Letter to Editor
Adelaide Advertiser Newspaper
January 15 2000

A Hat-trick
The people of Aldgate in the Hills have achieved a hat-trick. For three nights in a row there has been a power cut. Actually it's worse than that. It has been four nights out of five.
My first job in the morning then is to set all the clocks again. Blast!
Recently, residents received a letter from ETSA explaining that this problem is caused by interfering possums. That seems a reasonable explanation except that when I came to Aldgate seven years ago these power cuts rarely occurred.
Perhaps the possums have developed suicidal tendencies over those years. Perhaps there are simply more possums. Or perhaps the possums have decided that before they engage in their nocturnal activities they should turn the lights off.

Bill Wheatland
Aldgate

Those who are demographically challenged may be distressed to learn of the possums' predilection to all matters electrical, not unlike the American squirrel, so I understand by my lurking this forum. What's more, it apparently is a recent phenomenon.

Regards from Down Under

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), January 15, 2000

Answers

Interest in the Avgas Mobil fiasco in Australia can link to a special web site

CASA

Regards from South Australia where possums suddenly cause power outages...

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), January 15, 2000.

Hey Pieter-

Thanks for the link. Glad to see you came through roll over in good shape, (so far [g]). We just saw a news byte on a *roo* problem you neighbors have been having lately. Good thing those buggers don't act up like your opposums, or you'd really have a big problem eh? In my neck of the woods, it's the porcupine that cause the knawing problems in the outback.

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), January 15, 2000.

"cause the knawing problems in the outback"

the mind boggles :o)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 15, 2000.

For gnawing problems in my outback, I usually consult a chiropractor.

Never considered it being caused by a porky.

(sorry, couldn't resist. Too much coffee.)

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), January 15, 2000.

Thanks for the posts. Looks like the power industry is "playing possum"........:)

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 15, 2000.

Sorry, I'm still kinda knew to Kings English... :.^}`

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), January 15, 2000.

HEhehe

-- squirrel@n.theoutback (gafawing@n.theoutback), January 15, 2000.

%________****** ...<--- Squirrel King squashed by truck tire

_______________ ...<--- Squirrel King squashed by Brontosaurus

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), January 15, 2000.

Squirrels and possums. Have no problems here but the northern part of the county lost power last week. Was due to fried raccoon. That species is not getting enough credit. Our squirrels belong to an independent union and ignore SK.

Best wishes,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), January 15, 2000.

Wasn't it those crazy Aussies with the Kangaroo's shooting at aircraft with surface ti air missiles.

Australian rodents are fierce, give right of way.

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), January 16, 2000.