Shawn writes in regards to the deforestation of Easter Island:

> I've 
> read the history on it, even the liberal versions, and what I've read 
> (which is not everything) has enormous leaps of faith, such as:
>  
>  1. The lack of trees is because they were all cut down.
>  Q. could it have been a tree disease?  I've seen them before.  Could it 
>  have been fire, or natural catastrophe?  There are plenty of other things 
>  you can look at.

Yes, that's true. There are a near-infinity of other possible causes other 
than human-caused deforestation, some of which are:

     o abuctions of the trees by aliens from a nearby planet devoid of trees
     o meteorite impacts
     o CIA-sponsored covert spraying of agent orange carried out by people in 
black helicopters at night
     o a horrific battle between Grindel and Beowulf
     o an early version of Woodstock laid waste to the place

...but all of these, including your suggestions, are known as "special 
pleadings." They're possible, but highly unlikely. 

The most obvious cause tends to almost always be the most likely cause.

Wirt Atmar

     
  

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