, leaving the rest of the country gloriously free for crocodiles, 'roos, platypuses, and all the rest. Koalas could serve as park security and man the gates.

If I can talk George Bush into backing this idea, you may expect an uninvited visit from 150,000 or so heavily armed American troops within a year or two, to carry out this liberation and democratization policy for Oz. I said "if". I'm not sure he'll go for it, because kangaroos don't have much financial clout at all on the international commodity exchanges...but they ARE cute and telegenic, which should guarantee support from the American public, specially when they hear about the horrific atrocities suffered by momma kangaroos and their joeys in your secret chemical warfare labs, where you manufacture those WMD's that we all know you've got hidden...somewhere.

If he does go for it, just remember this: "resistance is futile" :-)

- LH